Architecture
Palexpo Vision “20XX” / group8
© David Gagnebin-de bons
- Architects: group8
- Location: Grand-Saconnex, Switzerland
- Area: 102000.0 sqm
- Project Year: 2015
- Photographs: David Gagnebin-de bons
© David Gagnebin-de bons
From the architect. Three decades after the completion of its construction, the building covering an area of 102’000 m2 needed to be adapted to the new standards governing events and congresses. The main changes are intended to render the whole complex more flexible and give it a more attractive image. The project Vision 20XX is a concept which aims to give each space in the building its own specificity within the mega structure of Palexpo.
© David Gagnebin-de bons
A new throughway ensures clear directions for the public; spatial continuity is guaranteed by a translucent, red, longitudinal wall, punctuated by rectangular signposts designating the entrances to the major function areas.
Floor Plan
The renovation of Congress Centre 1 has made it possible to individualize and give more flexibility to the use of each hall, the ceilings of which are based on a meshed network generated by Voronoï’s theorem, and also to redefine the foyer and the means of access by a “kinetic piece of furniture”.
© David Gagnebin-de bons
Congress Centre 2, which is situated beneath Hall 2, comprises eight new conference rooms made flexible by the provision of sliding walls.
© David Gagnebin-de bons
The existing restaurant has been renovated by repositioning the different functions and reclassifying the spaces in specific fashion.
© David Gagnebin-de bons
Located beneath Hall 2, the new kitchen of the centre has an area of 2’400 m2. It is at the centre of gravity of the whole complex and directly connected to all areas.
© David Gagnebin-de bons
The extension of Hall 6 has been carried out by closing off an area of an additional 6’000 m2 under a cantilever. The corrugated, perforated metal facade is a prolongation of the existing facades, and constitutes an adaptation on the large scale of the motorway and the airport.
© David Gagnebin-de bons
Viu eyewear creates gallery-like space for its Vienna flagship store
Matterbetter Announces Winners of Syria: Post-War Housing Competition
Courtesy of matterbetter
Competition platform matterbetter has announced the winners of its Syria: Post-War Housing Competition for architectural students and professionals. The competition, initiated earlier this year, called for solutions to the housing scarcity crisis in Syria, “which will affect the country as more and more cities of the war-torn country will be freed and refugees will start to come back.”
With refugee camps around Europe and other countries in generally poor conditions, and Syrian towns in ruins, one solution to the housing crisis becomes the creation of living conditions that are attractive for once-displaced Syrians to return. The competition asked for a new housing concept that would be able to permanently accommodate people in need of a new home and new life in Syria.
Out of 245 submissions, matterbetter selected three winners, each of which was awarded a cash prize, there were also nine honorable mentions.
The winners of the Syria: Post-War Housing Competition are:
First Place: Endless Future Project /Marta Gayoso, Alfredo De Luca, Elena Guidetti, Giulia Gorgo; Spain and Italy
Courtesy of matterbetter
Second Place: Spring From Debris /Laura Serrano Romero, Marina Sánchez Guzmán, Martti Antonio Oliva Koskela, Emin Bekmezci; Spain and Turkey
Courtesy of matterbetter
Third Place: Back Home. Shards of Memories / Valerio Croci, Vincenzo Demasi, Fabrizio Esposito, Roberta D’Agrosa, Costanza Galli; Italy
Courtesy of matterbetter
Honorable Mention: House100 / Nemanja Mitrović, Đina Prnjat; Montenegro
Courtesy of matterbetter
Honorable Mention: Cultivated Legacy / Hugo Lebrunet, Clément Loyer, Ulysse Zehnlé; France
Courtesy of matterbetter
Honorable Mention: Extended Citadel / Giacomo Caputo; Italy
Courtesy of matterbetter
Honorable Mention: Top-Down Regeneration / Aleksandar Stanicic, Andrea Jelic; Italy
Courtesy of matterbetter
Honorable Mention: Phoenix / Petar Tomas, Tijana Perović, Jelica Babić; Montenegro
Courtesy of matterbetter
Honorable Mention: Typical Block/Lemon / Gordana Vujovic , Elzana Husovic, Nina Culafic; Montenegro
Courtesy of matterbetter
Honorable Mention: El Pati / Lukas Fertig, Matthias Knab; Spain and Germany
Courtesy of matterbetter
Honorable Mention: Therapeutic Decay / Hancheng Chen, Hsing-O Chiang; Taiwan
Courtesy of matterbetter
Honorable Mention: Gabion Block / Aleksandr Kelkh, Dmitrii Kupressov, Tatiana Kan, Vladimir Sorokin; Russia
Courtesy of matterbetter
Learn more about the winners here.
News via matterbetter.
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I-CAT Offices and Warehouse / Earthworld Architects & Interiors
© DOOK Photography
- Architects: Earthworld Architects & Interiors
- Location: Pretoria, South Africa
- Area: 1949.0 sqm
- Project Year: 2015
- Photographs: DOOK Photography
- Collaborators: DFL Engineering / JC van der Linde & Venter
© DOOK Photography
From the architect. The Client’s brief was to create a flagship building based on ecological sustainable principles which would showcase their philosophy toward the natural environment. Thus, the design response was a building that would be sustainable on all three levels; ecological, socially and economical. Understanding that these three pillars of sustainability influences one another, the objective was to find a balance.
© DOOK Photography
Passive systems like orientation, shading, natural ventilation and lighting were carefully considered to create a good static basis. These systems would ensure a broader comfort zone for users. The building was orientated directly north and a courtyard was created on the southern side of the building. The northern overhang allows for winter heat gain and summer shading, while the southern façade allows for ample natural light.
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Dynamic systems were built around the passive basis to further broaden the comfort zone of users on exceptional days. A grid tied photo-voltaic system was designed to deal with the day to day energy demand of the building and also to absorb the mechanical ventilation energy demand used occasionally. Rainwater from the roofs is collected and stored in a large underground water tank buried in the courtyard. Municipal water is also stored in the tank from where it is taken to a small water filter station located in the warehouse.
© DOOK Photography
The building was also designed to keep maintenance to a minimum, materials were kept as natural as possible for this reason. A monolithic face brick wall creates a bold street façade which is broken up with a punched steel window frame and also by special bricks that create an integrated woven fabric to specific areas. A horizontal concrete box frames the glazing on the northern façade which acts as a light shelf, also protruding to inward to act as desk shelving. A timber pole and thermo-treated pergola structure floats above the southern courtyard which consists of grass blocks, planted areas, timber decks and a linear koi pond. Fever trees are planted in the courtyard and will in time grow through the pergola structure. A spiral staircase extends from here to the roof garden which gives an aerial overview of the pergola and courtyard.
© DOOK Photography
The intention with I-CAT’s new office interior was to not conform to the conventional approach of interior design but to assure that the spaces resonate with the same principals of the envelope. Questioning the predictable use of partitioning was the main objective. Instead of regular drywalls, plywood partitioning has been designed.
© DOOK Photography
All the furniture and finishes have been well-considered and evaluated according to a sustainability rating. Materials were kept as natural as possible, without any superficial finishing and coverings which, together with the ample natural lighting, results in an interior that is beautifully light, simple and honest.
© DOOK Photography
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