Dubai Expo 2020 Speaks Futuristic: Light, Yet Monumental Portals by Asif Khan

Dubai Expo 2020 revealed the first images of its site portals. Designed by the British architecture studio Asif Khan; the three ultra-light, yet monumental site gates are ready to welcome almost 25 million visitors to the World Expo that will be held in Dubai starting from October 2020 to April 2021. The studio designed the three portals to be a landmark at the beginning and the end of the visitors’ journey in the 4.38 sq.km public realm; designed by HOK architects.

Photography by Helene Binet

Asif Khan follows the theme of Dubai Expo 2020: “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, to design high-tech perfectly functioning gates that express a sense of place. The designers borrowed the concept of the famous Islamic architectural element: Mashrabiya -carved wooden panels that were used to enclose windows and balconies to control shadow and airflow- and modified it in their futuristic technology; by folding, scaling, and choosing the right material.

Photography by Helene Binet

“When you are given this opportunity to combine innovation and a sense of place you can suggest some kind of new regional aesthetic, which I see the portals as a means of exploring.” Said Khan. He spent three years on the design; trying to translate the experience of the transition from the past to the future; both physically and in a symbolic way. And to do this very lightly; carbon-fiber was the best material choice. It is both extremely light and very stiff, which helped the gigantic portals stand in stillness with no supporting structure.

Photography by Helene Binet

With the help of specialists in this technology; the UK based studio created its own technique to form the material. The carbon-fiber ribbons were woven into a 3D form, to function well in terms of shading and airflow. This futuristic approach to represent the futuristic theme of the Dubai Expo 2020 created a pattern projecting on both the earth and the sky.
Khan explained: “But when you approach them, the unexpected thinness of structure and airy-ness gives the structure a magical, gravity-defying quality.”

Such innovative work is expected from Khan. He always seeks an integrated design, where nature, matter, technology, and social activities are in harmony. It is also not his first participation in an international Expo, as Khan designed the UK Pavilion for the Astana Expo 2017, and was shortlisted to design the UK pavilion for the Milan Expo 2015 and The Mobility Pavilion for the upcoming Dubai Expo.

Photography by Helene Binet

The site of the Dubai Expo 2020 features three sub-themes; Opportunity, Mobility, and Sustainability; designed by BIG, Foster, and Grimshaw Architects. Each of the three portals leads towards one of the districts through tree-filled courtyards, also designed by Asif Khan. Each Portal features a door 21-meters high and 10.5-meters wide; generously providing different perspectives and a shifting geometry as you get closer to them.

Photography by Helene Binet

The Dubai Expo 2020 is the first World Expo to take place in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MEASA). It is almost ready to celebrate all kinds of human achievements and inspire the next generation to achieve more. This mega-event will last 173 days; introducing brand new experiences each day – have you ever read a poem in 3D?

Project Info: 
Architect: Asif Khan
Location: Dubai, UAE
Photographer: Helene Binet
Project Name: Dubai Expo 2020 Portals

 

 

 

 

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HIKMA – A Religious and Secular Complex | atelier masōmī + studio chahar

Designed by atelier masomi + studio chahar, In the 9th century AD, Muslim scholars made remarkable contributions to the sciences and humanities in Bagdad’s Bayt al-Hikma, or House of Wisdom, a library and research center housing the world’s largest collection of books for scholars to engage both theological and scientific matters.
Today’s religious climate could use such freedom to pursue knowledge alongside religious practice. With the support of local leaders, women, and youth, the Hikma project re-introduces these values embedded in Islam itself, by transforming a derelict mosque into a library that shares its site with a new mosque for the village of Dandaji in Niger. The project is a culture and education hub where the secular and religious peacefully co-exist to cultivate minds and strengthen the community.
To renovate the old building to its previous glory, the original masons are invited to join the project’s team. In the process, they learn about adobe-enhancing additives and erosion protection techniques. Instead of the region’s traditional but scarce wood, the interior renovation uses metal for study spaces, partitions, stairs, and a mezzanine level, as a contemporary touch to a traditional space.
The new building, in turn, re-interprets traditional Hausa mosque organization with contemporary structural support and detailing. Its two blocks and outdoor prayer space are suited to daily prayers, Friday assemblies, or large Eid celebrations. The dialog between the formal structures of the old and new leads to further collaboration between the traditional masons and the construction crew.
The project provides spaces for learning, reading, studying, workshop, play, and worship. The outdoor spaces are set to be flexible enough to accommodate community events or simply lend themselves to quiet contemplation. The cultural complex acts as a community hub for the region.
The programmed complex includes a 1000-person mosque including two main worship spaces, two ablution spaces, and a Minaret, 2 bedroom lodgings for the Imam of the mosque, a library, classrooms, reading and studying spaces, a hands-on workshop area, children’s play area, and a garden. The main construction material for the project is Compressed Earth Bricks (CEB) made from soil that is found near the site, which provides better thermal performance and lowers energy consumption. It also lowers the cost of construction.
Project Info:
Architects: atelier masomi, studio chahar
Location: Niger
Year: 2018
Photographs: James Wang, Mariama Kah
Project Name: HIKMA – A Religious and Secular Complex

