In an era of privatization, cities are facing a major challenge: investment in the public domain depends increasingly on the private sector. As a result of this reframing of the collective agreement, the role of architecture is often reduced to the visual impact of its shape and surface rather than contributing to a new educational, social and civic dimension. The competition launched by the Ecole Centrale Paris for the design of a new engineering school has become the perfect opportunity to explore ways to answer this demanding challenge.
Location: Plateau de Saclay – Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Photography: Vitor Oliveira
Partner in Charge: Ellen van Loon, Rem Koolhaas
Program: Education, Total 48700 m2, including 9000 m2 offices, 2500 m2 restaurant, 1500 m2 library and 10 500 m2 parking space
ESQ Phase
Project leaders: Clément Blanchet, Edouard Pervès
Project team: Fred Awty, Felicity Cardoso, Maria Aller Rey, Gabriella Bandeira, Eugenio Cardoso, Alban Denic, Cristina Martin de Juan, Pedro Pitarch Alonso, Ana Rubin, Saul Smeding, Alicia Casals, Phil Handley, Helena Hiriart, Li Huang, Didzis Jaunzems, Sang Woo Kim, Ida Stople, Pierre-Jean Le Maitre
Shaped as a long and narrow rectangle, the project area is situated in the south of Bilgi University’s Silahtarağa Campus, which has been transformed into an educational institution from the Silahtarağa Power Plant, the first power plant of Turkey. The southern part of the area contains lodging buildings dated to the 1st National Architecture Period and once allocated to the accommodation, recreation, and social activities of power plant employees. The 180 m by 20 m plot dimensions designated in the master plan required the building mass to be shaped as a long and narrow rectangle as well. Taking into consideration the surrounding fabric and historic buildings, the block effect of the building was lessened with terrace gardens repeating on the vertical level. The nearly 50-meter length of lodging and school buildings were determinative in the division of the 150 meter-length building by three terrace gardens, so they could be perceived as four blocks, the longest of which is 42 meters.
The completion of a building in the planning project of Saclay Paris is a unique opportunity to be one of the markers of the future center of excellence established on the plateau. The uniqueness of the site, and it’s present and future characteristics, make it an interesting emerging area.
In 2006, house No. 1, house No. 2 and courtyard No. 3 were completed at the same time in Jiu Jian Tang, Shanghai, which were all designed by famous international architect Isozaki.
In 2011, the owners of these estates, unbeknownst to the others, invited local architect Yu Ting to transform them one by one.
The project of the Laayoune Technology School in Morocco is part of the decentralization policy of universities centers in the different regions of the country. The program consists on teaching spaces(classrooms, workshops, amphitheater), library, administrative offices, teacher’s offices and services (maintenance spaces, staff accommodation etc.). The site, quite away from the city center, generated aneed of“urbanity” through an organization around an axial scheme, and thus providing a comprehensive and clear reading and at the same time a diversity of ambiences.
The new school ensemble of the Adult Education Centre in Hanover, Germany, consists of four elements. The three existing building components of the former School for the Hearing Impaired were closed by a new building attached to the existing volume, thus forming a cuboid. It then results in a roofed patio that can be used as a meeting space, for gatherings, or events. The patio presents the lively heart of the ensemble.
Tags: Germany, Hanover Comments Off on Ada-and-Theodor-Lessing Adult Education Centre in Hanover, Germany by ahrens & grabenhorst architekten stadtplaner BDA
JGMA focuses on generating energy from food waste by reviving silos and invigorating a community. Food is at the center of our daily lives: fueling human bodies, supporting a natural energy cycle, and is one of the most significant reflections of human culture. Despite this, food is continually wasted, in the City of Chicago as at rate of 55 million pounds per month according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Anaerobic Digesters can capture this food waste and generate usable energy in the form of methane gas, which could be the cleaner substitution of energy production within the city. Chicago’s Damen Grain Silo site in Pilsen, a site that once boasted massive grain production in the city has remained unoccupied along the south branch of Chicago’s river. Using the once stratifying infrastructural elements such as a vehicular bridge, the river, and aged vacant grain elevators, a new architecture emerges to suture disparate communities and ultimately connect neighbors to exciting new jobs, educational facilities, and recreational amenities. This area will mark the future of a new model for community-centric infrastructure, focused around bio-digesters, boasting a new international public market, restaurants, public parkland, wholesale food distribution, educational facilities, and a museum dedicated to a century of energy in Chicago.
Designed by Andy Wen, Global Board Director of Aedas, the redevelopment of Taipei European School Yangmingshan Campus broke ground today (8 June 2017). Located on the beautiful Yangmingshan in northern Taipei and adjacent to the famous Taipei Hwa Kang Arts School, the new campus for the international school will be a contemporary, vibrant campus that roots in traditional Taiwanese cultural and meets modern day demands for teaching and learning. The project was recently named the 5-star Best Public Service Architecture in Taiwan at Asia Pacific Property Awards 2017 and will represent Asia Pacific to compete against other regional winners for the ultimate World’s Best at the year-end International Property Awards 2017.
The Cotton On Foundation is a non-governmental organisation from Australia which, amongst other programmes around the globe, is in the process of creating a total of 20,000 new educational places for primary and secondary school children in Southern Uganda by the year 2020. To achieve this ambitious target, several avenues are being pursued, amongst them the COF Outreach Village School programme which consists of the construction of primary schools in remote villages around the two districts of Rakai and Lwengo. Each school is to accommodate 500 students and ten teachers, the latter residing on site. Wherever possible, existing buildings are being upgraded and new buildings added as required. Three of these schools have been completed to date, five are under construction, and a further twenty or so are to follow in the coming three years.
Drexel University’s Hillel House is sheathed in local red brick as textured fabric draped in an abstract menorah that terraces down to the street. Arranged on four interconnected levels, the square building has thickened side walls which contain services, and four central columns which structure the middle, front and rear.
Tags: Pennsylvania, USA Comments Off on Center for Jewish Life at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Stanley Saitowitz | Natoma Architects Inc.
email
Facebook
Twitter
RSS Feed
