design – Page 392 – Sig Nordal

Congress Center and Auditorium ‘Vegas Altas’ / Pancorbo + de Villar + Chacón + Martín Robles

May 17, 2016signordalLeave a comment

Architects: Pancorbo , de Villar , Chacón , Martín Robles
Location: Calle Palacio de Congresos C, 4, 06700, Badajoz, Spain
Author Architects: Luis Pancorbo, José de Villar, Carlos Chacón, Inés Martín Robles
Area: 6873.26 sqm
Project Year: 2014
Photographs: Jesús Granada

Quality Surveyors: Manuel Trenado, José Luis Gomez (adobearquitectura)
Structural Engineering: Juan Rey, Pablo Vegas, Jacinto Ruiz Carmona (Mecanismo)
Facilities Engineering: Rafael Úrculo, Sergio Rodríguez (Úrculo Ingenieros)
Acustics: Higini Arau (Arau Acustics)
Models: Gilberto Ruiz
Model Photos: Ignacio Bisbal
Construction Company: Placonsa (Eloy Montero, Julio Oreja, Site Manager)
Client: Junta de Extremadura. Consejería de Cultura.
Execution Budget: 10.505.187,20 euros

From the architect. The “Vegas Altas” Center grows in an ambiguous peripheral location, in a land that is both urban and agricultural. Occupying the first or last crop field. The architectural proposal is intended to highlight this timeless condition of building belonging to the “Vega” as a free-standing building, floating in the countryside like a giant bale of straw with a flat horizon.

On one hand, it is a building that hides its status growing underground. The program is drawn on a half-buried ring that adapts to the terrain and to the boundaries of the plot, but hides his condition hiding to visitors. On the other hand, a cubic volume rises categorically and boldness. The only building perceived above ground, appropriate for both the visibility and the representability required, homes the large volume needed to absorb the magnitude of the stage box. The building has 2 halls for 800 and 275 spectators. They can be used either at the same time or independently, flexibly adapted to the nature of the event.

It reinforces its urban character, iconic, with a platonic geometry of a perfect cube, but in turn loses its built character as it is a field sown of strips of vegetation and its surface is ripped with skylights over the underground spaces. The building gives ample public space to the town with a green cover over most of the program. The proposal extends like a large park and a square with a sloped ground serving to create an access to the building and to perform as an alternative outdoor auditorium.

The entrance is a polyvalent space in fluid connection with the outside. Its can be used for multiple purposes. An expanded liquid and continuous public space with the auditoriums at its ends, which bind on the opposite side by the area of services and facilities serving backstage, closing a ring under the ground serving both auditoriums. The building has a high thermal inertia through the concrete walls and green cover to maintain a constant comfortable temperature in winter and summer.

There is a material ambiguity in the general configuration of the building, the soil of the cover, the tone of the concrete and the ropes of the facades mimic the natural environment. However, its underground and watery interior is defined by a more artificial freshness. The exhibition space has a white, tense fabric, which extends the space reflecting an unreal environment. Auditoriums are made with green color polycarbonate that by the effect of indirect lighting becomes a water world without a precise dimension.

The building adheres to the climatic conditions of the environment without losing sight of its economy. Brought with low power consumption and easy maintenance. The performance adapts effectively to the austerity of the current economy, with special attention to construction to meet the tight consistency with existing budget and the needs of the extensive requested program. It is a silent object that aims to go unnoticed, although also is a lighthouse in the sea of the Extremadura’s field.

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Moscow Urban Forum 2016: Fast-Growing Megacities – Technologies for Dynamic Development

May 17, 2016signordalLeave a comment

Since its first version in 2011, the Moscow Urban Forum has become an important international platform devoted to the development of megacities, and improvement of the quality of life of urban residents in the world, Moscow and Russia. Over the years, it has developed into a major international project that brings together the people who come up with ideas to improve the quality of urban space, and the people who implement these ideas: mayors, politicians, urbanists, and architects from all over the world.

The topic of the 2016 Forum is “Fast-Growing Megacities: Technologies for Dynamic Development.” Why is it so important to discuss growth and development of megacities at this time? What are the rules that determine their existence?

