3XN Reveal New Renderings of the Olympic Committee HQ Still Under Construction

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New photos and renderings were released of the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. The HQ, which is still under construction, was designed by 3XN Architects firm which won the international contest in 2014. The design comprises undulating forms which resemble “the movement of an Olympic athlete” and represent the key principles of sustainability, movement, and flexibility.

Courtesy of 3XN

Several features of the project became evident after the building rose above the ground level. These features include the main ring-shaped staircase and atrium, in addition to the glazed smooth façade. The façade will permit daylight so as to extensively penetrate the building. The façade layers enclose a cavity in between to diminish the sounds and noises from the highway nearby. An interior sunscreen filters the light that passes through to the inside, giving the outer layer of the façade a transparent look.

Courtesy of 3XN Architects, Photography: Forbes Massie

“With its dynamic, undulating façade, the building will appear different from all angles and convey the energy of an athlete in motion,” commented Jan Ammundsen- Senior Partner and Head of Design at 3XN Architects. “Its interior is designed with as few structural constraints as possible. This open and flexible environment is meant to adapt for multiple work styles now and in the future.”

Courtesy of IOC, Photography: Luca Delachaux

Sustainability and energy efficiency were crucial requirements in the design. Solar panels will be installed on the rooftop to provide the building with the necessary power. The concrete used in constructing the HQ was salvaged from the IOC HQ, then it was recycled and used for the foundation of the exterior walls. Other features of the project include various terraces, a green roof, and sustainable elements.

600 employees are expected to move in at the new HQ after its completion early in 2019.

 

 

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A Sustainable Design by Foster + Partners for Budapest’s Tallest Tower

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Designs were revealed by Foster + Partners for the sustainable new HQ of oil and gas company – (MOL) Group – located south of Budapest, Hungary. Also called the MOL Campus, the new headquarters is designed to be environmentally-oriented. The building, which will be constructed within a park-resembling site, is expected to be the highest building in the Hungarian capital.

© Foster + Partners

“This is a landmark project for several reasons, not only for MOL but also for Budapest,” commented Nigel Dancey- The Head of Foster + Partners Studio. “It presents a unique challenge to ensure that the building meets the functional needs of the organization, follows the highest standards of sustainability, and is respectful of its historic surroundings.”

The building represents an evolved form of the custom podium/tower typology. The glass podium extends throughout the exterior spaces and pathways, rising up at one side to form the tall tower. Daylight and greenery are prominent features of the 28-storey-high building. Also, there will be a roof garden available to the public on top of the tower. Systems controlling the light and the climate will augment the sustainability of the edifice.

© Foster + Partners

“As we see the nature of the workplace changing to a more collaborative vision, we have combined two buildings – a tower and a podium – into a singular form, bound by nature,” Dancey declared. “As the tower and the podium start to become one element, there is a sense of connectivity throughout the office spaces, with garden spaces linking each of the floors together.”

© Foster + Partners

“The MOL Campus seeks to preserve live-work relationships as part of the urban experience, where people are able to walk or cycle to work,” the architects said. “All occupants have a direct connection to the external environment providing fresh air, daylight and views, and the building utilizes low and zero carbon energy sources, such as photovoltaics, also featuring rainwater harvesting and storage facilities.“

 

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Newly-revealed Renderings of the Renzo Piano Academy of Motion Pictures in LA

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New renderings were released of the Renzo Piano Building Workshop-designed Academy of Motion Pictures. The project, which is expected to be completed in 2019, resides in the Miracle Mile in Los Angeles. It is expected to be “the world’s premier institution dedicated to the art and science of movies“

© Renzo Piano Building Workshop/©A.M.P.A.S. Images from L’Autre Image

Piano’s collaboration with Gensler resulted in new expansions and some renovations of the May Company department store. The store is located at the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax.

Having its name changed to Saban building, the structure is composed of 6 floors and over 50,000 square feet of space assigned for exhibitions. The building will additionally include an education studio, a theater that can host up to 288 spectators, a restaurant, and a store. Moreover, it will contain a caf, a restaurant as well as several spaces for events. The most prominent part of the project is its glass sphere that will house the David Geffen Theater with a capacity of 1000 seats. The theater will house premiers, screenings, and performance.

© Renzo Piano Building Workshop/©A.M.P.A.S. Images from L’Autre Image

The Renzo Piano Institution is LA’s first museum assigned for motion pictures. The previous difficulties of raising the necessary fund ($388 million) for the project have been mostly overcome. The fund raised until now covers three-quarters of the museum’s cost.

 

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Libeskind Firm Completes the First Holocaust Monument in Canada

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The New York-based architectural firm of Daniel Libeskind has just completed the construction of the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa, Canada. The monument features high walls of concrete that resemble a diagonally-stretched Star of David. Badges of the hexagonal Jewish symbol were worn by the Jews complying with the Nazi orders to distinguish them.

The monument that was inaugurated on the 27^th of September 2017, represents the first Canadian monument built in tribute to the Holocaust victims. It acknowledges the millions of Jews who suffered from the Nazi massacres during World War II. It also pays respect to the Jews who had resorted to Canada escaping from Hitler’s persecution.

“This monument not only creates a very important public space for the remembrance of those who were murdered in the Holocaust, but it also serves as a constant reminder that today’s world is threatened by anti-Semitism, racism, and bigotry.”, commented Libeskind on the monument.

