Architectural Debut - 2012 issue 01

ZAHA HADID DOES IT AGAIN Wonderous design for a new Opera House

TFP FARRELLS’ NEW GLASS EDIFICE A 500m high glass landmark

BEYOND IMAGINATION

MVRDV creates an ambitious fantasyland in the form of a comic book museum

DESIGN BRILLIANCE IN TASMANIA Circa Architects’ magnificent testament to the pristine beauty of the Freycinet Peninsula

Publisher

:

Sam Dhand

Editor-in-Chief

:

Annie Dhand

Photography

:

Refer to each article

Writers/Editors

:

refer to each article

Advertising Coordinator

:

Luxe Media Inc.

Advertising Inquiries

:

Ad@luxemedia.net

Circulation

:

Luxe Media Inc.

Website

:

architectural debut .com

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From The Editor Welcome to Architectural Debut! We live in an era in which amazing architectural wonders are created at a frequency never before seen.

Structures that inspire our imagination and enthrall our senses are being built using advanced materials that were not possible just a few short decades ago. Our environmental consciousness is at an all time high and resulting attention to sustainability, while not at its peak is yet worth celebrating. My friends, if there was a golden era of architecture, we are now entering a platinum one!

This book is a celebration of some of these stunning architectural feats

Annie dHand

that were recently accomplished, or are in their design completion

A r chit e ct Edito r - i n - C hi e f C r e ati v e D i r e cto r

stages and are due to begin construction in the coming months. I’ve carefully chosen an array of diverse modern architectural design styles from around the world that display extraordinary imagination and conceptualization along with remarkable engineering. These projects range from fabulous private residences to grand museums and mixed use marvels. I just know you will find this magazine thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring.

Sincerely, Annie dHand

We’re Building a Community Like us, do you also have an architectural pulse? Does your ticker start to THUMP every time you see some architectural wizardry? Tell us about it!!! Connect with us - newsletters, facebook, twitter, g+, pick your own mantra, any which way, we’d love to hear from you!

Architects Working on some truly inspiring projects and ideas? Get featured in architectural debut among peers who are transforming our earthscapes into ever more pleasurable works of art. Drop me a line at annie@luxemedia.net.

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a futuristic concept

C H INA comic a n d animation museum _ A R C H I T E C T W O R D S & I MAG E S :

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M V R DV

MVRDV

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“The initiative for a museum especially for this relatively recent art form creates a platform which will unite the worlds of art and entertainment.�

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Hangzhou urban planning bureau has announced MVRDV winner of the international design competition for the China Comic and Animation Museum (CCAM) in Hangzhou, China. MVRDV won with a design referring to the speech balloon: a series of eight speech balloon shaped volumes create an internally complex museum experience of in total 32,000m2.

Part of the project is also a series of parks on islands, a public plaza and a 13,000m2 expo centre.

Construction start is envisioned for 2012, the total budget is 92 million Euro.

Comics and animations have long been considered a form of entertainment for the younger generations but develop more and more into a sophisticated art form. The initiative for a museum especially for this relatively recent art form creates a platform which will unite the worlds of art and entertainment. By using

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one of the cartoon’s prime characteristics – the speech balloon – the building will instantly be recognized as place for cartoons, comics and animations. The neutral speech balloon becomes 3d.

The 32.000m2 are divided into eight volumes which are interconnected allowing for a circular visit of the entire program. Services such as the lobby, education, three theatres/cinemas with in total 1111 seats and a comic book library occupy each their own balloon. If two balloons touch in the interior a large opening allows access and views in-between the volumes. The balloon shape allows for supple exhibitions, the permanent collection is presented in a chronological spiral whereas the temporary exhibition hall offers total flexibility. Amsterdam based exhibition architects Kossman.deJong tested the spaces and designed exhibition configurations which appeal to different age groups and allow large crowds to visit the exhibition. One of the balloons is devoted to interactive experience in which visitors can actively experiment with all sorts of animation techniques like blue screen, stop motion, drawing, creating emotions etc. The core attraction of this space is a gigantic 3D zoetrope. The routing of the museum permits short or long visits, visits to the cinema, the temporary exhibition or the roof terrace restaurant.

