CHITKARA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS BY PLANET 3 STUDIOS

Planet 3 Studios were mindful of the context when they received the opportunity to design a School of Business at Chitkara University on the outskirts of Corbusier's city.

The client shared a brief with similar ambitions as the one Corbusier defined for the city, with additional expectation of an environment that enabled progressive learning and a building that effectively communicated that intent. The site is a linear footprint of an industrial shed within a larger campus with an open ground on the north side and within walking distance to campus amenities.

For ease of approvals from local planning authorities, the firm decided to stay within the constraints of the existing footprint and defer in scale to the surrounding buildings within campus. The building is perceived as a set of five clusters where each cluster is designed to accommodate the necessary programmed usable spaces within two minutes' walking distance.

The volumes are represented as circles that accommodate the programmatic spaces such as classrooms, staff rooms, discussion rooms, tutorial rooms, auditorium, laboratories, toilets and so on. The arrangements of circles are then packed inside a given boundary so that no two overlap and some of them are mutually tangential.

Interestingly, the fundamental concept of clustering similar requirements and interspersing them with green spaces echoes Corbusier's strategy for Chandigarh, except that Planet 3 dispensed with linear connections and allowed for organic linkages to develop. The layout provides interesting play within spaces of different scales as smaller interactive spaces like discussion rooms started emerging between larger rooms like classrooms.

This building will be framed in steel with solid surface acrylic cladding on the parts that extend beyond the roof line. Within the interior, drywall construction and cladding is used, painted white with an occasional dash of colour borrowed from Corbusier's many explorations around the city. At some level, this admits the transience of contemporary architecture and lack of ambition to last forever.

The client expects to use the building for a decade before putting up a new, larger structure in its place. The floor will be poured on site polished cement. Drawing on some of the very same first principles that define Corbusier's work in Chandigarh, this building is one statement on how ideas could be recontextualised and reimagined in keeping with the time in which they are expressed. This building has to give form to the ambitions of the students of this new college. A moment in time much like the city when it was born.

 

Location: Punjab, India

Architects:Planet 3 Studios

Design: Ongoing

Design Team: Kalhan Mattoo, Santha Gour Mattoo, Ashwini Hublikar, Shanky Jain, Shreyas More

Area: 7,435 sqm

Year: 2013

Client: Chitkara University

WINDOW OF POWER BY ALEXANDER ASADOV

Meditating on the subject of how the new Parliamentary Center of the Russian Federation might look like, the team of architects headed by Alexander Asadov and Karen Saprichyan proposed to build, within the framework of Moscow City, a building with a golden niche on the main facade and a giant sphere of the congress hall suspended inside of it.

 

The architects themselves call these projects "Alternative Moscow", appreciating the opportunity to let their imagination go free in terms of how the Russian capital might have looked like, had it not been for the ball and chain of the construction restrictions and other limitations. As for the customers, they, in turn, fully appreciate Alexander Asadov's readiness to think out of the box and look into the future (of this particular city and of architecture in general) with optimism, and this is why the architects get such proposals on a regular basis. This time the "alternative reality" theme came in the form of placing the Parliamentary Center in the place of the unfinished building of Moscow Government in Moscow International Business Center.

As the architects themselves explain, this idea came up last fall, at the point when it became clear that the territories of the "New Moscow" are not ready, in terms of their infrastructure, to accommodate for the large numbers of federal agencies. As is known, the Deputies of the State Duma were also against moving beyond the confines of the Moscow Ring Road, and thus the capital started searching for an alternative site for the Parliamentary Center. One of the options was duly represented by Moscow City business center where a large site is still lying idle - the one that was once allotted for the construction of the capital's city council.

Actually, the city council building has been partially erected (the construction work died down back in 2010, first because of the global crisis, and then it stopped forever because the city council opted out of moving to the new place at all), so, as their starting point, the architects got quite a specific task - make analysis as to whether this suspended construction could at all be finished to fit the needs of the federal power. The architects were to make it into the existing construction blueprint, engaging the already-built underground part of the complex, and at the same time they were to design a building that would be simultaneously spacious and dramatic-looking. The construction site of Moscow International Business Center is quite familiar to the Asadovs. Back in 2003, they took part in the tender for the building of Moscow City Council, and in 2004 they designed, in a nearby area, a high-rise business center in the shape of a tower widening out at the top and "giving birth" to yet another building.

Returning to the site ten years later, the architects deliberately chose a different tactic proposing not the vertical centerpiece but a dramatic composition of "volume within a volume". What the authors do is assemble the Parliamentary Center from functional blocks of various shapes and forms. This looks like a game of 3D Tetris of sorts in which blocks of a simple rectangular shape form independent buildings of the State Duma and Federation Council, while the S and П-shaped links form the premises for joint work of the deputies and the members of the Federation Council, as well as the various auxiliary services.

