Bill Pedersen talks about creating SWFC

Making China’s Tallest Tower

owering over the skyline, the Shanghai World Financial Center stands as an indomitable symbol of a city quickly reemerging as a global player. It became an instant icon when completed in 2008 and in the same year was recognized as the best tall building in the world by leading authority The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which called it “nothing short of genius.”

The genius in question is William Pedersen, the principal design partner of Kohn Pedersen Fox, the international architecture firm he founded, along with A. Eugene Kohn and Sheldon Fox, in 1976. Below, he talks to us about his superstructure and the controversy the building found itself in because of its aperture…

Let’s deal with the controversy first. It’s well known that the opening at the top of the SWFC was changed from a circle shape to a trapezoidal one because it was considered too similar to the rising sun design of the Japanese flag. How did you deal with that?

When the circle was perceived as in opposition to Chinese culture, we suggested a bridge passing through the aperture, which diminished the purity of the form. Ultimately, the desirability of reference to anything in the circular family was challenged and the circle was abandoned. But the circular geometry with a bridge embedded never felt successful, so I was frankly relieved to find another form. The geometry of this aperture more clearly relates to the fundamental geometry of the building, and in retrospect, I find it superior to the circle.

What purpose other than aesthetic does the aperture serve?
A tall building is essentially a beam cantilevered from the earth. The pressures at the top of the building are more fundamental to design than the actual weight and gravity of the building. Relieving some wind pressure through the aperture was an efficient way of reducing the structural load; the aperture allows wind to pass through. The building would have been possible without the aperture, but the quantities of steel used would have been far greater and would have resulted in an increase in building energy, thus it was not as sustainable.

Do you mind that the building is colloquially referred to as The Bottle Opener?
Yes.

So what was the inspiration for the SWFC’s design?
It was a square prism – the symbol used by the ancient Chinese to represent the earth – which is intersected by two cosmic arcs, representing the heavens, as the tower ascends in gesture to the sky. The interaction between these two realms gives rise to the building’s form, carving a trapezoidal sky portal at the top of the tower that lends balance to the structure and links the two opposing elements – the heavens and the earth.

Was the design of the SWFC meant to complement the existing Jinmao Tower or was it conceived as a stand-alone building?
The Jinmao reflects one way of understanding Chinese history and the SWFC represents another. The two buildings embody different points of view in terms of connecting to traditional Chinese thought. The Jinmao is a more literal interpretation of Chinese thought, while the SWFC is a more abstract representation of Chinese symbolism, which can be traced to ancient roots. Together they form a balance of opposites. Juxtaposition is a successful form of architectural response when one uses the context as a fundamental point of departure – creating a dialogue of opposites. The height of the tower (492 meters) was a function of attaining the perfect proportion for the form, and finding a complementary height with the Jinmao and the future Shanghai Tower, so the three buildings create a balanced composition on the skyline.

My primary focus over my 35-year career has always been to make the tall building a social participant within the modern city, so as to encourage connection between buildings rather than standing as isolated objects. The tall building has been the dominant component of the modern city for almost 100 years. By its nature, it tends to be insular and autonomous. My goal has always been to find ways for the tall building to relate to the urban street wall and to be a participant in its context. Our buildings aim to transform by acknowledging the pressures of surrounding context, and in a way, attempting to summarize the specific characteristics of that context.

How does the SWFC relate to the Oriental Pearl TV Tower?
The SWFC’s primary orientation is actually with the Pearl TV Tower; the two buildings create a dialogue in space. Originally, the sphere complemented the circular aperture, but there’s still a strong relationship. At the base of the SWFC, a series of smaller, human-scale forms connect the building to the earth, relieving the abstractness of the tower. Autonomy is inevitable, but we tried to temper the insularity of the gesture by the manner in which the pieces at the base of the tower relate to its function and civic responsibility.

KPF has always been at the forefront of sustainable architecture. What are the sustainable features of the SWFC?
The SWFC’s sustainable strategies focus on the reduction of embodied energy needed to produce the building, through the maximization of efficiencies, minimization of materials and rationalization of the building’s geometry. The tower’s tapering form is compact – from large floor plates at its base for offices to rectilinear floors near the top for hotel rooms – the form is exactly the right size and shape to fit the functions precisely within. The building’s facade, structure and mechanical systems are tightly integrated and organized in a modular system that repeats every 13 floors, facilitating the fabrication and installation of components and reducing construction time, material waste and structural inefficiencies. Every 13th floor is a refuge floor – a safe haven during fire – which makes the SWFC not only sustainable, but very safe.

Another factor which is not often discussed, but relevant to sustainability, is longevity. The initial input of construction materials, labor and energy to create a tower such as the SWFC is a sustainable proposition only if the building has a long life span. The SWFC is designed for a 100-year life span – twice that of a typical office building – with the structure lasting even longer. The SWFC is at the forefront of not only building sustainability but building quality.

