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Courtesy of Office Jarrik Ouburg

Office Jarrik Ouburg (OJO) shared with us their plan for the urban redevelopment of the ‘Havenkwartier’, the harbor of Deventer. Although the harbor will continue to function as a place for transhipment of goods, it has lost one of its biggest customers: the grain silo. The building dates from 1961 and was the first building in Europe to be constructed with a sliding formwork. Although it is not in use anymore, it still is the pivot in the existing urban ensemble at the moment. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Courtesy of Office Jarrik Ouburg

A total of 8,000 square meters of program is added to the relatively small site, containing a mix of leisure, production, culture and housing. Buildings, program and people are juxtaposed in such a way that a unique and vibrant neighborhood will arise.

Courtesy of Office Jarrik Ouburg

An elongated apartment building containing student and residential units is added to the site. The building takes the width and length from the ships that are moored in the dock. The building is lifted from the ground level so the view at the water and harbor is maintained. Two residential towers are planned at the southern part of the site with workspaces in the plinth. The larger of the two towers contains the main vertical circulation and is connected with bridges to the smaller tower with duplex apartments. Other buildings added are two parking towers, a theater and atelier spaces facing the new square that is designed for markets and festivals.

Courtesy of Office Jarrik Ouburg

The silo will be transformed into a gallery space, and will become the exhibition venue for the entrepreneurial cultural sector where not only artists but also private collectors show their work. On top of the existing structure of the silo, overlooking the city, a restaurant on two floors is proposed. At night this space will become the new beacon of light for the city.

© MVRDV

The Urban Community of Bordeaux (CUB) and MVRDV recently presented the master plan for Bastide Niel, a 35ha extension of Bordeaux’ city center onto the right bank of Garonne River. The dense urban master plan will offer 3200 homes, offices and urban amenities, respect the existing fabric of the city and become one of the largest zero energy neighborhoods in the world. Construction is to start in 2014. More images and architects’ description after the break.

© MVRDV

The project Bastide Niel, with an envisioned urban program of up to 375.000m2 is regarded the most significant contemporary urban intervention in Bordeaux. But the character of the new neighbourhood will be intimate: a ‘capillary city’: A contemporary update of the European city: Combining history, human scale and individualism with density and sustainability.

© MVRDV

Bastide Niel will become a lively extension to the city center with a mixed program of 3200 homes, 25.000 m2 retail , 25.000 m2 offices, 15.000 m2 crafts and 58.000 m2 public facilities such as a university building, the municipal archives, a cultural building, a community center, schools, day care centers and sport facilities, such as a skate park. The 35ha site near the Garonne River lies within walking distance from the historic UNESCO listed center of Bordeaux and is currently occupied by warehouses, redundant barracks and rail embankments. The question was how to create a vibrant neighborhood in tradition of but as well as an update of the European city: historic, mixed and intimate; light, green and dense.

© MVRDV

The existing historic structures have served as basis for the master plan which follows the rail tracks and the lay-out of the barracks. All historic structures, railways, and platforms will be maintained and maximally densified, this new interpretation of the history makes the existing an active part and starting point for the new. Around these artifacts a network of 6 to 10 meter narrow streets is created leading to a safe traffic system with equal rights for cars, public transport, bikes and pedestrians. Most streets are one-way, serviced from the riverside or from the opposite avenue, whilst the tramway will be safely isolated on a special lane.

© MVRDV

This road, alley and lane network results in an intimate, capillary city with 144 city blocks. Inhabitants will live in an urban environment comparable to a historic city center. The envelopes developed by strictly applied light rules allow flexibility: ground floors may accommodate either residences, offices or shops. In-between and inside the blocks is space for small parks, pocket gardens and squares which add additional green to the large riverside Parc aux Angéliques designed by Michel Desvignes.

© MVRDV

Due to the vicinity of the river, parking will be solved above ground level. The plan suggests research into a UNESCO-friendly pedestrian glass bridge following the former main axis of the barracks, Allée cavalière.

© MVRDV

To achieve rich architectural variety the 144 blocks will be commissioned to 144 different architecture offices, an alternative IBA emerges. The existing buildings on site, among them the former Caserne Niel will be preserved, transformed or extended and become part of the neighborhood. The immediate neighbors have been engaged in a public participation process, this resulted among others in collective responsibility for communal gardens and a respectful small scale neighborhood adjacent to the existing homes at Rue Hortense.

© MVRDV

The zero energy ambition is reached through a series of interventions: A geothermal installation will pump up heat from 1 km depth. On the roofs and south facades of the buildings solar panels will be placed to produce electricity. The roof height allows each building to receive sun light at ground level whilst the volumes are restricted to 15 meters depth allowing natural ventilation from two sides. Based on these roof parameters a contemporary European city roofscape emerges.