The façade of the museum is covered in a cartoon relief referring to a Chinese vase.

The monochrome white concrete façade allows the speech balloons to function: texts can be projected onto the façade. The relief was designed in collaboration with Amsterdam based graphic designers JongeMeesters.

Most of the 13.7 ha site is occupied by a new park on a series of islands in White Horse Lake. Reed beds are used to improve the water quality. Boat rides offer an added attraction. A separate expo building of 25,000m2 will house large fairs and the annual China International Comic and Animation Festival (CICAF). Inbetween expo and CCAM a public plaza will be the centre of this festival which is the county’s largest cartoon and animation event and has been held annually in Hangzhou since 2005.

Hangzhou is a metropolis with 6.4 million inhabitants 180 km southwest of Shanghai. The Museum will become a new focal point on the less populated southern side of Qiantang river. The CCAM will consolidate the city’s leading position as China’s capital of the animation industry. The first phase of the Comic and Animation Centre is close to completion, the series of hill-shaped buildings containing offices, a hotel and a conference centre. The new museum will be the icon of this larger development.

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The museum will contain a multitude of interventions such as ground storage, natural ventilation and adiabatic cooling, all focused towards an excellent energy efficiency rating. The structural concept

by Arup enhances the sustainable profile of the building: the aerodynamic design results in even wind pressure and lower need for air-conditioning. The box in box construction of the bubbles permits different conditions inside the building and improves the energy efficiency.

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MVRDV won the competition of EMBT, Atelier Bow Wow, Tongji Institute of Architectural Design and Tsinghua Architectural Design.

The MVRDV team consists further of Kossman.deJong exhibition architects, local architect Zhubo Architectural & Engineering Design, Arup engineers and JongeMeesters graphic design.

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A R C H I T E C T

:: T F P

TFP FARRELLS

z15 tower

W O R D S & I MAG E S :

Fa r re l l s

beijing 18

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The new ‘Z15’ Tower, located in the east of Beijing at the heart of the new CBD extension, will be the city’s tallest building at over 500m high, becoming an icon of the city and an emblem of China’s economic success. The tower provides the focal point of a 30-hectare masterplan which will generate a thriving new district within the

CBD.

This

masterplan

includes 2,000,000m2 of office space, six-star hotels, luxury serviced apartments and highend retail – creating in effect a “mini-city” which will be not just a place of work but a 24hour living environment. The existing metro station and the new monorail transportation system are fully integrated into the masterplan, meaning that the site has excellent connectivity at both local and city-wide levels.

The 300,000m2 tower itself includes Grade-A office space over 60 floors; 20 floors of serviced an

apartments,

approximately

and

300-key/

20-storey hotel, complete with state-of-the-art facilities. The tower’s elegant vertical curve will assist in maximizing floor area at the top and provide structural stability at the tower’s base. The outward curve at the top of the tower brings to

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mind the floating kongming lanterns released at major Chinese festivals, whilst the overall form of the building takes inspiration from the hourglass shape of ancient Chinese zun wine vessels.

The site for the tower is located in the centre of a green spine of open space running through the CBD extension. Responding to this concept, the tower’s ground floor

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atrium is a public space, allowing pedestrian thoroughfare and public enjoyment of the building. In addition, the curved corners of the tower soften its shape to assist with pedestrian flow around the tower, whilst also reducing the wind load.

Z15 utilizes the latest sustainable technology to tackle the demands of Beijing’s extreme seasonal changes, including ground source

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heat pumps and heat recovery systems. The design also sets ambitious targets for reducing water consumption by recycling grey water and collecting rainwater, and employs sustainable waste management systems.

The Z15 tower is set to become a new international icon of Beijing, symbolising the city’s prosperity and growth. It will also drive the creation of a sustainable mixeduse district within the CBD, which will be full of life and have a strong sense of place.

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Guangzhou

Oper a H o u s e _ A R C H I T E C T

WORDS:

Zaha Hadid Architec ts

I MAG E S :

::

Z A H A

H A DI D

I wan Baan | Chr istian R ichters | Virgile Simon B er trand

Like pebbles in a stream smoothed by erosion, the Guangzhou Opera House sits in perfect harmony with its riverside location. The Opera House is at the heart of Guangzhou’s cultural development. Its unique twin-boulder design enhances the city by opening it to the Pearl River, unifying the adjacent cultural buildings with the towers of international finance in Guangzhou’s Zhujiang new town.

