Adaptive Reuse of Rajghat Power Plant
Located in the cultural hub of the city, in close proximity to prominent infrastructure of Delhi, the urban scape is transformed into an icon for fashion and design. The luminous and dynamic layers of building skin attract and lure. As users enter the building, the imagery is transformed into unique atmospheric experiences.
Being a fashion hub, the intention was to draw inspiration for the built form from folds of fabric. Blurring proposes new ways of thinking about architecture, presenting new ideas of what architecture can be. It creates an awareness that architectural design involves more than materials and static forms, it doesn’t necessarily need to have boundaries.
Ar. Aarushi Kalra
Keeping the important structures of the power plant in place, structural and programmatic changes were introduced to reinvent the complex. Immense importance was paid to the landscape and laying out of smaller functions by weaving integrative spaces to add a sense of scale and life to the expansive urban-scape.
As one looks around, platforms at various levels can be seen harbouring a variety of activities. With each new turn, comes a new experience may it be a fashion show against the Chimney, a visit into the studio courtyard to interact with various designers or losing oneself in the sweeping walls of the bazaar.
Standing by the water body, one can reminisce about the railway line with a coal trolley. As one looks up, the coal mill comes into focus that has been modified to line with fins that guard it from the harsh sun. The front of the coal mill has been modified to form a stage set for exhibits, while the coal hoppers form a backdrop for the projection of shows and visuals.
Walking up the flight of stairs, one is awed by the stark contrast between the rigid Power Plant woven with an entirely new language. The large floor skylights, the swooping strips, add a sense of scale to the space. On one side is the turbine hall, boldly treated with a piercing cut out, while on the other is the coal mill that has been minutely altered to keep the industrial character intact. Both are connected by strips in metal, that form bridges, walkways and a backdrop for the amphitheater.
Fashion and architecture were overlaid to treat the Rajghat Power Plant in a design language that does not overpower the existing framework but adds stylistic qualities of fashion to an industrial complex in a bold manner.
Sense & Sensibility
As a vision of grandeur and awe, this seat of power is an iconic building. Keeping in mind the end users - the people of Goa - the building rises in all magnanimity with a humane touch. Its Portuguese character evokes a strong sense of belonging as it is in keeping with the architectural heritage of Goa. The imposing dome, porches, grand steps, colored vertical glazing, and fine detailing are representative of the expressive architecture of the region.
As architects, we understand the sensibilities and sensitivities of creating people-centric spaces, and go beyond mere physical planning to take into account the social, historical and cultural identities that define the place, and accordingly create the public space. Our design process capitalizes on the local community’s assets, aspirations and expectations, which we then convert into a physical manifestation of space and form.
Ar. Sabeena Khanna, Studio K.I.A.
Based on the client brief to create a one-of-its-kind model Collectorate in the country, which each state would want to emulate, and to develop a system of paperless work in a government office by having an I.T.- enabled building, Studio KIA set out to create a state-of–the-art public facility, which is rooted in its past, stands in the present, and is futuristic in its planning. Facilities plugged into the fabric of the building include Power back-up, Audio Visual Technology, UPS back up, I.P.Telephony system, Video Conferencing, Disaster Management and a National Informatics Centre.
Form follows function is an old paradigm, and this building stands testimony to this principle. The desired segregation of public movement and staff circulation at the horizontal plane, yet having vertical connectivity, has been beautifully achieved in the created form.
Aligned on the true North-South axis, the access points to the building have been sited on the four cardinal points through the grand porches. The north end of the site has a large Parade ground for formal functions. The four corners are the vertical circulation cores of the building, depicting the bond between earth and the sky. The colored glazing, which is contemporary in design yet vernacular in appeal, is an emulation of the stained-glass windows that are integral to Goan and Portuguese public architecture.
The stately dome is the embodiment of grandeur and symbolic of a blessing. It is the most important area of the building as it encases the V.I.P. lobby and opens onto a grand porch terrace that has a flag hoist. It signifies awe and power.
The building is well lit and airy with ample natural light and cross ventilation. The public areas and those exposed to the vagaries of weather, have non-skid flooring in keeping with the wet, rainy weather of Goa. Also, the public corridors are designed to be deeper with overhangs, so as to avoid rain from coming into the public interaction rooms.
The built mass was planned with internal courtyards to allow wind movement within the building and help reduce humidity levels. These landscaped courtyards are the breathing zones that infuse fresh life into the building.
As a public building, it has been made differently-able-friendly with provision of tactile on the floor (blind paths), handicapped-user-friendly restrooms, ramps with handrails etc. and connectivity through elevators for all floors. All the signage is in English and local Konkani as well as in Braille. Floor maps for guidance have been put up at strategic locations on all floors.
Facilities for dining, printing, photocopying, public dealing counters, Citizens Facilitation Centre and Senior Citizens room and other support infrastructure are at the ground level for the convenience of the elderly.
Contemporary Vernacular Architecture
Kolhapur is an urban town in a predominately rural area and is surrounded by the River Panchaganga. Its main source of income comes from agriculture and sugarcane farming. Due to a growing population and being limited for horizontal growth from three sides, the town is seeing vertical development of housing societies.
The design concept compensates the urge for open spaces with a terrace in every apartment. The large terraces opening into a large common green zone create a transition space between the indoors and the outdoors, and carry significant importance in the resident’s life for performing various rituals and religious activities. In the Indian context, such semi-open outdoor areas cater to outdoor activities and also help in controlling the indoor environment.
Fact File
Project Name: Life Style
Client: Bhima Builders & Developers
Location: Kolhapur
Site Area: 5025.90 sqm
Built up Area : 7192.19 sqm
Architect: Sunil Patil and Associates
Project Team: Ar. Sunil Patil, Ar. Anuja Pandit, Er. Sanjay Patil
Landscape Designer: Ar. Nila Jirge
Structural Consultant: Dr.A.B. Kulkarni & Associates
Civil Contractor: Bhima Builders & Developers
Plumbing Consultant: Sunil Limaye
Photo Credits: Sanjay Chougule
Credits
Exterior Flooring: Supreme Paver Block
Internal Flooring: R.A.A Ceramic
Exterior Paint: Apex exterior paint of Asian Paints
Interior Paint: Acrylic emulsion of Asian Paints
Railings: Custom-made SS Glass Railing
Roofing: Timber Line
Sanitaryware: Jaquar
Windows: Jindal Aluminum Windows
Though it is a group housing project, each apartment is designed with large shaded openings allowing ample light and ventilation. Cross ventilation helps in maintaining the thermal comfort.