In addition to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat awards, the SWFC has received numerous other architecture accolades. Do you regard the building as a career highlight?
Of course, it’s very satisfying that so many people feel it’s been a success. The SWFC is especially important in terms of globalism and the effect of the connection and the meaning of this building. We sought to find a way of making a building that had meaning within its place and context, and that was connected to the Chinese culture. Within the visual cacophony of Pudong’s context, one creates this connection in a simple and elegant way.  I certainly consider it a highlight of my career.

http://shanghai.urbanatomy.com/index.php/i-ahearts-shanghai/features/4688-swfc

 

 

 

Then & Now: The Stunning Speed of Urban Development

Twenty-one years ago, Dubai was a desert. It sprang up seemingly from nothing into the lively and technologically advanced world-class city that it is today. This is just one example of the dramatic speeds with which cities can change, sometimes rendering their skylines virtually unrecognizable within decades.

 

Shanghai, China – 1990 and 2010

(images via: imgur)

Given the dramatic, jaw-dropping difference between these two images, you might be tempted to think that the top one was taken sometime in the middle of the 20th century. You’d be wrong. That image is from 1990. Shanghai is a stunning example of just how fast cities can rise up into bustling modern metropolises.

Dubai – 1990, 2003, 2007

(images via: abdolian)

These three photographs depict the same street in Dubai, progressing from a few lone buildings in the desert to the jam-packed, seemingly perpetually-under-construction ode to excess that it is today. As a matter of fact, that most recent photo was taken in 2007, and the street has undoubtedly changed even more now. Imagine what it would look like if the recession hadn’t slowed down the frantic pace of development!

Bangkok, Thailand – 1988 and 2007

(images via: forum.skyscraperpage.com)

In 19 years, the view of the skyline from this end of Bangkok’s Lumpini Park underwent quite a transformation, blossoming with high-rises even while the greenery in the foreground stayed mostly the same.

Panama City, Panama – 1930 and 2009

(images via: skyscraper city, brian gratwicke)

Panama City is one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the world, and these two photographs show a sharp contrast between two eras. The city sprouts from a quiet village into one of the fastest-growing urban areas in Central America.

London, England – 1970s and 2006

(images via: skyscraper city)

London has gained a number of high-profile, flashy modern buildings in the years that have passed since the 1970s. These four images depicting the banks of the Thames then and now, and a few glittering examples of modern architecture stand out, including City Hall and 30 St. Mary Axe (known as ‘the gherkin’), both by architecture firm Foster and Partners.

Tokyo, Japan – 1960s and 2010

The rapid rise of Tokyo is certainly evident when comparing two images of Tokyo Tower, one taken soon after the tower was built in 1958 and the other captured in 2010. Once nestled into a landscape of traditional Japanese buildings and trees, the tower remains an eye-catching landmark, but its surroundings couldn’t be more different. Below that, an incredible time-lapse video shows the evolution of the Shinjuku district over 35 years.

Sao Paulo, Brazil – 1954 and 2008

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/2894899″>Urban Age :: São Paulo Film</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/outrosfilmes”>OutrosFilmes</a&gt; on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

Urban Age :: São Paulo Film from OutrosFilmes on Vimeo.

Even in 1954, you could get a feel for just how large of a city Sao Paulo would one day become – as in, largest-city-in-the-southern hemisphere huge. It’s also the world’s 7th largest metropolitan area, with nearly 20 million inhabitants. These two videos capture the realities of the city in two very different eras.

Atlanta, Georgia – 1964 and 2004

(images via: atlanta time machine)

The view of Atlanta from the North Avenue bridge over the interstate has evolved dramatically since 1964, as downtown development has spread further and further out from the epicenter of the city. This southern city is notorious for its urban sprawl, partially due to the fact that it has no geographic boundaries like waterways or mountains to keep the city’s size in check.

Las Vegas, Nevada – 1954 and 2009

(images via: photosfan)

It didn’t happen quite as quickly, but the changes in Las Vegas – evident here on the Las Vegas Strip – are almost as mind-boggling as those in Dubai. The gambling mecca of the Nevada desert went from a mere stopover on the pioneer trail in the 19th century to a popular gambling destination in the 1930s before shooting up into the neon metropolis it is today.

Paris, France – 1900, 1960 and 2006

(images via: oddee, skyscraper city)

Paris is the kind of classic city where you don’t expect to see Shanghai-style, blink-of-an-eye changes. As it is in many historic districts around the world, in over a century, little has changed in the top Paris images other than the growth of trees. That’s not true everywhere in the city, however. The bottom two images show the same view of the business district of the city in 1960 and 2006 (with a rendering of the controversial as-yet-unbuilt Phare Tower, the tallest building), with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

New York, New York – 1954, 1985, 2009

(images via: eralsoto, wikimedia commons)

Wouldn’t you think that the Midtown Manhattan skyline would have changed more than this over six decades? In 1954, many of the buildings that still define the skyline today were already in place. While it’s clear that many buildings sprouted up by the time the second photo was taken in 1985, it’s not a dramatic change, and even less so between then and 2009.

