ArchShowcase Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Sundbyen’ Harbor Front Proposal in Ålesund, Norway by JAJA ArchitectsFebruary 3rd, 2012 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: JAJA Architects 2008 Assistent underviser, afdeling for arkitektur og byplanlægning, ETH, Zürich, CH jaja makes it to the top with their project proposal ”Sundbyen” in the competition a new harbour front in Ålesund, Norway. ”Sundbyen” was a proposal amongst many in the open international competition that attracted proposals from 10 different countries. jaja based their project in the Ålesund’s existing identity and closeness to water.
The project enhances the city’s existing qualities, interprets it and creates a natural coherence between place, history and future development. Amongst other, the jury states: ”The scale of the building and proposed shapes seems very attractive, and the structure makes good connections to the existing city… The jury has great sympathy for the proposal’s main concept because it refines and maintains the qualities the city already has. More good public spaces by the water is established on a relatively simple way, without digging out canals and removing too much of today’s developed sites.” jaja’s winning proposal is the vision for a future development that is expected to begin in the beginning of this year. 2008 Assistent underviser, afdeling for arkitektur og byplanlægning, ETH, Zürich, CH Sundbyen is a project that highlights, improves and connects Ålesund’s natural qualities in one coherent unit. The projects takes it point of departure in the strait as the city’s most important natural quality and wishes to take advantage of its great potential to create an urban renewal in close connection to its natural surroundings. Ålesund lies as a narrow crack between Aspøya and Nørvøya’s dramatic landscape and create a comfortable urban environment shielded from the open ocean gap. The protecting water space created the foundation for the city’s ocean activity and first settlement, that through a sprouting ocean activity has grown to become Norway’s elected fishing capital. Characteristically harbor houses, ware houses and trade houses decorate the waterline and create a beautiful maritime frame around the strait. The harbor has worked as a centre in the daily life through generations, and is today still the city’s attraction and central gathering point. In the development of the seaside plan, we wish to learn from the qualities and conditions, which created the Ålesund that the city is proud of. Sundbyen maintains the history and lets the strait and sea border be the structuring and gathering element. In extension of Brosundet, the basis is made for a several shielded and protected water areas and creation of new spaces and meeting areas with the water as the gathering and recreative element. Sundbyen creates an extension of the history and a gathering point for the future. The development of the harbor front celebrates and honors the harbor culture, and unfolds the water’s recreative, aesthetic and functional possibilities in the urban center. A close network of connections connects the water spaces and the urban areas in-between together and create a more coherent and accessible urban center. Contact JAJA Architects
Category: Water Park |