Opening of Xi’an Expo

The next big event in China after the Beijing Olympics and Shanghai Expo with a projected 12 Mio visitors for the coming 6 months, Xi’an International Horticultural Expo has officially opened last Thursday and already received more than 200,000 visitors over the first weekend. The ancient city of Xi’an- home to the Terracotta Army and many buildings of unique historical significance- is using this opportunity to focus on the current challenges from its recent growth and transformation.

The expo is situated in the Chan-ba Ecological District, a former sandpit where the water was severely degraded in the 1980s. Two decades of work has restored the ecosystem and this expo is able to demonstrate what can be accomplished through the use of the most advanced technology, ideas, and material.

Another challenge that the Expo is starting to address comes from the context of China’s rapid urbanisation process: how to create a sustainable urbanism and provide universal access to open space and nature?

‘Flowing Gardens’, the 37 ha central part of Xi’an Expo was won in 2009 an international competition by Plasma Studio and GroundLab with LAUR Studio (Beijing) and implemented alongside Bejing Forestry University, BIAD (Beijing), John Martin Associates (Los Angeles) and Arup (London) during a total timeframe of only two years.

The proposal distinguished itself as a choreography of flows and experiences within a dynamic and sustainable landscape and three iconic yet fully integrated buildings.

-The Guangyun Entrance has been conceived as a landbridge with a tensegrity trellice structure that will gradually become overgrown by greenery.
- After the bridge, Flowing Gardens’ Chang-Ba Flower Valley has been inspired by a river delta unfolds into many sinuous paths, creating a network for intermingling circulation, landscape and water.
-The Creativity Pavilion articulates the intertwining of this artificial landscape with the lake. It extends as three fingers cantilevering on top of the lake with landscape running in between and carrying visitors towards the shore and enjoying framed views across.
-On the other side of the lake, the Greenhouse has been submerged into the hillside as a precious crystal.

By leaving behind the obvious typological and historical references to Xi’an’s past, this project is seeking a contemporary authentic expression of China’s current and future ambitions, adding an entirely new layer to the Millenial tapestry of Xi’an. By the same token, Flowing Gardens explores a new syncretic balance between urbanism and landscape with universal relevance. The traditional subordination of ground and landscape by buildings has been reversed to offer a unique symbiotic experience.

Xi’an Expo – Building Information

International Competition: 1. Prize, 2009
Project: 2009-11
Opening: Apr 28 2011
Completion: Mar 2011
Client: Chan-Ba Ecological District
Architecture: Plasma Studio, BIAD
Landscape Design: GroundLab, LAUR Studio, Beijing Forestry University
Engineers: John Martin and Associates, Arup

Xi’an International Horticultural Expo Photographs : Plasma Studio / Huashang NewspaperFlowing Gardens creates a consonant functionality of water, planting, circulation, and architecture as one seamless system. At the major intersections of the pathways lie three buildings; the architecture is an intensification of the ground condition, where each building stands alone as an object yet speaks of the interconnectivity of the landscape.
The conceptual masterplan is strikingly similar to an estuary. The circulation flow begins as a single stream, and then broadens, branching out to form the borders of garden spaces … the flowy circulation heavily influenced the buildings in the conceptual phase. It isn’t often that building forms bend to the will of the landscape design, but in this case it appears that the building forms actually mimic those of the landscape design as they extend out into the water. (Olivia Chen)

International Horticultural Fair Xi’an

Plasma Studio has been commissioned to design the International Horticultural Fair in Xi’an, China.
The project, titled Flowing Gardens, was generated as a synthesis of horticulture and technology where landscape and architecture converge at a sustainable and integral vision.
The proposal comprises of a 5000 sqm exhibition hall, a 4000 sqm greenhouse and a 3500 sqm gate building sitting in a 37 Ha landscape. The fair will open in 2011, receiving approximately 200,000 visitors a day.
The design team includes Arup (structural and civil engineering) and Groundlab (landscape design).