Not every large city can become a megacity. A city may absorb its surrounding areas, but these areas may continue to exist in accordance with their own rules, never merging into a single system with the city. Megacities of the 21st century do not just offer more space in which to work and live. They determine the mindset of the people who live there, expand the boundaries of what’s possible, and offer a variety of options for personal fulfillment. They dictate the rules of the game for all other urban settlements and set the trends in the development of modern urbanism.

We have about 40 successful megacities in the world, and there are cities that have a good chance of being added to this list. The experts who will gather at the Moscow Urban Forum 2016 will discuss the challenges that governments and inhabitants of megacities are facing; mayors and urbanists of leading capital cities will share their experience of dealing with challenges. Here are the core items of the agenda:

Where does the megacity end and agglomeration begin?
What features must a city have to become a megacity?
Technological revolution as a consequence of development
Safe and comfortable living in megacities

The session speakers will be city mayors and other representatives of the authorities of cities of the world, heads of international companies, successful business people and leading urbanism experts, ie all the people who truly effect change in the world and whose work can be seen by citizens every day.

Forum: Day one – Prospects

The program of the first day is called “Cities In the Age of Technological Revolution.” Throughout the day, the seven halls of Manege Central Exhibition Hall and the briefing zone will host sessions devoted to a wide variety of issues:

Urban solutions based on advanced technology
The role of technology in construction, planning and architecture
Management of urban systems, Big Data
New transport system
New energy and utilities
Interaction between citizens, governments and business in the new media environment
Transformation of urban services under the impact of technology (trade, finance, catering, health)
The development of new industries in the city, raising investment, job creation
New-generation culture and media

The day’s program includes plenary sessions, involving mayors and hi-tech celebrities, as well as discussions, presentations, briefings and workshops on key technology trends.

Forum: Day two – Practices

The second day of the Forum will be entitled “Cities And Megaprojects. Cities as Megaprojects” and will be dedicated to specific examples which are already implemented in the megacities of the world. We would like to tell you not only about the impressive future of megacities, but also about the projects that are being implemented right now and which we will be able to contemplate in the near future:

Leading large-scale projects in Moscow (parks, development, transport)
Experience of the largest projects in other countries and cities.
Discussions with initiators, architects and investors of major projects.

The conference participants will attend a plenary session with the involvement of M.Sh. Khusnullin, authors and builders of the most significant innovations, presentations of sport, transport and real estate megaprojects and discuss the key concepts for Moscow and other world capitals.

Format

After each Forum, visitors and guests submit feedback and suggestions. In particular, one of the most common has been that it would be nice to have more sessions, but that they shouldn’t be too long. Therefore, at the 2016 Forum, sessions will last 30-45 minutes. Presentations by speakers will be shorter, and the range of topics will be wider. To keep up with the times, Forum guests will deliver short speeches in TED format. In addition, this year the event will feature more workshops, presentations and lectures. Many Forum guests will have the opportunity to participate in the debates and present their views on urbanism issues.

In 2016, there will be numerous areas for informal discussion at the event.

Special Events

When megacities are discussed, the first thing people think about is something global and certainly futuristic. This is why we have prepared two large-scale special projects: A Summit of Global Mega Projects Organisers and The Urban Futurism Conference.

The first project will attract those who make decisions related to Russia’s hosting of major international events such as the Olympics. The speakers will discuss the status of ongoing projects (such as the FIFA World Cup to be held in 2018).

The second day will feature a conference and exhibition of the most daring mega projects of our time, organized in cooperation with the organizing committee of the Venice Architecture Biennale. Examples of the projects of the future include Hyperloop (conversion of Central Park in New York), Zeekracht energy infrastructure, competition for the project of settlement on Mars, and many others.

Festival

This year, the Moscow Urban Forum festival, which has become popular with the people of Moscow, will open on the same day as the Forum, on June 30th. The festival venue will not be limited to the Manege building: events will be held at various venues in Moscow — in the streets, in parks, at VDNKh Exhibition Centre, in Dostoevsky Library, in Strelka Creative Space and many other places.

As part of the festival programme, all participants are invited to exhibitions, lectures, workshops, film screenings and other activities that are sure to interest and inspire. The map and schedule of the events will be available at special stands in Manege.

