Arch Daily

Notary Office / Abscis Architecten
Fisherman's House / Ines Brandão Arquitectura
Beijing Area Three Art Museum / CUN Design
Finnish Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale to Examine the Future of Libraries
Enric Geli-Ruiz to Design The Future CaixaForum in Valencia
House of Stone / Jorge Hernández de la Garza
Winning Design Seeks to Increase Public Power Corporation Headquarter's Environmental Awareness
The Revival of Postmodernism: Why Now?
Union Wharf / Nicholas Szczepaniak Architects
Moshe Safdie’s Chongqing Project Sets World Record With Highest “Horizontal Skyscraper”

Posted: 03 Mar 2018 09:00 PM PST

Architects: Abscis Architecten
Location: Ghent, Belgium
Area: 1094.0 m2
Project Year: 2017

Structural Engineering: Provoost
Technical Engineering: Istema

Text description provided by the architects. This new office building along the Kortrijksesteenweg in the green Sint-Denijs-Westrem includes a notary's office with a studio above it. The building is a solid brick volume characterized by volumetric incisions and strategically placed windows. The glass 'lantern' at the top of the stairwell forms a minimalist light beacon along the busy road. The front façade opens up on the ground floor through the foyer towards the street, and welcomes visitors via a forecourt. This provides a great visibility and transparency. At the rear facade both the deed halls and the offices enjoy a beautiful view on the landscaped garden with old trees.

The client's request to have two waiting rooms adjacent to the deed halls resulted in an open plan. The patio works as a structural element to create privacy without taking away from the transparency of the plan. The concept of the interior was to exude simplicity and tranquillity. This was realised by using white as main colour. The white epoxy floor combined with accents in ash wood, floor height doors and elegant furniture create a sophisticated atmosphere.

The sunken in parking beneath the building opens up towards the garden on the same line as the back façade. This makes the parking bathe in light and makes the relation with the landscaped garden become apparent. The white foyer on the ground floor is clearly introduced in the open parking and it welcomes the visitors via this entrance.

The landscape feel of the garden was preserved by keeping the valuable old trees and was further enforced by placing hedges that integrate the parking for the personnel, by planting many rhododendrons and by implementing a trackway.
The forecourt creates an architectural promenade towards the foyer in different levels, provided with low multi-stemmed trees. The direct confrontation between the landscape garden and the office building provides an enjoyable sensation of an omitted outside- inside border.

Special attention was paid to sustainability in terms of water and material use, energy consumption, and sustainable techniques based on renewable energy. All insulation materials are sustainable through the exclusive use of resol- glass wool and cellulose. The rainwater is 50% buffered by green roofs and 50% recovered for toilets and garden maintenance. The building is very well insulated and equipped with triple solar control glazing joinery in aluminium. An electronically controlled outdoor sun protection with tilting aluminium slats stop the unnecessary solar heat. The building is heated or cooled by a performant air-water heat pump with air units and space regulation (reeling per space). The ventilation is fully mechanical with heat exchanger (system D) and only warm LED is used for the lighting.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Fisherman's House / Ines Brandão Arquitectura

Posted: 03 Mar 2018 06:00 PM PST

Architects: Ines Brandão Arquitectura
Location: Trafaria, Portugal
Lead Architect: Ines Brandao
Design Team: Ines Brandao, Henrieta Selcova, Joao Aires Neves
Area: 204.0 m2
Project Year: 2017
Photographs: Ines Brandao

Constructor: Horizonte as Riscas
Carpinter: Joaquim Crespo

Text description provided by the architects. Rehabilitation of a single-family house, located in the center of Trafaria - a fishing village on the left bank of the Tejo River, in front of Lisbon. When we visited the place we came across a building in ruin - an old fisherman's house, with about 100 years. We walked through the surrounding streets and we ended up being approached by an old lady who once lived in the upper floor of the main house and who told us what it was like to live in that place.

It was surprising to realize that this small building was once divided in two different houses - one on ground floor and the other on 1st floor (an attic with a maximum height ceiling of 2m), without any infrastructure.
The construction was very poor, made with the materials that were easily available - sand, mud, stones, shells, small pieces of pottery, wood, etc.