© MVRDV

In 2014 the project will start with pilot projects including the cultural building, a mix use city block, a restaurant and the first gardens conceived in public participation. The former rail embankments will be temporarily used as orchard to grow trees for the neighborhood. The development is divided into 6 phases.

© Diego Opazo

Architects: Orts-Trullenque
Location: Benipeixcar,Valencia, Spain
Client: CTAV (College of Architects of Valencia)
Head Architects: Marta Orts, Carlos Trullenque
Assistant architects: Carlos Nieto – Ana Ábalos – Nacho Fós
Structural engineering : Javier Cases
Civil engineer: Vicente Sevila
Mechanical Engineering: GIA (Luis Sanchis – Agustí Vila)
Contractor: OTP Construcciones
Photographs: Diego Opazo

© Diego Opazo

The new CTAV headquarters in Gandía is located in an indeterminate location, on the cusp between the old quarters of Benipeixcar and a featureless new area of expansion. The mandate for the new headquarters is to function as a place enabling all the permits and requirements demanded by the College of Architects and, above all, as an inviting meeting place for professional encounters and discussions. The project takes the emplacement and transforms it into a transitional space between the two areas of the town, consolidating its location while respecting the vibrant, smaller scale so characteristic of the old neighbourhood. Conceived from an optic of dematerialisation and ambiguity, the building minimises its own presence. The single volume is given shape by a glass envelope which in turn is fragmented into other volumes such as the voids of the two courtyards in the upper floor or the different wooden planes of the façade. The structural system is integrated into the other building systems with a view to reducing the tectonic elements. As a consequence, metal porches are transformed into repeated ribs forming diffuse, supporting planes of a frame covered with glass and wooden panels.

© Diego Opazo

Here at ArchDaily we are still pretty amped about the Flight Assembled Architecture exhibit by Gramazio & Kohler and Raffaello d’Andrea, in cooperation with ETH Zurich. Located at the FRAC Center in Orleans, France, the exhibit features flying drones constructing an architectural structure at the scale of a 600m high “vertical village” out of foam blocks. Feel the excitement of viewers as this video documents the process of the growing structure. The exhibit continues on until February 19th.

Reference: FRAC Centre, BLDGBLOG

We have talk a lot lately about Michael Graves, his Wounded Warrior Home Project and his thoughts on hospital room design, mentioning briefly about his initiative to create beautiful and functional furniture for hospitals. This video takes a closer look at the furniture Graves has designed for Capital Health, including discussions and reviews by healthcare professionals.

© Fay Pynaert

Architects: GRAUX & BAEYENS architecten
Location: Frans De Potterstraat 9 – 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Completion: 2011
Site area: 162 sqm
Built area: 234 sqm
Photographs: Fay Pynaert, Philippe Brysse, GRAUX & BAEYENS architecten

© Philippe Brysse

The rear building of the house, dating from the early 20th century, is no longer adapted to the needs of the client or the demands of today’s living comfort. The new multipurpose room, with a maximum sense of space, the various activities taken in the foreground and absent themselves more to draw. Central to the room, the table is placed as a symbol of everyday life. The three monumental canvases perforate the new room and light each on a different part of the house and its surroundings. The two horizontal frames in the roof allow light to deep into the existing house and both offer a different view on the rear. Through extending the material and color outward, a unit is created. Relations with outside are strengthened. It opted for the cooking area and sink to store in closets. The island thus betrays its function. We try in this way an almost abstract space where the light can write her poetry on the walls. In the main volume only the strictly necessary interventions occurred. The existing bathroom was too small in proportion to the house. It was decided to split this into two quality areas. At the site of the old bathroom was the toilet and shower fitted. The ceiling of the shower was replaced by a glass of 2m ² which a magnificent view is released. The bathroom has been moved to the top floor. The furniture is a concatenation of a sink, a bathtub and a toilet.

Courtesy of OPEN Architecture

At the virgin beach front area where Min River meets the Pacific Ocean, and adjacent to Fuzhou Changle Airport, Netdragon Websoft Company’s new headquarters building, designed by OPEN Architecture, is currently under construction, embedded in it, the grand visions for the future of the company. Nearly 700 employees and their families will move from the center of Fuzhou city to this new campus. A 50,000m² land which used to be an eel farm will become their new living quarters. This is a very interesting and young community of people. Their work is to create wonderful virtual worlds that entertain millions of people. In real life and on this land of their new dreams, they need a unique living area and a brand new collective life style. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Courtesy of OPEN Architecture

