The Varyap Merkez is Emre Arolat Architects‘ (EAA) contribution to the RMJM designed Varyap Meridian luxury development currently nearing completion in Atasehir, Turkey. The sleek design earned EAA a commendation in the “Retail and Leisure” category at the 2011 MIPIM AR Future Project Awards, and was the only Turkish firm to win a MIPIM award.

EAA designed the Varyap Merkez with the goal of dissolving both the physical and figurative barriers that divide many modern buildings. And because environmental sustainability is a key goal of the larger Varyap Meridian development, green space and natural lighting were fundamental parts of the design theory. Like in many of their past designs, EAA created green space by incorporating green roofing. The roof slopes upward along the outside of the footprint and around a central open courtyard. The open design connects the interior space, green “hill” space, and the surrounding Varyap Meridian cityscape. Read the rest of this entry »

The Lunar Cubit is the winning design by the New York based team of Robert Flottemesch, Jen DeNike, Johanna Ballhaus, and Adrian P. De Luca for the 2010 Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) design competition. Competing firms were tasked with fusing art and sustainable power generation in a pragmatic design for one of three predetermined locations in the United Arab Emirates. The Lunar Cubit will be fittingly located just outside Masdar City, a beacon of environmental friendliness and the proposed world’s first carbon neutral city.

The centerpiece of the design is a 50-meter high pyramid, the exterior of which is entirely covered by frameless solar panels. The main pyramid is surrounded by a circular arrangement of eight proportionately scaled 22-meter tall pyramids that are also wrapped with solar panels. Energy absorbed by the eight smaller pyramids is channeled through buried cables to the center pyramid where it will be connected to the Utility Grid. The Lunar Cubit is expected to produce enough energy to power 250 homes daily. Read the rest of this entry »

Moshe Safdie took an essentially humanist approach to the design of Golden Dream Bay. Safdie re-imagines the concept of dense urban living with a focus on creating an ideal “penthouse” space of each of the 2,200 residences.

Safdie deconstructs the residential skyscraper and reforms the layout into four repeating geometric vertical structures that are linked by skywalks like a chain. The structures appear as if someone sliced open a skyscraper diagonally. The diagonal design maximizes personal space and allow for many of the apartments to open up into roof decks with picturesque views of the surrounding Qinhuangdao (China) beach setting. The design visually engages the superstructures with one another as well as each individual apartment with its neighbors.

Gardens drape Golden Dream Bay like those of ancient Hanging Gardens of Babylon to “create a garden environment combining numerous private and public gardens in the sky”. Apart from the personal gardens that many of the apartments feature, public garden and pool areas are located atop the parking deck, 15^th, and 30^th floors.

Apart from the vertical structures, Safdie incorporates a north/south running boardwalk and an east/west bazaar-like spine to connect the community with the surrounding urban layout and beach front. Read the rest of this entry »

With a short list of ambitious designs by Akihisa Hirata, Studio Gang Architects, Yves Bachmann and this featured design by Mack Scogin Merill Elam Architects (MSMEA), its fair to say the Kaohsiung City Public Works Bureau did not have an easy choice to make when they decided on a final design for the Kaohsiung Maritime Culture and Popular Music Center. Although MADE IN’s design was ultimately chosen for the Center, many of these other entries are still worth their mention.

With possibly the most “out there” design for the Center, MSMEA sought to create a 24 hour, iconic attraction for Kaohsiung. The eclectic design for the larger component, the Pop Music Center, and the concept for the Center as a whole for that matter is “founded in the vibrancy of Kaohsiung City and its maritime culture, and in the energy and phenomenon of popular music”.

The two main components, the Pop Music center and the Marine Culture Exhibit Center are placed on either side of the Love River and joined by a bridge spanning the mouth of the river.

Of the positioning they said “The Kaohsiung Maritime Cultural and Popular Music Center is not shy. Like a giant vessel moored at the quay, the Center announces and guards the mouth of the Love River and is a gateway to Kaohsiung City and the nation”. Read the rest of this entry »

The Pulse of Sinai Bedouin Development Center is a design by Aly Ahmed Kamal Soliman that was chosen as an entry into the 2011 Archiprix International graduate design competition. It is meant as a monument and celebration of Bedouin culture in the Egypt and as a means of integration into greater Egyptian culture. Soliman captures the Center’s purpose by drawing a remarkable celebration of Bedouin values in the Center’s architectural form.

The structure of the Pulse of Sinai is based entirely on Bedouin culture and society, and is designed to be a sort of journey through history and towards the future. Separate showrooms for each Bedouin tribe all lead to a plaza, a reference to the Bedouin tradition of gathering in a common meeting place to make societal decisions. This plaza emphasizes Bedouin heritage with exhibits and historical information.

