Building mass transformation
Façade
The façade of the cantilevered box has received a special attention from our side. We have generated a pattern of circles and rings that serves both as a decoration and a passive shield from the extensive Nigerian sunlight. We rely on the contemporary appearance of the design to attract attention of people passing by in their cars. We are also sure that such an architectural feature should definitely brighten up the local area. The base for the pattern was created with the Grasshopper plugin for Rhinocerous3D and then further manipulated inside Rhinocerous3D. It was agreed early on that metal would be the facade material. The façade is also designed to redirect a portion of the extensive local heat. After the design stage was complete the façade proposal was assessed by a German construction company and we were then offered two potential façade systems to use - ventilated glass cladding or ventilated alucobond cladding. For the open parts of the structure Defascon would recommend a unitized façade to combine the intended design with fast and easy installation. This method would allow a fast an easy installation with 80% inexperienced but skilled workers. The system to be used is not yet set and it will depend on the client’s willingness to increase project’s budget. Now we are negotiating a new budget and considering a possible option of demolishing the existing structure and building our proposal from scratch. It is still very early in the project, hence drawings and material choices are merely suggestive at this stage.
Ikeja, Lagos
First floor
AA
Ground floor
HYLOMORPH Tolulope Onabolu (Lead Architect)
Anton Anikeev (Facade design) June Chen (Assistant)
Site
The building is sited near the main airport (in the Ikeja area) of Lagos. The site is right on the way out of the airport’s local terminal. In a way the building serves as a gateway between the airport and the city and can be seen easily from the main road.The territory of the site is derelict and occupied by an existing unfinished office building bought by the client. The existing structure is totally substandard and under designed. Space, form and materiality appear to be of a very low standard and require an extensive reconfiguration.
Second floor
Third floor
Design
We had to rework the building mass, to reorganise the spaces and to remodel the façade, engaging both with internal spaces and the exterior. We cut new voids into the building to let in light, created a new atrium at the top floor, created a cantilever which spans four floors and extends out almost for six meters. The given building was essentially remodelled and divided horizontally in two volumes: solid plinth and decorated cantilevered box. A new-build, third volume, was introduced to complete the architectural composition and to provide additional space of higher quality. We received constant pressure from the client and had to do our best to meet the deadline in a very short time. For us the project was an exercise in both geometry and light and we have accomplished it in about two weeks.
Client
IRS is a local Nigerian airline company. It was issued with an Air Transport License in February 2002 to enable it to operate as a fully-fledged airline while it was issued an Air Operator’s certificate in March 2002 thus signifying its compliance with Nigerian Civil Aviation laws. At the moment the company has modest, but decent fleet and it operates regular flights between several locations in Nigeria.
Brief
The main concern of the client was to construct a facility for a multifunctional operational office with a program close to an office building, but also beyond it, particularly to accommodate some distinctive features of transportation business, such as training simulators or ticket service. We also introduced the idea of creating an attractive image through a design solution which can not only strengthen the company’s position, but attract new customers and improve the area. Section AA
Pent floor
PROGRAMS & DIAGRAMS
UCRL: AUDITORIUM COMPETITION
UCRL: PRISON PROJECT