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Monday, April 27, 2009

Plaza Program and Green Lights for Broadway, New York, United States

New York City streets go green New York City transportation head, Janette Sadik-Kahn is taking it to the streets, literally. The visionary transportation planner, who has been on the job for two years and was tapped by the Obama Administration for a top post, is serious about sustainability. And, while her first attempt to reduce the citys carbon footprint by proposing congestion pricing for those

who came in to the city by car went over like a lead balloon, her current efforts to green the citys streets by reinventing car lanes as public space has carried favor with just about everyone. Her latest project, dubbed Green Lights for Broadway, aims to transform the citys iconic car-clogged thoroughfare into a pedestrian oasis. As the only street in Midtown that is off the grid, Broadway poses significant traffic problems and safety issues along its length. Green Lights for Broadway aims to reduce traffic congestion through Midtown with targeted improvements focused at Times Square and Herald Square that will speed cross town traffic and replace car lanes with public space where pedestrians can lunch or relax in the middle of the street. Broadway is just one of many areas of the city that is being pedestrianised by Sadik-Kahn. Another intiative to green the city steets is the Plaza Program which began last year aiming to put all New Yorkers within a 10-minute walk of a park. Under this Program, streets throughout the city are being reinvented as public plazas, as, for example, at Madison Square Park where 45,000 sq ft of public space was recently added in the middle of Madison Avenue and in nearby Chelsea where a car lane was transformed into a plaza with planters and a bike lane. While these efforts will no doubt make the city more liveable, the Mayor and the Transportation Commissioner would like to see a Manhattan with fewer cars. As such, the city is tweaking its public transportation system to expand and speed service. While the focus is mainly on adding designated bus lanes and improving ferry service, there may also be a tramway in New Yorks future. In the 1990s, while with the Dinkins Administration, Sadik-Kahn tried to build a light rail system on 42nd Street. And though that project died on the vine, the idea of a building a light rail line on 42nd Street is still very much alive. The Institute for Rational Mobility (RUM), an advocacy group, is currently floating a proposal, dubbed Vision 42 that re-imagines 42nd Street as a landscaped pedestrian mall with a 2.5-mile long light rail line that runs river to river. In a recently released report, RUM indicates the roughly $500 million project would generate $704 million in annual benefit. While that projects future is yet to be determined, Sadik-Kahn has said she is not opposed to using the dedicated bus lanes initiative as a back door step toward light rail, noting that cities all over the world, like Bogot Columbia, are working toward a light rail service by reclaiming auto space in this way. Regardless, the citys green transportation czar is on the case manipulating over 6,000 miles of roadway and 12,000 miles of sidewalks for the betterment of the public. While incomplete, her efforts have led to large increases in cycling as a primary mode of transit, increased ridership on subways and busses, and reduced mortalities amongst bicyclists and pedestrians. Sharon McHugh US Correspondent source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Ethekwini Hospital, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa

New hospital for Kwazulu Natal province The new Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre is located just off the N2 High way at Nandi Drive, in the Riverhorse Valley Development, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. The architects were assigned the task of designing a hospital that would surpass the existing local facilities, both in feel as well as in efficiency of planning. It was specifically requested by the client that a "360 degree" building be designed. That is a building which looks pleasant from all sides, and has no visible services. This was achieved by the careful screening of most of the services on the building's roof and carefully planning the location of the electrical services on the lower level. The hospital is six storeys in height. The entire second floor is dedicated to specialist cardiac care. The total bed count for the facility is two hundred and fifty, which is divided into a Medical Ward, a Surgical Ward, a Short Stay Unit, a Paediatric Unit and a Maternity Suite. There is also a 24hr Emergency Unit and a state of the art Radiology Department. One of the main focal points of the design was to achieve an improved quality of stay for both the patients and their visitors. This was approached on two levels technical and aesthetic. The technical level focused on improved service delivery by implementing the latest digital equipment for diagnosis and treatment. The aesthetic level focused on creating an environment that was warm and welcoming to all persons using the facility. This was achieved by providing as much natural lighting as possible, particularly evident in the main entrance and public waiting areas, which are lit by a skylight. The main feature staircase is encased in glass. The use of vibrant colours in the artworks, furniture, joinery and floor finishes also add to the warmth and comfort of the interior. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Granary Wharf, Leeds, United Kingdom

Granary Wharf nearing completion This week saw the topping out ceremony for the newest edition to the Leeds skyline, careyjones architects striking residential tower at Granary Wharf for ISIS Waterside Regeneration. The Granary Wharf development, comprising three separate buildings, is one of only a few Leeds city centre schemes that is on schedule for completion this year. ISIS Chairman Nigel Franklin said; Our belief that people want outstanding quality in exceptional locations has never been shaken, even through the housing crisis. Customers tell us that they have been waiting years for a scheme like this: I am glad we had faith in our beliefs. The city's regeneration plans for the area are first class. ISIS is the very proud custodian of granary wharf which sits at the heart of them. New names were also announced for the two distinctive residential buildings; careyjones innovative twisting tower will be known as Candle House, a reference to the candle and tallow packing warehouses once located on the wharf side; and the 14 storey building designed by CZWG Architects named Watermans Place. Director at careyjones architects, Simon Clarke, said: It is great to see the Granary Wharf masterplan emerging as the three buildings take their place in this fantastic gateway location. We are extremely proud of our work with ISIS and to be topping out such a visually striking building that will create an impressive addition to the Leeds skyline. Cllr Carter added: These are testing times for any city undertaking ambitious regeneration

plans and Leeds is no exception, which is why the topping out milestone is particularly significant. What will be Leeds largest hotel, City Inn, incorporating the citys only sky bar with 360degree views, will stand between Candle House and Watermans Place is due to open in July 2009. The area also will benefit from the transformation of Neville Street, a main gateway to Granary Wharf, due to complete this autumn and the installation of a keenly anticipated walkway from Granary Wharf directly into Leeds train station, expected in 2012. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Nussbaum Information and Training Center, Olten, Switzerland

Industrial training center explores variation in spatial qualities The project for the Swiss sanitary hardware manufacturer Nussbaum AG responds to the surrounding buildings by reinterpreting their architectural language into a brighter and more elegant form.

The strong and simple volume - made of a profile glass facade - is punctured by several courtyards. The design is about exploring different spatial motifs by changing room heights, producing different light situations and creating assorted connections between inside and outside spaces. Corresponding to communication requirements, the inner structure of the building is open and nondirectional. Functional, spatial and acoustical divisions are easily managed due to this clear and simple structure which nevertheless allows for differentiated and varied spatial qualities. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Putney House, Vermont, United States

Kyu Sung Woo Architects design rural abode set on Putney Mountain, Vermont Situated on the south and west facing slopes of Putney Mountain, Vermont this house engages

the landscape and reinterprets the simple volumes of Vermont rural architecture. Three clearings in the forest punctuate the long gravel driveway and provide views of meadow, pond and house. In the final clearing, the house is broken into three volumes arrayed around a large rock outcropping with open spaces that frame vistas of the Green Mountains. The volumes follow the contours of the slope stepping up the hill to engage the site while a planned addition continues the sweep of the volumes along the slope. Each volume has a distinct programmatic function: a shed volume serves as a workshop and storage outbuilding, and two connected volumes form the main living quarters of the house: one volume serves as private family living space and the other serves as a public studio and meditation space. The house provides a weekend gathering place for three generations of family from around the region. Three main bedrooms are arranged to provide privacy while childrens rooms with play lofts are integrated with the public areas. The house is designed for maximum contact with the exterior, reinterpreting local building materials with stained Western Red Cedar siding and corrugated steel, while protecting the occupants from the harsh winters and hot summer days of southern Vermont. Three outdoor spaces, each with a unique exposure, allow connection to the environment throughout the day. A south facing sliding glass wall extends the kitchen/dining space outdoors with an eighteen foot clear opening. The studio space extends west through a sliding glass door to a wood-lined screen porch and a view of the mountain forests beyond. A shaded stepped central gravel courtyard provides relief from the sun on summer days. Narrow window openings on the north walls protect the house from winter winds while promoting cross ventilation in the summer months. On the interior, the studio space is minimally detailed with white plaster walls and an acoustic fabric ceiling for piano recitals while the living quarters are selectively clad in local granite, maple and mahogany woods to impart a feeling of warmth. The building is framed entirely in dimensional lumber with a prefabricated wood truss providing a large span opening at the kitchen/dining area. In keeping with the sensitive and isolated site, the house is off the grid with roofmounted photo voltaic panels providing electricity. Thick walls are encapsulated by high performance insulation and staggered wood stud construction minimizes thermal bridging to the interior in the winter months. Large aluminum windows admit abundant natural light to counteract Vermonts short winter days while overhangs provide summer shading. Wood stoves fueled with felled trees from the site are supplemented by radiant heat floors. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Taiwan Center for Disease Control Complex

Jury pick favourite design commending its internationality The design of the internationally tendered Taiwan Center for Disease Control Complex is to be developed by Chinese firm Ricky Liu and Associates in conjunction with the USA's CUH2A. One of 7 shortlisted teams, the joint team's design was commended for its affordability, its relationship with the surrounding landscape and its international influences. With a jury of 11 judges, remarks on the project were varied but many commented on the projects international reflections and the professional expertise particularly from the American side of the team. A division of HDR, CUH2A is a Global Science and Technology Design Firm with offices all over the United States and with enviable experience in laboratory design. The Taiwan project, situated in Hsinchu, includes the Phase I Research and Diagnostic Center and the Phase II Administration Center. The winning Research and Diagnostic Center design attempts to create a landmark in the region. Its 9-level laboratory building is located in the western site with its facade facing the Hsinchu High Speed Rail Station. Taking a full consideration of the total power supply, mechanical running and their maintenance, the Power Center is designed as a separate building to the CDC campus. The Administration Building consists of 6 floors located in the north of the site. The arc building setbacks away from the front plaza and allocate the main access at the north side centralizing the control on staffs access. The large auditorium sits at the east of the site for

the purpose of flexible space for gathering and recreation. The overall design takes into consideration issues such as security, flow, form and working environment. Further development will take place over the next phase of the design development, not least of which will be cost issues which are a common problem for international companies in Taiwan. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Land Securities Office + Marketing Space, Leeds, United Kingdom

ESA design new offices and marketing facilities for Land Securities in Leeds The project overlooks The Trinity Quarter, one of Land Securities major town centre schemes which it is promoting in conjunction with Caddick Developments. The project is within an office building that was recently extensively refurbished by ESA. The 8,500 sq ft floor plate features a living wall, which snakes its way from end to end subtly changing colour as it goes. The wall divides public from working spaces, manifesting itself in various forms in its journey from end to end of the space. It starts at reception, coloured orange and on its way encloses meeting rooms, work stations, a library and kitchens. It culminates in the marketing suite in the form of a backdrop/servery, by which time it has become a deep red. Full height glazing overlooking the Trinity Quarter allows Land Securities to reveal the development site to visitors at exactly the right moment in the presentation.

