Vibrant Geometry / 3h architecture Ltd

Posted on mayo 23, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Architects: 3h architecture Ltd
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Head Architects: Katalin Csillag, Zsolt Gunther
Project Manager: Orsolya Pataj
Assistant Architects: Zsombor Fehér, Anikó Hajdú, Lilla Kántor, Bence Kertész, Orsolya Pataj, Tímea Szarka
Photographs: Courtesy of 3h architecture Ltd

Structural Engineering: System Steel Tervező Ltd.
Main Contractor: Épszerk Pannónia Invest Építőipari Ltd

This small office building is in a densely constructed Budapest neighbourhood close to the Danube, where the streets are connected to blocks in a gappy way, there are alternating heights, as well as stylistically heterogeneous streetscapes. Our building relates and is without reference at the same time: it ignores the height of the building right next to it, but conforms to the ridge of the firewall behind it, creating a unity beyond trivial neighbourly relations.

The building follows an apparently strict, tense geometry. Its prism-formed mass is distinguished by salient and retreating surfaces following a chessboard pattern. The outer plain has a holey disk pattern which is intentionally extravagant and reminiscent of seventies pop culture. Thus, the apparent transparency of the building is misleading: it does not correspond to a link between the exterior and the interior. Rather, the glass becomes an instrument of separation. And since it separates, the properties of the glass also become important: the vertical surface functions as a large mirror and thus a tool of virtual multiplication.

The strict exterior continues in a geometrically structured but pulsating interior. The inside world of the building is organized around an atrium which receives natural light from above, it is elongated and articulated by building boxes shifting positions on each floor. All relevant spaces are visually linked to this inner atrium. The glass boxes poking into the atrium seem to float in a tight yet airy space. Open-space and cell-like offices alternate with each other level by level. Cellular offices have solid parapets while the open-space offices are separated from the atrium by walls rising to the ceiling. Light alternates with weight, transparency with blind spots.

The building successfully combines passive and active “green” principles. Heating and cooling is provided by a low temperature water-system fed by an air heat pump. It can be ventilated through the glass roof of the atrium and the meeting halls on the ground floor which open directly to the garden. The solid parts of the roof will be turned into green roofs which can also be adapted to hold solar panels in the future. The most important principle of the interior design was sustainable comfort. One of the pillars of this strategy is natural light penetrating into every corner of the building.

Vibrant Geometry / 3h architecture Ltd originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 23 May 2013.

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Vibrant Geometry / 3h architecture Ltd

Posted on mayo 23, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Structural Engineering: System Steel Tervező Ltd.
Main Contractor: Épszerk Pannónia Invest Építőipari Ltd

Vibrant Geometry / 3h architecture Ltd originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 23 May 2013.

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Taray Sau Office Building / MACLA Arquitectos

Posted on mayo 22, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Architects: MACLA Arquitectos
Location: San Javier, Murcia, Spain
Architect In Charge: Miguel Cabanes Ginés, Elena Robles Alonso & Pedro Gambín Hurtado
Area: 929.0 sqm
Year: 2008
Photographs: Diego Opazo

Quantity Surveyor: José Luis Navarro Sanleón
Exterior Area: 1418 m2
Engineer Direction: Andrés Ortuño
Builder: Miala S,L.
Budget: 901.072 euros
Promoter: TARAY SAU

The current offices of Taray SAU promoter, are placed in a triangular plot exempt. It is an isolated building which contained the offices of the promoter and we opted to maintain due to his perfect condition of conservation, attacking only the substitution of the exterior carpentry and the adequacy of the interiors appearance to the new face of the brand.

It is a building developed in a basement, foreseen for a future extension of the office, and one floor above ground that shelters the different departments of the promoter. The Basement is a lit by “english court” with acute geometry. The building trace responds to the geometry of the Plot potente and orientation criteria to optimize the termal behavior of constructed.