Flowing Gardens creates a consonant functionality of water, planting, circulation, and architecture as one seamless system. At the major intersections of the pathways lie three buildings; the architecture is an intensification of the ground condition, where each building stands alone as an object yet speaks of the interconnectivity of the landscape.
The conceptual masterplan is strikingly similar to an estuary. The circulation flow begins as a single stream, and then broadens, branching out to form the borders of garden spaces … the flowy circulation heavily influenced the buildings in the conceptual phase. It isn’t often that building forms bend to the will of the landscape design, but in this case it appears that the building forms actually mimic those of the landscape design as they extend out into the water. (Olivia Chen)

The gate building is created at the junction of public meeting space, landscape, and circulation; one enters the site through the gate along the major axis of Flowing Gardens, creating framed views of the gardens.
The exhibition centre is formed at the seam of landscape, circulation and water; one experiences the exhibition centre’s fluid lines as an extension of the landscape with vistas of the lake and the South Hill.
The greenhouse sits at the top of the South Hill, at the connection of various landscape features. The greenhouse allows one to experience the beauty of Flowing Gardens from across the lake while appreciating plants and flowers from four different climatic zones.

Xi’an Expo – Credits

Architects: Plasma Studio – Architect: Eva Castro, Holger Kehne, Ulla Hell Design team: Jorge Ayala, Nicoletta Gerevini, Evan Greenberg, Hossein Kachabi, Nadia Kloster, Steve de Micoli, Filippo Nassetti
Collaborator: ARUP
Client: Chang’an Ecological District
Location: Xi’an City, China
Use: Landscape/ Cultural
Site area: 37 Hectares
Building Area: 12, 000 sqm
Design year: 2009
Completion year: 2011

Perspective Plaza Day (Image: MIR)

Perspective Plaza Evening (Image: MIR)

Perspective Plaza Night (Image: MIR)

Bird’s View Masdar (Image: Simon)

Bird’s View Masdar Plaza Day, Open Umbrellas (Image: Simon)

Bird’s View Masdar Plaza Day, Open Umbrellas (Image: Simon)

Close up Umbrellas (Image: LAVA)

Bird’s View Masdar Plaza Night, Closed Umbrellas (Image: Simon)

Bird’s View Masdar Plaza Night, Closed Umbrellas, LED lights on the Plaza (Image: Simon)

Perspective Hotel (Image: Simon)

Perspective Masdar Hotel Lobby (Image: LAVA)

Perspective Masdar Hotel (Image: LAVA)

Section Through Plaza, Hotel and Convention Center. Climatic Diagram (Image: LAVA)

‘Masdar Plaza, The Oasis of the Future’ will create an iconic venue within a truly visionary city.

Perspective Section Through Plaza, Hotel and Convention Center. Sustainability (Image: LAVA)

German-Australian practice Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA) recently won the first prize in the Masdar Eco City Center Competition for Masdar, United Arab Emirates.

LAVA already succeeded in the first stage of the competition earlier this year, and collaborated with Kann Finch Group, Arup, Transsolar, and a team of international experts for the second stage challenge.

This is how LAVA explains its concept for ‘Masdar Plaza, The Oasis of the Future’:

The City of the Future

The future well being of cities around the globe depends on mankind’s ability to develop and integrate sustainable technology.

Masdar City is the city of the future; positioned at the forefront of integrating sustainable technology into modern architectural design. Rome, Athens, Florence; most great historical cities have had the plaza, forum, or square at their epicenter – where the life, values, ideals, and vision of the population evolved. Equally, the center of Masdar must be an iconic beacon that attracts global attention to sustainable technology.

Oasis of the Future

We see Masdar Plaza as “The Oasis of the Future”: a living, breathing, active, adaptive environment; stimulated by the social interaction of people, and spotlighting the use and benefits of sustainable technology.