Bamboo flooring has been used, delivering a low-cost, hardwearing alternative to hardwood. Commenting on the project, creative director of ESA Nic Sampson said: The living wall is an organizing device which threads its way through the office, functioning as a dual working and marketing space. It establishes a strong theme that Land Securities staff and visitors can identify with. They have immediately taken the new space to their hearts and pride in their environment is evident in the way in which they are tending it and the way they show off their facilities to visitors. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Bird Island, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Graft offer undulating green home for island paradise Described as the 'test bed for sustainable living and responsible development', Bird Island in Kuala Lumpur's Sentul Park is an exclusive resort with an exclusive range of designers. 8 high-profile architects were invited: Atelier ten; Grant Associates; innovarchi; KplusK associates; MAD; Plasma Studios; and Zoka Zola alongside Graft to compete in the Green Homes competition to design 6 energy efficient residential dwellings for the 35 acre park. Graft's design, shown here, provides a model for sustainable architecture in which design is enhanced rather than compromised: "We have applied an integrated strategy of developing a zero-energy house that seamlessly dovetails the economic and environmental advantages of environmentally friendly living with the needs of a demanding and cosmopolitan clientele," say Graft. "The environmental and economic features of this way of living do not conflict with our clients lifestyle; rather it furthers their ability to comfortably enjoy their time at home."

Achieving a pre-certification LEED Homes Rating of Platinum, with more than 90 credits, the design features include a highly reflective tensile silicon coated fabric skin which guides the residents views out to the park as well as 50% of solar energy out to space preventing overheating; construction materials are chosen when appropriate from renewable or recycled materials; cooling effects are created through a cold rainwater harvesting system collected in spaces in the ceiling during the day; and cross ventilated during the night. Bird Island is a development exclusive to the gated community of Sentul West, KL. Being developed by infrastructure conglomerate YTL, the island is a 'natural oasis' which is home to many local and migratory birds. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Christchurch Intergrated Airport, New Zealand, Christchurch, New Zealand

HASSELL on site with new Christchurch Integrated terminal Designed by HASSELL, in conjunction with celebrated local architects Warren and Mahoney the new Christchurch Integrated Terminal is currently on site. This major project sees the demolition of the existing 1960 domestic terminal and the creation of a new state of the art facility that will provide Christchurch International Airport Limited with facilities of an international standard to service the growing air travel market within New

Zealand. The development consists of the new terminal, offices, a multi-storey car park, surface car parking with a landscape plaza and airside works. It is currently the largest construction project in the South Island. Responding to the latest developments in air travel, the new terminal is unique in a number of ways: its new check-in hall accommodating both domestic and international customers is designed to accommodate innovative self service kiosks and compact check-in desks facilitating faster passenger processing; traditionally separate airside departure lounges have been centralised to maximize flexibility, improve wayfinding and maximize space utilisation; and landside approach is across an innovative traffic free plaza., rather than by crossing the multitude of roads currently at the terminal. Swing gates help with flexibility - allowing certain gates to be used either as Domestic or International configuration - some flights can arrive internationally and carry on Domestically on the same gate. The client, Christchurch International Airport Limited, is the first Carbon Neutral Airport Company in the Southern Hemisphere and from the beginning of the project was committed to ensure that significant ESD initiatives would be employed in the design of the complex facility. The biggest contributor to future carbon saving is the use of the artesian layer under Canterbury Plains which has a 5+ degree difference in winter or summer. The project utilises this difference by taping into this layer with a closed loop heat exchange removing the need for traditional chiller technology. The terminal will remain in full operation during a complex staged construction and commissioning process which will be completed in 2011 in time for the Rugby World Cup. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

National Heart Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

Firm appointed to 73 million heart Centre Broadway Malyan has been appointed to a 73 million project to design a new building for the National Heart Centre Singapore. The appointment gives the firms new Singapore office, which opened last year, a significant boost. The 35,299 sq m building will play part of the wider masterplanning for the redevelopment of Singapore General Hospitals Outram Campus and is designed in conjunction by the companys Singapore and Weybridge offices and in collaboration with Ong & Ong Architects. The buildings design has been born out of a multi-disciplinary process focussing on the social, economic, environmental and technological requirements of the National Heart Centre Singapore, commented Jason Pomeroy, director for Broadway Malyans Singapore office. Fundamental to this is our ethos for the building - Placing People First a philosophy which will ensure the needs of the individual are met at the Centre in their everyday working, living, playing and healing lives, be they the patient, doctor or visitor. The majority of visitors and patients will enter the ten storey building via a spacious, naturally lit concourse area. This will lead into a large and welcoming reception including information and quarantine zone plus retail shops and cafes, via which department reception areas and the upper levels of the hospital can be reached. The operational layout of the building has been set to minimise travel distances for patients and staff. The first six floors of the building will contain facilities for a day surgery, operating theatres, clinics, laboratories, radiology and retail facilities. Levels seven to ten have appropriately been designated for non-patient areas including medical records, research laboratories, staff training, a library and administrative offices.

Providing social connectivity, the building will feature a collection of different healthcare related and social functions arranged, like a collegiate, around open spaces not dissimilar to the medicinal courtyard gardens of the Middle Ages. These internal and external open spaces are designed to expedite healing via the provision of natural light, ventilation and views for patients while also providing planting that acts as a carbon sponge, noxious pollutant filter and heat island reducer. The internal open spaces have also been maximised to encourage footfall through the buildings open spaces creating heightened opportunities for social interaction and increased drive to retail opportunities, while also improving operational efficiency for staff and mitigating visitor and patient anxiety via the provision of clear routes through the Centre. Recognising the often swift advances in medical and healthcare technologies, the structure of the building is flexible and adaptable to change both internally and externally. Utilising modern methods of modularization to facilitate and ease the speed of construction, it is expected that, subject to planning approval, demolition works for the new Heart Centre will begin in September 2009 with build completion expected in Spring 2012. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Riva Hotel, London, United Kingdom

Luxury Heathrow hotel given Mayoral seal of approval Foster + Partners design for a new five-star hotel on Bath Road, close to Heathrow Airport has been approved by the Mayor of London. The only five-star hotel in the area, it will offer a range of services, including the most extensive conference facilities of any London hotel, to serve the local community and businesses, as well as passengers using Heathrow. The hotel, developed by Riva Properties is characterised by a distinctive layered glass shell, which floods the public spaces with daylight. Articulated as a 13-storey structure, several levels are sunk into the ground, keeping the buildings profile low in response to the immediate surroundings. The rooms are contained within six pavilions, linked by bridges and wrapped in a unifying glass envelope, which acts as a barrier to aircraft noise. The entrance lobby has a floating glass deck with views down to the sunken restaurant level, shallow pool and waterfall. This restaurant floor is accessed via a timber walkway and incorporates a business centre, as well as a variety of venues to eat and drink. The double-height conference facilities, which have their own reception to allow separate access from street-level, encircle a top-lit atrium that brings natural light deep into the building and down to the lower levels. As well as a selection of meeting venues and breakout areas, there is a flexible 1,200-capacity ballroom, two auditoriums and a large conference room. The bowling centre that currently occupies the site will be reinstated within the new scheme at basement level and will remain a

public facility. The hotel also incorporates a health centre with a pool, gym, saunas and treatment rooms. Grant Brooker, Executive Director at Foster + Partners, said: This will be the first five-star hotel in the immediate vicinity of Heathrow and marks a key stage in the area's transformation. We have enjoyed great support and encouragement from local residents, businesses and the Borough of Hillingdon and we believe that the hotels wide range of facilities will ensure that it plays a vital role in serving both international travellers and the local community.

source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Former Birdseve HQ refurbished, Surrey, United Kingdom

ESA designs for former Birdseye HQ gain planning consent ESA Architects, with offices in London, Hull and Poland, has gained planning consent for the iconic 1960s former Birdseye HQ in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. The existing modern campus building is listed Grade ll and was bought by ESAs client, Green Property, in 2006. The original aluminium-clad building, designed by Sir John Burnet Tait, is very much of its time and a classic example of a purpose-built out of town post war office headquarters. As well as replacing the external cladding and refurbishing the existing 17,000sq m building ESA has got consent to replace the original 1963 annex with a brand new 10,000M2 threestorey modern addition, forming a new public court in the space between the two buildings. The consented proposals have received the backing of English Heritage, the organisation protecting listed buildings in England. The original building harbors tales of penguins and crocodiles roaming the two existing courts in the days when Birdseye inhabited the offices! The external landscaping, including the original John McCarthy bronze bird sculptures, will also be refurbished along with the reorganisation of the surrounding carparks and formal road-side lawns to complete the setting of what will be a powerful ensemble of twentieth and twenty-first century office architecture. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Stryker New Medical Technology Facility, Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom

ESA gain planning consent for striking new medical technology facility ESA's design for a new distribution and office HQ facility for Stryker, the US manufacturer of high-tech medical equipment, has achieved planning consent. The 5-acre site is situated opposite Strykers existing facility, close to Newbury racecourse and on the mainline railway between London and the South West. The new 10,000 sq m building will house all of Strykers UK workforce as well as providing space for logistics, distribution and high-tech storage/assembly and is aiming for a BREEAM rating of excellent. Although the building has been designed for the specific needs of the client, requiring some deep-plan assembly areas, an important aspect of the original brief was to ensure that the base-building could revert back to a regular institutional office building that conformed to typical BCO codes of practice. Externally the proposed building uses a palette of three materials; glass, bronzed metal cladding and cellular translucent polycarbonate panels to the assembly areas. The consultant team included Cushman Wakefield (Project management), Meinhardt (M+E and Structures), Stuart Pearson (Landscape), Peter Bretts (Highways), WT Partnership (QS) and Barton Wilmore as Planning Consultants. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Taiwan Centre for Disease Control Complex, Taipei, Taiwan

Manfredi Nicoletti design receives honourable mention The Biolab Squadron consists of labs sealed within two similar elements evoking Nautilus shells.The two shells, forming the Biolab Squadron, are a metaphoric example of the highest formal and technological sophistication of the most advanced laboratories conceived and the extremely harmful pathogenic viruses of our planet which are studied within themselves. The Biolab Squadron outer skin pattern is made of interlacing geometric incisions reproducing the four conventional symbols attributed to the DNA sequence of the bacteria

being studied. The result is a surface perfectly homogenous and uniform in its overall material, but mysteriously engraved by symbols illegible by most people. A sense of arcane volumetric unity bearing an enigmatic and indecipherable message emanates from this surface treatment. This effect reproduces what the common people feel towards the terrible pathogenic agents. They are invisible to the naked eye and can be really observed only under powerful electronic microscopes or when they cause devastating effects on populations. The project was jointly tendered by Manfredi Nicoletti and ARCO Architects & Designers receiving an honourable mention from the jury. The winning design was by Ricky Liu & Associates with CUHZA Inc. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Sunday, April 19, 2009

