Piers Morgan on Dubai, 30.01.09
Friday, January 30, 2009
Venus Architecture Project by Jacque Fresco
Jacque Fresco is an industrial designer, author, lecturer, futurist, inventor, and a pioneer in the field of human factors engineering, based in Venus, Florida, USA. Fresco has worked as both designer and inventor in a wide range of fields spanning from biomedical innovations to totally integrated social systems. He believes his ideas would maximally benefit the greatest number of people and he states some of his ideas stem from his formative years during the Great Depression. In the mid-1970s, he started The Venus Project and the non-profit organization Future by Design together with Roxanne Meadows, that reflects the culmination of Frescos life work. To this day he writes and lectures extensively on subjects ranging from the holistic design of sustainable cities, energy efficiency, natural resource management and advanced automation, focusing on the benefits it will bring to society.
London Festival of Architecture in 2008
The Festival took place in June and July 2008 and was attended by over 250,000 people.
California Academy of Sciences by Renzo Piano in California
The California Academy of Sciences is one of the greenest museum in the world. Find out what this amazing building is doing to get a platinum level LEED certification. Located in San Francisco, California, it opens 2008. This unique, vacation destination was designed by Renzo Piano, with sculptures by Maya Lin. It has a living roof, rainforest, planetarium and aquarium. It opens in 2008
Architecture Design Around the world 2008
architecture and towers planned and under construction
New Kings Road, United Kingdom / ORMS Architecture Design
Planning consent has just been granted by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for a 100,000 sq ft office development on the New Kings Road in London designed by ORMS Architecture Design. The £30m project for Commercial Estates Group involves a significant refurbishment, re-cladding and extension to an existing 1970's building, to provide modern grade A office space.
The project will include a new entrance for the building and a café fronting the new Kings Road. A low energy air-conditioning system, utilising an on site renewable energy source. Following swiftly on the heels of this planning approval is consent for another office redevelopment designed by the practice in London.
This second project, in the City, involves an £18m refurbishment and extension including redesign of the facades at 28 Finsbury Square, a ten storey existing building on a prominent corner site for Freshwater Property London. ORMS’ strong credentials in the commercial office sector were recently endorsed by the award of Best of the Best at the 2007 British Council for Offices (BCO) awards for the ISG Headquarters at Aldgate House in London of which the judges said “The layout shows vision, fluency and quality – and all at the reasonable cost of around £75/sq. ft.
Most of all it shows how an ageing, tired and hard-to-let deep office floor can be turned into dense but comfortable workspace through intelligence and professional skill.“ In addition to a strong portfolio in the commercial office sector, - in new build, refurb and interiors - ORMS current portfolio comprises a wide variety of projects in the retail, residential, leisure and education sectors.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Menzis office building by Cie Architekten
The new architecture construction for the Menzis health insurarce company designed by Branimir Medic & Pero Puljiz, de Architekten Cie is situated on the edge of the Europapark urban expansion of the city of Groningen. At city scale level, the construction expresses its iconographic character toward the urban circular and the A7 motorway, the Europaweg. At ground floor level, the street alignment is determinated by the Europapark, where the building, as it rises, gradually leans over into the street space.
The 12-storey building is divided into three identical prismatic segments, rotatred 90º in relation to each other. With dimensions of 43 x 43 m, the segment is characterized by functional yet aesthetic compactness. Each segment contains four storeys, intersected vertically by an atrium. As a consequence, a spiral of atria is generated, forming an internal response to the dynamic exterior.
The foot accommodates the public functions, which are orientated toward the atrium and include service desks, an insurance shop and a healthcare service center. A doctor’s room and several consulting rooms are situated in themore private area. A practical system of partitioning divides the third and fourth floors into meeting rooms, a library, training areas, an auditorium, and a restaurant. The restaurant area can also be deployed flexibly as extra meeting space if required. The spacious staircase, which allow easy public flow though the atrium to the restaurant and meeting centre above, offer an unimpeded view of both the inner area and the water of the Winschoterdiep (canal).
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Chevron Headquarters by Perkins + Will in Nanjing, China
The project, Chevron Headquarters in Nanjing, China, was designed by architects Perkins + Will is a headquarters for a manufacturer of power tools. The client’s business exemplifies the process of globalization, with global markets combining with local labor. The architecture represents this process by emphasizing the intersection of the contemporary and traditional. It symbolizes this intersection of global and local by reinventing the vernacular in a contemporary context.