All the openings are recessed and well shaded to allow only diffused light and avoid the harsh solar radiation to create a comfortable indoor environment. Since all the common areas like lobbies and staircases are well lit and ventilated, there is reduced energy demand. Full height openings create an effect of free-standing walls. Glass railings maintain a sense of simplicity and elegance.
Continuity through the housing is maintained with white bands, yet each building is individual with different colours with a grey base. The white bands wrap the building and shade the facades and openings. The pergola on the top is a dynamic feature, creating shaded terraces and a different pattern on the façade. The distance between two buildings ensures privacy and yet are visually connected through landscape areas in between that serve as interaction areas for the residents. The clubhouse has a large amphitheater, a multipurpose hall, playground, lounge etc.
Exposed Insulated Standing Seam Roof
The concept of roof to facade is not new and is widely used in many public buildings around the world, especially airports and stadia. What is new is its application in an auditorium, which we conceived at the proposed 750-seater auditorium located within the Symbiosis University of Applied Sciences campus in Indore, off the new Super Corridor.
The exterior shape of the building was inspired by Indore’s local flower Palash. The striking orange colour of the flower and the distinct shape of its petals form the mass of this building. The fluid shape of this structure is strategically designed to enclose a conventional shaped auditorium within the steel enclosure and is designed to accommodate all modern support functions such as stage lighting, acoustics, AV system, a 50 feet wide stage and provision to accommodate 30 feet tall props/curtain.
We are proposing to use a standing seam insulated roof manufactured by either Kalzip or Rigidal, which extends into the facade of the structure.
Ar. Amol Prabhu
Use of exposed insulated standing seam roof is not new to us. Ten years ago, we had used the same material at the Indoor Stadium of the National Sports Club of India in Worli, Mumbai. The acoustic and thermal insulation results of this roof were astounding, wherein, we were able to insulate the entire roof from exterior and interior sound and also provide an air-conditioned environment within the stadium, without the need to add a false ceiling. We propose to do the same at the Symbiosis Auditorium.
The auditorium will cater to the needs of not only the students but also the local businesses to conduct their events. So, the auditorium had to be designed to be flexible to audio and video playback.
A Sensory Richness
Credits
Windows: Kalco
Tiles: Lakasa, Dream Home
Lighting: Legero, Phillips
Colour: Asian Paints
Hardware: Exit Germany
Modular Kitchen: Lube
Ply: Greenlam
Air Conditioning: Diakin
Structural: BMSF Consultants
Landscape: Studio EN
MEP: Electrotech Consultants, Paradise Consultants
HVAC: Arora Consultants
Water Bodies: Fountaineers
Design Concept: The concept for this home grew out of a longing for the forest and the protective shade of a tree canopy in the context of a city. The site, a 2-acre plot that was formerly agricultural land, was devoid of vegetation. Not a single tree grew within the site boundaries although lush planting edged the periphery. And so grew the idea of architecture as another nature.
Design Process: The site has two access roads linked by a vehicular path that has been planted with grass pavers and cobblestones to dissolve into the landscape and minimize non-porous surfaces. A key element in the garden is the pool pavilion and pool deck that flow into the living areas on the lower level. A series of decks and water features seamlessly connect the home and garden and create ‘outdoor rooms’ of varying scales and volumes. The drop off point is protected by a floating metal canopy and framed by pergolas of fins that establish a quiet rhythm. There is a primary internal spine that connects all the internal spaces on both levels. The poolside bar, and formal living and dining areas, oriented on either side of a water court are placed linearly to the east of the circulation spine.
The metal canopy roof consists of individual laser cut metal sheets fixed on an inverted support structure. The supporting columns each have a unique branching structure and were customized at site. The metal was left to rust naturally and sealed with a Pu coat to protect it.
Ar. Swanzal Kak Kapoor
Saka Studio
A dramatic cantilevered metal tread staircase leads upwards to the private living spaces at the upper level. The circulation culminates in a lobby, guest toilet and court. At the upper level, the circulation spine becomes a breezeway, with terraces at both ends. Three bedroom suites, a family lounge and a beautiful outdoor deck in the north-east nestled under the roof canopy comprise the upper level. Small balconies overlook the water court and become spaces of quiet contemplation.
Materials & Colours: The facade materials, in addition to oxidised steel, include riverbed Teakstone, oiled Thermo-oak and Ironic, which will age slowly and change colour This Aravali palette of rust, grey, gold and brown, roots the home firmly in its natural context. Sustainability is enabled through a careful selection of local materials that will require no recurring maintenance, the roof canopy is both a central visual element and a means of climatic temperature control, maximising porous surfaces in the landscape by shading openings and the roof slab, rainwater harvesting, and a floor plan that maximises daylighting and cross-ventilation. Local stone working skills have been harnessed in finely detailed teakstone walls.
Design Response: The real strength of this home is its sense of quiet and the innovative and exploratory quality of its architecture. The dynamics between the vertical lines of teakstone walls, the branching structure of the tree columns and sculptural, carefully positioned openings and courtyards create constantly shifting geometries that delight and draw the eye forward.
Beauty, repose, sensory richness and dynamic value are primordial to the expression of this home. A sense of peace and stillness pervades all the spaces and there is a magical unfolding of views, light and pattern as you move through the home, almost like a walk in the forest. In both, day and night settings, the home embodies counter points of sensory experience; there is an almost meditative stillness to the forms, lines and experiential quality.
Building Interiors
Ajay Khurana, Chairman, REHAU South Asia
REHAU’s building materials and design strength
With its strong focus on Made in India and Made for India, the company offers localised products for consumers across furniture, windows and building solutions through its Indian arm, REHAU India. Its two plants in Pune manufacture edge-bands, profiles for windows and doors, rigid profiles and industrial solutions. Its third facility in Vadodara, which has been operational since December 2017, caters to the northern market with edge-bands, and will introduce new products as per project needs.
REHAU’S Retail Plans
- To double retail experience centers by end of this year
- Launch of Inspiration Express- an interactive mobile lounge - to bring products directly to customers
- adodara facility to strengthen north India capacity
- To open dealer centres in Gurgaon, Guwahati and Patna apart from its existing centres in Bangalore and Delhi, and take the number to over 70 in the next two years
- Targets Rs. 1000 crore revenue by 2020.
The company has flagged off REHAU Inspiration Express, a unique mobile experiential showcase encompassing the entire range of Advanced Living Solutions from furniture, windows and building solutions. The bus will travel to 60 cities over a year, showcasing REHAU products to consumers, specifiers, architects, interior designers, and contractors, and facilitate interaction of the products with the audiences, enabling them to get live experience and access to direct information.