Courtesy of Daniel Libeskind – Photography: Doublespace

The monument, that takes up an area of 0.8 acres, includes six volumes. The highest volume in the monument is dubbed “Sky Void”. “Sky Void” is composed of 3 walls, each has a height of four meters, leaving little room to get into the space inside. The interior comprises the Flame of Remembrance and has a limited view of the city. A narrow stairway emerges from the main congregation space and passes right through an inclined wall. The stairs go up leading to a terrace that overlooks the buildings of the Canadian Parliament.

Courtesy of Daniel Libeskind – Photography: Doublespace

Large-scale pictures of the Canadian photographer and artist, Edward Burtynsky, are painted in detail on the concrete walls. The pictures depict several Holocaust sites like the killing fields and the concentration camps.

“These evocative murals aim to transport the visitor and create another dimensionality to the interiors spaces of canted walls and labyrinth-like corridors,” declared Libeskind studio.

The Conifer trees that were planted around the monument “will evolve over time, representative of how Canadian survivors and their children have contributed to Canada”.

Courtesy of Danile Libskind – Photography: Doublespace

“Canada has upheld the fundamental democratic values of people regardless of race, class or creed, and this national monument is the expression of those principles and of the future,” said Daniel Libeskind.

Many efforts joined to establish this significant project including those of the consultant team from Lord Cultural Resources firm. Claude Cormier contributed as the landscape designer whereas Edward Burtynsky as the photographer. Also, Holocaust scholar Doris Bergen was on the project team.

In 2014, Libeskind firm beat the proposals of Ron Arad and David Adjave and won the contest for the project.

Daniel Libeskind is a prominent Jewish architect who immigrated from Poland and settled in the United States. The Royal Ontario Museum, the Jewish Museum in Berlin, and the Dresden Museum of Military History are among his best works. All of the former projects feature the architect’s sharp geometric style he is famous for. The architect was chosen to design another memorial in Ohio to honor the Holocaust victims who perished between 1933 and 1945.

 

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10 Downsides of Being an Architect

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Architecture is a lifestyle rather than a profession. Being an architect is a long, tedious process. Some people are built for it, others are not. A successful career means great sacrifice, you might reconsider the path of architecture or think about making a career shift. However, if you are passionate enough, you will flourish and thrive in it.

Here are some harsh realities and obstacles that architects encounter:

1. Accepting criticism can be hard after you have worked long and hard on your project. A lot of Architecture students drop out of school after the first year for that reason.

2. If you are only in because you love the social spotlight and the image of being an architect, quit now! Being called an “architect” is not worth the hardships. Do it only if you are passionate about the profession.

3. Your paycheck is a joke! Well, at least until you obtain your license and gain experience, that is 5 to 10 years after college.

4. Don’t think you will be a star the minute you graduate! Back in college, you took matters into your own hands, designed, and made decisions. That won’t be the case after graduation. You will be executing somebody else’s ideas for a long time before you can do your own.

5. You have to be GOOD at Mental Math. If not, then you will have a hard time, as Arithmetic Maths and Statistics are part of every architect’s daily life.

6. Contractors can make your life really hard! They are talented at finding errors in your drawings to make as much money as they can out of them.

7. You think your talent might save you from hard work? Well, think again. The colleague who is far less talented but works much harder than you will outrun you.

8. Giving solicitations before obtaining your permit can get you into trouble. There is a huge legal responsibility that lies on your shoulders as your work involves people’s safety and wellbeing.

9. Clients sometimes won’t pay you; others can claim your ideas for themselves; contractors will trick your clients for more money and blame you for it. Your work can go unnoticed or worse, it can be shelved after you had spent so much time on it.

10. There is always very little room for error as opposed to other professions in which you can be cut some slack. After all, you are dealing with the safety and welfare of people.

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7 Reasons Why You Should Have a Green Roof

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Need to cool down your home’s interior without the expenses of electricity bills? Do you live on a noisy block and can’t take it anymore? Do your gutters flood every time it rains?

Green rooftops can help you with all of that and more. Here is how:

1. Houses in rainy countries sometimes face the problem of overflowing gutters after heavy rainfall. Green roofs can absorb up to 80% of the rain and voila! No more flooding.

2. If you live in a sunny country, you will probably have a brittle roof, with cracks, that constantly needs maintenance. Green rooftops can significantly counteract that and help protect your roof.

Meera Sky Garden House – Courtesy of Guz Architects

3. When you live in a country known for its hot weather. The sizzling temperature of your house interior can be reduced by 6-8 degrees Fahrenheit if you have a rooftop green space.

4.  Owing to the fact that plants retain water, greenery acts as a shield that protects your rooftop against fire hazards.

5. While living downtown might sound like fun, that is not always the case with all the noise and the heat. The green roof space can act as a sound barrier that decreases the noise by 8 decibels when compared to ordinary roofs.

6.  City buildings and big cement blocks often trap heat from the sun which is known as Urban Island Effect. Having plants on top is good for the environment as they counteract that effect and decrease air pollution.

 

New York City – Courtesy of Unsplash.com

7. Solar System fans can’t go wrong with green rooftops. Greenery absorbs the heat from the sun which increases the efficacy of the solar panels on top, supplying the fans with energy.

People may think that the maintenance of these roofs is costly. They cannot be more wrong. You can just have some chickens on the roof, and they will get the job done for you!

 

 

 

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