January 2011

Complimentary copy of ASSA Abloy’s ‘NEW HIGH’, a project profile of IGI Terminal 3, N. Delhi with January ‘11 IA&B issue

Focus

BIG: The Architecture of Scale

VOL 24 (5)

JAN 2011

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Envisioning Emblems In conversation with Sarita Vijayan, Editor & Brand Director, IA&B, Bob Van Bebber, Director, Boogertman + Partners elaborates on his ideas and designs as he talks about the concept of scale and visual impact in his architectural endeavours.

Photograph: courtesy Bob Van Bebber

let’s partner SV. Your firm, Boogertman + Partners has been rated the top architectural practice in South Africa. As a multinational firm doing large scale projects, what would you term your primary design policy?

BVB. We do not have specific or primary design philosophy, but would rather highlight elements that critically inform our design and decision making processes. These are: regionalism with a focus on climate and available materials and skills, the sustainability of the project including the legacy that it leaves for the local community, financial viability and sustainability. We steer away from mere from-making but recognise the marketability of such opportunities, all the above in the context of human comfort and functionality.

SV. Your firm conceived and executed the Soccer City which became an overnight icon world over. How do you associate to the project’s significance?

BVB. The projects’ significance is something that it has gained over time and certainly during the World Cup. It is as such put in a position to win major awards particularly the World Architecture festival sports category and the LEAF awards – best public building overall winner. When we started, we understood that it would be on the world stage but at no point did we anticipate that it would be recognised as a major work.

SV. What do you seek inspiration from? Were you inspired by someone / someone’s work over the years? Did you have a mentor?

BVB. I get inspiration from the site and the end users’ social heritage. I am not specifically influenced by anyone’s work but have always been an admirer of the work of Renzo Piano in terms of process and the work of some significant Dutch Architects. Also in my formative years, I had Pancho Guedes as a teacher who certainly instilled in me the idea of architecture as art.

SV. Is there a schism between form and function in architecture today? If yes then how can it be overcome?

BVB. There is definitely a schism between form and function where many buildings, particularly those in the glossy architectural publications are showing what I call ‘Shapitecture’, where there is only form just because it is possible. We do recognise that form helps ‘sell’ the building but it should be seen in the light of flexibility and sustainability.

SV. Every architect has his own version of today’s ‘ism’. What according to you is the ‘ism’ for the architecture of the present?

BVB. For us in South Africa, it is ‘Contextualism’.

SV. Any creative expression is always open for criticism. How do you handle negative criticism?

BVB. I think criticism is good but should promote discussion and should always be done with the full understanding of the constraints within which buildings are conceived and built.

Bob van Bebber is a Director at Boogertman + Partners, a multinational architectural design firm. Bob has been actively involved in multiple and diverse projects across the world ranging from corporate parks, sports facilities, hotels, industrial zones, airports and other multi-facility buildings. He has led a team of designers on Soccer City for the 2010 World Cup. Bob was a keynote speaker at the Green Building Conference 2010 in Mauritius.

SV. What would be your advice to the new generation of architects?

BVB. Read and draw by hand as much as possible. Visit as many works of architecture as possible, but look for the little gems in your local community.

SV. India and South Africa have connected histories. What would be your primary confederations while designing in India?

BVB. That they would be contextual and socially responsive.

To read more about The Soccer City, refer to the article titled ‘Mega Manifestation’ on page 96.

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LET’S PARTNER Envisioning Emblems In conversation with Sarita Vijayan, Editor & Brand Director, IA&B, Bob Van Bebber, Director, Boogertman + Partners elaborates on his ideas and designs as he talks about the idea of scale and visual impact in his architectural endeavours.

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CURRENT Featured are the latest updates on events, exhibitions, competitions and news.

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PRODUCTS An update on the contemporary and innovative designer products.

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Contemporary Cusps

POST EVENT Design Directions

Redefining the skyline around the Hussain Sagar Lake ,‘The Park Hotel’, Hyderabad designed by SOM, New York, makes a statement.

Indian Architect & Builder in association with Legrand concluded a travelling exhibition in five cities showcasing fifty changing frames of Contemporary Indian Architecture.

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Retaining the cultural identity of Xi’an, London-based PLASMA STUDIO Architects Market City-Kurla Market City-Kurla conceptualised by UK-based firm Benoy Architects is all set to take the Mumbai’s retail experience to new heights.

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INTERIORS

Capital Gate

Analogical Tranformations

RMJM, a multinational design firm, visualised a skyscraper with the twisted

Vadodara-based architectural firm Dipen Gada & Associates’ design of their own studio is a fresh take on how the designers can connect to the sense of being one with their own work.

profile—Capital Gate in Abu Dhabi.

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Frozen in Flow Bengaluru-based architectural firm Cadence defines a unique design with intense composition of curving, warping, overlapping and interlocking surfaces in this residential project.

traces a new beginning with the design for Xi’an Horticultural Exhibition 2011.

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Urbanistic Exposition Courteous Courtyard, an abode designed by Surat-based AANGAN Architects explores the aesthetic qualities of concrete.

CONSTRUCTION BRIEF Xi’an Horticultural Exhibition 2011

ARCHITECTURE

Pixel Tower Dubai is set to host an iconic skyscraper Pixel Tower designed by Hong Kong-based architecture firm James Law Cybertecture.

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Reconstruction of Bus Terminus Complex Cochin-based architectural firm Kumar Group Total Designers presents the capital of Kerala with a new Bus Terminus to improve mobility in Thampanoor.

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TECHNOLOGY Inspirational Innovations Taiwan Tower Proposal by multinational firm Paolo Cucchi Architects initiates a dialogue on inter-dependence of technology and building design.

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Chairman: Jasu Shah Printer & Publisher: Maulik Jasubhai Editor & Brand Director: Sarita Vijayan Deputy Editor: Sujatha Mani Senior Writers: Ritu Sharma Writers: Rati Singh, Maanasi Hattangadi, Namrata Rao, Sidharth Gupta, Ruturaj Parikh, Rashmi Naicker (Online) Visualisers: Mansi Chikani, Nikhita Gadkari Web Designer: Sandeep Sahoo Editorial Co-ordinator: Namita Bandekar Events Co-ordinator: Abhay Dalvi, Abhijeet Mirashi Subscription Co-ordinators: Sheetal Kamble, Kapil Bhanushali Production Team: V Raj Misquitta (Head), Prakash Nerkar, Arun Madye Brand Manager: Sudhanshu Nagar Head Key Accounts: Meha Shrivastava

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FOCUS BIG: The Architecture of Scale Spotlight on the built structures where scale has trancended its limits.

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The Colossal Promenade The Shanghai Expo Axis Boulevard designed by German firm SBA in collaboration with Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering delineates their intention to create an iconic public space.

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Mega Manifestation South Africa-based architectural firm Boogertman + Partners in association with US-based architetcural firm Populous redesigned ‘Soccer Stadium’ at Johannesburg.

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Fluid Constructs With the design for Aqua Tower, US-based Studio Gang Architects make an expressive visual statement.

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BOOK REVIEW A Place in the Shade Woven with transpiring narratives and illustrative concepts, ‘A Place in the Shade’ by Charles Correa, inspires a contemplative thought on architecture as an agent of change.

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ART Evidences of Occupation In an attempt to claim the space through gestures of occupation and objects of engagement, the installation ‘Work-Place’ designed by Studio Mumbai Architects occupied a raw space in the Venice Biennale 2010.

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CULTURE COUNTS Non Government Organisations Focusing on the contribution of NGOs in India, this month’s ‘Culture Counts’, a column curated by Amita Baig, features an insight by Ashis Banerjee.

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26 IA&B - JAN 2011

current NETWORK RESET: Rethinking The Chicago Emerald Necklace Category Type Deadline

: : :

International Open to all February 21, 2011

NETWORK RESET, presented by MAS Studio and the Chicago Architectural Club is a single-stage international competition that seeks to provide ideas and actions that can reactivate the boulevard system of Chicago and rethink its potential role in the city. Participants are asked to look at the urban scale and propose a framework for the entire boulevard system as well as provide answers and visualise the interventions at a smaller scale that can directly impact its potential users.

For further information, log on to: Web: www.masstudio.com

Design Matters 2 International Competition Category : Type : Deadline :

International Open to all Registration: February 28, 2011 Submission: March 01, 2011

This competition is a call for ideas to design a building block of an inclusive school environment that will uniquely enhance the quality of life for teens and adults with disabilities who participate in the Easter Seals VIP Academy.

The design should support the program goals of providing these young adults with the vocational/life skills they require to lead fully productive lives.

Traditionally little or no thought has been given to the environments in which these crucial services are delivered.

For further information, log on to: Web: www.designmatters2.com

Facade Window Project

COMPETITIONS

Category Type Deadline

: : :

International Open to all March 04, 2011

The Henry Art Gallery, the art museum of the University of Washington in Seattle, is soliciting proposals for a site-specific, large-scale temporary media project for the façade of the museum’s main entrance. The site consists of windows situated at one end of a busy pedestrian bridge on the University of Washington campus. The competition seeks to engage an artist or an art team to create a media art project that will be visually striking and attention-grabbing, arousing interest and curiosity in the Henry, and motivating people to meet the functional goal of attracting visitors to enter the museum. It will also possess significant artistic merit.

For further information, log on to: Web: www.henryart.org

The Generative Space Award Category Type Deadline

: : :

International Open to all May 01, 2011

The Generative Space Award recognises and seeks to identify health and healthcare settings from around the world. The focus lies on improving human health through innovative design of the environment and incorporates the knowledge, experience, and best practices accumulated in the mainstream healthcare industry by heading it to the next level. The Caritas Project has initiated the call for entries for this new award. This award provides a new platform to recognise and celebrate beacon projects that can credibly document being a place to flourish.

For further information, log on to: Web: www.thecaritasproject.info

Futuristic Water Competition 2011 Category : Type : Deadline :

International Open to all Registration: March 01, 2011 Submission: May 15, 2011

The bio-mechanical futuristic water competition is the International call for ecological ideas for the design of the biological mechanical village or urban quarter of the city - for the city of London. The competition seeks to apply a biological mechanical approach to the future environments of the city, applying the values of bio-reef diversity. There are no restrictions in regards to site, program or size. The objective is to provide maximum freedom to the participants to engage the project without specific constraints in the most creative way. Proposals could tackle housing issues in London, tackle and propose a financial and research technology hub, which brings thousands of jobs, with 21st century homes, urban farm integrations, public green spaces that has a rich urban vibrancy and street life.

For further information, log on to: Web: www.biologicalarchitecture.net

SuvelaSURGE Category : Type : Deadline :

International Open to all Registration: March 04, 2011 Submission: June 05, 2011

International Student Idea & Design Competition for Sustainable Neighbourhood Regeneration, SuvelaSURGE is part of the programme of activities associated to SB11 Helsinki. Suvela district lies next to Espoo Centre, one of the five suburban centers within the City of Espoo, Finland. This competition aims at generating tools for rapid and ambitious regeneration and redevelopment of a neighbourhood with a history of social housing and poor image. The competition is part of the programme of activities associated to the SB11 Helsinki World Sustainable Building Conference, and is intended for multidisciplinary working teams.

For further information, log on to: Email: www.sb11.org

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current Typography Day 2011 Date : Venue :

March 04 to March 05, 2011 Ahmedabad, India

Typography Day 2011 will be organised at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad in collaboration with the Industrial Design Centre (IDC) at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) with support from India Design Association (InDeAs).

The event will include a seminar which will be devoted to addressing issues faced by type designers, type users and type educators. The program will feature presentations on the first two days followed by day of workshops dedicated to typography and calligraphy. The seminar will focus on typographic experiments and explorations with respect to expressive typography, typographic expression using multilingual scripts, typographic expression in native (indigenous) scripts, typography as an expression of local contextual design and research activities in expressive typography.