“REHAU is ready to respond with appropriate solutions to bring its products closer to consumers and tap architects, who play an important role in decision making, outside homes,” said Ajay Khurana, Chairman, REHAU South Asia.
The Inspiration Express displays surface solutions, RAUCORD outdoor/ indoor furniture, roller shutters for kitchen cupboards, uPVC windows and doors, Radiant heating/cooling solutions, plumbing pipes, RAUVISIO Mineral (Solid Surface) and pre-laminated boards, RAUVISIO Crystal Mirror used as wall panel, and 2.0mm RAUVISIO Crystal Wave laminate etc.
Commented Ar. Manish Motwani, Chief Architect, RSP Group, “REHAU is demonstrating a strong commitment to be present across every consumer touchpoint. This is the need of the hour and will help to understand the company’s product portfolio in an interactive and experiential platform.”
Get Stoned
A gemstone or a precious or semi-precious stone is a piece of mineral crystal, which, in its cut and polished form is used to make jewelry or decorative home interior products. However, certain rocks such as lapis lazuli, malachite, opal and jade or organic materials that are not minerals such as Amber and Mother of Pearl, are also used for making jewelry and are considered as gemstones.
Gemstone Handinlay Columns (1100 No.), Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Physical Properties
Most gemstones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in the making of jewelry and decorative items, because of their luster or other physical properties, and their aesthetic value. Rarity is another characteristic that lends value to a gemstone.
The precious and semi-precious stones from Aqua Imperial include the natural Mother of Pearl from the deep seas & oceans, Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan, Agate from Brazil, and Petrified Wood from South Africa. The company offers more than 50 varieties of precious & semi precious stones sourced from across the world. These are used in home decor products to enhance the interiors.
These are the hardest stones available on earth and, hence, require least maintenance as compared to other natural products, and they can last forever.
Application
Application of the precious stone depends on the vision of the client, the architect, and the interior designer. The stones are ideal for a wide range of applications, such as, drawing room flooring in upscale villas, center table tops, dining table tops, bar counter tops, kitchen-islands, bedside table tops, bathroom counter tops and home accessories like agate coasters, lamps, decorative trays, T-lights, and photo frames. The stones have also been used as backdrops in hotel lobbies, office reception areas, and sitting area of living rooms; for flooring, on pillars and columns.
What inspired Imran Qasim, the man behind the stones business?
I have been an avid traveller since a very young age. I have been inspired by our rich heritage of handicrafts, varied culture, and beautiful landscapes.
While exploring the markets in Pink City, Jaipur, I fell in love with precious stones and used to marvel at their potential application in areas other than jewelry. The Taj Mahal, in all its glory, and the innumerable palaces in Rajasthan were a major inspiration too, for their varied application of semi-precious and precious stones.
Semi-precious and precious stones have a wide range of applications, but most of our clients prefer Petrified wood dining tabletops, back-lit agate bathroom countertops, hand inlaid decorative lamps and multi-color agate coasters etc. We are also retailing them as ready products and we undertake major projects through architects and interior designers.
The stones are pretty expensive as the raw material is rare and their availability is getting rarer. This has had a direct impact on their cost which is increasing year to year with a price range of `3,000 to `25,000 per sq.ft.
About Aqua Imperial
Aqua Imperial, a pioneer in the gemstone slab manufacturing business, was set up in 2002 in Greater Noida with a 13,000 sq.ft. factory. The company has an American subsidiary called KYVET. The production process starts with selection of raw material that is quarried in various places around the globe and is handpicked to achieve the best color, shape and size. The raw material is put through a long process of cutting and setting at the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, using specialized epoxy glue that has been especially developed in-house. The slabs are manufactured in 2-3 cm thickness as standard or customized, based on special request. The application process in projects includes design to fabrication and has an average lead-time of 60 to 90 days.
Aqua Imperial has undertaken renowned projects namely, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi UAE, Shangri-la Hotel in Abu Dhabi UAE, Royal Palaces in Saudi Arabia for Princess Mashel Bint Sultan bin Abdulaziz and Princess Madawi .
International clients include Rochdale Spear Ltd. in Vietnam, MJ Design Associate Inc. USA, Agape Tiles LLC, Florida USA, Zgallaries, USA, Marjourie Skouras Designs CA. USA, 2XL Furniture & Home Decor. Dubai, and D&A Trading Company Ltd., Vietnam.
Driving Change Inside Out
She believes that the role of a designer goes beyond merely designing luxurious homes to spreading design to a larger mass - towards which vision she initiated the cleaning-up of slums in Indore. Further, through her plastic-free campaign, she has been instrumental in making the women of these communities self-sufficient by guiding them to design, make and sell eco-friendly bags from recycled cloth and paper.
Her works are known for their functionality and judicious use of space, as she strives to create minimalistic designs with a traditional essence, through extensive use of natural materials, traditional arts and Indian handicrafts. Besides commercial and residential projects, she has worked on the restoration of heritage buildings, including temples.
Awards & Accolades
- Stylish Designer Award by INIFD in 2016
- Outstanding Contribution of Interior and Architecture in the Reality Kings Awards
- Awards in the Home Sweet Home Contest
- Hosted NATCON, 2016 IMAGINE (a national convention of IIID) as a Convener.
- WEF Award for Exceptional Women of Excellence 2017 in New Delhi
High-end retail store
Excerpts from her interview with MGS Architecture magazine:
How has modern architecture impacted Indian society at large?
The changing culture of architecture in modern India, both as a lifestyle and as a profession, has been eye-opening. In terms of lifestyle, we never predicted the extent to which architecture and design could affect us as well as the society and culture we live in, nor did we predict how deeply symbolic of our beliefs and attitudes they’d become. The huge wave of development and technology that caused us to try and ape everything that didn’t belong to us, has made us question and search for our own identity and provoked us to revisit the solid traditional roots and foundation of Indian architecture.
Indian architecture, primarily established through historical and cultural influences, is most recently a conversation about how best to modernize. India’s architecture has to mediate rapid urbanization with respecting its climate, culture, and tradition. Questions of cultural preservation are especially pertinent in India after the dominance of western influences.
Italian flooring and cladding used in reception area at Indo-Thai office
Traditional materials or the modern composites? What are trending?
The return of brick-look tiles is one of the growing trends and they come in a wide variety of sizes and finishes, and exposed brickwork is very much in trend nowadays. Terracotta is coming back into fashion. We are witnessing a resurgence of the warm shades of Terracotta not only in home furnishing accessories, but also as an indoor finish. It is a tasteful material that combines with a large number of styles, adding a retro touch to interior designs.
