The architectural concept of the Theatre is based on stages: the stage of the Theatre itself, the stage of the piazza, and the stage of the multiple level Theatre lobby above the piazza.

Architekt Daniel Libeskind AG

Grand Canal Square Theatre and Commercial Development, image courtesy of Architekt Daniel Libeskind AG / © Lafferty Design Studio

+ Project description courtesy of Architekt Daniel Libeskind AG

The concept of the Grand Canal Square Theatre and Commercial Development is to build a powerful cultural presence expressed in dynamic volumes sculpted to project a fluid and transparent public dialogue with the cultural, commercial and residential surroundings whilst communicating the various inner forces intrinsic to the Theatre and office buildings.

Grand Canal Square Theatre and Commercial Development, image courtesy of Architekt Daniel Libeskind AG | Photo by Ros Kavanagh

This composition creates a dynamic urban gathering place and icon mirroring the joy and drama emblematic of Dublin itself. The 2000 seat Grand Canal Theatre is a landmark that creates a focus for its urban context, specifically Grand Canal Square, the new urban piazza at the waterfront of Grand Canal Harbour.

Grand Canal Square Theatre and Commercial Development, image courtesy of Architekt Daniel Libeskind AG | Photo by Ros Kavanagh

The architectural concept of the Theatre is based on stages: the stage of the Theatre itself, the stage of the piazza, and the stage of the multiple level Theatre lobby above the piazza. The Theatre becomes the main façade of a large public piazza that has a five star hotel and residences on one side and an office building on the other. The piazza acts as a grand outdoor lobby for the Theatre, itself becoming a stage for civic gathering with the dramatic Theatre elevation as a backdrop offering platforms for viewing.

From its rooftop terrace, the Theatre offers spectacular views out over the Dublin Harbour. The Theatre is integrated into the Commercial Development by office buildings that include 45,500 square meters of leasable office and retail space.

Grand Canal Square Theatre and Commercial Development, image courtesy of Architekt Daniel Libeskind AG | Photo by Ros Kavanagh

With their twin facades, glazed atriums and landscaped roofs, the two office blocks offer sustainable state of the art work environments. By designing multi-story glazed atriums, the commercial buildings integrate with the adjacent retail, residential, cultural and public space components. Three prominent entrances make the buildings accessible from Grand Canal Square, Misery Hill and from Cardiff Lane. Although both offices are designed in the same architectural language, each responds to its site uniquely.

Two Grand Canal Square (South Block), which is adjacent to the new 2,000 seat Theatre, opens up towards the Square, while Four & Five Grand Canal Square (North Block), in conjunction with the Theatre, form a dramatic gateway to Dublin Harbour. The Grand Canal Square Development enhances the new urban structure of Grand Canal Harbor with an exciting cultural landmark and magnet for Dublin, a destination for working, shopping, and entertainment. The Theatre will open in March, 2010 with the opening of the office blocks scheduled for mid 2010 and 2011.

Grand Canal Square Theatre and Commercial Development - Section, drawing courtesy of Architekt Daniel Libeskind AG

+ Project credits / data

Project Name: Grand Canal Square Theatre and Commercial Development
Location: Dublin Docklands
Address: Grand Canal Square 3, Dublin 2, Ireland

Gross Building Area:
South Office block – 21,092 sq.m / 226,992 sq.ft (including basement)
Theatre – 13,768 sq.m / 148,171 sq.ft (including basement)
North Office block – 33,320 sq.m / 358,590 sq.ft (including basement)

Other Building Details:
South Block – 7 Floors over basement
Theatre – 7 Floors over basement
North Block – 7 Floors over basement

Budget:
Theatre + Commercial – €196M / $269.9M USD
Theatre Budget – € 75M / $101.8M USD

Principal Architect: Stefan Blach
Project Architect & Project Team Leader: Gerhard Brun
Project Team: Feargal Doyle, Patrick Cox, Andreas Baumgärtner, Matthias Rühl, Toralf Sümmchen, Anna Poullou, Guillaume Chapallaz, Nathaniel Lloyd, Jens Jessen, Jens Hoffman, Kaori Hirasawa, Luca Mangione, Anja Bungies and Christian Müller

Services provided by Architekt Daniel Libeskind AG:
Theatre: Building envelope, FOH and Auditorium; RIAI Stages 1-8
Commercial: Building envelope, Lobby & Atrium spaces; RIAI stages 1-4

Starting Date:
2004: Competition, early concept phase Dec.
2006: from RIAI stage 2, under contract with Ramford Limited

Completion Date:
South Block Office –September 2009
Theatre –December 2009
North Block Office – Mid-2010

Client:
Ramford Limited, Chartered Land
Usher House, Main Street
Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland

Project Management:
Lafferty Project Management
Usher House, Main Street
Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland

Executive Architect: Commercial Buildings; RIAI Stages 4-8
McCauley Daye O’Connell Architects
7 Harcourt Street
Dublin 2, Ireland

Theatre Consultants & Architects: Theatre Back of House; RIAI Stages 4-8:
ArtsTeam (part of RHWL Architects)
Ivory House St Katharine Docks
London E1W 1AT

Quantity Surveyor: Davis Langdon PKS – Dublin
Structural / Civil: ARUP Consulting Engineers – Dublin
Mechanical & Electrical: ARUP Consulting Engineers – Dublin
Acoustic Consultants: ARUP Acoustics – Winchester, UK
Venue Consultants: ARUP Venue Consulting – Winchester, UK
Façade Consultants: Billings Design Associates – Dublin
Lighting Designers: Pritchard Themis – London, UK
Fire Engineers: Michael Slattery Associates – Dublin
Health & Safety: Bruce Shaw Partnership- Dublin
Main Contractor: John Sisk & Son Ltd. – Dublin
Façade Sub-Contractor: Permasteelisa Central Europe (Theatre); Permasteelisa S.p.A (Commercial Buildings)

Principal Materials:
Theatre Volume – Stainless steel rain screen cladding panels on reinforced concrete and steel structure with strips of high performance glazing.
Theatre Glass Curtain – High performance glazing with exposed polyester powder coated pre-fabricated steel box sections.
Commercial Buildings – Low-iron unitized twin skin glazing system with geometric ceramic frit patterns with solar / glare perforated venetian blinds and capped unitized curtain walling with fixed blade louvers.

Photographer: Ros Kavanagh

+ All images and drawings courtesy of Architekt Daniel Libeskind AG

The materials used are natural oak or epoxy lacker.

Rubic - Table Lighting, image courtesy of Paratoner

Rubic - Table Lighting, image courtesy of Paratoner

One of the architectural proposals for the volume of the building is to maintain a direct visual relationship with the outside through a metal lattice that covers most of the façade, and integrates advertising volumes in the large loose truss.

Entorno AID

+ Project description courtesy of Entorno AID

AutoSura Bogotá, image courtesy of Entorno AID

The Service Center seeks to meet the needs of policyholders and clients in general, regarding basic procedures for preventive and corrective maintenance of the car.