Hence, our design proposal focuses on the delivery of three key issues:

1. Performance – to demonstrate the use and benefits of sustainable technology in a modern, dynamic, iconic architectural environment.
2. Activation – to activate or operate the sustainable technology in accordance with the functional needs of this environment, 24 hours a day, and 365 days of the year.
3. Interaction – to encourage and stimulate a social dynamic where the life, values, ideals, and vision of the population of Masdar evolve.

The “Oasis of the Future” is conceived as an open spatial experience, whereby all features; whether hotel, conference, shopping, or leisure, offer the highest quality of indoor and outdoor comfort and interaction.

As in the case of an oasis, the Plaza is the social epicenter of Masdar; opening 24-hour access to all public facilities. Interactive, heat sensitive technology activates low intensity lighting in response to pedestrian traffic and mobile phone usage. The Plaza is able to change into an outdoor cinema for international events and national celebrations.

Buildings’ surrounding the Plaza form gorges, evoking mystical comparisons with the Grand Canyon and the entrance to Petra.

The “Oasis of the Future” demonstrates sustainable technology in a user-friendly architectural environment – flexible use of space, outdoor and indoor comfort, and optimum performance.

The user experience is the heart of the “Oasis of the Future”.

By analyzing the potential pedestrian flows throughout the Plaza and surrounding facilities, the design seeks to accentuate this ‘loop’ of indoor and outdoor user-experiences This ‘loop’ marries the lowest possible energy expenditure to the highest levels of user comfort in correlation to pedestrian flows.

Sustainability

The following environmental and engineering design concepts will be utilized to minimize energy consumption:

• Radiant surfaces
• Air movement that supplements natural wind patterns
• Evaporating cooling mist
• Thermal mass and PCM
• Slab cooling and Luna Panels
• Shading of external facades surrounding the Plaza

Our sustainable design and engineering philosophy balances the ‘vision of the future’ with ‘scientific fact and availability’. Our aim is to provide the Abu Dhabi Energy Company with the lowest possible carbon footprint, whilst maintaining the highest level of user experience within the practical viability of affordable architecture.

Our engineering specialists have analyzed each component of potential energy expenditure and investigated individual efficiencies in order to reduce the carbon footprint. Even the façade of the buildings surrounding the Plaza will incorporate long-life, loose-fit structural design to enable flexible future planning and reconfiguration opportunities.

Switching and sensors will activate and deactivate features and functions in correlation with usage and pedestrian flow.

All front and back of house functions within the Hotel and Convention Center will capture sustainability of water, waste, materials, indoor and outdoor environmental quality.

In fact, our proposal strives to exceed those of the Masterplan and is, in addition, benchmarked against Estidama and LEED (Platinum). Adaptive cooling provides all facilities with extended usability during peak heat loads.

Our ‘Petals from Heaven’ feature interactive umbrellas that open, provide shade, and capture energy during daylight hours; folding at night to release stored heat.

Solar analysis provides insight into the tuning of facades in order to incorporate an ability to respond to varying sun angles and levels of solar intensity.

The Oasis of the Future is a living, breathing habitat. The ability to control ambient temperature at all times of the day is the key to making the Plaza a compulsive destination. The gorges pull inhabitants into the loop. The ‘Petals from Heaven’ open and close; protect pedestrians from the sun; capture, store, and release heat; adjust the angle of shade based on the position of the sun. The heat sensitive lamps adjust the level of lighting to the proximity of pedestrians. The water features ebb and flow based on the intensity of ground temperatures.

The promenades lure pedestrians into the shopping and leisure facilities. Similarly, the public are seduced into the Plaza during cooler night hours and cooler months of the year.

Hotel

Our 5 Star Hotel is organized efficiently around a ‘Central Canyon’ and is linked to the Extended Stay Facilities via a ‘gorge’ housing Retail premises. The Central Canyon is a day-lit space deep within the building, connecting the hotel’s restaurants and ballrooms to the guest amenities.

The hotel’s entrance and lobby, located at the base of the atrium, offers guests an immediate view out onto the Plaza in one direction and the green of the park in another.

