Valiasr Project, Tehran by Abbas Riahi Fard and Farinaz Razavi Nikoo

Award winning design for an office and commercial building in Tehran by Iranian architects Abbas Riahi Fard and Farinaz Razavi Nikoo

01_ Location

The present building is a commercial-office building located in a rectangular site which has approximately 15 meters of frontage along the west side of Valiasr Avenue between Fatemi and Zartosht junctions. Here is the hub of different activities in Tehran and innumerable shops and restaurants as well as large cultural centers are situated along this avenue .Neighbors of our site are an old 6-storey building in the north and a ruin one-storey one in the south .Based on municipality codes we could have just a two-storey structure in this location, thus there was no possibility to make balance in elevation with adjoining buildings.

 

02 _ Formation Idea

Considering the facade as a city skin, we intended to bring motion and dynamism which exist in location into the skin of our project, as if skin is influenced by people motions .Moreover facade as a continuous skin which is not smashed by different materials was our main objective. We just slashed the skin of the main surface for its openings and then pulled it towards other facades and also inside to make integrity in both outside and inside.

03- Spatial organization

The idea of one continuous space was a major issue of the spatial organization. The diagram was finally chosen shows how by means of surfaces space transfigure and connect into each other to create strong perspectives .This continuity could be experienced by walking through the main passages in between the spaces.

04 – Structural & Mechanical system

The foundation consists of reinforced concrete footings and foundation walls. The construction components include a masonry and fireproof steel frame structure with steel beams .Mechanical system comprises ceiling-mounted fan coil units in each floor with the condenser unit on the roof.

05-Construction process

Construction process started in beginning of 2006 and took about two years to be finished thoroughly.

Credits:

Clients: Mehdi Malak Shahabi, Masoud Haghverdi and partners
Design: Abbas Riahi Fard , Farinaz Razavi Nikoo
Design associates: Ashkan Bagheri Aghdam , Navid Nasrollahzadeh , Shobeir Mousavi , Mohammad Moetamedinia , Ali Nabi
Structural consultant: Houman Farrokhi
Mechanical consultant: Mohammad Reza Zomorrodi, Behrooz Noori
Electrical consultant: Abbas Ahmadi, Amir Hossein Azmayesh
Construction: Problem Company
Supervision: Mohammad Ali Imani Moghaddam , Farzad Azadkhani
Photographs: Parham Taghioff

Khorsand Office Block, Tehran by Arsh Design Group

Iranian architects Arsh Studio design the Checker Box Office Complex

All images, graphics and information courtesy of Arsh Design Group; © by Arsh Design Group;

 

Concepts behind the design of Checker Box Office Complex

City of Tehran is an absurd constructed landscape. Here, the conventional typology for achieving high density which is that of towers, is replaced by a completely different spatial strategy whereas density is achieved through massive deployment of a mid-rise building type; which is that of four to five storey pilottee apartment buildings.

 

The dominance of this type has yielded a some what absurd urban morphology whereas the exterior manifestation of the apartment buildings from a street point of view are limited to a single two-dimensional façade. Further more, due to particular dynamics of real state market whereas the price of land in Tehran has reached unbelievable milestone, the investors demand architects to design for a spatial scenario whereas maximum allowed envelope is built to maximize the profit return of the investment.

The spatial ramifications of above mentioned morphology on one hand and the dynamics of the real state market on the other hand intensifies the importance of the façade design in the over all process of conception, development and implementation of buildings since [over]investment on this single façade is the way to make the building standout in its context as unique and for that matter architecturally attractive. Under such circumstances, the architect does not have that much of maneuver in volumetric composition and what is left at the end of the day for the architect is basically the main façade of the building with the maximum depth of 20 to 40 centimeters to be actually designed. So, for every project the concern is how can we design this envelope, or façade in a way that the project stands out instead of fitting in, in its immediate context?

design strategies

(1) building the maximum allowed building envelop into sellable inhabitable space.
(2) providing design based variations that allow the building to stand out as a unique piece of engineering and artistic intervention in its spatial context,
(3) making sure that the adopted design strategies in spatial composition, proposed construction techniques and technologies and choice of materials are not compromising the financial reasonability/feasibility of the investment as a whole.
With the above mentioned goals in mind the design strategies that have been incorporated in conception and development of the architectural scheme are as follows:
• Considering the exterior architectural surface or façade as a micro-section that needs to be architecturally developed as opposed to graphically composed
• Conceptualizing the architectural façade as an activated or animated Surface
• Conceptualizing the façade as a neutral yet animated surface that stands in contrast to the humdrum of adjacent urban facades each striving to stand out with some what an exhibitionist attitude
• Innovative construction techniques combined with choice of cheap materials

