Lubetkin Prize has got to the bird's nest

National Stadium in Beijing which in the people is called “the birds nest”, has received prestigious Lubetkin Prize, founded Royal Institute of British Architects, RIBA, as the most outstanding architectural work outside of the European Union.

Speaking about a building, the main judge of the award and President RIBA, Sunand Prasad has told: “this year the short list looked excellently. Discussion was long, however the result is obvious”.

The National Stadium is a project of architectural company Herzog and de Meuron, executed together with China Architectural Design and research Group, Arup Sport and Ove Arup and Partners Hong Kong), artist Ai Wei Wei.

Circles of the applicants who have entered into a short list: Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal, project Foster and Partners together with NACO and Beijing Institute of Architectural Design; Watercube, National Swimming Centre, project PTW Architects together with China State Construction and Engineering Corporation; building Museum Brandhorst in Munich; Sean O’Casey Community Centre in Dublin; building The British High Commission in Sri Lanka, project Richard Murphy Architects.

The project jury in which structure were Sunand Prasad RIBA President, Tony Chapman, RIBA Head of Awards Paul Monaghan, the architect and Chair of the RIBA Awards Group Alison Brooks, architect Tom Dyckhoff — have visited all six buildings-applicants.

The stadium has not sustained loading

Frequently modern architectural constructions grasp spirit the adaptability to manufacture, a flight of fancy and volumes, lines and forms, in height — and force to reflect on safety. In Malaysia not completed stadium has fallen, the blessing, prior to the beginning of large competitions. To construction only one year recently was executed.

Soon here carrying out of open games, analogue of a university game which involve usually thousand spectators and sportsmen has been planned. At a collapse of 80 metres of a roof was not lost any person — however this case became an occasion to a large quantity of trials. The Ministry of Labour of Malaysia will be seriously engaged in incident investigation.

The collapse damage has made 25 million dollars. Roof reorganization will charge to the Korean builder. The stadium will be closed before end of reconstruction works.

The educational centre for all and for everyone or how to spiritualise an industrial building

Often, behind a simple cover the furniture disappears very uneasy internally. This supervision very much corresponds to a new building which has constructed architectural bureau Planet 3 Studios Architecture. The new educational centre is custom-made Vidyalankar Institute of Technology.

Architects converted an existing building in new object: they have taken out a core, have altered all inside and have added a new external cover. “The design which has turned out as a result, borrows natural language and forms”, — authors speak.

The external cover leaves free space between a building facade, forming zones for rest and work on the fresh air, protected from a wind and the sun. In a building laboratories, educational halls and a dining room are equipped.

The central object is executed in the form of a traditional flower, a lotus.

Steven Holl Architects have connected buildings in a multipurpose hybrid

Steven Holl Architects have finished building of the multipurpose complex consisting of eight towers connected among themselves.

The project has been named by the Best High-rise Building 2009 in Asia and Australia in competition which has taken place under home nursing Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. In a complex premises, hotel, a cinema, a children's garden, school, an underground parking, the commercial areas, public park are provided.

Eight towers are connected among themselves by a series of high-rise bridges which, by analogy to skyscrapers, have been named “skybridges”.

Architects hope, that this project will award Gold LEED Gold Certification, as the largest "green" multipurpose building. Geothermal wells under the base provide with depth of 100 metres heating in the winter and cooling in the summer.

The pond in the complex centre will detain the processed water used in buildings, in the winter a pond will freeze and turn to a skating rink.

Landing stage Angus Meek

Bristol architect Angus Meek has won competition on restoration of landing stage Weston-super-Mare which have suffered in a fire in July of this year, having bypassed architects of five firms, including Grimshaw.

Colourful and the shone 18 metre design which will cost not less than 10 million pounds sterling, has been chosen by owners of a mooring and 59% from 20,000 respondents voting for the project.

Exact data about voting are coded, but on hearings, company Grimshaw, the prize-winner of award Ferguson Mann has received less than 10% of voices, and the others of 31% were divided between AWW and Ray Hole Architects.

The won project which consists of four similarity of a column and sidewalk round a building, is considered the most suitable to shape of the pier constructed in 1904.

Angus Meek — the director of company Roger Ellams — has told: “We scooped inspiration from quay elements — waves, beach huts, and also from radical architecture art-deco”.