Convention Center

The western edge of the Plaza rises to create the Convention Center forecourt and ascends as a continuous path into the Lobby area. Our design of the Convention Center Lobby resembles an enormous, light-soaked cavern, providing an enclosure for the conference facilities with the Plaza framed in the background.

The awe-inspiring ‘erosion-effect’ design of the façade that flows across this edge of the Plaza is complemented by water features and also houses the sub-podium PRT and Retail concessions.

This spectacular conference facility, with its gigantic cavern atmosphere, will leave a lasting impression on all visitors.

‘Masdar Plaza, The Oasis of the Future’ will create an iconic venue within a truly visionary city.

‘Masdar Plaza, The Oasis of the Future’ incorporates the highest level of knowledge and expertise in science, technology, and construction methodology, globally. It is an intellectual balance between iconic architectural identity, cutting edge sustainable design and technology.

Competition-winning design for the new Primorskiy Zoological Park in Saint Petersburg (Image: Artefactory for TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Entrance building (Image: Artefactory for TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Close-up (Image: Artefactory for TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

North pole (Image: Artefactory for TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

North pole, close-up (Image: Artefactory for TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Africa (Image: Artefactory for TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Restaurant Madagascar (Image: Artefactory for TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Scheme, biozones (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Scheme, organization (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Scheme, small urbanism (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Schemes (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Scheme, greenhouses (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Scheme, earthwork (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Scheme, greenhouse (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Scheme, greenhouse (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Scheme, greenhouse (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Scheme, greenhouse (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Scheme, greenhouse (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Master plan (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Plan + section entrance building (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Entrance building ground floor plan (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Entrance building 1st floor plan (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

General section B (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

General section A (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Aldric Beckmann, Françoise N’Thépé (Beckmann N’Thépé), Bruno Tanant, Jean Christophe Nani ( TN Plus). © Olivier Amsellem

Scheme, surfaces (Image: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé)

Bruno Tanant and Jean Christophe Nani of landscape design firm TN PLUS together with Aldric Beckmann and Françoise N’Thépé of architects Beckmann N’Thépé have won the international competition for the new Primorskiy Zoological Park in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The same team already won the Helsinki Zoo Project in 2008, after winning in 2006 the zoo in Vincennes, France.

Project Description from the Architects:

Founded in 1865, Saint Petersburg zoo is the oldest zoological park of Russia. As most of other parks across Russia, it suffers today from a cruel lack of space, being located in the heart of the historical town center. The city has hence decided to create a new zoo, which will range over 300 hectares, on the town’s outskirts, escaping this way the high population density of the urban area. The project preserves a large strech of land, and implements an environmentally beneficial approach

CONCEPT

Thousands and thousands of years ago, the surface of the earth was but one and only supercontinent, known as the Pangea. Subject to tectonic forces, the Paleolithic Pangea over time broke into splinters, which slowly organised themselves in a configuration that, although always prone to movements, we still are familiar with. Ecosystems, once linked with each others, are today kept apart by oceans and seas. Species of the same origin have followed a distinct path on each separated continent.

The project offers a symbolic sample of every continent in an attempt to recreate the illusion of a reunited Pangea within the very zoological park of Saint-Petersburg. The archipelago therefore created will be made of islands representing South East Asia, Africa, Australia, South America, North America and Eurasia, the two latter being linked with each other by the pack ice of the Arctic Pole. The chosen site enjoys a profuse water supply, and hence is particularly fitted for such an insular organization of the various environments.

PROJECT

Nowadays the environment requirements and the green consciousness of the public are increasingly considered a core issue. The very background of a zoological park itself induces a mandatory respect of those values. Harshly criticized for a long time, zoological parks are today considered major stakeholders of biodiversty preservation. Even though it is an artificially recreated leisure area, the Primorskiy Park is above all an educational tool allowing each and everyone of us to better grasp our own history, and also a research center helping to preserve our Earth. So much goals were aimed both by architects and landscape designers of this project who managed to convince and share their ambitions.

