Courtesy of Agence d’Architecture A. Bechu & Associés
Agence d’Architecture A. Bechu & Associés has won a competition to design a new campus for the University of Laâyoune to be located in the oceanside town of Foum el Oued, Morocco (Western Sahara). Launched by King Mohammed VI last February, the competition was named a national priority project supported by Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP), a Moroccan company and the world’s leading producer of phosphate. The project was aimed at contributing to the economic and social boom of the region by creating a new platform for innovation and research & development.
Courtesy of Agence d’Architecture A. Bechu & Associés
AAAB & Associés’ design responds to this call by envisioning a campus integrated with the natural desert site to create a dialogue between building and its environment. Responding to the local climate, and taking inspiration from the lines of nearby sand dunes, the buildings come together via a central, canopied artery that creates shaded, public space for meeting and interaction. This interior street takes the form of a large crack in the dried desert earth, but will instead be filled with vegetation to contribute to cooling and atmosphere.
Courtesy of Agence d’Architecture A. Bechu & Associés
Courtesy of Agence d’Architecture A. Bechu & Associés
The campus will also follow the dual objectives given by the OCP. First, to make the University of Laayoune a ground for experimental teaching methods in fields such as water, energy and desert agriculture through the installation of living laboratories dedicated to new environmental technologies and biomimicry; and secondly, to develop a building capable of exemplary energetic passivity.
Courtesy of Agence d’Architecture A. Bechu & Associés
Courtesy of Agence d’Architecture A. Bechu & Associés
Teaming with structural engineers DVVD, environmental consultant Ennesys and planning consultants EMBIX, the architects developed a sustainable strategy that will allow the campus to obtain 80% of its energy from passive sources, as well as recycle dust, water and organic waste into reusable water and high-value bio fertilizer. The approach will mix traditional and modern technologies to create an intelligent grid inspired by the local environment. These techniques will allow the complex to approximate zero-waste metrics.
Courtesy of Agence d’Architecture A. Bechu & Associés
Courtesy of Agence d’Architecture A. Bechu & Associés
The project hopes to set an example of how to design sustainable cities in the harsh African desert – by 2050, the African population is predicted to double to 2.5 billion inhabitants, for whom new architecture will need to be developed to accommodate.
The University of Laâyoune will be completed in 2018 and will hold its grand opening in September of that year.
A sharp line makes two houses out of one. A sharp line makes one house out of two houses. One of those houses will be dealt with. The other will not – not really. One of the houses will become a shop. The other will not. The other will become not a store.
Two houses which together form one will look towards each other through that sharp line. The sharp line will be a wall of glass. Along the wall visitors will walk into one of the houses to the back. On the other side visitors will walk through the shop to the front. Or to the back again.
The Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed One Vanderbilt Avenue broke ground today, beginning construction on what will stand as the second tallest tower in New York City upon completion. Located adjacent to Grand Central Terminal on 42nd Street, the tower will be integrated into the its neighbor through a series of underground connections and $220 million in improvements to Grand Central’s infrastructure.
Courtesy of SL Green Realty Corp
Courtesy of SL Green Realty Corp
Developed by SL Green Realty Corp, One Vanderbilt will encompass an entire city block between Madison and Vanderbilt Avenues and will rise to a pinnacle at 1,401 feet, five feet taller than the city’s current second tallest building, 432 Park Avenue. At the building base along 42nd Street, the facade will be pulled back at an angle to reveal Grand Central’s majestic Vanderbilt cornice, which had been obscured for nearly a century.
Courtesy of SL Green Realty Corp
Courtesy of SL Green Realty Corp
Courtesy of SL Green Realty Corp
The tower will contain 1.7 million square feet of office space on 58 column-free floors that feature fully glazed walls and higher than standard ceiling heights, while a 30,000 square-foot amenity floor will feature world-class dining. The building is expected to obtain the highest possible LEED certification.
Courtesy of SL Green Realty Corp
Courtesy of SL Green Realty Corp
“One Vanderbilt will not only emerge as an elegant, tapered new icon on the New York skyline, but will also serve as a leading example of a global trend of connecting train stations to tall towers, said James von Klemperer, FAIA, RIBA, President of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.