The project is located on Avenida 19 # 139, Bogota, Colombia has its principal address facing the Avenida which makes an impact in the project’s volumetric development. The building is set in a high volume of triple and a double skin bioclimatic using concepts that can optimize the natural light, ventilation and thermal comfort.

AutoSura Bogotá, image courtesy of Entorno AID

One of the architectural proposals for the volume of the building is to maintain a direct visual relationship with the outside through a metal lattice that covers most of the façade, and integrates advertising volumes in the large loose truss.

On the first floor, the Client’s Reception Entry is located in a glass box that allows a visual connection with the Vehicle’s Technical Inspection area (-Dynamometer- Test Tracks). It is situated in a perimeter, like a parking area, outside the building with a direct and independent entrance and exit of vehicles.

AutoSura Bogotá, image courtesy of Entorno AID

The second floor is divided in the Employee Area and the Customer Zone which functions independently. The Customer Zone has a reception, a Waiting Room, and the offices for the claim of insurances, and a cafeteria for clients.

In the third floor there is the Technical Area of the building arranged in one volume.

AutoSura Bogotá - Ground floor plan, drawing courtesy of Entorno AID

AutoSura Bogotá - 1st floor plan, drawing courtesy of Entorno AID

AutoSura Bogotá - Front elevation, drawing courtesy of Entorno AID

+ About

Entorno AID Ltda. is a company specialized in the Urban and Architectural design. It is formed by a group of four designers whose strength is based in the fusion between the image and the contemporary design applied to Architecture. Dedicated to evolve this premise in the development of each design, we have created a working group whose main objective is the sum of creativity and collective efforts. Within our work dynamics we use technological tools that merge with elements of art like Bioclimatic and the awareness of the urban environment. The final product is an integral aesthetic, functional and environmentally friendly concept. Our premise is to build a more dignified and fair city.

+ Project credits / data

Architect: Entorno AID
Project: AutoSura Bogotá
Location: Avenida 19 # 139, Bogota, Colombia

+ All images and drawings courtesy of Entorno AID

+ Description courtesy of Claesson Koivisto Rune

In Sweden, as in many other countries, much of the market for new private houses is provided for by kit house manufacturers. In their catalogues you can pick your house from a selection of styles and sizes to put on your lot. The advantage is that the price is more or less fixed and that the construction process is handled by the company.

Folded Roof House, image courtesy of Claesson Koivisto Rune | Photo © Åke E:son Lindman

Unfortunately, these houses carry little or no architectural ambition, as they are often designed by company engineers or sales people. The idea behind the new company, Arkitekthus, is to provide kit houses designed by leading architects at prices competitive with these other manufacturers.

Folded Roof House, image courtesy of Claesson Koivisto Rune | © Louise Billgert

Folded Roof house is our second house for Swedish kit house manufacturer Arkitekthus. It is a one-storey house with an asymmetric folded roof plane. The floor plan provides for separation between private bedrooms and a communal kitchen and living room. The bedrooms are positioned at the gable ends and the living room is between, with an open main façade.

Folded Roof House, image courtesy of Claesson Koivisto Rune | © Louise Billgert

The openings are fully glazed and inset into the house volume so that roof-covered terrace spaces serve as continuations of the interior. Another important visual feature is the framing of these insets by the thin wall and roof edges. This was possible because no insulation is needed in the sections located outside of the actual house.

For the site on Muskö island the separate guest house and sauna buildings were specifically designed for the client.

Folded Roof House - Floor plan, drawing courtesy of Claesson Koivisto Rune

Folded Roof House - Elevation, drawing courtesy of Claesson Koivisto Rune

Folded Roof House - Elevation, drawing courtesy of Claesson Koivisto Rune

+ Project credits / data

Architect: Claesson Koivisto Rune
Project: Folded Roof house
Location: Muskö, Haninge, Sweden
Client: Arkitekthus AB
Design: 2006
Construction: 2008–2009
Project team: Mårten Claesson, Eero Koivisto, Ola Rune, Deta Gemzell
Structure/Materials: wooden structure and facade
Total floor area: 140 m2
Photo: © Louise Billgert and Åke E:son Lindman

+ All image courtesy of Claesson Koivisto Rune | Photo by Åke E:son Lindman / Louise Billgert

Rain Collector Skyscraper - Diagram, drawing courtesy of Ryszard Rychlicki + Agnieszka Nowak of H3AR

Polish 4th year students of architecture Academy of Fine Arts, Ryszard Rychlicki and Agnieszka Nowak of H3AR received a special mention for their proposal in the 2010 skyscraper competition – Rain Collector Skyscraper. The proposal understands the water consumption of its inhabitants in US, it aims to capture rainwater as much as possible through the innovative roof and external shell design.

+ Project description courtesy of Ryszard Rychlicki + Agnieszka Nowak of H3AR

Capture the Rain skyscraper is a building whose roof and external shell ,which consists systems of gutters, are aimed at capturing as much rainfall as possible to meet the daily needs of its inhabitants. Average daily consumption of water per person is 150 liters, out of which 85 liters may be replaced by rain water. Within the last thirty years water consumption has significantly increased.

There are lots of factors that contribute to such an increase such as increasing number washing machines and dish washers, increasing popularity of garden showering devices and flushing toilets. A third of water being used in households in western countries is flushed in toilets. Since 1900 the total water consumption in the US has increased by 1000%. At present, an average American uses five times more water that a citizen of developing countries. Such an increase is related to among others improved living standards.

Rain Collector Skyscraper, rendering courtesy of Ryszard Rychlicki + Agnieszka Nowak of H3AR

On the other hand, a national hobby of the Danes is collecting rain water for washing and watering plants. Within the last ten years average use of pure water in Denmark dropped by 40% and inhabitants of the so called eco-villages use a third part of the national average. In view of these data, we decided to design a tower, whose structure will allow for capturing and processing as much rainfall as possible to provide with water for its inhabitants.

Rain Collector Skyscraper, rendering courtesy of Ryszard Rychlicki + Agnieszka Nowak of H3AR

For millennia plants have been developing systems of capturing and processing rainfall. Such systems helped them to deal with water deficits or surpluses. Similarly, we wanted to copy their simple mechanisms of rainfall capturing and processing. Initially, in designing the tower, we focused at shaping and modeling the surface of the roof to capture as much rainfall as possible.

Rain Collector Skyscraper, rendering courtesy of Ryszard Rychlicki + Agnieszka Nowak of H3AR

Under a roof’s surface, there are water reservoirs in the form of a large funnel and reed fields, which serve as a hydro botanic water treatment unit. The unit processes water into usable water that is further transmitted to apartments. A network of gutters on the external surfaces of the building is designed to capture rainfall flowing down the building. Such flowing rainfall is transmitted to floors and its surplus is stored in a reservoir under the building.

Water captured and processed by the building may be used for flushing toilets, feeding washing machines, watering plants, cleaning floors and other domestic applications. Having analyzed rainfall in several large cities in developed countries, we obtained a formula that shows what percentage of daily pure water consumption may be replaced with rainfall thanks to the technology applied in our building.