Director’s cabin at Indo-Thai office accentuated by wooden furniture
Natural stones are symbols of timeless appeal. They add a rich and expensive look to architecture and interior design, be it marble, granite, onyx, quartz, travertine, slate or limestone, all of which give great flooring and wall decoration ideas. Even a small mosaic artwork with natural stones or a table top can dramatically transform a room and create a stunning interior decor on a low budget. Glass, steel and composite materials are trending as well.
How can designers and architects contribute towards resource optimization?
Indians believe that old is gold and are not averse to using recycled stuff. A few examples are: using leftover/broken tiles from sites and arranging them in a mosaic pattern for a unique table top. DIY floor pillows from pieces of left out sponges. Recycling old tables by adding a new colour to them or giving a rustic look. Use of scrap materials in suspended ceilings and creating a feature wall with them. Sewage pipes can be modified and used as seating by adding gelatine sheets on one side for a colourful effect.
By simply taking coloured cellophane and fashioning it to one side of each pipe, the creatives at Urfun Lab have fashioned a makeshift kaleidoscope of colourful forms that transform an unsightly concrete roadside pile into a strikingly beautiful, unexpected public space. In fact, many areas of India are undergoing an incredible transformation as the existing infrastructure is being overhauled with up-to-date systems.
Digital Craft
Emphasis is laid on symmetry, proportion and mathematics with the orderly arrangement of semicircular arches, hemispherical domes and hybrid vault systems – combining Groin Vaults & Rib Vaults. Sub-division of these geometries is intricately articulated as mathematical patterns that emerge and flow along pseudo-structural curves that divide the vaults and dome systems to create visual effects on the low-height ceilings.
The use of digital technologies in this restaurant project formed the backbone of design process, fabrication methodology and cost-optimization. While parametric design methods aided in designing of highlight elements, CNC milling and Laser Cutting were used as key digital fabrication methods that allowed ‘Digital Craft’ to realize in this constrained project. Training of local craftsmen to understand digitally-translated information on site helped to control costs and plan the project in accordance with time and budgets; something that a typical restaurant project is bound to have.The project is conceived to have a space with a strong essence of Jaipur’s heritage, translated parametrically through geometry and patterns created by using Digital Fabrication Techniques coupled with Local Craft. Aligning itself to the traditional Jaipur architecture, Farzi Café Jaipur has been designed to encapsulate the region’s essence with the use of identifiable arches, domes and vaults conventionally seen as a reminiscent feature.
Sushant Verma
Computational Design Methods are adapted by rat (Lab) Interiors to use mathematics for algorithmically creating patterns that are articulated in the restaurant as 3D Relief Art through CNC Milling, 2D back-lit cut-outs in Façade and Interiors as well as Perforated Jaali Elements that surround the outdoor space. Differentiated triangles with filleted corners are scaling to form the surface treatment of Hybrid Vaults and Dome that exemplify a blend of local craftsmanship and laser cut geometries.
The parametrically triangulated radial pattern is replicated as subdivisions in the vaults and dome in the false ceiling. A blend of colours, patterns and soft materiality signify the rich heritage of Jaipur.
Digitization in Interior Design is unparalleled and permeating in a big way. It has become conducive to innovative thinking and integrates the traditional interior design concept and modern digital information technology as a whole. Use of digital technologies allow the creative process to be more informed and widens the bandwidth of creative canvas beyond the conventional methods of designing an interior space, especially when the program is as complex as a restaurant space that comes with its own dynamics of cost, time and efficiency constraints.
Anchal Chaudhary
Materiality & Features
2mm thick and 50mm wide profile in polished brass encapsulates the restaurant walls and columns, in continuation of the arches of the door design. Four double doors open in a four feet wide aisle towards the entrance of the restaurant, two steps up from the main parking level as this aisle is defined with a brass polished railing. The railing design complements the arches inside the restaurant. Handmade tiles, wooden flooring and Italian stone are used for the flooring to demarcate areas.
Signature style and installation-type elements by rat[LAB] INTERIORS have been used in the space as vault systems, tessellatdome, jaali patterns, chandelier elements and branding artwork. The bar can be seen with hanging crystal and bronze finished parametric drop elements with dimmable LED lights. The metal pipe light installation over the bar is parametrically designed with variable drop lengths that collectively form an arch-shaped double-curve vault.
Variable Lengths of half-inch diameter metallic pipes are encased in a tubular casing depicting designer’s articulatihe brand logo as protruding ‘F’.
Godrej Interio - Defining Workspaces as Social
As per the research there are 6 trends that we see emerging:
- Technology Integration
- Autonomy for people to choose where and how they work
- Promotion of employee wellbeing
- Expression of brand culture
- Space Optimisation
- Environment friendly design.
India’s multicultural office workers increasingly want control, freedom and choice: Where do they work from and How do they Work? They do not like Traditional Formal work settings. Given a choice, they will prefer to work from workspaces that are informal, allow collaboration and makes them feel at home. They rate workspaces full of cabins and cubicles boring. Work is increasingly happening from spaces such as cafeteria, work lounges, break out spaces etc.
Organisations increasingly realise that it’s not individuals but networks that help them compete. Organisations today are becoming agile. They want to leverage power of formal and Informal networks to deliver business results. Organisations are attempting to make available spaces that encourage interactions and collaborations as a way to build an organisation’s social capital through leveraging power of formal and informal networks: allowing people choice and freedom to work in different work settings. The Social Office is expected to grow by 20% YOY predominantly in MNCs and Corporates.
Topography of Curved Bookshelves
The library is located in the 33,700m2 cultural centre of Binhai district in Tianjin, a coastal metropolis outside Beijing, China. It features a luminous spherical auditorium around which floor-to-ceiling bookcases cascade. The undulating bookshelf is the building's main spatial device, and is used both to frame the space and to create stairs and seating, the layered ceiling and even louvres on the façade. The Library was designed and built in a record-breaking time of only three years and offers space for 1.2 million books.
The library is one amongst a cluster of five cultural buildings designed by an international cadre of architects including Bernard Tschumi Architects, Bing Thom Architects, HH Design, and MVRDV. All buildings are connected by a public corridor underneath a glass canopy designed by GMP.
The building's mass extrudes upwards from the site and is 'punctured' by a spherical auditorium in the centre. Bookshelves are arrayed on either side of the sphere and act as everything, from stairs to seating, even continuing along the ceiling to create an illuminated topography. These contours also continue along the two full glass facades that connect the library to the park outside and the corridor inside, serving as louvres to protect the interior against excessive sunlight whilst also creating a bright and evenly lit interior.
