Busan Opera House Proposal - Diana Q. de Saul & Alejendro Munevar

The effortless curves and flow of the Busan Opera House by Diana Quintero De Saul is representative of many architectural concepts that have found priority in recent pursuits of architecture. The idea of creating an environment for recreational and educational activities through a cultural iconic form is something most architects strive for, hoping their proposed building becomes a hallmark for the city it’s located in.

The design was organized around three principal wavelengths generated parametrically based on pre-existing local tensions. The site in which the building is located connects to a stunning ocean view to the west, a bustling city to the east, and a thriving cultural district to the south, all of which played a part in the final form. The building emerges as a whole, but is essentially a product of three analogical volumes designed to function independently while interconnected through smooth special transitions. The three programs include an opera house with a capacity of 2000 people, a multi-purpose theater with a capacity of 1500, and an art exposition room for exhibits and rehearsals.

The general meeting point would be located at the central plaza, home not only for public space and gatherings but for social activities as well, including a multi-use amphitheater for various events. The roof gardens follow the contours of the waves emphasizing the gesture. The green roof was integrated into the design as a way to integrate green energy technology into the design as well as begin to bring the lush regional environment with the city Opera. Although the main ideas about creating an iconic piece of architecture inspired by its surrounding environment that is concerned about multi-use space and green technology isn’t very original, most things in architecture hardly are. Yet the beautiful execution of this project not only shows the grace and elegance of architecture, pushing it more into the realms of art rather than design, and assures us that we are asking the right questions when it comes to architecture and that the solutions are endless.

http://www.arch2o.com/busan-opera-house-proposal-diana-q-de-saul-alejendro-munevar/

Dove of Peace Church - WEAVA Architects

WEAVA Architects have a clear concept derived from the dove of peace, a strong and early Christian symbol that is still relevant and universally noted. The dove is not only inspiration for the form and façade, but also for the organization, circulation, and general aspirations WEAVA and the clients have for this building.

One of the main aspirations for the building is to serve as a landmark for the city, thus it is a representation of the city’s people. Accessibility is key. The form is curved. Visually, the curved façade unlike an orthogonal one allows views from all sides that invite the eye to go around. Physically, the surrounding park makes accessibility open-ended and possible from anywhere, giving pedestrians full freedom in approach. The Dove’s bowed walls are meant to be embracive. The surrounding landscape is meant to nestle the Dove, furthering the idea of an embrace

The building is nested in the ground, but the building also projects onto the ground and towards the sky. The clearest projection is that of the cross seeming to protrude from the ground itself, extending the earth upward and reaching for the cosmos. This way, the cross is meant as a visual way finding tool, a way to help orient oneself from within the city. Being a congregational space of social importance, it is also meant to be a landmark for the city.

The other projection happens onto the ground, extending from and celebrating the entrance, but also marking the main axis of the building, that marks the two main volumes, the ‘body’ and ‘wing.’ It is also the vertical axis of the building, where stairways are situated

Given the city center it aspires to be, it not only serves as a house of God but also houses other functions, linking the earthly with the celestial. Many churches seek to lift the person’s experience closer to the cosmos, but Dove of Peace seeks to lift a people’s experience.

This is shown in the way the building extends from the earth, but also from how people-oriented the design is, and how it houses other functions like: library, media room, training room, multiple office spaces, a restaurant, and a shop. As opposed to focusing on a single person’s experience it accommodates for different uses and users.

http://www.arch2o.com/dove-of-peace-church-weava-architects/

Nordpark Railway Station - Zaha Hadid Architects

Nordpark railway stations, is a series of four stations that takes on a similar approach in there form. These stations are located on the northern chain of mountains in Innsbruck. The architect on this project is the famous Zaha Hadid Architects, who are known for their fluid parametric approach to design.

During the designing stage the site conditions that needed specific attention, where the changing altitudes, topography, context and the way users will circulate throughout the space.

