3XN - Cultural References by 3XN_GXN

Cultural references

3XN A/S Strandgade 73 1401 Copenhagen Denmark 3xn.dk 3xn@3xn.dk

3XN takes an innovative approach to architecture by combining science and art with a deep understanding for people and the environment. We believe that Architecture creates behaviour. Therefore 3XN has spent the last 25 years creating places where people can interact, communicate and grow. Our Green Innovation Unit, GXN, focuses on developing sustainable building materials, technologies and practices. The result of our expertise is beautiful and human architecture featuring cutting-edge green solutions and technologies.

"Building Human Behaviour" The 3XN philosophy in 90 sec

TABLE OF CONTENTS Liverpool.......................................................................................................... 10 The Blue Planet................................................................................................ 16 Stadhuis........................................................................................................... 22 Theatre - and Jazzhouse.................................................................................. 28 The Arch........................................................................................................... 34 Muziekgebouw................................................................................................. 40 KPMG Headquarters......................................................................................... 46 Saxo Bank......................................................................................................... 52 Middelfart Savings Bank................................................................................... 58 Hotel Bella....................................................................................................... 64 Copenhagen Arena............................................................................................ 70 GXN - the Innovation Unit at 3XN Architects................................................... 76 NOMA Lab......................................................................................................... 80

Size 13.000 m²

Located at the UNESCO World Heritage Site between the Albert Dock and the Pier Head, and next to a row of prominent historic buildings dubbed ‘The Three Graces’ the museum building is conceived as inclined or elevated platforms, gradually forming a sculptural structure. Fully accessible it will contribute to the public promenade flow along the Docks. Situated at the Pier Head, the museum will be visible from both the river and the city. The nexus of the building, the central staircase is crucial to the museum, and during the design process it was studied thoroughly in sketches, 3-D renders, and in physical models. The atrium serves as a public ‘living room’ as well as entrance lobby,

culture/MUSEUM OF LIVERPOOL

Completion 2011

MUSEUM OF LIVERPOOL

Client National Museums Liverpool

Mann Island, Liverpool, UK

Address Museum of Liverpool Mann Island, Liverpool, UK

providing connection to the exhibition spaces which are dispersed around it. The new Museum of Liverpool ambitions to become the World’s leading city history museum, showcasing social history and popular culture and will look at Britain and the world through the eyes of Liverpool. It is estimated that the new museum will attract at least 750,000 visitors on a yearly basis, and that Liverpool, with the Museum as a symbol of the Liverpool’s ongoing regeneration, will be elevated into the front rank of European tourist destinations, as well as providing a brilliant place for local families to find out about their own history.

culture/MUSEUM OF LIVERPOOL

mixied use/BELLA SKY HOTEL

Size 9.000 m2

Inspired by the shape of water in endless motion, Denmark’s new National Aquarium, The Blue Planet is shaped as a great whirlpool, and the building itself tells the story of what awaits inside. The walls and roofs form a single, continuous flow and the longest of the whirlpool’s arms follows the shape of the landscape and the building, moving into the land inviting visitors inside. As soon as visitors arrive at The Blue Planet, the building will convey a sense of the special experience that awaits them inside - a world beneath the surface of the sea. If you tilt your head backwards, you understand that the roof above the foyer is in fact the bottom of a pool.

culture/THE BLUE PLANET

Completion 2013

THE BLUE PLANET

Client Realdania, Foundation of Knud Højgaard Fond, Tårnby Municipality

Copenhagen, Denmark

Address Kajakvej 2770 Kastrup, DK

river, lake or ocean to explore. Each exhibition has its own face towards the Round Room, each with its own entrance, starting with a buffer zone – a platform where sound and images are used to introduce the atmosphere communicated in the ensuing exhibition room. In the landscape, the great whirlpool continues through the terrain, the pools and the sea surrounding the building. Like watery currents, the building is not static – the movement continues into the future by virtue of always allowing possible extensions to add more, simply by letting the lines of the whirlpool grow further out.

The Round Room is a centre of navigation in the aquarium, and this is where visitors choose which

culture/THE BLUE PLANET

2//ADMIN.

fresh

3//WARM 4//JOINT 1//COLD

exterior

4//JOINT

interior

salt

fresh

1//COLD

3//WARM

4//JOINT interior

3//WARM

1//COLD 2//ADMIN.

1 2

ude

FUNCTIONS. Based on the programme requirements, the aquarium’s functions have been distributed like rays in a circle, and then developed into the final design.