+ Project data

Project: Rain Collector Skyscraper
Location: USA
Architect: Ryszard Rychlicki, Agnieszka Nowak of H3AR
Award: Special Mention-2010 Skyscraper Competition eVolo

+ All images and drawings courtesy of H3AR

Watertower, image courtesy of Hugon Kowalski of H3AR

Watertower - Section, drawing courtesy of Hugon Kowalski of H3AR

Hugon Kowalski of H3AR recently designed the Watertower which was inspired by a water tower and also by the symbol of the African savanna – the baobab. This proposal is part of the 2010 skyscraper competition hosted by evolo magazine.

+ Project description courtesy of Hugon Kowalski of H3AR

This is a special year for Africa. it’s been 50 years since UN Declaration about the independence of African nations which was the end of the colonization and exploitation of the third world countries. Year 1960 was called Year of Africa.

Watertower, image courtesy of Hugon Kowalski of H3AR

The conflict over water and land in Sudan has created political unrest for decades. However, in 2007, scientists from Boston university discovered and underground lake in the region of darfur, Sudan. this lake is tenth biggest lake in the world (31, 000 m2) and would have great potential in resolving the conflict if managed correctly.

Addressing this water issue, polish firm H3AR architect and design recently proposed a building that allows access to underground waters through the application of water pumps.

Watertower, image courtesy of Hugon Kowalski of H3AR

The form of the building was inspired by a water tower and also by the symbol of the African savanna – the baobab. the building houses water pumps, a treatment plant but also a hospital, a school and a food storage center. This building is meant to provoke economical development but also stimulate cultural exchange and the coexistence of the three different religions and languages in sudan.

The design proposal was part of the 2010 skyscraper competition hosted by evolo magazine the building walls are constructed using compressed dry stacked clay bricks, made on site using a rough mixture of earth, cement and water. the bricks would be baked in the hot sun, thus, requiring no extra energy and limiting the environmental impact of the materials.

The choice of using this technology represents the desire to introduce alternative and sustainable technologies within a context that is tied to stardardized though not always optimal building practice.

Two water circulation processes would be in place. first set of extracted water is meant to heat or cool the building, and is accessible to the users. second, set of extracted water is used for the building itself (i.e. kitchen, toilets).

+ Project data

Project: Watertower
Location: Africa
Architect: Hugon Kowalski of H3AR

+ All images and drawings courtesy of H3AR

+ Design description courtesy of Marco De Gregorio

It is by studying a cell, an organ or a skeleton that we realize the beauty of it.

Bones comes in a variety of shapes with a complex internal and external structure.

Bones Furniture, image courtesy of Marco De Gregorio

They are strong, hard and lightweight. Being inspired by the principles of their composition, Bones Furniture develops into sculptured objects.

Attracted by the bones organically structure and its material, the porous mineral calcium, it recreates the bone’s honeycomb matrix to generate secrets caves, smooth surfaces, natural shells and sculptured daily objects.

Bones Furniture, image courtesy of Marco De Gregorio

By combining the complexity of biology and the expressiveness of three-dimensional design, it shapes pieces of furniture as tables, chairs, shelves that can be used both in interior and public spaces.

This collection shows a stylish range of practical furnitures – objects that can accommodate and provide storage for various items.

Bones Furniture, image courtesy of Marco De Gregorio

The Bones furniture might be used as a side table, a footstool, a plant stand, for shelving magazines and books, or an extra seating…

Bones Furniture, image courtesy of Marco De Gregorio

Bones Furniture, image courtesy of Marco De Gregorio

The Tally Weijl stores, image courtesy of dan pearlman

The Tally Weijl stores, image courtesy of dan pearlman

Berlin-based dan pearlman recently has completed the Tally Weijl stores interior project which was based on the idea of the materialization of sexy. He presents glamorous spaces for interactivity and display, spatially open and inviting the visitors to know the shops of a fashion brand that has almost 50,500 fans online.

+ Project description courtesy of dan pearlman

Have you ever wanted to step into a sweet and delicious wonderland?
Follow the pink bunny…

The materialization of sexy is the key idea behind this brand and design project of the new Berlin, Bonn and Basel Tally Weijl fashion stores.

dan pearlman presents glamorous spaces for interactivity and display, spatially open and inviting the visitors to know the shops of a fashion brand that has almost 50,500 fans online.

Mirrored mosaic areas, spotlights, disco balls, highly polished surfaces, glitter and, of course, pink elements, reflect the motto of the label: totally sexy. And even though this could sound a bit futile, we guarantee: it isn´t. The philosophy behind this project is all about making the women feel confident and good about her selves.

The glittering worlds of Tally Weijl transforms the visitant in the stars of the show, the queens of the club, celebrating the credo of the target teenage-market segment.

With its airily designed facade, illuminated adverts that guide the customers through the space and brightly walls a theatrical interrelationship of elements emerges. The stairs, leading from the ground floor to the first level, were widened and gained a heart format.

The club design includes chrome light boxes and over sized loudspeakers, which – covered in glitter, and in combination with poster-like lettering in the escalator and elevator zones contribute to an authentic, overall style.

The louge-chillout-changing-room area, by contrast, invites the customers to sit, relax and dream. Chesterfield-style seating offers a spot to catch one´s breath, while the soft pink carpet changing rooms offer an intimate atmosphere.

Modeled after boudoirs from an eighteenth-century French castle, reinforce the femininity of the concept.

+ About Tally Weijl

Tally Weijl is a global fashion company. Its focus are in the areas of design, manufacture and sale of “sexy fashion for young women.” Tally Weijl was founded in 1984 by Tally Elfassi-Weijl and beat Grüring. The headquarters, located Paris, was designed by dan pearlman in 2008. The company operates about 550 stores worldwide in 30 countries and employs more than 2,100 employees. Tally Weijl regularly participates spectacular cultural and art projects.

+ About dan pearlman

dan pearlman is the agency for brand architecture. Its key area of expertise is integrated, multi-dimensional brand management, combining the pearlman strategy: communication, design, architecture and media.

Contact between people and brands can be shaped in different ways, and for that reason, dan pearlman seeks to communicate brands in different ways as well: inwardly and outwardly, physically and intellectually, substantially and emotionally, in real spaces and media generated spaces. The agency responds to its customers different communication objectives through four independent, specialized units: strategy, retail, exhibition and media.

Our partner agency dan pearlman erlebnisarchitektur develops zoos, exhibitions and amusement parks. It turns the experience into the brand.

Our intention was to create an “Inside is outside is inside” environment, where inside and outside spaces were interchangeable elements.

Architects Eat

ELM & Willow House, image courtesy of Architects Eat

+ Project description courtesy of Architects Eat

This project involves restoration and alteration to the existing Edwardian house, and the demolition and construction at the rear for a new addition. The transparency and openness of the new part is a deliberate counterpoint to the introverted Edwardian house with its dark central corridor. Our intention was to create an “Inside is outside is inside” environment, where inside and outside spaces were interchangeable elements. The project evokes a certain reference to the Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe, and many courtyard houses in Melbourne by McGlashan and Everist.