As for the car park, it is completely isolated as a separate "brick" that is set against the main building from behind and is connected to it with a covered passage that serves as the continuation of the main lobby. The first six levels of the complex are allotted for the Library of Parliament - this, according to Alexander Asadov and Karen Saprichyan would not only be convenient for the government officials but truly symbolic as well - the common basis for the work of both houses would be the law-books. Besides, the square configuration of the original building ideally served to accommodate the library that, to be quite straightforward about it, least of all needs any experiments with its shape and layout.

As for the structure that the architects place on top of the library, it looks nothing like the classic skyscraper. Rather, it looks like a window or a window frame: off a square-section tower, the authors take away most of the corner that faces the Moskva River, as well as from the opposite corner, and then they embellish this niche with a deep horizontal slit in such a way that the building "looks" at the Bagration Bridge not with a massive dull facade but with a graceful niche. The unusual form of the opening is also enhanced with its coating - the niche is finished with metallic panels of copper hue and glass of a similar shade.

The main adornment of the niche, though, is not even its golden lining but the egg-like volume inserted inside of it - these are the the convention halls, one for each of the houses, and a common one. If we look at the Parliamentary Center from the embankment we will get a complete illusion of this glittering flattened ball simply hovering in the air having miraculously found itself under the cantilever of the Federation Council block. The architects go a long way to maintain this illusion: the covered passage that leads to the main building is designed in such a way that it is not to be seen from any angle, while the supporting poles that prop the sphere up from below are masked by the appropriately set trees and the metallic-glass coating.

The height of the upper link that in fact makes the building look like a giant window and connects the two towers into a single whole, is three floors. Here the authors were planning to place the offices of the support staff of the chairmen of the State Duma and the Federation council, as well as the representatives of the Chief of State. This is also symbolic: the ruling power structure is placed at the very top having, just in case, a few helicopter landings handy. In front of the building, the architects make a small square that is accessed from the Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment by a wide staircase. All this put together - the plaza that is elevated above the river, the glittering zeppelin hovering above it, and the frame of the high-rise golden on the inside, endow the Russian Parliament with an image that is bright, and, possibly, even too "progressive".

Location: Moscow, Russia

Architect:Alexander Asadov

Project Team:Mosproject-2 named after M.Posokhin, Grand Project City, Asadov Architectural Bureau. Architects: M.Posokhin, A.Asadov, K.Saprichyan, I.Korenev

Year: 2013

via archru

ALMERE PAMPUS TRANSFERIUM BY METASTABLE ARCHITECTURE

Informational system developed for Almere Pampus Transferium assumes the absence of permanent stasis and operate onto metastable frames.

An associated research incorporates computational mechanisms inspired by natural form emergence and evolution, not only in the design process, but also in its execution and evolution. Those mechanisms, while inspired by nature, do not necessary mimic its aesthetics.

Their value is rather in providing effective and adjustable embodiments, whose emergence can be directly linked with the environment, initiating a mutual and continuous self-regulating feedback loop. The application of developed informational systems in an architectural design goes in parallel with embodiments capable of handling fluctuating data flows. 

Parametric structural system used in a building is a the same time modular and customised, which means that within its parametrical boundaries new extensions of the building required in time, can be automatically adjusted to current conditions and connected with the existing parts of the building.

Main structure of the building is covered with single glazed facade that provides condition for functionalities where precise climate control is not required. Internal volumes, at the other hand, placed inside the main structural frames, provides advanced climate control for all sorts of potential activities.

At the level where big and open spaces, created by main structural system, meats internal volumes curving particular fragments of interior for their own means, spatial negotiation occurs. Description from the architecs.

WONSAN AIRPORT PROPOSAL BY PLT PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE

The new airport designs show two terminal hubs––possibly one for domestic flights and another for international flights––that are designed to resemble traditional Korean drums, according to a PLTpress release.

Each terminal will be two stories tall with a total floor space of 12,000 sq m. According to the blueprints, each building can accommodate six planes at once. Arrivals will take place on the ground floor, departures on the elevated floor. One terminal features an ‘indoor garden’.

North Korea has been constructing a new ‘hardened’ air force base five miles to the southwest of the Wonsan landing strip since 2002. Assuming this plan is put into action, the Korean People’s Army Air Force squadron is likely to relocate there.

Once completed, the hardened air force base––which has has received extensive media coverage––will be composed of primary and secondary runways approximately 2,470m long. Most of the fleet and support facilities, however, will be hidden underground. Converting the abandoned Wonsan Airforce Base into a civilian airport makes sense given economic development in the Kangwon-do region.