“This building will change its neighborhood for the better. It will provide a new gateway to the city made possible only through the unusually harmonious partnership between architect, developer, and the City of New York.”
Courtesy of SL Green Realty Corp
Courtesy of SL Green Realty Corp
Included in SL Green’s $220 million public infrastructure upgrades will be a new “jewel box” transit hall in the base of One Vanderbilt, a public plaza on Vanderbilt Avenue, and improved circulation into the Grand Central Terminal complex.
Construction will be managed by Tishman Construction, and is expected to be completed in 2020.
From the architect. Perhaps the last thing you would expect to encounter on entering a financial services workspace is a luxurious ‘collaboration room’ with woollen sphere seats, more akin to a fine art installation than a meeting room. Certainly not then, a full scale baseball batting cage complete with pitching machine – a nod to the projects location in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Both are part of a sophisticated new office fit-out for the Sydney based global financial services company with which THOSE Architects have a long standing relationship, having delivered their multi award winning and widely published headquarters in Sydney, Australia.
“We deal in a virtual, data-driven world but our most valuable asset is the people behind the scenes”, says Ansarada CEO Sam Riley. “We aim to simplify, not complicate, not just in our product interface but for our clients, and the way we work as a team. So we wanted our office to be a truly wonderful space. Serious and at the same time, playful, simple and sophisticated, fresh yet experienced, authentic and contemporary. Our workplace should reflect these values, and make a positive difference to our lives, and to our clients lives. THOSE Architects fit-out does all of those things for us”.
The 880 sqm (9500 sqft) project is located in Chicago’s river north district, a stylish urban neighbourhood bordering the magnificent mile. The office occupies the entire fifth floor of a grand old warehouse richly textured with hand pressed bricks, douglas fir posts and beams, finely detailed windows and hardwood floors and ceilings.
Floor Plan
As the building was not heritage listed by the City of Chicago, nor the state of Illinois, THOSE Architects were able to take a more aggressive architectural approach to the fit-out than was possible in the heritage-sensitive Sydney project. “While remaining respectful to the grand old lady we inherited, we were able to insert some substantial architectural elements into the space to enable us to better establish functional zones throughout this project” says THOSE Architects director Ben Mitchell.
The Chicago space functions primarily as a marketing, sales and client services office which to a large extent dictated the performance brief to THOSE Architects. “It is a simple concept, but we had to ensure the space functioned acoustically and aesthetically to reflect the brand’s mantra of sophisticated simplicity while seamlessly integrating a great deal of technological infrastructure to allow the staff to perform at their best”. Ben says.
The project’s main move was to insert a bold black plywood box down the centre of the space in order to clearly define the three zones of the office. The main utility functions are carried out in this zone with provision of a kitchen, mud room, shower room, laundry and storage facilities. Also covertly located in this architectural element are a collaboration space and reading room, both of which gain considerable acoustic and visual privacy as a result of this location. Not only does the central black plywood box provide the main architectural element in the space, it is detailed with hundreds of thousands of peg holes that enable the staff to utilise the entire surface in myriad of ways. Brushed solid brass pegs sleeve perfectly into the peg holes and are used for anything from writing your colleague a message to hanging a coat.
The recreation and informal meeting rooms are located kitchen-side of the black box with a jaw dropping view over the Chicago skyline. This zone features the entry reception complete with custom detailed couches and light fixture, staff breakout area featuring custom soft furnishings, dining zone, gaming area and ultra refined meeting rooms.
Far-side of the black box, the workstations are accommodated and feature soft grey woollen carpets and ceiling panels with intricate brass and timber detailing. Secret doors abound throughout the space, concealing everything from storage to a full scale library.
Four years on from the inaugural Sydney fit-out, Ansarada has matured as a company which is reflected in the architecture of the Chicago project. THOSE Architects have retained the playful essence of the Australian philosophy, however have imbued this project with a layer of sophistication rarely seen in the corporate workplace.
The project España 8477 is generated when searching for a typology for a small-scale vertical housing building, where all users can enjoy a different spatial quality and at an affordable price. The multifamily building that is common in the city is a repetition of a typical plan for ‘n’ number of levels. Where outdoor spaces are limited to the access corridors or stairs and inside the views are determined by the height of the building.