Shenzhen, China

(images via: skyscraper city)

The fastest-growing city in China (and possibly the world) was nothing but a tiny fishing village as recently as the 1979. An influx of foreign investment spurred growth so rapid, the city seemed to change every single day. Today it’s a boomtown with 12 million residents. See the whole 25-year progression at Skyscraper City.

http://weburbanist.com/2011/02/21/then-now-the-stunning-speed-of-urban-development/

 

 

 

 

Ruy Barbosa Labor Courthouse | Decio Tozzi

Architect: Decio Tozzi
Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Architects in Charge: Decio Tozzi & Karla Albuquerque
Square’s chromatic panel: Decio Tozzi
Artistic panel in the auditorium: Claudio Tozzi
Structural engineers (concrete): SVS Engenharia
Structural engineers (steel): Jorge Zaven Kurkdjian, Jorge Kurken Kurkdjian
Fundations: Consultrix
Services: MHA Engenharia
Construction: Construtora Incal / Construtora OAS
Site Area: 15,228.91 sqm
Constructed Area: 124,000 sqm
Conclusion date: 2004
Photographs: Cristiano Mascaro

The traditional buildings for courthouses up to the beginning of the twentieth century, designed according to the conceptual ideas of the Grand Prix de Rome, were distinguished by their formal structures inspired by classical architecture and conveyed the idea of sumptuous monumentality.

Furthermore, solemn spaces expressed an Apollonian aspect that not only indicated the austerity of Power but also its authority as if this authoritarian image of Justice coincided with the image of a society which was also authoritarian.

The great solemn halls of Justice, the Salas dos Passos Perdidos, exhibited this monumentality not only through the scale of the building but also through the use of sumptuous construction materials.

The conceptual issue underlying the design of this courthouse was how one may propose, within a democratic metropolitan post-industrial society, a new formal structure, a semantic expression of such an important type of public building architecture and at the same time to make its insertion in the city capable of expressing a singular relationship carrying both meanings, that is a metaphor of the metropolis in itself.

The centralization of the several sections of the Labor Courts previously scattered throughout the city and its ensuing verticality, conquering air space, comprised the first guideline towards the proposal of a vertical architectonic concept.

The design of the building, following this vertical axis, organizes the four blocks of the courts, two by two, separated by double height empty spaces where collective support activities pertaining to the daily life of the judiciary complex take place.

This vertical concept gives shape to a great central empty space designed to integrate the whole complex. The unlimited visibility and full spatial integration due to the spatial fluidity bestow the necessary transparency that the bureaucratic activities require, and offer to the administrative sections of the building a global appreciation of the work being done, and the necessary rationality inherent to these activities.

This generous 50 m by 50 m area has transparent walls and roof and becomes a new access and distribution space, a feature of integration for the whole courthouse complex.

The previous solemn hall, authoritarian and majestic, finds a new meaning: the Law Square, designed to represent a new square for the city of São Paulo. On the ground floor level there is a restaurant, a bank, a telephone center, a post office, a bookshop and a 500-seat auditorium which is open to the community.

The vertical circulation is made through twenty fast lifts, four of which are restricted to the private use of the judges. All the floors are interconnected with a system of multiple ramps that very effectively comply with the required circulation of approximately 20,000 people per day.

The glass roof covering the Law Square is placed at the height of 72 meters above the ground floor level, and was treated as a feature of modular design that has the characteristics of a muxarabiê suspended in the air, an effect obtained simply through the alternation of different polyvinyl butyral interlayers – a sunlight controlling panel within the square space.

Since it was so designed the space configures a new square in the city of São Paulo due to its scale and volumetric configuration – a square bathed in sunlight but protected from rain and wind, proposed as a meeting place,a space for social intercourse and harmony between peoples.

http://www.archdaily.com/24535/ruy-barbosa-labor-courthouse-decio-tozzi/

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Land Port of Entry | Julie Snow Architects

Designed by Julie Snow Architects, the U.S. Land Port of Entry is recipient of a 2011 National Institute Honor Award for Architecture. Located in Warroad, Minnesota the facility supports the mission-driven demands of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the federal agency responsible for securing the nation’s borders and promoting legal trade and travel. Conceived as a specific response to the vast open landscape along the Minnesota-Canadian border, its form reiterates the dominant horizon of the landscape while making reference to the East-West border. Inflected building forms facilitate intuitive use by visitors, the officers’ ability to survey the entire site, and vehicle access to secondary and commercial inspection areas.

Architects: Julie Snow Architects, Inc.
Location: Warroad, Minnesota, USA
Principal: Julie Snow, FAIA
Project Lead Designer: Matthew Kreilich, AIA, LEED AP
Project Manager: Connie Lindor, Tyson Mcelvain, AIA, LEED AP
Project Architects: Tyson Mcelvain, AIA
Project Team: Jim Larson, Dan Winden, Pauv Thouk
Interior Designer: Julie Snow Architects, Inc.
Mechanical Engineer: Sebesta Blomberg
Structural Engineer: Meyer, Borgman, Johnson
Electrical Engineer: Sebesta Blomberg
Civil engineer: Jacobs Engineering
Geotechnical engineer: Key Engineering
Construction Manager: Kraus Anderson Construction
General Contractor: Kraus Anderson Construction
Landscape Architect: coen + partners
Client/Owner: U.S. General Services Administration
Lighting designer: Sebesta Blomberg
Project Area: 40,108 sqf
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Paul Crosby

The entire facility is clad in sustainably harvested cedar siding, embracing the “north-woods” identity of the region. Vehicular inspection areas (experienced primarily from the car) and the public spaces use expanses of glass and warm, stained cedar siding to create a transparent, welcoming presence. The exterior cedar siding is finished in a black stain, anchoring the building to its site. This strong contrast reinforces the threshold, creating a material warmth and richness in the cold winter months for officers and visitors through the port.