For further information, log on to: Web: www.idc.iitb.ac.in

Light India International Date : Venue :

March 04 to March 07, 2011 Chennai, India

The Light India International 2011 will provide the developments taking place and provide excellent marketing opportunities for all the products and services covered by the lighting industry. Light India International 2011 is covering a double digit growth in the last three years. Lighting industry is focused for rapid development, with the increased investments in the infrastructural sectors and in India it is on a globalisation drive and is now providing the Indian consumers a variety of lighting products sourced domestically as well as from different overseas countries. The growing living standards in India are finding expressions in this particular industry in many ways. The event will bring together all the stakeholders in the lighting industry and will serve as the platform to launch the upcoming brands, national and international, with an eye on the fast growing Indian market.

For further information, log on to: Web: www.lii2011.in

Decentralisation and Urban Transformation in Asia

EVENTS

Date : Venue :

March 10 to March 11, 2011 Singapore

This multidisciplinary conference explores the relationship between different forms and degrees of decentralisation and urban change in Asia. Applicants are encouraged to consider empirical case studies and theories within comparative Asian contexts, and what lessons might be learned from Asia for urban transformations in other parts of the world. The questions will focus on how decentralisation changed the role and functions of local administration in Asian cities and how it can transformed the built environment of urban spaces and the lived environments of city residents.

It will also focus on how networks of governance and inter-city cooperation have emerged between cities within and beyond national borders since the initiation of decentralisation and how it reconfigured relations between cities and their surrounding hinterlands. The exhibition invites the applicants to submit papers on the interplay between decentralisation and urban change in Asia.

For further information, log on to: Web: www.ari.nus.edu.sg

1st International Conference on Light in Engineering, Architecture and the Environment Date : Venue :

May 17 to May 19, 2011 Poznan, Poland

The first conference on Lighting in Engineering, Architecture, Arts and the Environment is aimed at discussing the latest developments in a variety of topics related to light and illumination, from its engineering aspects to its use in art and architecture and the effect of light on living systems and human health. Better understanding by urban planners of illumination has helped to enhance heritage architecture and can lead to the recovery of degraded city areas. Emphasis on environmental and ecological issues has led to a new understanding among planners and architects of the need to work in harmony with nature, including taking maximum advantage of daylight, as the source of life and well-being.

For further information, log on to: Web: www.wessex.ac.uk

Implementing Profitable and Sustainable Building Projects Date Venue

: :

May 22 to May 25, 2011 Abu Dhabi, UAE

The 5th Annual Cost-Effective Sustainable Design & Construction will highlight the key solutions to the latest challenges in the Middle East’s sustainable building industry, including the introduction of the mandatory building code issued by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC). The UPC has introduced a mandatory green building code where all new buildings must meet sustainability and urban design requirements to receive approval for construction to begin. The Estidama Pearl Rating System will be used as a means of regulating urban design throughout the capital where buildings are required to meet minimum cultural and community requirements as well as environmental concerns. Regional developers and contractors are seeking architects and consultants with local experience and knowledge of designing and constructing energy-efficient, sustainable projects which can meet both stakeholder expectations and the new government regulations.

For further information, log on to: Web: www.mesustainableconstruction.com

Dense Cities Date : Venue :

May 26 to May 28, 2011 Graz, Austria

High density living is environmentally beneficial, reduces the use of land and encourages more community interaction. The conference deals with the question of how architecture can contribute to Dense Cities with high living qualities. Main focus will be the role of architecture in providing a sustainable and high quality living environment within compact cities.

For further information, log on to: Web: www.densecities.org

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current World Cup 2022: Populous reveals Sports City Stadium, Qatar Populous has unveiled its air-conditioned stadium project in Qatar which is being built for the 2022 World Cup. The 47,000-seat stadium features a retractable roof and a retractable pitch allowing the arena to be reconfigured for non-sport uses. Powered by solar energy, the venue’s playing surface and seating stands will be climate controlled with cool air blown onto spectators at neck and ankle levels. The project aims to be ‘zero-carbon’, contributing some of the energy from its solar panels to Qatar’s national electricity grid. Sports City Stadium is one of the 12 ‘conceptual stadia’ designed for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Populous principal Dan Meis designed the stadium while working at Aedas.

Second terminal for Dublin Airport completed despite countrywide economic crisis Dublin Airport’s new second terminal, courtesy of architecture practice Pascall+Watson, Prime Consultant Arup and design engineers Mace has been completed. It may be early days for the sleek new building, but it has already scooped a Structural Steel Design Award earlier this year. Spread over 75,000sqm, the sprawling terminal building uses around two thirds less energy than other terminals of equal size and demand and is capable of handling 15million passengers each year. Ireland has hit the headlines recently with crippling monetary issues and attempts to secure a £72bn international bailout. Whilst the official cost of the project has been released as €395m, media reports range as high as €600m, with the Financial Times reporting that ‘The Dublin Airport Authority has been saddled with huge debts to finance the project and is facing claims by unpaid subcontractors’. Alan Lamond, International Aviation Director for Pascall+Watson says,“When we received our commission for the masterplan of Dublin Airport and then the terminal we knew this development was one of national importance. Our solution was going to have to capture the aspirations and spirit of the country as well as celebrate the synergy between form and function, and deliver a world-class passenger experience.”

NEWS

Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki was named the 67th recipient of American Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal The AIA Gold Medal, held in similar regard to the RIBA Gold Medal, is the highest accolade given to an individual architect by any organisation in the US. Maki, described as “Japan’s most pre-eminent living architect”, has been practicing since the 1960s and was a key figure in the Japanese Metabolist architecture movement. Although based primarily in Tokyo, he studied at both Harvard and Cranbrook in America and regularly teaches in the US. What stands out most about Fumihiko Maki is the consistent quality of his work of the highest caliber and the creation of ineffable atmospheres; his buildings convey a quiet and elegant moment of reflection. Maki will receive the award at the 2011 AIA national convention in New Orleans.

David Mikhail’s Hackney revamp named best London extension An overhaul of a Victorian House in Hackney, featuring a one metre-deep glass extension, has won the NLA’s second annual Don’t Move, Improve!

Competition. The Hoxton House by David Mikhail Architects was praised by contest judges for its ‘incredible economy of space and for its coherent, simple and uncluttered design’. The competition to find the capital’s best reworked home and cleverest extensions was run together with the London Development Agency, the Mayor of London, and RIBA London.

An exhibition showcasing all 50 shortlisted and winning schemes at the New London Architecture (NLA) galleries, The Building Centre WC1 will run until Saturday 26 February, 2011.

Broad Museum design unveiled The much anticipated design for Eli Broad’s new downtown Los Angeles museum was unveiled at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and is to be located next to Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall. The museum designed by New York architect Diller Scofidio + Renfro, is based on the concept of ‘the veil and the vault’ where the gallery (the veil) and the archive (the vault) are given equal play in the building with the archive treated as a main event around which the rest of the museum spaces are organised. The architects have placed the archive midway in the building and surrounded the heavy opaque mass with an ethereal, transparent structure, the porosity of which is intended to dissolve the boundary between building and urban space while rendering the archive visible at all times. The archive plays a key role in shaping the museum experience from entrance to exit. It is enveloped on all sides by an airy exoskeleton structure of honeycomb concrete that spans across the block-long building and lifts almost effortlessly at the building’s corners to reveal the building’s entrance. The three-storey museum is estimated to cost $130m.

Bandra-Versova Sea Link progressing on fast track mode The state government of Maharashtra has put on fast track extension of the suburban-end of the Bandra-Worli Sea. The agency executing the project, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), has expressed confidence about floating tenders for the Bandra-Versova part of the sea link by August. The approximate stretch of the Bandra-Versova leg will be 10.1 km. This will be the final phase of the ambitious Western freeway. While construction work of the Worli-Haji Ali Sea Link is set to begin in three months, work on the proposal of the Haji Ali-Nariman Point link is in its final stage. “We should be able to float tenders in about six or seven months,” confirmed Vice-Chairman of MSRDC Bipin Srimali. “Various surveys, including traffic data analysis, are under way”. A German-based firm, Parsons Brinckerhoff Consulting, is carrying out a detailed feasibility survey by June. Three construction plan options for the Bandra-Versova Sea Link have been submitted by MSRDC to the state Cabinet’s sub-committee on infrastructure. These could include a combination of a sea link, tunnel and a coastal road.

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products

SPARKS Sparks attempts to freeze a fleeting moment and record it emotionally.

The light appearance of a split second is compressed and duplicated volumetrically.Technically, it is a modular lighting system which consists of three different modules made of aluminium tubes. They can be arranged with a simple plug-in system in various configurations to form a three-dimensional structure. Every module can be rotated freely in 360° making the whole system easily adaptable to every possible architectural situation. There are virtually no limits to the size. The lighting elements are based on low-energy LED modules which are hidden behind cones made of frosted acrylic glass.

Designer: Daniel Becker Contact: Daniel Becker Design Studio Chodowieckistr. 9/I, D-10405 Berlin, Germany Tel: +49 (0) 157 759 749 59 Web: http://www.danielbecker.eu Email: info@danielbecker.eu

The Ring Lamp

lighting

The Ring lamp is a concept based upon the movie “Tron:Legacy”. It uses bioluminescent polymers to emit light, and the light intensity can be set by rotating the disk. The power is transferred via brush contacts to the outer copper ring. The polymers need a very low voltage to operate, so there is no danger of being shocked by touching the copper ring.

Designer: Loris Bottello Contact: Tel: +39 377 1034373 Email: loris_bott@tiscali.it

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products Windmaker The working of this analog fan is based on an old cuckoo clock.

This analog fan uses an old trick with gears and pulleys to generate power. By transferring up the weight, the wooden fan starts blowing wind in the room. In less then five minutes a room can be completely refreshed without using electricity, inducing the change in the quality of air within the room. The analog fan is not meant to cool the room but to keep the air in circulation.

Designer: Luc van Hoeckel Contact: Tongelresestraat 441A 5641 AV Eindhoven Netherlands Tel: +31 (0) 615 013 821 Web: www.lucvanhoeckel.nl Email: mail@lucvanhoeckel.nl

Phenomena Table

interiors

The Phenomena Table is a contemporary inception of the ability of a recess to retain water. The seemingly smooth contours of the table frame hold a reflective glass to create a solid - fluid image. The light reflects at multiple angles, changing the perception of the object as one moves around it.

Designer: Sang Hoon Kim Contact: 1186 Broadway #441 New York, NY, 10001 Tel: +1-347-266-1286 Email: sanghoonkim79@gmail.com

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products PHARO Pharo takes and creates generous space. It is offered in a range of contemporary, as well as classic colours and materials. Visually it reflects both the fine lines of a leaf as well as their soft inviting folds.

The material of the chair is fiberglass and is painted in several colours.

The piece of furniture can also be used outdoors by customising it for areas like swimming pools. Coloured neoprene pads makes the chair comfortable and water resistant.

Designer: Thomas Gerber Contact: WILDE+SPIETH Designmobel GmbH & Co. KG Rontgenstrabe 1/1 73730 Esslingen/Germany Tel: +49 (0) 7 11/351 303-0 Web: www.wilde-spieth.com Email: gerber@wilde-spieth.com

Memory Armchair

interiors

This armchair is designed and created as the part of the New Danish Modern collection which springs from the Danish design tradition where quality and attention to detail are given high priority. Memory is a warm and friendly armchair that makes time to sit and think. It is upholstered, and with its broad, square arms, it braces you and invites you to sit down and relax completely. It has a tailored and upholstered woolen cover over a wooden frame and foam.

Designer: Ole Jensen Contact: Howitzvej 67D, Stuen 2000 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark Tel: +45 2622 9419 Email: jensen.ole@webspeed.dk

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products Solar Lampion Solar Lampion consists of 36 small solar panels that form the design of a lantern. This is the final version made for the designer’s Milan presentation and published for the first time ever. Unlike many garden lamps, one can leave the Solar Lampion unattended in the garden. The Solar Lampion stores energy during the day and releases it in the form of light at night.