'Connect the Parks' Master Plan, Jersey City, United States

Jersey City waterfront park unveiled The Jersey City Waterfront Parks Conservancy has unveiled a new park design that is to transform and connect two major parcels of parkland on the Hudson River. A joint effort by landscape architect Starr Whitehouse with nARCHITECTS, the proposed concept, dubbed Connect the Parks calls for the restoration of the rapidly eroding parcels and linking them with an Infinity Bridge that will allow for a continuous walkway to be created between Exchange Place and the Liberty Harbor area. The plan also includes gardens, a slide mound, swings, water features and a dog run. To promote nature and our childrens interaction with the natural world, a floating aquatic vegetative island promoting aquatic life, a wet meadow and several points of access to the waters edge are also featured in the plan. In place of the corrugated steel bulkheading used to

the north and south of the park, this conceptual master plan incorporates a cost effective, visually appealing and less obtrusive means of erosion control, via a natural protection system. Finally, two pavilions will provide family gathering areas, seating, a comfort station and a venue for events such as concerts or puppet shows. The plan is the result of community input collected during earlier surveys and community meetings. Sharon McHugh US Correspondent source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Oil Rig Platform Resort and Spa, Gulf Sea, United States

Winner of 2008 innovation award takes holiday-goers to new platforms 4000 oil rigs in the Gulf Sea could be turned into 80 million sq ft of luxury resorts for the wealthy if Morris Architects, designer of the Oil Rig Resort and Spa concept have their way. As the recent winning design of the Radical Innovation in Hospitality Award, the concept which would transform rigs which would otherwise be destroyed into capital-gaining resorts, is awarded fresh prestige, and the architects a $10,000 prize.

Each rig hotel would be able to accommodate over 300 guest rooms and luxury suites, a ballroom, restaurants, retail, pool and poolside bar as well as providing a marina for yachts, a casino, a dive bell for below sea excursions and facilities for water sports. Encouraged as an ecological alternative to the destruction of the rigs which, according to Morris Architects, will all be decommissioned within the next century, the renovation would help to preserve the marine life gathered among the legs of the rigs. They would also function autonomously with alternative forms of energy production including wind, wave and solar. The designers hope that the rigs could be used as ports of call for cruise ships travelling between the Caribbean and Mexico. Niki May Young News Editor source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke, United States

Taubman Museum of Art sets new architectural direction for Roanoke With the Taubman Museum of Art, designed by Los Angeles based Randall Stout Architects, Roanoke in Virginia gets it first purpose built art museum. It also gets an adventuresome work of architecture, which like that Guggenheim Bilbao, is expected to jump start the regions economy and bring visitors in droves to the steps of the new museum. Its a tall order indeed, especially considering that art museums around the county reported a disappointing financial first quarter, causing many, including the Taubman, to drastically cut programs and staff.

In its forms and materials, the 81,000 sq ft museum is a sculptural ode to the surrounding Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains and the regions early industrial beginnings. Crafted of steel, patinaed zinc, and high-efficiency glass, the building houses flexible galleries for the museums permanent collection of 19th and 20th century American art; expanded educational facilities; a multi purpose theatre; caf; and museum store on three levels. Outdoor terraces provide views of the city beyond. As with other projects designed by Stout, the public spaces, including a central atrium that soars to a height of 77 feet, are dynamic and sculptural while the gallery spaces are conventional in their geometry to meet the demands of exhibiting art, which favors a planar over a sculptural language. The building features many sustainable design components including natural lighting, radiant heating and cooling, an energy efficient envelope and computerized building management systems. The museum opened to the public in November 2008. Sharon McHugh U.S. Correspondent source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

The Terry Thomas, Seattle, United States

The Terry Thomas architects office awarded AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Project The Terry Thomas was designed to provide a healthy and creative work environment that would illustrate the possibilities of sustainable design and was chosen as an AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green Project for 2009. The project was driven by a future tenant who needed a new office space to accommodate a rapidly expanding architectural practice. The firm wanted to remain in the same neighborhood where it had operated for seventeen years, yet in a building that would exemplify commitment to sustainable design.

The Terry Thomas is located in Seattle's up-and-coming South Lake Union neighborhood, adjacent to Downtown. The building has 37,000 sq ft of office space on four floors, with shower facilities to encourage bicycle use. The ground level features 3,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space, and a central courtyard that provides a gathering space. Parking for cars and bicycles is available on two levels of an underground garage. An architectural firm, a marketing firm, and a real estate firm occupy the office space in the building. The project team began the design process by conducting a survey among the staff of the primary tenants about their priorities for their new workspace. The most frequently requested features were daylighting, natural ventilation, and improved community meeting spaces. The designers responded by creating a holistic design concept tailored to its specific site and made daylight, ventilation, and reinforced community connections a priority. As both the designers and inhabitants of The Terry Thomas, the occupants now enjoy the benefits of strong natural and cultural connections while simultaneously increasing their productivity potential. In the process, they have created an experimental and educational tool for promoting sustainable design. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Ludlow Street Apartments, New York, United States

Magnusson Architects aim for LEED Gold with affordable housing project The proposed building is 6.5 stories with 40 rental units and includes exterior as well as covered parking for building residents. The current design includes a large community facility on the uppermost floor adjacent to an extensive green roof. The building Integrates passive solar heating with daylight design, will have green/high performance features with smart building technology and is being developed following the principles of Integrated Design. The building will pursue LEED for Homes Gold certification and the NYSERDA Multifamily 'Energy Star Green Affordable Housing program'. The project will integrate over 50 kW of solar photovoltaic panels to produce electricity for the building on the uppermost roof, as a shade canopy for the 6th floor and lobby, and southfacing building integrated faade (BIPV). The systems would be capable of producing over 50,000 kWh/year. Project team: Client: Westhab Inc. Magnus Magnusson, AIA LEED AP, Fernando Villa AIA, LEED AP, Satoshi Okawara, Shefali Sanghvi.

source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington D.C, United States

Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup win National Museum of African American History and Culture competition The Smithsonian has announced that Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup is the architectural team chosen to design the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) to be located on the National Mall near the Washington Monument. The selection was made by a jury chaired by Museum Director Lonnie G. Bunch III. Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup was one of 22 teams that responded to the Request for Qualifications in summer 2008. Six firms were then selected to participate in the design competition announced in January 2009. I am pleased to have the opportunity to work with this talented team, said Bunch. Their vision and spirit of collaboration moved all members of the design competition jury. I am confident that they will give us a building that will be an important addition to the National Mall and to the architecture of this city. The competition follows the 2003 NMAAHC Act that made law of the Smithsonians duty to provide the building. The prominent site was subsequently chosen before the design competition was launched. Philip G. Freelon, FAIA, speaking on behalf of the Freelon Adjaye Bond team, said: This is an incredible time for us as designersand this museum represents a unique opportunity to give form and substance to the powerful vision that has been established by the Smithsonian

leadership. We are truly honored to have been chosen as the architects from such a distinguished list of competitors. Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup pipped Devrouax & Purnell Architects with Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects; Diller Scofidio Renfro with KlingStubbins; Foster + Partners with the URS Corp; Moody Nolan with Antoine Predock and Moshe Safdie and Associates with Sultan Campbell Britt & Associates to win the prestigious competition. Freelon Adjaye Bond said in its design concept materials: The National Museum of African American History and Culturethe institution and the buildingembodies the African American spirit. Majestic yet exuberant, dignified yet triumphant, the building will be worthy of the museums vision, and its prominent place on the National Mall. The interior lobby rendering borrows the ceiling structure from another of David Adjaye's designs, the 'Sclera' pavilion designed for the London Design Festival in 2008, subtitled American tulipwood pavilion. The team selected by the Smithsonian consists of four firms that have joined together for this unique projectThe Freelon Group, Adjaye Associates, Davis Brody Bond and SmithGroup. The Freelon Group will be the architect of record and Phil Freelon will serve as the design guarantor making sure that the design reflects the values and priorities of the museum and the Smithsonian. David Adjaye will be the lead designer. He designed the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, Norway, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver. Davis Brody Bond is involved in the planning, design and execution of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center in New York. The SmithGroup is an international architectural and engineering firm with offices in Washington, D.C., that designed the Normandy American Cemetery Interpretive Center in France. The building design will take up to three years, with construction to begin in 2012. Set to open in 2015, the museums total cost is estimated to be $500 million, including design. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Portside, Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Towns first post-apartheid skyscraper commences construction The Portside project, Cape Towns first post-apartheid skyscraper, designed by Louis Karol, has commenced construction following planning approval. Designed for Old Mutual Investment Group Property Investments (OMIGPI), and located on the old Malgas/Porters/Shell site, opposite the V&A Waterfront entrance, the tower will rise to approximately 148 metres in height.

Commanding views on to Table Mountain and Table Bay, Portside will have 24 office floors above a 5-storey hotel and retail component, with parking on five basement levels and eight above ground. The last tall building to be built in Cape Towns city centre was OMIGPIs Safmarine House in 1993 rising to 123 metres and designed also by Louis Karol. Cape Towns 15 year skyscraper hiatus can be ascribed to a number of factors, including low economic confidence, 9/11 and conservative planning policy. Robert Silke of Louis Karol, said: We were in negotiations with the City of Cape Town for 18 months and have been grateful for the high levels of co-operation and participation by the city officials in fine tuning the scheme, and who ultimately made positive recommendations to the city councillors. Until Portside was given consent, it was felt in many quarters that tall buildings were impossible to achieve under the present planning system but events have proven that appropriate, well-designed tall buildings still have a place in our city, added Silke. OMIGPIs executive for Property Development, Brent Wiltshire says the Portside development aims to achieve a four-star rating according to the Green Building Council of South Africas Green Star rating system. Tall buildings play an important role in green architecture and their role is three-fold to promote sustainability, reduce energy use and develop innovative technologies, says Wiltshire. As part of the focus on safety, lifts can be stopped every third floor to access an emergency exit from within the lift that is without exiting through the lift doors. Lift studies are being conducted to determine a benchmark for lift waiting times. Completion of this development is scheduled for April 2011.

source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Korean Air Towers, Los Angeles, United States