This building has 10 housing units, with a flexible distribution inside, 80 to 90 m2, with 1 and 2-level units due to the composition of the structural design.
Two main volumes linked by their circulations are mounted on the exposed metal structure. The variation of the plans generates very large outdoor spaces. Each unit can double the size of the social area when opening sliding doors, creating an indoor-outdoor environment, taking advantage of the best views of the neighborhood, without relying on them. The atmosphere of each unit changes according to their orientation and relationship with their terrace, allowing each one to have a different atmosphere. The gaps between volumes function as light cubes that light up the lower floors, allowing the building to ventilate naturally through all of its facades.
The 2-level units allow access to the apartments in the first four of five levels, freeing the building from depending on an elevator. The scale of the construction remains friendly to pedestrians and respects the existing urban scale, which we consider very important in the neighborhood.
MAD Architects has unveiled the design of the new China Philharmonic Hall in Beijing. Conceived in collaboration with renowned acoustic expert Yasuhisa Toyota (Walt Disney Concert Hall, Philharmonie de Paris, Suntory Hall, etc.), the concert hall will serve as the China Philharmonic Orchestra’s first permanent residency while becoming “a cultural exchange and China’s new locus for classical music.”
To be located at the south side of the Workers Stadium East Gate in Beijing’s Central Business District, the 26,587 square meter (286,000 square foot) building has been envisioned as a “hidden gem” and a place of peaceful respite within the city.
“We wanted to create a pure and sacred oasis in the midst of the bustling city,” says Ma Yansong, founder & principal partner of MAD Architects. “From the moment you enter the building, you will be taken to another time and space.”
Bird's Eye View. Image Courtesy of MAD Architects
Surrounded by a lotus pond and lush greenery, the building’s draped, translucent façade lifts at the entrances to invite in visitors. Once inside, the soaring lobby will provide access to the two performance halls and serve as an area for mingling within the soft light.
“Audiences will experience a transition from an urban setting to one of music and nature, preparing them for a journey of self-discovery,” says Ma Yansong.
Lotus Pond View. Image Courtesy of MAD Architects
Lobby. Image Courtesy of MAD Architects
The design of the 1,600-seat main concert hall draws inspiration from the natural, with “vineyard style” seating rising around the stage in a series of sloping terraces and white sound reflection petals on the ceiling will take the form of segments of a lotus flower. During the day, natural light will filter through the ceiling elements, while at night, lighting and visualizations can be projects onto the interior surfaces to create natural scenes that harmonize with the musical performances.
Main Concert Hall. Image Courtesy of MAD Architects
Main Concert Hall. Image Courtesy of MAD Architects
On the south side of the building, a 400-seat rehearsal hall will be nestled within curved wooden walls. An adjustable sound reflection panel at the back of the stage can be configured for different performance types; in its most dramatic arrangement, it can be raised to allow the natural lotus pond outside to serve as the backdrop for the performance.
Small Concert Hall. Image Courtesy of MAD Architects
Cafe. Image Courtesy of MAD Architects
Lobby. Image Courtesy of MAD Architects
The building will also contain professional recording studio, a library, a collection gallery, offices, rehearsal rooms, and other auxiliary function spaces. MAD Architects hopes the design will become “a new formula for concert hall design and introduce a space within the busy city that promotes conversations between people, nature, and music.”
Construction on the China Philharmonic Hall will begin later this year, and is expected to be completed in 2019.
Philharmonic Hall diagram. Image Courtesy of MAD Architects
Design Team: Kin Li, Liu Huiying, Fu Xiaoyi, Brecht Van Acker, Zeng Hao, Li Guangchong, Jacob Hu, Xiao Ying, Dora Lam, Zhao Wei, Shen Chen, Dmitry Seregin, Zhu Jinglu, Yukan Yanagawa, Wang Deyuan, Hiroki Fujino, Zheng Fang, Sear Nee
From the architect. Building O by META strengthens the heart of the UA-campus in Antwerp. META and TRACTEBEL with Storimans Wijffels architects completed for the University of Antwerp an auditorium and research building. Building O houses 3 faculties.