The zig-zag contemplative path found in traditional Chinese gardens serves as the organizing device for the departments of the headquarters which are broken into five distinct wings. A sloping green roof unifies the massing of the five wings and also covers areas to form roof terraces for employees. A glass pavilion element intersected by a vertical shaft of metal, which represents the client’s product, acts as a lobby and entrance element. Water is used extensively as a visual and environmental element in the courtyards as in traditional Chinese gardens. Thus, the sloping solid mass of the building combined with water symbolize the tradition of the “mountain-water garden.”
Ave Fenix fire station by BGP Arquitectura and AT 103 in Mexico City
Architects: AT 103 / BGP Arquitectura
Location: Colonia Juarez, Mexico City, Mexico
Architects: Bernardo Gómez-Pimienta, Julio Amezcua, Francisco Pardo y Hugo Sánchez
Coordinator: Hermenegildo Acoltzin
Collaborators: Jessica Barba, Margarita Flores, Daniel Ramírez, Jorge Vázquez, Tiberino Wallentin
Design Year: 2005
Construction Year: 2006
Services: GLM Ingeniería S.A. de C.V.
Contractor: SARE S.A.
Digital Model: Axel Fridman, Tristán Dieguez
Model: Miguel Ríos, Víctor Hugo Flores
Constructed Area: 2,400 sqm
Photographs: BGP Arquitectura
The building is a fire station that located in Colonia Juarez, Mexico City, Mexico. The fire station is built by at 103 and BGP arquitectura. The building exterior is chrome-like in appearance with slits in between the chrome plates to let light through. At night (shown above), the building exerts a very nice glow that makes it look like a big Apple cube.
The design chosen for the station appears from the outside like a simple high box that almost disappears. This is due to a facade that plays with reflections. The 3,924 sq m program includes, in addition to the station itself, a space for consultation and a training centre open to the public - both activities must be executed separately and the presence of the visitor must never interfere with the fireman’s duties.
Within the chromed box, both uses are alternated and complemented, organized by planes with holes in different sizes and shapes that allows natural lighting and communicates the different levels. In the case of the main access, the double stair proposed, separated the flow of the employers and the visitors and goes from the level of visitor access to a heliport in the roof. This vertical circulation was complemented by the classic tubes where the firemen descend faster. Thus, making them coexist thanks to the views crossed in the main patio, but without mixing them, the proposed solution is able to resolve both uses - the station requirements and the public areas.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Community College by AD+RG in Hong Kong, China
Designed by AD+RG architects, the Hong Kong based firm’s project is an 18-storey institutional building for the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong Community College. The site is located at one of the highest residential density areas in Hong Kong, Hung Hom District, adjacent to the Hong Kong Victoria Harbor.
The form composes of various teaching blocks stacked spirally in the air, which are separated with sky gardens at different levels. The various blocks have different degrees of opacity. The degree of opacity is made possible by varying the density of ceramic painted dots patterned glass and the solid volumes. The opacity controls the degree of direct sunlight casting into the interior of the building with different degree of intensity.
The continuous spiral-chain of communal sky gardens could be perceived along the tower block periphery extending from the lower-ground floor to the upper-most floors. The gardens enrich the building elevation with a natural, pleasant environment and help to create a different open learning and communal environment.
A flexible modular system of communal spaces capable for future transformation has been developed to facilitate the needs of adaptability and flexibility within public spaces provided with greenery for interaction. The modular system also enables the building to be the first institutional building in Hong Kong that adopts a full pre-cast construction system. The system minimizes waste during the construction period and additional finishes required for the interior decoration.
Chongqing Library by Perkins Eastman, China
Chongqing Library is located in Chongqing, China, and was designed by Perkins Eastman, completed in 2007. Full architectural services for a 540,000 sf glass and stone modern public library for use as an educational, cultural, and social center.
Beijing South Railway Station, Asia
Beijing South Railway Station is the largest station in Asia and a core Olympic project which opened on 1st August 2008. China’s Ministry of Railways has hailed Farrells’ Beijing South Railway Station as an exemplar project that will be used as a benchmark for massive new investment for China’s railway infrastructure.
The project was led by Gavin Erasmus and Stefan Krummeck from Farrells’ Hong Kong office who worked with a collaborating consultant, the Third Survey Design Institute (TSDI). Sir Terry Farrell said, “Investment in rail infrastructure can recast our sense of urban place and ease linkages that change our sense of distance and accessibility. Model interchanges such as Beijing South Railway Station are increasingly impacting on the growth of cities and enriching peoples’ lives. Successful economies need this type of investment, and the UK can learn a lesson from China’s massive and bold long-term investment in its railway infrastructure”.
Farrells began its journey into the Asia-Pacific region after winning an international competition to design the new Peak Tower, setting up office in Hong Kong in 1991. Fast forward 17 years and not only has the architecture firm made its mark through the design and masterplanning of iconic buildings and railways related projects, it has also shaped towns and cities throughout China, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Australia, India and South Africa.
