Archinect - News

Helsinki Central Library Competition Picks ALA Architects’ Käännös as Winner

2013-06-18T21:32:00-04:00

The international architectural competition for the design of the Helsinki Central Library [...] has announced the entry "Käännös" by Finnish firm ALA Architects as the winning proposal. The jury selected Käännös unanimously and described the entry as "impressive and casually generous." A Second Prize was not awarded, and the entries ”Liblab” by Playa Architects and "Kasi” by Verstas Architects were awarded a shared Third Prize. Additionally, five Honorable Mentions were awarded.

Previously: Helsinki Central Library Competition Announces Stage 2 Finalists

Taipei Pop Music Center breaks ground

2013-06-18T19:12:00-04:00

Reiser + Umemoto, RUR Architecture PC. is proud to announce the groundbreaking of the Taipei Pop Music Center an urban complex dedicated to the celebration, production and performance of Taiwan's pop music. This iconic center features a variety of performance venues including three live houses, an outdoor performance space for 3000 and the Main Hall a faceted fan shaped building with a seating capacity of 5000.

This veritable 'city of pop music' will allow for simultaneous performances ranging from large productions of internationally known artists to more intimate up-and-coming artist's shows. Up to date production facilities housed in the crystalline egg of the Industry Shell compliment those of the performance venues making this the preeminent facility in Taiwan dedicated to the music industry and its products. The History of Taiwan's music industry is celebrated in the Cube - containing the Hall of Fame, a museum of pop, research and lecture facilities. The heart of the complex is a public forum in an urban park; an outdoor performance space ringed by shopping, restaurants and cafés.

Peace Pavilion by Atelier Zündel Cristea

2013-06-18T18:39:00-04:00

Paris-based practice Atelier Zündel Cristea (AZC) has shared with us photos of its Peace Pavilion which was open to the public for a few weeks in May and June at London's Bethnal Green, Museum Gardens. The proposal had won the first prize in the Triumph Pavilion - LONDON competition and earned the rare opportunity to go from design concept to built pavilion.

The Grand Opening - Honorable Mention Entry, Redesigning Detroit: A New Vision for an Iconic Site

2013-06-18T14:45:00-04:00

Last week, we published the winning projects of the international design competition Redesigning Detroit: A New Vision for an Iconic Site. Organized by the Opportunity Detroit campaign, the competition sought after ideas for a potential signature project on the former Hudson’s Department Store site in downtown Detroit. [...] the proposal "The Grand Opening" which won an Honorable Mention. The design team comprised Chung Whan Park, Terry Park, Jeong Jun Song, Hyuntek Yoon, and Kyung Jae Yu.

Previously: Winners of Redesigning Detroit: A New Vision for an Iconic Site

Cayan Tower, world's highest twisted tower, opens in Dubai

2013-06-18T11:26:00-04:00

Dubai ceremony marks inauguration of world's highest twisted tower. Saudi developer Cayan inaugurated late Monday the opening of the 73-story, one-thousand-and-seventeen-foot (310-meter) tall Cayan Tower in Dubai's prestigious Marina district.

Inspired by the structure of human DNA, each floor of the 272-million-U.S.-dollar (1 billion-Dirham) tower is rotated by one-point-two degrees to achieve the full 90-degree spiral, creating the shape of a helix.

Dignitaries from diplomatic corps and Corporate Dubai joined the celebrations which closed in a gigantic fireworks display across Dubai's new tower and the Marina night-skyline.

The emirate of Dubai also harbors the world's tallest hotel, the near one-thousand-two-hundred- foot (354.7-meter) tall J.W. Marriott Marquis.

There's also the world's tallest residential tower, the Princess Tower reaching over one-thousand-three-hundred-feet (414 meters), a five-minute walk away from the twisted tower.

Cayan Projects, estimated to be worth around 2.7 billion dollars (10-billion Saudi riyal) cover a wide spectrum of developments from exclusive residential to commercial projects.

