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Flickr / Strocchi

The twin office towers known as Puerta de Europa I and II located in Madrid, Spain defy the typical conventions of skyscraper construction. Designed by American architects Philip Johnson & John Burgee and commissioned by the Kuwait Investment Office (KIO), these structural expressionistic towers straddle one of Madrid’s most important boulevards – the Paseo de la Castellana. More details after the break.

Wikimedia Commons / Quique Huertas

Situated on prime real estate next to the Plaza de Castilla, there could not be a more suitable location for these two towers. However, in order for construction to be feasible, a significant setback from the street was required in order to clear a subway interchange. What one architect may see as an obstacle, Johnson and Burgee saw as an opportunity to explore an unconventional avenue of architecture in order to realize a proper solution. Thus, with the remaining plot of land they designed the world’s first inclined skyscrapers, with structural engineering carried out by Leslie E. Robertson Associates and construction by Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas.

Typical Building Section

Rising to 114 meters at an incline of 15 degrees, these towers stretch 30 meters from their base over Paseo de la Castellana. A 60x10x10 meter concrete counterweight located on the opposite side of inclination underground and connected to the top by cable provides the necessary resistance to counteract the forces trying to overturn the towers. A primary diagrid of structural steel on the perimeters of the building and a reinforced central core housing the main vertical circulation serves to further strengthen the buildings. Secondary horizontal and vertical structural steel members serve to strengthen the diagrid members and provide the necessary lateral stability. Typically, these elements are hidden in this type of construction. However, the design team chose to highlight these elements in a clean but very informative manner, resulting in a structure that can be read and deciphered from the pedestrian perspective. The primary structure is clad with stainless steel with the secondary horizontal and vertical members clad with red metal. A dark reflective curtain wall with charcoal mullions comprises the infill between the structural elements. In order to differentiate the two, the west tower features a blue helipad on the roof, while the east was fitted with a red helipad.

Flickr / FreeCat

The inclination of the towers not only serves to clear the subway interchange below, but also guarantees the visibility of the towers down the length of Paseo de Castellana. Since they mark the Northern end of Madrid’s business district, they are often referred to as the metaphysical gateway to Europe. The analogy suits the towers well, as their composition with the boulevard and plaza help define the void, massing, and entry to a central hub of both transportation and pedestrian movement, and the gateway to the rest of Madrid. Interestingly, it also parallels the likeness of ancient medieval gateways of Madrid such as the Puerta de Sol, Puerta de Guadalajara, and Puerta de la Vega of the 12^thcentury.

Typical Floor Plan

Philip Johnson and John Burgee’s decision to break the mold of vertical linearity resulted in a construction unlike any other. Their structural expressionistic qualities lend credibility and honesty of form and function that many towers simply ignore. These two iconic skyscrapers continue to boldly defy the laws of gravity, and have undoubtedly served as inspiration for the numerous canted towers in the following decade.

Architect: Philip Johnson & John Burgee
Location: Madrid, Spain
Project Year: 1989-1996
References: www.es.wikiarquitectura.com, www.es.wikipedia.org, www.lera.com
Photographs: www.es.wikiarquitectura.com, Flickr user: Strocchi, FreeCat, Zaqarbal, fly_theonly, gonzopower, Wikimedia Commons user: Quique Huertas

© Ardha Dian Rizki

Architects: Julian Palapa
Location: Cibubur, Indonesia
Design Team: Nurul Andini (Architect Embassy)
Project Manager: Wira Farrel
Project Team: Eri Eko, Arief Hakim, Aris Fanany, Arief Adiharsa, Indrajati
Project Year: 2011
Project Area: 180 sqm
Photographs: Ardha Dian Rizki, Julian Palapa

In the beginning, this mosque was a simple aspiration from the surrounding residence to celebrate Ramadhan 2011. They work together according to their own ability to donate for the mosque that will be used in Ramadhan 2011, it can be said that the social aspect in this architecture piece is so bold.

© Ardha Dian Rizki

Small doesn’t mean it unattractive, small doesn’t mean it doesn’t have “architectural statement” the low budget doesn’t limit the architectural intervention to be shown, even though there is a probability to reduce the entire architectural statement.

Facade

There are many architects were inspired to play with lights, so when we thought about tropical simplicity shelter architecture architects are presented with several tools to play, we have shade and ray. According to this, we decide to move based on with shadow and ray, with contemporary statement, and creating a new language of architecture through it. Therefore, several fracture and folding used in this design often looks like giving space to each other, in order for liberating the shadow to communicate as the architectural language and creating his own story.

© Ardha Dian Rizki

Even if this mosque has a modern look, it took the basic silhouette from Datum mosque, mass horizontalism (plus dome sometimes) and minaret, which sometimes used as the easiest visual language to be recognized as the typological language. Some contemporary architectural language inserted here for instance are to make slits in the wall. The building was made slightly porous with random dots on the walls and ceilings, presenting an avenue for the light and shadow to speak, giving texture to the room interiors by creating patterns on the reflected surfaces.. In the evening prayers, that space becomes a language to deliver the intervention of indoor to outdoor so that the congregations are able to watch the stars from the porous space of the “perforated/holed” roof.