Throughout the 20th century, silos and other industrial equipment were built in this area and the typical houses of fishermen began to be replaced by illegal constructions, condemning the small village to the urban degradation. Having this scenario in mind, it seemed obvious that we would have to counter this trend. For us, it was essential to preserve the original image of this building, to keep its identity, adapting it to the needs of the current owners - a young family, consisting on a Portuguese man, a French woman and their baby son.

The goal of the clients was to get a multifunctional home - a holiday house and for short-term rental in the present and a home where they would like to live in the future. The pre-existence consisted on a main building, previously described, a garage and an annex.

We wanted to get a space full of natural light, with a clear connection with the outside area... Convert windows into doors, let us break all previously existing barriers, helping us to achieve our goal. The entrance area is now in a new volume, between the main building and the old garage.

The ground floor of the main building was drawn with the aim of creating ample and fluid spaces, having as key elements the living / dining area and kitchen, separated only by the staircase volume. The old garage turned into an independent suite – to be used by guests.

In the first floor we organized 2 bedrooms with one bathroom and one studying area. The roof was transformed - one roof slope was maintained with its original design, and the other redesigned, with a slope of 20º, in order to guarantee a better habitability of the spaces, with plenty of natural light.

The clients wanted to have a place to storage the bicycles, surf boards, etc. They also wanted a barbecue and an outdoor shower. So, we built a new volume almost like a wood sculpture, that would incorporate all these elements – storage, shower, barbecue, a bench - and that would help us to rearrange the outside space, separating the parking space from the private garden area.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Beijing Area Three Art Museum / CUN Design

Posted: 03 Mar 2018 12:00 PM PST

Architects: CUN Design
Location: A No.1 Creative Park, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Architect In Charge: Shu Cui, Jizhou Wang
Interior Architects: Shu Cui, Wei Wu
Design Team: Xiaoyu Liu, Shijia Ma
Area: 2300.0 m2
Project Year: 2017
Photographs: Ting Wang, Jin Wang

Text description provided by the architects. Every time I met a space, for me, it always means a start of breaking boundaries, which appears more as a status of keeping self-breakthrough and the story created behind the status. The design method applied on this space, however, acts as the medium conveying mood and narrative. Then how do we break the rules? One of the architect Cui Shu's best friends, Wu Wei, started a project with Cui to again achieve their breakthrough.

This project is located in a creative park in Beijing. When we stepped into this bright building, we understood that this area belongs to simple and clean. As a space used for meeting, conference and art exhibition, it should not just be a shining moment, but built up a memorable visual impression to audience in this space defined by our architects. This area does not belong to the interface space in 'Area One', or the spirit and language in 'Area Two', but the intersection of time, identity and narrative in 'Area Three' where we start our breakthrough.

1. Identity Breakthrough: personality & occupation & interest
Our clients are three girls with diverse characters and personality. Almost all of them have multiple occupations: they are not only the 'PE' (Private Equity) of this era but also the leader in the fashion industry; and Area Three is an area they set up together for their friendship. However, it became our question to design this space with multiple personal tastes involved.

We came to the space and experienced the silence and purity brought by the existing building.

It is the extreme silence that furnishes the space with multiple personality; and it has no boundaries, where there is no limitation to develop our design method. We believe that people need something beautiful, and beauty is something that people are all endlessly chasing.

Three girls' lifestyle, aesthetic taste and social status determine their individual taste and interest for the space, while spatial design has built up a system to carry on a conversation according to the achievement of common language. Simplicity is always something ordinary, but also something most advanced. When we take off all the identity icons from girls, they are just people attending a party, talking with each other in such a clean and bright room.

2. Designer's Breakthrough: commercial & residential
Architect Cui Shu worked together with residential designer Wu Wei in this project. In China, designers in the industry are always labeled and bound with the category such as 'Residential Designer' and 'Commercial Designer'. I thought residential designers can just do decoration work and some simple spatial layout for clients while commercial designers can do more. This stereotype has been kept in my mind for a long time until we process this project with Wu Wei. I found my idea totally wrong and the fact is about sense and sensibility.

