May 2010 by Indian Architect & Builder Magazine

Rs 150 MAY 2010 VOL 23 (9)

Architecture: Christopher Charles Benninger David Chipperfield

18 IA&B - MAY 2010

Structural Dynamics Partner in charge of Structural and Civil Engineering for the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP— William Baker has developed the structural system for the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, Dubai. Developer of the ‘buttressed core’ structural system, Baker has spearheaded structural design of Chicago’s AT&T Corporate Centre and the Trump International Hotel and Tower. In a tête-à-tête with Sarita Vijayan, Editor & Brand Director, Indian Architect & Builder Magazine, the 2009 recipient and the first American to win the Fritz Leonhardt Prize, Baker reveals his trials and successes in structuring the Burj Khailfa. Photograph: courtesy SOM/David Johnson

let’s partner SV. After working with SOM for a prolific span of two decades since 1981, how do you keep the creative juices flowing? What drives you to make new discoveries and innovate in the realm of architecture and structural engineering? WB. Skidmore, Owings & Merill is an architectural and engineering firm. We have architectural engineers, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, plumbing engineers, interior designers, planners etc., so its quite a lot of fun to work together. When a new project comes into the office we get to see it at the very beginning, the same time the architect sees the problems; and so we’re able to innovate and create. Because we’ve worked together so many times we have a lot of ideas that are in place. Sometimes that idea is not right for a project but it’s still a good idea and you’re able to use it on perhaps another project. We have a lot of ideas that are in place, waiting for the right opportunity. SV. In a large scale project like the Burj Khalifa, how did you streamline the work processes of the various disciplines? WB. The design itself was done in a span of few years; it started in 2001 and it kept on changing. We started construction in 2004 but were still making some active changes as late as 2007. We didn’t have a huge team but a very focused one. We broke our team into two groups, one who was doing the low rise and one who was doing the tower; so we had a very tight team working on the project. We had approximately 75 different consultants involved in food services to lighting and elevator to wind tunnel. At some point or the other during the process they were involved with the in-house people as well. SV. You literally raised the bar for tall structures with the Burj Khalifa. Could you elaborate the critical challenges you faced and the breakthroughs that enabled the successful completion of the project? With this feather in your cap, what lies ahead? WB. Well the thing that was different about this project was the design process; it was more of an experimental design process. At one point you have an idea and you know that it’ll work and you go ahead with it and execute it. On this one we had some ideas that we refined over time and we did a lot of testing in the wind tunnel; because the wind is the controlling primary in a tall building, we would test and re-shape the building, again and again. It was an experimental process. We didn’t know how high we could go because we had never done this before; no one had done this before. We reached a point, where this was as far as we could reasonably go, given the schedule and where the construction was. This was a different design process than most of the projects, just the reason why we have achieved it. Also the client kept on wanting us to go higher. In the very beginning it was a small building, but then the client added more area on my brief, which enabled us to go higher. Now we can easily build a 1km tower, probably faster than the Burj with the same amount of structural material. We’ve learned a lot in the process, the project went very smooth but there are some things we know now that we didn’t know when we started. SV. What were the technological and material innovations borne out of working on the Burj Khalifa? WB. It was built like a vertical factory using a very sophisticated form work system provided by Doko, from Austria. They were ready to build at great heights; the concrete was pumped, except for the very top, from the ground up using very high strength piping and incredibly strong pumps to do so. These were things that had never been done before at a construction site. The contractor, too, was able to experiment, to see what construction methodology they could use at such great heights.

SV. What elements do you feel would add to your physiological, meteorological architectural vocabular y in the future? How do you imagine your architectural language will develop over the next 5 years? BI. Banally, I would say that architecture and nature will fuse more and more. Cities and buildings will start to operate like ecosystems that channel the flow of resources: energy, heat, air, water etc. as well as the flow of people, bicycles and cars. Not a nostalgic idea of sustainability that sends us back to some romantic notion of the golden days in the past, but a progressive notion of sustainability that imagines new, hybrid, manmade ecologies that are both urban and natural at the same time. Our Mountain House and the up coming Battery projects are small steps in that direction. SV. To quote master architect B. V. Doshi, ”Ar t and architecture are the first to be affected during a financial crisis and the last to recover.” What do you think are the repercussions of the current world economic downturn on architectural practices? WB. Well, you may say in the boom that we had before the burst, all architects have, what I might call, the irrational exuberance. There were a lot of fancy forms that were made just for the sake of making fancy forms. It didn’t necessarily add to the use of the building; they were just forms for forms sake. That will be tempered now. We saw this before, in the earlier recessions, at one time there is a lot of run up where ever y one is tr ying to out- do each other, then the recession comes and architecture is a little more rational, a little more calm. The best par t is that we are going to see, for a while now, people having the chance to stop designing and star t thinking some more. And when we star t up again things it will be more rational-based and less capricious. SV. Did the recession affect the design and development of the Burj Khalifa? WB. Not really, the Burj was well along. Of course, prior to the economic downtown everybody was affected, but we were probably in a much better shape than many other developments. We were already presold, especially all of residential. That was good. I think we were in better shape than almost anybody in this recession. SV.Where do you see India within the world infrastructure scene? Are you looking to broaden your work scope in this country? WB. India is in a very worththful place right now. It is at a point where its going to grow. It’ll soon be the most populous country in the world and with a highly educated workforce. Many people speak English, which is the language of business of the world; so there’s going to be a huge growth in India. One of the wonderful things here is the option to learn from the successes and the things that weren’t so successful. India has a great opportunity to learn and do it better. It’s also got a lot of challenges; it’s a very complex society and country. Its solution will be unique; it won’t be like elsewhere. We are currently involved with a new terminal in Mumbai, we are also doing some hotels in Mumbai, Delhi and in Agra, plus master plans in Delhi and other parts of India. We have a very strong connection with India. My boss for many years, who was the partner before I was, his name was Srinivasa ‘Hal’ Iyengar, he was from Mysore. Many people come to the US for graduate studies and just stay back. Half of our staff, i.e. 40 – 50 per cent people are born overseas and we benefit from it.

LET’S PARTNER Sharing his experience and insights on engineering the tallest building in the world with Sarita Vijayan, Editor and Brand Director, Indian Architect & Builder Magazine is William Baker, partner in charge, SOM

CURRENT Au courant updates on architecture exhibitions, competitions and news.

PRODUCTS Featured are contemporary, innovative and state-of-the-art products from around the world.

Structure, Space and the Environment Post event coverage on SEWC - a platform for architects and engineers from

CONSTRUCTION BRIEF

around the world to air views on the built environment.

Apprise of the world’s five most fascinating construction projects.

Headquarters Building, Parma, Italy 43

The stunning sustainable design by StudioDosi is a zero CO 2 emission building.

TECHNOLOGY Living on Water

Hangzhou Sports Park, China

RAFAA Architect’s ‘floating mobile architecture’ captures the concept of a billowing

Hangzhou Sports Park – a joint venture of the NBBJ and CCDI – adds a new vista

sail in a revolutionary way.

of green to the sprawling landscape of Hangzhou city.

44 45

Nunnmps, Chicago, Illinois A research studio on silts — is the latest creation by architectural firm Cheunvogl.

ARCHITECTURE Learning Deck

City of Culture of Galicia, Spain

Christopher Charles Benninger‘s Samundra Institute is a magnetic

A half mile-long urban park and roof is all set to cover the area of Highway 101 in

campus exploring the spatial relationships to architecture, urbanism

downtown Los Angeles.

and human settlements.

Central Park above Highway 101, LA

Sophisticated Monumentality

Peter Eisenman’s design for the City of Culture in Spain is an eclectic mix of old and new

The housing complex by David Chipperfield in Madrid, symbolises the

topological surfaces in a synchronised matrix.

architect’s journey in contemporary design.

POST EVENT Grassroots to Ecoscrapers

SUSTAINABILITY Bottled Architecture

Featuring Earth Matters, a conference conglomerating architects whose practices

Creative in their design and economic in material, the ‘Casa De Bottellas’ and ‘The

resonate the green revolution.

Ginger Ale Stop,’ are two projects that have regenerated sustainable design.

Co v e r

©A age:

. Ra

sad mpra

Naidu

Chairman: Jasu Shah Printer & Publisher: Maulik Jasubhai Editor & Brand Director: Sarita Vijayan Deputy Editor: Sujatha Mani Senior Writers: Hina Nitesh, Ritu Sharma, Hema Yadav Writers: Renuka Singh, Maanasi Hattangadi Copy Editor: Sharlene D’souza Visualiser: Mansi Chikani Web Designer: Sandeep Sahoo Editorial & Events Co-ordinator: Abhay Dalvi Subscription Co-ordinators: Sunita Lumba (Delhi), Abhijit Mirashi, Sheetal Kamble Production Team: V Raj Misquitta (Head), Prakash Nerkar, Arun Madye Brand Manager: Sudhanshu Nagar Head Key Accounts: Meha Shrivastava

INTERIOR Cubical Neutrality A factory site in Germany served as the mise en scène for thirty diverse professionals to introspect on global issues and generate solutions for the same.

INTERNATIONAL A Swooping Swish Designed in his native land, Israel, architect Ron Arad’s Design Museum is a stunning piece of architecture.

Floating Realm Shaped like a sail, the creation of architect Ricardo Bofill of Taller de Arquitectura is a jewel on the Mediterranean coast.

102

Where Practice meets Pedagogy The enterprising design of Boston-based Office dA has provided the Daniels Faculty of Architecture with a brand new skin, transforming the building and adding new spaces to it.

108

ANNOUNCEMENT 361°: The Conference on Design and Informal Cities Organised by the Indian Architect & Builder Magazine along with the Citizens’ Group, the 361° Conference aims at addressing issues concerning informal settlements in Mumbai.

113

CULTURE COUNT Philosophy Vs Phenomena Amita Baig invites architect and planner Pali Wijeratne to discuss the cultural and heritage significance of the Fort at Batticaloa. The architect also sees the landmark structure as a way of bridging community differences.

Editorial & Marketing Office: JMPL, 210, Taj Building, 3rd Floor, Dr. D N Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001 Tel : +91-22-4213 6400, Fax : +91-22-4213 6401 General Manager - Sales: Sandeep Chauhan Mumbai: Sr. Sales Executive: Viresh Pandey Asst. Manager Sales: Manish Naik Sales Executive: Kavita Jharolia Sales & Accounts Co-ordinator: Manoj Gorivale Bangalore: JMPL, Sales Head - South: Christopher Gnanaraj Nanda Gokula, # 96, Osborne Road, Ulsoor, Near Lakeside Hospital, Bangalore 560 042 Tel: 080 2554 6371, Mob: 99647 47819 Chennai: JMPL, Assistant Sales Managers: Senkhadir Balu Saena Circle No 31/6, Ist Floor, Duraiswamy Road,T.Nagar Chennai 600 017 Tel: 044 - 42123936, Fax: 044-42427728, Mob: 98407 05981 Email: senkhadir_balu@jasubhai.com Secunderabad: JMPL, Cabin No. 37, Reliance Business Centre, 303, Swapna Lok Complex, 92 Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad – 500 003 Tel: 040-5522 1050 Delhi: JMPL, Assistant Regional Managers: Rohit Chhajer, Preeti Singh, 803, Chiranjeev Tower, No. 43, Nehru Place, New Delhi 110 019 Tel: 011-2623 5332, Fax: 011-2642 7404 Pune: JMPL, Suite 201, White House, 1482 Sadashiv Peth, Tilak Road, Pune 411 030 Telefax: 020 - 2448 2059 Ahmedabad: JMPL, 64/A, Phase I, GIDC Industrial Estate, Vatva, Ahmedabad 382 445 Tel: 079 2583 1042 Processed at M.B. Graphics Tel: 91 22 2413 8980 Printed & Published by Maulik Jasubhai on behalf of Jasubhai Media Pvt. Ltd (JMPL), Taj Building, 3rd Floor, 210, Dr. D. N. Road, Mumbai 400 001. Printed by him at M.B.Graphics, B-28 Shri Ram Industrial Estate, ZG.D.Ambekar Marg, Wadala, Mumbai 400031and Published from Mumbai. Editor: Sarita Vijayan JMPL, Taj Building, 3rd Floor, 210, Dr. D. N. Road, Mumbai 400 001. Indian Architect & Builder: (ISSN 0971-5509), RNI No 46976/87, is a JMPL monthly publication. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or part, in English or any other language is strictly prohibited. We welcome articles, but do not accept responsibility for contributions lost in the mail.