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“It is always exciting when architectural concepts can be delivered through a new construction technique” - Zaha Hadid

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The 1,800-seat auditorium of the Opera House houses the very latest acoustic technology, and the smaller 400-seat multifunction hall is designed for performance art, opera and concerts in the round.

The design evolved from the concepts of a natural landscape and the fascinating interplay between architecture and nature; engaging with the principles of erosion, geology and topography.

The Guangzhou Opera House design has been particularly influenced by river valleys – and the way in which they are transformed by erosion.

Fold lines in this landscape define territories and zones within the Opera House, cutting dramatic interior and exterior canyons for circulation,

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lobbies and cafes, and allowing natural light to penetrate deep into the building. Smooth transitions between disparate elements and different levels continue this landscape analogy.

Custom moulded glass-fibre reinforced gypsum (GFRC) units have been used for the interior of the auditorium to continue the architectural language of fluidity and seamlessness.

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The Guangzhou Opera House has been the catalyst for the development of cultural facilities in the city including new museums, library and archive. The Opera House design is the latest realization of Zaha Hadid Architects’ unique exploration of contextual urban relationships, combining the cultural traditions that have shaped Guangzhou’s history, with the ambition and optimism that will create its future.

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“There are very few places in the world today where architects can find such forward looking, enthusiastic clients with such passion for innovation. ” - Zaha Hadid

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Haifa house

_ A R C H I T E C T

WORDS:

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P I TS O U

K E D E M

Pitsou Kedem Architec ts

I MAG E S :

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A R C H I T E C TS

Amit G eron

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A private residence built in the center of a historic avenue and at the very heart of Haifa’s French Carmel neighborhood.

The avenue is studded with a number of residences designed in the Bauhaus style. The Bauhaus style gained its hold in Israel in the wake of international styling trends and is a ornament free design style, both simple and down to earth.

The style celebrated the aesthetics of the machine and was characterized by

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uniformity of color and by unassuming and simple finishes and facades. The style faithfully represented the spirit of the age and the location. This project, designed decades later, creates a line that connects contemporary styling with the spirit of that bygone era.

The project emphasizes and sharpens the differences between apparently similar design styles of contemporary minimalism influenced by Japan and the austere

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moderation of the modernism that characterized the end of the 1950’s. Both of these paradigms translate into a way of life, to the Israeli environment and climate.

The sophistication and the minimalism that existed at the heyday of the Bauhaus period have been translated, in this latest reincarnation, into a spacial purity and prestigious restraint.

In his design, the architect has expressed his own, localized interpretation for free planning in which there is a spacial continuity achieved through light, appearance

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and movement and the placement of secondary spaces around one, large and open central space. The architect has succeeded in creating the experience of continuous, intimate and defined spaces with different levels of symbiotic, mutual interaction with the central space and yet without detracting from the overall understanding of the structure. Despite the intensification of the residences central space which finds expression in a double sized open space reaching the entire height of the building with one completely transparent façade facing the direction of the courtyard, through the use of controlled and restrained formality and the use of materials with no external facings, the designer has succeeded in showing his belief that it is possible to create a residential space of quality and timelessness.

In an attempt to connect with the historic avenue and the houses that have inhabited it since the 1950’s, the architect has paid great attention to homes front facing façade. The front of the building is almost anonymous, for the most part, a closed element, free of unnecessary ornamentation and one that combines a monochromatic color scheme based on the grays and whites that characterized that same era. Only the floating upper roof hints at a harmony with contemporary design. There is a sense of acceptance of the avenues importance and an attempt to assimilate into its, fragile and gentle structure and in no way try to force contemporary architecture on the surrounding environment. Only the floating mass of the roof hints that, despite the desire to be part of the avenues context and the spirit of that historical period, it is clear to the observer that here we have a bold attempt to create an architectural language that leaves a clear signature and the fingerprint of the designer.