+2.5

Car parking, 180 spaces

+3,5

+4 Extension phase II – warm salt water

+4,5 +5

+3.5 playground +4 kiss n ride

+3.5 +3

Disabled parking, 4 spaces

+2.5

+5.5

cafe area

sea otter compound +3.5 +5 ramp to entrance

+2 covered arrivals area extension phase II - cold salt water

+5.5 +5

phase II harbour bassin +0

+5.5 barbecue area

+2 +2 phase I birds / carp lake +2 +2

staff parking, 19 spaces

phase II platforms

phase II pavillion lake

coach parking, 8 spaces phase II birds / carp lake bird service

schools service harbour rainwater tank

stream into øresund

culture/THE BLUE PLANET

Size 25.000 m²

The ‘Stadshuis’ - City Hall - of Nieuwegein mix traditional city hall features of offices and service with a library, a multi-cultural centre, and commercial facilities. In this way, the city hall becomes a part of the everyday life of the town. This creates life in the building all day and strengthens the connection to the commercial and residential area surrounding the building. A modern participatory democracy requires transparency and communication at eye level in the encounter between citizen and authority. This has been a guideline for the design of a building which appears open towards the city. The city

offices/NIEUWEGEIN

Completion 2012

NIEUWEGEIN

Client Nieuwegein Municipality

Amsterdam, Holland

Address Nieuwegein, Utrecht

hall functions as an important part of the densification of the city centre and aims to tie the complex context together - but always with great respect of the neighbouring buildings. The five floors spread out like a fan and open up towards the atrium, allowing the building’s visitors and employees to visually connect with what is happening on the other floors. The different levels are connected by an open winding staircase. Rotation of the floor plans allows the visitors a wide view from one floor to the next all the way up and down through the building.

offices/NIEUWEGEIN

Completion 2012 Size 5.800 m²

Cultural Center “Plassen” is formed like a giant paper cutting. It cuts and folds the surface, resulting in a building where the inside and the outside, the surface and the roof, merges into one. The flowing transition between performance areas, the gallery, and the café create the illusion that the inner and outer spaces are one. The form of the building can be described as a series of folds which create wide openings for the daylight, providing a splendid view from within as well as from the outside. The relatively low-rise building consists of just three floors that make room for the local theatre, ‘Molde International Jazz Festival’, and the ‘The Bjørnson Festival’.

culture/THEATRE AND JAZZHOUSE

Client „Teater- og jazzhuset“ (a consolidation of the local theatre Teateret Vårt, Stiftelsen Molde International Jazzfestival, Kunstnersenteret Møre og Romsdal, Stiftelsen Bjørnsonfestivalen, Molde kommune og Grunneierne på Gørvellplassen)

THEATRE AND JAZZHOUSE

Address Gørvellplassen Molde

Molde, Norway

Project Type Theatre/Jazzhouse

Contemporary and innovative, but at the same time simple and blunt, the design of the building resists any excesses. Hence, it is in accordance with the surrounding sober and regularly shaped buildings, while the horizontal lay-out opens up the square. Use of the same local stone on both walls and floors, creates a calm atmosphere. The exterior is dominated by the broad staircase, that creates a lot of space for people to rest in nice weather and which also can be used as an open air stage. The heart of the building is the main concert hall. Since acoustics is best solved in a “box in box” room, the hall is rectangular and stripped of fancy shapes. Finally, the ‘Plassen’ contains a library and an arts centre.

culture/THEATRE AND JAZZHOUSE

culture/BUEN

Completion 2012

BUEN

Client Halse Eindom

Mandal, Norway

Address Havnegt. 2 4515 Mandal Norway

Size 4.500 mÂ˛

The Arch Cultural Center in the Southern Norwegian village of Mandal is shaped like a green blanket that elevates and integrates the building in the surrounding landscape. The glass faĂ§ade opens up and exposes the lobby to the river bank allowing plenty of daylight into the building. The building is adjusted in colour, scale and proportion to the characteristic and picturesque Norwegian wooden houses by the riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edge. By making the culture house an integrated element in the landscape it contributes to an attractive new part of the town which was previously an anonymous industrial area. The green and subtle expression is a natural extension of the idyllic landscape surrounding Mandal consisting of the river, forests and little islands.