Korean Air to build $1billion tower project in Los Angeles Korean Air has announced plans to develop a $ 1 billion mixed use complex in downtown Los Angeles that will transform the citys skyline and be a symbol of civic pride for the citys Korean community, the second largest outside of Seoul. If approved, it will be the first new downtown development project in Los Angeles since the economic downturn and the first major office building to be built there in two decades. Developed by Thomas Properties Group and designed by Los Angeles based A.C. Martin, the 1.75 million-sq ft project calls for two high rise towers: a 40-storey luxury hotel tower with up to 700 rooms topped with several floors of condominiums and a 60-story office tower connected with plazas and 18,000 sq ft of public space. While the economy is still in turmoil, the development process in Los Angeles is archaic and thus lengthy. In making the announcement now, Thomas Properties, which has extensive experience building complex projects in the city, is positioning itself to be first in line when the rebound occurs. Jim Thomas, CEO of the development company, told the LA business journal that with its current 88 percent office occupancy level, downtown will need a Class A office building in the next three to five years. To meet that timeline we need to get started right now. Thomas said. Korean Air and Thomas Properties said they expect financing will be available by the time construction begins in 2011. Sharon McHugh US Correspondent source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Burnham Pavilion, Chicago, United States

Zaha pavilion design revealed for Chicago Plan celebrations As Chicago celebrates the centenary of David Burnham's Chicago plan which outlined the structure of the city, two pavilions to mark the anniversary have been unveiled. This design by Zaha Hadid will join Ben van Berkel's in Millennium Park from 19 June and 31 October. Zaha Hadids pavilion, which can be dismantled and reinstalled elsewhere, is a tent-like structure made of light weight aluminum and dressed in a tensile fabric. The exterior skin rises and falls along its aluminum ribsthe lines for which were derived from the diagonal lines and avenues in Burnham and Bennetts 1909 Plan. Louvers in the pavilions ceiling will bring an interplay of light and shadow into the space as the sun changes position during the day. Exterior lighting will highlight the pavilion at night. The interior of the Hadid Pavilion will serve as a screen for an immersive video installation created by UIC-trained and London-based artist Thomas Gray for The Gray Circle. This film will tell the story of Chicagos transformation, including visions for Chicagos future by local architects. The pavilion envelops visitors in its sinuous form, but the addition of Grays film leads to an even more engaging experience. This pavilion and video exhibition will inspire public discourse about the history and future of Chicago. The aluminum structure for this fabric pavilion was donated by Marmon/Keystone Corporation, a member of The Marmon Group of companies. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Gish Apartments, San Jose, United States

Gish Apartments by OJK claims Top Ten Green Projects 2009 position Completed in June 2007, Gish Apartments in downtown San Jose is a 35-unit transit-oriented family apartment complex that provides quality affordable housing for households earning 35%50% of the area median income. The complex includes efficiency, two-bedroom, threebedroom apartments. Over a third of the apartments (13 of them) are set aside for residents with developmental disabilities. The complex is a model for the State of California's Multifamily Housing Program for mainstreaming special needs populations. The mixed-use plan includes a convenience store and a beauty salon on the ground floor. Residents have access to a computer center and are provided with services tailored to support low-income families, such as financial literacy training, computer training, and after-school programs. Housing Choices Coalition provides coordination of services for residents who have developmental disabilities, and facilitates communication among these residents, their case managers, and the property management team.

Gish Apartments is a groundbreaking development both for its architectural design and in its use of renewable energy technologies and other green building features. Gish is the only affordable housing development in the U.S. to receive both LEED for Homes and LEED for New Construction Gold certification. Further environmental aspects of the project include reuse of an urban brownfield site, a rooftop photovoltaic array, high performance insulation in 2x6 exterior walls, double-glazed windows, and high-efficiency heating and hot water systems. The initial costs associated with energy-saving features and durable materials are being offset by lower operational costs. This project was chosen as an AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green Project for 2009. It was submitted by OJK Architecture and Planning in San Jose, California. Additional project team members are listed on the "Process" screen. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Chartwell, California, United States

Chartwell School awarded as one of AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects Completed in October 2006, the shared vision for the new Chartwell School campus was to create an exceptional, high-performance learning environment for children with learning differences, including dyslexia. Chartwell serves students grades 18 in the greater Monterey Bay area. The goal was to create a campus that integrated design strategies proven to improve learning outcomes a campus that would function as a teaching tool about sustainability while dramatically reducing the school's environmental impact. Sited on a hill overlooking the Monterey Bay, this project seamlessly blends the elements of site, program and environmental conservation. All design and construction decisions were made with those three factors in mind. As Douglas Atkins, Chartwell's executive director, recently stated, "Our LEED Platinum campus models how improved academic outcomes and responsible resource stewardship build on each other." It is the hope for the Chartwell project that a new generation of children will be inspired by

the possibility of a built environment that sustains and restores our natural environment. This project was chosen as an AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green Project for 2009. It was submitted by EHDD Architecture in San Francisco, California. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Bitexco Financial Tower, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Bitexco Tower set for Ho Chi Minh City central business district At 269 m Vietnam's Bitexco Financial Tower will be the country's tallest tower. Designed by New York architect Carlos Zapata Studio and carried forward by AREP of Paris, the design consists of 68 floors of office space, 6 basement floors of parking and a 5-floor retail podium. 100,000 square meters of commercial space will be created in the build which is set to take 36 months. Ground works have been under way for the past year. The design is inspired by the lotus petal, the national flower of Vietnam and its sleek form has

a narrowed footplate and three-dimensional growth as the tower rises. On entering the building a large atrium will allow you to view the height of the tower from within. A Heliport and observation deck will be constructed on the 56th floor and a sky lounge on the 55th floor with 360 degree views of Ho Chi Minh City. The building will also have a conference room, a business center, banks, a VIP club and fitness center. Niki May Young News Editor source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Art Gallery of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Art Gallery of Alberta expands with Randall Stout Architects Needing to expand and get greater public exposure on its prominent corner site, the Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) in Edmonton Canada held an international design competition that resulted in Los Angeles based Randall Stout Architect getting the nod. Stouts proposal, which bested designs from such luminaries as Zaha Hadid and Will Alsop, transforms AGAs 1960s Brutalist building and adds 27,000 square feet of space resulting in a new 84,000 square foot museum with enhanced exhibition spaces, educational facilities, theatre, restaurant and sculpture garden. Crafted of patinaed zinc, high performance glazing and stainless steel, the centerpiece of the design is an undulating ribbon of steel that meanders through the museums public spaces eventually penetrating through to the exterior, resulting in a bold new expression that gives the institution a fresh new image while opening it up to the community. While the public spaces are highly sculptural and transparent, the gallery spaces are simple stacked rectangular boxes resulting in the juxtaposition of two very different architectural languages that heightens design interest while satisfying the practical concerns of exhibiting art. The museum is expected to open to the public in early 2010.

Sharon McHugh US Correspondent source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Burnham Pavilion, Chicago, United States

Burnham Pavilion celebrates 100 year Chicago Plan UNStudio have revealed Ben van Berkel's design for the Burnham Pavilion which will stand in Chicago's Millennium Park to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of Burnham's Chicago Plan, which outlined the structure of Chicago. The pavilion will join Zaha Hadid's pavilion in the park between 19 June and 31 October this year. Both are intended to echo the audacity of the 1909 Burnham Plan, which proclaimed, What we as a people decide to do in the public interest we can and surely will bring to pass. Framed by Lake Michigan on one side and Michigan Avenue on the other, the UNStudio pavilion relates itself to diverse city-contexts, programs and scales. Programmatically the pavilion invites people to gather together, walk around and through, to explore and watch. The UNStudio pavilion is sculptural, very accessible and it acts as an urban activator. The design of the UNStudio pavilion initially uses the orthogonal setup of the city and park grid. The edges of the pavilion follow the severe setup of the surrounding city- and parkgeometry. This runs true to Burnhams Plan which one hundred years ago introduced the generic grid to the city and introduced a device to read specificity and variation in the form of the diagonal boulevards creating specific vistas throughout the city. This diversity is illustrated in UNStudio's pavilion across a 360 degree spectrum introducing in a floating and continuous form. The structure is comprised of a steel structure of columns in the three legs of the pavilion

with horizontal steel beams. A secondary wooden rib structure forms the smooth geometry before being panelled with plywood to create the skin. Finally the structure will be bound in bondo (an elastic plaster) before being painted. 49 LED lights will illuminate the structure creating an evolving light display which will vary in intensity, rhythm and colour. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Agulhas Lighthouse Development, Agulhas, South Africa

Nightingale wins South Africa lighthouse development Nightingale Architects South Africa (NA [SA]) has been announced as the winner of a prestigious competition to design the Agulhas Lighthouse Development. The win is a first-ofits-kind for the recently-formed practice, providing it with the opportunity to expand on its public sector experience. NA (SA)s winning entry was designed in response to a brief that called for both a gateway to the southernmost point, and a focal point to Agulhas National Park. Two key features have inspired this design, these being the coastline and a nearby shipwreck. Nightingale Architects South Africa will work closely with the SANParks, who will act as the implementer of a Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism funded Infrastructure Development Programme. Wallace Manyara, NA (SA)s Business Development Director, said: The design uses strong elements formed by thick dominant walls constructed from local rock, running parallel to and emulating the natural rock formations. The most dominant features of this area are the jagged rocks of the windswept coastline, which lunge out of the waves at oblique angles, appearing and disappearing at intervals at the whim of the sea. The shipwreck is evidence of the

requirement for a lighthouse and an inevitable aspect of the jagged coastline. Elements of the construction are reminiscent of the internal construction of a ships hull, and the breakdown of building elements symbolise the decay of the abandoned ship battered by the wind, the sea and the passage of time. The scheme also proposes the use of windmills to harness the power of wind in this exposed coastal region taking advantage of what would otherwise be considered a negative feature. The practice, which opened in September 2008, is a subsidiary of international architect, Nightingale Associates, which has developed a worldwide reputation for its design of innovative and successful public buildings. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

La rue de la Loi, EC district, Brussels, Belgium

Redesign of European Community district awarded to the French architect La rue de la Loi, the administrative heart of the EC in Brussels, is to be redesigned by French architect Christian de Portzamparc, one of five shortlisted in an international competition for the project. 35 firms entered the international competition hosted by the Brussels Capital Region in collaboration with the European Commission and the City of Brussels. The competition is part of a grander plan to turn the European District in the city into a pilot eco-district. The aim for the Rue de la Loi itself is to add structure and easy navigation and to create accessible quality public space to the area which is currently dominated by offices and lacks a sense of culture and community. 'Soft' or ecologically friendly modes of transport are to be encouraged. Portzamparc's design (in collaboration with Jacques Wirtz, Coteba Belgium and OVE ARUP) will add a tram link through the street and 390,000 sq m of floor space including 110,000 sq m of accommodation, 240,000 sq m of EC department space and 40,000 sq m of retail.