The bookshelves are great spaces to sit and at the same time allow access to the upper floors. The angles and curves are meant to stimulate different uses of the space, such as reading, walking, meeting and discussing.
The five-level building also contains extensive educational facilities, arrayed along the edges of the interior and accessible through the main atrium space. Public program is supported by sub-terranean service spaces, book storage, and a large archive. From the ground floor, visitors can easily access reading areas for children and the elderly, the auditorium, the main entrance, terraced access to the floors above, and connection to the cultural complex. The first and second floors consist primarily of reading rooms, books and lounge areas whilst the upper floors include meeting rooms, offices, computer and audio rooms and two rooftop patios. Cleaning is done via ropes and movable scaffolding.
Tianjin Binhai Library was built according to the Chinese Green Star energy efficiency label and has achieved two star status. MVRDV collaborated with Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute (TUPDI), structural engineers Sanjiang Steel Structure Design, TADI interior architects and Huayi Jianyuan lighting design.
Seamless Connectivity
Spread across 5 acres of land, the building's site is located in the serene forest area near the famous Chattbir Zoo. The layout of the school is designed in linear form for flexibility, and to ensure easy movement throughout, a loop road connects all the essential parts of the site. A bridge connects two structures, and more than just a link, it acts as a mid-space gallery or a dais to address gatherings.
The building block is placed in the direction of the wind flow for optimum cross ventilation and to decrease electricity consumption. The building's orientation is north-west and south-east, with the main entrance facing west. According to prescribed standards, the recommended spacing of expansion joint is 100'-0" or 30 m interval. This gap is filled to restore the waterproofing, fire-proofing, sound proofing, and air barrier.
After going through the site features, requirements, constraints, etc., it was decided to plan the building in such a way so as to differentiate the functionality of the different blocks. Accordingly, the future college is placed on the right-hand side (SE) and the primary/secondary school blocks on the left (NE).
The aim was to give a grand front look to the institute such that the scattered building blocks are visible from the furthest possible distance on all sides
Ar. Sanjay Goel
The building is earthquake resistant with eco-friendly features that include provision for rainwater harvesting, use of low impact materials such as fly-ash bricks, and reflective glass for thermal comfort. A modern façade with ACP blocks and heat resistant fixed glazing on the façade and windows minimize heat gain, keeping the building cool in summers and hot in winters. The landscaping complements the building, acts as a sound barrier and creates breathing spaces. For acoustics, fabric wall panels have been used. Provision has been made for constructing a semi basement floor in the internal courtyard for assemblies, exams and parking, without disturbing the existing building blocks.
Optimum Sustainability
The over 1.8 lakh sq.ft school complex spread over 7.5 acres of land, is based on extensive green planning for incorporating green features and eco-friendly building materials. All the school blocks are north-south oriented and multiple internal courtyards have been planned to enable the building to breathe from within. The spacious classrooms and the library receive the north light through large windows, while the south side has deep verandahs and corridors that cut the sun's glare and mitigate the heat effect of the Vadodara weather.
Every classroom has ventilators above the windows and doors - keeping the internal area well ventilated and cooler than the outside ambient temperatures. Each classroom has landscaped spaces outside the north windows and landscaped courtyards on the southern side, such that students and teachers breathe more oxidized air.
A vermiculite plaster inside and tile cladding on the outside add to the heat insulation of the fly ash brick walls. The terrace tops have been laid with heat insulating layer and then fixed with white glazed tiles that reflect all the heat.
Other construction elements include low VOC paints and sealants; recycled materials, bagasse (sugarcane stalk remains) boards for the furniture, and natural stones like pebbles, marble, and granite for various landscape features.
Optimum sustainability has been ensured by incorporating green features and products throughout the building and to the extent possible
Ar. Prem Nath
Rainwater harvesting, and sewage treatment plants enable use of more than 75% water for flushing and landscaping. Solar panels of 60kw enable 7- 8% power saving and power backup. Most Importantly, by virtue of the planning of the school blocks, air-conditioning is not required for any classrooms, labs, library and other student areas, which is a major power saving feature of more than 35% of the electric load.
Installation of energy-friendly T5 tubes, CFLs and LEDs has enabled power saving up to 20% than the routine usage. Water saving faucets and sensor-controlled urinals enable a lot of water saving. FRLS cables and compact / dry type transformers enhance energy efficiency. STP and rainwater harvesting, topped with water saving faucets enable a daily saving of 75 - 80%
Human Element in Buildings
R. k. Charitable Foundation was given land by the government of Rajasthan to build and run an institute for girls who find it difficult to move from villages, and later face difficulties in getting admission in colleges in bigger cities like Ajmer, Jaipur, etc. The basic intent given to us as a designer was to have a built environment most suitable to accommodate present and future requirements and challenges related to academics. At the same time, it was expected that the built environment should provide the girl students a sense of pride, belongingness, along with physical and psychological security.
Before putting anything on the drawing board, we decided to have a well-defined "building program" through discussions with a group of academicians to work out the physical requirements and the underlying philosophy and intent of the institute. This made the design concept very easy for us, because we strongly believe in the power of space and its physical and metaphysical integration.
To give a scale to the façade, we decided to have a linear lay-out, and placed the administrative block right in the middle of the other two major science and humanities blocks. We also believe in informal education outside the formal classroom, so we worked in getting the open left out spaces as activity spaces, as a result of which, these spaces became an integral part of the "form" of the building.
From the entrance to the back of the building and also at the centre as a courtyard - small to large fragmented designed negative spaces are now functioning as positive spaces for students and faculty to connect and learn from each other. This has brought the human element as part of the building as form and space both.
The design sensibility of designer and user play a bigger role is making a building sustainable rather than use of innovative materials claiming to be greener and sustainable.
Principal Architect, Sanjay Kothari
I believe that whatever we do has to flow with the contemporary needs and skills for the survival of society as a whole for a longer period. The term sustainability has more to do with the ways of human living in order to connect with nature, naturally. Sustainability is a much more serious term to internalize as a system rather than its appearing and being used by external forces which we might call "the market".
Climatic considerations, orientation of the structure as per wind direction and solar movement while designing, shaded verandahs, deep recessed windows, courtyards, active outdoor unbuilt spaces, are things that relate to culture and contemporary use and to make them sustainable as a user across the timeframe.
Harmony of Properties
The architects' aim was to create a centre of learning that embraces Nature - the very understanding and realization of enlightenment propagated by Gautam Buddha. In order to implement such a balance, a harmony of proportions was introduced in the conceptual planning of the site layout. The ratio and proportions of the image of the Buddha in meditation were considered to derive a rhythmically knitted pattern with strong connectivity, network and space organization for the master plan of the 500-acre university campus.