Aerial View from Northeast (Image: Gustafson Porter)

Central Plaza, View towards Arts Plaza (Image: Gustafson Porter)

Plaza Norte, View towards South (Image: Gustafson Porter)

View of the Amphitheatre and the Arts Centre (Image: Gustafson Porter)

View of the Amphitheatre towards East (Image: Gustafson Porter)

View of the Natural Lake towards South (Image: Gustafson Porter)

Valencia Parque Central Masterplan (Image: Gustafson Porter)

London-based landscape architects Gustafson Porter have won a high profile competition to design the Valencia Parque Central. The winning project “Aigua Plena de Seny” was developed by an international multi-disciplinary team which is a joint venture led by Gustafson Porter and includes Borgos Pieper architects (London/ Barcelona), Nova Ingeniería Project Managementand Grupotec Engineers from Valencia.

Gustafson Porter Win Valencia Parque Central Competition

The international competition initially drew 36 teams from eight countries. The five shortlisted design teams to submit a master plan at the final stage of the competition also included Foreign Office Architects, Zaha Hadid Architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and West 8 Urban Design & Landscape Architecture. The designs were judged by a jury comprising prominent members of the local architecture and landscape community and the Mayor of Valencia, Rita Barberá, who announced the winning design of the international competition on January 25, 2011.

Mary Bowman, Director of Gustafson Porter, states: “We are extremely pleased to have won this prestigious competition. The Valencia Central Park is one of largest and most important public parks to be built in Europe. The park will dramatically improve the quality of life for residents by creating 23 hectares of gardens, large green open spaces, play areas and cultural and educational activity spaces within the heart of the city. A new residential quarter with neighbourhood parks and gardens covering another 43 hectares forms part of this ambitious project. It is fantastic that a landscape project has been given this level of prominence in the redevelopment of the city.”

The design celebrates the landscape and culture of the Valencia region and builds on Valencia’s unique location between ecological habitats: the Turia River reserve, the agricultural plain (La Huerta), the Albufera natural park and the Mediterranean ‒ resulting in its role as a major European trading and cultural center throughout history.

Inspired by the local tradition of ceramics, the concept of the “bowl” incorporates the unifying gesture of the Park ‒ with water as the overarching design theme. Its shape represents the idea of containers. Each of these containers holds art, activities, people, landscapes, history and cultural memories. Water, landform, plants and existing buildings are the design elements used for the configuration of the individual bowls:

• Arts Plaza ‒ Existing refurbished buildings, Art Centre, Library, Visitor Centre and Café, and a natural amphitheatre frame a spectacular water feature and form one of the poles of attraction of the Park.
• Huerta Garden ‒ Planted terraces suggest the historical agricultural tradition of the Valencia region (Huerta).
• Flower Garden ‒ Formalized avenue around Alquería historic building framed by colourful flowers.
• Children’s Garden ‒ Offering flexible space for play areas serving different age groups.
• North Plaza ‒ Featuring a large water feature and spectacular canopy.
• Central Plaza and North-South Promenade ‒ Promenade of palms and jacarandas, opening to a central square and acting as a link for all the main pathways of the Park.
• South Plaza ‒ Featuring an atmosphere of movement and speed created by linear lights and projections to treasure the site’s historic memory of travel, trains and journeys.
• Exhibition of Mediterranean Gardens ‒ A new glass house next to a terraced landscape of Mediterranean plants constitutes this second pole of attraction.
• Amphitheatre ‒ Sculpted park forming a natural amphitheatre with a large lake of natural water and aquatic plants creating space for picnics and gatherings as well as informal seating during performances and concerts.
• Perfume Garden ‒ Garden dedicated to Mediterranean fragrances and scents.