Title: Moscow Urban Forum 2016: Fast-Growing Megacities – Technologies for Dynamic Development
Type: Conference
Website: http://ift.tt/1TUsiof
Organizers: Moscow Urban Forum
From: June 30, 2016 09:00 AM
Until: July 03, 2016 07:00 PM
Venue: Moscow Manege Central Exhibition Hall
Address: manege moscow

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Community Primary School for Girls / Orkidstudio

May 17, 2016signordalLeave a comment

Architects: Orkidstudio
Location: Kenema, Sierra Leone
Area: 1000.0 sqm
Project Year: 2016
Photographs: Peter Dibdin

Project Director: James Mitchell
Site Team : Andrew Perkins, Kirsty Cassels, Paul Elliott, Spencer Fretwell, and the local community.
Structural Engineers: StructureMode
Main Contractor: Orkidstudio
Client: The Swawou Foundation
Total Cost : £90,000
Cost/M2: £90/m2

From the architect. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March 2014, and rapidly became the deadliest occurrence of the virus since it discovery in 1976. Already a country with severe economic and social challenges, recovering from over a decade of civil war, the Ebola epidemic has been yet a further blow to its development and growth. Yet, for one community in the country’s eastern province, the opening of the new Swawou School for Girls offers hope and inspiration to a remarkable group of young women.

Two years ago, in February 2014, Orkidstudio broke ground on a new girls’ school in Kenema, in the eastern region of the country, employing as many as seventy men and women from the local community each day. The Swawou Foundation sought to provide extensive new learning facilities for up to 120 young girls from the local area. First set up in 2009 by Ahmed Jaward and Kirsty Wood, it was the only school around that didn’t allow corporal punishment, and is producing young girls with confidence and intelligence unparalleled elsewhere. The building was voted the ‘best school in Sierra Leone’ on a national radio station before it even had a roof on.

Yet, just four weeks from completion, and with the final roof sheets still uninstalled, progress was brought to a halt and site closed as the first confirmed cases of the Ebola virus hit the region. Even then, misguided rumours of witchcraft, curses and political playmaking were in circulation. This period was characterised by mixed feelings of fear and confusion, nobody really knew how to protect themselves let alone understood what was going on. Sierra Leone’s last horror, the civil war which erupted in 1991 and lasted some eleven years, was still a recent memory for many of its people and despite continued political corruption and crime, the country was at peace and trying hard to better itself. Already one of the world’s poorest nations, Sierra Leone is now faced with further social and economic suffering as a direct result of Ebola.

The number of recorded deaths exceeded 11,000 across West Africa before the region was declared Ebola free. Yet, what role can architecture play in the aftermath of such a crisis? Architects have often found a clear cause for intervention when faced with natural or manmade disasters, helping rebuild fallen towns and cities or offering up solutions to populations displaced and without shelter. However, when the disaster itself is formless, an invisible threat of devastating proportions, is there any role at all that architecture can play?

The Ebola epidemic may not have torn down buildings or left people without a home, yet the extent of social and economic reconciliation that it has left in its wake is vast. In January 2016 work resumed on the school building which had become badly overgrown with weeds and long grasses. Following many new challenges and difficulties, a building that had stood neglected and forlorn for two years now stands proud and gleaming in the west African sun. It’s a long way ahead to get this wonderful country fully back on its feet and striding forwards, and further still to transforming its global image, however, in this case a new building has opened its doors to a cohort of excited young school students, offering new jobs to the local community, and might just stand for something far more than the materials it’s built from.

About The Swawou Foundation

The Swawou Layout Community Primary School for Girls was set up in 2009 to offer a free primary education to girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. The school is located in an area called Swawou Layout in Kenema town, eastern Sierra Leone. All of the girls reside within the local community with their parents, guardians or other family members. The Swawou School Foundation strives to assist the school in achieving its goals and ambitions through fundraising and support. www.swawou.org

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Renovation of Wuzhen Beizha Silk Factory / DCA

May 17, 2016signordalLeave a comment

© Ai Qing & Wu Qingshan - CreatAR Images

Architects: DCA
Location: Wuzhen, Zhejiang, China
Architect In Charge: Chen Qiang, Fu Na, Chen Jianru, Jade Zheng
Design Team: Zhou Mingxu, Dai Xinggang, Feng Xuepeng, Tang Qing, Wu Haiyue, Shan Bingliang
Area: 8502.0 sqm
Project Year: 2016
Photographs: Ai Qing & Wu Qingshan – CreatAR Images

From the architect. Wuzhen is a typical ancient water town in south of China. Renovated as the venue of 2016 International Contemporary Art Exhibition, Wuzhen Beizha silk factory was built in 1970s and declined in 1990s. The factory which witnessed the development of the old town’s industry had been abandoned more than ten years. In our renovation original layouts and spatial features of the site are conformed to adapt new program.