26 IA&B - MAY 2010

current The Politics Of Architectural Quality Category : Type : Deadline :

International Architects/Students of architecture Registration: June 21, 2010 Submission: August 02, 2010

CONDITIONS nex t double issue, will explore t h e p o l i t i c s o f q u a l i t y management in architec ture. In architec ture, t h e co n ce p t o f q u a l i t y can be approached on several grounds. In t h e o ri e s o f q u a l i t y management, there are three components o f e q u a l i m p o r t a n ce : qualit y control, qualit y assurance and qualit y i m p rove m e nt. Now the question is who shall define qualit y in a rc h i te c t u re a n d h ow can governments control and implement qu a l i t y i n t h e b u i l d i n g sec tor? With this competition, CONDITION S s e e k s p e c u l at i ve, provocative tex ts as well as projec ts explo ri n g t h e p o l i t i c s o f architec tural qualit y. For further information, contact: Web: www.conditionsmagazine.com

HERC Sculpture Design Competition Category : Type : Deadline :

International Open to all Registration: June 28, 2010 Submission: July 12, 2010

The Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Centre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (HERC) is backing an open, two-stage competition to select a design for a sculpture commemorating life after the Holocaust. The sculpture should be uplifting in its celebration of life of the survivors and future generations. It will be placed at a well-known site at 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The sculpture should speak to visitors of diverse races and origins. The focus should be on the iconography of the site to be of life and hope. For further information, contact: Web: www.hercsculpture.com

COMPETITION

Integrated Habitat Design Competition Category Type Deadline

: : :

International Open to all Registration/Submission: July 30, 2010

The IHDC competition aims to ensure that working with nature, adapting to climate change and improving biodiversity is vital to the design of new built developments. Submissions are welcome for any built environment design project in an urban, suburban or rural location, of any size, anywhere in the UK and must include each of the Design criteria- ecosystem services, nature, water, energy & low-carbon, liveability and economics. Designs can be for new-builds, retro-fits, public spaces, transitional-spaces, residential, mixed-use, brown-field etc. The main award will be for the design that incorporates nature and the built environment in the best way. For further information, contact: Web:www.ihdc.org.uk

Seoul Design Fair 2010 Category : Type : Deadline :

International Professionals, students and design enthusiasts July 13, 2010

The theme of the Seoul International D esign Competition 2010 is to design for all future technology and daily living. The motto of the design competition foresees the realisation of an egalitarian societ y and human values through design proposals that are easy, expedient and agreeable. The significance of communication is increasing on a swifter pace, par ticularly in the environment of a contemporar y cit y as well as produc t and space. The categories include anything that is designed for public spaces, facilities, visual information and produc ts which deal or publicise the urban problems or promote Seol out wardly. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;design for allâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; goal is made to increase the hunt of design produc tion that can be shared by all, eradicating emotional and physical barriers by becoming an universal communicative social solution. For further information, contact: Web: www.designboom.com/seoul_design_fair.html

AIA New England Design Awards Category Type Deadline

: : :

International Architects Registration/Submission: July 27, 2010

This design awards program acknowledges and honours excellence in architectural design by all New England architects and by architects throughout the world who wish to submit projects in New England. Any structure or building of any size or project type anywhere in the world designed by a New England architect/firm; or any structure or building or project type built in New England by any architect/firm anywhere in the world is eligible. For further information, contact: Web:www.architects.org/awards

2010 Western Red Cedar Architectural Design Category Type Deadline

: : :

International Open to all Registration/Submission: July 30, 2010

The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association (WRCLA) invites entries for the 2010 Western Red Cedar Architectural Design Awards program. The awards acknowledge innovative design using Western Red Cedar. Winners will be selected by a panel of prominent architects and the results will be declared at the Greenbuild Expo in Chicago from November 10 to 16, 2010. For further information, contact: Web: www.construction.com/community/WRCLA

28 IA&B - MAY 2010

current The London Festival of Architecture 2010 Date : Venue :

June 19 to July 04, 2010 Various venues throughout London

As London gets ready for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics games, planners, architects and local communities plan to develop ‘The Welcoming City’. All the London residents are invited to participate in the Festival community, to develop projects for debates; to discover ways to make the city a better place to live, work and play. A broad range of independent events will include a number of core activities. For further information, contact: Web: www.lfa2010.org

Heritage 2010 – 2nd International Conference on Heritage and Sustainable Development Date : Venue :

June 23 to June 26, 2010 ETheatre Garcia de Resende and the School of Santa Clara, Portugal

‘Heritage 2010 – Heritage and Sustainable Development’ is a conference proposed to be a global view on how heritage is being contextualised in relation with the four dimensions of sustainable growth. For further information, contact: Web: www.greenlines-institute.org

International Workshop Green Engines (2nd edition)

EVENTS

Date : Venue :

July 04 to July 10, 2010 Architectural and Engineering Department, Covilhã, Portugal

The present workshop focuses to design an alternative future for a new sustainable rural-urban model of growth for the city of Covilhã. The city of Covilhã has the distinctiveness to be a landscape of change. It is in a process of urban transformation and expansion. The rural area of study, in the valley, between the river Zêzere and the railway, has the potentiality to become a transition prototype towards a new sustainable and ecological rural-urban model of growth. In this new vision it is necessary to bet for the experimentation for alternative rural-urban cultures. Agriculture is modernizing and becoming more technological, but at the same time agriculture is part of the cultural heritage and identity of this territory. A new prototype of sustainable growth aims for a multifunctional landscape with the integration of new housing areas, education, facilities, industry, culture, leisure, heritage, the natural and the rural environment. For further information, contact: Web: www.greenengines.studiomeb.com

Peter Pennoyer and Anne Walker Book Talk Date : Venue :

July 13 to July 14 2010 The Skyscraper Museum, New York

The event will showcase innovative architect Grosvenor Atterbury, whose portfolio includes grand mansions, beautiful estates, informal summer cottages and farm groups. Nevertheless, he was chiefly renowned for town planning and civic leadership. His Forest Hills Gardens, designed in alliance with the Olmsted Brothers, is marked as one of the highly noteworthy community planning projects of its time. He has one of the US’ first low-cost, prefabricated concrete construction systems to his credit.The ‘Architecture of Grosvenor Atterbury’ is the first book to feature the collection of this prolific architect, whose career spanned six decades and who had a deep impact on American architecture, planning and construction. Illustrated with Jonathan Wallen’s stunning colour photographs and over 250 historic drawings, plans and photographs, the book also includes a catalogue raisonné and an employee roster. For further information, contact: Web: www.skyscraper.org/PROGRAMS/upcoming_programs.htm#Freeland

‘Photography of Sculpture’ Exhibition Date : Venue :

August 01 to November 01, 2010 New York, NY

‘The Original Copy: Photography of Sculpture, 1839 to Today’ showcases a critical assessment of the connection between the two mediums photography and sculpture. The exhibition examines pictures that range in subject from inanimate objects to performing bodies within specific historical and political contexts. It showcases major works by Herbert Beyer, Constantin Brancusi, Eugène Atget, Hans Bellmer, Brassaï, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Claude Cahun, Marcel Duchamp, Fischli & Weiss, Robert Frank, Lee Friedlander, André Kertész, Man Ray, Bruce Nauman, Charles Nègre, Gillian Wearing, David Goldblatt, Rachel Harrison, Hannah Höch, Hannah Wilke and Iwao Yamawaki, among others. The exhibition will relocate to Kunsthaus Zürich, where it will be held from 25 February to 13 May, 2011. For further information, contact: Web: www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/970

Silent Border—International Workshop Date : Venue :

August 23 to September 10, 2010 Johannesburg, SA

The city of Johannesburg will be the case study for ‘Silent Borders’ to examine the spatial and mental borderlines created by diverse social, economic, cultural and technological conditions. Constructing upon the wake of the 2010 soccer world cup in South Africa, ‘Silent Borders’ contextualises the impact of international events on the premises of metropolitan construction. The spine of ‘Silent Borders’ is the lately established Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT). For further information, contact: Web: www.rieach.ch

30 IA&B -MAY 2010

current MMRDA provides for Mumbai cyclists In an unprecedented move, MMRDAs ambitious project of connecting Virar and Alibaug will now boast of a special corridor for cyclists. The entire project will be 99m wide, with a 30m route for a pair of metro rails flanked by 14m carriageway on both sides. This will help motorists to commute between Virar and Alibaug in 75 minutes. The areas covered will be Bhivandi, Kalyan, Panvel, JNPT Road and Wadkhal Naka. However, the biggest challenge for the Rs 10,000 crore project is acquiring land. Although 50 per cent of the project will be on existing roads, the other 50 involves cutting through areas with issues like acquisition, relief and rehabilitation.

San Francisco will have Transbay Transit Centre in 2017 Pe l l i C l a r k e Pe l l i i s re a d y w i t h t h e f i n a l d e s i g n f o r t h e Tr a n s b a y Tr a n s i t Ce n t re , t h e g l a s s a n d s t e e l c o m p l e x , w h i c h w i l l s e r v e 1 2 t r a n s i t s y s t e m s i n c l u d i n g t h e f u t u re C a l i f o r n i a H i g h S p e e d R a i l . A p p a re n t l y, i t i s m i n u s i t s o r i g i n a l i c o n i c t o w e r a n d h a s a d d i t i o n a l f e a t u re s . T h e d e s i g n c o m p r i s e s a 5 . 4 - a c r e r o o f t o p park with a 100-seat outdoor amphitheatre for musical per formances, space for evening film screenings, cafes and re s t a u r a n t s . T h e p a r k w i l l h a v e 2 0 s u b - e n v i r o n m e n t s i n c l u d i n g a n a m p h i t h e a t re , a c h i l d re n’s p l a y g ro u n d , p u b l i c a r t w o r k s and a lily pond, offering rich educational recreations to the p u b l i c . A l s o, a 1 , 0 0 0 f t l o n g f o u n t a i n , s h a p e d l i k e a b u s , w i l l automatically be activated when a bus passes underneath the park. The first phase of construc tion for the projec t will star t in August and is estimated to cost $1.6 billion. The second phase will be completed by 2017.

NEWS

Perkins Eastman offers new TKTS Booth to Times Square International architecture and design firm Perkins Eastman designed the new TKTS Booth that responds to its location atop Father Duffy Square, a slender triangular-shaped public park in Times Square. The TKTS Booth is a blend of structural integrity and innovative design. It is constructed with the latest advances in glass technology and collaborated know-how of the world’s top industr y exper ts. The new TKTS Booth stands apar t for being the most intricate and chic glass structure ever created. It can easily be a show-stopping urban sculpture of iconic propor tions and cutting-edge exper tise. The top of the new booth is structured as a terrace, with a series of red translucent steps forming the seating and the new booth housed underneath. This tiered seating is then lit from below, causing it to give off a warm glow at night and giving the TKTS a strong visual presence in the already visually charged contex t of Times Square. The new design also frames the existing statue of Father Duffy, providing a public space where visitors and customers can stop and absorb the striking ambience of the area.

Rihan Heights, a plush living to be built by Sparch International architectural firm Sparch has just presented its first GCC project Rihan Heights, a 250,000sqm posh residential development, at the four day Cityscape Abu Dhabi convention. Rihan Heights’ design and development is a joint endeavour between Mubadala and Capital. The residential complex is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2011. Recently, show rooms were introduced at Cityscape Abu Dhabi and so far, 80 per cent of the development has already been sold. Rihan Heights comprises five residential towers with 854 units and 14 stand-alone villas. Also, it has diverse modes of luxurious living from single bedroom apartments to penthouse units to town house villas. Sparch conceived the idea of an affluent high-rise haven at Rihan Heights through profound planning. Thus, he chose building materials in line with the unique location of the island, its climate and residential purpose.

New luxury resort in Himachal Pradesh Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, recently unveiled ‘The Pavilion,’ a luxury resort, which completed its first phase of construction on 16 th of April this year. Launched by the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Projectwell is the development management consultant for this project. The first phase of the project was completed in a record time of 5 months. Construction process was expedited by the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association due to the much talked about 2010 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The only luxury resort in the region after it’s fully constructed, will meet all the international standards with 80 rooms, a spa, cottages and recreational facilities. With the backdrop of the snow-clad Dauladhar mountain ranges, its spread across 7 acres of landscape. Guests will move between blocks on battery operated vehicles. Innovative construction methodologies like factory production of building blocks paced the construction. The Pavilion is Dharamshala’s first eco-friendly construction and has the government by its side to make Himachal Pradesh an ecological and low/zero carbon emission state.

‘36 The Calls’ Design Competition shortlists British studio P+HS Architects Recently, British studio P+HS Architects were short-listed for the international ‘36 The Calls’ design competition executed by the Architects Journal with developer Cited. The competition was about proposals for an ‘iconic’ commercial building in Leeds, England on a tight parking lot on the north bank of the River Aire. Besides being an iconic building, it has to be designed with distinctive internal and external architecture that suits the existing urban environment and the history of the site. Now, the competition is at shortlist stage and the six finalists have been invited to showcase their ideas to the judges. The competition drew around 95 anonymous submissions, including 20 from abroad. Paul Finch, Leeds’ civic architect John Thorp, interior designer Paul Logan, investor/ landowner Charles Nickerson and Jonathan Morgan of Morgans City Living were among the judges.

32 IA&B - MAY 2010

products Piezo Shower Created by Finnish Sebastian Jansson, Mexican Fernanda Piza, Brazilian Victor Stelmasuk and German Natalie Weinmann is a design that holds our attention for being an exotic art form and also enlightens us with its energy-efficient design. The concept is a self-heating piezoelectric shower that combines inspiration from the human body’s circulatory system with technological innovations in piezoelectricity. Water is heated by the fluid web of piping and utilises energy from friction generated by flowing water; therefore able to function totally off the grid. New technology enabled the design team to revive typical showering systems and introduce a design full of new defining traits. The design has a set-up of fibres within curving and connecting pipes that produce kinetic energy from friction and produce electricity to heat the water. The shower is futuristic yet feasible; it is managed by a digital touch screen that can be incorporated into bathroom tiling. The Piezo Shower was placed second in the ‘I saloni Premio Salone Satellite’ competition during the 2010 Milan Design Week.

Shine: Wall Washing Machine

HOME SOLUTIONS

Milan Design Week showcased Shine, a conceptual, pint-sized space-saver design for washing machines. Today, when more compact living spaces are desired, such small, sleek laundry units can make all the difference. The machine is available in two models: one is suitable for a bathroom; the other is tiny enough to be hung on a wall! The ring of LED lights around the door of the machine works as a visual indicator of the machine’s process and signals when the cycle is complete. The wall machine is attractive with its high gloss finish and styling. Both models are designed to serve small spaces. Although, the wall mounted unit will be able to take a little lesser load of laundry at a time, it will save on water as it consumes less than a gallon per load.

Contact: Web: www.electroluxdesignlab.com

Contact: Email: info@european-design.org

34 IA&B - MAY 2010

products Chambre d’Ami French designer Matali Crasset teamed up with Italian brand Campeggi and presented a bed/stand concoction at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile. The product serves as a coat rack during the day, with its curved metallic structural lines offering hanger shapes placed at different heights. The metal frame also comprises of a mattress rolled up, inside of which bedding materials can be stored. The bed provides space for two, with the cover of the bed serving as a lectern for bedside reading. Epoxy-painted metal has been used in designing this bed along with thermoformed plastic. The mattress offered along with this bed is a highly-resilient foam mattress. Its overall dimensions are 190cm x 73cm in diameter. The metallic structure measures 160cm x 73cm, with the mattress measuring 200cm x 135cm.