Architects: Pantea Eslami, Rambod Ilkhani, Alireza Sherafati,Nashid Nabian,Sohail Qandili
Client : Abolghasem Nabian & associates
Structure: Behnam Nateghi
Electrical: Ali Piltan
Mechanical: Ali Ghanizadeh
Construction: Omran Kavir Company
Start Date: 2007
Completion Date: 2009
Total build area: 1400 m2
Photo: Arsh Design Group
Film: Dayereh Studio

 

 

Plot # 183 Beirut, by Bernard Khoury / DW5

Residential project in the Rmeil area of Beirut designed by Lebanese architects Bernard Khoury / DW5

All images, plans and information courtesy of Bernard Khoury / DW5; © by Bernard Khoury / DW5

 

Bernards Khoury and DW5 have provided us with some images of their recently completed project Plot 183 in Beirut. We share it with you on desMena.

Plot 183

The Rmeil 183 residential building is located on a 247 m² land on lot #183 in a quiet residential area of Rmeil. The 18 m wide western edge faces CHAFIK EL MOUAYIAD STREET.

 

The street level façade of the ground floor allows for both the pedestrian building entrance as well as the vehicular entrance. Surface parking is provided on the ground floor, fitting the cars under the 3 m high pilotis structure of the building.

The main façade of the plot is limited to 18 meters of the main street with a depth of approximately half that length. The shallow depth of the building necessitates a plan of single- loaded rooms along the street façade. In order to compress these functions into 18 m, the solution was to stack 250 m² apartments in split levels, alternating living rooms and two floors of bedrooms.

The longitudinal terraces on the main glazed façade allow the possibility of an external promenade around the apartments with an alternative outdoor access to the rooms.

The central part of the terraces benefit from a 4.4 m ceiling height, which allows a suspended garden on each floor.

The sixth and seventh floor house a 250m² duplex penthouse, including an ample private terrace on the main street side.

 

Grand Egyptian Museum, Giza by Loos Architects

 

Entry for the architectural competition in 2002

All images, graphics, plans and information courtesy of Loos Architects; © by Loos Architects

 

The competition for the design of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) was the largest architectural competition in history with 1557 entries from 82 countries.

Museum for the Egyptian archaeological collection in Giza/Cairo

The proposed museum building is situated on the desert plateau, hovering close to its edge. The broad flights of stairs form the entrance to a huge void which cuts through the whole building and serves as the interior access network of the museum.

Determined by cosmic apparitions as well as earthly sights, the void touches the skin of the building and the volume is cut open. All functional areas are arranged in separate “houses” which can be accessed individually from the public void. Within the circular shape of the museum building, a multitude of exhibition layouts are possible.

What looks like an anonymous block of stone from the outside, turns out to be a hollowed-out structure with quasi-urban qualities from the inside.

 

The site for the new GEM covers a steep incline formed by the height difference between the Nile valley and the adjoining desert plateau. The proposed museum building is situated on the plateau, hovering above a ditch close to its edge. It therefore not only has a strong connection with the nearby pyramids of Gizeh, but, less obviously, also lies in line with several other ancient Egyptian monuments on the plateau, such as the sun temple of Niuserre, the step pyramid and the necropolis of Sakkara.

The proposed building is a scale less circular volume. Seen from a distance, it has no discernible entrance and, when approached from the North, seems to be sitting on the ground. Only when coming closer and viewing the alien object from a different angle, the visitor suddenly realizes that it is hovering a few meters above the earth. Its rough, sand-coloured skin blends in with the surroundings, but does not give away anything about the building’s function or interior setup. The rough stone walls are perforated by a multitude of small, irregular holes, giving the monolith a porous look. In contrast to these tiny holes, which form a random pattern rather than openings in the building, a few big, articulate incisions interrupt the circular shape. In terms of material and monolithic quality, the museum resembles the pyramids, but unlike them negates its apparent heaviness by floating.