The home was, as said, designed around a wide, high public space that constitutes the connecting point and provides a view of all of the homes different wings as well as to the central courtyard and the pool. In order to further strengthen the impact of the central space it has been coated with exposed concrete panels and a large library on the wall as a central motif. A large, ribbon window allows light to enter deep into the space, creating movement and dynamism on the central wall. The architect has covered all of the structures spaces with an expansive roof which appears to be suspended, weightless in the air and floating effortlessly with no apparent means of support. The roof frames and consolidates the various parts of the structure with the apparent dissociation between the roof and the building creating an impressive, formal dialogue.

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Movement within the house is accompanied by different views of the outside environment; exposed and open areas and other areas that are framed and focused on a specific view that was designed specifically for that area. The underlying concept of the homes design is one of quiet and formal restraint; the home is a place of tranquility and calm where the minimalistic details, the clean language and the meaning, separate the residents from the world outside. The architecture and the interior design combine a climatic relationship with light and air, an expression of the homes functionality and the uniform design lines both internal and external.

The materials and the colors used for both the interior and the exterior range from white to gray combined with wooden strips. The simple, clean shapes and the light play a central role in the interior design. Shade and light create ever changing performances of shapes and movement, “playing� on the walls, the ceilings and

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the floors of the building throughout the day. The combination of the geometric light shows against the horizontal and vertical surfaces, made from many different materials, creates a unique atmosphere in the internal spaces and the house’s exterior that make a powerful statement of uniformity and calmness. During the day, natural light entering the residence and its movement creates absorbing light shows. At night, when darkness falls, artificial light, and especially the light seeping out from the pool, create within the structures spaces a totally different atmosphere, one that is almost mystical and magical. The design of the courtyard is characterized by the same restraint of form with the choice of trees and their placement also communicates with the avenue and the surrounding environment.

And so, despite the fact that different worlds and different eras exist in the space between the historical Bauhaus of the avenue and that of this modern and minimalistic home, there still exists a relationship between them, a feeling that one is not strange to the other.

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tHE

fish H ouse

_

A R C H I T E C T

WORDS:

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Guz Architec ts

G U Z

I MAG E S :

A R C H I T E C TS

Patr ick Bingham Hall

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This

modern

bungalow

tropical

encapsulates

the essence of living in the hot and humid climate of Singapore by creating open spaces which encourage natural ventilation and offer residents views to the ocean.

The main design concept is to create a house which has close relationship with nature and this is achieved by having a swimming-pool linking the house with the landscape and ultimately

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visual connections with the sea. The idea of connection is reinforced by having the basement level media-room with a u-shaped acrylic window which allows diffuse natural light in and also views out into the pool. The curved roofs, which symbolizing the sea waves, also emphasize the idea of the nearby sea. These are almost totally covered with thin bendable photovoltaic panels supplying enough energy to the house, while the remaining area is used as a green

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roof giving residents some outdoor leisure spaces.

Fish House is a modest and yet

luxurious

design residents

residential

which

gives

opportunities

to live in harmony and comfortably with nature.

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tamina thermal bat hs switzerland

_ A R C H I T E C T

::

WORDS:

S mole n ick y

Joseph Smolenick y | K ate M issine

&

P art n er I MAG E S :

A rchitecture

R oland B er nath | Walter M air

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Emerging against a backdrop of wooded mountain slopes in Switzerland’s village of Bad Ragaz, enveloped in a lush park landscape, the ornate structure of Tamina thermal baths exudes a regal presence in the best traditions of Europe’s grandhotel culture. Architectural firm Smolenicky & Partner’s winning entry in a 2003 competition, the concept pays homage to the grand resorts of the Baltic coast with a nod to Swiss heritage. Using timber from local fir trees, 115 columns encased in crisp white woodwork add to the pavilion feel, punctuated with Victorian-inspired oval windows encapsulating the view. The architecture spotlights the openness of space over structure, forming a ceremonious setting that celebrates the revered bathing ritual.

Instead of being freestanding, the form of the building volume emerges from the enclosing of exterior spaces. In the area of the open-air baths, for instance, the volume of the building is stepped back and opens out the sunbathing lawn to the wooded slopes of the mountain ridge.

The view extends past the existing buildings, screened by newly planted groups of trees. The guests experience a park landscape that melts into woods and mountain slopes. The predominant landscaped, park-like atmosphere remains intact despite the compact manner of building. Thus the resort remains characterized by its park.