Out of the five shortlisted projects judges also commended a design by Fletcher Priest Architects for its human scale and public spaces and, in particular, for its inherent sustainability. Xaveer de Geyter Architecten (in collaboration with Michel Desvigne Paysagiste, Laurent Ney & Partners, TRITEL Mobilit and Resource Analysis), OMA (in collaboration with NFArchitects, Agence TER, OVE ARUP, DEGW and SETEC Partenaire Dveloppement) and JDS Architects (in collaboration avec Studio Associato Secchi-Vigano , 3E , Laurent Ney & Partners and TRITEL Mobilit) were also shortlisted. The five shortlisted projects will be exhibited in Brussels in June this year. The winning design will be elaborated upon over the next two years with works expected to commence in 2011. Niki May Young News Editor source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

UAE Pavilion, Shanghai Expo 2010, Shanghai, China

Dune inspired pavilion will hold 450 people Foster + Partners design for the UAE pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo has broken ground. Drawing inspiration from the form of a sand dune, the pavilion is a reference to this symbolic feature of the desert landscape shared by each of the seven emirates. The landscape and climate of the UAE are integral to Emirati culture. Like a sand dune, the pavilion appears rough and textured on the side that bears the full force of the wind and smooth on the other side. The northern elevation is more porous to admit natural light, while the southern elevation has a solid faade, to minimise solar gain. A stainless steel skin, treated to appear golden, encloses the jewel-like shell.

The complex structure is a triangulated lattice of flat stainless steel panels, joined by adjustable nodes, which are designed to enable the pavilion to be demounted on site and constructed quickly and economically. The peak rises to 20 metres in height and it is entered via a glazed lip at the pavilions base. Light penetrates the buildings business centre and VIP area through glazed vertical strips, which illuminate the pavilion from within by night. Internally, the fit out by Ralph Applebaum Associates offers an interactive experience, and a dynamic lighting design will reveal the exposed lattice shell of the structure. With capacity for 450 people and enclosing 3,000 sq m of exhibition space, the pavilion is one of the largest structures to be built for the 2010 Shanghai Expo and will highlight the UAEs progressive stance on sustainability. Responding to the Expos Better Cities, Better Lives theme, the pavilion will showcase projects such as the Masdar Initiative, a new 6 million sq m carbon neutral, zero waste community in Abu Dhabi, intended to become a centre for the development of new ideas for energy production. Senior Partner, Gerard Evenden, said of the project: The cities of the UAE rise from the desert and the pavilion will similarly emerge to form a natural counterpoint to Shanghais urban landscape. Like a sand dune, it is oriented to the direction of the wind and is a powerful example of an organic and highly effective passive environmental design. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Sports Arena and Velodrome reaches major milestone Proposals for the National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome, the centerpiece of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, have received full planning permission from Glasgow City Council. The design team is led by Sport Concepts with 3DReid. The project also includes a community sports hall, offices, function suite, caf, four external 5-a-side pitches, car parking and external 1km cycle track.

Councillor Archie Graham, executive member for the Commonwealth Games, said: "Gaining planning permission for the National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome means another major milestone in the Commonwealth Games journey has been reached. NISA will be a world-class building providing not only a venue for some of the events at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, but also superb community sports facilities and a lasting legacy for Glasgow and Scotland. The development will be Scotlands principal major indoor sports venue for training and event purposes, and by combining three major sports venues, NISA, Velodrome and Community Leisure Centre, into one building, it will form one of the largest indoor sports venues in the UK and internationally. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Tate Modern 2, London, United Kingdom

Herzog & de Meuron brick design commended by inspectors The revised plans for the new development of Tate Modern by Herzog & de Meuron have been granted planning permission by London's Southwark Council. Southwark Council commended the revised plans in their report: "The proposed new building will be an extraordinary and unique addition to London's townscape. There have already been great regeneration benefits for the area following the opening of Tate Modern at Bankside. It is anticipated that Tate Modern 2 will further contribute to, and form the focus for the future regeneration of this area. The application can be strongly recommended for approval." Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate said: "We are delighted that Herzog & de Meuron's revised plans have been granted approval by Southwark Council. We look forward to creating one of the most exciting cultural buildings in Europe which will bring direct benefits to Southwark and London as a whole."

In an unconventional move, the original Herzog & de Meuron design of glass and steel blocks was scrapped for a brick pyramidal redesign revealed in July last year. The new design's perforated brick lattice will now blend with the original Tate Modern building's distinctive exterior. At the heart of the new plans are the unique oil tanks of the former power station, which will be retained as raw spaces for art and from which the new building will rise. The structure will glow at night with light being emitted from the perforations. The revised building also sets new benchmarks for museums and galleries in the UK for both sustainability and energy use. By exploiting waste heat emitted from EDFE's relocated transformers and employing passive design principles wherever practicable the scheme will use 54% less energy, and emit 44% less carbon than building regulations demand. Overall the project will also address some of the strains on the current building. The gallery was originally designed for 2 million visitors. With current visitor numbers reaching up to 5 million, there is serious overcrowding particularly at weekends. Changes in contemporary art practice mean that different kinds of spaces are desirable and additional space is needed so works can be brought out of storage and shown on a more permanent basis. Since 2000, there have been more than 2 million participants in Tate Modern's learning programmes and existing spaces cannot satisfy demand. The project is due to be completed in 2012 at an estimated cost of 215 million at 2012 prices. To date Tate has raised 74 million, which represents a third of the overall costs. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

News International Headquarters, London, United Kingdom

News International HQ submitted to Tower Hamlets planning office Following the announcement of Amanda Levete's first three independent projects since leaving Future Systems, a key London project has now been submitted by her firm to the

London Borough of Tower Hamlets for planning permission. News Corporation today announced that submission of plans for the re-modelling of the main building at its historic site in Wapping. The media organisation commissioned Amanda Levete Architects to design the building and worked with planning consultants DP9 to prepare the application. The HQ is set to lend a united home to News International, Harper Collins, MySpace, Dow Jones, Fox and related businesses for the first time and will help to regenerate the Wapping site, which played a pivotal role in the transformation of the newspaper industry in the 1980s, for the new era. The local area will also benefit from the scheme by creating publicly accessible walkways and new public space at the eastern end of the site, with a museum, restaurants and retail units. The re-modelled building is designed to set new standards in working environments and sustainability and will be one of the largest naturally ventilated office buildings in the UK. The proposal for the building includes an 18m high atrium carved out of the original print works with a series of other atria along main circulation paths to maximise natural lighting and ventilation. Niki May Young News Editor source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Oliver's Place, Preston, United Kingdom

'Hedgehog' building approved with innovative soleil solution Moxon Architects have received planning permission for Olivers Place Preston, a new 40,000 sq ft commercial development with associated car parking. Planning has been granted for a four storey office building and a multi-deck car park. The strong visual presence of Moxon's design is created by an array of anodised aluminium

fins, cantilevered from vertical support brackets on all four faades of the building. The aluminium fins, are all oriented in the same direction. On the South West faade they act as a large scale brise soleil and rain screen, but appear more visually permeable on the South East faade. Early morning and winter sunlight is able to enter the building while in high summer sun is excluded and so does not adversely alter the environmental conditions within the building. The aluminium fins also appear as a thicket of material that gives the building a striking appearance that changes dramatically depending on the position of the viewer. This competition winning scheme by Moxon was the result of an international design competition organised by Gardinia Ltd and the RIBA. The clients brief called for an exceptional piece of architecture, which would provide a high quality office space and a landmark office scheme suitable for the highly visible and prominent site. Moxons designs were selected by a jury including architect Ian Simpson and Nick Johnson of developers Urban Splash. The project has since received a commendations from the Architectural Review, British Council of Offices and MIPIM 2009 Future Projects Awards. Ben Addy, director Moxon architects says: Preston is an ambitious city and this competition presented us with an opportunity to work on a unique landmark building for the area. The intelligibility of the project enabled a really constructive dialogue with the Local Authority. It has been very well received by the local community and it was great to see it being passed so emphatically. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Asser Levy Park Amphitheatre, Brooklyn, New York, United States

Grimshaw to design new amphitheatre for Coney Island Park New Yorks famed yet ailing Coney Island Park is getting a much needed shot in the arm in the form of $15 million in stimulus money and a dramatic new amphitheatre designed by Grimshaw Architects. The long dormant Coney Island Park was once a vibrant vacation mecca on New Yorks waterfront where city dwellers would go to escape the bustling metropolis for a day of

amusement and frivolity. Happily the park is now undergoing a massive revitalization effort that will transform it into a $1.5 billion entertainment zone with an indoor and outdoor amusement park. As part of this effort, Grimshaw Architects is designing a $47 million amphitheatre that will serve as a gateway to the area and as a symbol of the parks new identity. The amphitheatre will be a seasonal venue capable of accommodating a variety of performance types and sizes. Given the requirement for extremely flexibility, Grimshaws design calls for a mix of permanent and flexible seating, 5,000 fixed and 3,000 movable, that can be easily reconfigured to the needs of each performance and wholly transformed into a park when the lawn seating area is not in use. The amphitheatre is capped with a 60,000 sq ft green roof in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid that gives the structure its stunning swoop like form while serving to lighten the roofs weight and thus its cost. Completing the roof are hundreds of strobing stage lights. The project will be competed in 2011. Sharon McHugh US Correspondent source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Friday, April 10, 2009

The Library of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Dutch architects library design will act as flagship for regeneration The design by Dutch architects Mecanoo Architecten for the 193 million Library of Birmingham in the UK was unveiled today by the Leader of Birmingham City Council, Mike

Whitby. Scheduled to open in 2013 the Library of Birmingham will occupy a prime site on Centenary Square, the citys largest public square, acting as the flagship for the regeneration of Birmingham, and celebrating the city's tagline of the Global City with a Local Heart. The 31,000 sq metres building will provide 20% more space than the existing Birmingham Central Library and will be capable of taking up to 10,000 visitors a day. The highly transparent glass building wrapped in a delicate metal filigree, is inspired by the rich history of Birmingham, with its tradition of craftsmanship and industry. The generous shared entrance to the Library and the Repertory Theatre (REP) will be sheltered below a public balcony, creating a magnificent space to watch events in the square. Above the balcony, the building volume steps away, creating a second open-air space, an elevated garden with panoramic views. At the summit, the rooftop rotunda will offer spectacular views over the entire city. The interplay of overlapping rotundas inside the building will create constantly changing vistas as visitors ascend to the public levels, not only aiding navigation but also bringing light and ventilation throughout. The highest levels of energy efficiency will be achieved through the buffering capacity of the building mass and the atria and the use of sun shading and reflective materials. A grand circular open-air amphitheatre in front of the building will create a dramatic visual link between the Library at Lower Ground Level and Centenary Square, providing natural light and a sheltered outdoor space for staging events. The REP will be renovated and equipped with updated back of house facilities, new workshops and new staff accommodation. In addition, brand new foyers and a new 300 seat studio theatre will be created to be shared between the REP and the Library. The new Library of Birmingham will be a library designed to function around the rapidly developing digital technologies, creating new opportunities for learning and access, and providing a social heart for Birminghams diverse community. The Library of Birmingham development is a flagship project of the Big City Plan, focusing on the regeneration of the city, the most far-reaching city centre development project ever undertaken in the UK. The Big City Plan will drive forward the next 20 years of development in central Birmingham to revive and open up whole areas of the city with a 17 billion investment and the aim of creating 43,000 jobs for Birmingham people. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