ELM & Willow House, image courtesy of Architects Eat

The two mature Elm and Willow became the constraints to the project. They informed the arrangement of our new addition, and together with passive solar orientation the result is a U-shaped plan enclosing a north-facing courtyard.

ELM & Willow House, image courtesy of Architects Eat

The structure is suspended over the ground to avoid damaging the critical root zones of the two trees. The concrete floor and roof slabs are meticulously detailed, with significant input from our structural engineer, to appear and feel light, floaty and airy, a dialectic relationship between weight and material. This quality is enhanced by a skeletal structure of “skin and bones”, in which the non load-bearing glass sliding windows become a mere breathing skin between occupants and the outside world.

ELM & Willow House, image courtesy of Architects Eat

Internal planning strategies were devoted to the spatial hierarchy, in an interplay of inner and outer, and sequence of spaces. The link between the old and new is merged into the layering of spaces where inside and outside becomes one – the transparency of the borders separating interior and exterior allows the eye to perceive other elements that create the spatial order: fences, trees, stones, woods, clouds and borrowed landscape.

ELM & Willow House, image courtesy of Architects Eat

The addition has a passive ventilation system, whereby louver windows promote cross ventilation. The building materials specified are non-toxic and from renewable resources. The concrete structure provides thermal masses to the house with the slabs further insulated to minimise heat loss. All glazing are double-glazed to provide comfort to the interior, and the deciduous trees provide essential shading to the house during summer. Energy and water-saving fittings have been used throughout, and rain water is harvested for use in the gardens. A new carport with grid-connect solar power panels is in the design process.

It was a total of 3 years from the first meeting with the clients to the day they moved back into the house, during which the construction took 18 months, the client found passions in designing his gardens and their first child was born. It is a house for enjoyment, living in landscape with the family, and appreciation of tranquillity, intimacy and sanctuary – which were our original brief.

ELM & Willow House - Floor Plan, drawing courtesy of Architects Eat

ELM & Willow House - Elevation, drawing courtesy of Architects Eat

+ Project credits / data

Project: ELM & Willow House
Architects: Architects EAT
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Project Team: Albert Mo, James Coombe, Eid Goh
Structural Engineer: R. Bliem & Associates
Building Surveyor: Building Strategies
Builder: Sargant Construction
Landscaper: Heath Landscape
Project Area: 278 sqm
Project Year: 2007-2009
Construction Year: 2008-2009
Photographs: Earl Carter & James Coombe (j.a.coombe@gmail.com)

+ All images and drawings courtesy of Architects Eat

GESTERBINE / gesture + water + turbine / The anti-steppisation device.

Problem The main reason of steppisation in Greater Poland

(Wielkopolska) is the specific location – the area between oceanic and continental climates characterized by a small amount of precipitation (even less than 500 mm a year, the country’s average of 600 mm), while high evaporation (the difference between rainfall and run-off, on average 400-450 mm per year). It’s also affected by high permeability of the soil in the central part of the Warta River bed.

The other reason of steppisation is decreasing area of forests in the last century due to agricultural needs. As a result of new field division a lot of ponds and swamps surrounded by green oasis disappeared. In addition Warta river due to the inland navigation has been drastically regulated – (straightened) – which shortened the river bed over 100 km – this means that water flows faster through the land and the hydration is smaller. This tendency has quickly lead to lowering of ground water level so important for water circulation in nature.

GESTERBINE / eVolo Skyscraper Competition 2010, courtesy of mode:lina

GESTERBINE / eVolo Skyscraper Competition 2010, courtesy of mode:lina

Resources

In terms of wind energy resources Wielkopolska is classified as “very good” due to high average wind speed and good topographical conditions – mainly flatlands.

Conclusions

During the day, when there is a high electricity demand, GESTERBINE looks like typical power plant supplying average households, farms, small offices etc. During the night, when the demand for electricity is rather low, GESTERBINE works as a self- sufficient water pump which transports river water into the land.

This water if further used to support or even create small retention water reservoirs across the land. This action should go along with planting new trees to keep the surface water as long as possible within the land in order to raise ground water mirror.

GESTERBINE / eVolo Skyscraper Competition 2010, courtesy of mode:lina

Form

Relationship between energy resources and height above the ground level is directly proportional: for distance 10m above the ground 73 W/m2, 40m above the ground 198 W/m2. That is the main reason to use a skyscraper as a platform for wind turbines plant.

Instead of using one huge windmill,a vast number of smaller turbines was chosen, to get the ability to make them work separately – when one turbine get broken the energy flow is kept thanks to others.

GESTERBINE / eVolo Skyscraper Competition 2010, courtesy of mode:lina

Human energy into energy for humanity. The form is an effect of experiments on human gesture kinetics. The idea is to transpose human body kinetic energy into vectors. These vectors are used afterwards to build an energy producing skyscraper.

Chosen method of human gesture research: human body tangled in LED lights and camera set on long exposure in the darkroom and experiments in 3D using cardboard models out of vectorized photos.

Posters for eVolo 2010 Skyscraper Competition:

GESTERBINE / eVolo Skyscraper Competition 2010, courtesy of mode:lina

GESTERBINE / eVolo Skyscraper Competition 2010, courtesy of mode:lina

Modern Bainbridge Island Home

Stunningly Modern Bainbridge Island Home

The clean modern lines of this newly constructed waterfront home are a rare and perfect match for the person looking for simplicity and a zen-like quality in a home. Striking and progressive materials are utilized throughout in this smart and edgy design. Featured in a recent Seattle AIA exhibition, the architect/builder has been recognized as one of the top twelve firms that will shape the future of Seattle architecture with their forward thinking.

Modern Bainbridge Island Home

The home’s exterior is comprised of clear tongue-and-groove cedar that is vertically mounted to the roofline and a rainscreen siding system made of Cembonit panels. The Cembonit panels shield a waterproof membrane that allows an exchange of inside and outside air. The purpose is to create a healthier interior air quality by allowing the home to breath while still providing insulation.

Modern Bainbridge Island Home

As you turn the corner to the great room, you are greeted with an overwhelming view through a dramatic wall of windows reaching clear to the ceiling and seemingly bringing nature directly into the living space. The architect designed the ceiling and outdoor soffit as one continuous line so as not to distract the eye from the immensity of the clouds, water & greenery. Between windows, a sleek, tall column houses a two-sided, see-through propane fireplace that provides definition of living spaces, but does not distract from the view. Sliding doors open to one of three ironwood decks.

Modern Bainbridge Island Home

The home is sited on approximately ½ acre and offers nearly 90 feet of sandy waterfront that is an accessible setting for swimming, kayaking and long walks on the beach. Yet, the home is located only minutes from the Bainbridge Island-Seattle ferry in a quiet, cul-de-sac neighborhood.

Modern Bainbridge Island Home - Ground floor plan

For more information about the green architecture visit: www.bainbridgeislandmodernhome.com

+ All images and drawings courtesy of www.bainbridgeislandmodernhome.com

The F club, image courtesy of PROGETTOSPORE

The F club, image courtesy of PROGETTOSPORE

Italian studio PROGETTOSPORE has designed The [F] club located in LIDO DI CAMAIORE [LU] Italy.