The extensión building is constructed as a “necklace” building around the existing building, so that both coexist without interfering in their scales. The old and new buildings are connected with glass walkways that provide high transparency between interior and exterior. The pieces of the necklace are the different parts of the program that are placed according to the needs of the inner workings of the company. We got to this strategy a courtyard, black gravel finish, visually linking the whole releasing important jobs outside traffic which favors an optimal environment to develop the work.

The development of the plot also has undergone surgery. In order to enhance the building proposes a neutral ground plane finished with white gravel or grass as areas and only have remained some large trees existing in the original plot. The mantle of white gravel contains about circles distinct aromatic ground cover and provide splashes of color, which gives to the whole the degree of abstraction and visual compositional intend with our project.

With all this, the building assumes the new face of the brand, a contemporary and cutting edge where visual criteria should go hand in hand to the constructive. The attention to detail is the maximum of Mies Van der Rohe constructive “less is more”. The exterior walls are of concrete blind and polished galvanized steel joinery, in sharp contrast with the whitewashed walls and woodworks of the existing buildingA draft of etched glass wall and backlit, with the logo of the company, which bears the access road advertising space mode.

Taray Sau Office Building / MACLA Arquitectos originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 22 May 2013.

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‘Harvest’ Nordic Built Challenge Finalist Proposal / AHA+ and SAAHA

Posted on mayo 22, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Developed by architects AHA+ and Solbjor Arkitekter, their ‘Harvest’ proposal was announced as one of the four finalists in the international competition Nordic Built Challenge for an extension of Postgirobygget, an existing high-rise building in Oslo. Going beyond BG14 and the refurbishment of Posthuset, their concept aims at becoming a new and innovative way to meet the challenges of tomorrow while ensuring financial and practical viability. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Our proposal provides a strategy that focuses on 3 main issues: How to expand existing building in most sustainable way on a small almost non existing site in a dense urban location; How to reconnect existing building to its surroundings and create new and attractive entrance; How to create a low threshold + active energy system that utilise the local and existing energy resources in the best possible way. By giving the right answers to these issues we create preconditions for optimized C2C strategy and enhance the flexibility of the office space in the building.

In order to balance costs with economic robustness we propose to expand the building on the north side of the BG14. This is the only rational and possible place to expand existing BG14 building. From existing 2000 working places we have created possibility for in total approx. 5000 working spaces and 21.000m2 additional spaces. Our proposal is to build highest wooden building structure in the world. This has some obvious environmental benefits but also strengthens iconic quality of the BG14 and creates new and global marketing possibilities. Wooden addition to existing building enhance It’s functionality, makes it smart and aesthetically appealing, a building in the best of the Nordic design tradition. We constructive studies believe this to be possible within existing technology.

Immediate urban surrounding of the entrance plaza is arguably one of Central Oslo’s most inhospitable seen from a pedestrian point of view. The entrance plaza is flanked by barriers. Fences, tramlines, a motorway and a huge roundabout bar pedestrian access. The street-fronts of the next-door neighbors are forbidding, isolating the BG14 entrance effectively from the teeming Central Station Plazas. Pedestrians are largely forced to use footbridges or underpasses. Our project proposes a NEW and inviting entrance area, that reconnects BG14 building to the neighbouring buildings and provide NEW and attractive mall address and public space.

Posthuset is not a conventional building. No ground areas are available for energy production; neither does the building have a large roof area. Is it possible to design house that is producer of energy? How to harvest and reuse energy that is generated by the use of the building its self and in the interaction between building and the elements? Biggest challenge is always not to produce enough energy but to manage to store it so that it can be used later. Our project proposes solution that makes this possible with “low threshold” technological solutions. By utilizing local resources and adapting to a local climatic condition we create possibility to achieve ambitious environmental and energy goals.

The proposed Active House Concept harvests energy. It feeds on excess heat trapped in the building as well as ambient energy at optimal times by means of storage techniques adapted to local conditions and opportunities. This is done to supply in situ renewable energy when most needed. The technology underpinning the concept is an energy-efficient and renewable energy system based on a unique dynamic thermal energy storage technology and an optimized control system.