HILEA, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Hilea integrates the functions of hotel, home, club and medical clinic Constructed on a lot of 27.9861ft2, the building is divided into two sections: a low horizontal base, containing three floors for the common areas of the hotel and the clinic activities; and a high-rise, measuring 164.041 lengthwise and 55.77 in the width consisting of eight floors where the suites are distributed. An ICU was set up on the rooftop with a differentiated characteristic, it has wide windows looking out onto the garden, allowing the patient to connect with the outdoors and stimulating their convalescence. Occupying a total of 144.236 sq ft of built area, Hila offers contemporary architecture as well as practical and functional materials, visually warming up the building with the use of woods. Promoting tone contrast, the building also received pre-fabricated laminated melamine in a light color. As a solution to filter natural light intensity, gazebos were installed in the ground floor as well as the rooftop, creating an identity and providing shade. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Helix Hotel, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Leeser Architecture wins competition to design 5 star hotel in Abu Dhabi The Middle East is ushering in some of the most provocative architecture being produced today. And Helix, a bold new hotel won in competition by Lesser Architecture, is no exception. The project which gets its name from its staggered floor plates resulting in an

iconic spiraling form, will rest in the Zayed Bay next to Zaha Hadids Sheid Zayed Bridge, which is currently under construction. With Helix, Lesser Architecture has devised a new way to consider hotel culture in the Emirates, highlighting elements that are usually unseen and playfully enlivening those parts of the program that are traditionally static and mundane. The hotel contains 206 guest rooms and suites located around a helical floor. Rigid hallways and atria that characterize a typical hotel stay are here dispensed with and replaced with flexible public and guest rooms with unique configurations. As the helix winds upwards, the programmatic elements change from lounges and restaurant on the bay, to meeting rooms and conference facilities, to lounges and cafes, to the luxury indoor-outdoor track on the fifth floor, to finally the upper pool deck on the roof. The pool will have a glass bottom visible from the lower eight floors. Other dramatic features include a restaurant situated below the lobby that is so close to the bays waves that they lap onto the restaurants edge inside of the glass curtain wall. On its interior, the floors corkscrew around a large void, resulting in a form reminiscent of Wrights Guggenheim. Leeser says the ramped floors suggest the curves a winding street would take through a bustling town. Though the void seems to offer unmitigated visibility, there will be enclaves for private meetings and guest privacy. Sharon McHugh US Correspondentsource: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

ShoWare Center, Kent, Washington, United States

Completed ShoWare Center, by LMN Architects, on path to LEED gold certification The City of Kent, Washington is now home to one of the greenest events centers in the United States. ShoWare Center, a 6,125-seat, 154,000 sq ft multipurpose events center is the new home of the Seattle Thunderbirds WHL hockey team, and will serve as the new Pacific Northwest venue for sports, entertainment, concerts and tradeshows. Designed by Seattlebased LMN Architects, ShoWare Center is targeted to be the first new-construction events center project in the United States to achieve LEED Gold. The architect was faced with the challenge of working with a modest budget and a condensed timeline. The project was constructed in 16 months to provide home ice for the Thunderbirds

2009 season. The design creatively met these challenges by using cost effective materials in unique ways to make a dynamic and interactive building that respected the citys budget and maximized the overall entertainment experience. The building is framed with a linear, white metal panel faade with an angled soffit. Constructed of mirror polished stainless steel, the soffit provides a dramatic building face that reflects the activity and energy of people and vehicles approaching the building. A feature corner of the upper level faade is articulated with operable bi-folding hanger doors, providing exterior views of the plaza and the majestic Mt. Rainier. Painted green energy lines on the ground plane reflect onto the soffit and create a 3-D directional effect, visually leading you to the building entry. Highlighted by LED lights, the energy lines direct event-goers towards the seating bowl openings to provide a guided path to all entry points into the event level. Super-sized graphics provide highly visible wayfinding for seating sections and restrooms. Sustainable elements of ShoWare Center include a variety of water-efficient features that will lead to an estimated 40% savings in water usage, energy smart lighting, heating and cooling systems, including ice-making equipment, which will reduce energy use by 45% over typical standards. A rainwater collection system will use water obtained from the roof to replenish the existing wetlands adjacent to the site. The parking area is constructed over a layer of gravel, which will hold storm water runoff and provide controlled release of rainwater back into the drainage system. The design of The ShoWare Center creates an inviting experience that draws you in and engages people to interact with the faade of the building as they take visual notice of their animated surroundings. The city of Kent now has an iconic building to establish its own unique identity as a Pacific Northwest destination. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

K Clinic, Nabari Mie, Japan

Architecton's new dermatology clinic with a skin that is more than just cosmetic K Clinic is built in a relatively new small town in the Mie prefecture near to Nara and Osaka. The town has been developed since the 1960's by a railroad company for the people who commute to work in these two cities. The surroundings used to be a small hill and the new site has differing levels which follow the undulation of the landscape. The clinic is located along the main street of the town and made of a steel-tube structure. The cantilever of the upper floating part is 17m long due to themonocoque structure that is composed of steel panel and steel deck plate. The shape of the building basically reflects the linearity and slope of the street and is intended to reproduce the missing profile of the land. The lower part contains a clinic and the upper part houses the doctor's study. They are connected by the "neck" linking the two levels into one continuous volume. Though the skylight of the clinic waiting room and the opening on the floor of the study patio, people can feel the atmospheres mutually. The study is directed towards mountains at a distance which have been recognised as a sacred place since ancient times. The two modes of the building are anchoring and taking off. The architects' intentions are to both provide a useful place for people in the local community through a deep-rooted architecture, and to cast visions and dreams towards a new world via the active architectural image of the building.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Habitat '67, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Habitat obtains heritage status Not many people get to build their thesis project. Fewer still see their projects elevated to heritage status. But on Thursday architect Moshe Safdie bore witness to both events as his groundbreaking housing project, Habitat 67, was designated an historic monument by the Minister of Culture for Quebec, Canada. Habitat began its life as a thesis project when Safdie was a student at McGill and was built for the Montreal Expo in 1967. Highly unusual in its appearance, the project eventually caught on and is today a very desirable and exclusive place to live. But the project didnt begin that way. Rather, it was conceived from the more egalitarian premise of creating a community that was mixed in use and habitation and built at a very high density, without the consequences that all too often accompany dense living situations. At Habitat, Safdie pioneered a construction system of prefabricated units and stacked and staggered them in an organic fashion that resulted in the projects iconic silhouette and form. The project ushered in a new aesthetic and was a one off structural achievement that was too expensive to ever replicate. Commenting on the momentous occasion Safdie said, I am very moved and honoured that Habitat 67 has been classified as a historic monument. The greatest pleasure for an architect is to see the creation alive, as a thriving community, 42 years later. Sharon McHugh US Correspondentsource: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Observatory concept store, Athens, Greece

Observatory concept fashion store by BOBOTIS Architects The Observatory concept store in Kolonaki, 9 Solonos street was designed to house a unified commercial "lifestyle" activity of different fashion brands. Floor-by-floor arrangement of the different sectors is supported by stairways, both rolling and conventional, and semi transparent elevators. This way, the transition from floor to floor extends beyond the simple vertical traffic function and becomes a "route" with different images and depictions. That was also one of the main design axes, aiming at the transformation of the commercial transaction to a recreational experience by means of traffic through the building. The building exterior consists of a plan, geometrical morphological composition. Two tilted glazing surfaces joined together, with an opposite inclination, are delimited by two wooden frames and compose a plain, but clear prismatic volume. The triangular cross section of the wooden frames hosts in its interior electromechanical installation elements, contributing at the same time to the creation of a field of view entering the building interior. The tilted glazing and the transparent flooring on the faade create the feeling of continuity between inside and outside and between top and bottom on all floors, but also a sense of levitating on the inner side of the faade. So, the "shopping" atmosphere, characterizing the specific area in general, enters the floors through their transparency; in a similar manner, the inner atmosphere is projected to the outside. The exterior aesthetics of the building, austere but distinctive, constitute an interruption of the aesthetic front of apartment buildings from the 60's and the 70's, which are characteristic of Solonos street. The recognizable character and the identity of the building mainly result from the simple composition of two rectangular wooden frames. A building of modern architecture, theatrically projected and projecting its interior design, transforms each floor into a personal space, a private dressing room to be exact, where one can wander around and discover all the latest fashion trends within a unique lifestyle environment. Every single step in this store becomes a pleasant surprise of unique

aesthetics.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Taniyama Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan

Japanese rehabilitation hospital designed to coexist with its neighbours The gateless entrance approach to the Jiaikai Foundation's Taniyama Hospital opens to the community, much greenery and flowers are arranged on the periphery, a tea room and gallery hall are located on the 1st floor to accept neighbours, and the structural design in which echelon hospital rooms shifted by 45 are set back gradually to avoid the sight line interference with neighbour houses. All of these express the intention that the hospital would exist in cooperation with the community. External sound is muted with fabric-like expressive green tiles, and the illumination resembles starry skies seen through large windows at night, indicative of the architects' intention to achieve such an environment as to accept patients gently and liberally, and that doctors, nurses and staff are proud of. The rehabilitation building is located at the southeast corner nearest to the local community, and a gallery hall and tea room are provided to positively encourage interaction with the community. Hospital rooms are provided in the echelon layout, and light courts are effectively inserted into corridors having various spatial changes, so that light and wind enter even the innermost places. Windows are provided also at inner corners surrounded by hospital rooms, so that such corners can be used for simple day care. Natural materials including Japanese oak, linden plywood, cork and bamboo which are often used in houses are adopted inside the building. The contrast between such natural materials and effectively laid-out as-cast concrete walls tightens up the space.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Vancouver Convention Centre West, Vancouver, Canada Thursday 02 Apr 2009

Completed Vancouver Convention Centre West goes for Leed Gold certification Vancouver's waterfront has a spectacular new addition in the completion of Vancouver Convention Centre West, the city's latest flagship eco-development which triples the total square footage and functional capacity of the Centre and completes the development of the public realm. With 6 acres of green roof it boasts the largest in Canada, and the largest nonindustrial green roof in North America. This combined with many other eco-measures is set to help the project achieve LEED Canada Gold certification. The project consists of 1.2 million sq ft divided into exhibition space, meeting rooms, 90,000 sq ft of retail space, a 55,000 sq ft ballroom and 400,000 sq ft of public realm including walkways and bikeways. All in, the project promises to be a celebration of people and place and a model of sustainability. Architects LMN worked in collaboration with Vancouver-based Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership and DA Architects & Planners to design the centre which will be used as a hub to support 7,000 media during the XXI Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games. But not suffice to support homosapians, a key element of the design was the restoration of the shoreline and marine habitat. Having worked with marine scientists, an underwater habitat skirt or artificial reef was developed as part of the centres foundation and now provides new habitat for barnacles, mussels, seaweed, starfish, crabs and various fish species. The green roof too is home to 400,000 indigenous plants and grasses, providing natural habitat to birds, insects and small mammals. But it will also provide vital insulation for the building. Other eco-measures include black water treatment and desalinization, a heat pump system that takes advantage of the constant temperature of adjacent seawater, extensive use of controlled daylighting and energy efficient fixtures. Local materials including locally harvested Douglas fir and Hemlock have been used for wood finishes reducing the harmful effects of transportation on the environment. Vancouver is a mixed bag of spectacular natural environment with an impressive urban core.