Designer: Damian O’Sullivan Contact: Web: www.damianosullivan.com

Self Table Lamp

innovations

‘Self’ is a table lamp that is manufactured with a single brass tube which has been folded in some areas and moulded in others. This single element is enough to complete the lamp’s design: the same tube makes the shade, the base and the cover of the lamp-holder. This continuity gives structure its luminary contrasts with the two ends, which need to be near, but not touching, to fulfill their lighting function. It has a zigzagging base and a cap-like shade. This lamp reminds one of a trumpet which seems to have gotten tangled up in itself. Self Table Lamp is available in white, red, black, blue and beige.

Designer: Luis Eslava Contact: C/ Museo 5, Bajo Dcha - 46003 - Valencia - (Spain) Tel:+34 963 918 711 MOV:+34 661 229 333 Web: www.luiseslava.com Email: info@luiseslava.com

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products Kalypso Kalypso is a spotlight made of moulded die-cast aluminium which is characterised by the presence, on the upper side of the cap, of hollowed bubbles shading in a radial way towards the perimeter. It is available in the hanging, wall or ceiling version. In the wall or ceiling version, it is characterised by a flexible arm, that makes the spotlight directional at 360°. The finishing is bright chromate. This modern piece of lighting amalgamates versatility and avant-garde industrial aesthetic.

Designer: Paulo De Lucchi Contact: Lucente S.r.I. Societa Unipersonale Sede operative e Show room Via Friuli, 6 31038 Padernello di Paese (TV) Italy Tel: +39 (0) 422 4575 Web: www.lucente.eu Email: info@lucente.eu

L’Horloge d’une vie de travail 1

inventions

L’Horloge d’une vie de travail 1 is a clock for calculating in real time the hours of work accumulated before retirement (1 minute divided into 60 seconds, 1 week divided into 35 hours, 1 quarter divided into 13 weeks and 40 years divided into 160 quarters). It can be set off by phone in order to meet the needs of today’s increasingly mobile worker. This clock introduces the notion of “individual time” (like “universal time”), which one can accumulate accordingly. It becomes the reflection of a work system that is moving towards individualisation and is breaking up forms of solidarity by annihilating collective defence strategies.

The product, though not being a mainstream commercial conception, makes us think of things we have lost.

Designer: Julien Berthier Contact: Email: mail@julienberthier.org

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Indian Architect & Builder and

Legrand present

Design Directions, a travelling exhibition organised by Legrand in association with Indian Architect & Builder, visited five cities across India as a forum for discussion and display of benchmark sensibilties in contemporary Indian architecture from 11 th October to 23 rd December 2010.

Design Directions was an attempt to showcase fifty practices as a cross-sectional representation of contemporary Indian architecture.

The highlight of the exhibition centered around panels from Legrand that showcased their avante-garde product range.

A

(L to R) Yves Martinez, Managing Director, Legrand (India) , Parul Zaveri , Principal Architect, Abhikram; Nimish Patel, Principal Architect, Abhikram; A.G.K Menon, Convenor, INTACH, lighting the lamp to mark the inauguration of the exhibition in Delhi on 19 th October 2010.

rchitecture is said to be a reflection of the society it’s built in.

Contemporary architectural practice in India and their edifices have witnessed a paradigm shift in the past two and half decades, a reflection of their time. Design Directions was conceived as kaleidoscope of fifty project expressions, each representational of the attitude, approach and ideology of the architect involved. The fifty practices were chosen as a cross-sectional portrayal of the flux of Indian contemporary architecture. Chronicling the architectural evolution, the exhibition aimed at an elementary categorisation titled as ‘Global Paradigms’; ‘Indian Idioms’ and ‘Paracentric Paths’—each celebrating the architectural mosaic of global influxes, innovation and heritage of India. Legrand’s alignment with the exhibition weaved a tale of finesse, detail and innovations with the aim to establish an Indian identity in the form of a travelling exhibition. Being one of the pioneers in innovations, Legrand’s au courant demeanour was reflected in the exhibition’s multipolar

post event

Nitin Killawala, Principal Architect, Nitin Killawala & Associates, as the keynote speaker of the evening in Chennai, elaborated on the architectural Indian scenario of the present day.

Sarita Vijayan, Editor & Brand Director, Indian Architect & Builder, initiated the preview evening across the five cities.

Sameer Kakkar, Vice President, Sales, Legrand(India) presented on Legrand products’ alignment with finesse, detail and innovation at Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.

C.N. Raghvendran, Partner, CRN , the chief guest of the evening related his experiences and philosophies at Chennai on 14 th October 2010.

Sarita Vijayan (extreme right) moderated a panel discussion involving (L to R) Sameer Kakkar, C.N.Raghvendran and Nitin Killawala in Chennai on various issues facing Indian architecture .

ideations. A first of its kind, where work of fifty leading architects and designers was presented under a single roof, the exhibition journeyed to Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and concluded at Mumbai.

Krishnarao Jaisim, Principal Architect, Jaisim-Fountainhead shared his design directions with the audience as the keynote speaker at Hyderabad.

The unique platform was inaugurated on 11 th October 2010 at Hyderabad.

The exhibition packaged fifty practices being displayed complemented by the innovative range that defines Legrand’s products. On the evening of the preview, Sarita Vijayan, Editor & Brand Director, Indian Architect & Builder, introduced the audience to the remarkable journey undertaken. Sameer Kakkar, Vice President, Sales, Legrand(India) enlightened the audience on Legrand’s alignment with concepts that highlight the quality of spaces and relate to innovative, “glocal” and green ideations. Krishnarao Jaisim, Principal Architect, Jaisim-Fountainhead, being the keynote speaker, shared a presentation elaborating on his design ideologies. An informal panel

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Prem Chandarvarkar, Principal Architect, CnT, the keynote speaker of the evening, presenting on a diverse analysis at Kolkata on 27 th October 2010.

Dulal Mukherjee, Principal Architect, DMA, the chief guest at Kolkata walked the audience through his design projects.

The visitors being briefed about Legrand’s multipolar solutions for its consumers.

The Legrand panel display was an interactive feature wherein an actual demonstration of the products was given.

discussion was construed as a part of the evening involving a questionanswer session moderated by Sarita Vijayan involving the chief guest Sudhir Reddy B.C., Principal Architect, Kruthica and Krishnarao Jaisim. The exhibition was well-attended by professionals, academicians and students across Hyderabad.

Brinda Somaya, Founder, Somaya & Kalappa Consultants , the chief guest at Mumbai , elucidating about her experience in the field of architecture at the preview evening on 23 rd December 2010.

On 14 th October 2010, a preview evening marked the opening of the exhibition in Chennai. The evening commenced with an initiation by Sarita Vijayan and progressed with an engaging presentation on Legrand’s product features by Sameer Kakkar. Nitin Killawala, Principal Architect, Nitin Killawala & Associates, the keynote speaker and C .N. Raghvendran, Partner, CRN elucidated on their design perspectives. The evening concluded with a panel discussion wherein variegated issues were highlighted with regard to contemporary architecture in India.

The exhibition was set in motion in Delhi on 19 th October 2010 by Sarita Vijayan. The preview evening was set as an interactive realm commenced by an informative presentation by Sameer Kakkar. The podium was then shared by keynote speakers Parul Zaveri & Nimish Patel, Principal Architects, Abhikram who established an insightful narrative through a walkthrough of their projects. A.G.K. Menon, Architect, Urban planner and Conservation consultant, INTACH, discoursed about his notions of the architectural realm in India in the present day.

A.G.K. Menon interacting with the audience at Delhi.

Marking the fourth destination of the exciting journey, the preview evening at Kolkata was launched by Sarita Vijayan on 27 th October 2010. Foraying into

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The visitors having a look at the exhibition panels in Chennai.

The exhibition in Mumbai intergrated a panel display as a commemorative tribute to Padma Shri Dashrath Patel.

Nuru Karim, Principal, Founding Partner, LIVE, sharing his design directions on the comment panel at Mumbai.

the inventive approach that Legrand embellishes, Sameer Kakkar presented on its innovative product range. It was followed by a diverse presentation

by Prem Chandarvarkar, Principal Architect, CnT, highlighting an innovative analysis of the contemporaneous state of Indian architecture. Dulal Mukherjee, Principal Architect, DMA walked the audience through his firm’s philosophies and work.

The visitors going through the exhibition panels at Mumbai.

Witnessing a significant end to the journey, the design community in Mumbai gathered on 23 rd December 2010 to explore not only the exhibition but as a commemorative tribute to Late Padma Shri Dashrath Patel. A two minute silence was observed in the memory of Dashrath Patel after which the evening was led forward by Sarita Vijayan. Sameer Kakkar expounded on Legrand’s connects to innovations in the design field. Brinda Somaya, Founder, Somaya & Kalappa Consultants, acquainted the audience with her design experience and inspirations that shaped her life.

Exploring the unprecedented genres that shaped the Indian architectural scenario, Design Directions was a fresh take on the contemporary architecture of India. A pragmatic approach, it defined the presence of emerging concepts, vernacular imageries and off-the-beaten interpretations that can influence the architecture of tomorrow.

The exhibition showcased projects under three categories— displayed in a sequential linearity.

IA&B - JAN 2011

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construction brief

Xi ’an Horticultural Exhibition 2011 Aerial view of Flowing Gardens.

Exhibition Building Block under-construction.

Roofing system of the Gate Building Block.

Preserving the cultural identity of Xi’an, London-based PLASMA STUDIO Architects traces a new beginning with the design for Xi’an Horticultural Exhibition 2011.

Text compiled by: Sidharth Gupta

ondon-based firm PLASMA STUDIO Architects has begun the construction of the International Horticultural Fair Complex in Xi’an, China. The project, titled by the archtiect as Flowing Gardens, features the redevelopment of a large area of land that acts as a “synthesis of horticulture and technology where landscape and architecture converge at a sustainable and integral vision”.

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specific qualities of the dynamic landscape. One enters the site along the major axis of the gardens through the gate building which creates a public meeting space and frames views of the gardens. The exhibition center seems to extend past the landscape to showcase the lake and the views of the South Hill. The greenhouse, at the peak of the hill, connects various landscape features due to its central location.

The master plan functions as a woven network of landscape, circulation and architecture. “The conceptual master plan is strikingly similar to an estuary.

The circulation flow begins as a single stream, and then broadens, branching out to form the borders of garden spaces. The winding circulation heavily influenced the buildings in the conceptual phase,” stated Olivia Chen, a designer from PLASMA STUDIO Architects.

FACT FILE:

The massive proposal comprises of a 5000sqm exhibition hall, a 4000sqm greenhouse and a 3500sqm gate building, all situated in the 37 hectares landscape. The fair, which will receive approximately 200,000 visitors a day, provides four different climatic zones of plants and flowers.

Although the buildings are experienced as individual elements, they are connected through the relationship they have with the landscape. The buildings are specifically situated into the site at certain points to illustrate

Project Location Client Architect Credit Design team

Site Area Building Area Completion Year Photographs

: : : : : :

: : : :

Xi’an Horticultural Exhibition 2011 Xi’an City, China.

Chang’an Ecological District.

Eva Castro, Holger Kehne, Ulla Hell PLASMA STUDIO Architects Jorge Ayala, Nicoletta Gerevini, Evan

Greenberg, Hossein Kachabi, Nadia Kloster, Steve de Micoli, Filippo Nassetti, Alfredo Ramirez 37 hectares 12, 000sqm 2011 courtesy the architect

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Aerial view of the Market City - Kurla.

Market City - Kurla Market City - Kurla conceptualised by UK-based architectural firm Benoy is all set to take Mumbai’s retail experience to new heights.