For the main campus entrance, they created a dense forest to act as a visual and sound buffer. This forest provides a stark difference in environment, as the tranquillity is a stark juxtaposition to the chaotic frenzy outside. The academic and faculty blocks are arranged along the Central Promenade Axis, which culminates at the feet of a magnificent statue of Buddha. A meditation centre, with its sombre domed form echoes the architectural symbolism of the stupa. It was designed to visually tie the earth with the sky when viewed in the horizon.
In a world that is rapidly developing into concrete jungles, this project is a bold statement in favour of saving and regenerating the natural beauty in the surroundings.
Ar. Dikshu Kukreja
Certain design features incorporated in the planning of the campus set it apart as a model for ecologically sensitive green development. This includes complete water recycling through creation of lakes and water bodies. Architectural elements like jaalis and chajjas reduce the heat intake in the building, thereby reducing electrical energy consumption.
Ingress of natural lighting and ventilation make the institute highly energy efficient. Local materials like stone save on building costs, and local craftsmen and masons have been engaged to create jaalis and other vernacular architectural elements. Extensive plantation and landscaping maintains the balance between built and unbuilt spaces.
Breathable Spaces
From the whole site plan to the smallest module, the designing is based on the movement of the amoeba, the living organism and its growth patterns. One straight line modifies and multiplies to form a unit, a module, a wing, a cluster, and then a mass.
The other factors were the organization and usefulness of the micro climate that become part of the planning. Processing natural ventilation and light were a concern as hostels are generally not air-conditioned.
The usability of the terrace spaces is the touchstone of the design. Enormous terrace spaces, which would remain unused otherwise, have been effectively converted into open-air theaters, which act as "the breathers" in the cluster of tall habitable structures all around. The terrace steps double up as leisure gardens, as well as outdoor study areas for the hostellers, and are easily accessible from any building block.
The design is defined by its clay brick tile cladding, textured paint and rough concrete, as the building uses vernacular and locally available materials.
The sheer presence of geometry and its fundamentals were responsible for the genesis of the design of this building.
Ar. Sangeet Sharma
Eco-friendly features include passive solar provisions for ventilation ducts, louvered skylights light peepholes, and suitably oriented balconies. The mess block, which comprises recreational areas and an open-air theatre is faced with vertical louvers of concrete that are designed to arrest the harsh sun and allow only the glare-free and pleasing light that do not obstruct the efficiency of working indoors. The movement of the louvers gives a musical flow visually. Orientation plays a vital role in this design, considering the sun and wind as motivators for good living.
Balancing Tradition With Smart Design
The interior and architecture design of GEMS School in the 'smart city' of Kochi by Creative Group, combine minimum yet sensible inventory with the available and existing resources to yield efficiency in terms of space utilization and diversity in terms of the character of the building, whose beauty lies in its openness and unrestrained spaces
The school's site is envisioned as a natural retreat, planned to focus all viewing angles on the riverfront. The team devised and implemented many smart-simple solutions for designing, starting with the orientation of the building.
Kochi is a seaside town just 10 degrees north of the equator, hence, it is moderately hot and humid round the year, so Ar. Gurpreet Shah kept the orientation of the school building in the N-S direction to maximize the amount of daylight entering the campus, while avoiding direct glare and reducing heat gain by mutual shading.
The team drew heavily on the construction methods and design features of the state, whilst keeping in mind the traditional methodology of education patterns and environment, to follow an unconventional approach of designing the school by amalgamating the comforts of home in an institutional campus.
Prof. Charanjit Shah
The architect also overcame the challenging site of the school by incorporating the heavily contoured one side of the site, tapering sharply and flattening towards the river, as a design feature. The contoured site is further highlighted with the addition of a timber trail.
The parent reception building is a modernist structure with circular lines, where its large central hall, the foremost active space, is completely free of columns. The key feature of the naturally lit circular reception block is the view to the large span of campus afforded by high performance glass on the façade.
Amidst the clean grey walls, the serene water body, and modern landscape, are the play zones within the otherwise structured environs. These include the tennis and basketball courts, while the library is a blend of academic and social space, accentuated with an unrestricted view of the river.
In keeping with the gradient of the land, the architect links the buildings with bridges and covered walkways. Corridors overlook the valley and the river. Behind the solid mass created by the walls lies a fluid space that flows in from one block of the building to the other. The design blends the different functions within each block, translating dramatic key spaces into classroom grids. The large airy classrooms let the children take in the panoramic view of the surroundings.
The vernacular design language of the traditional Kerala architecture is conveyed by the architect's visual, providing sloped roofs that are in keeping with the climatic challenges of Kerala. The hollowed-out space of the central courtyard scooped out from the building's central mass allows the hot air to escape creating convection currents of natural winds cooled by the surrounding green barrier and the river.
Creative Group's institutional endeavor is a smart premier of architecture in a smart city. The challenge was to balance the use of local materials and traditional construction methods with 'smart' design and technology.
Ar. Gurpreet Shah
Keeping the tradition of jaali work alive, the screens act as a vertical extension of the building's open courtyards. Standing tall, these screens cut the sun's glare, and in the process creating ever-changing patterns of light and shade over the blank elevation walls.
Uber Luxury
Jimmy Mistry, CMD of the acclaimed Della Group, and practitioner of 'Design Thinking' has been creating unique interiors for almost two decades. For the Rustomjee Elements project, he has delivered an elegant opulence, styled with his own designs as well as the best from the other leading thinkers of the design industry.
My products must surprise as much as they delight, not just in the way they look, not just in the way they function, but how well they elevate the way my customers live their life
Jimmy Mistry, CMD, Della Group
Rustomjee Elements is spread over 3 acres of Juhu in Mumbai. The apartments provide for an elevated, exclusive lifestyle with amenities that include a landscaped podium garden, sky lounge, business centre, infinity pool, preview theatre, spa, concierge, fully equipped gymnasium, multi-purpose court and a library.
Jimmy understood instinctively how to provide bespoke luxury to the discerning and demanding clientele of Rustomjee Elements, which is intended to be a distinct living space not just for its design, construction, aesthetics, and styling, but also for the cutting-edge technical sophistication of all its amenities.
Boman R. Irani, CMD, Rustomjee Group
Rustomjee's portfolio includes a 14.32 million sqft feet of completed projects; 12 million sqft of ongoing development, and another 28 million sqft of planned development in the pipeline, spanning the best locations of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Their portfolio currently includes two very large townships, residential spaces, office complexes, retail developments, spaces for healthcare and education.