Structure reinforcement and roof refurbishment are generally taken in the reconstruction. Some of excessive windows are blocked due to the requirement of exhibition while keeping the dents of window to indicate the history. All suspended ceilings are removed to expose the slim roof structure and provide suitable spaces for exhibition. Mottled skins of the old buildings have been kept as well. Only the tallest building is enwrapped with dark grey stretched aluminum mesh, which brings an obscure image mixed with modern and traditional features.

All exist trees are reserved and mapped in the reconstruction, specific methods are taken to handle the dialogue between trees and buildings, hence a new status which combines the buildings and the environment emerged. Three different means are adopted to integrate 3 new buildings with the old ones into wholeness.

Apposition: Building A, served as entry and small galleries, is set up along the new road with floating boxes above a pool, which echoed the water town image of Wuzhen. Meanwhile, it is enclosing the outdoor exhibition area with the old workshops.

Insertion: Building B is inserted between two 2-story buildings. The first floor is gift shop and cafe which can serves both the venue and the community. Roof platform with void for trees connects 2nd floors of both sides’ buildings and becomes the recreation and communication space during exhibition.

Connection: The second-floor circulation is established by a bridge which links building C and the old buildings. The transparent hall in the middle connects the east and the west parts of the building. In the 2nd floor of east part, a spacious indoor exhibition hall with skylights is created by folded large-span roof truss.

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Module Grid House / Tetsuo Yamaji Architects

May 17, 2016signordalLeave a comment

Architects: Tetsuo Yamaji Architects
Location: Saitama, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Area: 208.27 sqm
Project Year: 2015
Photographs: Kenta Hasegawa

From the architect. We designed a house in the suburban area of North Kanto. It is a house for a young couple with two small children. As we designed this house, we realized that there is a common question that we are all (including myself) confronted with when living in a contemporary society.

Family structures, household incomes, working styles, hobbies, tastes, weather and climate are all different for different families. Most of us want to be “special” in some way and have a unique lifestyle. At the same time, we all want to be like everyone else, and be average. These thoughts seem conflicting, but it is actually quite natural to feel this way and is considered to be normal consumer psychology: we all want high quality products, but at a cheap price.

Therefore, “mass-production = prefabrication” has been an inevitable solution, and all housing manufacturers have focused on it. However, just like scholar Hideto Kishida wrote in Kenchiku-zasshi in 1947: “I hope for the development of prefabricated houses, but personally I would’t place an order for a prefabricated house”. Not even the older generation who lived right after the war thought prefabrication was a positive solution.

In this project, our main subject was “a non-mass-produced house made with mass-produced components”, and we reconsidered the way the modern housing should be in terms of the construction method.

It has been about sixty years since we started using the metric system after abolishing the Japanese measuring system. However, Shakkanho, the Japanese measuring system, is still the preferred measuring system in the construction industry, especially when constructing wooden houses. In Japan, based on one Tatami mat (3 shaku x 6 shaku), mass-produced components have been widely distributed among manufacturers and they have been prefabricated through a “conventional method” all around Japan. This has made it possible for anyone to achieve modular coordination, meaning that anyone can become an architect as long as he or she can draw a layout on a grid sheet.

By using the measuring system for our expressions – something which comes so natural for Japanese people – we wanted to obtain not only economic efficiency, but also a modular effect when it come to both design and experience.