What residential designers bring to the space is the service system for human. It is more about the relationship between human and space. They provide clients more with design service comfort and establish trust and confidence with clients; while commercial designers think more about space and architecture, which involve more logical thinking.

Designers are always dancing with shackles: They are always seeking a way to get rid of fetters but things could not be changed at all. However, an outstanding designer should not reject shackles. He should be willing to carry them on, facing the space as a professional, pushing the boundaries step by step, and then start to break the boundaries. This is the thing our designers should do.

3. Function Breakthrough: club & restaurant & event & art museum
Each individual has multiple personalities, and each character is a different person, which has his own identity, memory, feature and behavior. Space also has its multiple characters. However, in Area Three, there is no constraint to define its function. It is just a room, which could be a club, a restaurant, or a space where people gather together; it could also be an art museum. It is a pure room where all the scenes could be endlessly conversed. Stories and narratives continue to happen, while Area Three is the origin.

In the entire space, black and white is also a kind of character. The relationship between each other is the same as the universe, which is conflict and unity where the universe is growing and creating a variety of beauty.

The unlimited extension and strong visual charisma of these two tones clearly and fully create an atmosphere for each person in the space. They leave a strong impression to people, and push people and things in the room to an aesthetic level that is more silent, which meets its commercial application value and thus attracts people to gather in such a simple and fashion space.

4. Space Breakthrough: architecture/interior/visual
The scope of how we interpret architecture space should not just be limited in length, height and width. It should be interpreted via things, human, order, feature and time. A space should not only has visual spatial forms of architecture/landscape/interior/graphic, but also spiritual meaning.

A project should have its unity, where boundary doesn't exist. The boundary between vision should be ambiguous, and the geometric architectural pieces should be re-organized to engage audience into this space and allow them to have more scope for self- reinvention. Thus the audiences have more room to experience, imagine and relax.

It is the white corridor that connects every entrance, exit, ramp and stair system. It sometimes enters a void atrium, sometimes goes through a narrow and semi-private space, and connects circulation conversion betweenstoreys. The flowing system is not just a core of traffic, but creates a flowing order with great sense of body rhythm. The corridor weakened the sense of solid space, and forms different busy gathering space, thus guides people to communicate and interact with each other through these pathways.

CUN Design has set up two main entrances. They are the starting point of two circulations. The equipment, props and device need to access from one entrance on ground floor, which makes the bump-in and bump-out more sufficient during the event. Another entrance is the access to the glass corridor on the second floor. These two entrances can also interchange with each other. The atrium is the main area of Area Three, which creates dazzling displays of sunlight and a transparent environment.

The dining area serving the event is the connection to the exhibition area(atrium). The design method of different tones is applied according to functional area through the narrow pathway. In the whole project, this dining area acts more as a confluence of pivot, which keeps operation to provide food and beverage. It can serve the exhibition area, private room on the second floor and the courtyard in the back at the same time. Customers can also relax and chat with friends here in the dining area.

Although the transition space plays a minor role in function, it is the leading role in expressing emotion. It doesn't isolate or separate the neighbor, but more transfer from close to open, certain to fuzzy, single to complex. It breaks the boundaries in some degree and allows the whole space to form a sense of unity.

The courtyard on the back could be accessed via dining area and the indoor events could be extended to this space. Here people share lifestyle, great delicacy, sorrow and joy. The emotion gets communicated and pressure gets released in such an open space.

CUN Design no longer applied a huge amount of white in the restaurant as what they did in the main area, but darkens the walls around. When the door is closed, the walls around seems to be extended infinitely. It is kind of interesting to enjoy delicacy under candle light diffused by the metal ceiling and with sculptures in four corners "staring".

As our clients are three girls with distinctive characters, we divided the big meeting room into pure white and pure black to represent two different characters of them.