This latest addition attempts to blend the two and create a synergy, acting as a powerful visual ambassador of the Pacific Northwest regions commitment to sustainability. Niki May Young News Editorsource: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Usce Shopping Center, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

Belgrade's 150 million retail venue opens its doors Usce Shopping Center in Belgrade, Serbia, opened its monolithic doors yesterday to provide the largest shopping gallery in the region of Belgrade. The project is situated beside the Usce Tower which was reconstructed in 2005 following NATO bombing which damaged the structure in 1999. The tower is owned by MPC Holding, one half of the partnership who own the shopping center, the other half being Merrill Lynch The Center consists of a total built area of approx. 130,000 sq m and a leasable area of approx. 50,000 sq m. ECE Projektmanagement, the European market leader for shopping centers, is managing Usce Shopping Center, thereby making its debut in the Serbian market. The investment volume amounts up to 150 million Euro. The shopping gallery accommodates approx. 150 shops, restaurants and leisure outlets and provides over 1,300 parking spaces. Major international tenants such as Zara, New Yorker and Marks & Spencer opened their stores in the center. In addition many other well known international brands have opened their shops, including Springfield, Woman Secret, Mango, Cortefiel, Massimo Dutti, Benetton, Gant, Nara Camicie, and Time Out. Visitors will also have access to an Idea supermarket (4,000 sq m), 8 restaurants and 6 bars, as well as a new multiplex cinema with 11 screens.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW

Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Yatsu-Hoken Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

New rehab hospital for Tokyo Healthcare Japan commissioned RTKL to design a new 90,000 SF rehabilitation hospital for the campus of Yatsu-Hoken Hospital in Tokyo. Construction was completed in March 2007. A facility of exactly 160 beds had to be designed for a site smaller than an acre. In addition, the right balance of wards and private rooms was important. Being a rehab hospital, it was necessary to include a full rehabilitation gym, activity day living facilities, support rooms including living-type rooms, a hair salon, and a Japanese or Tatami room such that each element interacted in a holistic manner. The key elements of the brief were placed to maintain a flexible open plan that maximises the available space. On each floor dining areas, day rooms, and the corridors themselves can flexibly serve as rehab areas, all within observation of staff. The design utilises an atrium to maximise natural light in the inner areas of the building and encourage a healing environment. Since rehabilitation patients are often in the facility for extended periods, the architects wanted to make sure patients felt neither isolated nor institutionalised. In response, views into the atrium as well as a visual connection to the staff were important design criteria that help provide a positive distraction. Access to nature is equally important. Healing gardens at ground-level and roof-top-level allow patients to garden as part of their therapy. Other outdoor amenities include dining facilities that extend onto a terrace and balconies outside all patient rooms.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Kings Mill Acute Hospital, Mansfield, United Kingdom

Unique design for new Nottinghamshire hospital SHCA have fused clinical design and new models of healthcare with architectural design to produce this 320m Central Nottinghamshire PFI hospitals scheme. Work includes an extensive re-development of the existing facility to create a single unified hospital comprising of 28 new wards 50% in single rooms and a new state-of-the-art Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, a new Emergency Care and Assessment Centre with an out of hours GP service and a dedicated Women & Childrens Centre. Three T-shaped ward blocks, linked together over five floors will rise above the uniquely designed Diagnostic & Treatment and Women & Childrens Centres, all of which will enjoy a southerly aspect providing light and airy accommodation with views of the reservoir and countryside beyond. Architecturally, the project creates a major civic presence for the area, in tune with the latest thinking on healthcare planning. The design is dedicated to the wellbeing of patients, visitors and staff. A major objective of the Trusts design vision was to "contribute to the health & well being of the local community. This has been achieved through the new clinical design which focuses on the quality of the Patient & Staff experience. This design delivers an efficient clinical model where a notable 90% of the clinical adjacencies are met, along with a patient comfort-focus which maximises patient views of nature, natural daylight and natural ventilation, and which reduces noise and enhances privacy. The design is entirely in line with current Evidence Based Design guidelines.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

New Museum of Patra, Patra, Greece

Official opening of BOBOTIS architects' museum announced for mid June 09 The assignment of the project was executed after an architectural competition that was organized by the Ministry of Culture. A nutshell of asymmetrical prismatic volumes was designed in order to accommodate the discoveries of a past culture. A modern composition which, through the irregular order, attempts to express the harmony of the volumes, the surfaces, the movements and circulation through the spaces where the exhibits are displayed. An organic and functionally structured deconstruction, exempted from a static symmetry that seeks the dialogue with the environment, the visitors and the users. The design of the building along the National road Athens - Patras, which constitutes an urban central highway, renders the museum a landmark for the area and provides easy and direct access to it. The scheme was selected specifically for its contemporary form that creates a juxtaposition with its contents and sits elegantly in the cityscape adding international modernity to Patra. The building itself aims to regenerate the area as a whole and to attract visitors from all over Greece, hence becoming a landmark to the city.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Oval Am Kaiserkai, Hamburg, Germany

Recently completed tower offers enviable location to residents In the HafenCity, on a direct view corridor towards Hamburgs inner city, lies the Oval am Kaiserkai with one of the most beautiful views of the Speicherstadt and the harbour. The area is characterized by its mix of contrasting urban elements such as industrial structures, historic warehouses and modern buildings, as well as by its extensive references to water. Today, the Oval with its distinct shape and exposed location in close proximity to the soon-to-be-built Elbphilarmonie, is a widely visible sign for the HafenCity. Construction began in 2007, with completion in early 2009. Both elliptical shape and orientation of the eleven-storey building have been chosen after thorough analyses of local wind, sun and noise conditions and according to the best views. The particular shape helps to ease wind effects as, in contrast to rectangular buildings, suction is prevented by the rounded edges. In addition, the resessed ground floor creates less draught on the street and on the waterside promenade. The balconies are oriented so that they combine the most attractive views of the Elbe River and the historical city centre with an efficient usage. The residential tower has been rotated on its north-south axis by 10 degrees towards the East. This way the balconies are subjected to less draught and more sunlight from the afternoon until the evening, which in turn optimizes the use of daylight. The faade of the 38-meter-high residential building consists of clear, transparent as well as closed, mirrored elements. They convey a sense of great homogeneity as they have been developed with the same construction principles in mind. Continuous balconies and a curved, wave-like glass faade characterize the western front. The eastern faade is a fully glazed wall to protect against noise emissions. The building, with a gross floor area of 5455 sq m, houses 28 units from 57 to 123 sq m.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

house 147, Madrid, Spain

House design synthesises evolution of Spanish firm The Spanish architecture firm A-cero, directed by Joaquin Torres, has built a new house in the Madrid outskirts that synthesizes the evolution of the studios signature design language and its technical experimentation over the last years. The house can be aesthetically inscribed in the series of projects made by the studio since its international expansion, in places like the Dominican Republic and Dubai, presenting a greater spatial complexity and and use of shapes that underlines the relation between A-ceros architecture and contemporary sculpture. At first impression the house clearly shows its intentions, with the dominance of stylized curves and bold shapes that relate harmonically to its natural context while keeping a clearly modern character. The horizontal shapes pile up one on another, creating a stratified building that seems to emerge from the earth like a natural formation, the faades are treated with a texturized dark concrete, completing the mineral analogy. In this capacity to be at once natural in its matter and artificial in its forms, the house is reminiscent of the work of minimalist sculptors like David Nash, or a piece of land art. The interior contains a varied program, solved with a very complex array of spaces with different heights and levels, as well as the particular shape of some of the rooms. The lower level contains the main hall - covered by a curved ceiling that accentuates its relevance -, living and dining rooms, master bedroom, gym, interior pool, kitchen and service areas. On the upper level is located a painting studio, under a long curved ceiling, flooded with natural light and the best views over the surrounding landscape. The basement is dedicated to health and leisure, with a bar, games room, chill out, massage room, projection room, cellar and gym. The spaces are freed of columns and other elements that would alter its fluidity and openness, light materials have been used in the interior design to improve this aspect. The floors are covered with big format white ceramic tiles and the bathrooms are finished in white aluminum.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

The Matchbox, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam mixed use design receives aesthetics approval Granted aesthetic planning permission in Amsterdam North, The Matchbox is an blend of artistic, creative and commercial spaces tailored to suit this artistic quarter. The building is shaped specifically as a result of the accommodation of companies and zoning regulations. It houses 22 corporate units, a rooftop restaurant and semi-underground parking lending its playful faade as an aesthetic point of interest. Units cantilever up to 5 meters, each individually angled and stacked on top of another to give every company its own space and identity. Bridges constructed above a central atrium garden act as catalyst for the networking between companies while distributing sunlight through the building. The building uses this themed rental to attract start-up businesses and the artistic theme allows the project extra creative license. The rotated nature of the units of the Matchbox merge with its simple large windows framed in black borders recalling a strip of film negatives. The Matchbox building will be made of prefabricated concrete. The bent faces of the cantilevering boxes are constructed in prefabricated concrete walls. The hang not on a structural core but on the structural shear walls. This effect completes the shape of the stacked boxes. Use of steel in this building structure is minimised. Except the internal light nonstructural walls have a galvanized steel finish. In their interior this enabling tenants to use the wall to pin up their work using magnets. The black frames around the boxes are constructed in folded aluminium elements glued on stiff insulation. Frames are shoved over the edges of the concrete floor. All the other grey coloured exterior surfaces are sealed with a seamless PolyUrethane finish, spray on. Initially delayed by the recession last autumn, private investors have now gained faith through adjusting building costs, lowering the costs for future rent, and the project is now back on track for completion in 2010.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Helsingor Psychiatric Hospital, Helsingor, Denmark