“By paying special attention to the structure, we were able to dispense with several layers of finishing. The result is a solid, student-resistant construction.” [ Niklaas Deboutte, META architectuurbureau ]
“Building O is a bright and compact volume, an eye catcher for the campus but with the smallest possible spatial stamp.” [ Eric Soors, META architectuurbureau ]
Mirror symmetry in a readable building Building O is a bright and compact volume that, on the one hand, is intended to be an eye-catcher on the campus. On the other hand, it was also required to leave the smallest possible spatial stamp on the site. The balance between affirmation and integration, and the unifying role of Building O, resulted in a universal building with a double entrance section that is mirrored diagonally. The four auditoria on each of levels -1 and +1 are arranged around the central atrium, the large skylight of which permits zenithal daylight to penetrate to the underground level. The ground floor accommodates shared functions and the large entrance-cum-meeting rooms. Four compact stairwells lead off from this area. The upper level (+3) is reserved for the laboratory and microscopy rooms.
Plan 0
Maximum light ingress with floating volume clad in golden perforated aluminium sheets By positioning the ground-floor facade inwards to a depth of 1 module META creates a covered interior circuit. The floating volume is enveloped in golden perforated aluminium plates that function as fixed blinds. These allow a soft filtered light to permeate the building while also permitting views outside. The panels on the 3rd floor can be opened to allow maximum light into the practice spaces. Using the same material for both the façade and ceiling of the interior circuit, as well as the foyers, gives rise to a floating volume that, in the diffuse evening light, reveals a glimpse of its inner life to passers-by. Prominent role for art with artist Perry Roberts Art was integrated through the work of Perry Roberts (UK). A photograph of students and teachers was punched into the golden aluminium facade panels. A reference to traditional class photographs, the image was rasterized into dots with 5 different diameters. When viewed close-up, the image appears to be abstract, but becomes readable at a greater remove.
Structural work is finishing work META also deployed the ‘structural work is finishing work’ principle. By paying special attention to the basic structure, it was possible to dispense with several layers of finishing. The end result is a solid, student-resistant construction.
Plan 1
Durable shell The University Antwerp attaches great importance to a reliable and well-insulated exterior shell. The compact nature of the volume and use of multiple layers of suitable insulation enabled us to obtain low U-values that resulted in a very favourable K16.
Product Description. The floating volume is enveloped in golden perforated aluminium plates that function as fixed blinds for the auditoriums, microscopy and laboratory rooms. These allow a soft filtered light to permeate the building while also permitting views outside. The panels on the 3rd floor can be opened to allow maximum light into the practice spaces. Using the same material for both the façade and ceiling of the interior circuit, as well as the foyers, gives rise to a floating volume.
For several decades, a set of oriental practices and techniques have strongly infiltrated the western world. A new program that, as architects, we must start solving more often, and that poses interesting challenges from the point of functional, environmental, and aesthetic.
These disciplines are completely focused on the human being, as they seek to work and satisfy their physical, psychological and spiritual needs, and that’s why it seems important to analyze how these needs are being met spatially by architects. Many of the operations taken in these spaces create enabling environments for reflection, introspection, healing, and therefore could also be applied in other relevant programs, such as housing, educational, hospital, and even office spaces.
This article seeks to draw lessons from some projects already published on our site, in order to perform a kind of guide for designs that helps our community of readers to find inspiration more effectively.
Spaces
Although each practice may require specific characteristics, most take place in a large open central space, accompanied by a set of support rooms.
This is the central space of the building where people gather for practice, and generally is a free plan, flexible and adaptable to different uses. To determine its dimensions, we can use the standard measures of a yoga mat, which unfolds fully stretched in an area of approximately 1.70 x 60 meters. It is suggested to leave at least 50 cm between the mats, to allow the free movement of users during the exercises.
Some of these rooms have a small platform or elevated area where the instructor or guide of the session is located, and it is good to add shelves or countertops where people can leave their ‘tools’ during the class (water bottles, towels, blankets, slippers). Usually, the room has mirrors on one or more walls, but this depends on the needs and the taste of the client.