In terms of the floor planning, 1 grid has been composed of 3 shaku x 3 shaku (910 x 910mm), and the upper floor of 6 x 8 grids, and the rooms have been assigned according to the grids. Vertically, we have set the height of the upper floor at 4 grid (=2 Tatami mat ) and kept it simple. The rafters in the ceiling are mass-produced, six-meter-long square timbers (120 x 120mm, it is usually used as pillar material ), and we have used them as they are, without cutting them. The excess parts are used as eaves. The measurements of the house is dependent on the mass-produced components, which makes it very cost efficient. In terms of expression, the vividness comes through the “physical material”. And as for the experience, the structure is based on the modular system we are all accustomed to in Japan, which also assures the nostalgic comfort factor.

Just like Michelangelo et al. used a giant order to escape the classic architectural order during the Renaissance, this is a giant Shakkanho, which replaces the traditional Shakkanho that has supported Japanese architecture. The ideal, normal state of mind that all Japanese people have been looking for has been found in a natural system they all already have access to.

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Baan Kanom Chan / Anonym

May 16, 2016signordalLeave a comment

Architects: Anonym
Location: Soi Chan 37, Khwaeng Thung Wat Don, Khet Sathon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10120, Thailand
Project Team : Phongphat Ueasangkhomset, Suteenart Chantarajiraporn, Parnduangjai Roojnawate
Area: 600.0 sqm
Project Year: 2016
Photographs: Chaovarith Poonphol

From the architect. Since the owner’s family just started their new business which is “bakery catering”. So, they decided to build a new house in proximate distance which will become their sweet home and a business place. The name of this project comes from “Kanom” which means “dessert” in Thai language and the street named “Chan” where the project is located.

About 100 square was, the site location is in a high-density area of Sathorn which surrounded by houses, row houses and old buildings. Taxicabs always come in and out, because the taxicab parking space is next to the site, and this particular parking space will create privacy to this project. This particular context has become a very important role in design aspect, as it defines building massing and orientation. Anonym was requested to design based on factors, to create privacy for owner’s family. The key idea is to layer functions as well as arrange zoning vertically for public & private space separation. The whole spaces of first and second floor are dedicated as public area. There are offices and pantry where all office staffs can access. And third floor is divided into 2 living spaces for 2 families.

Then, the building massing was created. Three stories solid walls on the East and West side provides privacy to the inner room The space in-between is the inner court that allows natural light to penetrate the space inside. This is where the main staircase connects to each floor. Natural light plays a leading role in this area when it cast a shadow through the glass louvers. Anonym put full height windows on the Southern side to expand the view of a big splendid tree in the neighborhood, as well as to employ natural ventilation. At the front of the house, the architect designed a double volume balcony that creates an inviting main entrance. it is a multifunction area where the owners and office staffs can use for any special events.

Another element that is very important to the house design is various materials application, such as glasses, black steel frames and white plaster walls. The contrast of contexts makes the house stand out from the neighborhood and has become a widely noticed building in this area.

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Devil’s Corner / Cumulus Studio

May 16, 2016signordalLeave a comment

Architects: Cumulus Studio (Peter Walker, Liz Walsh, Andrew Geeves, Fiona McMullen, Todd Henderson)
Location: Sherbourne Rd, Apslawn TAS 7190, Australia
Area: 572.0 sqm
Project Year: 2015
Photographs: Tanja Milbourne

Structural Engineering: Aldanmark
Building Surveyor: Castellan Consulting
Tourism Consultant: Simon Currant
Hospitality Consultant: David Quon
Environmental: Red Sustainability Consultants
Builder: Anstie Constructions
Lookout: 112 sqm
Cellar Door & Market Area : 460 sqm

Description

Located on the scenic drive along Tasmania’s East Coat, the new Devil’s Corner Cellar Door and Lookout sits within one of Tasmania’s largest vineyards, with a panoramic view over the Freycinet Peninsula. Reopened in December 2015, this project for Brown Brothers seeks to amplify the experience of this iconic view to create a new tourism experience on the East Coast of Tasmania.

Originally a small demountable building, the Cellar Door has been extended and expanded, paired with a lookout and complimentary food experiences, providing a backdrop for seasonal events. The Cellar Door and Lookout were designed as a loose collection of timber clad buildings that, through similar aesthetic and material treatment, form a modern interpretation of traditional farm / rural settlement that gather over time.

The Cellar Door & food market have been collected around a courtyard space which allows shelter and respite from the surrounding environment, while allowing views through the tasting space to the Hazards beyond and access to open deck spaces. Through the careful placement of a series of timber clad shipping containers, visitors are invited to visually explore the landscape within and around the vineyard through curated framed views.