A building with hybrid functions and in the shape of a Hongshanosaurus, 450 meters in length and 30 meters in height (flight path height limit), extends in a gentle curve along the edge of the site, forming the longest possible interface with the ocean front. Almost every unit in this residential building has a great view to the ocean. Structurally and layout wise, this mega building actually consists of 12 effectively independent medium rise residential towers. The towers are linked at the 6th floor and 8th floor, the rooftop by a series of public corridors and walkways. The walkways at the 6th floor connect together 12 public sky gardens. Each of the sky gardens is unique in their spatial characteristic, building material, and also in their functions. In and around these shared spaces, staff may together cook, do their laundry, play and socialize, raise a veggie patch, enjoy an outdoor movie, gaze out to the ocean, and share their thoughts and dreams. On the 8th floor, the roof top, 35 luxury villas are linked together by a street up in the air. Each villa is unique, yet all are derived from 6 basic unit types. Each unit possesses their own roof top garden and balcony, and of course spectacular ocean view.

street view

This type of commune living is in many ways a new iteration of the collective housing that was so prevalent in China during the last century, reflecting the socialist ideals and aspirations from that age. This mega building allows the majority of the site to be preserved and cultivated into a sizeable eco-habitat forestry park. Within this park is distributed a series of individual follies, they provide for the daily needs of the employees and also shared recreational facilities. It is here that nature and human habitation achieve the most beautiful balance of co-existence.

park view

The Netdragon Commune project is an architectural experiment investigating how to restructure relationships between people and nature, and also relationships amongst people themselves. The project seeks to create a high quality eco-community for the future at a comparatively low cost.

Architects: OPEN Architecture
Location: Changle, Fujian Province, China
Principal in Charge: Li Hu, Huang Wenjing
Project Team: Wang Jianling, Qi Zhengdong, Li Qiang, Flavia Benec, Ge Ruishi, Ni Ni
Design Year: 2011
Client: Netdragon Websoft Inc.
Program: Dormitory, Kindergarten, Shops, Entertainment, Parking and etc.
Site Area: 50,000 sqm
Size: 100,000 sqm
Structural Consultant: CABR
Local Design Institute: Fujian University Architectural Design and Research Institute

Courtesy of Hooman Balazadeh

Although Kish Island is currently a developing region, it can be observed as two main zones; one of which is based on former developments of the Island in previous years, and the other is the currently developing parts. The project for an office and hotel complex by Hooman Balazadeh and team is located at the threshold of the developing zone and the former developed zone. This role facilitates it to collaborate with the two zones and also work effectively with future developments. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Courtesy of Hooman Balazadeh

The transportation system of this project consists of two parallel sets of streets which are connected to each other by another perpendicular set. The site is located by the main structural road that makes it easily accessible and visible from this main road. Additionally, being located on the junction of a linking street and the main road of the city may also carry an important character for the project. There are three iconic points in the master plan of Kish. The project is a multi-functional 23-floor tower, which is indented to play the iconic role of the zone and the city as well. Based on these three reasons this project intends to be an iconic design of the future Kish.

Courtesy of Hooman Balazadeh

The project has potential to act as an iconic building of the Kish Island due to its functional program and location in the city. To create the basic design we took two different actions:

1) To have an urban-scale effect and achieve a remarkable urban void, we designed a floating U-shape form on higher elevation.
2) To create an impact on the urban surrounding of the project, we formed another U-shape form starting from the ground level.

Courtesy of Hooman Balazadeh

The intersection of the voids of these two forms creates an internal void that links the two forms as well as the forms to the urban environment. On the next step, we blocked both voids on one side to save more sellable area and keep the privacy of the whole project.

Courtesy of Hooman Balazadeh

The main technique for designing the form was subtraction. Initially, we assumed the building as a tapered extrusion of site margin that sets back as it rises up to make a reasonable distance from the neighboring buildings. In the second step we subtracted the voids of the previously mentioned U-shape forms from this basic extrusion. As a result we grew a diagrammatic form that has attained the permitted area, according to basic documents.

site plan – urbanism diagram

The final form has two different themes that later inspired us in designing the facades. The first one is the exposing face of the project that is a geometric smooth layer. The second theme on the inside is the internal void that contains the public platforms. To compose the final façade, we obtained a uniform mesh that grows from the outer layer in to the inner one. We considered an overlaying skin on the mesh that transforms in color, fabrication, openings, pattern and so forth based on the dual theme of the final form. These transformations and other design issues such as solar accessibility, desirable shading, ventilation, need for the view (in Hotel) and being exposed (for retails) lead us to the final presented façade.

Architect: Hooman Balazadeh
Location: Kish Island, Iran
Project Manager: Shahram Seifikaar
Project Manager: Shahram Seifikaar
Designer in Chief: Hessamedin Fana
Design Assistants: Noushin Atrvash, Mahan Shirazi,  Nina Bazeghi
Environmental Analyzer: Motahareh Khazaei
Consultant: HOOBA Design Group
Client: Iran Darya Kish Co.
Date: Fall 2010