to revitalize the historic square of marienplatz, in bad aibling germany, münchen-based behnisch architekten have designed a new town hall. located in the center of the city the new structure will be erected on the cellar level respecting the existing foundations and supply network. the new building will accommodate public functions such as civic services, administrative offices, a public library and an event space for weddings. the visitor's entrance leads into an atrium with a light refracting wall which rises to the height of the glass ceiling as an architectural feature. the ground floor level will house several shops and cafe's to promote activity and gatherings after business hours.
'paris parc' by BIG architects + off architecture, paris, france all images courtesy BIG architects
danish practice BIG architects and paris-based firm off architecture have collaborated to create the first place proposal 'paris parc', a multidisciplinary research center for the university of jussieu in paris, france. the 15,000 square meter facility dedicated to science and medicine will be placed between jean nouvel's institut du monde arabe and a park within the campus. strengthening the international appeal of the school, the building will unify scholars and the business community creating physical connections as well as visual integration within the urban context.
front elevation
the exterior faces of the volume incline and indent to respond to the adjacent structures, opening views towards the landmark buildings, green spaces and optimizing natural daylight within the interior. a glass enclosed atrium mimicking the form of a canyon allows upper level laboratories and offices to have unobstructed sight lines between work areas. a cascade of informal meeting spaces lead visitors to the roof terrace with panoramic views of the city skyline. oriented on axis with the cathedral notre dame du haut, large glass walls offer an iconic perspective while they similarly reflect the surrounding environment.
central canyon
'as a form of urban experiment the paris parc is the imprint of the pressures of its urban context. wedged into a super dense context - in terms of space, public flows and architectural history - the parc is conceived as a chain of reactions to the various external and internal forces acting upon it. inflated to allow daylight and air to enter into the heart of the facility, compressed to ensure daylight and views for the neighboring classrooms and dormitories, lifted and decompressed to allow the public to enter from both plaza and park and finally tilted to reflect the spectacular view of the paris skyline and the notre dame to the parisians.' - bjarke ingels, founder, BIG
central canyon
laboratory overlooking the atrium
interior space
roof terrace
at night
(left) site outline (right) extruded volume
facade responds to jean nouvel's building and adjacent structures
(left) outward views diagram (right) reflected skyline within facade diagram
(left) indoor public spaces diagram (right) outdoor public spaces diagram
project info:
project: paris parc type: competition client: upmc university size: 15.000 m2 location: paris, france status: 1. prize
BIG partners-in-charge: bjarke ingels, andreas klok pedersen project leader: daniel sundlin architect: gabrielle nadeau team: camille crepin, edouard boisse, tiina liisa juuti, alexandre carpentier
OFF partners-in-charge: manal rachdi, tanguy vermet, ute rinnebach project leader: daniel colin, antonio rovira team: akram rachdi, olfa kamoon
studio RHE a london-based firm has recently completed 'lido mar', in tivat, montenegro. the new marina development is built on an former yugoslavian navy submarine dry dock at porto montenegro. the structure features a grand bronze sculpture which sits upon an 80 meter long infinity pool to reveal the detailed geometric mosaic below. tall palm trees and seating are located around the edges of the deck to provide shade and landscaping against the expansive views of kotor bay. a reflective and illuminated sculpture by spanish artist jaume plensa sits and looks out to the sea beyond offsetting the plan's symmetry. using water as the driving element in the design, the 4 meter high glass doors which separate interior and exterior environments allowing the sea breeze to naturally vent and cool the building. the streamlined linear form takes qualities from the super yachts which surround the perimeter of the club. the white and timber clad facades create a sense of movement and repetition within the space leading you to the observation levels with vistas of the adriatic coast. a stepped profile sail above the building gesturing the strong connection to voyage and travel within this exotic mediterranean town.
design: studio RHE main contractor: cijevna komerc d.o.o. podgorica structural engineer: glanville consultants services design: cd international pool consultant: aquascapes uk structural steel: reid steel architectural metal: midas technologies sculpture: 8 possibilities by jaume plensa photography: manuel vazquez
london-based architecture firm foster + partners have officially completed the mclaren production center, the second building designed for the company located by the rural fringe of london. the 34,5000 square meter facility will contain all future mclaren road vehicles. the assembly plant is a state-of-the-art production space which is connected to the existing technology center via an underground walkway which exhibits interactive installations. both buildings share a common language in architectural details and materials with aluminum cladding tubes and a circular glass drum mimicked beneath the overhang of the roof canopy.
the new structure is designed for efficiency and sustainability. the lower levels use the excavated soil from the site to conceal itself from the nearby road carving itself into the landscape. the roof collects rainwater and has the ability to have photovoltaic panels integrated in the future. the space is flexible in comparison to other modern manufacturing facilities with a wide span between columns and ceramic flooring. acting more like an operation theater than a factory, the linear organization follows the flow of the production line showcasing the technology of the plant and the system of networks where the components are delivered, assembled, painted, tested and finally detailed.
the site will be the location of the recently-launched MP4-12C high-performance sports car, house all activities related to the manufacturing of the vehicle. built for speed the facility will be able to produce and build the product in 5 days at peak performance with a new car joining the line every 45 minutes. leading to a creation of a large number of skilled manufacturing jobs in the community.
'the mclaren production centre is a further leap forward in the evolution of industrial buildings, both socially and in terms of working conditions and technologically in its flexibility and the sophistication of its services integration. the scale and grandeur of the main hall is a fitting complement to the purity of the mclaren cars, which will emerge from its production line.' - lord foster, founder and chairman, foster + partners -