The port design manages a complex set of operational issues including site circulation of commercial, POV, and recreational traffic, state of the art vehicle inspection areas, holding areas, and officer training and work areas. All while integrating the latest technologies for securing the border and meeting the demands of an energy efficient and sustainable building. Life cycle cost analysis was used to ensure that long term cost and energy reductions were met and the project is in line to receive LEED Silver Certification. Geothermal heating and cooling, rain water capture, and daylight harvesting are among just a few of the strategies that allowed the design team to meet this certification. In addition to meeting these programmatic and operational issues, the port must also stand as a gateway to our nation, representing the open and democratic values of transparency, dignity, fairness and humaneness of our federal government.

The Warroad Land Port of Entry sets a new standard for remote, small ports in achieving the highest design standard for public buildings, conveying the ideals of our country while advancing the efficiency and comfort of federal officers. Its success is defined not only by the impact of its design, but also its open, timely, collaborative process that respects the nation’s fiscal and natural resources. The design’s success can be measured across all standards of design performance.

http://www.archdaily.com/112593/u-s-land-port-of-entry-julie-snow-architects/

 

Ruotutorppa Social Housing | Arkkitehdit Hannunkari & Mäkipaja Architects

Architects: Arkkitehdit Hannunkari & Mäkipaja Architects
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Client: The Helsinki Housing Production Bureau
Project Team: Kristiina Hannunkari architect, Veikko Mäkipaja architect, Kirsi Rantanen civil engineer
Builder: Skanska
Civil Engineer: Finnmap Consulting / Aulis Ranua
Project area: 9,772 sqm
Project year: 2007 – 2010
Photographs: Mikael Linden

A complex of two apartment houses for social housing in the suburban area of Malmi in Helsinki,Finland.

An innovative and sustainable approach was required by the client, the Helsinki Housing Production Bureau to ensure the design quality on the city owned lot. Affordable purchase and maintenance costs, sustainable rental homes with the combination of the limitations of the site were the key fundamentals of the project.

Schematic design began in 2007 and construction was completed in September 2010.

The two similar buildings form large curves toward the north blocking noise and tremor from the nearby street and railway. They also make a statement in a larger urban context, the suburban railway environment development.

A concept of the facades makes the two buildings a coherent set as it considers the marked duality of the lot used. The facades to the north stand out as compact and precise surfaces, the wall openings and the rising silhouette give the facades a dynamic character. On the contrary, on the south side, the balconies, facing the courtyard, appear freely in different positions on the façade.

The use of building materials like wood adds warmth to the construction and also contributes to its integration with its surroundings. The spacious glazed balconies create outside rooms and give the inhabitants a chance to prolong and enjoy the short northern summer.

Two five-story buildings that provide 62 flats all facing to the south/west quiet courtyard. The flats are 1-3 bedroom rental units with living room, kitchen, bathroom and sauna. The facilities in the basement include storage rooms, a community club and a laundry.

The garage rooftop and part of the carport have been landscaped into the green hillside.

http://www.archdaily.com/113043/ruotutorppa-social-housing-arkkitehdit-hannunkari-makipaja-architects/

 

Rothschild Tower | Richard Meier & Partners

Architects: Richard Meier & Partners Architects LLP
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Project year: 2007 – 2013
Photographs: Courtesy of Richard Meier & Partners Architects LLP & dbox

A pure and simple iconic mixed use residential, retail and office facility for the city of Tel Aviv, this 37-story tower for Berggruen Construction and Development will be located on Rothschild Boulevard and Allenby Street, one of Tel Aviv’s most distinguished addresses. The fundamental considerations that shape the tower scheme are the quality of light in the plan, views to the sea, and relationships with the existing fabric of Rothschild Boulevard. In the local neighborhood the intention is to integrate a new landmark building as an “anchor” in the heart of Tel Aviv, complementing its nearby modern predecessors in the Bauhaus style design of the historic “White City”.

The massing of the tower is simple and graceful, focusing on materials that are light, elegant, and transparent. The tower base, open and transparent, will feature an inviting lobby and retail space. The open plaza in front of the tower will enjoy minimal separation from the street and sidewalk, with new trees at the edge of Rothschild Boulevard separating the public area from traffic. New light and airy glass canopy structures along the ground level street facades and large openings in the second-floor facades featuring a pool deck on Allenby Street and spa on Yavne Street will add new vitality to this famed area of Tel Aviv. The residential building also features a basement wine cellar and lounge.