Farrells architecture is founded on innovative technical and conceptual thinking, a complete understanding of the history, context and aspirations of each project and the needs of those who use and enjoy the buildings.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
CCA Dormitory by Mark Horton Architecture in Oakland,
Responding to an acute need for affordable housing for its students, CCA constructed its first dedicated dormitory. The new building is adjacent to the idyllic Oakland campus, and acts as a strong edge, as well as a transitional element, between the commercial or institutional urban fabric to the west and the residential neighborhood to the east.
The 14,000 square foot parcel is built out with a two story concrete podium housing a 38 car parking structure and the building lobby. A three story wood structure above houses 124 beds in 64 bedrooms. Lounges and kitchens are in an attached, sculptural volume.
CCA Dormitory, by Mark Horton Architecture in Oakland, CA, 2003 (Photos: Ethan Kaplan)
1010 LaTrobe Street, Unique Architecture to Docklands
Since 1010 LaTrobe Street completion in 2006, 1010 LaTrobe Street has received two highly acclaimed architectural awards and has been published internationally in Dutch magazine Mark. 1010 LaTrobe Street was designed by Ashton Raggatt MCDougall is located in Melbourne, Australia
1010 LaTrobe Street is unique to Docklands, in that it is the only building to achieve a 5 Star Green Star Certified rating of ‘Australian Excellence' from the Green Building Council of Australia. Melbourne's newest 5 Star landmark redefines commercial office design and positions itself well above the Australian industry standard of 4 Star's ‘Best Practice.' This building now shares a privileged spot in the top 20% of office buildings across the country which are committed to achieving a competitive advantage by delivering on their Greenhouse commitment.
1010 LaTrobe Street represents stage two of Digital Harbour's technology based community - an incubator hub with a focus on offices for new enterprises in the IT industry.
1010 LaTrobe Street connects start up companies and small/medium enterprises, right through to large corporations in a collaborative workplace that incorporates the latest digital technologies as well as facilitating one- on-one interactions.
Through the innovative use of ordinary building materials and methods, the project reinvents tried technologies in a creative and unusual way.
The commencement of stage two grounds the precinct in its ongoing rollout which includes substantial commercial development, carparking structures, public concourse and retail and exhibition spaces - demanding vibrant architecture at a range of scales and typologies.
Friday, January 16, 2009
New Store for Timberland, Architecture Design by Checkland Kindleysides
Checkland Kindleysides have designed a new store for Timberland, located in the Westfield London shopping mall, with a contemporary facade interpretation of the Timberland identity which makes the store a landmark site within the mall. As part of the brief for their new store at Westfield London, Timberland challenged Checkland Kindleysides to bring the brand’s iconic tree logo to life and show their environmental values in action.
Taking cues from the Timberland logo and the dynamic tree-like roof supports which form the architecture of the centre, we created a lattice of reclaimed timber branches that stretch the full 25m length of the side elevation, the 11m storefront and the 8.5m height of the store, wrapping the store in the brand’s iconic logo.
The facade creates such a strong brand statement that the fret cut steel signage merely acts as endorsement that this is Timberland. The structure creates interesting views into the store and the expanse of unusual shaped display windows allow almost every item of footwear to be showcased in a simple framework.
While in the windows at the front of the store, displays are set against crafted, repurposed furniture and props. The 3.5m doors, constructed out of salvaged planks, open wide to flank the entrance and welcome consumers into the store.
The New University of Twente Student Housing by Arons and Gelauff Architects
The building was designed by Arons and Gelauff Architects is nine stories high, and features a climbing wall on one side. The University of Twente, located in the city of Enschede in The Netherlands, has a new building with 87 apartments for students.
Description from the Arons and Gelauff Architects:
The high rise at the Campagneplein location lies in the middle of the Residential and Social Centre on the Boulevard facilities street. The project stands between the Bastille by Piet Blom and the Herman Haan sport centre. Just like the Calslaan project, this building is also on a former parking lot.
The building is nine stories high on the sport fields’ side. On the Boulevard side, the building fits the small-scale character of this pedestrian street with two building layers. The supermarket and the hairdresser are on this side. On the first floor, the dwellings are situated round a communal roof terrace. The façade facing the sport centre is fitted out as a climbing wall.
These two student dormitories – a courtyard building in the forest and a highrise with a climbing wall – are located on the campus of Enschede university in the east of the Netherlands. Thanks to a functional mix of housing, study and leisure and the arrangement of the buildings as solitaires in the landscape, the university compound from the 1950ies is one of the few real campuses in the Netherlands.