Black ceiling to floor revolving wood doors are used in all entrances on the third floor, the sense of sequence of the space endows the architecture more emotion, makes it more artistic and transparent, so as to influence the visual perception experience of visitors. This is an approach to express time, a design concept, as well as a very important design method in space design.

Meanwhile, the third floor is the reception area equipped with dining area and meeting room. It is the core area of the whole space as a certain commercial value could be created here from visitors.

5. Relationship Breakthrough: service provider & user
In modern life where internet communication has taken the place of real communication, though we had a great time in virtual world, we are more lonely and isolated then we were thirty or forty years ago. Area Three is a place where you could find a real fellow in the real scene. In a great party or event, when your laughter penetrates into this space, there will be a feeling in your heart which reminds you that: you are a human beings, you share the same emotions with your own kind. This is what we long for in modern society, a sense of identity.

Area Three presents the relationship between service provider and user as well. The process that a designer delivering a project is the process of getting on with the client; a good project needs good design as well as skillful handling. The consistency and difference of the identity generated by above "relationship" requires to be constantly communicated; and this kind of identity will lead to the unity of aesthetic in the process of designing. In every space, designer is the symbol of creativity and identity. Even after the completion of Area Three, we often get together with our clients in this space to have better perception of this space as a user.

"Get boxed in" is the fastest way to kill our creativity.

Breakthrough - wait silently for the beam of light that make ourselves more than what we were.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Finnish Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale to Examine the Future of Libraries

Posted: 03 Mar 2018 08:00 AM PST

As part of our 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale coverage we present the proposal for the Finnish Pavilion. Below, the participants describe their contribution in their own words.

Finland's representation at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia responds to the theme "Freespace" by transforming the Alvar Aalto Pavilion of Finland into a temporary library space.

The exhibition explores the development of Finnish library architecture and looks towards libraries of the future. It centers around the construction of the new Helsinki Central Library designed by ALA Architects and due to open in December 2018.

In modern times the library has stood as a pillar of Finnish civil society reflecting core values of education for all and acting as a social hub. In the library of the future reading and lending books remain core functions whilst new possibilities for learning, doing and sharing are also offered.

The architecture of the new Helsinki Central Library embraces the versatile use of libraries with designated spaces for encounters and dialogue as well as learning, activities and peaceful immersion in books.

Exterior of the Finnish Pavilion . Image © Ugo Carmeni

Curator

In 2018, Archinfo Finland is for the first time in charge of Finland's presentation at the Venice Biennale. The exhibition is conceived by Hanna Harris, Director of Archinfo Finland and Commissioner of the Pavilion of Finland, and Dr Anni Vartola, architecture critic and architectural theorist. The exhibition is realized with support of Finland's Ministry of Education and Culture.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Enric Geli-Ruiz to Design The Future CaixaForum in Valencia

Posted: 03 Mar 2018 06:00 AM PST

Earlier this month, in a conference held by the City of Arts and Sciences (Valencia) the winner of a private architecture competition to build the new CaixaForum Valencia was announced. The future cultural center in the Spanish city will be located inside one of Santiago Calatrava's building.

Of the nine proposals presented, architect Enric Ruiz-Geli (Figueres, 1968) from Studio Cloud 9 was chosen as the winner. An investment of around 18 million euros is expected to be needed to make the CaixaForum Valencia project a reality. In addition, about 5 million euros will be allocated annually for the maintenance, programming and operation of the center.

The CaixaForum Valencia will have an area of 6,500 square meters, housing two exhibition halls, an auditorium with 300 seats, two multipurpose rooms, a bar-restaurant, a bookstore, and the CaixaForum Familia which will be a family and educational space, as well as reception spaces, offices and warehouses, and technical areas.

In this regard, the Foundation has explained in a recent press release:

The main challenge for Ruiz-Geli has been the need to create an architectural project that respects, enhances and coexists with the building that will contain it, an iconic creation by Calatrava. The proposal, therefore, chooses to keep the original concept of the Agora as a space for reflection and a large open, public and highly active cultural area.

