We particularly asked contestants to get inspired from icons of Turkey. Currently we are evaluating the submitted projects and will be announcing the results as soon as possible. - The Client — designboom
ZHA’s design was based on whirling dervishes, RMJMs on seagulls and Safdie Architects’ on Ottoman geometric patterns.Massimiliano Fuksas based its design on minarets while Grimshaw-Nordic drew inspiration from its nearby terminal buildings and Pininfarina-Aecom was influenced by tulips.
So, everyone knows how to listen and please the client and serve meaning.
22 Comments
RMJm: seagulls? not what i see:
those teeth are terrifying
"ZHAs design was based on whirling dervishes"
LOL
I haven't seen another competition where both the client's request for inspiration and architects' response to it were so literal, mediocre and uninspired. Something truly fitting with Erdogan and his regime and their conservatively politicized relation with the artistic and cultural affairs in Turkey.
A revealing step backward for Zaha, Fuksas, and Safdie, pretty much a one hit wonder. Disappointing in many ways. If you are going to do the talk, do the walk dammit.
I'll give Safdie's points for being elegant, at least. The others are all just ridiculous. Seriously bad.
Series of giant sex toys.
the only thing not referenced is the rich architectural history of the region...
Something got lost when they gave up the T-square and triangle…..
can you ask a peacock to be humble?
Peacocks do scream. A lot.
But seriously, is this competition real? Who would answer "pigeon" when asked what influenced their form-making?!?
The Grimshaw one looks totally like this snake from Robin Hood. he's even got the feather in his cap.
I would argue that they are turkey icons although one looks more like a duck.
RMJM is a buttplug.
In the end an airport control tower is one of the least engaging projects an architect could work on. An invisible folly for the most part.
I can think of one airport (Boston Logan) where the control tower is easily visible from the city. It's not something you can often see as a passenger in the plane or within the terminal, and it's necessarily closed off to the public.
Programatically, there's not much to be excited about. This isn't going to be about developing a better workspace, or bringing some kind of life into the airport... or the city. It's just a misguided idea of creating a gateway - one that's largely invisible to the city and its visitors.
So really, it doesn't matter if they even build it. They could just print some good renderings to put on airport promotional posters and have the same effect.
From another thread:
It isn't architecture or design anymore, its luxurious sculptures.
In this context however it's not luxury, it's just inane and egotistical. Safdie (without a doubt the most responsible architect of the bunch) appears out of context with a simple solution.
Agree and disagree, midlander. Those of us who fly commercial rarely see the tower, but those who arrive via private jet do. LAX is building a special terminal for them, too. VIPs are the future, apparently.
I see your point, but a lot of what we do is invisible to most people.
And the winner is.., AECOM with Pininfarina.
"The win marks AECOM’s first collaboration with Pininfarina, the design house renowned for its car designs for Ferrari and Alfa Romeo."
I can live with that, but what are the "labia" for?
Sale to a male client, of course.
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Slated to be one of the world's largest airports, there is no mention on their website who the architects are.
Nordic — Office of Architecture, Grimshaw Architects and Haptic Architects
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