The visitor approaches the museum on a road which winds itself through the public parks. These parks offer the possibility of future extension in the direction of the pyramids, so the visual link with the monuments can develop into a physical one. Only when coming very close to the museum, it becomes
apparent that the entrances lie underneath the hovering volume. Coaches, taxis and cars drive under the building, drop off their passengers at the shaded bus terminal or taxi stop, and then drive on to the parking lots. Also on ground level, two ramps for delivery vehicles lead up into the building. The remaining area under the museum serves as a lively “market square”, where hawkers and traders can offer their goods.

The building is accessed through two big “city gates”. These broad flights of stairs and escalators form the entrance to a huge void which cuts through the whole building on all levels and serves as the interior access network of the museum. All functional areas are accessible via this public route which is used not only by visitors, but also by congress attendants, restaurant guests, flaneurs and staff, making it a busy, bustling main street. During closing hours, the entrances to the functional areas can be locked, but the void remains open to the public. Its walls consist of a refined version of the material used for the outside of the building. In contrast to the rest of the museum, which has technical climate control, the climate in the void is the same as outside, but cooled through shadow, wind and water, for example with the help of fountains.

Like the corridors in the ancient grave monuments, the void digs its way through the building, hollowing it out and developing branches in different directions. In contrast to the overall closed character of the museum building, the outside world delivers points of reference for the void. In some strategic places, it touches the skin of the building and the volume is cut open, resulting in public spaces, balconies or panoramic windows. The location of these spaces is determined by cosmic apparitions – sunset, sunrise, the moon – as well as earthly sights, such as the city of Cairo and the pyramids.

Stepping on the escalator, the visitor reaches the first floor. This storey has no public function, it is reserved for the delivery of goods, storage, technology and offices. Programme areas requiring daylight, such as offices, are generally situated at the perimeter of the building, while those that do not need sunlight are located in its core. Lighting in the void is provided partly by enormous skylights and light channels, partly by artificial light sources.

The museum visitors do not leave the void on the first floor, but are guided directly to the second level, where they find themselves on the big “main square”, which spans two storeys in height. This area offers ample space for groups to gather, people to orientate themselves, prepare for the exhibition and have a look around. On the left of the square, the ticket shop as well as some public functions such as telephone booths and currency exchange are situated. On its right, the visitor encounters the entrance to the restoration laboratories, which are generally reserved for staff, but, like all functional areas, can be made temporarily accessible to the public. The laboratories are housed in separate rooms divided by corridors. Some of them have glass walls, so the visitors can get an insight into the restoration process without actually entering the work space.

Back on the main square, the visitor takes one of the three staircases to the third floor: Either the sunset or the sunrise stairs, which lead to platforms on the third floor and then on to the fourth level, or the big staircase which ends on the “square of the pyramids”. The third floor houses the main archeological storage, which is open to interested public like students or archeologists, as well as some commercial facilities. The main public attraction on this level, however, is the big “square of the pyramids” at the end of one branch of the void. Here the skin of the museum is cut generously open, resulting in a magnificent panoramic view of the nearby monuments. Next to the square lie a restaurant and café from where the same great view can be enjoyed.

Passing through the restaurant or the commercial unit, the visitor has to choose whether to take the sunset or the sunrise stairs to continue his way upwards. Both staircases are directed towards the perimeter of the building, although in opposite directions, and touch the skin on either side of the fourth floor, again resulting in big incisions. On the western side, the “sunset balcony” offers a beautiful view of the desert, while on the eastern side, the visitor finds himself on a platform from which he looks down into the valley, over the city of Cairo. From either platform, he can now enter the permanent exhibition space.

Three parts of the exhibition programme are arranged on the fourth floor. Within the circular shape of the museum building, a multitude of different spatial layouts are possible, with circular or radial orientation. Like the restoration laboratories on the second floor, the different thematical parts of the exhibition are arranged in separate rooms which can all be accessed from the void, but which also have internal links, resulting in many alternative circulation possibilities. The visitor can chose whether he wants to take a shortcut tour, which leads only along the main attractions of the collection, a circular overview tour, which leads him along all the important exhibits, or whether he opts for the comprehensive tour through all the rooms of the exhibition. He also has the opportunity to enter only a certain room and pick the theme which he is interested in.