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arket City - Kurla is a mixed-use development project which includes a shopping mall, a nine screen multiplex, a five-star hotel and a car park can which can accommodate 2500 cars. Aimed to be among the largest malls in Asia, the main idea was to create a market place with Indian look and feel which has better organisation. Designed as a leisure destination, the mall is laced with entertainment and kids’ play areas at various junctions.

Site for this mega development is located in close proximity to the Mumbai airport. This has posed a major challenge in terms of height restrictions. The design is conceptualised by UK-Based Benoy, the entire retail segment is arranged around nodes, connected with linear atriums which open up into five central courtyards and the main boulevard. Large stores are arranged around the nodes with vanilla stores lining the linear atriums which cater to the middle and upper middle class clientele. The mall development is aligned to the

Render showcasing the front façade of the massive development.

internal main boulevard which serves as a dual purpose of segregating the hotel premises from the mall area and making an interesting front facade.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architect Client Site Area Building Area Initiation of Project SITE PLAN Year Completion Photographs

: : : : : : : : :

Market City - Kurla LBS Marg, Kurla Mumbai P G Patki Architects (concept by Benoy ) Phoenix Market City Resources 37 hectares 3.60 million sqft February 2007 2011 courtesy P G Patki architects

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Capital Gate maintains visual continuity to the National Exhibition Centre.

Capital Gate RMJM, a multinational design firm, visualises a skyscraper with the leaning profile—Capital Gate in Abu Dhabi.

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apital Gate is a mixed-use skyscraper in Abu Dhabi adjacent to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. This tower is 160m high and is 35 storeys, designed to incline 18-degree to the West. The tower is the focal point of the Capital Center of Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre’s master development.

Commenting on Capital Gate’s record-breaking achievement, Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, ADNEC’s Chairman said,”Capital Gate is a landmark development for Abu Dhabi and with this recognition, the tower takes its place among the world’s great buildings. It is a signature building which speaks the foresight of the emirate”.

Capital Gate’s floor plates vertically pile upto the 12 th storey after which they stagger over each other with the margin between 300mm to 1400mm, giving rise to the tower’s dramatic leaning nature. The innovative construction techniques include the use of a ‘pre-cambered’ core, which contains more than 15,000 cubic meters of concrete reinforced with 10,000 tons of steel. The core, is deliberately built slightly off centre, with an inclined form as it rises. This form allows the concrete to be naturally compressed as it rises and take the extra load of the added floors above.

Capital Gate’s double-glazed façade achieves greater energy efficiency with waste air being precooled between the inner and outer façades, before being expelled. The tower’s façade glass is of low emissivity.

It keeps the building’s interior cool and eliminates glare, while maintaining transparency.

Capital Gate’s double-glazed façade to achieve greater energy efficiency

FACT FILE: Project Location Architect Client / Developer Initiation of Project Completion year Building Area Photographs

: : : : : : : :

Capital Gate Abu Dhabi RMJM ADNEC’s Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan 2007 2011 20,000sqm courtesy the architect

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South facade of the Pixel Tower.

Pixel Tower Dubai is set to play host to an iconic skyscraper ‘Pixel Tower’ designed by Hong Kong-based architecture firm James Law Cybertecture.

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rchitect James Law’s building design of Pixel Tower borrows its inspiration from moving bubbles within a champagne glass. “Situated at the Dubai waterfront, this proposed 18-storey residential tower is an imaginative and a unique design to examine the quality of life through the appreciation of technology living and future aesthetics,” says the architect.

Other than the residential tower, the building will contain upscale retail spaces at ground level as well as an elevated podium restaurant with spectacular views of Dubai’s creek and the rest of the neighbouring Dubai’s skyline.

A conscious climatic measure has been adopted while designing the openings for Pixel Tower. Proposed geometrical openings all around the building will minimise heat gain in the Southern direction and in the Northern direction, will exploit the vistas of the sea.

The targeted user group for this development is the young generation of Dubai.

Catering to the needs of its user group, each apartment would incorporate the latest Cybertecture technology, enabling residents to customise and

control the appliances within the unit. The building encompasses its own customised high speed wireless internet communication system, residents will be able to monitor and control their apartments even outside Pixel Tower through remote monitoring cameras that can be read from mobile phones. Equipped with Cybertecture to allow customisation, Pixel Tower is definitely the prototype of a building towards future living that embodies great design, efficiency, style and technology.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architect Building Area Site Area Initiation of Project Completion Year Photographs

: : : : : : : :

Pixel Tower Abu Dhabi James Law Cybertecture 22500sqm 4497sqm 2008 2011 courtesy the architect

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Inspirational Innovations Taiwan and its spirit in life lends the inspiration to multinational firm Paolo Cucchi Architects to explore limits of technological innovations in the proposal for Taiwan Tower.

Text: Sidharth Gupta Photographs: courtesy Paolo Cucchi Architects

Rendered visions of the Taiwan Tower Proposal.

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e have entered the 21 st century and the definitions of design are consistently questioning itself with respect to the role of technology in shaping its form and function. The major issues an architect has to address in architectural design are sustainability, identity and innovation in every aspect of design typology. Reacting to these issues, the proposal for Taiwan Tower by multinational firm Paolo Cucchi Architects, showcases an example, debating on the interpretation of technology in design.

The site for the Taiwan Tower is located at the southern tip of Central Park spanning in one hectare, which has been carved out from the former Taichung (Shuinan) Airport site. The spaces in design brief comprises of Museum of Taichung City Development, office spaces and public spaces providing its

visitors with a view of the Taiwan Strait with the approximate height of 300m. The proposed slender tower rises with charismatic character which symbolises the spirit of Taiwan’s inhabitants.

The design integrates a delicately carved endless network of fret patterns and the unconventional form inspired from the shape of ring, unlashes same vitality and vibrant energy that the island radiates for innovation and progress.

The ring-shaped building speaks an ancient and universal language of unity, wholeness and infinity. One core of the circle comprises a meeting place, a convention centre and Museum of Taichung City Development that occupies

Void

Male Female Amenities

Museum & Tower Exhibition Area

Male Female

1Scalest 1:Floor 300 Museum & Tower Exhibition Area

1A Floor FLOOR PLAN

Ring-shaped void of the Taiwan Tower Proposal makes an impression.

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Built mass section showcasing Coandă effect.

five floors of the tower, projects itself as a cultural icon of Taichung and Taiwan, showcasing history, platform of information exchange, fulcrum of urban exhibitions and ecological practice. The form of the ring allows the 400m tall tower to arch with a slenderness ratio of twenty. The coupling forces create a structural unity that offers an increased lateral resistance to withstand typhoon and seismic forces. The vertical aperture presented by torodial form is utilised in channelising the strong winds, like a windsock showcasing the Phenomena of Coandă effect (the tendency of an object to be attracted to a nearby surface). The wind can be captured and converted to produce green energy and power. To harvest wind energy, the air is drawn from

the top of the tower passing through a wind turbine and then releasing over an airfoil-shaped ramp around the tower’s ring that channels its direction and open spaces that have been oriented towards the Central Park for constantly scooping natural air.

The building skin will take on degrees of opaqueness, transparency, perforation and permeability based on optimising wind pressure, day light and sunshade, solar heat gain, natural ventilation and stack effects. The perforation and permeability in the building skin allows the building to breathe and the glass surfaces offer the necessary protection. The proposed intricate metallic

Sun Angle 21st June

Sun Angle 21st December

At section A (occupied areas) self shading design will minimise solar heat gains during hot months

Sectional-Detail of Eductor-jet wind turbine.

Computer generated study model showing the effects of wind on the built mass on the various faces.

Heat gain patterns across the month.

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View overlooking the atrium space created by the ring.

Interior view of Museum of Taichung City Development.

frame, acts as a semi-permeable membrane, to continue the osmotic process between exterior and interior, ensuring a visual continuity. “The Design team first modeled the initial prototype using the Computational fluid Dynamics (CFD) method with the goal of validating the accuracy of the fluid flow model. Simulation results based on have proved that the proposed installation will give consistent performance for a wide range of input wind sectors between -75 to +75 degrees to the various prevailing wind directions,�says the architect.

FACT FILE: Project : Location : Architect : Design Team :

Taiwan Tower Proposal Taichung, Taiwan Paolo Cucchi Architects Paolo Cucchi, Susanna Belletti, Virginia Cucchi, Azlan Syarawi Mokhtar Bajunid, Faiq Zuhairi Pazin, Zulfadhli Ismail.

60 IA&B - JAN 2011 Perforated and embossed metal skin on the build mass provides a vivid character.

Contemporary Cusps Incorporating the vernacular elements in a contemporary design, SOM glamorises the skyline around Hussain Sagar lake in Hyderabad with the design of ‘The Park Hotel’.

Text: Sidharth Gupta Photographs courtesy: SOM New York

architecture

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

LEVEL THREE FLOOR PLAN

“This building signals our commitment to creating a design that simultaneously felt at home among the exuberant vernacular architecture of Hyderabad, while simultaneously incorporating the latest sustainable strategies and technologies.”

- Roger Duffy, SOM Partner In-Charge of the Project

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n the last decade, the urban infrastructure of Hyderabad city has witnessed a tremendous transformation. A city known for its mosques and museums is now flaunting its contemporary character which has evolved over a recent period of time. There are many public open spaces which are experiencing a dynamic alteration in their skyline. One such example, is the water front of a 400 year old man-made water body-’Hussain Sagar’ Lake situated in the city centre. The new built mass in the kinetic skyline around Hussain Sagar Lake is the flagship hotel for The Apeejay Surrendra Groups, ‘The Park Hotel, Hyderabad’, designed by the New York-based architectural firm SOM.

The Hotel overlooks Necklace Road Railway Station, and visually merges itself with Hussain Sagar Lake. With 531,550sqft of built-up area, nine storeys and 270 suites, this luxurious landmark, incorporates a modern and sustainable design inducing the cities’ local craft traditions. The orientation of the building block is influenced by the outcome of solar studies. All the planned spaces are consciously oriented towards the North and South facades, whereas service blocks are oriented towards west to minimise the heat gains and maximise natural air circulation. The facades exhibit a wide range of transparency catering to the various spatial needs of the interior

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Illuminated East Faรงade flaunting its visual appeal.

Park Hotel sharing a frame space with Hussain Sagar Lake.

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Entrance porch making a contemporary architectural statement.

spaces. Most widely used technologies like glazing systems have been replaced by the perforated and embossed metal screens which filter the daylight and allows them to enter the interiors and provides high acoustic insulation from trains passing nearby. Perforated metal screens showcase computer derived patterns which are composed by the custom panels that are fabricated through a laser punch machine. The gradients of generated patterns range from open or ‘perforated’ to closed or ‘embossed’ shapes. For example, the South façade has more open perforations while the west has more closed embossed shapes due to increased solar exposure. All the three dimensional patterns are inspired by the metal framework of the jewels of Nizams, the city’s historic ruling dynasty.

Restaurant merging itself in the central courtyard.

Wooden deck overlooking the infinity pool.

The square volume of the built mass wraps around an elevated multifunctional courtyard with an intention to provide solar protection to hotel’s pool, restaurants, bars, retail shops, and other mixed-use spaces. This flexible outdoor area is protected from strong winds, and serve as an extension of the restaurants inside. They feature a private dining court and an infinity pool facing the lake, which can be seen from the adjacent areas and the nightclub below, with moving patterns formed by light passing through the pool’s water. The hotel rooms are placed on a podium comprising art galleries, retail spaces, banquet halls and other spaces to visually connect with the city and the lake.

The interior spaces reflect the grandeur of the Nizam dynasty, known for the collection of its unique jewels, gemstones and pearls. The material palette employs recycled vernacular materials which have been applied by the local craftsmen and artisians demonstrating a vernacular design taste in a contemporary realm.

Open lounge areas romancing with the lakefront.

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Lobby lounge.

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Customised wall finish makes an impressive ambience.