We think about the architecture of the temples, in introverted and silent spaces, in places that look inward, of dim and changing light. (…) We think of the space we need to look at us inward. DX Architects, about their project ‘AYC’ in Santiago de Chile
Ritual House de Yoga / goCstudio. Seattle, Estados Unidos
Not all centers include dressing rooms, but if there are resources and space, it is good to add. In the case adding them in, you can increase the size of the bathrooms allowing dual use. To achieve this objective and allow the space to be occupied by more than one person at a time, in several projects toilet area is separated from the sink, that is being associated with a kind of small dressing room, which may also include lockers, shelves, and benches.
Toilets should be located adjacent to the main room, with a quick and easy access from the main entrance area.
Circulations gain great importance in this kind of projects, because not only can function as corridors or hallways, but also can contain storage spaces, waiting and resting areas, or even a reception. Some cases also take advantage of the walls to incorporate built-in shelves.
Depending on the order received, the building may include several classrooms, plus massage cabins or jacuzzi, sauna and swimming pools areas. The height of the spaces is a choice of each client and architect, but the main room, at least, is designed in most cases with a greater height.
Centro Holístico Punto Zero / Dio Sustentable. Putaendo, Chile
There is a belief that these spaces must be completely silent, but precisely the idea of these disciplines is to be developed in spite of the ambient noise. In fact, in many cases, it is recommended to fully perform in exteriors, as many sounds of nature can help a better realization of different practices. In the case of closed rooms, these sounds (and even smells) can be integrated by incorporating indoor courtyards or gardens that attract birds, including moving water, and/or allow the flow of the wind.
Obviously, if a practice requires complete silence, the design must allow that the space can be completely isolated.
The design premise was to create a center in constant contact with nature. For this we planned a flagstone garden around the property, with a set of perforations to create interior courtyards where gardens were generated. The spaces and their uses are constantly related through the courtyards and gardens. Ambrosi I Etchegaray, about their project Spa Querétaro in Querétaro, México
Ventilation
This is a fundamental issue in these practices, since they all use breath as the basis for its development. It is important to allow cross ventilation across the room, making sure that there is a certain current renew of oxygen inside, during the session or at the times when the room is not being occupied. For this, we should generate a first opening in the facade that receives the prevailing winds, and a second opening (preferably bigger) on the opposite wall.
The light allows to qualify environmentally the space and can help to lead the intension of the practice being done. In the case of Yoga, direct connection to the sun is essential in many of their exercises. That’s why we should always favor natural lighting, and is necessary, to incorporate systems to regulate their intensity, allowing darken the room completely if necessary.
In order to avoid glare, in most of the projects presented in this article, light does not fall directly on people, and have been used zenithal openings, windows at floor level, fuzzy screens, and light courtyard surrounding the main room.
If practices are carried out at night, artificial lighting choice should be warm and also adjustable.
The aesthetics of space depends entirely on the client requirement, but generally, you should avoid distracting elements or exaggerated decorations. It is recommended using warm materials and soft colors (or directly white) to help attendees achieve a certain degree of initial concentration. As practices carried out in permanent contact with the ground, floors are usually covered with wood or materials rather ‘soft’ and warm to the touch.
The aim of the project is the creation of spaces where materials, furniture, lighting and colors accompany yoga practice, creating a smooth transition in the path. It is relaxed and limited spaces that allow the user to stop their busy lifestyle and connecting slowly, with body and a serene mental space. Studio Shito about their project ‘YogaOne Mandri’ in Barcelona, España
Orientation and Geometry
Some of the projects are based spatially and geometrically in the traditional tenets of the different practices, as many claim that certain orientations and configurations may enhance the effectiveness of the exercises.
For example, we talk about some beneficial cardinal directions, like the East (where would travel certain subtle energies accompanying the movement of the Earth) or Magnetic North (near the geographic North, which would allow us to align with the magnetic field of our planet). Other cases have based their design in the studio of the sacred geometries, and have even made dowsing ground surveys to learn of benign energies present at the project site.
Centro Holístico Punto Zero / Dio Sustentable. Putaendo, Chile
These organic references allow us to drop some stiffness of a more practical design, moving to generate curves or circular shapes that could impact positively on the user experience inside of the building.
Have you designed one of these spaces, or do you perform one of these practices often?