Kerry Michael, one of owners of a mooring, along with sister Michel, has declared, that “they aspired to find modern design which would be entered in historical surroundings of a pier”. This design with four pontoons — the best decision.

Owners of a pier finance the project from the money resources private and received under the insurance. Building is planned to finish by 2010.

The Gore Hill Park (Sydney)

The Innovative Park in Australia

The new project of mixed use located in the north of Sydney, with the budget in 400 million dollars, urged to "plant trees and shrubs" in business. Developed by architects GHD, Innovative park Gore Hill is the newest building object Lindsay Bennelong Developments before which it's necessary to connect a problem ecological stability to business innovations.
Project Gore Hill will be the first technological business park received five stars AGBA and rating Green Star in Australia. In located on the former areas of studios ABC in Gore Hill, on the bottom part of northern coast of Sydney, business park, the area in 4.6 hectares, provides convenient places for offices, and as spaces under retail shops and the entertaining centers — including a separate site for retail trade in plaza-style, a zone of municipal departments, motor shows, the aqua-center, and also foot and bicycle paths.

The Australian Innovative Project

“Project of a glass cube so typical for given area is not pleasant to us”, main architect GHD Nando Nicotra speaks. “From the very beginning of the project we wished to create the unique building corresponding to aesthetic ideals, and have decided, that it's necessary to concentrate attention to appearance of a building”.
The given project, example of modern innovative architecture, also is realization of various innovations on ecological stability — including repeated capture of superseded heat, effective system of lifts and a central air “chilled beam”. It guarantees that the project will receive a five-stars rating and will set the tendency of new level of requirements to the future industrial and commercial projects. At present works on district to start building in January, 2009 are conducted.

UFO-HOUSE DOMESPACE from company Solaleya Domes

If you trust in UFO these houses to you, undoubtedly, will like.

Similar houses completely overturn representation of people about a harmonious and harmless inhabitancy. Dream of scientific visionaries-rotating UFO-Homes from French company Solaleya Domes are rather technological and ecologically pure houses. At the heart of a building small mechanical structure which softly rotates for the account of the energy generated by solar panels on a roof.

UFO-Homes Not only offer new trend in global approaches to building, but also introduce the most serious architecture of the tendency of the present.

Here is how describe the child the designer of company Patrick Origine:

The concept of houses is based on indisputable truths. First, the form. Our feet constantly write out curves round us, our field of vision covers the curvilinear form. It is enough to look upwards, to the right, to the left, downwards — we see circular area.

The circle, sphere — optimum forms which we observe in all that surrounds us: molluscs, seeds, holes and nests, eventually the form of our planet and other galactic objects. All fantastic in consciousness of people is connected with spherical in volumes.

All Western world, with all Greek-Roman architectural thought, has been generated from these forms which accompany for a long time already mankind. In a womb of mother we live in curve spherical area. Balance in an environment of right angles is not peculiar to us. Nevertheless, in a little bit last centuries we live in angular premises, not realising that these forms have no anything the general that the nature is fated to us from a birth.

The person should breathe pure air, easy live, consuming production of local manufacture. Spirituality of the spherical form disappears from time immemorial in domes of Christian and Buddhist churches, in Muslim mosques.

Set of spherical buildings presidents, the congresses, museums serve as working premises.
Fortunately, the Western world gradually realises necessity of re-planning of sharp angular outlines for a harmonious inhabitancy.

Secondly, capacity and settling density. A planet the Earth much more, than we think - the average area which is necessary on one soul of the population makes 1,8 hectares, more than 7 hectares on pair with 2 children. Concentration of inhabitants grows in modern cities every day and causes the increasing anxiety in the living. Skyscrapers exhaust people, scientists have nicknamed them for a long time, as a ghetto of social isolation.

Thirdly, adaptability to manufacture and ecological compatibility of materials. Domes are made of the FSC-certificated wood, ecological compatibility, excellent temperature constancy. For increase of fire resistance, a wall are processed by coal absorbent which slows down oxygen penetration to a surface.

That, simultaneously, increases resistibility to rotting. According to the experts, the received design appears more strongly ferro-concrete. Cedar roofs of houses — one more pleasant detail. The structure maintains 5 ball hurricane and earthquakes in size to 8 points on scale MSK.

Fourthly, the rotating structure which will allow “to leave in a shade” and to face the sun, depending on desires of inhabitants. All scale of the idea, all technological and ecological aspects, all technical trifles and realisation is allows to assume, that houses Patrick Origine are technologies of the future, the concept of the future, the future house.