Considering these four parameters, gave the design of the stations a unique outcome, which each differing from each other. The roof design makes references to glacial movement, which allows for a fluid approach to the form giving the design an organic smoothness such as that of ice.

Aside from this, the designers explored the way in which make something this heavy have the lighter approach. In doing so cantilevered wings where introduced with narrowing legs that sits upon concrete plinths, giving the illusion of the roof floating. Thus making something heavy appear light

With the introduction of machinery such as CNC milling and thermoforming, this offers for a precise translation of a 3D computer model in to a physical structure. As these methods has history in the automotive industry, applying it to a design such as this is quite relevant as it takes on the streamline style similar to that of a yacht or aeroplane wings

http://www.arch2o.com/nordpark-railway-station-zaha-hadid-architects/

Beyond Boundaries - Zaha Hadid

The exhibition showcases the work of Zaha Hadid, reflecting her research that challenges established conventions. In addition to drawings, paintings, reliefs and installations, Hadid’s furniture and product design will also be exhibited

The exhibition’s curator, Kenny Schachter describes Hadid’s world-view as one in which ‘art, design, and architecture collapse into one another to reflect an all-encompassing way of life characterised by pushing and pulling the boundaries of aesthetics in every conceivable manner and form. What is so inspiring and intriguing about the astounding output of Zaha Hadid, is the imaginative, inventive and unquenchable expression of curiosity and creativity. Hadid defies pigeonholing in a world increasingly defined by uniformity.

The MAXXI: National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome, Italy and the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games are excellent demonstrations of Hadid’s quest for complex, fluid space. Previous seminal buildings such as the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati and the Guangzhou Opera House in China have also been hailed as architecture that transforms our ideas of the future with new spatial concepts and bold, visionary forms.

From their London-based studio, Zaha Hadid Architects adopts the same creative approach with regard to objects such as purses, cutlery, jewellery, decorative objects, or furniture, such as the Zephyr sofa or the Liquid Glacial table. These two pieces, along with a wide selection of works, will comprise the exhibition which suggests ‘a very democratic conception, non-hierarchical in structure’ explains Schachter.

Ivorypress
C/Comandante Zorita 48 – 46 28020 Madrid Spain
September 4th – November 3rd 2012

Design: Zaha Hadid with Patrik Schumacher
Client: Ivorypress in collaboration with Rove Gallery
Project Director: Woody K T Yao
Exhibition Design Team: Jimena Araiza, Maha Kutay, Margarita Valova
Exhibition Coordinators: Manon Janssens, Claudia Fruianu

http://www.arch2o.com/beyond-boundaries-zaha-hadid/

Dance and Music Center - Zaha Hadid

With a gracious curving roofline and fluid form, the new Dance and Music Center in The Hague, is another interesting design by the world-renowned Zaha Hadid architects. Nestled within the city skyline, the center has a total building area of 48000 square meters as well as underground car parking.

The singular building is designed to house four major institutions including the Royal Conservatory, the Netherlands Dance Theatre, the Residential Orchestra, and the center’s Guest Programming.

The exterior façade of the structure has a playful language, giving it an appearance of a fluid force field, created by horizontal louvers. This design feature helps to articulate public circulation, the foyers and the sculpted inner atrium, while allowing visual connections outside to the square

The development of the exterior appearance was generated from the unique urban dynamics of the site, giving the structure its subtle volumetric gestures that appear to move when graced by light and shadow throughout the day, resembling an optical illusion.

http://www.arch2o.com/dance-and-music-center-zaha-hadid/

Transparency Dance and Music - Mecanoo architects

Mecanoo architects present us with their cutting-edge transparent decision to envision the new 

Dance and Music centre in Den Haag, Netherland, as a tower with a glazed façade and escalators located within that façade. Unlike any other music hall, which resembles a closed box, the Dance and Music centre is aimed to display its spectacles, performances and its overall artistic theatricality to people, thus – inviting them in. The Hague’s meandering light tracks are designed to turn the cultural centre into a cluster of several hotspots. According to Mecanoo’s description of the lights, ‘These lines can also emit light mist and create a mysterious atmosphere.’ It seems that they are a part of and form landscape furniture in the form of benches and plantings. Mecanoo also sat that ‘the dancing lines wind toward Central Station, where they announce the city’s cultural heart’.