Archive II, A Circular Bookshelf

S PA C E S AV E R S

Named Archive II, David Garcia Studio’s circular bookshelf can store hoards of books and can be propelled by walking. Denmark’s University of Roskilde Main Library has showcased the circular bookshelf in an exhibition. Though the bookshelf can be propelled on the street, it is not suitable for long trips. According to Garcia, “The average reader can read about 240 words per minute. A 300 page book normally takes 9 hours to read, non stop. We read while we walk, so you can read a book in about 43km. If you read and walk, watch out for traffic.” Thus, this movable bookshelf drags the bookworm out of the shelf.

Contact: Tullinsgade 3, St Th 1618 Copenhagen Denmark Tel: +45 22446415 Email: info@davidgarciastudio.com

Contact: Tel: +39 0536 911489 Fax: +39 0536 911490 Email: info@armaitalia.it Web: www.armaitalia.it

36 IA&B - MAY 2010

products Futuristic prefab ‘space station’ German architectural group Raumlaborberlin introduced an innovative prefab ‘space station’ built completely from recycled discarded doors for this year’s Transmediale Festival in Berlin. Raumlaborberlin reprocessed salvaged discarded doors from panel flats in the East German town Halle-Neustadt to create the structures. The space station, as an extreme example of the utopian city and competent habitable structures, is an essential part of the past century’s vision of the future. Special modules serve as workshops and communication areas designed for the occupancy of artists and visitors. The doors, representing waste and the failure of the 20 th Century’s ideological struggles, now find new life as transmediale.

Sleep Box

I N N O VAT I O N S

Designed by Goryainov A. and Krymov M, SLEEPBOX is a mobile space that works like a temporary hotel room. It is a box of 2m x 1.4m x 2.3m, with a bed that measures 2m x 0.6m. The bed is made of a soft and flexible strip of foamed polymer with a pulp tissue surface. SLEEPBOX consists of a ventilation system, sound alerts, integral LCD TV, WiFi, sockets for laptop and phone charging. There is also a place for luggage under the lounges. The bed linen changes automatically and quartz lamps turn on as the occupant leaves. SLEEPBOX mainly aims at providing travellers’ proper sleep, but also eliminating the tiring, boring wait at the airport or railway-station.

Contact: Web: www.arch-group.ru

Contact: Email: info@raumlabor-berlin.de

38 IA&B - MAY 2010

Mimosa We have seen several innovative applications for OLEDs lately—Ingo Maurer’s Double C-Future chandelier, Tom Dixon’s OLED flat lamp and now Jason Bruges’ Mimosa, a dazzling piece of art that uses Philips OLED lumiblades to form flower-like light petals that open and close in response to onlookers. According to Bruges, “The piece was inspired by the Mimosa family of plants, which change kinetically to suit their environmental conditions.” Mimosa is currently on display at Superstudio Piu in Milan, Italy.

Light Form

LIGHTING

Designed by Francesca Rogers in collaboration with Daniele Gualeni Design Studio, Light Form is made from dark wood on the outside and white European maple on the inside. By flipping open the panels, you can flip flop through your lighting choices all day long. The panels are totally dependent on each other and connected together to form a vibrant mosaic. The lighting system is integrated into a wall and generates a texture and a device. The system also creates a pattern by manipulating the folding tiles of each modular panel. The manipulation of the structure creates shades of different tones and textures. Italian company ILIDE will distribute the product in 1m x 1m modules with different configurations.

Contact: Email: info@ilide.it Web: www.ILIDE.it

Contact: Email: info@jasonbruges.com

products ‘Cocoon Plan’ line of furnishings Designer Rock Wang has launched a remarkable line of furniture made by silk worms spinning fibres around a bamboo form. Each part takes five days of spinning to form and the result is a 100 per cent natural silk-clad, durable and waterproof chair. The Cocoon Plan line of furnishings symbolises ‘design by nature’. Rock Wang weaved bamboo strips together by hand to create the organic underlying structure for his Cocoon Plan furniture. It takes nearly five days for this complex and elaborate process to complete, after which the designer hangs the chair in the air by running a line through the circular openings. Silk worms are allowed to weave a natural cocoon around the form for five days, which turns out into a striking silk-clad chair.Wang’s Cocoon Plan furniture is part of the bigger Yii exhibition, which showcases design and crafts from Taiwan.

Architectural Acoustics Architectural Acoustics by Heyniek are functional decorative wall panels for use within public spaces. Inspired by the functionality of classic tapestries and based on the shapes of classical frames and door frames, they improve both acoustics and insulation. The panels are created from pyramid foam which absorbs specific sound frequencies. They are shaped into industrial patterns and can be put together to make up a larger wall unit.

Contact: Email: yii@ntcri.gov.tw, elainelin@ote.com.tw

DÉCOR

Contact: Email: ania@postpanic.net, info@heyniek.com

42 IA&B - MAY 2010

Headquarters Building, Parma, Italy StudioDosi team of architects and designers proposed a design idea for a sustainable green structure for Parma, Italy that won second prize in the competition held to promote zero CO 2 emission buildings. Compiled by: Renuka Singh

tudioDosi, led by Stefano Dosi, proposed a double-skinned, vegetation-clad headquarters for the Province of Parma, which bagged the second place in a two-phase architectural competition conducted by North of Parma, Italy. The design structure comprises an extensive range of green building strategies and widespread gardens; most notably, a living exoskeleton is created for shade and natural ventilation. The architects proposed a design for 4-level compact structure with one level below the ground and three above, totalling 13,500sqm. The building consists of double skins, the inner one with double-glazing and the outer one comprises irregular-shaped climbing vegetable strips. Thus, the dual-skinned exterior has an ample air gap, shading the inner building and allowing for natural ventilation. Additionally, wind towers also help natural ventilation. Although the exterior is dual skinned, it does not block sunlight in anyway. 2

The interior spaces have flexibility to allow a real modulation of all the required functions. Besides, there is more natural light due to three groups of skylights and atria in the middle of the building.

1. Night view of the building. 2. Top-angle view of the building showing the groups of skylights.

As far as saving water is concerned, surplus or unused water is stored and storm water infiltrated. Energy saving is the key factor in the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s construction, which incorporates thermal, solar and photovoltaic modes of energy generation. A geothermal plant is used to strengthen energy efficiency, which ensues in a zero-carbon structure.

FACT FILE:

As planned by the Province of Parma, the e s t i m ate d co s t f o r the headqua r ters building is less than EU R 1 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 . Th i s sustainable and innovative building is tentat i ve ly s c h e d u l e d f o r construc tion in 2011.

Project Architect Team Client Location Year of completion Photographs

: : : : : : :

Headquarters for the Province of Parma Stefano Dosi Igeam Srl, D.Insinga & C. Srl Province of Parma Parma, Italy 2011 courtesy the architect

construction brief

H a n g z h o u S p o r t s Pa r k , C h i n a NBBJ and CCDI, jointly offers vigour and sustainability to China with their Hangzhou Sports Park project. 1

and plazas form a complex of public recreation activities designed for optional and extreme sports on the ground level. Sunken areas and courtyards direct to a widespread below-grade retail facility comprising boutique stores, restaurants and a multiplex cinema. The 80,000-seat main stadium is the key architectural element of the site. The stadium’s outer skin geometry is borrowed from the tranquil floral iconography on the banks of Hangzhou’s West Lake. The stadium’s bowl plan and structure are synchronised with the outer shell to create a distinctive concourse and circulation experience. The seating bowl, at the north end of the stadium, opens to unveil a view of the Yangtze riverfront, linking the sporting events to the new CBD of Hangzhou.

ow China will have a massive green space with the Hangzhou Sports Park, designed by NBBJ in affiliation with CCDI. The sports park is located on the Qian Tang riverfront opposite to the new Central Business District (CBD) and covers a site of nearly 400,000sqm and is envisaged to be a lively, pedestrian-centric sports and leisure development. The geometries of the river delta, which is in close proximity of the project site, inspired the flowing forms of the landscape planning. The design of the sports park is aimed at creating a seamless pedestrian experience that blends sports and commercial programs while building a clear circulation path between two planned major transportation centres on the east and west ends of the site. There are three layers of activity on the site: the sports boulevard, an above-grade platform connects programs such as 2 the main stadium and tennis tournament amenities. Pathways, gardens

The Olympic-sized facility will be the leading international sports venue for the city of Hangzhou and is presently the biggest stadium planned for construction in China for the next decade. The idea behind the Sports Park construction is to maintain sustainability in today’s highly commercialised environment.

1. Aerial view of the Hangzhou Sports Park. 2. The stadium bowl.

FACT FILE: Project Architect Client Location Year of completion Photographs Photographs

: : : : : : :

Hangzhou Sports Park

NBBJ CCDI Hangzhou, China 2013 courtesy the architect courtesy the architects

Central Park above Highway 101, LA

EDW Aecom in partnership with CalTrans introduces a futuristic concept to link a downtown area split by the US 101 Highway construction.

esign firm EDW Aecom along with the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans), the City of Los Angeles, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) rolled out a massive proposal to construct a half mile-long urban park and roof over an area of Highway 101 in downtown Los Angeles. Presently, Highway 101 cuts a channel through the downtown area, limiting pedestrian admission to several significant sites in the city. Park 101 would bring together the downtown area, improve pedestrian access and revitalise the area. The park would extend from Grand, all the way past Alameda and in certain areas it would broaden a little on both sides of the 101. In all probability, the highway would need an underground parking lot that would get people to leave their cars once they get to the downtown area. Additionally, the master plan includes the construction of some signature buildings along the park and some bonus mixed-use development, such as retail and residential that would bring more than just business people downtown. The project cost estimates are currently in the range of $800 million.

FACT FILE:

1. The view of Central Park. 2. Play areas. 3. Rendering of the overall project.

Project Architect Clients

: : :

Location Photographs

: :

Park 101 EDW Aecom CalTrans, City of Los Angeles, Southern, California Association of Governments (SCAG) and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Los Angeles, US courtesy the architect

construction brief

IA&B - MAY 2010

Cit y of Culture of G alicia, S pain

Peter Eisenmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest design for a culture centre reflects contemporary and aesthetic style providing a rich flavour to Spain.

merican architect Peter Eisenman has designed the City of Culture, a new cultural centre for the Province of Galicia in northwest Spain. The peculiarity of this design is that it develops from the superposition of three sets of traces. It begins with the plan for the medieval centre of Santiago, located on the hillside overlooking the city, followed by a Cartesian grid, laid over these medieval routes. Lastly, the topography of the hillside is deformed into two flat geometries, which create a topological surface that superposes old and new in a synchronised matrix. The original centre of Santiago has figural buildings and residual streets. With the transformative mapping operation, the City of Culture evolves as a warped surface that is both a figured ground and a figured figure that surpasses the figure-ground urbanism of the old city. Santiagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medieval history does not reflect emblematic nostalgia, but an active present found in a concrete, lively new form. The structures of the six buildings are envisioned in the form of three pairs, the Galician History Museum and the International Art Centre; the Performing Arts Centre and Heritage Research Centre and the Galician National Library and Galician National Archive. The pedestrian streets winding between the buildings open against a public square, encircle the six buildings, featuring landscape and water elements. The Performing Arts Centre is the largest building, with a height of 42.5m. It includes all the spaces and technologies required for an international opera and symphonic music circuit. A multi-tiered foyer has an entrance from below-grade parking and from the pedestrian camino to a four-level theatre displayed in a characteristic horseshoe figure. The Arboretum of Galicia surrounds the built area of the CCG, which is an area including gardens and native woodland, meant as a recreational and educational facility. At present, four buildings are under construction and construction on the other two is scheduled to begin later this year.

3 1. View of culture centre. 2. Close up view of the facade. 3. The centre under construction. 4. Interior view of the centre.

FACT FILE: Project Architect Location Year of completion Photographs

: : : : :

City of Culture Eisenman Architects Santiago de Compostela, Spain 2013 courtesy of Roland Halbe

IA&B - may 2010

post event

Grassroots to ecoscrapers Embodying its theme, ‘Sustainability – from Grassroots to Ecoscrapers,’ the Earth Matters conference, presented by Nerolac, brought together architects whose practices resonates the green vibe.

ansai Nerolac Paints Pvt. Ltd. in association with Indian Architect & Builder Magazine has initiated a venture that profiles a new meaning to architectural forums. Sustainability and out-of-the-box thinking are the buzzwords that propel architecture to the pinnacles of success. Embodying these thoughts, Nerolac presents Earth Matters, a conference spanning across 35 cities and four phases, articulating the four zones of India. ‘Sustainability – from grassroots to eco-scrapers’ being the theme of the conference, the focus was to conglomerate those architects whose practices resonate the green vibe. Phase 1 covered the South Zone commencing on 22 March 2010. The first of its kind, the forum extended across 10 cities of southern India, reaching out to places like Vishakapatnam, Hyderabad, Belgaum, Mangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore, Trivandrum, Cochin, Madurai & Calicut. Eminent speakers showcased their pioneering works at these locales. After the phenomenal success of the first phase, Nerolac Earth Matters continues its journey through the next 25 cities encompassing the west, north and east zones of India.

4 1. The pan-India, multi-city event by Nerolac themed ‘Sustainability – from grassroots to eco-scrapers,’ was set in motion by Principal and Director of Inspirations, Ar. Jai Gopal Rao in Visakhapatnam on 22 March 2010. His works using natural materials, especially bamboo, were the highlights of the presentation. 2. Ar. Benny Kuriakose, a conservation architect, followed suit by presenting his works in Vizag on 23 March 2010. His works speak extensively about reusing and refurbishing old habitats. He stated, “The only way to lock carbon is to reuse wood.” Dakshinchitra, elaborately implementing his design philosophies, is among his most known works. 3. Ar.Sanjay Patil , Principal Architect , Environplanners, Nasik addressed the audience at Belgaum on 25 March 2010, profiling his works that define his sustainable approach to design. 4. Tracing its route through the south zone, the conference was addressed at Mangalore, Karnataka by Prof. Krishna Rao Jaisim, Principal, Jaisim – Fountainhead, Bengaluru on 1 April 2010. Addressing an audience of 110 architects at Mysore on 2 April 2010, his works framed a different perspective as opposed to the conventional sustainable design approach.