SOM collaborated with Stevens Institute of Technology’s Product Architecture Lab in Hoboken, New Jersey to minimise the hotel’s energy consumption by 20 per cent and to incorporate an on-site waste water treatment plant that processes both gray water for re-use and waste water before it is released back into the city’s sewer system. The hotel is the first in India to achieve LEED Gold certification.

The Park Hotel when lit in the evening stands out in the skyline of the Hussain Sagar Lake making it more vibrant and in sync with its significant visual neighbours like the Elevated Birla temple in the West, Hotel Marriot to its South-East and Monolithic Buddha Statue on the island of the lake.

FACT FILE:

View of Ruby lounge.

Project Location Architect Project Area

: : : :

The Park Hotel Hyderabad, India SOM New york 531,550sqft

66 IA&B - JAN 2011 A dichotomy of material expression, the building exudes a candid domesticity that blends with its surroundings.

Urbanistic Exposition Surat-based AANGAN Architects’ design of the Courteous Courtyard House delicately negotiates the contextual constraints and landscape to connect an introverted residence to the idyllic lifestyle of its inhabitants.

Text: Maanasi Hattangadi Photographs: courtesy the architects

“It secures a dramatic transition, amplifying the contex t with its material agenda”

architecture Servant room (9’-0” x 6’-0”) Lvl. +1’-11”

Toilet A

Dressing room (9’-2” x 8’-9”)

Nishil’s Bedroom (15’-4” x 19’-3”)

Red Agra Stone Toilet (8’-5” x 8’-6”)

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In spirit, though being respectful to its existing dwelling in Surat, the sensibility of the design does not particularly display any affinity to the old suburban domesticity.

Instead it secures a dramatic transition, amplifying the context with its material agenda. The initial glimpse of the volume is dominated by the embrace of the two-storeyed house structure with its landscape elements. A strip of garden held by parallel planes announces the entrance to the design. The path then indulges into an enclosed double-heighted courtyard, evolved as a gathering space for the family spanning three generations. This ‘heart of all activities’ as termed by the architect, frames a connection to the rooms beyond. A layering of spaces is constructed—taking in a staircase sandwiched in the courtyard as an element, the

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Lvl.+1’6”

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nlike the contemporary culture that the metropolitan cities are embracing today, the roots of the Courteous Courtyard design by Surat-based AANGAN architects have been built on social and technical restraints ambient to its existence. The new house refines its character as a retrospect of the 20-year old residency of its inhabitants in the same neighbourhood. The architects also worked their way through restrictive complexities of the building sound pollution owing to the close proximity of a railway station and suspended coal ash from industrial units. Taking these as vantage points, the architects have explored concrete as a manifesto of a materialistic aesthetic of light and stark surfaces while offering a complementing shield from the dust and noise levels.

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Hall (21’-2” x 11’-7”) Lvl. +1’6”

Home Theatre (18’-5” x 13’-0”)

Concrete Wall

Up Toilet

Red Agra Stone

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B’

LOWER GROUND FLOOR PLAN

Father bedroom (12’-3” x 15’-3”) Red Agra Stone

Toilet (5’-9” x 5’-11”)

Nodhi’s bedroom (12’-0” x 19’-3”)

Dressing room (9’-3” x 11’-0”) Kitchen (15’-3” x 14’-9”)

Toilet (8’-4” x 9’-6”)

Toilet (5’-9” x 3’-7”)

UP

Passage (3’-0” x 19’-3”) Lvl. +21’-5”

Pooja Room (4’-9” x 3’-8”)

Court below Living room (21’-8” x 15’)

Court (21’-2” x 11’)

Lvl. +19’-5”

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Master bedroom (14’-2” x 13’-6”)

Concrete Wall Dressing room (7’-6” x 13’-6”) Lvl. +21’-5” Foyer (5’-6” x 15’-0”) Red Agra Stone

Toilet

Red Agra Stone

Entry DN

UPPER GROUND FLOOR PLAN

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

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To create an intriguing entry, the architects have integrated elemental aspects like a strip of garden, a sandwiched staircase and an enclosed courtyard as a prelude to the house.

Section AA

Section BB

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The use of Red Agra Sandstone complements the grey tones of concrete , enlivening the interiors with a warm comforting glow.

living area, kitchen, ‘puja’ area, four bedrooms and a spatial allocation for indoor sports. Engaging in the honesty of the material, slender concrete columns rise out to establish a delicate imagery in the homely setting. Ascending three levels, a transparent transcendence has been co-opted in the form of an open-plan layout.

Continuing the palette of concrete, the building is detailed in a complementary way.

The wandering focus of the living area settles on a metallic mural shaped out of stainless steel and brass cut-outs—a subtle alignment of perspective and creativity.

Contrasting against the raw greys of concrete, an abstract painting in vibrant colours renders the air with a different dynamism. Engraved in sharp relief, patterns and murals in Red Agra Stone also enrich the experience. A custom-made light fixture, ‘Shunya’ casts a muted glow into the concrete recesses, warming up the interiors.

Cumulatively, the exposure to such elemental aspects, all stitch the thought behind on how the building goes together. The infinite depth of concrete solidity is diluted by slits integrated on the Eastern and Southern facades that diffuse in a stream of light to enliven the interiors. Embossing a dichotomy of material expression, the architects have played with Form Finished Exposed Concrete with Red Agra Sandstone, mixing a hint of contemporary with the traditional. Establishing the extent to which the artistic output matters, the architects extracted the exact shade of concrete to tone in with the Red Agra Stone, by composing concrete mix with White Sand from Narmada River Bed instead of the locally available Black Sand.

Repurposing a utilitarian preference, the inclusion of energy saving adds to the modest relevance of the place. The orientation of the openings are adapted to aid wind flow

Section CC

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Long slender columns jutting out betray a delicate imagery amongst the solidity of the volume.

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Diffusing light filters in from slits to lighten up metallic murals that add the rustic charm to the residence.

from the South-West side from a slit and exhaled from the large glass openings on the East that effectively grasps the climatic condition of Surat. Involving further densification of the same concepts, three turbo ventilators have been installed on the terrace adjunct to the West wall, to enable a fresh air flow continuously. Limited in recognition of exploratory possibilities, the scope overall is expressive in its suggestion of diminutive projections and comfort spaces. It dismisses a sense of grandeur despite the volume and institutes a level of amenity that one would expect in a house.

It is recognisably a built fabric from a practice that continues to elaborate on concrete variations, while progressively extending the range of their explorations with each project. The feel of the building commands presence and folds into a simplicity that makes it more mature, established and striking reflecting on its sleek lines of rough concrete. It emerges not as an imposition but as a deliberate response to its surroundings. Collectively, direct parallels of conventional logic, material opposition and compatible energy savings portray a hallmark for thoughtful domestic architecture.

FACT FILE:

The stretch over 300 yards also integrates spaces for indoor sports within its program.

Project : Location : Architect :

Design Team : Client : Project Area :

Courteouse Courtyard – A Private Residence Surat Ar. Vishal Shah / Ar. Vishal Desai – AANGAN Architects Ar. Sanjay Ramani Mr. Rajesh Radadia Plot Size: 300sqm, Built Up Area- 500sqm

72 IA&B - JAN 2011

Frozen in Flow Experimenting with curving, warping, overlapping and interlocking of surfaces, Bengaluru-based architectural firm Cadence, make a design statement through progressive formal explorations and intricate detailing.

Text: Ruturaj Parikh Photographs: courtesy Cadence and Claire Arnie.

The architecture of Cadence experiments with compositions of discreet elements in three dimensional space to create a sense of movement and calm.

architecture

Multiple planes, surfaces and textures define the form of the residence.

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FRONT ELEVATION

SECTION THROUGH THE STAIRCASE

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he house sits on a relatively triangular site and shares a wall designed to assimilate and reflect skylight in the white spaces within. The Prasanna Residence is primarily a linear rectangular form which develops as a box and a protruding cantilever curve as an extension to the box. Together the curve and the rectangle create a play of spaces

distinguishing the public from the private simultaneously connecting multiple spaces through double heights, extensions of functions and simple visual connections.

The architecture of Cadence experiments with compositions of discreet elements in three dimensional space to create a sense of

movement and calm. The white curvilinear surfaces wrap and warp by overlapping and intersecting giving rise to organic flows of surfaces that bind various functional elements together in a singular whole. Simple in its functionality, the program for the formal explorations for the house revolves around two parts – the public and the private.

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2 4

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3 7

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8 up

1. Foyer 2. Living/Dining 3. Kitchen 4. Store 5. Utility 6. Toilet 7. Guest Bedroom 8. Puja

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9. Bed 01 10. Toilet 01 11. Bed 02 12. Toilet 02 13. Courtyard

FIRST FLOOR

76 The t wo par ts are connec ted by various spatial gestures, double height volumes and circulation spaces that not only bind the spaces but ac t as ex tensions to the func tional areas.

The white planes that constitute the envelope of the built form reinstate the idea of co- existing space and form in a balance.

Their fluid nature encapsulates a sanctum of relative calm reinforced by the silence of the white. Fluid forms clad the internal sur faces forming an architectural veneer substantiating functions with formal clarity.

Multiple sur face finishes and tex tures overlap rendering the interior space a tactile nature adding colour and tex ture to the walls.

The double volume of the cut slab over the dining area connects the first and the ground levels visually. Cut- outs in the walls and the slab borrow natural light in the day while radiating light from within at night. The white sur faces of the house take light well.

Subtle elements and compositions balance the spaces restoring calm.

The white surfaces of the curved walls take light well.

The overall alignments of elements maintain a sense of calm and still composition while portraying an effect of balance and harmony. The multiple layers that interact with the objects in the interiors of the house

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successfully create an effect of stillness while exuding a sense of control through intricate detailing and cohesiveness of an idea that is reflected in the exteriors and the interiors at all scales.

FACT FILE:

Light filters through openings on the walls and the ceiling.

Project Location Client Architect Design Team

Project Area Contractors Project Estimate Project Duration

: : : : :

: : : :

Prasanna Residence Sanjay Nagar, Bengaluru Mr. Prasanna Cadence Smaran Mallesh, Vikram Rajashekar, Narendra Pirgal 2100sqft Lisa Constructions ` 50 Lakhs April 2008 – June 2009

Interior spaces and elements as an extension to the theme of the exterior.

78 IA&B - JAN 2011

Analogical Transformations Vadodara-based architectural firm Dipen Gada & Associates’ design of their own office space acts as a public statement of their professionalism, with textural finishes enlivening a sustainable setup and a social, open working environment.

Text: Maanasi Hattangadi Photographs: courtesy Tejas Shah & Dipen Gada Associates

The employment of a textural palette heightens the material sensibility.

interiors

OFFICE LEVEL PLAN

TERRACE LEVEL PLAN

SECTION THROUGH THE MAIN STUDIO

The reception with its imagery cast by designed details encapsulates a unique experiencefor the visitor.

SECTION THROUGH THE TERRACE WATER BODY

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The walls of the Conference Room are rendered with different textures, eventually focusing on a black granite table etched with the designer’s fingerprint.

“ E

...the reality of architecture is not contained in the roof and walls, but in the space within.” - Nari Gandhi.

very office needs a space that reflects its own ideations, its growing sensibility—a space that captures the essence of it. When the client is oneself, the contemplation presents an opportunity to be real in itself—to review and adopt a new philosophy. To this end, DGA’s core ideas, notions of journey, spatial experience and interior/exterior transition, are all present in the design of their own office in Vadodara.

It is conceived as an ambience conveyed through dark tones, lighting and furniture.