The lookout element is a critical component of the design, not only in providing a visual signifier for the settlement but also as a way of interpreting the landscape from which the Devil’s Corner wines originate. In the same way that an appreciation of wine can be gained through understanding its subtleties and varying ‘in-mouth’ sensations, there are many ways landscape can be appreciated. The lookout plays with this idea. The three distinct spaces reference different and unique views of the site – firstly the SKY, then the HORIZON and lastly the TOWER which winds its way upward providing views to each of the compass points before culminating in an elevated and expansive view of the bay.

By creating a dynamic scenic lookout and providing associated facilities, visitors are drawn to the new upgraded cellar door for the Devil’s Corner wine label.

Material Summary

Steel was an ideal material for the project as it allowed for a large amount of structure to be prefabricated off-site, providing timing and logistics advantages for the remote location. The underlying structure of the buildings and tower for the Devil’s Corner is made from repurposed and adapted shipping containers, chosen not only because of their easily transportable modular size, but also because of their structural integrity and steel’s inherent flexibility and ability to be modified. A total of 10 containers have been used – 5 in the lookout and 5 in the market area.

The integral strength of the containers made them a perfect choice in the construction of the lookout in particular, enabling the structure of the building to be delivered to site and erected quickly. Each container has been modified in various ways – the cranked ‘sky’ lookout cut from two parts of a container and reassembled; the ‘horizon’ lookout which is able to bridge between land and the ‘tower’ despite one side being cut out; and the ‘tower’ lookout constructed from two containers end on end, inside of which a steel plate stair winds its way up past projecting landings on each side. These landings provide views over the landscape as the viewer moves up the tower; the black steel box frames fixed to the container and cantilevering over the vineyard.

Craned into position in parts, the lookout’s structural integrity relies on all of the pieces locking in together. The design deliberately reverses the typical aesthetic treatment of steel. Rather than cladding the building in steel, it has been expressed internally, revealing the raw, industrial nature of the construction and hinting at the industrial underpinning of the production process. The external timber cladding (which acts as an visual screen only) plays on the rural / agricultural qualities of the site, with the internal steel skin being revealed in a consistent manner through the expression of each of the openings – the apertures in the lookout and opening to the cellar door.

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Louis Kahn’s Yale Center for British Art Reopens After Restoration

May 16, 2016signordalLeave a comment

Yale Center for British Art, Library Court following reinstallation. Image © Richard Caspole

Louis Kahn’s Yale Center for British Art has reopened to the public after a multi-year restoration project led by Knight Architecture, LLC. The building, which began construction in 1969 and was completed after Kahn’s death in 1977, was designed to house Paul Mellon’s gift of British art to Yale University. According to the museum, “this was the most complex building conservation work undertaken at the Center to date, comprising the entire structure, from roof to basement. It renews the Center’s public galleries, internal systems, spaces, and amenities, and has provided an opportunity to reimagine and reinstall the Center’s renowned collections of more than five centuries of British art—the largest outside of the United Kingdom.”

Speaking to The Guardian about the subtlety of the intervention, the museum’s conservation assistant Mary Regan-Yttre said, “We spent a lot of money to make it look exactly the same.” The $33 million restoration made updates that were both code related and cosmetic, including the revival of finishes and materials, such as travertine floors, white oak wall panels, Belgian linen display walls, and concrete ceilings on the interior, and the matte steel and reflective glass facade. Some of the more technical building improvements relate to the mechanical and electrical systems, fire protection, telecommunications, and safety services, all of which were implemented to expand resiliency, ensure the stability of the collections environment, and enhance the patron experience. The Yale Center for British Art, one of Kahn’s last projects, is located directly across from his first major commission, the Yale University Art Gallery (1953). Sited on opposite sides of New Haven’s Chapel Street, the two structures act as bookends to the architect’s short but highly accomplished career.