Wang Shu bucks China’s megacity trend

2013-06-17T20:25:00-04:00

“Cities today have become far too large,” Wang said in an interview while visiting New York in April. “I’m really worried, because it’s happening too fast and we have already lost so much.” Wang, a sturdy 49-year-old, has built his small architectural practice as a riposte to this heedless destruction. With his wife, architect Lu Wenyu, he runs a 10-person firm called Amateur Architecture Studio in Hangzhou, a picturesque lakeside city southwest of Shanghai.

Starchitect Trio: The Men Behind Germany's Building Debacles

2013-06-17T16:43:00-04:00

SPIEGEL: Mr. de Meuron, Mr. von Gerkan and Mr. Ingenhoven, architecture's reputation in this country is worse than ever. How much of the blame do you bear?

Stuttgart's train station, Hamburg's concert house and Berlin's airport: Three projects in Germany are currently competing to be seen as the country's most disastrous. SPIEGEL spoke to the star architects behind the construction sites.

Sejong Art Center Entry by H Architecture & Haeahn Architecture

2013-06-17T15:12:00-04:00

New York-based practice H Architecture has shared with us its submission to the recent Sejong Art Center competition for the design of a cultural center for the planned city of Sejong in South Korea. The entry was a collaborative effort with Haeahn Architecture from Seoul.

Indestructible Home in Berkeley, CA Inspired by Sea Creatures and Dinos

2013-06-17T15:00:00-04:00

Nicknamed “The Fish House” by locals, the Tsui House built by architect Eugene Tsui is touted by its creator as the one of the world’s safest dwellings. The design is based upon a small and segmented water creature known as a tardigrade, and also features a few architectural elements inspired by dinosaur physiology.

RIBA International Award Winners 2013 Announced

2013-06-14T18:20:00-04:00

[...] here are now also the twelve projects which won the institute's 2013 RIBA International Awards for architectural excellence. The selected award winners are eligible for the RIBA Lubetkin Prize awarded to the best international building by a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Vitra | Diogene: A cabin designed by Renzo Piano and RPBW for Vitra

2013-06-14T15:41:00-04:00

In June 2013, a further element will be introduced on the Vitra Campus. On a hill between the VitraHaus and the Dome, the Italian architect Renzo Piano and the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) has developed “Diogene”, which to date is Vitra’s smallest building ― but largest product.

Ten Top Images on Archinect's "Architect Sure!" Pinterest Board

2013-06-14T14:57:00-04:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Architect Sure!.

↑ Frøyland Orstad Church in Kverneland, Norway by Link Arkitektur; Photo: Hundven-Clements Photography

↑ Island Complex in Paihia, New Zealand by Bossley Architects

↑ Chateau Barde-Haut Winery in St Christophe des Bardes, St Emilion, France by NADAU LAVERGNE ARCHITECTS

↑ Gemdale Plaza in Beijing, China by Laguarda.Low Architects, LLC

↑ Cinematographer's House & Studio in Kilburn, London, UK by Inside Out Architecture

↑ James Perse Store in West Hollywood, CA by Standard

↑ School of Art and Design at New York State College of Ceramics in Alfred, NY by ikon.5 architects

↑ 304 South Gay Street in Knoxville, TN by Sanders Pace Architecture

↑ Hampton's Residence in Quogue, N...

2013 RIBA National and EU Award Winners

2013-06-13T15:11:00-04:00

The Royal Institute of British Architects has revealed the winners of the 2013 RIBA National Awards. The shortlist for the coveted RIBA Stirling Prize for the UK's best building of the year will be drawn from the 52 RIBA National and EU Award winners (43 buildings in the UK and 9 buildings elsewhere in the EU).

Click here for the full list of Award Winners.

An Interview with Anouska Hempel, Interior Designer of London's La Suite West Hotel

2013-06-13T15:04:00-04:00

Anouska Hempel is a London-based hotelier and interior designer. Recently, Archinect correspondent, Jill Johnson, had the opportunity to stay at one of Anouska's recent projects, La Suite West, a boutique hotel in London, and followed up her stay with a brief conversation about the design.