The permanent exhibition continues on the fifth floor, which the visitor reaches by returning to the vantage points in the void. From here, the staircases turn towards the centre of the building again. Looking up the stairs, which stretch via a platform on the fifth floor to the “moon square” on the sixth level, the visitor suddenly looks through the roof and into the sky. On the fifth floor, he can continue his tour of the collection. There is also a large space for temporary exhibitions. One floor higher, he finds himself on the second big square in the building, the “moon square”. This open space gives access to the auditorium, conference centre and some museological facilities, but also to a room for special exhibitions and another restaurant and café.

The interior of the proposed building thus presents itself as a geometrical maze which stands in contrast to the oblique but guiding void. Its spatial qualities are largely determined by the omnipresent void with its big squares, staircases, platforms, visual connections and openings to the outside world, but also by the circular and radial geometry of the rooms and the exhibition layout. What looks like a porous, but solid and anonymous block of stone from the outside, turns out to be a hollowed-out structure with quasi-urban qualities from the inside.

Project:
Museum for the Egyptian archaeological collection in Giza/Cairo, Egypt

Architect:
Miguel Loos in collaboration with Danielle Huls

Client:
Ministry of Culture of the Arabic Republic of Egypt

Date:
2002
Building surface:
35.000m2 exhibition area, storage-space, offices, congress center and amenities

Status:
compentition entry

 

LOOS ARCHITECTS

Office Profile

LOOS ARCHITECTS is an office for urbanism, architecture and interior design. We design exceptional standards, sculptural simplicity, refined roughness and expressive subtlety.

LOOS ARCHITECTS has broad experience in producing projects which contribute as much to the field of architecture as to the individual goals and needs of our clients.

We believe that a meaningful project can only be achieved through intensive and synergetic teamwork with an ambitious client and dedicated technical advisors. We are proud that we may collaborate with some of the most acclaimed clients in The Netherlands and abroad, advising, designing and realizing projects for them.

Address and route

LOOS ARCHITECTS

Wilgenweg 20-B
1031 HV Amsterdam
The Netherlands

T: +31-(0)20-3300128
F: +31-(0)20-6207600

info@loosarchitects.nl

Mecca Metro Line Station designed by GreenhilLi

Proposed station on Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro Southern Line designed by Singaporean architects GreenhilLi

All images, graphics and information courtesy of GreenhilLi; © by GreenhilLi; See detailed credits at the end of the article

Singapore-based architectural practice, GreenhilLi was invited to be part of an international consortium to procure and develop a rail transit system for Mecca. This is their proposed design for one of the station types.

 

The challenge:

The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the most significant events in the Muslim world to take place annually. It is a major undertaking for both pilgrims and organizers as over the 12-day event, Mecca and its surroundings are suddenly populated by millions of visiting pilgrims with accommodation and transportation needs presenting a daunting logistics challenge to the organizers and residents of Mecca.

The Ministry of Rural and Agricultural Affairs in Jeddah called for design build and operate tenders from international consortia to procure and deliver a rail transit system servicing the Hajj route. Invited by  Saudi contractor Al-Harbi Group and Bovis Lend Lease Singapore-based architectural practice GreenhilLi proposed a design for one of the station types to demonstrate the team’s understanding of the challenging brief.

A study of the potential passenger demand showed that the required system capacity would need trains over 300m long and corresponding platform lengths. It was clear that a conventional metro-style station circulation with a fare collection system, unpaid/paid demarcation areas and escalator/stair circulation means would not work in this context as it would slow down circulation too much. It was also clear that boarding and alighting passenger flows needed to be separated to maintain crowd control and organize circulation; therefore a side platform rather than island platform system was more practical. Further requirements for maintaining the existing road network to the sacred sites as well as minimizing impact on the terrain meant that the majority of the metro system had to be elevated directly above the road. The main challenge of the brief was the safe and efficient circulation of passengers at each destination; how to safely and efficiently enable passengers to alight, provide access to the sacred ground plane, cross the road and then to the boarding platform without any potential cross-flow in circulation.

The design:

GreenhilLi designed a series of 6 to 7 very wide and gentle step ramps distributed along the length of the station to provide access to the platforms from the ground level. An intermediate floor level was also introduced across the road and corresponding step ramps provided below the platform ramps. Several lifts distributed along the length of the station provided equitable access for the disabled and the elderly.