The plan’s aim is to build a structure which answers the needs of a beach Club and at the same time is not a visual barrier but a frame between people who walk along the shore and the seaside.

The choice of the materials included wood, brick, glass and hemp, which have a lower environmental impact because of their physical and production characteristics.

+ Project credits / data

Project: The [F] club
Location: LIDO DI CAMAIORE [LU] Italy
Year: 2007-2009
Architectural plan: PROGETTOSPORE
Buyer: Assonautica
Graphics: werkdesign

+ All images and drawings courtesy of PROGETTOSPORE

MAG Coffee Table + TELE Side Table, image courtesy of Ali Sandifer Studio

Chicago-based Ali Sandifer Studio has designed the MAG Coffee Table and TELE Side Table. Both are made of Hardwood – Available in Walnut, Ash and Rift White Oak. Contoured structures embrace a continuous undulating surface which is bisected by magazine storage at belly.

+ About Ali Sandifer Studio

ALI SANDIFER STUDIO is a brand of modern furniture based in Chicago, Illinois. The collection largely integrates storage into its form, striving to make furniture that is both intelligent and attractive. We take pride in hand-producing our work in house. This intimacy and knowledge of craft is essential to the way we design.

Using domestic woods harvested from sustainable forests, our furniture is environmentally sensitive and made to last. Avoiding veneers and stains, we exclusively build with hardwoods that are finished with natural oils and water-based sealants. This honest expression of material and durability in construction is our commitment to sustainability.

+ All images courtesy of Ali Sandifer Studio

Over the years, the problems included corrosion of the building’s exposed steel frame, failure of the lobby glazing system and extensive cracking and discoloration of the travertine plaza. The restoration included recoating the steel frame facade and cleaning the original aluminum windows. In addition, new sandblasted glass in the lobby recreated the soft, velvety glow of the original. Finally, the plaza was rebuilt by replacing the original travertine slabs and recreating the original plaza lighting scheme.

One of the things I’ve learned from restoring these buildings is that, for Mies, there was never a final answer… He was always interested in what else could happen, what the other design possibilities might be. What’s fascinating is to watch his thinking evolve over the course of a project. At 860-880, for example, the early sketches show a scalloped exterior with large bay windows. This eventually changes to what is there today. There’s also a continual process of refinement in terms of the massing, the enclosures at the bottom and the way the plazas are laid out.

Krueck

860-880 Lake Shore Drive Restoration by Krueck & Sexton Architects

+ Description courtesy of Chicago Design Bureau

Krueck & Sexton Restores Mies Classic

860-880 Lake Shore Drive redefined highrise living for post-war generation

Architects Krueck & Sexton recently completed restoring one of legendary Modernist Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s most celebrated commissions: 860-880 Lake Shore Drive in downtown Chicago.

860-880, which was built between 1949 and 1951, consists of two 26-story, exposed steel and glass apartment towers set at right angles on an irregular travertine plaza.

Based on ideas and theories Mies had been perfecting since his earliest days as an independent architect in 1920s Berlin, the buildings redefined highrise living for the post-war generation.

They were the most radical buildings of their time… They’re light and delicate and surprisingly sexy. They also prove that – contrary to what many people believe — it’s not so easy to design a glass box.

Ron Krueck

860-880, which is both a local and national landmark, is located just north of Chicago’s Loop central business district and steps away from Lake Michigan.

Many architects and critics believe 860-880 is the closest Mies ever came to achieving his goal of less is more “skin and bones” architecture.

According to the American Institute of Architects’ “Guide to Chicago,” “No other building(s) by Mies had as immediate or strong an impact on his American contemporaries, and the influence of these structures was to pervade much of modern architecture.”

860-880 Lake Shore Drive Restoration by Krueck & Sexton Architects

There’s not a lot to them… They’re mainly just steel and glass used in the most efficient way possible. By contrast, buildings today often have layer upon layer of materials.

Mark Sexton

In addition to more than half a century of normal wear and tear, the buildings had endured several restoration attempts over the years. The problems included corrosion of the buildings’ exposed steel frame, failure of the lobby glazing system and extensive cracking and discoloration of the travertine plaza.

860-880 Lake Shore Drive Restoration by Krueck & Sexton Architects

There were also aesthetic issues. The original frosted glass in the lobby had been replaced in the early 1980s by a laminate system with a translucent interlayer that created an historically inaccurate aquamarine tint.

The restoration included recoating the steel frame facade and cleaning the original aluminum windows. In addition, new sandblasted glass in the lobby recreated the soft, velvety glow of the original.

Finally, the plaza was rebuilt, a process that included replacing the original travertine slabs, designing a new drainage system and recreating the original plaza lighting scheme.

Designed to take advantage of a 2008 tax credit, the project began in the summer of 2007 and was completed in December. The cost was $9 million.

860-880 is the third and largest Mies commission Krueck &  Sexton, a firm more noted for its original work, has completed in recent years.

The other two – all are in Chicago – are Crown Hall on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology and the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago.

One of the things I’ve learned from restoring these buildings is that, for Mies, there was never a final answer… He was always interested in what else could happen, what the other design possibilities might be. What’s fascinating is to watch his thinking evolve over the course of a project. At 860-880, for example, the early sketches show a scalloped exterior with large bay windows. This eventually changes to what is there today. There’s also a continual process of refinement in terms of the massing, the enclosures at the bottom and the way the plazas are laid out.

Krueck

+ About Krueck & Sexton Architects

Krueck & Sexton Architects was founded by architects Ronald Krueck and Mark Sexton in 1991 and is a multi-disciplinary firm with a varied portfolio. In addition to its innovative Mid-Century restoration and renovation practice, it has completed numerous award-winning civic, commercial and residential projects. The firm’s Spertus Institute Building on Michigan Avenue in Chicago received three AIA awards in 2008, including a Distinguished Building Award. The firm currently is working on a 25 acre expansion of Grant Park in downtown Chicago, the highlight of which will be a new home – also designed by Krueck & Sexton – for the Chicago Children’s Museum.