© Ardha Dian Rizki

In finishing, this mosque are using two texture language, clean white color and wood texture, this mosque is finished with this color to express purification sense, so that there is only small amount of texture language, in order to liberate the expression space for the shadows and ray give their intervention from the porous to frame this tiny little mosque texture story, where ray and shadows language simply giving a dynamic space experience as the sun falls and the stars that can be seen from the porous space.

Plan

Baitul A’laa means a high place, this project is located in unique and difficult site which is a triangle site, because a mosque need a shape of square or rectangle. According to this, the finishing of the humble landscape is made as giving an “elevated” building effect. Finally this mosque were done and able to be used in Ramadhan 2011, further developments are still being planned,in several areas, for instance the toilet, parking, multifunction and administrator room. This mosque’s design is basically expected to record the simplicity and beautifulness of human being in remembering God captured in texture, ray and shadow language within the present spirit.

Section

© Ardha Dian Rizki

Click here to view the embedded video.

Two young artists Ryan and Trevor Oakes have introduced a unique way for drawing using a 3D drawing machine that assists in re-presenting the view in front of one’s eyes. The machine was developed as an exploration of the nature of vision with a goal to recreate realism in the correct proportions and perspective. The artists explain how the machine works; by limiting vision of the scene to one eye and the other to plot the image on concave paper, an illusion occurs where the paper becomes transparent, rendering an effect that you are simply tracing the scene in front of you.  It is an interesting take on creating artwork with amazingly accurate results. Check out the video for their presentation.

© Courtesy of RAKE visningsrom

Architects: RAKE visningsrom
Location: Trondheim, Norway
Project Year: 2011
Photographs: Courtesy of RAKE visningsrom

The showroom RAKE is the latest addition to Trondheim’s art landscape. It is the result of a student workshop in which thirty students from the architecture schools of Trondheim, Oslo and Bergen joined forces to design and construct this new exhibition space for art and architecture.

© Courtesy of RAKE visningsrom

A majority of the materials used in the construction of the room came from a nearby office building set for demolition. This reveals the theme and guiding principle behind the project: Reuse. Reuse as in using old materials, but just as importantly; when utilizing new ones, doing this in a manner that allows the process to continue.

© Courtesy of RAKE visningsrom

RAKE is the brainchild of four students from NTNU, who invited their peers to participate in their creative endeavor. These architects-in-the-making met for the first time in May, and proceeded to work out the specifics of what is now RAKE. Throughout the project Tyin Tegnestue, architect August Schmidt and artist Charlotte Rostad were at hand to offer input and assistance.

© Courtesy of RAKE visningsrom

In August the colleagues and collaborators met again, this time hammers and nails replaced pen and paper. In twelve days they built an exhibition space, which cannot help but induce curiosity; its walls consisting of two layers of reused windows, and the ceiling – three layers of doors. Yet, the most unique feature of the room may be its floor, made out of massive wooden cubes crafted by a local farmer. While a number of RAKE’s features are ‘outside the box’, its interior space is a traditional white cube, ready to display works by both national and international artists and architects.

Illustration

Through this project the students wanted to contribute to Trondheim’s cultural scene and show that the reuse of materials can lead to a both inspirational and aesthetically pleasing construction. The showroom is run by local artists and architects, and the first show opened on the 9th of September – a collaboration between architect Fredrik Lund and artist Anne-Karin Furunes.

© Courtesy of RAKE visningsrom

© João Morgado

Architect: Pedra Silva Architects
Location: Porto, Portugal
Project Coordination: Luís Pedra Silva
Project Area: 1,660 sqm
Project year: 2011
Photographs: João Morgado

© João Morgado

Associação Fraunhofer Portugal is a non-­‐profit private research association and is part of the German Fraunhofer-­ Gesellschaft, the largest organization for applied research in Europe. Although not familiar to the general public, Fraunhofer is responsible for many important innovations, including, for example, the MP3 file format, and many advances in workplace organization research.

© João Morgado

Our team was selected, through an open competition, to design the new Porto headquarters, located at the Technology University Campus: “Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia da Universidade do Porto (UPTEC)”. Our design took into account Fraunhofer’s innovative philosophy trough a message that is simple, but at the same time positive and dynamic. Workplace layout and organizational elements from Fraunofer Office Inovation Center in Stutgard (Germany) were also an important input to the project, adding another layer to our concept.

© João Morgado

The new research facilities occupy two floors in a new UPTEC building in a total of 1660 sqm. Circulation is the project’s backbone; all spaces appear along a distribution route located next to the glass façade. This main axis allows access to all different spaces. These spaces, with different functions and sizes, are generated and consolidated trough a bold gesture: a waving plane that goes through the open floors, creating different spaces and ambients.