Marketing is not simply an expense reserved for already established architecture firms. Small businesses in particular can benefit from a smart marketing strategy by aligning their operations with some of marketing’s most basic premises and concepts.
Architects in general have a tendency to underestimate the importance of marketing in creating and running a successful business. Even those who claim to understand the role of marketing in acquiring clients and building relationships often fail to fully utilize its potential. Principals of small architecture firms often get caught up in trying to keep their practices afloat and end up treating marketing as a luxury that they will be able to afford once they achieve stability–thus missing the true role of marketing as being a catalyst for growth. Architects need to apply marketing to their practices from the onset and treat it with the same amount of dedication as they do with their floor plans, sections and 3D models of their building designs.
Marketing is a complex discipline, but its fundamentals can be broken down to a few simple concepts. As long as you keep these in mind at all times, your marketing efforts will be more successful, and easy to analyze and adjust. You need to be able to answer these three relatively easy questions and communicate them effectively to your audience:
Who are You?
In order to define your place in the industry and your target demographic, you need to determine who you are and what you do. Vague phrases about quality services, multidisciplinarity and “cutting-edge design” on your About Us page will not provide any useful information on what your company actually does. What do you stand for? How is this vision reflected in your office culture, design, and the type of projects you take on?
What Need Do You Fulfill?
Answering this requires you to formulate a value proposition. A value proposition explains how your service or product can help to solve your client’s problem and must be formulated in a concise and clear way, showing concrete results where possible. Even if you offer great value, if you fail to communicate it, your business will not attract new clients.
How are You Different?
Being able to differentiate yourself from your competition is a huge advantage. This is not easy, but your efforts have to go beyond mere sound bites. It can be achieved either by simply offering services in a more organized, client-oriented and reliable way, or by creating a unique, game-changing product or service.
Once you can answer these three questions, your marketing efforts basically filter into four-step process:
Attracting potential clients
Converting visitors to leads
Closing the deal
Cultivating relationships
These steps may seem straightforward, but there are several schools of thought on how to apply them. With the recent widespread adoption of social media and online tools, marketing has expanded to exciting new ways that architects can engage with and build an audience, and then successfully convert them to leads.
Today’s users have much more control of their media, and this has leveled the “marketing playfield” by offering businesses the opportunity to organically reach audiences by using relatively affordable channels and winning them over with engaging content. This phenomenon has introduced the concept of “inbound marketing,” which contrasts with the traditional “outbound marketing” in almost every significant way.
Before coming to a verdict as to which is better, let’s see what each entails:
Outbound Marketing
Outbound marketing includes traditional advertising practices, cold calling, email and newsletter blasts, sponsorship, and word-of-mouth referrals, to name a few. It is generally known as an interruptive marketing practice that has become less effective in the last few decades. Spam protection tools and blocking techniques, along with the development of new communication trends through social media, have empowered users and limited many of the elements of outbound marketing.
Inbound Marketing
Inbound marketing embraces new media tools, and promotes creating and sharing content that appeals to specific demographics. Publishing the right content at the right moment is at the core of inbound marketing. It focuses on building communities and relies on organic search traffic. It uses blogs, social media, calls-to-action and landing pages to convert visitors to leads.
Data is also an important element of inbound marketing as it uses surveys and social monitoring to find out where your target audiences are and what they want.
***
Most architecture firms will not have to choose between inbound and outbound marketing. Despite hyperbole from proponents of both concepts, they actually work best in combination. You will probably need to keep sending out newsletters and press releases, publishing in magazines, and attending seminars and conferences. However, inbound marketing will allow you to track your return on investment (ROI) more easily, and thus build your reputation. Just remember, there is no single marketing solution that works for everyone.
To learn more about how some of the leading architecture firms use social media, networking, blogging and other marketing tools, check out Archipreneur’s book on new business models for architects, “The Archipreneur Concept”.
By Stella Cinzia, Leonardo Ramondetti, Marco Lagamba & Francesco Montesoro. Image Courtesy of Bee Breeders
Detailed descriptions of the winning Bee Breeders‘ Tokyo Pop Lab proposals have been released. The competition brief called for a new program for studying and producing pop culture media in Tokyo. Drawing from a wide range of international pop culture history, entrants were encouraged to investigate the migration and evolution of pop culture across the world over time, and examine the relationship of culture and architecture.