The Arch contains a theatre- and concert hall, a library and a gallery. The layout of the building ensures a high degree of visual contact between the different functions giving the house a dynamic feeling of life and activities at all times. The masterplan, also conceived by 3XN, focuses on making the new town area reflect the rest of Mandal on the other side of the river and ensuring that all the houses including the cultural centre will have maximal profit from the short distance to the river. The plan also comprises a pedestrian bridge, which will further connect the cultural centre with the local community. The bridge is under construction as is expected to be finished autumn 2012.

culture/BUEN

Size 13.400 m²

In 1997, 3XN won the international competition for the new centre for modern music and jazz in Amsterdam, positioned at the tip of the Oosterlijke Handelskade pier, just a short walk from the heart of the old canal city. When completed in 2005, the original design proved its strength, and passed the test of time. The Muziekgebouw is all about music. Providing new common premises for two well-established institutions; the Ijsbreker and the BIMhuis, at this prominent pier-head location, the building has become an attractor for an advanced music audience as well as for a generic public life - and a landmark facing the fjord YJ. It’s a truly public, democratic building, designed with a 24/7 open flow, independent of BIMhuis and Muziekgebouw activities. Wide staircases connect to the pier

culture/MUZIEKGEBOUW

Completion 2005

MUZIEKGEBOUW

Client Amsterdam Municipality

Amsterdam, Holland

Address Piet Heinkade 1 1019 BR Amsterdam

and the water and become the spectacular access route to the interior. The café, documentation center, exhibitions and audio playground are some of the features open for all. Transparency and the play of light consciously influence the building’s appearance: large glass facades let in a flood of daylight; filtered, softened and protected by the cantilevered roof. Inside, the daylight shapes the different building elements, and ingenious electrical light features pulsate according to the music in the Muziekgebouw concert hall. The Muziekgebouw has been awarded the 'Nederlandse Bouwprijs 2006' (the Ducth Building Award 2006), the ULI AWARD Europe 2006, the LEAF Award 2006, the Dedalo-Minosse Special Prize 2006 and more.

culture/MUZIEKGEBOUW

Size 32.500 m² (offices), 1.300 m² (shops), 24.000 m² (parking)

KPMG’s domicile enters into a strong unity with the surroundings: The west-facing plaza with the culture house; the southern plaza with cafés and eateries; the green belt facing east; and the metro in the northern direction. The main ’clover’-shape of the domicile is created with these different directions in mind and the new domicile creates a link to three cityscapes at the same time. Altogether, KPMG’s domicile will contribute to a concentration of the neighbourhood and to making the area much more lively and friendly. The building is situated on an elevated base, creating a varied expression and pulls the green areas into the building niches. The clover-shape solves a well-known problem associated with large office buildings: they often seem confusing and easy to

offices/KPMG

Completion 2011

KPMG

Client KPMG

Frederiksberg, Denmark

Address Osvald Helmuths Plads 4 2000 Frederiksberg

get lost in. The clover-shape divides the building into smaller sections and at the core the individual loops are interconnected in a natural centre. Moreover, it makes for an interesting change and brings a lighter sense of space to the neighbourhood. The domicile is constructed with a great focus on sustainability at all levels from design to construction, choice of materials and lifespan. Thus, the level of energy consumption is reduced to a mere minimum close to zero by controlling the inflow of light, by heat regulation through the use of an active façade elements with solar screening, by angling the building according to daylight and by a strategic orientation of the interior office space.

offices/KPMG

Size 16.000 m²

Saxo Bank is a young, dynamic, internet bank with a strong presence in online trading of the global capital markets. The physical gesture of the head office is of great importance to the bank’s management, who took a great interest in the design process of their head office. This was not only due to the client’s interest in the creation of a building endowed with iconographic qualities, but also to the conviction that architecture and design plays an important role for staff performance and dedication to the company.

with an eye to the framework constituted by planning constraints and intentions. Conceived as two logs facing their gable ends to the canal, joined together by a retracted glass façade, the Saxo Bank building combines curves and sharp angles in a new interpretation of modern seaside architecture. Colours of the sea and the sky in the green glass and white façade elements interchange in the cut-up structure with a lot of X-shapes reminiscent of the letter X in the name of the Bank.

The architecture takes Saxo Bank’s cutting edge profile as its point of departure. Main lines of the structure explore the balance between dynamic expression and trustworthy solidity, executed

Inside, a transparent and inspiring environment enhances the sense of team spirit. The open plans centre round a softly shaped top-lit atrium with a winding main staircase.