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Frank Lloyd Wright’s Houses on sale – Can you afford any?

It is not just money that you need to have to afford a Frank Lloyd Wright house. The works of Frank Lloyd Wright -the greatest American architect of all time- have created a foundation for many designers and architects. He genuinely built for users and inspired all kinds of artists; even filmmakers and art directors, as some of his buildings featured in movies and TV shows!
The famous architect built nearly 300 houses, several of which are on the property market seeking buyers. 9 houses are currently on sale, and they might linger on the market for months, but why would it be so hard to sell such artworks that have many (high-net-worth) admirers?

The earliest house on sale -designed in 1900 in Chicago, and identified six years later as a city landmark- is priced at only $175,000. The Foster house comes with large living rooms, a fireplace, and a generous landscape. But the buyer has to carefully calculate the time and effort they will need to recover the original details designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Coonely Playhouse in the historic district of Riverside, Illinois, presents the Usonian House concept. A concept that Frank Lloyd Wright invented for the American middle class. The $650,000 house, originally built in 1912 to be a small private school; the Coonely House functioned very well when it was converted to a single-family house. The house features cantilevered roofs carved by rectangular openings, to introduce a playful shadow over the walls.

The Coonely Playhouse – Photo by Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy

A later design by Frank Lloyd Wright; the Kier house is priced at $724,000. It is one of another five buildings by the famous architect in the neighborhood. Although updated for modern living, the Kier house conserves some of its original characteristics; hardwood works, stained glass windows, and a stately brick fireplace.
The Henderson house is located in Elmhurst -another historic district in Illinois-. This one is an obvious prairie-style house, as it features open formal spaces: a longitudinal gallery, a library with built-in shelves and stained-glass windows, and a living room with a roman brick fireplace.

Another prairie-style house for sale is the Copeland house in the Frank Lloyd Wright historic district in Illinois. This state of the house is a redesign by Wright; he added a spacious veranda, assured the flowing transition from one space to the other, and designed special built-in-furniture.

The Neils house is one of only two Frank Lloyd Wright‘s houses in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The expensive materials of this house are what makes it very special; as these are not the typical choices by Wright. The marble walls and aluminium window framing are the original owner’s special request. Other than that, the L-shaped circulation is too Usonian. With a price of $2,750,000; the Neils’ overlooks a tree-filled landscape and a serene lake.

The Neils House – Photo by Dwell

What happened to the Thaxton house -which is the only Frank Lloyd Wright built project in Texas- is exactly why it is so hard to find the right buyer for such historical artworks. After the original owner sold it; the house endured some cruel changes. Custom built-in-furniture designed by Wright was torn out, and the redwood walls were painted over with no respect for the chosen material palette. The house was slowly losing its authenticity and almost torn down in the late 1990s.
But thankfully; two architecture enthusiasts bought the Thaxton and restored it according to Wright’s design, and the house returned to the market with an asking price of $2,850,000.

The last residential masterpiece by Frank Lloyd Wright; the David and Gladys Wright house and guest house in Phoenix is priced at $9,999,999. It is the only spiral residence designed by Wright. The house is raised on columns to provide views of the surrounding citrus orchard.

David and Gladys Wright house – Photo by Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

The clean lines of the forms and interiors, the integration between the indoor and outdoor, and the seamless transitions between spaces all create a unique experience for a Wright house owner, but whoever is willing to purchase a historical building has to know this is more than an investment, for it requires a consistent act of preserving. Can’t afford a house by the master architect? You still have the opportunity to live in a Frank Lloyd Wright house, so don’t miss that!

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