+ Project credits / data

Project: 860-880 Lake Shore Drive

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Date:

Original Completion Date: 1951
Restoration Completion Date: 2009

Client / Owner:

860 Lake Shore Drive Trust
880 North Lake Shore Drive
Chicago IL 60611
Marc Boxerman, Board Member & President

Building Management :

860 Lake Shore Drive Trust
880 North Lake Shore Drive
Chicago IL 60611
Kayla Ehrlich, Building Manager

Owner’s Representative:

Cotter Consulting, Inc.
100 South Wacker Drive
Suite 920
Chicago IL 60604
David Krc, Senior Project Manager

Architect & Prime Consultant:

Krueck & Sexton
221 West Erie Street
Chicago IL 60610
Mark Sexton, Principal in Charge; Ron Krueck, Design Principal; Tim Tracey, Project Architect

Preservation Architect:

Harboe Architects, P.C.
140 S. Dearborn Street
Suite 205
Chicago IL 60603
Gunny Harboe, Principal in Charge; Douglas Gilbert, Preservation Project Architect

Forensic Analysis, Structural Engineering

Wiss Janney Elstner Associates, Inc.
330 Pfingsten Road
Northbrook IL. 60062
Arne Johnson, Principal in Charge & Structural Engineer; Michael Scheffler, PE, Senior Consultant; Ken Itle, Forensic Project Architect

Wiss Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
10 South LaSalle Street
Suite 2600
Chicago IL 60603
Paul Gaudette, Concrete Quality Control; Joshua Freedland, Paint Forensics; Jason Aspin, Roofing

Lighting Consultant:

Schuler Shook
750 North Orleans
Suite 400
Chicago IL 60610
Jim Baney, IALD, LC

Chicago Landmark Review:

City of Chicago
Department of Planning and Development
Landmarks Division
33 North LaSalle Street
Suite 1600
Chicago IL 60602
Dijana Cuvalo, Director of Permit Review

General Contractor:

Bulley & Andrews, LLC
1755 West Armitage Ave
Chicago IL 60622
Paul Hellermann, President
Bruce Wance, Sr. Project Manager

Painting Subcontractor:

National Decorating Service, Inc.
2210 Camden Court
Oak Brook IL 60523

Travertine Supplier / Fabricator:

Mariotti Carlo & Figli S.p.A.
Via Tiburtina 287
00011 Tivoli Terme (Roma) – Italy
Primo Mariotti; Fabrizo Mariotti

Travertine Testing:

Corestone S.r.l
Via Delle Ciocche, 889
55047 Seravezza
Italy
Marc Heinlein

Travertine Installer:

Cleveland Marble Mosaic Company
4595 Hinckley Industrial Parkway
Cleveland OH 44109
Robert Zavagno Jr., President; Daniel Ulmer, Project Manager

Waterproofing Sub-Contractor:

Allied Waterproofing, Inc.
4205 Lawndale Ave.,
Lyons IL 60534-1131
Bill Leonhard

Landscape Contractor:

Landscape Maintenance Kinsella Landscape, Inc.
13821 South Harrison Avenue
Blue Island IL 60406
George Kinsella

Material Testing:

STS
750 Corporate Woods Parkway
Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061
Raul Dilig

Photographer: William Zbaren

+ All images and drawings courtesy of Chicago Design Bureau

The facades overlooking the public space are calm, light and simple, in contrast to the domestic setting of the inside of the block, which is expressed by colours, external extensions, materials greenery and plants climbing the tower’s facades, which the residents are free to add to.

Badia Berger architects

+ Project description courtesy of Badia Berger architects

79 Logements PLUS, image courtesy of Badia Berger architects | Photo by David Boureau

The urban rules applied by Christian de Portzamparc in the Massen a district offer a new kind of freedom.

This freedom would be of no interest if it consisted merely of work on shapes and materials. We have used it to form a new urban landscape which balances the density of the developments with the quality of the housing.

79 Logements PLUS - Site plan, drawing courtesy of Badia Berger architects

The built-up blocks that make up the open lot

This is a high-density block, inserted between two university developments, notably the UFR de Biologie built by Francois Chochon and Laurent Pierre, which are separated from by a narrow, 10m-wide street.

The land coefficient on our plot is 4.8, which is comparable to the land coefficient of 5 that exists in the Opera district, the most densely occupied area in Paris.

The project arranges the built-up blocks into two main entities: a “square”, that uses the lines and angles of the main streets with, as a counterpoint, on the secondary street Elsa Morante, a “tower”, that frees up the land and space, a volume whose contours are dematerialised compare with the UFR de Biologie block.

In order to open up spaces to provide far-reaching views, we are using the maximum heights permitted, while controlling the impact of the shadows created.

The tall spaces are positioned in the angles at 9th floor level, and the “tower” at 11th floor level provides a relationship with that of the UFR: a space with moving contours contrasts with the perfect space opposite.

The volumes were checked at the time of the competition by sunlight studies.

The mass ratios, as with those of the materials and colours, were also regularly checked before and druing construction. For example, to address teh constrast with the UFR, studies were carried out on a mock-up of the whole site on a 1/100 scale.

79 Logements PLUS, image courtesy of Badia Berger architects | Photo by David Boureau

Apartments

Our proposal uses several devices contained in the “oversized mantle” to provide views and quality sunshine for each apartment.

Those located in the square’s podium block have all the usual configurations. However, all the apartments in the tall spaces and the tower automatically benefit from double or even triple aspects. Many have far-reaching views.

This arrangement of angled apartments means they can be close to the built-up blocks. The prospects are calculated on the main views. Only the secondary views open up onto the UFR.

79 Logements PLUS - Typical floor plan, drawing courtesy of Badia Berger architects

The plans were designed to provide a spatial continuity in contact with the facade in the daytime spaces, allowing, for example, for benefiting from continuous sunshine from the South-east to the north-west by connecting the living room, kitchen and dining area.

The quality of the accommodation contributes to the quality of the town; the living environment created offers glimpses of life through the facades and breathes life back in to the public space.

79 Logements PLUS, image courtesy of Badia Berger architects | Photo by David Boureau

Courtyard and private garden

The open lot lets you discover the private garden from the street, set up visual escapes, allow light and sunshine to pass through and to arrange the continuity of planted areas.

The facades overlooking the public space are calm, light and simple, in contrast to the domestic setting of the inside of the block, which is expressed by colours, external extensions, materials greenery and plants climbing the tower’s facades, which the residents are free to add to.

We are trying to get maximum use from the open plot’s private garden, individually and collectively: external home extensions, ground floor garden.

The garden theme inspires the floors and the walls on the ground floor, and back on to the tower’s facades.

The plant-theme inspires the floors and the walls on the ground floor, and back on to tower’s facades.

The plant-themed panels, designed by the painter Elisabeth Guilhem, will be covered with vinces and ivy from flower boxes in which the residents will also be able to plant what they like.

79 Logements PLUS, image courtesy of Badia Berger architects | Photo by Benoit Fougeirol

+ Project credits / data

Project: 79 Logements PLUS
Location: Seine Left Bank Urban Development Zone Paris 13th Arrondissement
Status: Architectural competition September 2003, winning project

Client / Contractor: Paris Habitat

Project management
Architect: Badia Berger
Design and Development: GEC Ingenierie
Lanscape designer: JM Rameau
Surface are: 6,974 m2 TNFA
Cost: €8.66 million excluding tax

Company
Paris Ouest Construction

Materials
Facade: Decorative coating Terrastyl polychrome, Raw concrete finish, Ultra high performance concrete

Joinery
Enamelled aluminum

Flooring
Outside: Serpentino Verde stone
Inside: Polished Serpentino stone (Entrance halls)

Photographers
Benoit Fougeirol, David Boureau

+ All images and drawings courtesy of Badia Berger architects

+ Project description courtesy of The Form Foundation

Copper Canopy, image courtesy of The Form Foundation

Copper Canopy, image courtesy of The Form Foundation

Copper canopy

Above the front door of a house with straw roof a copper canopy was designed. The canopy uses the same curvature as its larger brother, the straw roof. The curvature above the front door is designed to ensure rain water falls down to the sides of the canopy, creating a dry zone in front of the canopy.