The fresh, modern fit out is seamlessly restructured to align with its existing 40 years old building in a suburban region of the city. Rather than mimicking the neighbouring fabric, the office, given its own character, juts out. Shedding light on the reasons of not moving to a newer place, the architects say, “We did not want to leave the space, but at the same time we were looking for a functional and spacious office that could hold a larger staff. The building structure was load bearing and having structural wall which was creating rooms. We wanted more open spaces and needed to remove the walls. Also the slab was corroded, which was why we have taken the advice of a structural designer and broken the slab, plaster and walls”. The result is a positive addition to the streetscape and broader public space. One would probably expect an office building to have a certain height and a futuristic look, but the architects over at Dipen Gada & Associates thought of messing with this conventional pattern by conditioning a restrained

The office is structurally manipulated to unfold as an open plan workspace.

palette of materials and finishes. The architects have worked out to provide a sense of space and volume to a small scale project with a floor area of 1000sqft, with detailing. The brief expounded on five interlocking but distinct functions like the reception, main workspace inclusive of the cabin, conference room, a discussion area and a terrace garden, each combined with a strong internal quality. The sense of orientation and arrival speaks of a frank aesthetic of a collage of photographs of the office staff and associates—past and present that familiarises the visitor with the office’s presence. The design unfolds as a continuous element composed of balanced features like a long mirror painted with ‘shlokas’, a narrow opening which travels horizontally as a cut, a water feature at its base, the slab modified with jute to suit a chequered texture and a bronze sculpture. The water feature casts a transient environment owing to the changing light patterns. To align with a more functional environment that remains sensitive to its agenda of creative exploration, the reception spills out into the main workspace that has a minimalistic approach.

The conference room, tucked away to the left of the entry, is wrapped simply with variegating textures and a black granite topped table etched with the designer’s thumbprint. The remaining area reveals an open-plan transparency. Falling out to an open work studio, the area visually and physically expands the compact space and blurs outdoor/indoor relationships. An intimate discussion zone is alienated from the main workstations, all which is embellished in plywood with colour finishes. A custom-designed clock, marking the focal visual interest of the room, overlooks the discussion table impressed with the abstraction of an architectural drawing. While the open plan and workstation design has capitalised on abundant

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The terrace garden, used as an introspection place, is composed of a etchedconcrete screen, a water feature at its base and two gazebos flanking the screen. The garden also contains a swing suspended from a pergola.

A custom-designed clock is hung above the discussion table, occupying a central place of visual interest in the open workplace.

natural light, the transforming gradation of light that seep in are enhanced by apt artificial lighting. In addressing the redesign of the rear areas of the office, the architects proposed the slabs not as a blank canvas but as a wordscape wherein the firm’s profile is engraved. The coverage of the cement sheet panelled false ceiling spans only 20 per cent of the area. The sense of discovery is expressed in the muted furnishings—from a coffee table made of ply and black granite; a bench formulated inventively of the basic componentry of sleeper logs and mild steel ‘I’ sections to the interior tables with imprinted ply and granite. A hierarchy of privacy is provided by layering the spaces. The layout argues out the shortcomings of the previous design where the lead designer’s cabin was isolated from the workspace and exposed to the reception. To give the space a creative edge, the interior plays on many juxtaposing shadow with artificial light and solid with void. The employment of a textural palette heightens the material sensibility. The ceiling height had been raised by two feet during the structural manipulation to smoothen a freer sense of space.

The terrace is framed sculpturally amidst lawn turf with a concrete screen etched with Rabindranath Tagore’s profile. Sprinklings of flowers settle on a still water feature beneath it, flanked by two gazebos. The terrace garden, being an uptake on the idea of an introspection space, also has a swing suspended from a pergola structure. Overall, it defines an informal culture that allows the tired architects to engage and socialise in a setting apart from work or host clientele gatherings as a space which interacts with them and the clientele on an intimate level.

Supplementary considerations are also aspect—more so on the lines of energy efficiency, deliberating on use of cool coat paints, CFL lamps, re-used flooring and using materials like exposed concrete, IPS, scrap metal, slate, kota, granite and wood, in their truest form. The introduction of the terrace garden also provides insulation to the studio below.

The depth of thought and the journey alone allows one to appreciate the effort and satisfaction that was put in to make a workplace to take inspiration from. It evolves as an exploration that investigates simplicity in form, colour and detail. A subtle architectural form is used to present the studios work, with a balance of materials, providing an honest interior that does not overpower the design ethos of the firm. Perfectly offsetting an exploratory dialogue, the DGA Studio Workspace is an exemplary notion on how the designers can connect to the sense of being one with their own work.

FACT FILE: Project :

Location : Architect : Design Team : Landscape Designer : Area : Civil Contractors : Carpentry Contractors : Completion of Project :

DGA (Dipen Gada & Associates) Designers Studio Workspace Alkapuri, Vadodara Dipen Gada Dipen Gada and the entire DGA Team Tulsibhai Narola 1000sqft approx + Terrace Development Rajesh Patel (Rahi Construction) Uttmaramji & Sumerji December 2009

84 IA&B - JAN 2011

BIG

The Architecture of Scale Transcending conventional notions of scale, the architecture of megastructures dwells in symbolic meanings, iconic images and an enduring visual impact to project a ‘Global’ identity.

Text: Ruturaj Parikh Photographs: IA&B Archives.

Architecture is instrumental in rendering an image to an engineering marvel.

focus

Symbolism and iconography contribute substantially to the iconic image.

A

rchitecture is often pushed to its limits by a programmatic requirement to accommodate a function beyond the regular standard bracket.

History stands testament to the boundaries that the genius of construction crossed to address a problem to be solved and a need to be resolved. As the shrinkage, owing to the World War, contributed to multiple technological advances, industrialisation and economic independence forced engineering to produce breathtaking construction marvels. As the world enters the ‘Information Age’ with computers aiding the design process, the idea of a megastructure transcending the limits of scale, metamorphises into the idea of an identifiable icon dominating the visual and sensory space by scale and image. The concept of building big for function transforms into the concept of building big for impact.

Building Big New-age construction technologies, futuristic material innovations, engineering breakthroughs and computerised precision aid the structures of today to be bigger, better and faster. Engineering can substantiate the functional aspect of the process of construction but with modern cities aspiring for a global vision, the iconic buildings of today borrow their prominence from architectural design.

Thus, on one hand, building big suffices the function of the program but on the other it fails to render character to a structure. The architectural design practice of today identifies the act of building with an act of creating an everlasting emblem to represent something beyond the function; to represent emotion.

As the world enters the ‘Information Age’ with computers aiding the design process, the idea of a megastructure transcending the limits of scale, metamorphises into the idea of an identifiable icon dominating the visual and sensor y space by scale and image.

Scale and dominance are exploited as intrinsic implements to the image.

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The uncanny presence as an effective strategy towards creation of identity.

An infrastructural feature as a symbol for progress and development.

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The Object and The Image The buildings of this post–modern age are design objects. Just like products of a consumerist society, the built forms of today dominate the visual realm. Owing to this transition in thought, the scale of the structure becomes a primar y point of depar ture in development of this emblem. The dominating scale, the imposing form and the enduring image all contribute to the icon. Architecture thus becomes instrumental in projecting the mega image; the image of a vision.

The Vision and The Impact Futuristic forms, space-age materials and precision computer modelling give form to our built fabric. The limit of visual representation of an idea is pushed to its most realistic projection. Built form is put to multiple tests after the initial conception on a computer screen and the final product is envisioned to the last detail. This enables complete control on the expected outcome and the process of translation of an image into an object; a vision into an impact.

Identity Modern architecture strives to project an ocular statement and a strong visual comment to achieve its identity from its inception. Factors like scale, form, location, light and illumination, material integration and symbolism contribute majorly towards establishment of a distinct and unique image. The megastructures that capture our imagination today are design icons that successfully establish a niche in our cognitive space; an identity in our visual realm. This issue of IA&B presents projects that venture beyond the idea of sheer scale to project a mega image in form and in essence.

88 IA&B - JAN 2011

The Colossal Promenade

The Expo Boulevard.

German firm SBA design in collaboration with New York-based Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering generated an iconic public space through a manipulative control of scale, material sensibility and hi-tech construction technology in the form of the Shanghai Expo Axis Boulevard.

Text: Ruturaj Parikh Photographs and data: courtesy SBA GmbH, Thomas Ott and Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering

focus

S

ince the Beijing Olympics, the World Exposition in Shanghai was the largest event hosted by China in May 2010. Over 70 million people attended the expo making it one of the most successful events in the world. Following the theme ‘Better City Better Life’, the expo featured thematic pavilions from various countries along with events for cultural and economic exchange. The design for the Shanghai Expo Axis Boulevard was awarded to a German design practice SBA through a competition.

SBA proposed an iconic megastructure which was projected as an amalgamation of the best architectural, engineering and material technology with a vision to make this central structure an icon for the future of Shanghai. The conception was executed through an unprecedented German – Chinese collaboration by Knippers Helbig, a US-based cutting edge structural design practice.

Architecture As one of the five buildings that are built to be a permanent part of Shanghai’s urban fabric, the Boulevard was envisioned as a component that cohesively binds the various activities and elements of the expo thereby providing a formal entry point to the exposition and a structure housing public facilities and amenities. The design was intended to be a structure resting lightly on the ground on the lines of Frei Otto’s 1967 German Pavilion at the Montreal Exposition. ‘Sun Valleys’, complex vortex-like structures composed of steel and glass take sunlight to all the levels of the Boulevard while the tensile fabric canopy enables large spans free from obstruction. With one kilometre in length and 100 meter in width, the structure serves as a binding agent to multiple activities of the expo. The vision to create an identifiable image for the expo through emblemic design and imposing scale is realised with cutting edge engineering.

Satellite image showing Expo Boulevard and Huangpu River.

The Boulevard structure from the entrance.

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A composite of various materials bound by a common theme.

Lightweight structure enabling free space at large spans.

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The image of the light vortex at night.

Interesting surface skins envelop the internal areas.

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Design integrates complex structural explorations with futuristic detailing.

Technology The world’s largest membrane roof spans the entrance and the Boulevard building. Designed by Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering, this membrane roof takes Stuttgart’s traditional engineering architecture internationally to the head of unique technical innovations. The combination of the membrane structure, which has a surface of 65,000sqm in total with a span of 100m, and the six steel-glass funnels with 45m height, form a double-curved framework.

The structural design has parallels with Sir Buckminister Fuller’s geodesic dome of the American Pavilion. The 3,50,000sqm of effective area is covered in a stretched double layered tensile membrane made of PTFE – glass fabric. The structural system consists of a complex assembly of triangular metal grids, stay cables, tensile steel cables, cigar columns as pivots, counter holds as foundations and flanged joints to distribute stress. 19 internal and 31 external

PLAN AND SECTION OF THE AXIS BOULEVARD

masts support this 45m high composite structure with a free projection of over 80m. The design was passed through extensive tests to check its resistance against wind and its performance against earthquake. 5000sqm of glass surface permeate light within filtering it through its complex geometry.

Amalgamation A cohesive construct of the architectural inception and an engineering marvel stands as a global visual statement on the South bank of the Huangpu River West of the Central Pudong District in Shanghai. Architecture renders a vision to the imagery of the site while the technology makes it possible to realise extreme imaginations. The overall amalgamation of the concept with flawless execution delivers a visual marvel through an expert negotiation of scale.

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Complexity of bringing together multiple forms in a single idea.

The imposing scale of a steel-glass vortex.

FACT FILE:

An amalgamation of multiple forms and materials.

Project : Location : Client : Overall Concept :

Structure :

Managing Partners : Contributors :

Cooperation : Energy Scheme : Realisation Period :

Shanghai Expo Axis Boulevard Shanghai, China Shanghai World EXPO Land Holding Co. Ltd., Shanghai SBA GmbH Shanghai / Stuttgart, Li Hong and Bianca Nitsch Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering, Stuttgart / New York Prof. Dr. Jan Knippers and Thorsten Helbig Florian Scheible, Florian Kamp, Dirk Richter, Roman Schieber, Johannes Beran ECADI, Shanghai, China Scholze Consulting, Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany 2006 – 2010

94 IA&B - JAN 2011

Mega Manifestation Collaborating with US-based Populous Architects, South African architectural firm Boogertman + Partners redesigned the iconic ‘Soccer City Stadium’ at Johannesburg.