Text provided by Pedra Silva Architects.

© João Morgado

© João Morgado

© João Morgado

© João Morgado

© João Morgado

© João Morgado

© Lara Swimmer

Architects: Weinstein A|U
Location: Kenmore, Washington
Design Team: Matt Aalfs, Ed Weinstein
Project Size: 19,000 sqf
Project Year: 2007-2011
Photographs: Lara Swimmer

The Kenmore Library serves a suburban community largely bypassed by recent redevelopment.  Located in an emerging downtown core that is a mix of 1960s retail buildings, surface parking, and a busy highway, the library responds to needs for community space and integration of public and commercial uses.

© Lara Swimmer

To accommodate changes in the continuing evolution of library services, the library design provides a flexible, interconnected, and adaptable floor plan, with minimal fixed obstructions limiting internal organization. As a gesture of civic inclusiveness, the reading room is transparent and open, with continuous glazing on the public facades and a delicate tension-rod roof truss system which clear-spans the 75’ x 90’ space.

sections

Optimum solar orientation and central skylights fill the reading room with balanced and diffused natural light. Relatively solid enclosures of brick and wood at either end of the reading room contain library support functions and private study areas. A raised floor system provides HVAC, power, and data distribution, with public artwork integrated into the floor cavity. Extensive daylighting, LED fixtures, reclaimed wood, and regionally-sourced materials and furniture contribute to sustainability goals.

© Lara Swimmer

In response to local aspirations for a pedestrian-friendly downtown, the library connects to the street with an entry plaza and submerges parking beneath the building. Parallel to the street, the library extends to the property line, anticipating future party-walls. A garden of native plants and sculpted landforms buffers the reading room from the highway, providing rainwater infiltration that reduces surface run-off into nearby Lake Washington.

diagram

Text provided by Weinstein A|U

Collaborators:
Landscape: Swift Company LLC
Structural: Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA)
Civil: Springline Design LLC
MEP: WSP Flack & Kurtz
Interiors: Weinstein A|U
Contractor: Sierra Construction
Client: King County Library System

© Brininstool, Kerwin, & Lynch

Designed by Brininstool, Kerwin, and Lynch, the Beijing Core Area Master Plan is a massive civic proposal of over 27 million square feet of building area and an additional 1.5 million square feet of public space design for the Central Business District of Beijing, China.  More images and architect’s description after the break.

© Brininstool, Kerwin, & Lynch

The focus of the master plan is on people and how they interact with buildings, public space and transportation within a dense area of the city. The intent is to inspire people within this urban environment through a careful balance of green landscape and pedestrian friendly access and sustainable, mutually beneficial operations between all the buildings in the core area.

© Brininstool, Kerwin, & Lynch

Brininstool, Kerwin and Lynch’s strategy begins by creating a public park that serves as a civic amenity to pedestrians and is an attractive destination point for businesses. A series of connected public spaces provide clear organization for the development of the Core Area. Each of these spaces and street vistas is distinguished by a strong landscape approach and is integrated with surrounding land uses and activities and anchored functionally and visually by the park.

© Brininstool, Kerwin, & Lynch

This plan will be realized by minimizing surface vehicles and putting main service and parking traffic below ground. Delivery and service vehicles will access buildings via an underground service corridor. Centralized underground parking is connected to below-grade pedestrian walkways with secured access directly into building basements. A “lower ground” level will be created to allow pedestrians to move around the site protected from the elements but with access to natural daylight. Walkways will open to lower ground areas creating opportunities for gathering places and cafes and interaction with the landscape. On the surface, boulevards will be created for vehicular traffic, not highways. Rain gardens and green streets are implemented to improve water quality before run-off and reduce discharge to municipal sewers.

© Brininstool, Kerwin, & Lynch

The buildings will be oriented to respond most appropriately to the natural elements of their context. High transparency to the north will be used to maximize natural daylighting strategies. With correct placement, the buildings become daylight reflectors that push natural light down to the lower ground levels.

Architect: Brininstool, Kerwin, & Lynch
Location: Beijing, China
Project Year: 2009-2010
Renderings: Brininstool, Kerwin, & Lynch

Kyiv City State Administration, Kyiv Central Agency for Urban Planning, Architecture and Urban Design with the support of National Union of Architects of Ukraine are pleased to announce the open international architectural competition, ‘Concept of Reservation and Development of Kyiv Islands’. Contestants are requested to submit the best concept of preservation and development of Kyiv islands.

The winner is chosen by jury among all Participants. The competition envisages one “First Prize” of 20,000 (twenty thousands) U.S. $ and two “Second prizes” of 5,000 (five thousands) U.S. $ each. Additionally, the author of the winning project has the priority right to continue working on the project of conservation and development of Kyiv islands. International architects are more then welcome to compete. October 26, 2011, is closing date for registration and December 11, 2011, is closing date for contest entries to be delivered to the main office of organizers.

Please visit the official website for further information about the competition here.