49 69

5. Kumar Ravindra, Design Director, Venkataramanan Associates, showcased some of his diverse works which spanned across residences, corporate works to tree houses at Coimbatore,Tamil Nadu on 3 April 2010 . 6. Ar. Gayatri Shetty Principal Architect, GNA, addressed the conference at Trivandum on 12 April 2010. The convention at Cochin on 13 April 2010, witnessed the interactive presentation of Ar.Gayatri Shettyâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s works ranging over all archtiectural sectors like hospitality, commercial ,industrial and interiors. 7. Sriram Ganapathi, Associate Director, KSM Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Chennai illustrated the his firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simple yet innnovative techniques like jack arches and wind catchers to a conglomeration of architects at Madurai on 19 April 2010. 8. Chandrasekhar Hariharan, CEO, BCIL spoke about his design philosphies at the conference at Calicut on 22 April 2010.

IA&B - MAY 2010

post event

Structure, Space and the Environment The International Colloquium organised by SEWC on the eve of Earth Day saw three days of intense interaction, a mêlée of evolving ideas, thought provoking lectures on sustainable development and green responsibilities that architects and engineers share towards evolving built environments.

n the eve of Earth Day, 22 April 2010, the conference of The International Colloquium on Architecture – Structure Interaction for Sustainable Built Environment, was launched by the Structural Engineering World Congress (SEWC), India. Every four years, SEWC organises a colloquium that witnesses presentations from stalwarts across the globe; this time around 18 international eminent architects and engineers arrived at Bangalore. The Colloquium was aimed at reviewing best international practices and reinventing the symbiotic relationship between an architect and a structural engineer. The lecture series, throughout three insightful days, revolved around the sustainable development and green responsibilities shared towards evolving built environments. Talks panned from light weight structural utilities to innovative use of heavy structural sections. Discussions revealed never before insights on topics from the poetics of structure, to environment friendly geometry, to ancient material sciences and the cutting edge construction technologies. One highlight of the colloquium was William Baker’s presentation on the Burj Khalifa.The presentation provided exhaustive information on the design process, organisational hurdles, innumerable tests and the construction process of the world tallest building. The presentation on sustainable rural mass housing projects by professors of the CEPT School of Architecture and Ekkehard Ramm’s presentation on the truth behind the Golden Gate Bridge touched different chords in architecture and structure understanding. Everyday, the lectures ended with interesting Q & A sessions; where the audience bombarded the day’s speakers with questions, making the session an elating experience. Exploring the theme of Architecture – Structure Interaction for Sustainable Built Environment were Prof. Roland Sharpe, Founder of SEWC; Prof. M. Kawaguchi, inventor of Pantadome Systems for Spatial Structures; Mr. Sundaram, President, SEWC Worldwide & SEWC (I); Mr. Winston Teng Shu, Principal of Integrated Design Associates Ltd.; William Baker, Partner, Skidmore, Owing & Merril LLP; Bob Berkebile, Principal of BNIM, Chairman, Kansas City Environmental Management Commission, Chairman, Center for Global Community; Dr. Shyam Bhat M.D., Integrative Medicine Specialist & Neuropsychiatrist; Shalini Jagan, Director Sundaram Architects; Dr. Jorg Schlaich, Prof. Univ. of Stuttgart, MD. Schlaich, Bergermann & Partners; Bruce Fairbanks, Principal & Founding Partner, GOP; Prof. Narendra K Srivastava, Adjunct Research Prof. at University of Waterloo, Canada; Vidya Shankar Hoskere, MD. Desbuild Projects (P) Ltd., Secretary General, SEWC (I); Prof. John Abel, President International Association of Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS); K. Jaisim, Principal, Jaisim Fountainhead; Gian Carlo Giuliani, Milan, Italy; Prof. Hiroshi Naito, Tokyo University; Enzo Siviero, Prof. of Construction Technology, IUAV University of Venice; Ekkehard Ramm, Prof. Emeritus, University of Stuttgart, Partner, Delta-X, Stuttgart and Srinidhi Anantharaman, MD. Geodesic Techniques (P) Ltd.

1. Prof. Hiroshi Naito talks about poetics in structure. 2. Prof. M. Kawaguchi presenting his thoughts on Pantadome technologies. 3. Dr. Ekkehard Ramm reveals all about the Golden Gate and the Bay Bridges in San Francisco. 4. R. Sundaram shares his experiences with concrete shell roofs. 5. Winston Teng Shu explains integrated design a holistic approach and business models in design. 6. Bob Berkebile unfolds perceptions towards designing a new future. 7. Vidya Shankar Hoskere elaborates on sustainability of ideas in ancient Indian thought. 8. N. Sivasailam, Managing Director, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd inaugurates the event. 9. Prof. N.K. Srivastava shares his thoughts on holistic approach and conceptual design of structures. 10. Prof. Roland Sharpe, Founder of SEWC (worldwide) talks on the importance of architect â&#x20AC;&#x201C; structural interaction.

19 11. Dr. Jorg Schailch speaks on light structures and their ecological, social and cultural impacts. 12. William F. Baker presents a comprehensive take on the Burj Khalifa. 13. Bruce S. Fairbanks sharing his take on form as the result of an equilibrium of forces. 14. Dr. Gian Carlo Giuliani on his take on architects and engineers co-operation towards sustainable construction. 15. Srinidhi Anantraman updates on elevated bus ways and alternate urban people moving systems. 16. The SEWC team who made the enlightening event happen. 17. Prof. K Jaisim gives an architectural perspective on concept of architecture. 18. All the speakers of the International Colloquium. 19. Panel discussion on rural development by professors from CEPT University. 20. Felicitation of William F. Baker by Roland Sharpe.

54 IA&B - MAY 2010

Living on Water Described by RAFAA architects as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;floating mobile architecture,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; the Last Resort does full justice to its name and delivers a refuge during uncertain times. Text: Renuka Singh Photographs: courtesy the architect

Bedrooms A

Bath

Kitchen

Living Room

Terrace

Mechanics

Bunk

Work area

Ground Plan

Detail Section

Bath

Roof View

Kitchen

Kitchen Bedrooms Mechanics

Section AA

View-1

Waterline +0.00 Bunk

Bunk

Roof Terrace

View-2

Solar System

technology

nown as the Last Resort, RAFAA architects and designers from Switzerland have presented a floating mobile architectural concept that capitalises 70 per cent of the globe. It is a far-fetched idea to combine dwelling and water; nevertheless, with a new typology that focuses on usability, space and technology, the concept to live on water can be realised. The solar-powered floating haven is built on two levels and measures about 5m wide and 15m long. The upper deck

has a height of 2.50m and contains the living space, a kitchen, a bathroom and two bedrooms. The lower deck accommodates the sleeping bunks, technical equipment and hatches. Beds and couches are fixed into the floor and can be opened when needed. There is a shaded terrace in the front area, with a staircase that leads to the roof. The kitchen and the living room together create a large spacious room and the bathroom comprises a centre that separates both bedrooms

1. Drawings of the Last Resort. 2. Formation of the Last Resort.

ROOF SKIN Roof system from FRP, additional roof terrace and solar system SURFACE STRUCTURE Surface structure of FRP with reinforcement ribs, circulation roof protruding over terrace securing stair construction

+3.30

ROOF Surface structure of Fibre Plastic Composite (FRP) with reinforcement ribs 50mm / 160-240mm Insulation 80mm Plasterboard 2 x 9mm (partial FRP) Steel trim 120mm

FACADE Sun protection glazing and movable and adjustable slats made of flexible plastic veneer-looking and light protection

2.45

STAIRS Cheek construction Steel profile 40mm / 18mm Levels 6mm Insulation plasterboard 50mm Double glazing in external sliding plastic veneer slats

SUPPORT STRUCTURE 9 steel trim 120mm, cross bracing with and strive frame spans 2.00m-3.60m steel stairs, with cheek construction SOIL / WALLS Additional room in soil and hatches with beds sofa, walls and ceiling GKP - CONSTRUCTION

Kuche GROUND INSIDE Dividing position 20mm Insulation 40mm Timber formwork 20mm FRP with reinforcement ribs Plasterboard 15mm

ROOM FLOOR STRUCTURE Area structure from FRP with reinforcement ribs 180ÂŹ â&#x20AC;&#x201C;240mm Hydrodynamic form

+0.50

Waterline +0.00

1.30

Schlafkoje

SHELL FRP with reinforcement ribs 50mm / 180-240mm Insulation 80mm FRP

-1.06

DETAIL SECTION BB

from the common room. The bedroom can be split by sliding panels and used as a study. Furthermore, this floating home is propelled by a solar panel integrated roof that produces the electricity for the two electric engines. The design of the Last Resort is attributed to the horizontal, undulated shape of the waterfront. The design of the living room follows the surrounding landscape and an unhindered view heightens its spatial quality. The floor and ceiling

of form a frame for the natural beauty around. Perspectives and view keeps changing due to the variation in height and shape of the levels. The floor, at one point submerges into the water; at another point, the roof bends to the floor to create a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;kissing momentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. This natural configuration with the swell, the wind and the water reflection ensues in a dynamic experience. Keeping the load-bearing nature in mind, the roof and the floor are built with typical methods

of boat construction. Reinforcing ribs made of fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) have been used in their construction. The static height as well as the section of stanchion can be significantly minimised with an utmost span of 3,60m. The bracing is affected through the core. The roof is placed on the floor on certain spots and sticks out 2,50m over the terrace space. The shape of the roof blends with the static standards. During load effect, the roofsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; forming needs to be calculated for the

accuracy of the geometry. CNC-machines have to be used for sequential production. Digital production methods, along with traditional craft technology can come forward for the Lusatian dockyards. RAFAA proposed their design in a competition conducted by the Internationale Bauausstellung in Germany and won the first prize for the Last Resort; a design inspired by the waterfront.

3. Last Resort exterior.

IA&B - MAY 2010

architecture

EMV Housing Villaverde

File name: 461_06_SP SITE plan

Sophisticated Monumentality The apartment complex in Madrid by David Chipperfield is an attempt at manipulating the restrictions imposed by the brief, through design. Text: Hina Nitesh Photographs: courtesy the architects and Roland Halbe

F 1. A view of the housing showing the low, single-pitch roof that is provided for the majority of the block and the smaller secondary pitch at the front edge.

reeing himself from both historical as well as modern icons of architecture, David Chipperfield ventures into the contemporary dimension to find a suitable expression for a social housing project. The low-cost housing was commissioned by Empresa Municipal de la Vivienda. Located on plot 203 of a new development in Verona, in the Villaverde district of southern Madrid, the complex comprises 176

60 apartments in variations of one, two and three bedrooms. The scheme results from the over all master plan for the site which imposed certain restrictions on the basic design of the apartments. It required the structure to be a single U-shaped block, 15m deep with a footprint of about 2,000sqm. The height was restricted to eight stories with the appearance of a pitched roof. Within the confines of the brief, the design manipulates the restrictions and abstracts the traditional idea of an apartment block. In contrast to the symmetrical, double-pitched silhouette of the neighbouring buildings, Chipperfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design explores the traditional relationship between the wall and the roof. A low, single-pitch roof is provided for the majority of the block, while a small secondary pitch with bevels is provided at the front edge. The reduced roof volume increased the floor area and also allowed for a more sculptural approach to the building envelope. Carving back the sides of the block, away from the orthogonal, created a varied outline for the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elevation. The traditional principle of each floor having two apartments connected by a stairwell is followed here as well. This provides for apartments with cross ventilation, with daytime and nighttime zones facing opposite sides. At two corners the layout is different; a single stairwell on the inner edge serves four apartments. Of the four, two are smaller and face

2. The dark gray concrete portico is separated from the main building by a strip of landscaping, creating three bands of different colours. 3.The entrances to the stairways are accessed from the portico through passageways suspended over the landscaped strip.

Ground Floor plan

one side, one faces the opposite side and the fourth one on the outer corner faces different sides. Like the form of the building, the faรงade too evolved from a predetermined set of limitations. The idea was to create a hierarchical faรงade where the larger rooms with more openings were placed on the outside. The idea was to make the window placement look unique and non repetitive over the eight floors. Rhythmic alternation of the openings transforms the eight storey high structure into a vibrant, shimmering skin that expresses the wall decoration effectively as a refined composition. The design, thus becomes like a mathematical exercise in pattern formation. The architect uses glass reinforced concrete (GRC), a mixture of mortar of cement and fiberglass, for the structure. The fiberglass reinforces the concrete and improves its absorption of flexural stresses. For this structure, the lightweight and ductile material is cast in sandwich panels

with an insulation panel between them to provide a high degree of protection against sunlight and thermal excursions. The prefabricated panels cover the belt of the floor and provide a sense of depth to the faรงade. Also, the fact that they are prefabricated allow for variation in colour combination in a carefully studied manner. The colour combinations reproduce three different earth tones, from ochre to an earthy pink. The choice of materials and colours, right from the earthy pink faรงade panels to the rich dark grey concrete of the courtyard portico and the dense band of landscaping in between, results in a rich tricolour radiating outwards. On the whole, the design innovatively succeeds in manipulating the strict architectural restrictions imposed by the brief. The resulting structure expresses all of the impact of a sophisticated, highly refined monumentality, a quality that seems to have been long forgotten in collective residences.

FACT FILE:

The building’s U-shaped formation is repeated in the portico where the seven apartment entrances are distributed.

Project : Location : Client : Date of Completion : Design Architect : Associate Architect : Structural Engineers :

4 EMV Housing Villaverde Madrid, Spain Empressa Municipal de la Vivienda 2005 David Chipperfield Architects: Kevin Carmody, Andy Groarke, Takeshi Hayatsu, Ricardo Iboim Ingles, Kaori Ohsugi, Bernard Tulkens, Jonathan Wong, Mark Zogrotzski Matias Manuel Santolaya Heredero & José Maria Fernández-Isla Arquitectos: Matias Manuel Santolaya Heredero, José Maria Fernández-Isla Ingenieros de CC CC y PP: Manuel Linares

IA&B - MAY 2010

architecture

Learning Deck Delineating a new perspective in campus design, Christopher Charles Benninger Architects have designed the Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies, Lonavla as an attractive learning centre for maritime studies. Text: Maanasi Hattangadi Photographs: courtesy A. Ramprasad Naidu

The academic complex arches out forming an imagery of the sail-form of a ship.