The real challenge lies in proposing solutions that radically improve environmental performance while balancing costs with market willingness. We propose new facade solution based on cross laminated timber technology that will help owners to achieve zero emissions over its lifecycle. This choice of material not only on new part of the building but also on the existing facades towards south, east and west will improve reduction in carbon emissions for energy, materials and transportation. Our proposal enhances but also optimises the access of daylight in to the building. Developing further on some of the existing principles we propose solution that allows for variation on the glass surface area depending on orientation of the building. Total amount of glass area proposed in the wooden wall elements is on average around 25% of the facade surface.

BG14 has a large number of identical floors. With the proposed expansion of the building we optimize the floor plans in terms of area efficiency. We create flexible office space that can either be easily divided between various tenants or utilized by one larger tenant. If floors are used as mainly cell office plans we achieve approx 40 m2 per working place, 11 m2 for landscape office plans and for combination of these two we achieve 15 m2 per working space.

'Harvest' Nordic Built Challenge Finalist Proposal / AHA+ and SAAHA originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 22 May 2013.

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Gebr. Heinemann Headquarters Extension Winning Proposal / gmp Architekten

Posted on mayo 20, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp Architekten) have won the first prize in the competition for the extension of Gebr. Heinemann Headquarters in Hamburg’s HafenCity. The new building designed for the Hamburg-based, tradition-rich trading company impressed the jury as “an independent urban-planning and architectural contribution characterized by timeless, harmoniously self-contained architecture.” Viewed from the northwest, the new extension is a companion piece to the Maritime Museum, with the two buildings flanking the “Heinemann-Speicher” in the middle. From the Ericus Bridge, the new construction highlights the corner of the ensemble on Shanghaiallee and makes a characteristically urban statement. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Gebr. Heinemann, originally founded as a ship supplier in Hamburg’s Speicherstadt district in 1879 and now a well-known, modern Hanseatic trading house on the international travel market, invited eight architectural firms to participate in the competition. The task was to extend the two existing warehouse buildings between the Magdeburg Harbor and Shanghaiallee to create an “ensemble of three striking blocks that form a harmonious triad representing the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.” The new structure directly adjacent to the headquarters and including underground parking, six floors of offices, and two recessed floors, will be built in line with the “Sustainable Construction in HafenCity” gold standard.

Like the Gebr. Heinemann company, the design reflects both the traditional solidity of the warehouse district and a flexible adaptation to modern requirements of HafenCity. Although a glazed structure connects it to the “Heinemann-Speicher,” the extension is independently useable with an inviting transparent space on the ground floor. Besides serving as an employee entrance, it can accommodate commercial spaces, an arcade, or a café. On the upper floors, users have maximum flexibility in floor plan design.

All the requisite functional areas are compactly organized around the central access area and the available floor space can be used for an open-plan office, individual offices, or anything in between. Like the main building and Maritime Museum, the design is characterized by multistory windows, a vertical façade relief, and brickwork typical of the region. The area freed by the two recessed floors forms two spacious roof terraces/roof gardens, mediates between the different eaves heights of neighboring structures, and adds an urban tone through dramatic cubature.

Architects: gmp Architekten
Design: Volkwin Marg and Jürgen Hillmer, with Stephanie Joebsch
Team: Andreas Weihnacht, Achim Wangler, Tanja Hütter, André Wegmann, Katja Mezger
Structural Design: Weber-Poll, Hamburg
Services: Winter-Ingenieure, Hamburg
Fire Safety: hhp, Berlin
Client: Gebr. Heinemann Trading Company
Gross Floor Area: 10,000 m²
Competition Status: 1st prize
Year: 2013

Gebr. Heinemann Headquarters Extension Winning Proposal / gmp Architekten originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 20 May 2013.

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Baku White City Office Building Proposal / ADEC – Azerbaijan Development Company

Posted on mayo 18, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

The Baku White City Office Building Proposal by ADEC – Azerbaijan Development Company just received the awards for Office Architecture and Office Development at the Asia Pacific Property Awards event last week. A development of an international level, Baku White City Office Building features offices and commercial areas. A beautiful plaza is planned in front of the building where the foundation stone of Baku White City is situated, and which will become a beginning of a vibrant promenade along the Nobel Avenue. More images and information on the award-winning project after the break.