’shanghai houtan park’ by turenscape
all photographs by kongjian yu

’shanghai houtan park’ by beijing-based practice turenscape is the winning project in the best landscape
category at this year’s world architecture festival in barcelona. built on a brownfield of a former industrial site,
the park was designed for the 2010 shanghai world expo to accommodate for a large number of visitors during
the event’s running time and then remain as a permanent waterfront park by the huangpu river.  outfitted with
a series of constructed wetland, the restorative design strategy treats polluted river water and recover the
degraded area in an aesthetically pleasing way.

’shanghai houtan park is an inspiring high performance, but low maintenance design that could be applied
to many polluted waterfronts worldwide,’ said the judges.

view of the huangpu river

previously owned by a steel factory and a shipyard, the site is a narrow 14-hectare strip that runs alongside
the waterfront. the water in the area was highly polluted, considered unsafe for recreational use, and devoid
of aquatic life. the design integrates through the center of the park a linear constructed wetland that reinvigorates
the huangpu river as a living machine. carefully selected species of plants absorb a wide variety of pollutants
from the water while manmade cascades and terraces naturally oxygenate the river. the treated water was used
throughout the expo for non-potable use and saved an estimated half a million USD over conventional water
treatment methods.

site plan and section showing the water-cleaning mechanism of the tiered wetlands

the meandering boardwalk along the wetland creates a way in which the visitors can be submerged
within the landscape. creating a series of visually interesting vantage point, the project provides
a refuge from the urban life, recreation, education, and research. built between the elevation of
the water’s edge and the elevation of the city road 3-5 meters above, the terraces connect the people
back to the river.

filtrating plants

terraces made from decomposable bamboo

the former industrial life of the site still remains through the reclamation of old structures and materials.
old steel panels are folded and placed along the route to frame views of shanghai’s skyline while others
provide shelters and a space for repose.

crops such as sunflowers and rice are grown to make the landscape productive and educational

hanging garden designed onto the existing industrial structure

deck space built on the cargo pier

platform along the huangpu river

the steel arbor is composed of recycled steel panels from the site

native grasses and wetland plants

floating garden designed around the existing cargo pier

fly-by view

site plan

Giardini – Kitchen Monument by raumlaborberlin

Venice Biennale Giardini Pavilions

The Venice Architecture Biennale content is principally located in the Giardini (gardens) and Arsenale (former rope walks) – areas in the eastern part of Venice. Other shows are dotted around town. The Giardini is mostly national shows with a few architect shows in the main building ; the Arsenale is the opposite, namely mostly architect shows with some smaller national shows.

All Giardini Pavilions photos + related images © Adrian Welch

the interior of the hill hut
image by clive jenkins

to create a steady foundation for the new house, large mases of earth were taken away
and used to create a hill, enhanced with different elements such as an outdoor cinema
and a sledge slope. a carpet of artificial grass connects seamlessly with the natural grass
on the hill and enters via the terrace to the living room between the two children’s room.
a custom-made grass sofa, and some grassy knolls which also function as lighting.
the artificial hills can be moved around and be put outside as well. there are two large glass doors
on both sides of the room, giving the impression that nature moves through the house.
the effect is even more apparent when the doors are fully open. the carpet of artificial grass
continues out on to the other terrace as well as the hallway, stopping just before the old house.

the entrance to the new house is through a removed bay window which connects to the
old building. the hallway which leads to the oiginal part of the house slopes because of the
difference in heights of the two homes, making the transition from traditional swedish house
down to the new, more ‘playful’ one. the children’s rooms are almost as two separate units
with the landscape between and around them. the house itself follows the municipality’s
different regulations such as a pointed roof. white corrugated metal sheeting which looks
like wood from a distance is used on the exterior walls and roof of the house, to give an overall
consistent aesthetic.