Emergency Exit

Highway Widening Lane 9 M Wid e

Green Belt

Ro ad

N a la

b - B at

a- Administration

te ry R o

Amphitheatre

I- Hostel 5 h-Hostel 4 g- Hostel 3 f- Hostel 2 Security Cabin

Water tank

oad

Highway

Parking

Academic Toilet Block

In d ra

Staff Residences Staff Residences

STP Green Belt

Staff Residences

Compound Wall Changing Room

Service Building

Gree n Be

Service Building 2 Gree n Belt

Maritime Sciences

Open Space A : 13000 SQM

Workshop

Rainwater Harvesting Pond

Emergency Exit 9 M Wide Road

Nala

SITE PLAN

0 10

5 0M

Ship in campus

B e lt

id e R

G re e n

9MW

ive r

Catering Centre

yani R

Center of Highway

e- Hostel 1

ollege campuses speak of a conglomeration of cultures, characters and memories that last a lifetime. Enriching this experience, Christopher Charles Benninger Architects (CCBA) have realised the Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies (SIMS) in Lonavala. In appearance, it is both spectacularly modern and an inspired nod to the rich maritime tradition. Nestled amongst the lush surroundings of picturesque Lonavala, SIMS is positioned off the edge of the River Indrayani and an artificial lake, specially created for maritime education. CCBA define a legacy of international repute, tracing varied technological, cultural and spatial relationships related to architecture, urbanism and human settlements. Increasing efficiency, safety and environmental insight underscored the main motto behind the architect’s visualisation of the green campus. Responsive to the site’s scenic locale, Prof. Christopher Benninger has chosen a unique concept, harmonious with the work culture at sea. A graceful and curvilinear form, the building echoes the dramatic inclines of sails and undulating waves of the ocean. The buildings and landscapes are designed to communicate the institution’s purpose, presence and domain as well as generate an image charged with symbolism. The architecture, replete with materials used in ship building like steel and glass and vast expanses of green engulfing the buildings like an ocean,

2. An artist’s rendition of the 3D aerial view. 3. The sinous northern facade of the administration block.

Conference Reception & waiting Visiting Faculty

Ground FLOOR PLAN for administration block

manifests a maritime ambience. This ‘garden sea’ showcases individual buildings as sculptures amidst rolling lawns. The flexible volume of India’s leading shipping academy is master planned over an area of 38.6 acres. The site for campus has been identified as a master plan, the layout, landscape and design stems from an in-depth study of the site conditions, climatological factors and the brief of requirements. The campus boasts of an administration centre, an academic complex, a nautical workshop, science centre, a catering centre, auditorium, faculty housing and houses 480 cadets within its hostels. The multifarious infrastructure includes a large swimming pool, a football/cricket ground and other athletic facilities. Accordingly, CCBA’s design generates abundant communal spaces like amphitheatres that will facilitate encounters between students from different departments. In accordance with the concept, the wavy module of the administration block simulates the flow of curves and houses director’s chambers, a library, offices and a grand reception. Emphasis is on the double height atrium looking out on to the Western Ghats and lush landscape. Personifying the correspondence, the fourteen classrooms in the academic complex are designed to arc outwards, embracing the sail-form of a ship. A sculpturesque staircase links the two stories while a curvilinear spine

4. Inspired from traditional Indian ‘jaalis,’ the mosaic wall is composed of photovoltaic cells. 5.The atrium of the administration, which invites the natural light in. 6. The corridors linking the various activities in the administration block overlook the lush lawns through the glass frontage.

Classroom

Ground FLOOR PLAN for academic block

Classroom

Corridor

Classroom

SECTION AA

ELEVATION B

Workshop

Ground FLOOR PLAN for maritime workshop

7. Light filtering through the louvers of the acadmic block creates a play of shadows.

72 9. Spanning across three hundred feet, the photovoltaic wall of the Martime workshop, produces 90KW of energy per day. 10. A framework of steel and glass constitutes the other facade of the workshop letting in ample light. 11. The angled facades let in enough light and ventilation, highlighting the interiors of the workshop.

connects all the class rooms into one assembly. The program is replete with a maritime workshop and a ship set in the artificial lake, which hosts a full scale engine room, deck and cabins, housing all navigation and engineering equipments. Deviating from conventional designs, a light structure supported on circular steel columns with light streaming through a composition of solar panels, proposes a visual delight. Since it is set in a lake, life saving drills and exercises are also practiced on this ship. In accordance, the creation of this lake firmly grounds the campus reflecting its maritime principles. The accommodation area is profiled by five student hostels with double loaded corridor, housing two students in each room. The sequential monotony is broken by creation of doublestoried spatial demarcation for recreational and reception areas. The endless corridors running in the hostels with tubular staircases projecting outside, also support the water tanks. Ushering a new and informal feel to the place, the catering centre is set apart by the carvings of relief murals, which depict life in sky, land and water. The three dining halls taking flight from the kitchen epitomises the sweeping walls, bowing out to the mountainous surroundings. The multiple program requirements are built individually but unify the entire campus. The conclusive campus is integrated with an amphitheatre lying on its central axis. Completely in tandem with nature; the au courant campus offers a holistic range of maritime studies. Established by the Executive Ship Management (ESM) Singapore, the architectural outcome is as impressive as the management of the organisation. Green Endeavours The institute warranties a sustainable foray, facilitating energy sourcing through daily renewable energy techniques. The transparency and decorative performance of the skin of the buildings relate to traditional Indian ‘jaalis’. Encasing a reactive skin, the buildings support the north façade with a stretch of clear glass illuminating the interiors and giving the testing equipment and machinery all-round, energy free light and ventilation. Inviting natural light and insulating heat, the southern facades are a collage of translucent and opaque photovoltaic cells. In the administration building, the façade encompassing panels layered with photovoltaic film generates 30KW of electricity per hour. The sinuous curves of the administration block entice interplay of natural light and shadows. One of the campus’s main focuses is one of the largest photovoltaic solar cell Mondrian wall in Asia. Three hundred feet long and located in the Maritime workshop, it produces 60KW of electricity per hour. A mosaic wall of louvers in the academic block invites soft light in at every

ELEVATION B A

Room

Lounge

Store

Laundry

11 PLAN FOR STUDENT HOSTELS

75 12. The students hostel overlooks the centrally placed amphitheatre, profiling itself against the picturesque hilly site. 13. Tubular stairwells projecting outside the hostel walls sustain the hot water tanks on top of them. 14. The catering centre, highlighted by the murals depicitng the life in sky and water, is showcased amongst the rolling lawns.

conceivable opportunity. Blocking the harsh sunlight, these shielding louvers facilitate passive air-conditioning, economising costs by 34 per cent in certain areas. Adding to the green credentials, the entire water-heating in the campus is achieved through solar panels. Hot water tanks draw water from tanks held above cylindrical staircases spiralling outside hostel walls. These circular forms are integrated with a functional water management scheme. Conforming to the inventiveness of the design, the 28m tall central water tank doubles up as a lighthouse. Divided into four stages vertically, the water tank system purifies water progressively, until it reaches the uppermost tank from where it is distributed to the entire campus. To recycle sewage, two bio-sewage plants have been setup, which irrigate the gardens. Designed to have more healthy interiors by taking advantage of natural light and conserving energy and water, this educational structure flaunts a green flair. These components make up an architectural whole and create a complimentary interaction of spaces through the articulation of forms. This just goes to show that tried and true efficient building techniques combined with the foresight of planning can go a long way towards sustainable building. The proximity of the building’s multiple programs and its unique ‘floating’ site create a framework for the collision of water, air and light, intended to elicit lightness and innovation in the structure. In lieu with current green trends, the building deviates from conventional campus regimes evolving into a spatial maritime experience, maintaining the true aesthetical sense of the surroundings. The architects have truly drawn heavily upon local architectural influences and also on traditional maritime symbolism to arrive at an apt built form and imagery.

15. The campus is intergrated with an amphitheatre lying on its central axis.

FACT FILE: Location : Lonavala, India Principal Architect : Prof. Christopher Benninger Design Team : Daraius Choksi, Harsh Manrao, Shivaji Karekar, Akshay Modhak, Sujit Kothiwale, Shalaka Vaidya, Kshitija Parmar, Noel Jerald and Er. Rahul Sathe Client : Mr.Balaji Singh Teeka, Executive Ship Management Pte. Singapore. Prime Contractor : Shapoorji Pallonji construction Ltd. and Bakale Construction.

IA&B - MAY 2010

sustainability

Bottled Architec ture Sustainability is an over-hyped term for many but giving it a new dimension are two projects from across the globe. Simple in their ingenuity and cost effective, made of bottles, these two projects have redefined sustainable design. Text: Hina Nitesh and Namrata C Rao Photographs: courtesy Alfredo Alberto Santa Cruz and his family & Aaron Scales

ustainability is the word on the tip of every tongue and the uppermost on most ecologically conscious minds, and with good reason. The problem of waste management and disposal is a Leviathan that most cities are struggling to combat. In fact, most of our urban waste is recyclable but in light of the lack of necessary infrastructure or other viable alternatives, trash is burned, ading to a chain reaction of problemsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;large amounts of CO 2 emissions into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming, climate fluctuations and the eventual deterioration of the planet. The projects featured here have used bottles innovatively to create sustainable structures for sustainable futures.

62 78

CASA DE BOTELLAS The Ecological Bottle House, illustrates how a bit of creative resourcefulness can alter the way we inhabit our fragile environment. It is surprising to think that Mr. Santa Cruz came up with the idea while making his daughter’s playhouse, a surprisingly robust assemblage of bottles. He went on to test the idea further by building a full-sized bedroom cottage with an actual bed, three chairs, shelves full of toy cars, a broom, an octopus mobile and even a fake hanging plant, all out of plastic bottles, some wood framing and few nuts and bolts to bring it all together. Although no family member is a trained architect or designer, this has not prevented him or her from successfully designing a house that is sustainable, simple and yet creative, down to the last detail. The walls of the house were made by stacking two-litre bottles, some cut in half to slip over other bottles, screwed into the adjacent bottles. In order to avoid too much empty space and make all bottles interlock, all the joints were placed broad-end to broad-end-no necks. These bottle stacks were arranged within a wooden frame to form panels, which were twist-tied together with wire to assemble a house. Doors and windows were made with CD cases in an assortment of colours. The family chose not to fill the bottles and the gaps in between with concrete and given northern Argentina’s mild climate, the walls of bare bottles were a nice touch since their translucence admits plenty of natural light and the small gaps between bottles encourage natural ventilation.The roof design is especially cool, made of tetra-pack boxes, flattened into shingles and laid aluminium-side up for high solar reflectance. The re-use of the tetra-pack is an especially commendable feature, because tetra-packs are rarely recycled as it is not cost-effective, even in most of the developed world. The tetra-pack roof, unfortunately, lasts only four to five years before succumbing to rain. Mr. Santa Cruz ingeniously covered them with a layer of plastic bottles cut to resemble terra cotta roof tiles, which he believes would last for at least two decades.

Plastic bottles have been used in novel ways throughout the house. The platform for the cottage stood on bottles filled with earth and stacked horizontally rather than on end; even the stairs are made by stacking earth-filled bottles to different heights. The Santa Cruz family turned bottles into furniture as well. The chairs and bed were constructed the same way the walls were, but with the stacked bottles placed parallel rather than serial to achieve structural strength across a wide area. The family continues to explore new ideas that would add to the sustainable- design value of their house. They have come up with a way to make the structure sturdier, by filling out the fronts and backs of panels with concrete. Laying the panel flat and pouring concrete on it, around the bottles is a cheap way to make concrete walls without forms and using a fraction as much concrete as slab construction. The air in the bottles also makes the concrete wall insulating. For the non-concrete walls, Mr. Santa Cruz has come up with the idea of filling the bottles partly with earth, for a makeshift kind of fireproofing—a fire will first shrivel a bottle, then melt it enough that it splits and the earth spills out, smothering the fire. These ideas make the house a truly sustainable venture. Its sustainability also stems from the fact that the assembly is modular (and hence easy to adapt to different scales), easy to transport and cost-effective. The Ecologic House of Bottles is a pioneer—a means to communicate that the balance of man and nature is tricky but nonetheless very much attainable.

3 1. The idea for the bottle house origniated while Mr. Santa Cruz was building a doll house for his daughter. 2. The fronts and the backs of panels have been filled with concrete to make the structure steadier. 3. The walls of the house are made by stacking bottles within a wooden frame.

FACT FILE:

Project Location Walls Roof Doors and Windows Couches Bed

: : : : : : :

Eco-bottle House Puerto Iguazu, Argentina 1200 PET plastic bottles 1300 milk and wine tetra-pack containers 140 compact disk boxes 120 PET plastic bottles 200 PET plastic bottles

THE GINGER ALE STOP In 2007, Art-in-Motion, a non-profit group hosted a competition for an ‘artistic shelter’ at a site in Lexington, Kentucky. Rather than relying on dramatic forms, artist Aaron Scales’ winning design used the popular Ale-8-One bottles, which the people of Kentucky identify with. The bus stop was seen as an ‘awareness building’ measure for the city; for him, the call for a new bus stop to promote public transportation echoed the call for sustainability that is being resounded by cities globally. Dropping his original grandiose gestures, edgy forms and functional compromise, Scales chose soft drink bottles as the medium to

transform into a responsible and a creative space. Inspiration came with the realisation that the proposal that he was originally developing was irrelevant to the site and its users. Soft drinks bottles are non-biodegradable, not really reused or recycled, which leads to accumulation. Scales wanted to demonstrate how something considered worthless could be transformed into something useful. The bottles, with their strong local identity, were suited for this purpose. In his opinion, with this project he has succeeded in awakening amongst the locals the idea of sustainability and this will lead to some even trying to find new uses for the old. The design stacks up clear bottles along with green ones, sourced from the same plant, between glass panes. The green bottles give the bus stop an especially warm feel and the clear glass bottles are chemically frosted to emit an even glow

69 81

Process diagram

when illuminated. Solar powered LED lighting makes this bus stop probably the most eco-friendly bus stop in the world. In addition, the effect created as sunlight falls on the bottles is quite endearing and pleasant. Named Bottlestop, custom hardware, LED lighting and structural silicone stay the bottles within panes of tempered security glass in an aluminium storefront frame, secured with an internal steel structure. The bench is reinforced concrete, cast off-site and installed by crane at the foundation. A solar collector charges a battery with a days worth of electricity to operate the integrated lighting through the night hours. Seating at the bus stop has also been designed to look different and the bus stop also includes a garbage receptacle to encourage visitors to keep the area clean. Signs of an unspoken dialogue between the designer and user are hidden in the detail.