Yale Center for British Art, exterior view (spring). Image © Richard Caspole

Yale Center for British Art, Entrance Court following reinstallation. Image © Richard Caspole

Yale Center for British Art, fourth oor, Turner Bay following rein- stallation. Image © Richard Caspole

Yale Center for British Art, fourth- oor gallery following reinstallation. Image © Richard Caspole

Yale Center for British Art, fourth oor, Long Gallery following reinstallation. Image © Michael Marsland

Yale Center for British Art, circular stairs following conservation. Image © Richard Caspole

Yale Center for British Art, Lecture Hall following conservation. Image © Michael Marsland

Yale Center for British Art, panoramic exterior view (spring). Image © Richard Caspole

AD Classics: Yale Center for British Art / Louis Kahn
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MVRDV Unveil Monumental Urban Staircase in the Center of Rotterdam

May 16, 2016signordalLeave a comment

The Staircase on Stationsplein, Rotterdam by MVRDV.. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu

A little over a month since Rotterdam-based practice MVRDV announced a new temporary urban structure—a 180-step staircase, 29 meters tall and 57 meters long—for the heart of city of Rotterdam, the project has been officially opened. Those who ascend the staircase will find a temporary observation deck looking over Rotterdam Centraal, a rooftop bar, and the temporary reopening of the Kriterion cinema that was last active in the 1960s.

The building at the heart of this installation is the Groot Handelsgebouw – one of the first major buildings to be erected following the extensive bombing of Rotterdam in World War II. According to the practice, the scaffolding system used to construct the staircase represents “a nod” to the 75th anniversary of the rebuilding of the city following this disaster.

Since the practice first revealed the project they have conceded that West8—another practice based in Rotterdam—created a temporary staircase, also built from scaffolding, which led onto the roof of Las Palmas – a different historic building in the city. MVRDV, who acknowledge that “there are similarities between the two stairs,” have offered credit for the idea to Adriaan Geuze and West 8.

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Nursery School in Zubieta Extension / Estudio Urgari

May 16, 2016signordalLeave a comment

Architects: Estudio Urgari
Location: 20170 Zubieta, Gipuzkoa, Spain
Architects In Charge: Patxi Gastaminza, Jose Javier Uranga, Itziar Modrego, Jesús Etxeberria
Area: 331.0 sqm
Project Year: 2015
Photographs: Jorge Allende

Promoter: Ayuntamiento de Donostia-San Sebastián
Builder: Urbycolan
Timber Company: Egoin Sl.L.
Editor Team And Project Managers: Estudio Urgari SL
Technical Architect: Arantxa Agirre y Naiara Ollo
Engineer: Susana Martínez
Budget: 353.358,36 €

The project to build an extension on to the nursery school in Zubieta (Ikastola Zubieta) was designed at the request of Donostia-San Sebastian City Council, given the need to increase the number of classrooms and solve the construction and quality deficiencies displayed by the various prefabricated modules where classes were being given on a temporary basis and where the dining room was located.

The challenges that the project needed to address were as follows: to integrate the intervention into the existing building and the rural landscape in which it is located; to improve the functionality and energy efficiency of the building; to provide the whole with an image allowing it to be easily identified as an ikastola (Basque-medium school) or school for children; to limit the completion of the work to one school term.

The solution proposed called for an adjoining timber unit positioned along the length of the existing building with a profile of one floor only. The arrangement of pitches for the roofs and the combination of windows on the façade at various heights, and in various sizes and colours in shades of green and the timber finish were the tools that succeeded in turning the idea of the project into reality.

The design and layout of gaps addresses the aim of providing a high degree of natural light, and splashing the timber volumes with elements of colour at different heights allows the children to have lines of sight through them. The exterior cladding of the roof comprises light-grey metal sheets, thus giving the roof a sense of lightness and light and providing it with a neutral character within the urban environment. The porches at the entrance to the buildings are formed by the roof itself as it continues its own fractured profile, and by the two vertical wall sections where the slats of the timber panels open, thus creating a visible filter.

The distribution proposed for the ground plan allows systematised, off-site construction to be carried out to address the need to complete the works as quickly as possible, between September and December. That is why, apart from the foundations, nearly all the units of the works are prefabricated, with the use of prefabricated CLT panels a distinctive feature. These panels form façades, interior partitions, roofing and exterior cladding. They are made to measure off-site, which means that the actual on-site execution can take advantage of easy assembly and be carried out in a fast and systematised way.

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	Carlos V on The final failure is to die an…
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