Four inhabited complexes in the Emirates from RNL

On the annual congress of the international investments into the real estate of the United Arab Emirates, taken place in Abu Dhabi, company RNL has presented four variants of development of city areas.

Ambitious projects Al Ghadeer, Ghantoot, Lu’Luat Al Raha, Shams, assume expenses for building of inhabited complexes for 8-100 thousand inhabitants on the areas more than 15-18 million in sq.m.

The general for projects RNL — aspiration to create functional city structures in which there will be an environment favorable for the pedestrian and all-round comfort of residing.

Al Ghadeer — building around borders Dubai and Abu Dhabi — becomes the main centre between these two cities. Three million sq. m. of a site will give accessible habitation of average density of building for 20,000 inhabitants, some foot tunnels will allow to carry out an easy approach to any point of quarter, and technological features, such as universal Wi-Fi, will make a finding this quarter the most comfortable.

Project Ghantoot in Abu Dhabi — an inhabited complex for 100,000 inhabitants who should enjoy a site similar to a resort in this historical oasis, located along a gulf halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with convenient access to local ports and the airports. Company RNL has planned this complex as the unique and viable centre of multiuse focused on tourist business. Landing stages for yachts, prove the horse centre, beach resort hotel and a golf course once again, that rest will be unforgettable.

Lu’Luat Al Raha in the centre of the harbour with the same name the Suburban system of a high-speed tram in this area includes 470 000 sq. m. of area on recently modernised island in 235 000 sq. m. will connect the airport of Abu Dhabi to city centre.

Unlike other projects, Shams in Abu Dhabi will be the unique complex consisting mainly from high-rise buildings. Literally meaning “the Sun of Abu Dhabi” Shams Abu Dhabi, will be the prospering centre of city activity.

«Ziggurat» — a future city

«Ziggurat» represents a tower from the parallelepipeds put against each other or the truncated pyramids.

Timelinks — the leading ecological company of the project, has chosen Dubai to create a viable city of the future.

The city in the form of a futuristic pyramid can carry out ability to live to one million person, using power of the nature. Ridas Matonis, general director Timelinks, has told: “Community «Ziggurat» completely provide the residing for the account of steam energy, a wind power and natural natural resources of district”.

Timelinks underlines, that the project does not destroy natural ecology of district as the base of buildings reclines all on 10% of a surface of the earth. Public and private agriculture not only will brighten up leisure to many inhabitants, but also will improve appearance of constructions. On all complex 360-degree transport messages will be laid, thus — cars remain not with affairs — in any point of constructions possibility very quickly will reach on foot.

The operating director of the International Institute of City Environment has told: "the General tendency of the Project «Ziggurat» — viability from the technical point of view. However we are set really till now by questions which do not give us rest, here for example — whether will suffice received in «Ziggurat» a foodstuff on all inhabitants and whether people in a mega-building in 2.3 sq. km will want to live?"

Timelinks has already patented the project and the technology included in the project and has addressed to the European union for grant granting on a technical part of the project.

Badgers View Farm

Building of unique apartment house Badgers View Farm in Chilterns (England) has begun.

Architects Lewis and Hickey have designed this house in 400 sq.m. representing modern displays and features. This project is extremely harmoniously entered in a reality, as though supplementing a landscape.

The matter is that district Chilterns are cretaceous calcareous breeds making the way through soil. So the form and appearance of this house are ideally combined with district.

Architects explain, what exactly such rocks acting from the earth which lean against each other, and have inspired them on creation of such project.

The terrace located on a roof and almost entirely glazed facades, allow to enjoy surrounding landscape and to feel a unification with the nature.

Office building in Johannesburg

The newest addition to Vest Rand's landscape in Johannesburg (Southern Africa) — for a long time an expected building for offices of financial institutions WesBank and FNB HomeLoans.

The building site was before a heathland, and designers have decided to connect the project with surrounding landscape. Green has flown down also vegetative colours of facades cause direct associations with the African nature.

The building represents three-storyed structure with oblique concrete columns.

The building can accept more than 5,000 persons, and contains offices, a dining room with two kitchens, ready to make 2,000 dinners in day and a 600-seater multipurpose conference hall.