4. Located in Lexington, Kentucky, Bottlestop is constructed with used soft drink bottles.

DETAILS

There are ten bottles with laser-etched sketches at different eye levels and the seat has grooves to rest a bottled drink. Scales feels that the idea has the potential to transforms shelters of the future through the use of recycled material. Bottlestop is a specific response to unique site characteristics and restraints. He feels that instead of posters, the entire shelter can serve as an advertisement and a creative and uniquely engaging work of art. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bottlestop,â&#x20AC;? he

5. Bottles are laser-etched and hidden in the tapestry to form an unspoken dialogue between the user and the artist. 6. The bottles are held together using structural silicone and custom hardware.

63 83

says, “is intended to be a display framework for any kind of reused material, artistically representing the product of the sponsoring business, whether bottles, jars, peanuts, cardboard, even an ant farm! Taking this idea a step forward, how like Ale-8-One is a Kentucky product, one could use products that make one’s community a unique place. It is just a question of local pride, identity and art as function, advertisement and architecture.”

FACT FILE: Project Location Client Architect Status

: : : : :

Bottlestop Kentucky, USA Art-in-Motion Aaron Scales Completed

84 IA&B - MAY 2010 1

Cubical Neutrality A stunning recyclable space was the venue for Palomar5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative camp. The fluid white space served as the thinking site for thirty corporate professionals. Text: Hema Yadav Photographs: courtesy Rosa Merk

interior

1. The plan created privacy without cutting the space with traditional walls. 2 & 3. The whole cube was a great partition plastic with walls that could be either looked or crawled through.

site in Germany ser ved as the canvas for Palomar5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative camp. Palomar5 is a net work- organisation experimenting with new environments for creating positive innovations and empowering individuals to create and realise new ideas. Their camp is an incredible projec t that brought together for six weeks thir t y intellec tuals under the age of thir t y from thir t y different disciplines to foster innovation outside the corporate environment. For this Palomar5 approached architec tural firm ZWEIDREI and interior designing firm 45 Kilo to create an inspiring green live in-work space for the event.

The required space was construc ted inside an old empt y fac tor y building in south B erlin. The primar y aim was to create an environment which would positively affec t the par ticipants and create a feeling of togetherness to raise produc tivit y. This was achieved by dividing the space into private and public. Fur thermore, the site was abscinded into three sec tions of singular rooms: sleeping box, working area and recreational area. The sleeping box was arranged in street-like avenue and designed to provide par ticipants with their own cube, equipped with bed, lighting, storage

space and a sliding door. Their design was intentionally created small to encourage people to congregate in groups instead of staying isolated. Par ticipants could choose their level of privac y by opening or closing the cube doors completely. The cubes were construc ted without glue from rec ycled MDF which was re -purposed at the end of the projec t to heat the carpenterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bio -mass heating system.

4. The sleeping box was designed to provide participants with some privacy. 5. The design was intentionally created small to encourage people to congregate in groups instead of staying isolated. 6 & 7. The recreational area was undivided by walls and served as a hang out space. 8. The white washed walls of the working area was constructed completely from recyclable cardboard and was used as backboards for discussion on projects.

The recreational area, meant as a hang out space remained undivided by walls. Construc ted completely from rec yclable cardboard, the working area was the highlight of camp. Its lofted white -washed walls ser ved as dividers for different workstations and also as backboards for discussion on projec ts. The plan created division and privac y for different groups without cutting the space with traditional walls. The rest of the environment was open and full of natural light. The whole cube was presented as a great par tition plastic with walls that could be either looked through or crawled through, creating a flow into one another. The whole design represents the motto of the camp. After the completion of the stipulated six weeks, the ideas generated within were presented to 300 eminent representatives

of economics, science, culture, politics and media. The par ticipants came up with strategies and solutions for issues surrounding humanitarian effor ts, the involvement of the media in social issues and communications technology. The inspiring design by 45 Kilo and ZWEIDREI provided them with an open and inviting environment to get their mind invigorated, fostering creativit y for six weeks. The design was then broken down and completely rec ycled and re -purposed.

FACT FILE: Project Client Location Architect Firm Project Architect Architecture Project Team

: : : : : :

Interior Design Structural Engineer

: :

Palomar5 Camp Palomar5 Malzfabrik, Berlin ZweiDrei Medienarchitektur Dipl. Ing. Julius Kranefuss Daniel Klapsing, Nils Kr채mer, Simon Wind 45 Kilo Leonhardt, Andr채 und Partner, LAP consult

88 IA&B - MAY 2010

A swooping swish Exploring the impact of design in relationship with urban spaces and every day life is the Design Museum Holon. The latest creation by Ron Arad Architects provides a fresh dose of culture to the city of Holon. Text: Hema Yadav Photographs: courtesy the architect, Yael Pincus and Elad Sarig 1

Except for the southern faรงade, the rust coloured steel bands envelope the structure from all sides.

international

ituated 5km from Tel Aviv’s Mediterranean coast, the city of Holon is embellishing its name as the new culture centre of the Middle Eastern world and the Design Museum Holon is its first step towards it. Designed and constructed in his native land by Ron Arad, the museum is the first national museum dedicated exclusively to design. The new educational and cultural hub for Israel, the museum houses a collection of contemporary and historical pieces from diverse designs disciplines, including industrial, fashion, textiles and jewellery. A result of the initiative undertaken by the city’s Mayor Motti Sasson and Managing Director, Hana Hertsman, who over the past few years, have been energetically investing in the development of Holon’s cultural identity and its impact nationally, the museum forms part of a series of urban-scale development projects aimed at developing the city of Holon. Architect Ron Arad was invited to create a new design along the lines of the brief written by Daniel Charny and Asa Bruno in collaboration with Ron Arad Associates (RAA) in March 2004, which was later updated in July 2004 to reflect the shift from the refurbishment of an existing building to the construction of a new building. In accordance with the designing brief the museum was constructed to reflect its commitment to the creative and designing arena. The design is highlighted by hierarchy of outdoor spaces, exhibiting a dramatic approach. For architect Ron Arad the project

augments his reputation, as this is his first architectural project on such a scale. The design philosophy of the museum encompasses two distinct views interwoven like a möbius strip: one is the inventive, intricate piece of artwork, while the other is open and logical gallery spaces. From the exterior the museum reflects a tightly woven, sand-coloured dune of twisted steel ribbons. One of the most striking aspects of the structure is its innovative use of corten or weathering steel. The magnificence of the structure is partly due to the oxidisation of the weathering steel to the right colour. This was achieved by Milan Polytechnic Institute of Oil and Grease, specialist in developing steadfast colour systems for the car industry, which created an oil that could impregnate the hard corten steel. Except for the southern façade of the museum, five dominant steel bands envelop the museum from all sides oscillating their way in, out and around the internal volumes. The earth /rust coloured steel bands act as a spine for the building—supporting it structurally, as well as defining its posture in relation to its surroundings. The horizontality of

2. The museum’s design resembles a mobius strip with intricate piece of artwork.

3. The steel bands perform a figure-eight creating a partially secluded courtyard. 4. Corten or weathering steel is used innovatively in the design adding to its splendour.

the bands layout is further emphasised by a gentle gradation of patina from the lightest on top, to the darkest towards the bottom, echoing the topography of the open terrain in the urban context.The entrance of the museum represents a cave that has been formed from the underside of the main gallery, which cantilevers over an entrance pathway and a landscaped area. Entering the whirling shaped outer vortex, one finds a protected inner courtyard, providing a sunlit external exhibition area of 300sqm, for outdoor exhibits and serves as a stage for special event. The courtyard leads to two rectangular, proportioned primary galleries, which adorn the museum, diversifying the space into alternative exhibition and education spaces. Measuring around 500m, the interplay of natural and

92 Gallery 1 steel roof truss First floor offices roof Curved concrete perimeter structure

East wing first floor

Gallery 1 walls upper pavilion ring beam

Balustrade Band

terrace edge beam (band no.1 internal structure)

Stair #1(emergency escape stair gallery 1) “underbelly” steel lattice truss

Curved concrete downstand “L”-beam stair no.2 (staff stair)

East Wing ground floor Lift no.1 (goods lift) Roof type no.4 Skylight edge beams Span-crete hollow-core precast concrete beams Roof type no.3

Lift no.2 (Gallery connection)

Curved concrete perimeter structure

East Wing basement level

EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC VIEW OF THE STRUCTURE

artificial light, filtered through profiled concrete blades is the distinct feature of the first gallery, whereas the second gallery admeasuring 200m provides an intimate and personal approach between the visitor and the objects on display. Five corten or weathering steel bands wrap the two gallery spaces, leaving their east-facing facades open. In between these wider loops, the bands perform a figure of eight creating a courtyard, which is partially secluded. The main gallery is situated on the first floor of the east wing and is constructed as a high-ceilinged open plan box. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) intakes and supply outlets are routed and positioned within the perimeter walls, in such a way as to allow the gallery’s ceiling to remain clear of obstructions or unnecessary fixtures. The ceiling is structured as a series of alternating inverted ‘T’ beams which provide load-bearing capacity, as well as frame the skylights and accommodate the artificial track-lighting and ambient lighting systems. A flexible grid of electrical and data outlets set within the floor, caters for the changing needs of various exhibitions. The main gallery is directly accessible from the loading bay lift and the curator’s workroom. The second gallery is located in the west wing and is constructed as a high-ceilinged (5m clearance height) open-plan box. The gallery is artificially lit, while the floors accommodate a flexible electrical and data outlet grid. Adjacent to the second gallery is the resident designer’s lab. This independent space of 39sqm, provides a flexible workshop and exhibition environment, allowing partial exposure of the visitors. The 5

5. 3D cut away plan showing gallery layout.

SECTION AA

SECTION BB

SECTION CC

challenge for Arad lay in building a structure unique amidst the concrete landscape of contemporary Israel, at the same time complying with the design brief to create an iconic structure for design and exhibition purposes. The design approach for the entire museum is based on creating and exploiting the tension between an internal arrangement of box-like spaces and the external envelope. From the inner courtyard, the external circulation ramp leads up to the main gallery entrance. Along its right-hand (external) wall, a series of display cases are mounted to provide a transitional exhibition opportunity for small objects. The west wing houses the accommodation facilities for small exhibitions and for showcasing studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s/childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work in progress. Combining ingenuous and playful functionality with highly visual design, Arad has created a stunning piece of revolutionary Middle Eastern architecture.

6. The whirling shaped outer vortex transforms into a sunlit exhibition area. 7. The inner courtyard is connected to the main gallery by a circular ramp. 8. The museum houses diverse design disciplines like industrial, fashion, textiles and jewellery.

FACT FILE: Project : Location : Client : Project Status : Architecture : Project management : Structural Engineers : Mechanical Engineers : Quantity Surveyors : Lighting Consultant : Area :

Design Museum Holon Holon, Israel Municipality of Holon Completed Ron Arad, Asa Bruno, James Foster Waxman - Govrin. Tel Aviv, Israel Uri Harmel - Harmel Engineering, Tel Aviv, Israel D. Hahn Engineers, Tel Aviv, Israel Jacob Gamzu, Tel Aviv, Israel Noa Lev - RTLD Tel Aviv, Israel 3,100sqm

96 IA&B - MAY 2010

Where Practice meets Pedagogy Boston-based office dA successfully builds in a new skin for the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, which reconfigures the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entry sequence in addition to the new spaces annexed onto and within the original building. Information & Photographs: courtesy the architects

A new skin that reconfigures the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entry sequence and new spaces added.

international

s there a better way for an architectural firm to push the design envelope than to design at a school of architecture? Office dA got such an opportunity when they were awarded the transformation of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture through an expansion of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current location. The current building, which houses the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s architecture school, sits on a corner site at the edge of the campus, but does not engage with the streetscape effectively. Office dAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan for the college building is strikingly transformative. The architects have used a shimmering new high-tech skin of glass panels, which reorient the entry sequence to the corner of two major streets, giving the

2. At the entry point, the skin lifts to reveal the original building and a combined stairway and ramp that snakes to the original main entrance. 3. The double-skin system has insulated glass units, engineered to optimise thermal performance.