The Retail Building is designed essentially to update/upgrade the original Arcade design of the existing building. The passage will have prominent entrances that serve both Allenby and Yavne streets; the Yavne street entrance will also accommodate an entrance to the 5000 square feet office building above. This dynamic combination will contribute to the continuing growth of Tel Aviv as a vibrant urban place in the spirit of European capitals.

http://www.archdaily.com/112615/in-progress-rothschild-tower-in-tel-aviv-richard-meier-partners/

 

New Factory Building | Peter Zinganel

Architects: Architektur Consult ZT GmbH/Peter Zinganel
Location: Elin Motoren Straße 1, A-8160 Weiz, Austria
Project area: 16,434 sqm
Project year: 2007 – 2008
Photographs: Florian Holzherr

As a consequence of the position and shape of the plot and logistical requirements for production, an L- shaped building was developed. the 240 metre long, four-aisled factory hall extends over the entire length of the plot. The hall is terminated to the east by a covered loading bay for rail and truck deliveries. To the west, the plot is bounded by the national highway which also oers access.

On this road is the “crowning feature” of the facility: a three-storey oce block.

Interior access is laid out along an axis running the length of the building. Approaching from the visitors’ parking lot, one enters the facility via the main south-facing entrance and is immediately within a foyer, five metres high and featuring a reception area and bar. Adjoining this are the canteen, a presentation room, the main stairway and meeting rooms, along with direct access to a terrace by the water. Passing reception, sta can reach the oces on the upper floors or, following the axis of the building, pass through the changing rooms to the production area.

The office floors are designed as open plan areas with communication zones, along with individual, enclosed managers’ oces and meeting rooms. The atrium (with trees) and open spaces that stretch out to the full height of the building, confer an open spatial structure on the one hand whilst, on the other, creating a certain measure of distance within the oce layout. ␣e sails on the southern and western facades facing the street provide the building with the necessary shade.

Where the factory and oce areas connect, windows on all floors over a view of production activities.

The vertical section of the hall is shaped by the require-ment that production work must be lit as naturally as possible. A continuous row of windows forms the striking upper feature bounding both long hall facades. Lowering the level of the two innermost aisles has allowed daylight to reach the very middle via two additional rows of windows. Cupolas in the hall roof also draw light into the interior. Furthermore, the arti␣cial lighting control system optimises energy consumption according to the level of daylight. ␣e row of windows in the lower area oers a view to the outside.

Also located in the northern aisle of the hall are high-bay racking and two additional oce areas. The structural design of the hall was guided by the need to allow cranes carrying loads of up to 80 tons to access all aisles whilst clearing all permanent installations. The static and dynamic loads arising from cranes pass via integral steel-reinforced concrete supports to the sleeve foundations. A lower-set production area, extending beyond the oce block and known as the “Spule” (“coil”), adjoins to the west of the hall. Here the perforated facade oers sucient illumination of the manual assembly areas.

Colouring of the interior follows the company’s pairing of orange and blue. Alongside these colours, which have been applied to the machines and cranes, another strong visual characteristic is the bright glued-laminated timber structure of the roof.

Forming a signi␣cant proportion of the facility services and total investment, the test area is connected to the outdoor machine enclosure via a service conduit. Loading tests of motors and generators are monitored from the control room constructed from orange, fair-faced concrete.

The machine enclosure, also in orange-coloured fair-faced concrete, is a free-standing monolith devoid of windows and containing only services, there being no workplaces within.

The layout of exterior features concentrates principally on the entrance area and that between the canteen and road, where there is quite a large arti␣cial lake. The remainder of the plot is occupied by sta parking, goods vehicle loading areas, an access road around the site, an underground sprinkler tank and canopies, completing the whole facility’s maximised usage of space.

http://www.archdaily.com/112788/new-factory-building-peter-zinganel/

 

 

 

 

Center for Urban Waters | Perkins + Will

Architects: Perkins + Will
Location: Tacoma, WA, USA
Client: National Development Council and the City of Tacoma
Structural/Civil Engineer: AHBL, Inc.
Mechanical/Electrical Engineer: WSP Flack + Kurtz
Lighting: WSP Flack + Kurtz
Landscape Architect: Swift & Company
Commissioning Agent: Rushing
Acoustical: Yantis
Cost Estimator: Davis Langdon Associates
Developer: Loring
Contractor: Turner Construction
Project area: 51,000 sq. ft.
Project year: 2010
Photographs: Benjamin Benschneider

The Center for Urban Waters was envisioned by the City of Tacoma to be a beacon on the water and an example of using building and site sustainable strategies for all future projects in the City. The 51,000 sf, three-story building functions as a shared research facility for City of Tacoma and University of Washington Tacoma to receive and analyze water samples from the waterways ofTacoma and surrounding areas. The building program is comprised of laboratories, offices, conference rooms, a lunch room, an exhibit center, a customer service center at the lobby entrance, and related building services including a mooring facility on the Thea Foss Waterway. The building is sited to optimize views across the waterway toward the city and views toward Mt. Rainier, to maximize public open space, and to provide access to the shoreline esplanade and to on-site parking.

Sustainable Strategies

The building is designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification, and some of the sustainability strategies include natural ventilation of the office environments, sun-shading of the south and west facades, vegetated roofs, storm water collection, and water reuse. Materials selected for the building’s interior and exterior were selected based on quantity of recycled content, where the product was manufactured, amount of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the product, and whether the product was certified (as in the case of wood products).