The planned intervention will be light and empathetic to the existent surrounding, promoting an architecture that speaks to Calatrava's vacant building. The final goal is to create a project that acts as a great architectural reference and also stimulates circulation with the rest of the City of Arts and Sciences as a whole.

Elisa Durán (izquierda), directora general adjunta de la Fundación Bancaria

Keeping with these conditions, Enric Ruiz-Geli's project opts for the creation of a world of "living cells" in the main space of the Agora. The two exhibition halls will be located in the central part of the ground floor, in such a way that they will create a grandstand that will act as the true agora of the project.

The CaixaForum Familia family and educational space will be located above the exhibition halls. According to the organization, the ninth CaixaForum in Spain will have the highest energy efficiency qualifications and will be a sustainable and environmentally conscious building throughout the entire construction process as well as in the selection of materials.

The Bank Foundation "la Caixa" plans to start work during the last quarter of this year, with the aim to inaugurate the center at the end of 2020, according to the institution.

From the Obra Social "La Caixa".

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

House of Stone / Jorge Hernández de la Garza

Posted: 03 Mar 2018 05:00 AM PST

Architects: Jorge Hernández de la Garza
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Architetc In Charge: Jorge Hernández de la Garza
Design Team: Alin Gamboa, Miguel Angel Loyola, Octavio Alvarado
Project Year: 2018
Photographs: Jorge Hernández de la Garza

Structural C Alculation: Enrique Avalos
Engineering: Mauricio Gutierrez

Text description provided by the architects. The house is located in a development north of the metropolitan area of Mexico City, in a lot of stone which has an 18 x 32 meters and presents a slope of 50%. The architectural program was resolved on three levels, the first semi-fitted level where the services are located, the second level is at the garden level and that is where the public spaces of the house are located, finally the third one seems to float above the rest of the volumes.

At the bottom of the land next to the garden, a 15-meter-high stone wall rises and was the perfect setting to finish off the interior views of the house towards the immediate surroundings.

The general volume is presented with a double intention; On the one hand, on the front façade, a series of overlapping boxes with minimal openings are erected in order to provide as much privacy as possible; on the other, on the rear façade, the greatest possible transparency towards the great stone wall was sought.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Winning Design Seeks to Increase Public Power Corporation Headquarter's Environmental Awareness

Posted: 03 Mar 2018 04:00 AM PST

Micromega's winning proposal for the new Public Power Corporation HQ in Athens seeks to define the company's public character in creating an integrated urban park around and under the structure. The site which held the steam-powered station is to become a contemporary landmark for the city whilst establishing a dialogue with the historical complex and the existing old electricity factory.

Through Micromega's design, PPC's commitment to sustainable forms of energy will be established by three main "topoi" (spaces) that educate and express the company's renewable sources – sun, wind, and water. In the creation of the new urban park, the architects hope to activate environmental awareness, reminding the public of the alternative clean sources available.

The first of the three proposed spaces will be a linear canopy that can accommodate exhibitions, markets and events known as the "Sun Path". Overhead, a mesh canopy will play with the sunlight to create an ephemeral experience and support photovoltaic panels that will provide the energy for the rest of the park.

North of the park there will be the "Air Garden" including a large amphitheater lowered into the ground that can host performances, meetings and events. The space will be surrounded by a plantation of wheat for the public to envision the flow of air as it passes through the vegetation.

The final of the topoi will be the "Plaza of Water" formed of a shallow pond that will generate a natural cooling from the convective heat transfer across the surface. Steel chairs around the water form the urban equipment for the users to manipulate the space to suit themselves

The public nature of the space and the building will be further enhanced as the structure is elevated onto a piloti to create a fluid connection between the outside areas. The building will be broken into three units to reflect on the language of the old building complex, as the central bronze core will be based on curved geometry to communicate the main entrance and create a balanced whole. As the sun is a large factor to consider in Greece, the façade will be determined by the shading filters that control the views of the neighborhood and diffuses the sunlight.