EXPLODED AXONOMETIRIC VIEW OF THE BUILDING

SECTION

99 building more prominence on both. At the entry point, the skin lifts to reveal the original building and a combined stairway and ramp that lead to the original main entrance. Apart from this, the plan also gives two additional floors and a rooftop garden. The double-skin system, engineered to optimise thermal performance, not only works as a giant helmet which creates the thermal barrier, but also gives the much needed visual impact when looked at from the street. The expansion of the faculty speaks to its context in a variety of scales—activating the site from the outside in as well as inside out. The new cladding gives the building a unified image that articulates a larger idea about the site through the way it engages its surroundings, while also improving the building’s environmental performance. By creating visual, accessible and programmatic links between the various disciplines, the building’s interior is transformed as a place of learning, while its altered massing reconfigures the city’s skyline. The existing building of the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design anchors the southwest

LONGITUDINAL SECTION

100 4. In winters, the façade is sealed closed to trap the heat; whereas in summers, the façade can be opened up to keep air flowing throughout the façade. 5. Public programs are dispersed throughout the building stack, with the auditorium at the lowest level.

corner of University of Toronto, but does not engage the urban context; thus, posing great potentials for the redefinition of the threshold into the campus. In the new design, the southwest, southeast and northwest corners of the building take on a new significance by engaging new entry sequences. Acknowledging the oblique bias of the site, the main entry responds to the diagonal relationship the building maintains towards the street where the building skin is pulled up, revealing the original building behind, while opening up a ‘stramp’ – a hybrid stair and ramp – welcomes people of all abilities. The use of these varying architectural moments, at each corner and the supportive landscape strategies, offer an urban walk connecting to the upper campus. One of the great challenges of this building and its program is to create a sense of community, interdisciplinary interaction and collaborative platforms in a structure that is predisposed to separation and stratification due to its vertical organisation. To solve the programmatic requirements of the project, the architects added a fifth floor and a partial six floor that opens into a roof terrace. The core idea of the scheme was to create spaces of interaction, using a series of interlocking double height spaces in the new areas of the building, which tie to existing double height spaces in the building. The intention is to create links between the collective spaces—the student lounge and the review spaces with the studio spaces, research labs, library and the auditorium. The public programs are dispersed throughout the building stack, with the auditorium at the lowest

level, the student lounge on the third floor and the new Library and terrace rooftop on the highest levels. As a way of fostering a dynamic and interactive social and intellectual life for its users, the design incorporates a landscape of ramps, stairs and terraces that ascend the building in its core, by way of atria. The figure of the building is derived as a silhouette of the functions it clads and the urban duties it is meant to perform. The new glazed skin system is fritted and appears to slide up and down the building in correspondence to the staircases, arcades, bleachers and other functions it shrouds. The form of the building, then, is disciplined by the logic of its tectonic units, while offering a powerful iconic profile that participates in the skyline of Toronto and effectively speaks to the importance of the architectural institution within the city. In terms of building energy performance, the glazing of the double facade has a high solar heat gain coefficient to allow solar energy through, but a low U-value to help minimise heat loss. In the winter, the façade is sealed closed to trap the heat from the solar radiation. In the summer, the façade can be opened up at the top and bottom of each floor to keep air flowing throughout the façade with manual hand cranks and the existing operable windows can be opened for natural ventilation. The new Daniels Building at the University of Toronto will be an exemplar of revitalisation of an existing university building into a high-performance, resource efficient facility that provides a comfortable and high quality indoor environment. By comprehensively addressing a wide gamut

101

FACT FILE:

of sustainable concerns, the renovated Daniels Building will have a significantly reduced environmental footprint with LEED Gold and carbon-neutral goals. The conceptual approach to the design is to first and foremost reduce the demand for resources (whether materials, energy, water etc.) through pragmatic design and then provide for the resulting demand efficiently.

Project : Client : Design Architect : Architect of Record : Structural Engineer : Sustainability Consultant : Landscape Architect : Area :

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, Toronto University of Toronto Office dA, Boston—Nader Tehrani (Design Principal, Principal in charge); Monica Ponce de Leon (design principal); Daniel Gallagher (Project Architect); Lisa Huang (Project Coordinator); Arthur Chang, Melissa Harlan, Natsuki Meada, Harry Lowd, Remon Alberts, Catie Newell, Rich Lee, Jonathan Palazzolo, Masoud Akbarzadeh, Sulaiman Albader, Abrar Al-Ebrahim, Jeff Dee, Brandon Clifford, Abdulwahab Almazeedi, Wadha Al-Massad, Ebrahim Alawadhi, Suzy Costello (Design team) Adamson Associates Architects—David Jansen (principal in charge); Ann Daniel, Dominic Virdo (project team) Charnish Halcrow Yolles—Barry Charnish Atelier Ten—Nico Kienzl, John An Coen + Partners—Shane Coen (principal in charge); Stephanie Grotta, Bryan Kramer (project team) 71,365sqft (existing), plus 20,990sqft (new addition)

102 IA&B - MAY 2010

Floating Realm â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;W Barcelona,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; an avant-garde icon created by the Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill of Taller de Arquitectura, highlights the spectacular beachfront of Barcelona, Spain Text: Maanasi Hattangadi Photographs: courtesy the architect

international

The avante-garde structure is inspired from the concept of the sail of a ship heading out to sea.

CONCEPTUAL SKETCH

104

conceptual sketch

perspective sketch

105

Ground Floor Plan

pain-based architect Ricardo Bofill’s firm Taller de Arquitectura has created a landmark hotel known as W Barcelona, as well as Hotel Vela.The structure is enveloped in an ambitious urban renewal waterfront planned district of luxury retails, theatres and nightclubs. Located on the Nova Bocana of the Port of Barcelona, its commanding presence defines the gateway from the city’s historic centre to the Mediterranean. W Barcelona is near the world famous boardwalk La Barceloneta and Barcelona’s Old Town and Las Ramblas. The modernist sleek lines of the design capture the revolutionary concept of a billowing sail of a ship heading out to sea. Spread across an expanse of 10 acres, the 26-storied crescent structure is aligned perpendicular to the dock, proffering scenic vistas of the sea on one side and unparalleled views of the city shoreline on the other. Designed to merge with the stylistic coastline and the Mediterranean, the hotel encases a glass façade which blends harmoniously into the sea and sky. The sail-like, slender hotel towers over a height of 105m, encompassing 473 rooms, 67

suites, a panoramic roof top bar, large spa, humongous terraces, inclusive of a pool area and public amenities. The sinuous curves take flight from a low glass atrium building, which invites the marine ambience indoors. The lobbies of the atrium trace out paths to two open terraces, contrived as platforms to house all the public activities. Through unique and distinctive programming, the architect not only evolves the luxurious hotel design as the ultimate holiday destination but also as a signature convention centre. A massive congress room is complemented by more than 2,500sqm of ultra-modern meeting and event space, which with its glass frontage frames a dramatic background. Arcing upwards through the accommodations, the structure unfolds to reveal

2. The slender crescent building materialises as a harmonius blend with the landscape.

Elevation

Key Plan

Section AA Limit of hotel use in the plot

Outer limit of the dam

Limited field space

106

Key Plan

107

glamorous rooftop-restaurant, surrounded by multiple sun terraces, inspiring exterior lounge decks and fully equipped cabanas. “Barcelona is the mixture of all architectures. We have everything. The most excellent urbanism and the most incredible variation of architecture pieces you can find, from the Roman Walls to the latest modernist icons. The result of thousands of architects working together for two thousand years. We hope that W Barcelona becomes part of this story,” says Ricardo Bofill. Setting a precedent, the architect has materialised this grandiose dream driven by rare advantage of the emblematic locale. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, the leading-edge design stands high, glinting against the Mediterranean skyline, as an individual expression of the brand’s sensibility.

5 3. The hotel defines the gateway from the city’s historic centre to the mediterranean. 4. The luxurious interiors offer panoramic vistas of the Mediterranean. 5. The roof-top lounge deck comprises of white cabanas overlooking the pool area.

FACT FILE: Project Architect Client Completion of Project Floor area

: : : : :

W Barcelona, Spain Ricardo Bofill, Taller de Arquitectura Nova Bocana Barcelona sa 2009 42.818sqm

IA&B - MAY 2010

108

announcement

The conference on

Design & Informal Cities Some 923,986,000 People (31.6% ) of the World’s Urban Population Live in Slums* Some 6% Of The Urban Population in Developed Regions Live in Slum like Conditions* Some 43

% of The Urban Population of all Developing Regions Combined Live in Slums* Some 78.2% of the Urban Population who Service the City Live in Slums*

The Total Number of Slum Dwellers in the World Increased by 36% during The 1990s* In the Next 30 not Corrected.

Years , the Global number of Slum Dwellers will Increase to about Two Billion if *UN Habitat Report

esign & Informal Cities’ is the theme for this year’s 361° Conference. The program aims to address the need for design interventions in the informal sectors of urban existence which are integral to the city. Scheduled between 22 nd and 24 th October 2010, the ‘Design & Informal City Conference’ is being organised jointly by the Indian Architect & Builder Magazine and citizens’ groups that are actively involved with issues concerning informal settlements in Mumbai and especially the future of one of Asia’s largest informal settlements—Dharavi. The conference aims to discuss and imagine the future of informal cities, while focusing attention on the role of physical design of such settlements which has not been adequately articulated. Organised in the heart of Dharavi with active participation from the Dharavi Bachao Andolan—a citizens’ group from the settlement that works to resist the government’s plans to demolish and rebuild Dharavi without representation from its people, the conference is supported by the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC), the National Slum Dwellers Federation (NSDF) and the Slum Dwellers International (SDI). The conference strives to address the socio-political undercurrents in informal cities and discuss future projections, providing insights into policies adopted by local and governments and the catalysts of change proposed by urban innovators. The sieve of selected speakers has been drawn from an experience-base which covers on-field expertise in conflict settlements to urban theorists and academicians who have studied the development of informal cities over generations.

109

Speakers Alfredo Brillembourg & Hubert Klumpner

In 1993, Alfredo Brillenbourg founded the Urban Think Tank (UTT) in Caracas, Venezuela, a multi-disciplinary design practice dedicated to high-level research and design on a variety of subjects, concerned with a contemporary architecture and urbanism. The philosophy of the UTT is to deliver innovative yet practical solutions through the combined skills of architects, civil engineers, environmental planners, landscape architects and communication specialists. Their designs reflect a sensibility to economic efficiency, social and cultural benefits. Hubert Klumpner joined UTT in 1998 as a Principal. A Masters of Science in Architecture and Urban Design Degree from Columbia University ,New York: he has been a member of the German Chamber of Architects, since 1997. He has lectured at institutions in Europe, North and South America and taught at the Academy of Applied Arts in Vienna, the International Summer Academy in Salzburg and has been a guest professor at the Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV). Since

2001, he has been the Urbanism Consultant of the International Program for Social and Cultural Development in Latin America (OEA and UNESCO).

Arc h i te c t u re ( E TS A B ) . He wa s a Pro f e s s o r at the UPB and direc tor of the UPB Architec tural St u d i e s G ro u p a s we l l a s Vi s i t i n g Pro f e s s o r i n U r b a n St u d i e s at E TS A B i n 1 9 9 9 . H i s wo r k re ce i ve d re co gn i t i o n i n 1 9 9 6 , w h e n h e wa s awa rd e d t h e Fe rn a n d o M a r t i n ez S a n a b ri a Nat i o n a l Arc h i te c t u re Pri ze i n 1 9 9 6 f ro m t h e Co l o m b i a n Arc h i te c t u re S o c i e t y, t h e s a m e ye a r i n w h i c h h e wo n h o n o u ra b l e m e nt i o n at t h e X Pa n a m e ri ca n B i e n n i a l Arc h i te c t u re E x h i b i t i o n i n Q u i to, Ec u a d o r. He wa s D i re c to r o f U r b a n P l a n n i n g f o r t h e m u n i c i p a l i t y o f M e d e l l í n f ro m 2 0 0 5 to 2 0 0 7 a n d G e n e ra l D i re c to r o f t h e Ente rp ri s e f o r U r b a n D e ve l o p m e nt ( E D U ) o f t h e m u n i c i p a l i t y o f M e d e l l í n f ro m 2 0 0 4 to 2 0 0 5 , d u ri n g t h e a d m i n i s t rat i o n o f M ayo r S e rgi o Fa j a rd o. Arif Hasan

Alejandro Echeverri

He gra d u ate d i n 1 9 8 7 f ro m t h e U n i ve r s i d a d Po nt i f i c i a B o l i va ri a n a ( U P B ) i n M e d e l l í n , Co l o m b i a a n d s t u d i e d f ro m 1 9 9 8 to 2 0 0 0 i n t h e U r b a n St u d i e s D o c to ra l Pro gra m at t h e B a rce l o n a Adva n ce d Te c h n i ca l S c h o o l o f

A Pa ki s t a n i Arc h i te c t a n d P l a n n e r, Ha s a n co m p l e te d h i s a rc h i te c t u re e d u cat i o n f ro m Ox f o rd Po ly te c h n i c, En g l a n d a n d e s t a b l i s h e d h i s p ra c t i ce i n Ka ra c h i i n 1 9 6 8 . He i s re n ow n e d f o r h i s i nvo lve m e nt w i t h l ow- i n co m e s e t t l e m e nt p ro gra m s a n d i s t h e a rc h i te c t o f a l a rg e n u m b e r o f re s i d e nt i a l, co m m e rc i a l a n d e d u cat i o n a l

110 facilities in Pakistan. He has been a Consultant to various United Nations agencies, international organisations, non- governmental organisations and communit y groups. The O rangi Pilot Projec t, to which he is Consultant, has attrac ted international attention. He is the Chairman of the Urban R esource Centre in Karachi, one of the most impor tant institutions in the cit y whi ch conduc ts research and is ac tive in advocating issues which affec t all those who live there. Aromar Revi

He is a researcher, international consultant and prac titioner with ex tensive interdisciplinar y experience in public polic y development, technology and sustainabilit y and is also the Founding Direc tor of TARU, a leading South Asian research consulting firm. He has been a Senior Advisor to various ministries of the government of India and consultant with a wide range of multilateral and bilateral development institutions including the World Bank, UNEP, UNU and DFID. Over the last t wo years, he has worked with a research team on the dynamics of decentralised governance in India. He has made significant contributions to human settlements development in India, for which he was elec ted an Ashoka Fellow in 1990. He is one of south Asia’s leading disaster mitigation and management exper ts, who firmly believes that a successful sustainabilit y transition in South Asia, will tip the balance in favour of a more humane global future.

David Satterhwaite

He is a D evelopment Planner specialising in integrating environmental health and resource management into urban plans and policies. He works as a Senior Fellow with the Human Settlements Programme at the International Institute for Environment and D evelopment (IIED). He has been the Editor of the international journal Environment and Urbanisation and co -author of several Ear th scan books including Environmental Problems in an Urbanizing World: Local Solutions for Cities in Africa, Asia and Latin America (with Jorge E. Hardoy & Diana Mitlin), Ear thscan, 2000. He was awarded the Volvo Environment Prize in 2004. Dr. Liza Weinstein An Assistant Professor of Sociology, she recently received her Ph.D. from the Universit y of Chicago specialising in the study of urban communities and globalisation. Dr. Weinstein is the author of several ar ticles and book chapters on the social and political conflic ts that often accompany urban planning within developing societies. Her most recent projec t rests on many months of ethnographic research in the slums of Mumbai, India that has led to such publications as Mumbai’s D evelopment Mafias: Organised Crime, Land D evelopment and Globalisation and The Changing R ight to the Cit y: Urban Renewal and Housing R ights in Globalising Shanghai and Mumbai (with Xuefei Ren) and Cit y & Communit y (September 2009) R ight to the Cit y: Urban Renewal and Housing R ights in Globalising Shanghai and Mumbai (with Xuefei Ren) and Cit y & Communit y (September 2009).