The main entrance to the thermal baths, the spa spring hall, is set on the visual axis of the cul-de-sac in order, from the main road, to mark its presence in the depth of the site as a public facility.

The Tamina thermal baths is explicitly conceived as a part of the grand-hotel culture. The cultural and aesthetic identity of the project seeks an affinity to both Swiss tradition and the grand hotels of the Baltic coast, such as Heiligendamm.

For this reason the building volume has a monumental character, in order to stand out as an institution equal to the other buildings in the resort. Simultaneously the thermal baths are intended to relativize the almost “urban” stonework character of the spa spring hall. This explains the snow-white woodwork of the thermal baths, lending it the pavilion-like character of a historical holiday resort.

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This strategy of using explicit resort architecture is underscored in the building’s formally fanciful oval windows. Seen from the inside, the windows have the effect of over-dimensional picture frames. Oval picture frames were widespread in the Victorian era for landscape scenes, whereby the intention in the current project is to give specific expression to the view over the relatively neutral landscape by means of the gesture of the frame.

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Metaphorically the creation of the interior spaces of the project has an analogy in cutting clearings in the pattern of a forest by felling individual trees. This is the reverse of the common design process. The exterior spaces are similarly created by “felling� supports on the periphery of the building volume. Structurally the building can be more or less seen as a forest, created out of columns instead of trees.

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MODERN TOWN H OUSE 78

A R C H I T E C T

::

WORDS:

R o b ert M . G ur n e y , F A I A , A rchitect

R ober t M. Gur ney, FAIA, Architec t

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Paul Warchol

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Built like its neighbors, over a century ago and part of a continuous network of buildings in a historical district, this town house has been completely renovated. Regulations required that the traditional limestone facade remain intact. The bottom floor of the facade has been reworked within the existing limestone composition in an effort to provide a separate entrance and storefront for a future commercial tenant in the lower level. The rear facade, located in an alley has been completely reworked to provide more light into the building.

The building was previously used as commercial space on all three floors. The eighteen foot wide by one hundred foot long structure occupies the entire site. Interior spaces were typically dark with nine foot high ceilings, the result of a previous renovation.

In this new renovation the majority of existing floor joists are retained in an effort to reuse the existing structural system and not disturb the historical limestone facade.

To change the redundancy of continuous nine feet high ceilings, a 12 foot wide section of the third floor, the width of the row house, is removed. Located directly above this opening, a similar sized skylight infuses the interior with light. Similarly, another section of

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the third floor is removed to accommodate a stair system. Above the new steel and aluminum stairs, a rooftop addition opens to adjacent terraces and provides outdoor living spaces with rooftop views.

Exposed brick walls, painted white are juxtaposed to blue epoxy floors.

Floor openings with bridges, skylights, and a three story galvanized steel wall animate the spaces and integrate the floors vertically. Glass and steel elements compose the spaces and unify a diverse but consistent palette of materials, resulting in a modern spatial quality within a traditional town house typology.

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saffire resort tasmania

_ A R C H I T E C T

WORDS:

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::

C I R C A

K ate M issine

| I MAG E S :

A R C H I T E C T U R E

G eorge Apostolidis

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Outstretched from the south-east coastline of Tasmania, the magnificent Freycinet Peninsula is a testament to the country’s pristine, rawedged beauty. Glittering against the pink granite backdrop of the Hazards mountain range are crystalline waters of the Great Oyster Bay, rich with marine life and the freshest salt-scented seafood.

There, overlooking the azure expanse, a striking structure presents as an inspired interpretation of the incredible landscape. Reminiscent of a giant sting ray, this is the award-winning Saffire resort: Freycinet’s uniquely conceptualized luxury lodge retreat, serving up a one-of-a-kind experience of the Tasmanian wilderness.

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In an intimate setting of only 20 private suites, each with a sweeping waterfront view, Saffire visitors are invited to soak in the region’s unbridled essence. Choosing from a range of tailored signature experiences, guests uncover the Peninsula’s exhilarating potential: a taste of straight-from-the-ocean oysters at the Freycinet Marine Oyster Farm or a trek to the breathtaking and secluded Wineglass Bay, among many.