According to a new masterplan, the dorms were originally meant to be built next to a new straight aisle through the forest. In order to avoid this interference with the landscape, we looked for alternative sites and found two more or less abandoned parking lots in strategic locations.
The highrise at Campagneplein also stands on a former parking lot and borders on a sports field in the south. The sports theme has been literally integrated into the architecture, in the form of a 30 metre high climbing wall.
In this case, the floor plans as well as the building envelope were already determined by the client. From these starting points, we generated a 9-storey building next to the sports field, connecting to a 1-storey building housing a supermarket and some commercial spaces. On the north side, there’s an additional row of student studios on top of the low building, whose roof serves as a collective garden. The façade materials are the same as for the courtyard building in the forest: juicy red glass panels and dark brick.
The climbing wall with 2500 grips is the second highest in the Netherlands and forms the eyecatcher of the otherwise rather straight-forward building. It was a gift from the client to the inhabitants of the campus, because the university of Enschede has a very active and successful mountaineering club – however paradoxical that may sound in the flat Netherlands. As a climber in the Netherlands, one anyway has to resort to artificially created training spots, so why not combine architecture and climbing wall?
The folds of the wall look like the urban abstraction of a mountain and give the building a sculptural appearance. Seen from the sports field, it seems to be bending its hip. The brick frame around the glass panel façade emphasizes this impression and creates a logo-like shape. The western wall of the low-rise building is also covered in grips and can be used for „bouldering“.
The climbing wall instills a fun factor into the building and therefore forms a contrast to the chique red glass façade. As motive for a sculptural deformation, it also gives the highrise character and recognizability.
Docks de Paris, Architecture Design by Jakob+MacFarlane
The Docks of Paris is a long, thin building built in concrete at the turn of the last century, that was a depot for goods brought up the Seine by barge. In 2004, the city of Paris launched a competition to create a new cultural building on the site. Whether or not to keep the existing concrete structure was a choice left to the participants. Jakob+MacFarlane opted to retain the existing structure and use it to form and influence the new project.
From Jakob+MacFarlane: The existing structure was built in 1907 as an industrial warehouse facility for the Port of Paris and was the first reinforced concrete building in Paris. The 3 story structure was conceived as a series of 4 pavilions, each with one 10m wide bay and four 7.5m wide bays. On the level corresponding to the Quai Austerlitz, the 10m bay is accessible from the street with the other bays roughly 1.25m higher, facilitating the storing and loading of materials for transport. The concept of the new project is known as a ‘Plug-Over’. Here, the idea was to create a new external skin that is inspired primarily by the flux of the Seine and the promenades along the sides of the river banks. The skin both protects the existing structure and forms a new layer containing most of the public circulation systems and added program, as well as creating a new top floor to the existing building.
The new structural system supporting this skin is the result of a systematic deformation of the existing conceptual grid of the docks building. An arborescent generating method is used to create a new system from the existing system, that is, ‘growing’ the new building from the old as new branches grow on a tree. This skin is created principally from a glass exterior skin, steel structure, wood decking and grassed, faceted roofscape. The ‘Plug-Over’ operates not only as a way of exploiting the maximum building envelope but enables a continuous public path to move up through the building from the lowest level alongside the Seine to the roof deck and back down, a kind of continuous loop enabling the building to become part of the urban condition. The programme is a rich mix centred on the themes of design and fashion, including exhibition spaces, the French Fashion Institute (IFM), music producers, bookshops, cafes, and a restaurant.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
National Museum of Australia by Howard Raggatt in Canberra
As designed by architect Howard Raggatt (design architect and design director for the project), The National Museum of Australia is a cultural history museum with three permanent galleries, a touring gallery, three high definition digital theatres, workshops and unloading facilities, curatorial facilities and major public function and orientation spaces, restaurants, retail and grand public spaces.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Auditorium with Cafeteria by Barkow Leibinger, Ditzingen, Germany
Location: Ditzingen, Germany
Design: Auditorium with cafeteria and kitchen
Architects: Barkow Leibinger
Customer: TRUMPF GmbH + Co
Size: 5400 m²
Built: 2006-08
Design: Auditorium with cafeteria and kitchen
Architects: Barkow Leibinger
Customer: TRUMPF GmbH + Co
Size: 5400 m²
Built: 2006-08
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Factory and Office Building by Thor Björnsson + Edgren in Partille, Sweden
Location: Partille, Sweden
Design: Factory and office
Architect: Thor Björnsson + Edgren
Year built: 2005
Size: 3000 m²
Design: Factory and office
Architect: Thor Björnsson + Edgren
Year built: 2005
Size: 3000 m²
Read More..
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