Text: Sidharth Gupta Photographs: courtesy Boogertman + Partners and Populous.

focus “The calabash, or ‘melting pot of African cultures’, sits on a raised podium, on top of which is located a ‘pit of fire’. Thus the pot sits in a depression, which is the ‘pit of fire’, as if it were being naturally fired,” -Bob van Bebber, Director, Boogertman + Partners

The calabash or ‘melting pot of African cultures’- Soccer City Stadium.

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SITE PLAN

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Illuminated Soccer City Stadium at night.

A

rchitect Bob Van Bebber’s fifteen year old undergraduate thesis proposal for a World Cup Stadium, once criticised by the professors terming it a project for engineers, saw the ray of light when Boogertman + Partners were comissioned Soccer City Stadium project in Johannesburg. The existing stadium, which was first constructed in 1987 consisted of a playing field surrounded by embankment seating, two levels of corporate hospitality suites and an elevated seating tier on the western side only. The new design of stadium can accommodate 84,490 spectators — the biggest in African continent. The circular plan format of the stadium, which encircles the rectangular seating bowl and field borrows its inspiration from the calabash or ‘melting pot of African culture’, a traditional African gourd pot, and its bowl-like appearance.

The stadium structure has three tiers, lower embankment, upper embankment, two skyboxes and the upper tier. Accessibility to the lower embankment and

the upper embankment is through a common concourse whereas the skybox and upper tier is accessible through escalators and eight ramps placed at eight major junctions of encircled corridor. The architects have paid special attention to the demarcation of the zones for commoner, VIPs, and players. Separate entry and exit points have been designated to avoid any inconvenience to its users. All the VIP areas, lobbies, hospitality areas and stadium management offices are located in the western precinct of the stadium complex. Green rooms for players are equipped with all the modern amenities like separate shower areas, locker rooms and other amenities include separate bus drop access routes to avoid any kind of inconvenience for the players, their admirers and sports journalists. Green rooms are well connected with media auditorium for the easy access of officials, players and VIPs. The existing concrete structure was limited in its ability to carry the additional roof load imposed on it as per the new roof design, hence the design team decided to replace the existing roof structure and added 40m high, twelve

Laminated fiber reinforced concrete panels give the facade an earthy feel.

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Encircling corridor space around the stadium highlighting the faรงade cladding and access ramp.

View showcasing the embankments and tiers of the stadium.

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Inclined concrete columns envelop the Stadium.

off-shutter rectangular concrete shafts and sixteen circular columns of one meter diameter to transfer the excess load from the existing concrete structure.

The façade structure is supported on 120 inclined concrete columns enveloping the stadium. Each column is 16.3m height, with horizontal eccentricity of 6.5m with its base, designed to withstand large moments and upward loads. All columns are connected with tie beams which act in ring tension so as to limit long-term deflection of the columns and façade structure.

The materials employed for the application on external façade comprise of laminated fiber reinforced concrete panels, in eight earthy colours in sandblasted and honed surface finishes that symbolise the shades and textures of the calabash. The pot-like facade is punctured by open and glazed panels which create expressive pattern on the façade that comes into its own when the inner volumes are illuminated. The façade is articulated by ten vertical slots which are aligned geographically with the nine other stadiums constructed across the South Africa for the FIFA World Cup 2010, as well as the Berlin Stadium making up the

tenth line where the previous World Cup was hosted. These lines are representative of the ‘Road to the Final’ after the World Cup. A visit to the stadium provides one with a full history of the World Cup and all its scores.

FACT FILE: Project : Location : Architect : Principal Architect :

Design Team :

Client :

Construction Cost : Project Area : Field Dimensions : Capacity :

Soccer City Stadium Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa Boogertman + Partners and Populous Bob van Bebber (Boogertman + Partners) Damon Lavelle (Populous) Piet Boer, Desrae Fanucci, Tshego Moiloa, and August De Wet The Stadia and Soccer Development Trust City of Johannesburg Rand 3.3 billion (USD $ 440 million) 531, 550sqft 105m X 68m 84,490

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Fluid Constructs

IA&B - JAN 2011 Aqua Tower evolves as an organic vertical movement that symbolises a change in the city’s skyline.

focus US-based Studio Gang Architects negotiate surrealism in the realisation of Aqua Tower in Chicago through an expressive facade statement.

Text: Maanasi Hattangadi Photographs: Steve Hall © Hedrich Blessing Drawings: courtesy Studio Gang Architects

Dusable Harbour

Monroe Harbour

1. Lake Michigan - 3. Mile 2. Navy Pier - 5.Mile 3. Lake Shore East Park - 1. Mile 4. North Shore Line - 1. Mile 5. BP Bridge - 2. Mile 6. Cloud Gate - 2. Mile

SITE PLAN

T

owering structures have long been stalwarts of the architectural culture.

Characterising the skies of their city, they masterfully manipulate a negligible footprint on ground. Despite that, the vertical manifestations, when standing tall next to each other, restrict the sense of views to the inhabitants. Overlaying a sculpturesque accent to overcome this constraint, Studio Gang Architects express a vertical topography in the alignment of Aqua Tower’s form.

A fusion of art and streamlined engineering, the visually arresting complex is a 82-storey mixed-use high-rise structure, spread over an expanse of 146,736sqft. The whimsical visual makes way for strong, simple lines of

the functionality within—inclusive of a hotel, apartments, condominiums, offices and parking. Delineating the evolution of the concept, Jeanne Gang, Design Principal Architect says, “Aqua Tower was shaped by an organic, site-specific design process. Rather than starting out with the goal of creating an icon, we let the climate and views shape the building, weaving it into its surroundings and treating the building and its environment as interconnected. Even though it may appear to be formally expressive, it is equal parts data and imagination.” The notion impressing the intent to achieve extended visual perimeters, which are not framed beyond the neighbouring towers, in conventional high-rises. This ideation thus led to the quintessential curved shape of fine lines that scrolls down with

70 102

Symbolism and iconography contribute substantially to the iconic image.

103

EAST - WEST SECTION

ELEVATION 0

100

200

“Aqua Tower was shaped by an organic, site-specific design process. Rather than starting out with the goal of creating an icon, we let the climate and views shape the building, weaving it into its surroundings and treating the building and its environment as interconnected. Even though it may appear to be formally expressive, it is equal parts data and imagination.�

EAST-WEST SECTION

0

100

- Jeanne Gang, Design Principal Architect

200

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An infrastructural feature as a symbol for progress and development.

105 the occasional deliberate twelve feet cantilevered terraces. The variation in the design is predominantly structural, wherein the building envelope is pushed away in a series of contoured terraces to express the visual connection. The implications of the terraces are suggestive not only in appearance but rely on a spatial orientation owing to views, solar shading and size and type of dwelling. The track of its fluctuations when viewed as a cohesive whole explores a proportion with a wisp of rectangular imagery. The tactile aspects of the design mainly maximise out as a design strategy to channelise light and ventilation. Recalling the horizontal and vertical movement of the skin, the interiors accommodate a planimetric organisation—651,164sqft of parking, 271,515sqft of hotel area of 225 room units, 907,740sqft of residential space integrated with apartments and condos, 59440sqft of office space and 40,232sqft of amenities and open area. Initiating a dialogue with nature, the structure boasts of a 80,000sqft green roof terrace atop its plinth, one of Chicago’s largest, that creates public enclaves like an outdoor pool, running track, gardens, fire pits and yoga terrace.

Another dimension to the design’s dedication to innovation is its inclusion of sustainable measures. Interspersing the building with this green agenda, the architects have ensured an indoor environmental quality in spirit of site selection, East-West orientation, materials, green roof, resources and water efficient systems. Recurring on the same sustainable theme, the orientation of the glazing also juggles other nuances like solar exposure and energy efficiency. To achieve this, six different types of glass—clear, tinted, reflective, spandrel, fritted and translucent have been layered as a part of the design. Resourceful on the time, they have capitalised on technology effectively to discipline the variation of floor slabs.

The tectonic contrast between solidity and lightness is sharpened by the rippling efficacy of its facade. The volume primarily informed by this element plays out as a modernist idea of an interactive scale of architecture. Beyond the expressionism implied in the crowded skyline of Chicago, Studio Gang Architect’s visionary, in addition to its facade phenomena and lateral transparencies, responds to the search of rethought in high-rise constructs—a theatrical monologue of architecture, ambience and dynamics.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architect Design Team

Client Project Completion

: : : :

: :

Aqua Tower Chicago, US Studio Gang Architects Jeanne Gang (principal), Mark Schendel (principal), Margaret Cav enagh, Lynda Dossey, Mauricio Sanchez, Kara Boyd, Yu-Ting Chen, William Emmick, David Gwinn, Claire Halpin, Jay Hoffman, Thorsten Johann, Heather Kilmer, Phillip Leers, Miriam Neet, Federico Diaz de Leon Orraca, Angela Peckham, Sophia Sebti, Schuyler Smith, Yuki Toyama, Kimberly Tseng, Hannes Wingate, Weston WalkerLand scape Designer Tulsibhai Narola Magellan Development Group 2010

106 IA&B - JAN 2011

APlace in the

Shade A seminal collection of essays and transcripts from Charles Correa, ‘A Place in the Shade’ invokes considerable thought through insightful narratives and illuminating concepts raising fundamental questions on architecture as an agent of change.

A

Place in the Shade is a cumulation of a lifetime of ideas and influences that shaped the architecture of Charles Correa, veteran architect and a master of modern Indian architecture, in the form of his essays and transcripts. The thirty two essays featured in the book weave into a conceptual framework; a base to Charles Correa’s distinct sense of space and place presenting an insight into his philosophy on life, architecture and design. The writings cover a panorama of his viewpoints ranging from micro to macro, physical to mythic, tangible to intangible and are knit into finely articulated writings.

The book establishes interesting relevances between texts and graphics.

An interesting element of the book is an insight into the influences ranging from Hornby Train Sets to works of masters like Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd

book review “Architecture is most profound when it comes to the critical process of discovery” – Charles Correa.

Wright and Louis I Kahn that shaped his concepts of architecture. Through the various essays featured in the book, he brings into light the processes and experiences that played a transformative role in his understanding about architecture.

The significant role of the Indian landscape, both physical and metaphysical, as a generative point of departure of the environments created by Charles Correa becomes evident from his texts. His respect towards the context, culture and climate of the place and his sensitivity towards the forces that shape the landscape form an integral part of his texts. What comes as a refreshing revelation is the way in which this fundamental understanding is reflected at all scales and in all his designs. His ideas on various realms of architecture; physical and spiritual, real and mythical, visual and sensory, formal and informal, position his architecture as a ‘model of the cosmos’.

Architecture as the ‘model of the cosmos.’

Another interesting aspect of this compilation is a kaleidoscope of his writings on concepts embedded in the human psyche to which he has always strived to respond to through his architecture. Through an array of references to places like the Chinese gardens, the Indian temples, the ruins of Mandu, the compositions of Fatehpur Sikri, the Corbusian landscape of Chandigarh and a multitude of influential structures, he establishes that architecture of value can be created as fundamental response to the understanding of the culture, the aspirations, the climate and the technology of the society for which it is built.

The thoughts and perceptions presented in the book in the form of scripts, images and sketches chronicle the theories that are central to the architecture of Charles Correa. From his understanding of overlapping patterns of chaos and order to his ideas on the necessity to address philosophical pluralism while designing in India, the book is a travel through developing, overlapping and intersecting concepts behind Charles Correa’s prolific architectural work. ‘A Place in the Shade’ comes as a valuable insight into the mind of one of the foremost thinkers on architecture and urbanism in India; a refreshing compilation of deliberations towards a search of meaning in all things – big and small, complex and simple.

The four fundamental forces that shape our environs.

