1. Restructuring the Existing Centre

The layout of the store was not intuitive. Walkways were complex and confusing, and it was difficult to navigate. To improve this, the layout of the indoor levels (G, 1st, 2nd, and 5th) has been entirely re-designed and smaller retail spaces have been added. The key to designing the individual levels was to think “empty” in order to enable the future implementation of an improved orientation system. The preconditions for this complex undertaking were:

- For each rental space, a newer space of equal size but higher quality had to be provided.
- Each tenant had to be relocated twice during the construction time.
- The ongoing daily shopping activity should be only minimally disturbed.

2. Create a new Centre!

To this end, the atrium, with its escalator network, took centre stage. The atrium serves as the nucleus and has
become the store’s central orientation point.

3. The Atrium: a sweeping upward perspective

The atrium, which unites the horizontal and vertical visual axes, has becomes the store’s new nucleus and
central orientation point. The ceilings of the individual levels are rounded and “rolled” upwards. In this way, the atrium expands up towards the retail levels, appearing larger and more open than the atrium in its previous incarnation. The atrium and retail areas seem to melt together, bringing the individual levels into a mutual dialogue and making the store into a special continuum.

This effect is supported by the lighting and materials strategy:

Both the materials and the manner of material transitions within the individual levels are also present in the
atrium (large perforated metal areas appear as if emerging from a white foundation). The light fixtures, placed
freely on the ceilings of each level, cover the rounded bends of the atrium and the escalators, until they are
transformed into light points vertically set in the perpendicular cladding of the central room.
Overall, the atrium appears light and dynamic – the relatively short individual storeys now appear lofty.

4. The Interior

The retail areas of the new store are distributed like ice floes on each story. These floes are marked by a change
in floor covering and ceiling material, thereby forming a star-shaped pattern of paths on both the ceiling and the
floor.

In this way, the materials on the floor and ceiling facilitate orientation within the building. Paths and retail areas
are explicitly marked and visible from afar:

Large perforated metal areas in the ceiling demarcate the retail areas. These areas form a multifunctional, highly
flexible ceiling system and house the primary technical installations, security technology and product lighting. In contrast, the network of paths is mirrored with a high-quality plasterboard ceiling. Both ceiling concepts flow in rounded edges up over the entire atrium. Together with the escalator panelling, this creates a unified effect that stretches across the entire interior of the Gerngross department store. The interior is then expanded through
resting station, sitting lounges and temporary displays.

5. The Gerngross Facade

The facade of the new building forms the logical continuation of the interior: the ice-floe theme of the interior
space continues on the new facade. To this end, large-scale, amorphous colour fields were applied. Leaving some space in between, an ornamentaly designed, semi-transparent white area was then attached. Together, these layers form a conglomerate of light and colour. In the evening, this effect is reinforced by a lighting concept between the two layers of the facade.

A large-scale white frame also emphasizes some areas of the facade (e.g. main entrance, bay), thereby showing
them off to their best possible advantage. Due to the large scale of the facade, the entire building is harmonized, and the true size of the building is emphasized. Advertising media, such as logos and slide-in plates, have been aggregated and drastically reduced as compared to their former state.

The ornamental pattern was designed to ensure a continuous view from the building into the street space (50%
free cross-section). Furthermore, the entire facade was thermally re-engineered and technically modernized, so
the ornamental pattern functions simultaneously as sun protection.

6. The “Tilting Effect”

Depending on where they stand, viewers perceive the facade differently:

From a level viewing angle, it appears more like a white-ornamental field. As the viewing angle gets steeper, the
background colour of the house comes more strongly into focus. This creates a tilting effect, which follows the passers-by.

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Barcelo Temporary Market

Called Barceló Temporary Market, the structures remain in place while a series of new buildings for the area are under construction, including a shopping centre, sports centre and library.

Barcelo Temporary Market

The temporary market is made up of six connected buildings with pentagonal footprints, each clad in translucent polycarbonate panels.

Barcelo Temporary Market

These structures will be reused elsewhere in the city once the permanent buildings are in place.

Barcelo Temporary Market

Images courtesy of Roland Halbe

From the Architects:

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BARCELÓ MARKET

The new Barceló market and its surroundings area project is in fact the result of various other projects: An urban combination of different scale and programme elements that have come together to significantly transform a dense central area of Madrid. The idea originates from the definition of new areas that connect and link the different structures and foreseen functions of the market, shopping centre, sports centre, public library, car parks, temporary market and outdoor areas. The built-up complex is made up of three independent structures joined to a new public square.

more on DZ

Landmark Towers

Project Facts and Credits:
Address: Biskop Gunnerus gate 14 b, 0185 Oslo, Norway
Client: KLP Eiendom AS
Year: 2009
Year of competition: 1st prize in architectural competition, 2009
Architect: Kristin Jarmund Architects in collaboration with C. F. Møller Architects
Landscape : Kristin Jarmund Architects in collaboration with C. F. Møller Architects
Competition collaborators: ATKINS, Erichsen & Horgen AS, MIR (illustrations), Oslo Modellverksted (model)
Area: 92,000 m² (75,000 m² above ground)

Landmark Towers perspective

The project, which has been dubbed “Crystal Clear”, consists of three towers, which grow organically from the ground to form a sculptural cluster, and are composed of stacked, prismatic volumes. Kristin Jarmund Architects in collaboration with C. F. Møller Architects, has recently won a major competition to design a spectacular new landmark project in the city of Oslo, for the client KLP Eiendom AS, one of Norway’s largest property investors.