A highly recycled aluminum plate rainscreen and corrugated metal siding are used on 3 sides, and a glazed curtain wall with fixed horizontal shades on the south. The design capitalizes on the City of Tacoma’s desire to reuse materials from the local landfill by recycling granite curbs into benches on site.

Heavy timbers were milled and reused for the ceiling and wall panels in the lobby and main conference room. Tree snags along the waterway and public esplanade provide staging, feeding, and perching for birds of prey, such as osprey, bald eagles and hawks. Responsible waste management before and during construction was also a factor in achieving this certification.

The water testing planned for the building labs required a detailed understanding of the material content for finishes used in these spaces. Interior finishes and building materials in the Metals Analysis and Metals Clean Rooms (trace metals testing labs) were designed to avoid any exposed metal surfaces. The Organics Clean room and City of Tacoma labs tested for phthalates and other elements commonly found in fire protection products and building finishes. The city rigorously tested each of the materials selected for floors, ceilings and counters in these labs.

Water Reduction

The majority of the site’s surfaces are permeable to reduce storm water runoff. These include rain gardens, 2 green roof areas, porous paving and plantings. A portion of the green roof area and the site rain gardens absorbs and treats rain water to reduce the quantity of site water runoff.

In addition to the storm water collected from the green roofs that has seasonal peaks, the clean reject water from the lab’s production of reverse osmosis water provides a constant year-round water supply for the building and site needs. This water is collected and stored on the site’s two 36,000 gallon water storage tanks. The site collects and stores excess reverse osmosis water from the labs and annual precipitation from a portion of the green roof. This water is then reused for toilet flushing and all of the landscape irrigation. Based on the potable water consumption per year, this system in conjunction with water conserving fixtures saves 400,000 gallons of water each year.

Energy strategies

The Center for Urban Waters utilizes several strategies to reduce its energy needs. Exterior sunshades and high performance glazing reduce unwanted heat gain. Natural ventilation cooling and a ground source heat pump that charges radiant floor slabs reduce the energy required for heating and cooling. The lighting controls and a narrow floor plate provide a well daylit space that requires minimal energy for lighting.

Utilizing a field of 72 closed loop ground source wells, a system of heat pumps serving radiant floor slabs provides heating and cooling for the entire building. Low flow Variable air volume fume hoods boost the energy efficiency of the fume hood intensive labs.

Through these strategies, the building overall energy usage is 38% more efficient than ASHRA 90.1 2004 standards for energy efficiency.

http://www.archdaily.com/112190/center-for-urban-waters-perkins-will/

 

 

 

 

 

City Green Court | Richard Meier & Partners

Construction for the City Green Court, Richard Meier & Partners third building within thePrague 4-Pankrác Master Plan, is underway.  Receiving a pre-certification of LEED Platinum, the building’s design is inspired by the language of Czech Cubism simultaneously responding to issues of conservation and sustainability.  A completion date of early 2012 is anticipated.  The video,

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/20327835″>City Green Court / Richard Meier & Partners</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/archdaily”>ArchDaily</a&gt; on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

“We are working together to make City Green Court a benchmark for green building design in the Czech Republic,” shared Richard Meier. “This assignment has been particularly challenging as it also meant addressing the historic beauty of Prague and at the same time creating a modern image of the City for its future.”

More renderings and drawings of City Green Court following the break.

Architects: Richard Meier & Partners
Renderings: Courtesy of Richard Meier & Partners Architects, vize.com
Video: vize.com

From Richard Meier & Partners:

Richard Meier & Partners Architects is pleased to announce the construction of City Green Court which has recently started last September 2010. This is RM&P’s third building within the Master Plan of Prague 4- Pankrác that began almost a decade ago with a local Czech developer and named the CITY Project. Based on RM&P’s Master Plan of the superblock on the Pankrác Plains, this once neglected area of Prague has now been transformed into a multi-functional, vibrant and revitalized business, commercial, and residential district filled with green public spaces and amenities. City Green Court has been modified and re-designed to the new owner Skanska’s sustainability goals and high standards to achieve the highest level of LEED certification. The project has recently received a LEED Platinum Pre-certification.

With City Green Court, Richard Meier & Partners completes the northwestern corner of the superblock along M. Pujmanové and Hvĕzdova Streets with a cluster of three buildings. Conceived as a geometric volume in dialogue with the near context, City Green Court also offers respected contrast to the surrounding buildings. Like its earlier siblings City Tower and City Point, it is inspired by the language of Czech Cubism with an expressive façade that responds to issues of conservation and sustainability articulated with forms reminiscent of this avant-garde movement. When completed in early 2012, it will be a welcomed and key addition to the Pankrác superblock.