Book Author Publisher Language ISBN Reviewed by

: : : : : :

A Place in the Shade Charles Correa Penguin Books India 2010 English 978-0-143-06878-5 Ruturaj Parikh

108 IA&B - JAN 2011

Evidences of Occupation Text: Ruturaj Parikh Photographs: courtesy Studio Mumbai and Helene Binet.

‘Work-Place’, an installation within the old arsenal building by Studio Mumbai Architects as a part of the 12th International Venice Architecture Biennale 2010 is an attempt to establish a claim on the space through gestures of occupation and objects of engagement.

Sketch plan for ‘Work-Place’- the installation at the Venice Biennale 2010 by Studio Mumbai Architects.

art

The space for the installation in the old arsenal building.

A

rchitecture has a profound connection with action. Intrinsic process of spatial thinking such as sketching, making a drawing, creating a model, building mock-ups and related studies, hold within them, nuances of involvement of a designer and a worker towards a continuous endeavour to achieve that one image that is captured in and that subsequently captures the mind. The space, from which architectural ideas emerge, represents a container of thoughts thus becoming a significant part of the process by holding evidences of thoughts realised and forgotten during the procedure.

a very personal and honest workspace. The objects that represent the processes evoke inquisitiveness about the thought behind, before and after the object. Reminiscent of ideas and representational of concepts of space and place, these subtle abstractions of involvement of a hand and a brain point towards an act of observation, analysis and experimentation through an intuitive medium. The space of the arsenal building thus becomes a stage set for the performance of Architecture.

Objects of Employment

Signs of Involvement Within the raw volumes of the arsenal building in Venice, an iterative process occurs. Objects are placed in an intimate arrangement establishing tangible relations with the process of design while developing an abstract dialogue with the product that exists or will exist as a climax to this process.

Studio Mumbai Architects, an architectural practice led by Bijoy Jain, were specifically chosen by Kazuyo Sejima, Venice Biennale’s first woman curator and a recipient of the Pritzker Architectural prize 2010, for their remarkably sensitive approach towards space in architecture. The overall installation presents one with an intimate experience of passing through

The act of observation is to establish an intuitive connection to the thing that is being observed. The discipline of architecture lies in the idea of seeing beyond the physical form of the object into its depth and feels to grasp the essence and thus the nature of the object in hand.

The installation establishes a strong context for every object within that space – a means to take a thing and putting it within the field of its relevance. Thus, it established a connect between the space and the piece of architecture within that space with the idea of architecture behind that space allows one to intimately understand the process of learning through making. The experience thus becomes a journey through

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Collection of objects within the space establishes a relevant context with the idea behind Studio Mumbai’s architecture.

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Colours, textures, material variations and changes in light bring various articles in and out of focus.

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The physical and sensory links to the space are established through signs towards continuity of the design process.

a method of practice of architecture and the culture of building portrayed by creation of an atelier with a collection of material samples, architectural mockups, models, joineries, details, sketches and drawings. With material as genius loci, the design team establishes physical and sensory links to the space which they occupy as a container for the origin and continuity of a creative process.

There is a conscious attempt to initiate a dialogue with the visitors to the atelier through the medium of the environment created within that space.

Environment “Our immediate environment is a space we subconsciously create and inhabit�.

There is a conscious attempt to initiate a dialogue with the visitors to the atelier through the medium of the environment created within that space. The overall feel of the place urges one to connect with the immersive nature of the installation space. The acts of possession, subsequent ownership, and creation of a creative field within the space by subtle gestures of occupation and claim, render a sense of familiarity to the place and the context of the place. The temporary installation by Studio Mumbai Architects at the Venice Biennale is not quite temporary. These objects, things and pieces of things might have been here in this space since someone, working on the idea behind them, left the place. Someone might come back anytime now and start working, claiming, possessing and owning the space.

Things and parts of things.

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Segments of architectural experiments stand as reflections of a continuous thought process.

Scale models and mockups of architectural objects claiming the space as an atelier of thoughts.

The installation space contains nuances of process as fragments of design thought.

114 IA&B - JAN 2011

Non

Government Organisations

In this column, curated by Amita Baig, Ashis Banerjee elaborates on the ethics and roles on Non Government Organisations in a country like India, the misconceptions they fight and the contributions they make towards life in democracy.

Text: Ashis Banerjee

T

he universe of NGOs is a bit like the United Nations. There are tiny ones and there are mega ones. Even though running and managing the larger NGOs requires very different skills all of them tend to be treated alike in any general discussion. This is, ofcourse, true of all NGO’s not just NGOs in the field of culture.

Also, the letters N-G-O have come into such common usage that one rarely recalls the sense of what its full form – Non Government Organisation – might possibly mean. How could something be defined in terms of a ‘Non’?

It is useful, therefore, to convert the description into a positive category from a negative one. An NGO is actually a voluntary organisation that is constituted by persons who come together to promote a particular cause. Before the term NGO engulfed all such organisations, they were indeed known as voluntary organisation (or sometimes more fashionably as ‘vol-ags’) or charitable organisations that were constituted as societies or trusts.

NGOs are distinguished from organisations that are part of the state (or government) and also from commercial organisations. They are therefore not part of the Government budget or administered by personnel of the State.

Neither are they created for the purpose of generating revenue. They are also then known as non-profit or not–for–profit organisations. That is why they are treated by the tax department in the same category as charitable organisations and are given tax exemption under various articles of the IT Act. But even though NGOs do not have automatic budgetary support and are not expected to have capital reserves, they still need money to run. Small NGOs can be run on individual subscriptions or contributions made by members but as they grow in size they need bigger and assured inflows of money. Some may need money to organise their quarterly concerts or undertake projects while others may also need to maintain office premises and pay honoraria or

salaries to staff and consultants. This is where the universe of NGOs meets the universe of ‘donors’.

The universe of donors is as diverse as the universe of NGOs. There can be private donors, corporate donors, donors who are a trust that donate money for identified purposes, government donors, international donors and so on. NGOs then need to know a thing or two about ‘fund raising’. Fund raising has to be a professional (or at least quasi-professional) function of a sustainable NGO. And this begets the ‘fund-raiser’. Most NGOs have very little reserves so fund raising is generally a desperate activity. A fine balance sometimes needs to be struck between the stated aims of the organization and the priorities of the donor.

Since the role of the government in the sphere of culture is small, and since private business does not see culture as a profitable field, NGOs have a large space to fill. Private patronage to the arts, especially to dance and music available before independence from princely courts dried up after the abolition of Indian States. This gap was filled by ‘sangeet sabhas’ and ‘samities’ constituted by connoisseurs among the growing middle class. This is not to deny credit to the All India Radio and later the Doordarshan which did so much in this field.

Growing up in Allahabad, I recall concerts on the lawns of the All India Radio by famous singers such as Begum Akhtar. Regular concerts were organised by the Prayag Sangeet Samiti, the Railway Club and other smaller societies. This is where I heard all the greats: Pt. Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Kumar Gandharva, Pt. Jasraj, Pt. Nikhil Banerjee, Pt. Ram Asrey Jha and so many others. I trust this was true of all major centre of dance and music. Partial decline that set in in the 1970s and 80s was reversed by SPIC MACAY, one of the most successful voluntary efforts in the domain of classical music and dance.

culture counts Institutions such as the Kalakshetra and ITC’s Music School in Kolkata have strengthened these trends.

NGOs in the field of crafts and heritage conservation were a later development but they made up for lost time with some speed. Organisations such as Dastkar and the Madras Crafts Foundation have become nationally known, but there are hundreds of others that work among craftsmen and weavers in specific regions where weaving or crafts skills are available. Such organisations serve craftsmen and help to market their products effectively, thus fulfilling an urban and global demand on the one hand while keeping crafts alive on the other.

In the early 1980s, the government realised that the preservation of art and architectural heritage had become too much of a government preserve. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the State Archaeology Departments put together could only look after a few monuments. There was much more to be protected. The government realised that the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and the National Trust in the U.K. had been such a success because it involved common people. The other issue was the unavailability of trained conservation architects and art conservators.

With a view to fill this gap, the government helped to set up the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) as a Society in 1984. It was designed to have technical divisions in the fields of architecture conservation, restoration of art and nature conservation. Of equal importance was the development of a national membership base constituted into Chapters in the districts. Over the years, INTACH has grown into a national organisation with nearly 170 Chapters and several technical Division at its headquarters in Delhi. One of INTACH’s major contributions has been to inculcate talent in the sphere of art and architectural conservation. There are thus more than a hundred conservation architects in the country today and almost the same number of art conservators. Colleges of architecture, starting with the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi, have successfully set up conservation departments since INTACH was formed. The National Museum Institute as well as the National Research Laboratory for the Conservation of Cultural Property (NRLC) have played an important part in art conservation. But INTACH’s role has been both catalytic and pioneering.

Starting with INTACH, then, many other NGOs have come up in different parts of the country, taking on functions that go beyond INTACH. The CRUTA set up by Debashish Nayak in Ahmedabad led the field by designing heritage walks; the Lime Centre set up by Gurmeet Rai decided to invest in research in traditional techniques; DRONAH set up by Shikha Jain works extensively in Rajasthan, along with an initiative known as Vikas & Virasat established by Faith Singh and her associates. The Namgyal Institute for Research on Ladakh Art and Culture (NIRLAC) works with in Ladakh along with several other international NGOs for the preservation of remote monastries and art works in Ladakh. The Mehrangarh Museum Trust and the Aga Khan Foundation have also undertaken significant conservation projects. This list is by no means an exhaustive one.

INTACH as well as most organisations mentioned above have been working with governments and private owners of heritage properties. However, in a recent

amendment to the National Archaeological Act, the government has specifically mentioned the role of INTACH in helping the ASI, the premier national organisation, in preparing bye-laws for the protection of areas surrounding the major national monuments. The Act further provides that other NGOs with capacities similar to INTACH may also be involved. This legal provision ushers in a new partnership between the government and heritage NGOs. Whether this translates into something tangible is now to be seen.

Does the partnership with government or the dependence of NGOs on government for funding dent the integrity of these NGOs? This question is often asked by people within the NGO circuits as well as by those who think that NGOs tend to be pretentious ‘holier-than-thous’. The source of suspicion lies in the belief that NGOs must not only be independent but also ‘oppositional’ in their general orientation.

But, by and large this has not been true of NGOs in the cultural field. Unlike environmental and social activist NGOs, culture NGOs have been ‘establishment types’, protesting discretely or only in extreme situations.

NGO activity has gradually become highly professional. Many NGOs now depend as much on non-government donor funding than on government. Here too the NGO must not only be skilled in preparing project proposals and liaising with the donor organisations, the NGOs financial records should be in good shape and its tax-exempt and FCRA status, its audit reports should be up to date. Private and international donors are more particular than even government agencies as far as these matters are concerned.

How does the future of culture NGOs look? In one word the answer is ‘bright’.

The reasons are that funding support from the government is growing as is that from international organisations. As the Indian corporate sector grows there will be more support under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) window. But there is increasing pressure on the larger NGOs to plan their strategies in terms of human resource, funding, financial management, work plans and research.

The smaller NGOs need not have such worries but the bigger ones have to inculcate management styles that may have traditionally been associated with the corporate sector.

However, this idea will succeed only if the borrowing is both creative and adaptive. If new styles of management end up in shutting out people then it will undermine the basic element from which NGOs draw legitimacy: that they are peoples’ organisations. If anything the merging context makes a greater demand on NGOs to work closely with communities.

About the author Ashis Banerjee’s interests and work have meandered between the social sciences and the arts. He worked at INTACH between 1994 and 2001 where he learnt some of the things he writes about in this article. Earlier this year he returned to INTACH as an Advisor. He also works as an independent consultant. He divides his time between Allahabad (where he grew up) and Delhi. At Allahabad, he runs the Asia Study Group and has recently set up The India Project, an open ended dialogue on contemporary India. He learns Hindustani vocal classical music.