Designed for Sustainability - Moser Associates
The approach to the design employs sustainable strategies that will benefit the building's performance and work environment. A perforated metal screen system (Jaali) surrounding all four facades creates an inner courtyard space. This screen system acts as a veil and also as a decorative skin that draws reference from historical textiles. Inside the screen, two thin glazed office wings are connected via bridges and stair/elevator towers. The thin floor plate of the office inside connected via bridges and stair/elevator wings allow for natural light and cross ventilation, the separation of the wings creates an interior collaborative garden in the center.
The central garden zone acts as a natural light well and mechanical ventilation shaft, with large turbine ventilation fans at roof level drawing out warm air from the building. The office floor plates, in addition to their operable windows and solar shading, are set upon a raised access floor, allowing for tempered air to be directed to the occupants at a lower velocity with more local control. The raised floor also allows for greater flexibility in office planning and better access to building systems. Punctuating the office floor plates are conference rooms and gardens. Thus, the garden space becomes a "community" of architectural elements.
Our approach to sustainable design methodology aims at achieving the desired integration of sustainability with architectural and interior design
Ar. Nirmal Mangal, M Moser Associates
Traditional Craft, Contemporary Design
Ar. Harish Tripathi & Interior designer Jyoti D. Tripathi
The G+4 storey institute located in Saket, New Delhi, comprises spaces for dance performances, rehearsal studios, classrooms, an art gallery, residential accommodation, administrative areas, a basement for showcasing art and exhibitions, and an open air amphitheater.
The architecture of the building with its classical and modern design values, reflects the core values of the institute. The style is traditional craftsmanship infused with contemporary design sensibilities. The local flavor is evident in the ruggedness, naturalness and rawness of materials. The red brick facade is punctuated with exposed service ducts. Granite flooring at the ground level creates a natural and rustic ambience. The red Mandana stone used in the sunken courtyard adds to the ambience of the natural elements, while sculptures and motifs adorn the entrance area, the landscape, and the courtyard. Red brick tiles from Unitile break the monotony of the red colour with the randomness and differentiation in the brick texture and colour.
Positive vibes greet visitors at the entrance to the building which has a huge statue of Lord Ganesha, stone carved sculptures, and greenery all around. A yellow Jaisalmer stone in rough form complements the red brick exterior of the building, while wrought iron and wooden furniture provide seating in the foyer.
The location and orientation of the building allow ample natural light to enter, while recessed windows limit the amount of sun into the interior spaces, thus, effectively reducing heat gain inside. Ar. Harish informs that the building has been designed using a traditional system of boxing to protect buildings from heat gain. Heat gets trapped within the boxes and does not transfer to the building's surface and thereby to its interiors. Boxing has been used throughout the building and the required punctures have been created according to the orientation of the sun.
A stepped landscape synchronizes with the overall design of the complex. Says Harish, "Stepping creates a series of terraces providing outdoor spaces at higher floors in the north and north eastern side of the building, resulting in the south west structure to cast a shadow and shade this region. This play of levels in the faade generates a dramatic effect of light and shadow throughout the day, adding depth and volume to spaces."
A sunken courtyard leads to the basement, flooding it with natural light, while seamlessly integrating the levels and acting as an outdoor exhibition area. Wide steps leading to the art gallery in the basement portray an image of step wells used in ancient Indian architecture, are finished in materials like wood, copper and granite stone. Informs Jyoti D. Tripathi, "In the performance hall, elements like a Mandana stone motif in pink and Indian marble flooring add to the ambience. Sculptures placed in the green surroundings are visible through glazed windows."
The amphitheater located in the southern end of the plot, gets ample natural light. By integrating the natural green cover with the amphitheatre seating, a serene environment is created for the spectators. The green cover reduces the feel of hard surfaces and acts as a micro-climatic agent, effectively reducing heat gain in the south side. At night, strategically placed LED lights light up the amphitheater, drawing attention to the lively performances on the stage, the green landscape, the exquisite sculptures, and the stone crafted benches and motifs.
Creating Filial Connectivity
Architects: Madhav Raman, Vaibhav Dimri
Firm: Anagram Architects
Category: Teachers housing
Location: The Doon School, Dehradun
Built up area: 45,000 sqft approx
Estimated project cost: 1643631 USD
Final project cost:1613746 USD
Structure Engineer: Arohi Consultants
Electrical Consultants: Squaretech Engineers
Plumbing & Fire Fighting: DSR Engineers
Contractor: KK Sethi
The 82-year old private boarding Doon School in Dehradun (Uttarakhand), is located on a lush 70-acre campus, which was once a botanical garden. Over the years, the school has undertaken architectural and infrastructural development of its campus. Multiple academic, extracurricular, dormitory and residential structures, built in distinct vocabularies, ranging from the colonial to the modern and the post-Modern, dot the campus. Two large playfields offer wide vistas of the architecture set in a verdant landscape.
Dehradun has a composite sub-tropical climate with a particularly wet monsoon. While the tree cover on the campus helps alleviate the summer heat, solar thermal gain through the roof is a concern. The monsoon rains are torrential, driven by a strong southeasterly wind.
"The project plan and layout conform to the existing material palette of the campus while accentuating elemental articulations. It attempts to reduce the scale of the development by staggering volumes and create spacious, well-lit interiors."
Ar. Madhav Raman
With a view to enhancing the family accommodation for the faculty, 18 residences of about 223 sqm each were designed on two separate sites. Organised as staggered rows running east-southeast to west-northwest, the units are arranged to maintain existing sightlines of the campus. The teachers often open their homes to their students and so the shift in their residential typology, from standalone villas with private gardens, to walk-up apartments and shared greens, helps make them more accessible territorially.
Further, the simple formal articulation and crisp elemental expression is intended to make the residences less imposing. The gabled volumes of the units are staggered to break up the contiguity of the facades and to accommodate existing trees close to the footprint. A shared service attic under the pitched roofs is provided to the housing to reduce heat gain to the upper floor residences and the water tanks are further raised as turrets to create hydraulic head. The corners are pulled out into shaded balconies to act as sit-outs to the bedrooms and similarly the living room extends onto a recessed verandah sit-out.
"The Teachers' Housing project at the Doon School is an attempt to encourage a more extroverted, convivial residential lifestyle for the faculty while maintaining existing sightlines and conserving land and vegetation."
Ar. Vaibhav Dimri
Brick masonry is extensively used and the design refers to this through the use of red terracotta tiles on the facades and lighter yellow terracotta in the recesses. The "portal" frames expressing the sit-outs and fenestrations are clad in light sandstone.