Beyond the plaza, visitors move through a connector over a camel race track towards a development center. The camel race track captures the concept of forward societal movement and Bedouin tradition, the synergy that Soliman sought to encapsulate in form. The development center will hold spaces for workshops and exhibitions with the goal of teaching the Bedouins to integrate into Egyptian society by honing traditional crafts, knowledge and resources. The development center leads skyward into th Tower of Hope, a symbol of hope for Bedouin successes and development in the future. Read the rest of this entry »

inFORM’s design for a multi-purpose pedestrian bridge beat out designs from 47 other firms in a competition to design a pedestrian bridge to replace what used to be the main artery bridge for interstate 195. A new more efficient I-195 bridge has since been constructed and so Providence looks to take advantage of the prime location with a pedestrian connector.

inFORM’s bridge is more a landmark than a means of passage, what they are calling an “urban intervention”. The boardwalk design includes gardens, spaces for sculptures, a sundeck, outdoor seating and even a built in café. The bridge will integrate with existing and planned green space along the river as well as with the existing riverwalk.

inFORM designed the Pedestrian Bridge to coincide directly with existing programmatic elements. The bridge will integrate with the perennial WaterFire events held along the Providence River, provide space for popular on shore fishing activities, local street vendors, buskers, and street entertainment. It will connect the Fox Point and College Hill areas with downtown Providence and the Knowledge District, areas Providence hopes to vitalize with the Pedestrian Bridge and other future projects. Read the rest of this entry »

The competition for the Center for Promotion of Science of the Republic of Serbia (CPSRS) has received some incredible designs. Sadar and Vuga envision the Center as a sleek, streamlined, modern building to accompany the existing buildings of the Faculty of Drama Arts.

Sadar and Vuga’s Center is a one storey building that touches the ground with four outstretched legs in each corner, connected by four arches. The modern design presents a futuristic form to contrast with the landscape atrium at the center of the building, blending science with nature, the major theme of the CPSRS. The atrium was created to be the focal point of the design.

Sadar and Vuga say of the atrium: “Conceptually, it positions Nature and natural systems as an ongoing source for scientific development. We, as human beings, are invited to start exploring Science from Nature. From the Big Lawn surrounding the building we enter the atrium under four arches. We are, as visitors, in the centre on the building, in the nature, surrounded by science”. Read the rest of this entry »

Located at the site of the former central ferry landing Angfarjan in Helsingborg, Sweden, the Schmidt Hammer Lassen designed Salt Crystals Hotel and Congress Centre is imagined as a cultural center and bridge between the nearby Helsingborg historical architecture and a new architectural future.

The Salt Crystals is modernist in both structural form and design philosophy. SHL molded form for function, modeling the outward form for each component of the Crystals for reception, a lobby, a hotel, a conference centre, a café, a restaurant and a catering centre. The chalky looking crystalline exterior appearance is an expression of the local block structure and building grid.

The Crystals will be connected to a mixed residential plot on the north side of the building which will house shops and retail on the ground floor. SHL wanted each residential unit to have unobstructed views of the waterfront, so the unit is orientated so the tallest units are withdrawn towards the street and the lower units are closest to the waterfront. This way all units have a waterfront view and receive sunlight from the south. Read the rest of this entry »

BOOM Community is a $250 million desert oasis planned for Palm Springs, California. The 300 residence development is the brainchild of BOOM Communities, Inc. real estate investment company and a group of 10 architects set on creating not just a community, but a piece of modern artwork. The firms involved in designing BOOM are: J Mayer H, L2 Tsionov-Vitkon, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Hollwich Kushner, Rudin Donner, Joel Sanders Architects, Lot-Ek, Sadar + Vuga, Arakawa + Gins, and SurfaceDesign.

At its core BOOM is envisioned as a desert village designed for the retired gay community, but developers are encouraging all to apply for residence. According to the BOOM website, BOOM “showcases inspired architecture, world-class entertainment and nightlife, as well as stimulating sports and activities… BOOM is about living, not retiring – about inclusion, not seclusion”.

BOOM has the dream homes of architecture and design lovers. There are Dr. Seuss-like apartments by J Mayer H, wave inspired residences by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and grove-like residences by Sadar + Vuga. But residences are just the beginning in this architectural oasis in the desert. The 10 architects each designed unique buildings to serve as community hubs in BOOM. BOOM was designed with health and fitness in mind and designers included space for an outdoor track, sports center, climbing wall, gyms, spas, swimming pools, and even a “healing funhouse”. Read the rest of this entry »

Steven Holl’s design for the Hunter’s Point community library has recently gained approval by the local library board of trustees and it looks as though they will break ground early next year. Holl’s design opens up the interior of the library revolves around enormous windows that blur the lines between interior and exterior.

The library is surrounded by residential areas, public schools, and three acres of new park land and is designed to be a community hub for the surrounding neighborhood. According to Holl’s press release, in addition to book stacks the library will house “reading areas, a gallery, public assembly multi-purpose meeting room for community programming including after-school study, readings, and various locally based events, and associated library staff and support areas.”

Holl breaks up the library’s rectangular form with massive irregularly shaped windows. The windows open up the interior of the library to the East River straight across to the United Nations building, offering spectacular views of New York City. The library itself is expected to become a riverfront landmark, from across the river the interior lights will emit a ghastly light upon the water as the sun falls and at night spotlights will be set on the building and light will dance off the walls and through the irregular windows to transform the library into a glowing piece of modern art. Read the rest of this entry »