It is not a shortage of regional airports or poor infrastructure, however, that has hindered foreign direct investment in North Korea – a lack of policies and organizations that credibly protect property rights and enforce contract terms are still the primary problems facing Pyongyang’s economic “adjusters” who seek to attract more foreign direct investment.

Following wide international coverage of the Xiyang mining company and the ill-fated Kaesong Industrial Zone, it will likely be some time before most large foreign investors will feel secure in a big bet in the DPRK.

STANSTED AIRPORT CROSSRAIL BY AVERY ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS

Avery Associates along with London planning expert Brian Waters and transport consultancy guru Michael Schabas propose extending Crossrail to the Foster-designed Stansted terminal and enlarging the airport to create a new UK air travel hub in Essex.

This brings together Brian’s knowledge as team leader for the Hampstead Garden Suburb conservation plan at Shankland/Cox and Bryan’s concept for ‘Wilderness City’ which is a modern interpretation of Ebenezer Howard and the Garden City movement.

Stansted has the advantage of not overlapping with the flight paths of Heathrow and Gatwick. It also meets the London Mayor’s demand for expansion of the city and its infrastructure to the East. The development and economic potential of the ‘London-Cambridge Corridor’ has recently been formally recognised and Stansted will be a key element in the strategic thinking which this implies.

We envisage Crossrail running fast, probably non-stop, from Canary Wharf or Stratford into the existing station under the airport. The present terminal will be upgraded and expanded to meet the needs of long-haul international passengers and their airlines while new simple terminal pavilions will be built for the low-cost airlines, dedicated to the larger of these. Their point-to-point passengers will be able to feed the other carriers, though this is not seen as a primary objective.

HONGQIAO CBD BY MVRDV

Just weeks after winning the competition, construction has already started on this urban masterplan for an office and retail centre near the fourth busiest airport in mainland China. The 4.5ha site is divided into a small northern plot of 8,409 m2 and a larger southern plot.

The team won the competition with highly energy-efficient architecture combined with an intimate urban plan which allows for pedestrian-friendly spaces. The 110,000m2 offices are divided into ten towers in total: nine office towers on the southern plot ranging from five to nine floors, facilitating rental to different sized companies. The towers are flexibly designed to contain one or more companies.

On the northern plot, the tops of four towers will merge into one building, forming a flower shaped landmark of four floors, cantilevered high above the ground. The 47,000m2 retail space will be located partly on the ground floor and partly along a sunken plaza sheltered from vehicle traffic. Two glass cubes mark the entrances to the shopping centre and are part of the neighbourhood’s pedestrian route, which meanders through the site.

The shopping centre is designed by Aedas. On both plots a spacious sunken plaza features wide stairs that can be used as seating, allowing cultural events to be hosted on the site. Facade area has been minimized by introducing round cornered towers which, together with the continuous 50,5% transparency stone façade, leads to an efficient energy consumption.

The façade presents a subtle shifted grid with a delicate bamboo forest reference. The self shading shape of the flower building has lead to a façade with smaller openings on the upper floors for efficient energy consumption. Hidden hatches next to the windows allow for natural ventilation.7

The ground floor of the flower building is reserved for 1.790 m2 of cultural program. A 55.000m2 parking garage is located underneath the shopping centre. The Hongqiao CBD will reach three stars, the highest ranking of the Chinese ‘Green Building Label’.

Sustainable building features that will be used include high performance insulation, optimised building forms, shaded spaces, natural ventilation, rainwater collection, permeable road surfaces, links to public transport and a reduction in the urban heat island effect. Nine office towers will feature green roofs growing local plant species and the flower building will offer a sky garden with a continuous jogging path.

MADU BY FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE

MADU is a small museum for a collection of Art, Design and Urbanism. Like it’s content the building becomes an object by itself. Based on a deformed sphere, the shape is autonomous and will co-exist harmoniously with it’s surroundings. 

The content of the exhibition are in it’s majority small objects and require small rooms in specific groups.

In order to have an integrated solution for program structure and circulation, a single wavy slab is disposed in an helicoidal way so it becomes stable without the need for columns or beams and allowing a diversity in circulation that makes a free fluid experience to it’s visitors.

The building sits in the perimeter of a park. Because the spatial pocket are oriented radially, each room as a particular view over the park or the city. 

The façade openings react to it’s solar orientation as well has the ideal amount of light for each room’s content. The building will be built in recycled materials and re-used objects, defining a new destination for objects in the end of their lives.

 

 

 

Location: Mexico City, Mexico

Architects: FREE – Fernando Romero EnterprisE

Size: 2,853.7 m2

Year: 2011

Status: Proposal