Mecanoo have strived to achieve openness via a dynamic layout and composition and a welcoming atmosphere. What attract the audience are the spectacular lighting and the escalator access, which allows them to gain a different, more vibrant perspective of the building’s façade and the surrounding architecture in the area

Visitors are welcomed to become spectators of rehearsals in the Dance theatre and Conservatory. Through the two-storey entrance hall on the square, they can also experience the continuum of performing arts students coming in-coming out, adding to the sizzling creativity in the atmosphere.

There is this sort of stacking of layers in the building and each layer is designated a different purpose. For example, the theatres and the Conservatory are raised, becoming a transparent plinth for restaurants and shops to be accommodated underneath.  Sixty metres above the square with the main entrance is the large concert hall of the Residence Orchestra.

In addition, the glazed façade is designed with a special occasion intention in mind: the façade of the main hall can slide up, revealing a large podium space both within the interior and exterior for performances and concerts to take place.

The building offers a zig-zag-like transition and circulation for visitors. They can view the Conservatory’s theatre through the main entrance hall, and later on they can access the small concert hall, and further on – toward the large concert hall.

Of essential importance is the sustainability consideration Mecanoo have incorporated into the design scheme: there are wind turbines on the façade and power generation through hydro generators and a major factor is the minimization of energy consumption in the building. This makes the Dance and Music centre not only culturally inviting and significant, but also a major sustainability promoter.

This project is certainly a clear and visible, transparent communicator of both the arts, and the environment.

http://www.arch2o.com/transparency-dance-and-music-mecanoo-architects/

​ The ARC- River Culture Multimedia Theater Pavilion Daegu, South Korea​

Completed: June 2012

Size:  3,200 m2

Location: Daegu, South Korea

Architect: Asymptote Architecture

Design Principlas: Hani Rashid, Lise Anne Couture 

Project Directors: Josh Dannenberg, John Guida 

Design Team: Brian Deluna, Duho Choi

Allison Austin, Rebecca Caillouet, Gabriel Huerta, 

John Hsu, Susan Kim, Ryan Macyauski, Yun Shi, Penghan Wu, Hong Min Kim



Client: Kwater Korea

Local Architect: EGA Seoul

Structural Engineer:   Knippers Helbrig Stuttgard

The architecture of the River Culture Pavilion ( ARC ) is an powerful formal statement that combines nature, technology and space. The bold curved form of the ARC is perched on a peninsula that juts into the river and surrounded by an awe inspiring natural environment. The building is a strong focal point set against a stunning panoramic landscape. The architecture is comprised of a vessel shaped form that is clad in silver fritted ETFE pillows that through a play of transparency and geometry creates an ephemeral effect.
 
This atmospheric quality of the building enclosure is heightened by light reflections from shallow pool of water that surrounds the base. While the visible portion of the building sits atop an artificially formed landscape, the exhibition gallery concealed below is the space through which the visitors enter. While the exterior of the ETFE clad structure captures the quality of the changing light with the open sky and river landscape as backdrop, the darkened and hermetic interior of the main structure houses an immersive multimedia environment illuminated only by projections of the abstracted and re-conceptualized qualities of the surrounding site. The architecture enables the visitor's experience to be an alternating play between a 'real' experience of the water, sky and landscape that surrounds the building, and a virtual experience as presented through multimedia. This experience culminates on the roof where a large reflecting pond reflects the sky and an observation terrace enables the visitor to overlook the site and its natural surroundings from yet another perspective.

http://www.asymptote.net/#!arc-slide-show/c18xy