BIG + JDS collaborate to create unique hospital design in Denmark A safe and calm environment is crucial to many psychiatric patients' well-being. In the design concept for the Helsingor Psychiatric Hospital the architects avoided all clinical stereotypes; the traditional hospital hallway without windows and rooms on both sides as well as artificial easy-cleaning materials like plastic paint and linoleum floors. In this design, all materials utilse their own natural surfaces. Functionally the psychiatric clinic is organized into 2 main programs; a residential program and a public treatment program. By using a snowflake structure in organising the residential program, BIG and JDS managed to orient each patients room toward its own part of the landscape - two sets of rooms facing the lake, and one set of rooms facing the surrounding hills. Between these rooms emerges a new collective space that is embraced by offices and bed units and populated by small patios. The public treatment program on the other hand is placed on a level with the existing hospital and is organised as 5 individual pavilions, all connected to a central space. The individual units contain offices and treatment rooms to one side and waiting areas to the other side. All parts of the building are fused at one single point, right above the center of the snowflake structure.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Wembley Student Accommodation, London, United Kingdom

CZWG's Wembley student housing passes planning consent kick starting regeneration A 25m student accommodation project for Victoria Hall Ltd which was initially refused planning permission has passed on appeal and will soon join the landscape near London's Wembley Stadium. The proposed building is of an outstanding architectural and urban design quality, said the inspector. It would create an attractive landmark enhancing the Stadium environs as well as the Capital continues the report which upheld the recent planning appeal and granted consent. 435 student rooms will be provided on a 0.32 hectare site at the edge of the regeneration area around the new Stadium, near the entrance to Wembley Park Station. The building is planned as three wings around a central tower which steps and spirals up to 20 storeys. The wings are differing heights responding to neighbouring lower and higher residential and commercial buildings and an adjacent amenity space. The facades of the two wings that face south are to be partly clad in photovoltaics, their dark colour contrasting with the silver grey of the other metal cladding panels. The windows which are set in a diagonal pattern across the facades are recessed in chamfered reveals to increase their visual scale and depth. Active frontages to the street include a spectacular double height central entrance, a launderette, management offices and extensive bicycle parking. There are two landscaped amenity areas, the one to the west is intended for gatherings, the other which adjoins and visually extends the neighbouring residents garden will be reserved for quieter uses. The scheme had the recommendation of Brent Council officers and the support of the GLA but was turned down by councillors. The inspectors report and consent is the result of the subsequent public inquiry (enclosed). Piers Gough of CZWG said, We are very happy for our client who had backed good design over expediency to resolve the issues on this key site. The building will be on site in late 2009 and completed by mid 2011, acting as one of the first

properties to kickstart the regeneration.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Strongoli Museum, Strongoli, Italy

Prix' Art Museum creates art from the landscape with panoramic views Coop Himmelb(l)au has been commissioned for the Art Museum Strongoli in Calabria, the firm's third project in Italy. The museum is not only a cultural center but also understood as a generator for a future development of Calabria, a place for cultural entertainment and recreation. Situated on the top of the Motta Grande hill in front of the city, the Art Museum is visible from far away, it's steely form contrasting with the lush green hillside. The new museum houses not only flexible exhibition spaces, but also a small multi-hall and a panorama restaurant. The project is a composition of three main elements: the emblematic, coneshaped construction with the entrance is orientated towards the city,Its spiralling ramp which gives access to the exhibition zone makes it is also a spectacular event space, while the cantilevering restaurant at the opposite end of the building offers a panoramic terrace facing the sea in the east. Both public attractors are linked by a two storey exhibition volume. The exhibition areas are determined to be as flexible as possible, supported by underground service facilities accessed via two elevators. The multi-hall can be used as temporary exhibition space, lecture hall, auditorium and cinema or simply as an extension space of the foyer for public events.source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar

Austrian Pavilion, Shanghai, China

Winning design reveals correlation between architecture and music The award winning design by SPAN & Zeytinoglu for the Austrian Pavilion at the EXPO Shanghai 2010 and the decision of the competition jury have been presented to the public for the first time today. "The main driving force behind the design of the Austrian Pavilion for the EXPO in Shanghai 2010 can be described as acoustic forces, or more accurately as music," says a statement from SPAN. "Music is a concept that reflects continuity in terms of architectural articulation that seamlessly connects the various spaces within the program. The embodiment of the sonic conditions within the space manifests the architecture of the pavilion, which resonates to the rhythm of the Video Jockey's (VJs) performance the conductor of the atmospheres within the main space. The rich history of Austrian musical tradition makes it possible to create a performance program reaching from Baroque Music, to the classic area, to the modern age, to contemporary acts. "The space unfurls from within the topological body, from the main space, the audience chamber, to the exterior epidermis. This process creates pockets, pochs, that include the rest of the program, such as Shop, Restaurant, Office, VIP Area and so forth. Each of these programmatic areas includes qualities connoted with the quality of living within Austrian conurbations: Music, culture, culinary expertise, urban scapes, opulent landscapes and lavish foliages." The competition for the Austrian pavilion was judged by a prestigious jury including Prof. Will Alsop, (SMC Alsop), Dietmar Steiner Director Architecture Center Vienna (AZ W) Bettina Gtz architect, (Artec) and Christian Knechtl architect, (Knechtl Studio) The competition was organized by EXPO Office Austria. source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com architecture NOW Diposting oleh architecture NOW 0 komentar 5/1/09 - 6/1/09 3/1/09 - 4/1/09 Home Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

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2009 (430) o October (26) Hotel Quincy, Singapore, Singapore Namba Parks, Osaka, Japan Cooper Union, 41 Cooper Square, New York, United S... FLAME - Exposition Pavilion, ory, Poland Palestra, London, United Kingdom Caserne de Bonne Shopping Center, Grenoble, France... Park Hyatt Saadiyat Island Hotel and Resort, Abu D... National Music Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Sea Front, Saint Petersburg, Russia Guangzhou Metro Authority Headquarters, Guangzhou,... Okhta Center, St. Petersburg, Russia San Francisco International Airport Terminal 2, Sa... Lige-Guillemins TGV Railway Station, Lige, Belgi... Guangzhou Southern Axis, Guangzhou, China Club Nautico Poseidon, Pucusana, Peru SQUARE - Brussels Meeting Centre, Brussels, Belgiu... Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas, United... Dalian Shide Football Stadium, Dalian, China DnB Nor bank headquarters, Oslo, Norway

o o o o o

New Orleans Arcology Habitat ( NOAH), New Orleans,... Pentominium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 5** Spa Hotel, Andalusia, Spain 9/11 Memorial, New York, United States 10 Hills Place, London, United Kingdom Xeritown, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Juliana Bridge, Zaandijk, Netherlands September (23) Dubai Metro - Phase 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates... Siercza Petrol Station, Siercza, Poland Wandering Ecologies: Lower Don Lands, Toronto, Can... The Interlace, Singapore, Singapore Incheon Free Economic Zone, Incheon, South Korea TriMet South Terminus, Portland, United States Seattle Art Museum Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle... Tempe Transportation Center, Tempe, United States Gold Coast Broadwater Marine Precinct, Gold Coast,... Vatika Infotech City, Jaipur, India Masdar Eco City Centre, Masdar, United Arab Emirat... Yarauvi, Dead Sea, Israel West Loop Park, Chicago, United States Zagreb Airport - New Passenger Terminal, Zagreb, C... High Line, New York, United States Road Bridge Krusrak, Sneek, Netherlands Centre West 4, London, United Kingdom TKTS Booth and the Redevelopment of Father Duffy S... Urban Park at City Square Mall, Singapore, Singapo... Shotton Hall Secondary school, Durham, United King... National Library, Astana, Kazakhstan Castleford Riverside Masterplan, Castleford, Unite... Randstadrailstation Beatrixkwartier, The Hague, Ne... August (29) Zaha Hadid Burnham Pavilion, Chicago, United State... July (46) June (79) May (45) April (56) Plaza Program and Green Lights for Broadway, New Y... Ethekwini Hospital, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa Granary Wharf, Leeds, United Kingdom Nussbaum Information and Training Center, Olten, S... Putney House, Vermont, United States Taiwan Center for Disease Control Complex Land Securities Office + Marketing Space, Leeds, U... Bird Island, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Christchurch Intergrated Airport, New Zealand, Chr... National Heart Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singap... Riva Hotel, London, United Kingdom Former Birdseve HQ refurbished, Surrey, United Kin... Stryker New Medical Technology Facility, Newbury, ...

Taiwan Centre for Disease Control Complex, Taipei,... 'Connect the Parks' Master Plan, Jersey City, Unit... Oil Rig Platform Resort and Spa, Gulf Sea, United ... Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke, United States The Terry Thomas, Seattle, United States Ludlow Street Apartments, New York, United States National Museum of African American History and Cu... Portside, Cape Town, South Africa Korean Air Towers, Los Angeles, United States Burnham Pavilion, Chicago, United States Gish Apartments, San Jose, United States Chartwell, California, United States Bitexco Financial Tower, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam... Art Gallery of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada Burnham Pavilion, Chicago, United States Agulhas Lighthouse Development, Agulhas, South Afr... La rue de la Loi, EC district, Brussels, Belgium UAE Pavilion, Shanghai Expo 2010, Shanghai, China National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome, Glasgo... Tate Modern 2, London, United Kingdom News International Headquarters, London, United Ki... Oliver's Place, Preston, United Kingdom Asser Levy Park Amphitheatre, Brooklyn, New York, ... The Library of Birmingham, Birmingham, United King... HILEA, Sao Paulo, Brazil Helix Hotel, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates ShoWare Center, Kent, Washington, United States K Clinic, Nabari Mie, Japan Habitat '67, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Observatory concept store, Athens, Greece Taniyama Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan Vancouver Convention Centre West, Vancouver, Canad... Usce Shopping Center, Belgrade, Serbia and Montene... Yatsu-Hoken Hospital, Tokyo, Japan Kings Mill Acute Hospital, Mansfield, United King... New Museum of Patra, Patra, Greece Oval Am Kaiserkai, Hamburg, Germany house 147, Madrid, Spain The Matchbox, Amsterdam, Netherlands Helsingor Psychiatric Hospital, Helsingor, Denmark... Wembley Student Accommodation, London, United King... Strongoli Museum, Strongoli, Italy Austrian Pavilion, Shanghai, China o March (61) o February (25) o January (40)

2008 (453) o December (42) o November (56)

o o o o o o o o

October (12) September (33) August (19) July (38) June (29) May (60) April (110) March (54)

2007 (1) o December (1)

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Hotel Quincy, Singapore, Singapore 10/3/2009 Ong&Ong's new hotel raises the bar for Singaporean style Hotel Quincy was envisaged as a one-of-a kind boutique hotel

Namba Parks, Osaka, Japan 10/3/2009 2009 Winner ULI Awards of Excellence: Asia Pacific / 'Green' TOD Design for People Namba Parks, located in Osaka,

Cooper Union, 41 Cooper Square, New York, United States 10/3/2009 Morphosis' interior design of Cooper Union building revealed In June this year WAN brought you the first look at

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