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Onsite, absolute indulgence is the word. Saffire’s Palate restaurant shows off the best of Tasmania’s flavours, starring local ingredients and world-famous wines, while the exclusive day spa rejuvenates weary bodies and spirits.

The resort’s architecture, designed by award-winning Morris Nunn and Associates, plays with its natural environment in harmonious interaction. The peaked roof, built

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from curved Tasmanian wood beams overlayed with a Polymea membrane, clearly evokes the Hazards Mountains, with the suites reminiscent of waves washing ashore. Inside, nature’s vivid hues and textures permeate in organic finishes of timber, stone, and leather, locally sourced where possible, echoing the terrain’s duality of ruggedness and softness.

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A soothing sense of calm exudes from the landscape-inspired palette of greys and taupes, soft greens and aquatic blues. But the decor’s focal point is the dramatic coastal view – ensured minimal disruption both day and night with low reflectivity glass and a non-intrusive lighting system throughout.

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Nestled in the exquisite oasis of its surroundings, Saffire’s modern sanctuary space is the ultimate setting for exploring the region’s limitless possibilities in an experience that’s luxuriously indulgent yet unmistakably authentic.

Roughing it in the wilderness has never been so thrilling – or so decadent.

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Hollywood hills alifornia

n akah ouse

_ A R C H I T E C T WORDS:

100

::

X T EN

X TEN Architec ture

A R C H IT E C T U R E

I MAG E S :

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Steve K ing

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Nakahouse is an abstract remodel of a 1960’s hillside home located on a West facing ridge in the Hollywood Hills, just below the Hollywood sign. To the South and West are views of the Beechwood Canyon; to the East is a protected natural ravine, with a view of Griffith Park Observatory in the distance.

The existing home was built as a series of interconnected terraced spaces on the downslope property. Due to geotechnical, zoning and budget constraints the foundations and building footprint were maintained in the current design. The

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interior was completely reconfigured however, and the exterior was opened up to the hillside views and the natural beauty of the surroundings. A large terrace was added to link the kitchen/ dining area with the living room, with a steel stair leading to a rooftop sundeck. Terraces were also added to the bedroom wing and the upper master bedroom suite to extend the interior spaces through floor to ceiling glass sliding panels that disappear into adjacent walls when open.

The exterior walls are finished in a smooth black Meoded ventetian plaster system,

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designed to render the building as a singular sculptural object set within the lush natural setting. A series of abstract indoor-outdoor spaces with framed views to nature are rendered in white surfaces of various materials and finishes; lacquered cabinetry, epoxy resin floors and decks and painted metal.

The contrast between the interior and exterior of the house is intentional and total. While the exterior is perceived as a specific finite and irregular object in the landscape the opposite occurs inside the building. Once inside the multitude

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of white surfaces blend the rooms together, extending ones sense of space and creating a heightened, abstract atmosphere from which to experience the varied forms of the hillside landscape.

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A south yarra

residence M e l b o u r n e , A u s t r a l i a _ A R C H I T E C T WORDS:

::

L S A

LSA Architec ts |

A R C H I T E C TS

I MAG E S :

UA Creative

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The residence makes a statement within a densely populated, eclectic South Yarra streetscape, capturing your gaze and holding your attention as you approach, enter and explore the home. The first floor is the focal element of the building; a voluminous rectangular ‘box’ with a contemporary external palette that commands attention.

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Three orange hues were individually applied to cement sheet panels in a ‘random’ nature; with the changing colours of the sky as a contrasting backdrop to the earth-toned oranges, an engaging joyous quality has been created.

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Upon entering the house, the white ceiling of the hallway abruptly gives way to the overhead insertion of the first floor orange ‘box’, reminding the viewer of their connection with the coloured volume, which was first observed on approach of the residence. Arched glazing either side of the dining area physically separates interior from exterior, yet enables views of the orange-clad ceiling wrapping to form the external walls of the first floor, increasing connection to the exterior and the building as a whole.

The intelligent, playful design delivers an airy, light-filled dwelling in a tight urban context. Interior and exterior constantly reference each other through colour and form, blurring boundaries and enhancing spaciousness.

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