Can you discuss the balance of architecture, interiors and styling in your work?
To manage all the work there are many rules. One cannot be considered without the other however we are a design studio so the vision (beauty) comes first which is complimented by the architecture, followed by the interiors and styling.

The style in your portfolio seems to range from highly decorative to minimal. How do you define your style?
Simply, I don’t think one can. I truly enjoy and appreciate a broad spectrum, as demonstrated, but if one had to define it in a word, that would most likely be “couture”. The style can vary but the quality most definitely cannot!

Where did you study design? Whom di...

Task force created to prepare New Yorkers for extreme weather

2013-06-13T15:01:00-04:00

New York City must take urgent steps to protect New Yorkers and its buildings from the next extreme weather event, according to a report released today by the Building Resiliency Task Force at a press conference.

In the devastating aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn charged the task force with giving recommendations to improve the resiliency of city buildings and maximize preparedness for extreme weather conditions like high winds, high temperatures and flooding. Urban Green Council led the 200+ member task force.

Highlights of specific suggestions:

Create stronger buildings—require new and replacement doors and windows to be wind resistant; anchor homes to their foundations; design sidewalks to capture storm water.
Ensure reliable backup power—make it easier for buildings to use backup generators and solar energy; require buildings to keep stairwells and hallways lit during blackouts; add hookups for roll-up generato...

AIA, Make It Right, St. Bernard Project and AFH launch competition to aid disaster survivors

2013-06-13T12:14:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced a strategic partnership with Make It Right, St. Bernard Project and Architecture for Humanity to launch “Designing Recovery,” an ideas competition created to aid in the rebuild of sustainable and resilient communities. The competition, which is designed to help survivors of three recent natural disasters, was announced as a Commitment to Action at CGI America, an annual event of the Clinton Global Initiative focused on finding solutions that promote economic recovery in the United States.

Dow Building Solutions, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, is sponsoring the award, providing building science expertise and products.

The “Designing Recovery” competition will take place in three distinct settings – New Orleans, LA; Joplin, MO; and New York, N.Y. – where the non-profit partner organizations are already working to recover from previous disasters. The partner organizations will assemble a portfolio, or patter...

Two scaffold-maintenance workers rescued at the Hearst Tower

2013-06-12T18:57:00-04:00

The Hearst Tower scaffold, in short, can fold around its center, allowing it to conform to the building’s angled windows. (A failure in this folding mechanism may be what trapped the men: NBC is reporting that the motor suffered a power failure.)

Menil Collection hires Michael Van Valkenburgh to enhance Houston campus

2013-06-12T18:51:00-04:00

The appointment signals the start of implementing the Menil’s master plan for its “neighborhood of art,” which consists of six buildings devoted to art spread across several blocks, as well as outdoor sculptures, green spaces and bungalows.

Winners of Redesigning Detroit: A New Vision for an Iconic Site

2013-06-12T14:55:00-04:00

The international design competition Redesigning Detroit: A New Vision for an Iconic Site has announced its winners today. Hosted by the Opportunity Detroit campaign, the competition solicited ideas for a potential signature project on the former Hudson’s Department Store site in downtown Detroit.

Previously on Archinect: A Motor City Missionary

Editor's Picks # 319

2013-06-11T11:52:00-04:00

Paul Petrunia spoke with Ali Jeevanjee and Ben Anderson from the Flux Foundation, an Oakland based organization dedicated to producing large scale public art via a collaborative process. To this end they installed Sidewalk's End at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, California, back in April 2013.