Eyal Weizmann

Based in London, he holds a PhD from the London Consortium, Birkbeck College. He is the Director of the Centre for Research Architecture at Goldsmiths College. Since 2007, he is a member of the architectural collective ‘decolonising architecture’ in Beit Sahour, Palestine. Weizman has taught, lectured, curated and organised conferences in many institutions worldwide. Having published many books including The Lesser Evil (Nottetempo, 2009), Hollow Land (Verso Books, 2007) and the series Territories 1,2 and 3, he is a member of editorial boards of several journals and magazines. Weizman is the recipient of the James Stirling Memorial Lecture Prize for 2006–2007. GAUTAM BHAN

He is a gay rights activist and writer based in New Delhi who writes extensively on homosexual issues and social movements. He is a member of PRISM, Voices against Section 377 and the Nigah Media Collective. He is a writer and researcher on urban systems. He received Ph.D. in Urban Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

111 JOCKIN ARPUTHAM

Born in 1947 to Tamilian parents in the Kolar district of Karnataka, India, he moved to Mumbai in 1963, where he worked as a carpenter and building contractor. He is the President and founder of National Slum Dwellers Federation. He has worked for more than 40 years in slums and shanty towns, building representative organisations into powerful partners with governments and international agencies for the betterment of urban living. Arputham is also the President of Slum Dwellers International and was the winner of the 2000 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding. Peter Head

He is Director of Arup and leads the newly integrated business of Planning and Integrated Urbanism. He graduated in Civil Engineering from Imperial College, London in 1969 and has become a recognised world leader in major bridges, advanced composite technology, consulting engineering management and now in sustainable development in cities. He became Project Director for major crossings such as the Second Severn Crossing between England and Wales, receiving the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for ser vices to the industr y for delivering projects. He has won many awards for his work, including the Royal Academy Silver Medal, Award of Merit of IABSE and the Prince Philip Award for Polymers in the Ser vice of Mankind.

Rahul Mehrotra

He is an Indian Architect and Urban Designer trained at the School of Architecture, Ahmedabad and the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. Professor Mehrotra is Executive Director of the Urban Design Research Institute, which promotes awareness and research on the city of Mumbai. He has also written several books on Mumbai, including ‘Bombay, the Cities Within’ and has lectured extensively on urban

Teddy Cruz

design, conservation and architecture in India. His most recent book is ‘The Architecture of the 20th Century in the South Asian Region.’ Rahul Mehrotra teaches at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he is an Associate Professor.

His work dwells at the border between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, inspiring a practice and pedagogy that emerges out of the particularities of this bicultural territory and the integration of theoretical research and design production. He has taught and lectured in various universities in the U.S. and Latin America and in 1994 he conceived and began the LA/LA Latin America / Los Angeles studio, an experimental summer workshop at SCI-Arc in Los Angeles.

Sheela Patel

Wes Janz

She leads the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC), an Indian civil society organisation that aims to improve the living conditions and promote the rights of millions of urban slum dwellers and homeless people. She is also Chair of Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI), a confederation of slum dweller organisations from over 20 countries in the global south. SDI and its members help move urban policy away from reactive interventions toward long-term solutions, with the urban poor – particularly women – playing a key role in this process. They engage communities, government at many levels, other civil society groups, the private sector, academia and international institutions in this work.

An Architectural Educator at Ball State University, Janz unites his professional education—MArch, UW–Milwaukee, 1978; PhD, University of Michigan, 1995 with building activities for the world’s working and urban poor. He is also co-Director of CapAsia, an 11-week immersive program that provides a cross section of world architecture, urbanism and planning for graduate and undergraduate students in selected South Asian regions and cities. With students, faculty colleagues and his collaborators in 26262625 Architects, he has constructed nocost installations built of scavenged materials in Argentina, Sri Lanka and the US.

112

22nd-24th October 2010, Dharavi*, Mumbai DELEGATE REGISTRATION FORM (For Professionals) PACKAGE

COST/DELEGATE

PERSON

Rs. 6000

2-10

Rs. 5000

MORE THAN 10

Rs. 4000

Please draw the Cheque/Demand Draft favouring Jasubhai Media Pvt. Ltd. A/C IAB - To make online payment, log on to www.iabforum.com/www.aecworldxp.com Name:

Designation:

Company: Address:

City:

State:

Telephone Code:

(O):

(Mob):

Email:

Pin Code: (Fax):

(Res): Web:

Payment details: (for non-Mumbai cheque, add Rs.30) We/I enclose herewith DD/Cheque No. branch

dated for Rs.:

drawn on favouring Jasubhai Media Pvt. Ltd. A/c-IAB

Any other card for Rs.:

Credit card details: Card No. Card Member’s Name: Card Expiry Date:

Card Member’s Sign:

All the above fields are compulsory it will help us to serve you better.

Please fill the form and send it to: Indian Architect & Builder, Taj Building, 3rd Floor, 210, Dr. D N Road, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001 Tel: 022-42136411/12  Fax: (022) 4213 6401  E-mail: sheetal_kamble@jasubhai.com * Venue to be confirmed Student registration to open in August 2010

Organiser

Partners

113 IA&B - MAY 2010

Philosophy Vs Phenomena Based on a project proposal for the Fort at Batticaloa, architect Pali Wijeratne discusses the philosophy and the phenomena of cultural heritage, which can be used to ease the pain of traumatised communities as well as help build bridges between communities that have lived for a long time in distrust of each other. Text : Archt. Plnr. Pali Wijeratne Photographs : courtesy the author

ith Sri Lanka entering a new phase, having concluded a three decade war on terror, and with a road map for liberation and unification, the Fort at Batticaloa can be positioned as a cultural project that will help heal wounds and rebuild confidence in communities ripped apart by war. The human scale of the disastrous conflict is one of unprecedented magnitude in the Sri Lankan context. Human costs of the tragedy need to be addressed first: death and bereavement, the nightmare of missing, trauma, injury, possibility of disease, long term effects on individual health, emerging economic consequences on occupations, employment, loss of property, education, living conditions â&#x20AC;Ś the list is endless. One has to consider, not only the rebuilding of

lives, but also the reconstruction of the physical environment. In addition to the human conflict, this area also suffered from the tsunami in 2004, further decimating lives. Life in Sri Lanka will not be the same again, but there is optimism in the changes the future holds. Since, in this instant, change will bring about certainty, peace and stability; people will accept it because it envisages the long term provisions of financial security, shelter and food. Misgivings, if any, would be if the people are uprooted from their traditional settlements, their social and physical environment. For the older generation, it is nostalgia of what was, whilst for the younger members it is a totally new experience. It

Pepper Pot Guard House Batticaloa Lagoon

t Ro

hed

Sto

Batticaloa Lagoon Gun Gun Gun

Tree Tree O pe G arag n Sp e ace St Brid eps ge Toilet

Damaged Old Ferry

Garage

Moat

Ste p

Well

rc a s

Roa

Water Tank Water Tank

Second Floor s

pal

St a i

nici

il unc

e Bridg

F ro m

Fo r

Tree Kovil

Sto e Te m

Bell

Pepper Pot Guard House

S.L.

B. C

oad

G at

Toilet

oad

Roa

rc a s

Pepper Pot Guard House

rt R

To i l e

Existing Ferry

Under Pi t ground

St a i

Brid

Co u

Tree Tree

Culvert

Pepper Pot Guard House

Ste p

ric t

e B rid St a i

rc a s

Stone Post

Nai Dist

in g Cycle Pa rk

To i l s et

nne Cha

Stone Post

Batticaloa Lagoon

Water Tank

Stone Post

F ro m

culture counts

Stone Post

Ste p

Co u

ric t

re To i l e

Dist

Sto

F ro m

sh R

LEGEND Old Buildings New Buildings Buildings to be Demolished Rampart Inner Wall Terrace Road Ground Moat Lagoon Demolished Buildings

Batticaloa Lagoon St a i

FIRST FLOOR

She

e Ope

GROUND FLOOR

rc a s

n Sp

ace St a i

rc a s

is necessary to look to the future at this stage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in the aftermath of tragedy, where people and local communities have to rebuild lives, restore living and working environments and undertake reconstruction. Although the government is committed to redevelopment, choosing priorities is always an issue. Along with forward planning for reconstruction, it is vital for simultaneous heritage preservation, as this is what will secure communities as symbols of their cultural identity in times of uncertainty. Sri Lankan tradition believes that there exists a symbiotic relationship between cultural and natural heritage and its socio-economic development. This tradition is ingrained in all communities regardless of race or religion and mandates mutual respect for

each othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; beliefs and traditions. It will augur well for Sri Lanka to promote and rekindle these beliefs in the community. Heritage is not limited to merely the physical characteristics and built heritage; it is interwoven in to the intangible heritage, the performing and the visual arts, art and sculpture, poetry and literature, indigenous cuisine etc. It is important that the preservation or restoration of heritage buildings and other cultural monuments, environments and landscapes are incorporated 1. The satellite image of the fort location. 2. The District Secretariat offi ce inside the fort.

St a i

rc a s

and

rc a s

ace

St a i

n Sp

de L

Ope

na spla

Ro a ke

Second Floor

115

as an important aspect of the reconstruction of this war torn region. This provides a very special contribution towards preserving and carrying the memory of the past into the rebuilding of the future. Additionally, ‘maintaining the familiar’ is one of the most valuable components of the entire restorative process, helping ‘to keep one’s moorings,’ to retain identity, to engender and strengthen the psychology of survival and recovery in the face of severe adversities. Batticaloa is the main administrative centre of the eastern province. It comprises a series of islets with a charm of its own, separated from the mainland by a brackish lagoon. The ‘Dutch Fort,’ still intact, is situated on the eastern tip of a fish shaped island, where most government offices, schools, religious precincts and the government hospital are located. Ironically, because it is a government department, it has been secured during the recent unrest. This site has had a continuous recorded history from the 1st century BC. From a Buddhist Temple in the 1st century BC, it has gone full circle to be a defence post, a colonial trading and local administration centre to the provincial headquarters of the eastern province. The Fort is surrounded by a moat on two sides and the lagoon on the other sides. Over the years, the moat has silted on one side and gone into disrepair on the other side. The areas beyond the moat are undergoing rapid unplanned development, caus-

ing a real threat to Fort and its buffer zone. The eastern province was the first to be liberated and to commence reconstruction. This included the development of road electricity and water supply. Housing, health, schooling and other social infrastructure facilities soon followed to unprecedented levels. Even though, the state had all intentions of reviving the cultural roots of the community, this has taken a back seat to other reconstruction work and has affected the enhancement of the cultural heritage of the region. Batticaloa has Sinhala Buddhists, Tamil Hindus, Moslems, Sinhala and Tamil Christians, descendents of the Portuguese and Dutch and the original Sri Lankan ‘Veddhas.’ This cosmopolitan group of ethnic and religious groups lived in harmony for centuries until the conflict arose. At the moment, the monument faces many challenges that deter the community towards a programme of sustainable maintenance or for the optimum use of the community. A four year programme for conservation of the Dutch Fort has been prepared, which includes a proposal to alternatively use it as a Provincial Cultural Asset Management Centre. The Fort is earmarked for a centre that would foster communal harmony and upgrade the quality of life of the local community. It is also intended as a project for capacity building for conservation of historic buildings as well as for the revival of traditional arts and crafts and the intangible heritage of the region. Except for the temporary buildings, others within the complex will be restored. Whilst refurbishing the buildings, the older ones will be conserved to the

116 3. The surrounding water causes soil erosion dangerously close to the monument. 4. Physical degradation of the building fabric due to lack of maintenance for long periods coupled with the tropical climate. 5. A new contemporary structure inside the fort.

highest principles. The use of traditional regional landscape techniques and the period colonial landscape features would influence the layout, the flora and the techniques to be used. The restoration of the moat and the consolidation of the water’s edge of the lagoon takes priority in the conservation process. The rampart walls and its features such as the ‘Pepper Pot’ watch towers, the gateways, the belfry, 41 gun embrasure armaments and coat of arms need immediate attention and is an exercise that is labour intensive and time consuming because of the sheer volume of masonry to be rectified. The conserved Batticaloa Fort is intended for public use and maintained with the funds generated from proposed cultural activities. The development of the indigenous culture of the region is encouraged with a view to promoting better understanding of the values of the local community. At the same time, it is intended that this will augment the economic standards of the local community. The complex will house a mini theatre, a museum an exhibition centre and a crafts workshop so that the fort is bustling with activity at all time. Restaurants and Visitor Information Centres will highlight the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the Batticaloa region. PARADIGM BASED ON HOME-GROWN SOLUTIONS FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION It is important that the solutions to mending fences must be indigenously drawn up Sri Lanka has its own cultural and economic background which

must be taken in to consideration in evolving the necessary paradigm for a peaceful coexistence. Sometimes, this varies for different regions within the same country. Whilst studying other available models, it is not feasible to slavishly imitate them. In general, within the South Asian region there is a shared tangible and intangible heritage. This heritage subconsciously binds people together even though it is rarely admitted in contemporary society where other conflict situations arise. Thus, preserving, conserving and restoring the physical remains of the structure of a monument that does not belong to any ethnic group, in style or period, and using it to cultivate inter racial harmony through living arts is a fitting monument to those affected by the tragic events of the last three decades and for the whole country to draw inspiration from.

Pali Wijeratne is a senior architect, town planner and a conservator with over thirty-five years’ experience in Architecture, Town Planning and Conservation of Historic Monuments. He has held positions of responsibility both in Sri Lanka and in the United Kingdom He is the Founder Managing Director of Environmental Planning Services (Pvt.) Ltd., a senior consultancy firm of Architects and Town Planners in the country. He has worked as the Director Conservation on the Sigiriya Project from 1980 - 1986 under the UNESCO - Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle Project and was instrumental in the project winning the PATA Gold award for 1986. He is also an Honorary President of ICOMOS Sri Lanka and a Council Member of the Institute of Town Planners.