offices/SAXO BANK

Completion 2008

SAXO BANK

Client Saxo Bank

Copenhagen, Denmark

Address Philip Heymans Allé 15 2900 Hellerup

offices/SAXO BANK

Size 5.000 m²

Middelfart Savings Bank is a key institution in the town of Middelfart on the island of Funen, Denmark. Thus the Savings Bank wanted their new Head Office to provide a new public space for the local citizens as well as an architectural icon for the town and the Savings Bank. The building is characterized by a dramatic roofscape accommodating multiple functions. 83 prism-like skylights compose the spectacular roof surface defining the geometry of the building – in reference to the maritime environment as well as the surrounding buildings. The roof is specially designed to frame a perfect view to-

offices/MIDDELFART SPAREKASSE

Completion 2010

MIDDELFART SAVINGS BANK

Client Trekantens Ejendomsselskab A/S / Middelfart Savings Bank

Middelfart, Denmark

Address Havnegade 21 5500 Middelfart

wards the water while at the same time shading from direct sunlight. The working environment is further improved by sustainable features such as natural ventilation and the latest technologies in energy efficient heating and cooling, facilitate energy savings of 30-50 percent. A bookshop, a café, a real estate agent and the cash desk are placed around a central plaza, resulting in the an informal public meeting space at the ground floor level. The work stations are located on three open terraces internally connected by broad staircases encouraging interaction and informal meetings or breaks.

offices/MIDDELFART SPAREKASSE

mixied use/BELLA SKY HOTEL

Size 42.000 m2 (814 rooms)

A new landmark hotel and conference center designed by 3XN is first step of the long-anticipated extension of the Bella Center; Copenhagen’s famous Congress Center. The upgrade of Bella Center adds an urban feeling to the place, and the extension will immediately benefit from Bella Center’s perfect location: Situated between the old city core and Orestad; Copenhagen’s growth center, Bella Center is connected to two important worlds of activities, and furthermore it’s close to the Metro as well as the Copenhagen Airport. The two hotel towers stand close as a pair, yet seem a little shy; the towers incline in opposite directions. The reason for this is to obtain an unobstructed view from all rooms in each tower of the flat landscape.

mixed use/BELLA SKY HOTEL

Completion 2011

BELLA SKY HOTEL

Client Bella Center A/S

Copenhagen, Denmark

Address Center Boulevard 5 2300 København S

Wind considerations as well as a wish for a landmark signal caused the top twist of one tower, while the wish for a clearly indicated entrance caused the ground floor twist of the other tower. The hotel lobby is merging into the existing entrance lobby of the Bella Center, making the hotel a true integrated part, ready for large events like the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair; this time with rooms for rent. With 814 hotel rooms, 32 conference rooms, 4 restaurants and a sky bar with sweeping views over the Copenhagen skyline, Bella Sky Hotel is the largest hotel in Scandinavia. It was awarded Best European hotel architecture by the International Hotel Awards 2012.

mixed use/BELLA SKY HOTEL

Completion 2015 Size 35.000 m²

Copenhagen Arena will attract thousands of people to Copenhagen and contribute to the overall economy. Hence, the Arena must function as a state of the art and flexible venue offering spectators a unique world class experience. Moreover, a building of this size affects the community next to it, and therefore the design needs to include features which add value to the surrounding neighborhood. Central to the design is a unique podium acting as a link to the adjoining neighborhood. This feature is designed to effectively absorb the movement of spectators through a variety of small plazas, pockets and gathering areas which have been carved from the podium’s perimeter. It simultaneously encourages the community to em-

culture/COPENHAGEN ARENA

Client Arena CPHX P/S

COPENHAGEN ARENA

Address Ørestad Syd, Copenhagen

Copenhagen, Denmark

Project Type Sports and concert arena

brace the variety of public spaces, staircase and adjacencies which promote activity and liveliness when the building is not in use. The wave-like semi-transparent facade that seemingly ‘dances’ above the surrounding podium allows people on the outside to enjoy glimpses of the activities within. The wavelike movements lift up slightly above the natural entry points of the Arena making way-finding easy and logical. The terracotta fins constituting the facade add warmth and texture to the building; giving the Arena a light and elegant expression. Copenhagen Arena will have a capacity between 12,500 and 15,000 depending on the type of activities being carried through. It is expected to be completed in the fall of 2015.

culture/COPENHAGEN ARENA

GXN -the Innovation Unit at 3XN Architects Established in 2007 as an internal division, GXN has driven architectural research in the newest materials and building technologies. The ‘G’ stands for Green, highlighting GXN’s dedication to ecological design research through digital processes and innovative material solutions. The core goal is to develop a building culture that positively affects the world in which we, live both architecturally and environmentally. GXN has developed partnerships with leading experts across various industries for investigation in material research, data analysis, biology, and digitalization. Using applications of building innovation technologies from several disciplines allows GXN to create custom solutions for unique architectural challenges. The Five Innovation Strategies in this booklet describe how GXN pushes the limits of research, design and commercial application in the quest for Better Buildings and Better Environments for People.