The canopy was digitally fabricated resulting in an accurate, easy to assemble object. The copper resin coating creates a seamless monolithic object with matches the homogeneous structure of the straw roof.

Copper Canopy, image courtesy of The Form Foundation

3D model

The geometry was defined in a 3D model. The canopy’s cladding consists of two 3mm thick bendable plywood sheets.

Because this material can only be bent in one direction, the canopy was design using only single curvature.

The rib structure on the inside is perforated to save weight. All ribs are automatically measured so the strength/weight ratios can be calculated instantaneously.

Copper Canopy, image courtesy of The Form Foundation

Digital fabrication

Alle ribben krijgen een codering All ribs are tagged and are laid out on plywood sheets. This is done by a nesting software to minimise cutting loss. A waterjet cutter is used to cut the parts to a precision
of 0,2mm.

The result is a building package in which every numbered rib is easy to assemble and a frame which can be complete in a minimum of time.

Copper Canopy, image courtesy of The Form Foundation

Copper Canopy, image courtesy of The Form Foundation

Copper cladding

The waterproof plywood is coated with a layer of copper resin. This is a mixture of copper powder and resin.

This results in a homogeneous seamless surface. However, by adding resin the copper will hardly oxidise, and thereby age, anymore. To avoid this, a patina is added to enhance the copper’s ageing process. The result is a canopy which seamlessly blends in with the existing straw roof.

Copper Canopy, image courtesy of The Form Foundation

Copper Canopy, image courtesy of The Form Foundation

Copper Canopy, image courtesy of The Form Foundation

+ Project credits / data

Design: The Form Foundation, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Fabrication: VormGrip, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Object: VormGrip, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Location: VormGrip, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Dimensions: 6,2m x 1,4m x 0,4m (LxBxH)
Weight: 109kg

+ Project description courtesy of spaceworkers

The idea of a vernacular architecture (forgotten) and how it seeks to form a clear speech between the landscape and programmatic needs is something that we always admire.

A very successful example of this discourse, are the structures to support agriculture (normally function barns / granary), which in a more or less random would punctuate the countryside, as blocks of ephemeral appearance that levitated on the ground.

It is precisely this idea of “gravitational lightness” that fascinates us and which is based the concept of this project.

Generally, the proposal make reference to the tripartite elements vernacular, the Base, with a static image of monoblock and megalithic, which contain the functions of a nonpublic space, the open area, where are all the public spaces of the house, and that explores the visual and physical relationship with the outside, and finally the Block “gravity” where private spaces are located.

Project 07CBE, rendering courtesy of Spaceworkers

Project 07CBE, rendering courtesy of Spaceworkers

Project 07CBE - Section 3, drawing courtesy of Spaceworkers

+ Project credits / data

Project Code: 07CBE
Project year: 2007 – Ongoing
Size: 800 m2
Budget: €600 000.00
Adress: Urbanização da Pena – Paredes Portugal
Client: Belmira Eduarda Azevedo
Author: spaceworkers®
Team:
Arquitectos Coordenadores | Principal Architects
Henrique Marques – Arq.to
Rui Dinis – Arq.to
Arquitectos Colaboradores | Architects
José Carlos – Arq.to
Vasco Giesta – Arq.to
Daniel Neto – Arq.to
Sérgio Rocha – Arq.to
Rui Rodrigues – Arq.to
Engineering: Aspp – Engenharia, Lda
Landscape: Joana Neto – Designer Paisagista

+ All images and drawings courtesy of Spaceworkers

+ Project description courtesy of spaceworkers

A simple idea …

A “Shelter” which demonstrates the simplicity of the act of building, looking for an idea of ancestral family life, without wasting domestic duties that lead to the dispersal of several unnecessary compartments.

A relaxed way of living … punctuated by different fragments of landscape explore every moment of the house. A space that is not intended to be the whole story, but the starting point for a interactive narrative between man and the landscape.

A home … to inhabit the landscape …

Project 08CCB, rendering courtesy of Spaceworkers

Project 08CCB, rendering courtesy of Spaceworkers

Project 08CCB - Elevation, drawing courtesy of Spaceworkers

+ Project credits / data

Project Code: 08CCB
Project year: 2008 | Ongoing
Area: 290 m2
Budget: €130 000.00
Address: Carquejal De Baixo – Felgueiras – Portugal
Client: Marcio Daniel e Carla Sofia
Author: spaceworkers®
Team:
Arquitectos Coordenadores | Principal Architects
Henrique Marques – Arq.to
Rui Dinis – Arq.to
Arquitectos Colaboradores | Architects
José Carlos – Arq.to
Vasco Giesta – Arq.to
Daniel Neto – Arq.to
Sérgio Rocha – Arq.to
Rui Rodrigues – Arq.to
Engenearing : AP – Engenharia, Lda
Landscape: Joana Neto – Designer Paisagista

+ All images and drawings courtesy of Spaceworkers

The Pavilion has given us the opportunity to showcase the possibilities which exist in building with sustainable and intelligent materials. Our objective has been to show that Green Architecture can be dynamic and active. We often think that we need to minimize use of resources at all costs. Instead of focusing on consuming the least amount of energy, we need to focus on producing and using energy and materials in a more intelligent way than is the case today

Kim Herforth Nielsen, Founder and Principal Architect of 3XN

Louisiana Pavilion, image courtesy of 3XN architects

+ Project description courtesy of 3XN

As part of the ‘Green Architecture for the Future’ architectural exhibition, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art invited 3XN to design a pavilion demonstrating cutting edge possibilities with sustainable and intelligent materials.

The Pavilion has given us the opportunity to showcase the possibilities which exist in building with sustainable and intelligent materials. Our objective has been to show that Green Architecture can be dynamic and active. We often think that we need to minimize use of resources at all costs. Instead of focusing on consuming the least amount of energy, we need to focus on producing and using energy and materials in a more intelligent way than is the case today

Kim Herforth Nielsen, Founder and Principal Architect of 3XN

The vision of the project has been to build with biodegradable and energy-generating materials, creating an energy-self-sufficient architecture that also can be part of, and be decomposed in, the biological cycle after use.

New Combinations

Sustainable solutions are often associated with architectural compromises. For this reason it has been important to show that sustainable materials have legitimate future potential in the building industry – practically as well as aesthetically. Building with intelligent and biological materials with a refined finish, in a complex mode of expression, pushes the limit in people’s minds of what is obtainable with sustainable materials today.

Sustainable Materials

Well-known synthetic products have been substituted with biological and reusable materials. For the outer shell of the sculpture, glass fiber composites have been substituted with a bio composite from flax fibers cast in biological resin. Cork sheets replace polystyrene foam for the inner core.

Intelligent Materials

For the sculpture, the newest built-in technologies have been applied creating a dynamic and green architecture.

On the top face of the pavilion, 1mm flexible solar cells are placed. The cells are cast in thin film making them applicable to double curved surfaces. Piezoelectric materials that generate an electric current from the weight of the visitors are laid in the floor. Combined, this makes the sculpture self-sufficient with energy to power the integrated LED lights.