With 429 awards bestowed upon 260 companies from 23 countries in the region, it was the biggest International Property Awards regional event in the awards program’s 19-year history. Lord Bates from the House of Lords in British Parliament presented the winning companies with special plaques during awards presentations.

The smooth silhouette is achieved by means of modern materials. The design height of this 10-storey building occupying 2 hectares is 50 meters, total area – 20 thousand square meters. Baku White City Office Building provides an installation of high-speed elevators, as well as the use of double-façade sound and thermo-insulation. Baku White City Office Building includes underground and a guest parking estimated for up to 365 cars. Along with landscaping, installation of solar as an alternative energy solution indicates the project’s environmental sustainability.

At its initial design stage, Baku White City Office Building became well-known among architects on the international arena and was repeatedly nominated as ‘The Best Project of the Future’ at international exhibitions while the whole project was the winner MIPIM Asia Awards 2011 in the category “Best Project of the future of Central and West Asia” and also received the award for “Best Urban Project” at the exhibition Cityscape Global 2011.

As a result of the government’s initiative to improve environment in Azerbaijan and in the capital particularly, Baku White City project was initiated with sustainability as its core value, where phenomenal architecture was a bonus.

Construction of the building began in February 2012 and will last 32 months with completion planned for July 2014.

Baku White City Office Building Proposal / ADEC – Azerbaijan Development Company originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 18 May 2013.

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Spiegel / Ippolito Fleitz Group

Posted on mayo 17, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Architects: Ippolito Fleitz Group
Location: Hamburg
Architect In Charge: Ippolito Fleitz Group
Design Team: Peter Ippolito, Gunter Fleitz, Tilla Goldberg, Christian Kirschenmann, Tim Lessmann, Alexander Fehre, Christine Ackermann, Roger Gasperlin, Katja Heinemann
Area: 520.0 sqm
Year: 2011
Photographs: Zooey Braun

The SPIEGEL Group, whose stable includes Germany’s most important news magazine Der SPIEGEL, moved into its new publishing house in Hamburg’s HafenCity development. We were commissioned to create a new, 520 sqm large employees’ canteen for the building. The legacy building’s famous canteen was designed in 1969 by Verner Panton. This inheritance represented a particular challenge.

The employees’ canteen was and is a calling card of the SPIEGEL Group, reflecting its journalistic philosophy as much as its culture of dialogue. It is a space that meets all functional demands while creating a strong visual impact to form a truly distinguishing space. In so doing it supports the mature culture of communication within the company and in a grand gesture transmits these values to the outside world.

The ceiling design is the distinguishing moment of the space. It is formed of 4,230 circles made of micro-perforated aluminium. The tables are placed within the space in three large groups in loose arrangements and so provide an organic counterpoint to the polygonal floor plan. Through a zigzagging glass façade a separate area can be formed at one end for discrete events.

Spiegel / Ippolito Fleitz Group originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 17 May 2013.

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Studio Terra240 / Arquitetos Associados

Posted on mayo 17, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Architects: Arquitetos Associados
Location: Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
Architects In Charge: Bruno Santa Cecília y Carlos Alberto Maciel
Collaboration: Enara Paiva, Michelle Andrade, Fernanda Rabelo
Area: 750 sqm
Project Year: 2008
Photographs: Eduardo Eckenfels, Leonardo Finotti

In a complex topography and geological situation, this building is situated in a slope with a two floor underground open plan. An office that allows the use of piles at a street level. In the upper volume, five duplex allows a flexible use of the place.

The superposition of two different types of structures – concrete structure with flat slabs in the first three levels and structural brick masonry in the two superior levels – defines the main formal aspects of the building over mass and emptiness, openings and surfaces.

The structure is mainly defined by a series of four piles in V-form, a design strategy to reduce the size of its foundations.

The intentional absence of walls and fences reinforces the openness of the piles, as an attempt to redefine the relationship of the building with the open space.