Distinctive vertical solid panels with fins angled according to the sun’s orientation are integrated into the design of the curtain wall, emerging from both the south and west facades to minimize solar heat gain and to provide balanced shading and comfort within the interiors while maximizing daylight and views. In contrast, the north and east facades do not need solar protection: shading is unnecessary to the north, and City Tower, the adjacent high rise standing on the neighboring site shields the building to the east. White spandrel glass replaces the fin panels producing facades which are calm, sleek and uniform. The four facades when juxtaposed create a harmonious and dynamic envelope that can be perceived differently from close and distant vantage points. The eight-story building is organized around a central sky-lit atrium surrounded by highly efficient office floor spaces. To the south, a grand canopy marks the formal entrance to the building that leads into a single height lobby which then opens into the multi-story atrium. Atop the seven office floor plates, the partial mechanical penthouse level is covered with an extensive green roof and a skylight. Nestled in the atrium is a singular black olive tree and green ivy wall, with bridges spanning above from one side of the space to the other while a free standing stair connects the first four floors promoting movement and interaction, and encouraging less use of elevators. The exterior and interior of City Green Court are intertwined visually and physically with landscape elements spilling into and reappearing in the atrium.

“Skanska Property Czech Republic, our Associate Architect CUBOID and our local consultants inPrague are fast becoming experts in green building design,” said Partner in Charge Dukho Yeon. “With its tautly composed form and elements, City Green Court embodies a certain discipline and restraint; designed within the framework of Skanska’s green initiative. We hope that we continue to educate each other and influence future development with a critical outlook on architecture and social responsibility.”

City Green Court is expected to achieve LEED platinum certification in the Czech Republic by drastically reducing energy consumption. In addition to the very efficient building envelop, some of the most important measures towards LEED certification include natural ventilation of the atrium during the summer, state-of-the-art mechanical systems, reduction of water runoffs and storm water collection, green roof, indoor air quality control and the use of local and recycled materials.
“We are proud to cooperate with Richard Meier & Partners Architects on the redesign of City Green Court to meet the growing interest in green, modern and flexible office space that offers a stimulating work environment,” said Britta Cesar, Managing Director of Skanska Property Czech Republic, and continued: ”Together with the enthusiasm and commitment from Richard Meier & Partners Architects we managed to achieve LEED platinum Pre-certification.”

“Above all we hoped this Master Plan for the Pankrác Plains would be a catalyst for growth, said Richard Meier. “After 10 years of hard work and dedication we are now seeing the result – which is an incredibly robust neighborhood, a new urban fabric rich with activity, and an optimistic view of urbanism for Prague.”

http://www.archdaily.com/114605/in-progress-city-green-court-richard-meier-partners/

US Embassy in London | KieranTimberlake Architects

KieranTimberlake has been announced as the winner of the design competition for the new USEmbassy in London.

According to a statement by the US Embassador in the UK, KieranTimberlake´s design “meets the goal of creating a modern, welcoming, timeless, safe and energy efficient embassy for the 21st century.”

Regarding the “safety” issues, KT’s design shows an interesting solution away from embassies from the early 90s surrounded by large walls with no urban considerations, using a park with a pond instead. The Embassy is no only an icon, but an urban piece “honoring the English tradition of urban parks and gardens as the context for many civic buildings”, connecting the Thames embankment to the new pedestrian way to the south.

“Viewed from the north at the proposed plaza, the embassy grounds will provide the prospect of an open park, a landscape of grasses rising gracefully to the new embassy colonnade, with the required secure boundaries incised into the hillside and out of view. Instead of a perimeter-walled precinct, the site to the north and south is a welcoming urban amenity, a park for the city that fuses the new embassy to the city of London. Alternatives to perimeter walls and fences are achieved through landscape design.”

The pure geometry of the cube is fragmented by a highly specialized ETFE (ethylene-tetrafluroethylene, used in several recent buildings) facade optimized to shade interiors from east, west and south sun while admitting daylight and framing large open view portals to the outside. If you take a closer look to the renderings from the inside you will notice that the ETFE foils include thin photovoltaic film that intercepts unwanted solar gain in certain angles. The scrim also renders the largely transparent façades visible to migratory birds to discourage bird-strikes.

More information and renderings about the Embassy after the break. I also recommend to readour interview with Stephan Kieran.

 

Urban Park

• The design places the embassy building at the center of the Nine Elms site and develops the surrounding area into an urban park. The new embassy meets all the required security standards while honoring the English tradition of urban parks and gardens as the context for many civic buildings. The new embassy, with its gardens, will establish a strong framework for the urbanization of the Nine Elms redevelopment zone.

• There are two major east-west pedestrian and vehicular paths, one existing and one to be improved, and the other proposed as part of the enabling infrastructure for the Nine Elms development. The existing infrastructure is along the south Thames embankment and is composed of a river walk paralleled by Nine Elms Lane. The proposed new infrastructure to the south of theembassy site is a pedestrian greenway that will connect the embassy site to Vauxhall Station, the nearest tube stop to the east, and on to the proposed new Battersea developments to the west. Poised strategically midway between these parallel paths, the embassy becomes part of an urban park that connects the Thames embankment to the new pedestrian way to the south.

• The paving about and within the embassy site utilizes the familiar limestone used in many Londonwalks and parks. London Plane trees provide shade and form at the perimeter and along Nine Elms Lane as well as the proposed new walk to the south that connects the site to Vauxhall Station.

• Seen from the north along the Thames embankment and Nine Elms Lane, the new Embassy Park contains a pond with walks, places to sit and landscape along its edges, all open to the citizens ofLondon.