In challenging established typologies of pop culture, proposals exhibited a wide range of ideologies. Successful submissions were chosen for their nuanced depictions of pop culture, clear representation, and coherent agendas for the new laboratory’s program.
Take a look at the winners of the Tokyo Pop Lab competition after the break.
First Prize: Attilio de Palma, Andrea Longo & Enrico Nicli / Italy
By Attilio de Palma, Andrea Longo & Enrico Nicli. Image Courtesy of Bee Breeders
The success of the first place proposal lies in its clarity of massing combined with a strong formal and conceptual position in response to the brief. The project consists of two large cubes placed in opposing corners of the site, lifted above the ground plane, and rejoined with an elevated walkway. One cube contains the mass media research component of the program and the other holds an undefined space of “manifesto” and experimentation, represented by an inflated red balloon waiting to pop. This cube is adorned with two-dimensional imagery in the form of full-height fabric tapestries, obscuring the container behind an ephemeral veil of fluctuating media. At grade, a concrete wall separates the sidewalk from a public courtyard/gallery and other public program. From the street this wall only allows views of the binary cubes, generating the sense of a separate and inner world.
Importantly, the project does not restrict pop culture to a particular form or a particular moment in time, but rather seeks to create a generic space and empty architecture, perpetually inflating with the exploration and representation of mass media and pop culture. The stripped-down but well-articulated construction of steel and concrete allows the project to successfully navigate the minefield of contemporary and traditional pop iconicity, deftly avoiding expected representational tools. Through its massing and tectonic assembly, the proposal takes a stance on the role, power, and ephemeral nature of the consumed image, keying in on the “manifesto” as the cultural appropriation and critique of the never-ending cycle of production and consumption.
Second Prize: Stella Cinzia, Leonardo Ramondetti, Marco Lagamba & Francesco Montesoro / Italy
By Stella Cinzia, Leonardo Ramondetti, Marco Lagamba & Francesco Montesoro. Image Courtesy of Bee Breeders
The second place entry is distinguished through its definition and organization of public program and social activity. Diagrammatically, the project can be described as a civic pavilion, interrupted variously by hoisted volumes of discrete, localized activity. Below and in-between these floating volumes, urban life extends seamlessly into the building, perhaps resembling most closely the precedent of a colonnade or piazza. Through an open, and carefully considered plan, the scheme establishes an urban, public forum for popular culture.
The project uniquely inverts the traditional model of a contained exhibition space by distributing media throughout the primary public space — the circulation surrounding the differentiated volumes. Within each of the distributed volumes, academic functions including classrooms and a lecture hall, are contained. Rather than assume a singular or limited expression, the proposal establishes a forum to exhibit, celebrate, discuss, and debate, the ebb and flow of popular culture in its various forms of expression through thoughtful programming of public space.
Third Prize: Alina Kvirkveliya & Sacha Gengler / Switzerland
By Alina Kvirkveliya & Sacha Gengler. Image Courtesy of Bee Breeders
The chosen third place winner is notable for its clarity in thought and purpose. The project is organized around three conceptual and programmatic elements, including a distorted cube, an adjacent parterre replica from the Palace of Versailles, and a nested, infinite white void. Discrete yet cogent, the project oscillates between these elements, describing through architecture a critical, reflexive position of popular culture as a social phenomenon.
The project’s enclosure and signifying form is singular and definitive. A moderately inflated cube adorned by a glazed membrane produces a distorted reflection and interpretation of the building’s surroundings — of both the city, and local popular culture as it were. Occupying the other half of the site, the replicated Jardin de Versailles is overshadowed. Through juxtaposition, the inflated cube and Baroque replica provoke a striking statement concerning the contrast between popular and elitist culture — the former a phenomenological reflection of the immediate present, the latter a reference to historic propriety. The interior is anchored by an exhibition room, materialized as an infinite white void and described as a canvas for individual, cultural expression. Collectively, these three elements describe and thereby accommodate the dynamism of popular culture, a byproduct of social reflection, historic legacy, and individual expression.
Sig Nordal 