Architects: Micromega
Location: Athens, Greece
Project Team: Alexandros Zomas, Mara Papavasileiou, Dimitris Papageorgiou , Fereniki Fotopoulou, Giouli Spiropoulou, Evelina Faliagka, Natasa Drougka, Demetra Hadjiyiangou
Structural Engineering: Nasos Mantzanas, Fotis Kondis
Mechanical Engineering: TETRAS A.E.M.
Architecture Students: Marinos Skouras, Nafsika Pitsou, Anna Syrianou, Iasonas Ameranis, Ahmed Hazem
Client: Public Power Corporation
Area: 40000.0 m2
Project Year: 2018

News via: Micromega.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The Revival of Postmodernism: Why Now?

Posted: 03 Mar 2018 01:45 AM PST

Piazza D'Italia / Charles Moore. Image Courtesy of The Charles Moore Foundation

The argument, made by architectural historian Charles Jencks in the introduction for the recently released book Postmodern Design Complete, that Postmodern styles never truly left the architectural profession is stronger than ever. The movement from the late 70s and 80s which began as a reaction against the utopian canon of modernism has recently been re-entering the architecture scene and defining our present moment of architectural culture.

This brings up an important question: What is the current movement of architecture? And what came directly after postmodernism? If anything, it was an immediate cry of "No more Po-Mo," followed recently by a wave of "save Po-Mo" perhaps best demonstrated by the rallying to save Philip Johnson's AT&T Tower from a Snøhetta makeover. Even Norman Foster claimed that although he was never a fan of the postmodern movement, he understood its importance in architectural history. Postmodernism is making its recursive return with Stirling-esque rule-breaking jokes and pictorial appearances.

In Europe and unable to join the protest tomorrow Friday 13:00-16:00 in front of the historic AT&T building by Philip Johnson to object to the proposals to eradicate the original base. I was never sympathetic to the short lived post modern movement - and this building in particular. However it is an important part of our heritage and should be respected as such.

A post shared by Norman Robert Foster (@officialnormanfoster) on Nov 2, 2017 at 2:55pm PDT

In an article recently published by Metropolis Magazine, Thomas de Monchaux explains why this trend isn't necessarily a comeback, but a revisitation of something that never truly went away, through three published books: Postmodern Design Complete, Post-Modern Buildings in Britain, and Revisiting Postmodernism (which ArchDaily has also covered here). The analysis describes why after Po-Mo, came more Po-Mo—or as De Monchaux cheekily calls it, "Mo-Po"—and investigates why now, particularly, was the right moment for Postmodernism to rise again.

Read De Monchaux's take on the postmodern renaissance in Metropolis Magazine here.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Union Wharf / Nicholas Szczepaniak Architects

Posted: 03 Mar 2018 01:00 AM PST

Architects: Nicholas Szczepaniak Architects
Location: Greater London, United Kingdom
Lead Architects: Nicholas Szczepaniak
Area: 163.0 m2
Project Year: 2017
Photographs: Nicholas Worley

Structural Engineer: Blue Engineering
Contractor: Q Projects
Architectural Metalwork (Window Shutters And Sliding Door): Rual

Text description provided by the architects. Union Wharf is a mid terrace canal side property built within the footprint of a converted factory building. It is located along the Regents Canal in Islington, London. The aspiration of the project was to transform a dated, under-performing and compromised couple's dwelling into a contemporary, energy efficient and spatially generous family home.

Works consisted of a full refurbishment and remodel of the three-storey property including the replacement and extension of an existing roof top conservatory to transform it from an unusable store room into a contemporary habitable space that can be used all year round with an external terrace.

The approach throughout the project was to use moderately priced materials, adding value through thoughtful, crafted details and care during execution.

The footprint of the existing conservatory was increased to create a flexible space that can either be used as a guest suite, lounge and/ or study. Located along Regents Canal, the new roof top structure is inspired by canal boats incorporating an enveloping oak and ash interior. As the roof top expresses so much of the structure, Nicholas Szczepaniak Architects worked closely with Blue Engineering from an early design stage. Timber and steel flitched components create structural legibility adding rhythm and texture whilst enhancing the perception of volume. The layered south elevation maximises light, views and enhances connectivity with the terrace and sky. It is articulated by 3 bespoke picture frames fabricated from 10mm steel plates that respond to the interior zoning of the space. The frames accommodate full height sliding glass doors as well as glare reducing steel cables strung vertically in tension in front of the glass to diffuse daylight.