Special school for especial children

In the English city of Gildorfe the school “Pond Meadows”, the design project of an architectural bureau from London, DSDHA has opened. The school is intended for children and teenagers at the age from 2 till 19 years with various difficulties in development.

This project has won award RIBA, Royal Institute of British Architects.

In a building there is a pool with hydro-therapy, a touch zone for reading, art studios. Rooms for study are located on building perimetre, for everyone the especial kind and space registration is provided. The design and materials allow to use a sunlight as much as possible long time.

Designers have provided use of various height of windows for different age groups.
It is equipped three internal court yard, one for the elementary grades, the second for seniors and the third — the general zone.

The school became a part of the new educational centre; here it is constructed Christ’s College Secondary School and Guildford Children’s Centre.

The Design Union: Sampanas & Lacoste

Сampanas & Lacoste

Brazilian brothers Fernando well-known for the whole world and Humberto Campana, have been invited by fashion brand for revival of image of mark; a series of vests-polo Сampanas + Lacoste became a project result.

Fashionable vests have densely occupied reptiles — the brand logo, and also motive of creativity Campana brothers.

Lacoste & Сampanas

Company Lacoste uses the fourth year such example of strategic cooperation successively; the well-known designers develop an image of vests which are issued by the limited circulation.

According to owners of trade mark, the result of such work creates dialogue in which process of an exchange of the information becomes an inspiration source.

New experiment in a genre of an architectural sculpture

KLP AS, one of the largest developers of Norway, has held competition on building of new object in the centre of Oslo. The design of a building from three towers integrally united in an architectural sculpture “Crystal Clear”, the project of bureau C became the winner. F. Møller Architects, developed together with Kristin Jarmund Arkitekter.

Total area of objects — 90,000 m. sq. office, trading and, probably, a floor space. Very qualitative place of building is chosen; in the most prestigious area Oslo, on a place of the former centre of post sorting, near to the central station.

The design concept is connected with a symbol of air, the sky; developers hope, that the project will positively affect image of a city as modern European capital.

The partner and architect C.F. Møller, Mads Mandrup Hansen, in interview has told, that

“Crystal Clear” — the unique offer for a modern city, a congestion of various high-rise structures and towers. It is a city rock which has strategic value for development of Oslo.
We are proud, that our object is so significant for a city, strengthens positions of Norway in Europe, shows ample opportunities of our professional experience.

It is planned, that building will last 3-5 years.

Admirers of the Herge

Herge (Belgium)

Real name Hergé — Georges Prosper Remi. He is the well-known Belgian artist of the comics who have drawn character Tintin, the young journalist which image became very popular all over the world. The museum devoted to this author, has opened in the interesting Belgian city of Louvain-la-Neuve. Authors of the architectural project — Atelier Christian de Portzamparc.

Architectural Project by Atelier Christian de Portzamparc

Museum building have placed in wood which is connected with a city the foot bridge. Architects have chosen the big windows which allow to use possibilities of natural light for object. The central court yard is combined with all four exhibition platforms.

They, in turn, are connected with each other by suspension bridges. Besides showrooms, in a museum the room for video-lectures, cafeteria, shop, studios works.

Museum in Belgium

Reconstruction Trends of the Modern Skyscrapers

The Modern Skyscraper

The structure of modern high-rise buildings though it's limited to often material possibilities, dynamics and legal aspects, undergoes recently a stage there is nobody revival.
The list of known building receptions has considerably extended for the account of occurrence of modern building materials, such as for example composite frames from a carbon fiber. Experiments in the field of mechanical systems also far behind.

Emergent (China)

The majority of skyscrapers, nevertheless, are still equipped by the latent and expensive networks of the communications protected by metal pipelines. However, with the advent of HVAC systems architects have reflected on turn in a building of communicative chains.
This movement in architecture — the Structural expressionism — means transformations from the point of view of the form, the organizations or atmospheres. And last is defined by a transparency, exotic illumination and color effects.

Quality Tendency of the Skyscrapers

There is something surprising that this building is not in the United Arab Emirates as it's possible to assume, and in China. This project of company Emergent could not be, if there was no necessity to hide an electroconducting wire, cables and HIVAC-system. New City Center Emergent's Huaxi is the new approach to decorating of buildings.
Massive as if an iceberg, the building facade amazes a look with the device of the illumination sliding on a facade, it is even more giving similarity to an ice block.