• Trees near the pond are to be North American species, such as the Weeping Willow and the Bald Cypress. Others, while native to North America, were long ago brought to England and are now common to the English landscape.

• Viewed from the north at the proposed plaza, the embassy grounds will provide the prospect of an open park, a landscape of grasses rising gracefully to the new embassy colonnade, with the required secure boundaries incised into the hillside and out of view. Instead of a perimeter-walled precinct, the site to the north and south is a welcoming urban amenity, a park for the city that fuses the new embassy to the city of London. Alternatives to perimeter walls and fences are achieved through landscape design.

• The spiraling form of the landscape is expressed through grading, walks and plantings in a way that simultaneously opens out to the city beyond and spirals inward as it envelops and then moves up into and through the embassy building. As a choice of form, the spiraling garden is meaningful as it represents connections of site to landscape to building.

• The connections to the surrounding urban context, both existing and proposed, begin in an open geometry well beyond the site at the Thames embankments and the proposed Vauxhall-to-Battersea pedestrian way.

The walks and landscape forms begin their inward spiral at the outer boundaries of the site. They sweep past the pond to the entry court that opens to the Main Lobby for staff and their guests. At the opposite side of the Main Lobby, the Gallery spirals down to the north culminating in the large Multi-Purpose Hall that merges with the grade of the spiraling Consular Walk above.

• At the main entry, the site spiral continues beyond to the great arc of the Consular Garden, carrying the visitor up the Consular Walk and into the Consular Lobby and promenade overlooking the pond and the Thames embankment to the north.

• The visitor continues this spiral within the embassy, revolving about the core and up to the consular floor above, pausing along the way to overlook the Main Lobby, a significant moment where the necessarily separate worlds of the embassy – consular visitors and staff – visually intersect.

The Chancery

Internal gardens continue vertically within the new embassy as the spiral continues upward about the core toward an ever more focused, secure and enclosed center atop the structure. These gardens provide places to meet and additional vertical circulation. The plantings for each garden are chosen for their capacity to thrive in specific orientations, for their representation of the diversity of the American landscape and for the appropriateness of each type to its use.

• The chancery is a transparent, crystalline cubic form atop a colonnade. The crystalline form is simultaneously efficient and evocative.

• It represents the optimum ratio of maximum volume within minimum perimeter with resulting cost and energy management benefits. Its precise dimensions have been selected to afford the optimum distance for visitors and occupants to daylight and view.

• As a pure geometry, the cubic form is an ancient signifier of solidity, strength and permanence, all qualities of our democracy.

• Its surface is given form through the interface between a faceted external solar shading and collection system and the blast resistant glazing.

At each façade, an ETFE enclosed pressurized air pocket further insulates the glazing from thermal transfer.

• The top of the building is sheathed with a crystalline photovoltaic array on the entire roof, screening mechanical equipment from view. The total array of crystalline and thin-film photovoltaic on the building measures 8,300 square meters with a significant output of over 345,000 kWh of energy.

• A four-sided colonnade forms the base of the building. Through both custom and the openness and accessibility of its sheltering form, colonnades have long evoked the architecture of democracy.

The Diplomacy of Art

• Luminous ‘light art’ wraps the core wall in a prominent location behind the colonnade.

• At the Main and Consular Lobbies the art inside is visible through glazing from the main entry court and the pond. To the south and southwest are external art walls. As it unfolds about the central core, the art can be experienced both within the major public spaces and from the outside as part of the continuum of spiraling walks and landscape form.

• In the Main Lobby, the art wall stops at the center to inflect toward a stone wall in which the names of prior ambassadors to the Court of St. James are inscribed.

Landscape

Rather than employing a plinth to accommodate the large programs located at the lowest levels of the building, the colonnade sits atop a gently rising earthen mound. Within this landscape form are parking garage ramps and basement service and mechanical areas to the south, and the lower level of the Gallery and Multi-Purpose Meeting Space to the north and west.

• Instead of fragmenting the embassy into a plinth and tower, this strategy transforms the large footprints of the lower levels along with the entrance pavilions into earthen landscape form to enhance the prominence of the embassy colonnade and transparent building.

• The visual presence of the whole is that of a beacon that is a respectful icon representing the strength of the U.S.-U.K. relationship.

• In the form and expression of the New LondonEmbassy, KieranTimberlake seeks a holistic fusion of urbanism with site, of building and landscape.

• KieranTimberlake seeks a new embassy that is both evocative and that performs, one that represents our democracy and our relationship with the United Kingdom and at the same time conserves and produces energy.

• All elements are purposeful in multiple ways: from image and expression to the environment and urbanism, to the productivity and comfort of the users. The architects at KieranTimberlake do not believe these objectives can be segregated. They must work together, holistically providing new synergies that make the form of the new embassy resonate deeply.

Credits

Architects: KieranTimberlake Architect
Landscape Architect: Olin
Sustainability, MEP/FP and Civil Engineering: ARUP
Structural and Blast Engineering: Weidlinger Associates
Workplace design: Gensler
Cost Consulting: Davis Langdon
Technical Security: Sako & Associates

Renderings: Studio amd