the interior is covered in artificial grass and movable grassy hills
image by clive jenkins

the large open windows make nature seem as if it is running into the house
image by clive jenkins

exterior view
image by clive jenkins

the hill hut is built into an artificial hill surrounded by natural hills and landscape
image by clive jenkins

view of house built into the hill
image by clive jenkins

the excavations left a big void under the house, affording room to construct two secret caves
within this space. made from concrete, one cave is directed to a lush grass knoll that leads
down to the lake and is disguised with artificial grass to blend in. the other cave is pointed
towards a patch of forest and is left in its raw concrete. the caves are accessible both from
outside and from the children’s room by hatches in the floor.

inside one of the caves
image by clive jenkins

the outdoor cinema has six chairs that are inserted in a concrete foundation in the sloping hill.
a screen is set-up between two trees that also have two speakers disguised as bird houses
for the cinema.

the outdoor cinema is built into the artificial hill
image by clive jenkins

the outdoor cinema has six chairs that are inserted in a concrete foundation in the sloping hill.
a screen is set-up between two trees that also have two speakers, disguised as bird houses
for the cinema.

graphice of natural and artificial space

navigational routes

renderings of the house’s construction

renderings of the house’s construction

aerial view of the plot

component details

floor plan

project details:
architects: visiondivision
location: stockholm
design team: anders berensson & ulf mejergren
construction year: 2009
project area: 55m2
photographs: clive jenkins

This observation tower by Munich office terrain:loenhart&mayr rises over the river Mur at the Austrian border with Slovenia.

The aluminium-clad structure staircase curls back on itself at the top, forming a double spiral so that visitors on the way up pass those on the way down.

Here’s some more information, written by Lilli Hollein:

A society that generally focuses on results tends to lose its sense for gradual emergence and for the discoveries one can make during processes and journeys to a destination. Already 2,500 years ago, Confucius had written: “The journey is the reward.” Some might consider that a nice way of skirting around disorientation, but is it worthwhile to be rushed off one’s feet?

Architecture is a wonderful means of representing, imposing, or arousing states of human nature. The concept of the recently completed Murturm by the architects Klaus K. Loenhart and Christoph Mayr then involves not only the elation of having reached the top, but also the enjoyment of the stages on the way there.

A deliberate foreign object made of steel and aluminum rises from the riparian forest in Southern Styria: a somewhat geometrical observation tower that nevertheless fits into the landscape as naturally as a harmonic counterpoint.

The border to Slovenia is marked by the Mur river in this part of Southern Styria, near Bad Radkersburg. Once a public-excluded security zone along the former Iron Curtain, the area became a de-facto nature reserve and is now part of the European Green Belt. Today, the view of the opposite river bank is relaxed, and both countries join forces to renaturate the course of the river and the pasture landscape.
Supported by Naturschutzbund Deutschland [German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union], the tower was originally only meant to mark the European Green Belt. In fact, however, it has become an architectural sculpture and a lookout that offers a panoramic view of the landscape.

Climbing up the 168 steps, one follows one’s own path, and yet one is drawn in by the landscape that can be observed from different heights and by the eyes of those one inevitably meets, because two intertwined stairwells wind up into the sky. At the highest point of this significant visual anchor, at a height of 27 meters, one finally realizes that the path never ends. The doubling of the ascent and descent and the three-dimensional interweaving bring forth the vis-à-vis.

The double spiral staircase with its opposed flights of up and down steps has a famous forerunner nearby: ever since 1499, it has been witness to the eagerness of Friedrich III of Habsburg to experiment and to the brilliant architectural design of his castle in Graz. The special three-dimensional experience it creates has made the castle a place of pilgrimage for architects. Among them was Klaus Loenhart, Director of the Institut für Architektur und Landschaft at Graz University of Technology. Impressed and inspired, he and his colleague Christoph Mayr managed to transfer the poetry of this historical location into nature.

The supporting structure of the observation tower is designed like a tree. The lower part corresponds with the trunk, whereas the steel structure made of thinned-out tubes represents the more delicate branches up above. The tower was certainly an engineering challenge for the Office for Structural Design in Frankfurt. It is all the more surprising to feel the edifice, which looks amazingly massive and multi-braced, softly sway as one climbs the stairs. Seen from down below, one first notices the elegant nodal points of the structure. The steel girder joints result in a sophisticated and skillfully designed geometry that exhibits the three-dimensionality of the tower.