Landmark Towers eye level perspective

The development totals approx. 90,000 m² of offices, commercial space and possibly housing, located at one of Oslo’s most valuable sites, the former postal sorting office adjacent to the central station. ‘Crystal Clear’ ties in with the city’s skyline, and the string of developing landmark projects that will help turn Oslo into one of Europe’s most modern capitals.

Landmark Towers interior

More info from the architects here:

“A high-rise development, located at Norway’s most important traffic hub in central Oslo, and with fantastic views of the waterfront and fjord-landscape beyond. The idea is to create a landmark sculptural ensemble of towers, yet observe the harmony with the surrounding, low-rise urban fabric of the capital. The three towers of approx. 110, 65 and 55 m height, are arranged along the edges of the site, and the tallest tower is aligned with the existing nearby Oslo Plaza and Postgirobygget towers, while the lower buildings form the link to the city.

The three towers have clear-cut and vertical elevations to the exterior of the site, with large openings and setbacks forming windows to selected viewpoints. In contrast, the elevations towards the interior of the site are composed of stacked, glazed volumes, freely arranged to form a prismatic and crystalline appearance. The layout secures the views over the water, not only for the three new buildings but also the city beyond.

In between the towers, a two-story base containing shops and restaurants forms an undulating landscape that connects to street level via ramps, plateaus and stairs. This base creates a calm urban garden, framed by the tall buildings, with recreational space and cafes for the city and the buildings occupants. The towers are designed with a high degree of flexibility to house offices, hotels and possibly housing.”

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via Archtracker

Biooctanic

Biofuel is a sexy topic right now, and we’ve seen everything from crop waste to algae to even tuberculosis as possible energy sources. But how about whole buildings that can generate biofuel? While the idea is still largely hypothetical, architects like UPI 2M in Croatia are jumping on the bandwagon and coming up with fascinating designs for biofuel production stations. Their project, dubbed ‘Biooctanic‘, is a series of cactus-shaped biofuel crop production towers located in an urban setting at the site of petrol (gas) stations. The idea is that by placing these sci-fi-esque fuel producing centers at the refill locations, the towers can act as filters to help improve urban air quality as well as lower transportation costs.

Biooctanic close

Based on the research of UPI 2M, the Biooctanic biofuel production towers would use algae and bamboo as feedstocks. UPI 2M’s research led them to the conclusion that algae and bamboo would result in the best production results (maximum amount of biofuels per unit of building surface area). They also took into consideration the cost of technologies required for cultivation and processing, growth rate, and the annual input-to-yield ratio.

While originally envisioned for cities in Croatia, this concept could be applied in any urban setting. The benefits of biofuel generation at the site of sale and distribution include reduced transportation costs, reduced emissions, greater efficiency and, much like vertical farming, urban biofuel generation that does not take up arable land that could otherwise be used for farming.

The Biooctanic Towers would also help improve air quality by acting as filters and air recuperators, adding fresh oxygen to smog chocked cities. UPI 2M envisions these towers adding to the overall architectural presence of the city, with the visual identity of the towers acting as both “a symbol and result of their function.”

via Inhabitat

Architect: monovolume architecture + design
Location: Bolzano, Italy
Project team: Christian Gold, Barbara Waldboth, Thomas Garasi
Structural Engineering: Baucon Bozen (Ing. Neulichedl Simon)
Program: Commercial building
Building area: 1,250 sqm
Budget: 2,5 Mil. Euro
Project year: 2007
Photographs: Oskar Da Riz

The company Blaas in Bolzano is specialized in electro-mechanics. In the new head office the company presents its new product range and offers repair service.

On the ground floor of the building there is the sales division, on the first floor the exposition area and the repair shop. All administration offices are located on the second floor. The overall impression of the structure is a homogenous and closed building. Nevertheless, there exists a separation between the public and the private sector. The client can perceive this clear and formal internal division already from the outside.

The glass façade on the Northern side provides a maximum of visibility and transparency to the exhibition and sales area. The private spaces such as repair offices, stockrooms and offices have their façades exposed to the South, East and West which are protected with a sun screening system.

In order to establish an optimal relation between natural light, development and planning of spaces there has been created a luminous entrance hall in the centre of the building with an inner courtyard. This green open spot permits the administrative sector of the second floor to receive ample natural light and at the same time it generates a protected, quiet recreation area for the staff.

as seen on ArchDaily

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