The primary living space at ground floor was reconfigured to resolve the disconnection of the kitchen, lounge and dining area whilst creating an open free flowing space. A sliding glass partition allows a new playroom to be concealed or connected when appropriate to the main living space. Bespoke rotating window shutters fabricated from fluted glass provide privacy from users of the canal tow path whilst maximising natural light and views.

Inspired by the former industrial use of the building, the material palette incorporates raw and uncovered finishes such as the original concrete soffit, which contains the scars of where walls were located whilst the building was used as a factory. In contrast to this, elements such as the kitchen, fixtures and fittings are precisely detailed, warm in colour and texture to create a unique material palette with a contemporary yet homely atmosphere.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Moshe Safdie’s Chongqing Project Sets World Record With Highest “Horizontal Skyscraper”

Posted: 03 Mar 2018 12:00 AM PST

Exterior Visualisation. Image Courtesy of CapitaLand

Currently under construction in Chongqing, China, Moshe Safdie's Raffles City Chongqing features an extraordinary engineering feat of erecting a 300 meter long "horizontal skyscraper" above four 250 meter high towers. An extensive urban district set at the meeting point between the Yangtze and Jialing rivers once constructed Raffles City Chongqing will hold the world record of the highest sky bridge linking the towers.

Exterior View of the Conservatory. Image Courtesy of CapitaLand

The 1.12 million square meter project consists of 8 skyscrapers, a retail podium and the Conservatory, a huge sky bridge linking 6 of the towers, with 4 at the base and 2 adjacent towers connected through cantilever bridges. The program contains a shopping mall, offices, 1400 residential apartments, serviced residence and a luxury hotel. The center of attraction is the horizontal Conservatory, where public space is lifted high into the air, with a themed observation deck and sky gardens, an infinity pool and a food and beverage zone. It acts not only as a connection between the towers but as its own fully programmed structure, with internal streets and gardens.

Inside the Conservatory. Image Courtesy of CapitaLand

To overcome the site's exposure to strong winds, the Conservatory's structure uses advanced frictional pendulum bearings and seismic dampers mounted on the towers. This use of flexibility-driven design dispels wind energy more effectively than conventional methods, representing a breakthrough in the structural engineering of linked high-rises. The steel structure weighs 12,000 tonnes and is enclosed with a ring of glass and aluminum panels. To erect the huge structure, it has been divided into nine segments. Four are built in-situ above the four towers, while the three middle segments which are suspended between the four towers are prefabricated on the ground and hoisted into place by hydraulic strand jacks. The ends of the Conservatory are then assembled in short sections from the ends of the two adjacent towers. It is targeted to be fully erected by mid-2018.

Project Under Construction. Image Courtesy of CapitaLand

The design of Raffles City Chongqing focuses on connectivity with local transport networks and the city streets. Architect Moshe Safdie drew inspiration from the region's waterway transportation culture to create a design that attempts to be reminiscent of powerful sails on the water.

Mr. Lim Ming Yan, President and CEO of property developer CapitaLand Limited describes the economic significance of the project: "More than just a building, Raffles City Chongqing is a landmark urban renewal project that expresses and shapes Chongqing's global city aspirations. As the master planner of this important site, CapitaLand fully appreciates the historical and cultural significance of Chaotianmen to the people of Chongqing. We have thus gone to great lengths to imbue the project with the highest standards of liveability, connectivity and sustainability by carefully studying the needs of the community and the unique attributes of the site. Our goal is to create a vibrant riverfront urban district that serves as a dynamic city gateway befitting of Chongqing's growing economic influence."

The video below shows the construction of Raffles City Chongqing and the intended final outcome:

News via: CapitaLand.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Tech News

nedjelja, 4. ožujka 2018.

Arch Daily

Arch Daily

Nema komentara:

Objavi komentar