News
Over at the LA Times Christopher Hawthorne reported on LACMA's unfurled Peter Zumthor's design. Mr. Hawthorne wrote "Still a work in progress, the design is full of gestures that are more speculative, even searching, than fully formed. One crucial element that remains under-developed is how it will feel to walk beneath the museum's raised main floor — and how the underside of the building will be clad or look as seen from the ground. (In such a large, dark piece of architecture it will be important to keep that space from feeling cave-like.) The plan so far has little to say about landscape architecture". Gregory Walker had a few questions "is this really any ...

Filling the Gap: New Architecture Discourse in Rio de Janeiro

2013-06-11T11:45:00-04:00

Since 2011, Studio-X Rio has been bringing together professionals, academics, decision makers, students, and the general public to confront the city’s most pressing challenges.

Taichung City Cultural Center Entry by Architecton

2013-06-10T17:34:00-04:00

Since announcing the five shortlisted finalists to Taiwan's Taichung City Cultural Center competition last week, we have been receiving a steady stream of further competition entries from around the world. Here's one from Moscow-based firm Architecton which moves the "Gate" metaphor to the core of its design concept.

Andrew Rice shines a spotlight on Michael Kimmelman's war on Madison Square Garden

2013-06-10T15:43:00-04:00

It might seem like a mismatch: the Dolans, veterans of many public brawls, against Kimmelman, an urbane trained pianist who previously wrote primarily about art. But such is the power of the Times when it’s given to a crusading voice.

Pulse Pavilion in Macau

2013-06-10T15:42:00-04:00

We have received images of Pulse Pavilion, a fascinating temporary structure designed and built by third- and fourth-year undergraduate architecture students at the University of Saint Joseph in Macau. The design team was led by guest professors Kristof Crolla (Laboratory for Explorative Architecture & Design Ltd. / LEAD) and Dannes Kok. Pulse Pavilion was open to the public at Plaza Sai Van, adjacent to Macau Tower, from June 1st until today.

Paul Goldberger shares his list of airports that offer a "grand welcome"

2013-06-07T19:32:00-04:00

Dramatic entries are a given with air travel, and airports should convey a sense of welcome and arrival to travelers landing in a new city, like the great train stations of yesteryear, says architecture critic Paul Goldberger.

More details of Zumthor's LACMA redesign

2013-06-06T19:19:00-04:00

Here is your first look at models and details of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor's proposed new building for LACMA. See these for yourself, along with a look at LACMA's architectural history and an overview of other Zumthor projects, in THE PRESENCE OF THE PAST: PETER ZUMTHOR RECONSIDERS LACMA, on view July 9-September 15, 2013

For more information, visit lacma.org/zumthor.

The race to build the first 3D-printed building

2013-06-06T19:02:00-04:00

Architecture has a habit of adapting its aesthetics to new technologies, whether consciously or unconsciously. Some of the most beautiful buildings of the Industrial Revolution -- the cantilever Forth Bridge, for example -- were designed by engineers, not architects, for example. Architecture quickly absorbed the idea of buildings that reflected their purpose.

Winners of the 2013 Los Angeles Architectural Awards Announced

2013-06-06T15:47:00-04:00

At a festive ceremony yesterday afternoon, the Los Angeles Business Council unveiled the winners of its 2013 Los Angeles Architectural Awards. The program recognizes buildings from throughout the region for their excellence in design, commitment to sustainability and impact on the community. Architectural icon and SCI-Arc founder Ray Kappe was honored with the L.A. Architectural Lifetime Achievement Award.

5468796 Architecture wins one of five WAN 21 FOR 21 Awards

2013-06-05T20:22:00-04:00

Canadian firm 5468796 Architecture has been selected for the WAN 21 FOR 21 Award by World Architecture News in London, UK. 5468796 was one of five emerging architectural practices chosen from over 150 entries and a longlist of 50 firms from around the world.

Design for LEGO House, designed by BIG, unveiled today

2013-06-05T13:30:00-04:00

The LEGO Group today revealed the design of the experience center “The LEGO House”. The center, which will be built in Denmark, illustrates the systematic creativity of LEGO bricks and is expected to attract 250,000 visitors annually.