Building spaces of convergence
With more and more international brands foraying into the country, demand for commercial space is escalating. High-rise commercial and residential structures are redefining city skylines, and these soaring structures can create a greater impact by lighting up the night skyline with out-of-the-box LED lighting lamps and designs.
Mediamesh is one of the most cognitive and inventive medium of propaganda in commercial spaces. Though popular overseas, Mediamesh is quite new to India. These media facades make buildings communicate in the most effective manner, transforming them into high-class marvels.
The architectural mesh lends the external shell of the building an elegant appearance and makes for a versatile design highlight even when it is not being utilized as a LED façade. This trend, though novel, is set to pick up pace in demonstrating a splendid look for the entire commercial set-up.
The mechanism of Mediamesh is based on a technology that operates on a stainless-steel wire mesh with integrated LED profiles. Mediamesh allows a glimpse of the building behind it while at the same time, facilitating as a media platform for all kinds of events, promotions, movie releases etc. In terms of distance, and size of the installation, the pixel provides a mesmerising display of graphics, video sequences and even live transmissions.
As compared to mainstream LED boards or temporary single pixel systems, Mediamesh is the only thing to provide optimal image quality in the world, even in daylight for the big facades. The LED profiles are basically connected with a brilliant, invisible cable system camouflaged in the edges of the mesh. Once, the panels are installed, power and data are fed to the LEDs through the control units at individual floors of the building. This system can operate on file formats like AVI, Quicktime or JPEG, which is to be received via internet and the display on the façade of Mediamesh.
Mediamesh is going to be the next gen trend which will add an aesthetic value to Mumbai's pulsating skyline. Such welcome innovations will pave the way for many more new advances in the architecture and design of a building. The time has come when the Indian real estate sector should also instill innovative design concepts to build dynamic spaces.
Vipul Shah, MD, Parinee Group
In modern-day commercial real estate, it has become essential for builders to scout for new methods and ideas to propagate their projects in the best possible way. They are now aware of the significance of having a night view to add to the look of the structure and researching unconventional, cutting-edge methodologies, especially in commercial buildings, as a good exterior or façade lighting will highlight the building, and make its special features stand out.
Double Curved Form That Blends
Fact File:
Owner/developer: Durst Fetner
Architect: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)
Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
Façade Consultant: Israel Berger & Associates
GC: Hunter Roberts Construction Group
Completion: 2016
Building type: Residential (39 stories (467ft), 861,113 sqft
Façade Area: over 515,200 total sqft of facade, including 353,000 sqft of curtainwall and windowall, a 110,000 sqft double curved stainless steel slope wall, 50,000 sqft of gfrc, 2,200 sqft of aluminum panel
Glass: typical vision: 1" insulated: ¼" clear with Solarban 70XL on number two surface, ½" air space, ¼" clear with ceramic frit on number four surface
Materials used: Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRC),
Metal Panel, Stainless Steel
Awards:
- Best Tall Building Americas Winner, Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, 2016
- Excellence in Residential Design Innovation, Society of American Registered Architects: New York Council, 2016
The Advanced Technology Studio of Enclos provided comprehensive design/assist-design/build services for the north elevation's fishbone patterned curtainwall system, south facing unitized stainless steel sloped wall system, and east/west custom curtainwall systems. The building's north and east elevations include 190,000 square feet of curtainwall. The south facing slope wall consists of a 110,000 square foot stainless steel clad unitized system.
Enclos conducted simulated tests to optimize a custom gutter system capable of controlling water drainage and snow runoff for the sloped structure. The integrated courtyard consists of 130,000 square feet of curtainwall and window wall systems perforated by terraces.
Enclos put its global supply chain to work by fabricating extrusions and assembling curtainwall in Barranquilla, Columbia. The project's unitized sloped wall was fabricated and assembled at an Enclos facility in Richmond, Virginia, utilizing advanced metrology technologies.
The sail-shaped façade, which encompasses 5,15,200 square-feet of metal, glass and concrete, incorporates more than 350,000 square-feet of curtain wall and extruded aluminum window frames partially finished in DuranarArcadia Silver coatings by PPG. The curtain wall was engineered and fabricated by Tecnoglass, Duranar coatings are based on 70% polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) resin combined with proprietary resin and pigment technologies by PPG, providing exceptional resistance to chalking, fading, chipping, peeling, dirt collection and chemical staining.
The form of the building shifts depending on the viewer's vantage point. While appearing like a pyramid from the West-Side-Highway, it turns into a dramatic glass spire from West 58th Street. The highly visible sloping roof consists of a simple ruled surface perforated by terraces-each one unique and south-facing. The fishbone pattern of the walls is also reflected in its elevations. Every apartment gets a bay window to amplify the benefits of the generous view and balconies.
MVRDV wins international design competition for Silhouette, a mixed-use building in Moscow
Location: Moscow, Russian Federation
Client: GK Osnova
Year: 2017+
Programme: 52,000m2 mixed-used with 28,320m2 residential, 8,230m2 commercial, 1,375m2 shared facilities and 13,310m2underground parking
Design + Images: MVRDV
Silhouette takes inspiration from neighbouring constructivists buildings and is a new 52,000m2 contemporary mixed-use complex exploring geometry and materiality in its design. With a height up to 78 meters, the complex offers remarkable views of Moscow's skyline. The architectural concept was chosen as the best proposal and won the closed competition, held by GK Osnova.
"Silhouette is really an abstraction of the classical stepped building silhouettes found in the city," explains Jacob van Rijs, co-founder of MVRDV. "The combination of two grand and warm-toned buildings create a symbolic gateway to the city centre, but also homely dwellings and fine workspaces with a lively programme on ground levels for all to enjoy."
The 52,000m2 complex will consist of luxury apartments, a sports centre, flexible workspaces, an event space and a sky deck. The top floors accommodate apartments in a variety of configurations and sizes with the largest apartments located on the corners providing panoramic views in every direction. Underground programs include a supermarket and both commercial and residential parking.
A modular system allows for diversifying the building's shape and interior typologies while providing compact yet spacious apartments. The volume of the building is sculpted and diversified to create distinctive entrances, and its sloping roofscape strengthens the views of the city. Sculptural cuts on the top and bottom of the facade are carved out according to the function that needs to take place, or certain quality that needs to be provided within the space inside.
The elevation pattern is manipulated by various window sizes that respond to their position within the façade. The red ceramic façade features a subtle gradient of window sizes in dialogue to the buildings overall massing. The distinct red-colour of the façade also affirms its character as a warm and welcoming place.