Why not build dynamic buildings that harvest energy from the surroundings?

The pavilion has a coating of nanoparticles that makes the surfaces self-cleaning. Due to a hydrophilic nanostructure, rain water is dispersed beneath the dirt on the surface, leaving it cleaner. A second coating adds air cleaning properties to the pavilion. A chemical process called photocatalysis decomposes up to 70 percent of pollutants from industrial smog. Documentation shows that the air quality is improved within an 8-feet radius of air cleaning surfaces.

The pavilion retains heat by using phase changing materials. Heated by the sun, the material retains the energy, releasing it again when the temperature drops.

At exactly 23 degrees Celsius, the material changes from a solid to a liquid form. When the temperature rises, the material absorbs energy and is liquefied. When the temperature drops, it solidifies and releases energy. In other words, the surface of the pavilion remains cooler when the temperature of the surroundings is rising, and vice versa. It is estimated that phase changing materials can cut costs with 10 to 15 percent on heating and cooling of buildings.

Digital Design and Production

The design of the pavilion is optimized according to function and material consumption. The mode of expression and material consumption is digitally designed to meet the exact needs, i.e. 14 layers of fiber and 84mm of cork are specifically designed to meet the dynamic forces arising from wind load and the load from people walking on the surface. Adapting the new sustainable materials to the digital modes of production has been a huge challenge in itself. The learning process of substituting synthetic materials for biological counterparts has spanned the entire project phase, revealing many obstacles and given rise to new innovations on the way.

Process

The Louisiana Pavilion is a joint venture of 20 companies. Due to a tight 4-month schedule and a high level of ambition, it was essential that all parties involved took ownership of the project; that concept, design, innovation and production were all in play at the same time during the development phase – a process where several project phases melted into one. This called for close, integrated cooperation between everyone involved.

Louisiana Pavilion, image courtesy of 3XN architects

+ Press Release courtesy of 3XN

Louisiana Pavilion wins International Innovation Award

The green Pavilion in the Sculpture Park of the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art has been a catalyst for play and energy during the past few months. The pavilion has now been honoured with the JEC Innovation Award 2010 for its design combining sustainability and intelligent materials

The JEC Innovation Award is the largest international award for the composite design field that encompasses innovative companies in the car and air transport industries. The award places the green pavilion alongside research and development projects from visionary industry giants such as Airbus, Boeing, Daimler Chrysler and Rolls-Royce.

It is amazing that we, as a small Danish studio can play in the same league. The project started as an experiment to test the limits of what was possible to construct out of biological materials. It is because we believe that the future is about new materials that require less energy to develop than aluminum or concrete. Now we hope that this knowledge generated through the project can be used in other applications – and perhaps also other industries

explains Kim Nielsen, Principal of 3XN, whose R&D department GXN has developed the project.

The Pavilion is constructed from biodegradable biological materials such as cork, flax fibres, corn and soy beans. Together they form a bio-composite developed especially for the project. The entire process has been a remarkable learning experience in replacing traditional materials with the biological.

At StageOne we are highly experienced at working with complex shapes and unusual materials. In this instance we worked with biologically derived materials in a structural application, which was new for us. The project was made even more challenging by a demanding deadline and a tight budget

explains Edwin Stokes, FRP Development Director at StageOne Freeform Composites, who produced the Pavilion.

A number of high technology elements are integrated into the Pavilion, which results in the sculpture having an interaction with its environment. Phase changing materials regulate the temperature, so the pavilion is warm to sit on when it is cold and feels cool on a warm summer day. The exterior skin is self-cleaning and also has a photocatalytic effect of cleaning the surrounding air. The most important interaction is the immediate one with users, as the pavilion can be touched and walked on unlike most of the other sculptures in the garden at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

It’s fascinating to think that people’s activity can generate energy simply by integrating specific materials, just as we can see here where ‘children at play’ create the energy required to run the integrated LED lights, the Pavilion has given us the opportunity to demonstrate, how sustainable and intelligent materials can be used in buildings.

explains Development Director Bente Andersen from COWI.

The Pavilion was created for the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art’s primary exhibition leading up to the UN Climate Conference in December, ’Green Architecture for the Future’. In just four months, the idea, design and materials came together. This intense process required an integrated co-operation between the projects three main partners – 3XN, COWI and StageOne along with more than 20 other innovative companies.

The JEC Innovation Award will be handed out at a ceremony in conjunction with the JEC Composites Show in Paris April 13 2010. The Pavilion is on exhibit at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art until April 1 2010.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Louisiana Pavilion
Location: Louisiana, Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark
Budget: DKK 2 mio. / € 0,3 mio.
Completed: 2009
Photo: Adam Mørk

Partners

3XN – architects and project management
COWI – engineering and light design
Stage One Freeform Composites – production and installation

Materials

BASF, the chemical company – phase changing materials
Ashland Inc. – producer of bioresin
Amorim Cork Composites – producer of cork
Libeco-Lagae – producer of natural fibers
Flex Cell – producer of flexible photovoltaic
Noliac Motion – producer of piezoelectric materials
Nano-X GmbH – self-cleaning surface coatings
Phillips – producer of LED light
3M – structural tape
Micronal PCM©, climate control – phase changing materials
Optima Projects Limited – composite consultant
NetComposites Ltd. – network within composites
Scenetek – installation of electrical components
Danish Technological Institute – self-cleaning counseling
Risø National Laboratory DTU – Composite testing

Facts

The Pavilion is three meters high, eight meters long and five meters wide. It is constructed like a surfboard, in which traditional fibre glass composites are substituted with a bio composite developed for this specific project. The composite is made from cork sheets and woven flax fibres cast in a bio resin partly made from corn flour and soya beans.

+ ABOUT THE JEC INNOVATION AWARD 2010

The Louisiana Pavilion is the winner of the category ’Environment & Recycling’. The other finalists were:

• ECO-TITAN™ composite concrete pole technology, presented by CMT Worldwide, LLC (USA) with its partner OCV Reinforcements (USA)
• Single-process recycling of fibre-reinforced thermoplastics, presented by MBM Maschinenbau Mühldorf GmbH (Germany) with its partner OCV Reinforcements (Germany)

The other categories are: ‘Bio-based Materials’, ‘Aeronautics’, ‘Building & Construction’, ‘Sports and Leisure’, ‘Transportation’, ‘Wind Energy’, ‘Raw Materials’, ‘Process og Automation’.

In 2009 3XNs new head office for Danish Law Firm Horten was awarded the JEC Innovation Award for its innovative façade elements.

Created in 1998, the goals of the JEC Innovation Programme are to:

• Identify, promote, and reward the most innovative composite solutions worldwide
• Encourage companies that are involved in composite innovation along with their partners, and also enhance their public exposure
• Contribute to the advancement of the composite industry

5 Selection Criterias
In the Innovation Programme, a composite innovation is defined as a new composite product or process – or a new application in the composite sector – that creates value and meets the following criteria:

• Technical excellence
• Chain of partners
• Market openings
• Benefits for end-users
• Originality