„GXN is 3XN's innovation unit wchich was founded in 2007. The „G“ stands for green, and it highlights GXN's dedikation to design research through digital processes og innovative materials.“ Kasper Guldager Jørgensen Head of GXN

GXN 5 GREEN DESIGN STRATEGIES Working with Five Innovation Strategies GXN pushes the limits of research, design, and commercial application in the quest for Better Buildings and Better Environments for People.

1: GREEN DESIGN Green architecture is not just responsible and healthy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is also economical and important in the long-term Green Design Strategy is a mindset for all of our work, where we are particularly sensitive to building design as it affects people, nature, and context. This regenerative approach results in a positive impact on the local social, ecological, and economic spheres.

project example: Green solution house As an international showcase for the highest level of sustainable living Green Solution House on the Island of Bornholm sets the bar high. Following the principles of Cradle 2 Cradle all materials used in the building are either fully recyclable or biodegradable - thus eliminating the concept of waste.

2: INFORMED DESIGN Having the right information at the right time is essential for designing sustainable and cost-effective architecture Informed Design Strategies are about the use of software to inform the process on a range of issues such as day-lighting, energy use, and local climate conditions before the final design is locked in.

project example: horten headquarters The unique geometry of the facade on the Horten Law Offices posed a challenge to traditional construction methods. A lightweight composite material in fiberglass, foam, and travertine was developed for the exterior of the building. The facade design doubles as a three dimensional expression and an energy saving function.

3: BEHAVIOUR DESIGN Knowing how architecture affects us, allows us to create buildings tailored to human behaviour Behaviour Design Strategies are about integrating psychology into the architecture of buildings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; creating better buildings with better conditions for people and function. This is an approach to optimizing performance of the building.

project example: middelfart savings bank Most buildings are designed without any real knowledge about human behaviour patterns in the built environment. Through examining elements such as spatial diversity, visual transparency, personalization, and privacy one can measure the significant impact on work environment, well-being, and building performance.

4: TECHNOLOGY DESIGN By learning from technologies in other industries, we can create entirely new and competitive products for the building industry Technology Design Strategies explore processes where learning from one technology and transferring specific qualities or characteristics into another, results in a new product or completely new use.

project example: gotham light GXN developed itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specially designed Gotham luminaire from the newest solar cell and lighting technology. The lamp produces more energy that it uses and contributes therefore positively to its surroundings. Using a specially designed prism, the streetlamp collects solar energy and converts it into street lighting.

5: EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN By not setting any limits to imagination, the better we can be at creating green and innovative architecture The engine behind GXN innovation, Experimental Design Strategies are about stretching our imaginations, taking architecture to the very edge of what is possible through the use of new materials and sophisticated software and design technologies.

project example: Louisiana pavillion: The Louisiana Pavillion demonstrates unlimited possibilities in combining sustainable and intelligent materials. Built from a bio-composite material (corn, flax fibre, soya beans, and cork), the pavillion becomes a part of a biological lifecycle. By integrating energy generating materials the structure is energy self-sufficient.

Completion 2012

business/NOMA LAB

Client Restaurant NOMA

NOMA LAB

Address Strandgade 93, 1401 Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark

Project Type Interior Design

Size 200 m²

As the number one ranked restaurant for three years in a row, the expectations for creative innovation and optimum performance at NOMA are higher than ever before. The solution to these challenges was a unique ‘experimentarium’ and office that would strengthen the organizational life and inspire the chefs to take their skills even further in the evolution and development of Nordic cuisine. The NOMA Lab is connected to NOMA situated in a former harbor warehouse on the national registry of protected buildings. The tight restrictions meant that the interior should be designed and built without using so much as one single nail in the walls or flooring. The approach was to design four central multi-functional storage units; each composed from over five hundred uniquely formed wooden cubes.

Curving playfully throughout the space, these units divide the 200m² room into smaller areas accommodating the Food Lab, the herb garden, staff areas and office. Raw and simple, through colors and forms, it captures a unique Nordic aesthetic. True to the restaurant’s philosophy, the NOMA Lab is developed exclusively using Nordic materials. The organic forms of the storage units stand out through use of integrated light features, which also give the interior a lighter feel. The additional lighting is provided by the specially developed STAR lamp, whose reflective light casts dramatic geometric shadows into the surroundings enhancing the Nordic feeling even more.

business/NOMA LAB

3XN A/S Strandgade 73 1401 Copenhagen Denmark 3xn.dk 3xn@3xn.dk

“Building Human Behaviour” The 3XN philosophy in 90 sec