Depending on the weather and time of day, the wonderful gleam of the aluminum-clad stair balustrade continuously changes the appearance of the edifice. The beveled aluminum boards create a body and a play of surfaces without destroying the translucence. The flowing element of the recessed river bed and the piled-up flotsam is mirrored by the tower, which emerges from the topography with the same softness and precision.

With this project in an unspoilt countryside that belongs to the European Green Belt biotope compound system, terrain:loenhart&mayr have set an example that puts nature in the limelight in two different ways. First, visitors enjoy rotating views of the surrounding landscape as they walk up and down the continuous spiral stairs. Their attention is directed both inward and outward. From a distance, the silhouette of the tower is interwoven with the landscape, but the watchful steps of those who climb up the stairs define a sensed inner space.

Second, the sculptural edifice itself explores the essence of nature, the double helix structure along which DNA components are stringed in parallel turns. It does not take a microscope to see that organic forms are often impressive compositions of curves and edges, of geometry and free, unlimited escalation.

Not mountain summits, as Goethe wrote, but the treetops of the wonderful riparian forest along the banks of the Mur river near Gosdorf unfold before the eyes of those who climb all the way up the tower. And yet, up there all is still. This is a place to pause for those who have come to the tower by bike, on their early morning jog or their Sunday walk. It is also a place that was quickly taken over by locals and—especially biking—tourists alike. One of the reasons for the public identification with the project is that the members of the surrounding communities were able to participate by making donations. Now, they visit the tower as if it were an old friend, they proudly read their own name on a plate, and again and again, they come to the same spot to take in the changing moods of the surrounding nature in all seasons. At the same time, they can watch the progress and efforts in renaturating this unique pasture landscape, in which terrain:loenhart&mayr are also taking part. Here, Styria has found its landmark. While Graz has its Uhrturm, Gosdorf now has its Murturm. The contemporary contribution has won the architectural competition.

Client: Gemeinde Gosdorf Orts- und Infrastrukturentwicklungs KG
Design + planning of observation tower and exteriors: terrain:loenhart&mayr architects and landscape architects, Munich/Graz
Structural planning: osd – office for structural design, Frankfurt
Construction period: March – September 2009
Opening: 20 March 2010

physalia – floating agora
all images courtesy of vincent callebaut architecturesvincent callebaut architectures have designed ‘physalia’, an architectural prototype of
an amphibious garden – a floating agora which is meant to clean waterways in europe.
the project aims to meet the needs of maintaining a sustainable management of
water resources.east elevationeast elevationpotential locations for the physalia:


letna, prague

the roof of the structure contains a double pneumatic membrane chiseled with smooth
photovoltaic solar cells. under the hull, hydro-turbines transform the energy of the fluvial
stream into hydro-electricity. the surface of the vessel is made from an aluminum covering
which covers the multi-hull steel structure. the silver-plated dress is covered by a TiO2
layer of anatase shapes that when reacting to ultraviolet rays, reduces water pollution.
in addition to being a self-cleaning vessel, it can absorb and recycle by photo-catalytic effect.
physalia is crossed in its double hull by a hydraulic network that filters the fluvial water
and purifies it biologically thanks to its planted roof. the interior is divided into four thematic gardens:
water, fire, earth, air.

green roof of phytopurification and photovoltaic pneumatic lens

steel hull construction and aluminum superstructure with view of the air garden

interior scenography – view of the water garden and earth garden

profile

inside view of the air garden

view of physalia’s deck

thames, london

seine, paris

seine, paris

physale – starting point of the structure’s form

longitudinal section

level of the air garden

cross section

diagrams and bionic transposition of bio-luminescent pneumatophorous

• Source: designboom
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