The circulation pattern is reflected in the double sinusoidal roof form, which peaks at each mouth of the ramps and lifts to reinforce way-finding. The rhythm of the circulation elements relating intrinsically to the geometry of the roof form acts as a strong visual cue to guide the pilgrims within the landscape back to the station. At the same time, the dominant horizontal undulation of the station roof maintains a harmony with the landscape, rather than compete with it. The wave roof profile is repeated on the opposite side, but slipped and alternating such that the circulation elements are diagonally opposite each other.

Elevation showing double sinusoidal roof form and corresponding circulation on both sides

Exploded view :
-Roof
-Platform level: side platforms & ramps
-Intermediate level: foot bridges, ramps & services
-Ground level: road & viaduct supports

Circulation sequence:

1 Passengers arrive at alighting platform and proceed directly to ground via ramps

 

2 Passengers use foot bridges to cross the road via ramps

 

3 Passengers proceed from ground to boarding platform via ramps

 

4 Passengers depart from boarding platform

 

Aerial view over the 300m long station

 

Ramps to intermediate level foot bridges are located below ramps to platform from ground. These ramps fork to accommodate lifts between.

 

Skylights along the tracks filter daylight to the deepest part of the platform level and provide natural ventilation

 

The roof form peaks at the circulation location to emphasis this and thrusts forward to provide more shade

 

The undulating station roof maintains a harmony with the landscape

The brief generates a highly interesting design challenge which this design has provided a resoundingly response which fulfills the functionality with an architectural form that would have also served as a distinctive new representation for the Hajj and Mecca experience.

Credits:

Architect: GreenhilLi

Contractor: Al Harbi Group
Project Management: Bovis Lend Lease
Structural Consultant: Buro Happold
Rail and Station Operations: SMRT Corporation (Singapore)
Systemwide Signaling: Westinghouse

House of Arts and Culture, Beirut by Mikou design studio

Beirut expands its cultural portfolio with a new art centre designed by Parisian design studio Mikou

All images, graphics and information courtesy of Mikou design studio; © by Mikou design studio; see detailed credits at the end of this article

 

House of Arts and Culture, Beirut

Similar to Beirut, the House of the Arts and Culture is inspired by the diversity of cultures; stimulating the imagination by integrating the sensitivities of various artistic domains.

This overlapping of cultural layers is a characteristic feature of the program, which creates a strong identity for the future House of Arts and Culture and hence refers to the iconic image of Beirut; city of cultural and historic sedimentation, nicknamed the “well” because of the various Hellenistic, Roman, Arabic and Ottoman layers. That is why the building is not conceived as a monolithic mass, but rather in a manner to stage this overlapping of cultural layers and the process throughout which they become real spaces, transitional spaces for the exchange and intertwining of creativity.

perspective – interior

perspective – street view

urban scheme

 

 

urban plan

 

second floor

 

 

sixth floor

 

 

east facade

 

 

square facade

 

 

function scheme

 

path 1

 

path 2

 

path 3

 

path 4

 

 

Architect : Mikou Design Studio

Salwa Mikou, Selma Mikou, Cécile Jalby, Iskra Pencheva, Gwenaël Jerrett, Baharan Khosravi, Ludivine Specht

Client : Ministry of culture

Programme : Theatres, cinema, film library, exhibition space, training and work space, meeting rooms, cafeteria and commercial spaces, documentation center and administration.

Budget : 20 M €

Surface: 16 000 m2 SHON

Location: Beirut, Lebanon

Date : competition 2009

 

 

 

 

Mikou Design Studio

Mikou Design Studio was created in 2005 by Selma Mikou and Salwa Mikou, after many years of collaboration with international architecture agencies, in particular Renzo Piano and Jean Nouvel, on projects on large private and public buildings, residences, offices and important redevelopments of public areas within the framework of re-qualification of urban and harbour planning.

The references and expertise of Mikou Design Studio in the fields of architecture, engineering, urbanism and landscape design enable them to work in all types of projects, starting from initial design to completion. Mikou Design Studio is structured around Salwa and Selma Mikou architects DPLG, graduates from the school of Architecture Paris-Belleville, and a team of engineers and architects.

Mikou Design Studio
27 Boulevard Beaumarchais
75004 Paris, France
Métro ligne 1, Bastille

Tel  +33 (0)1 44 54 13 40
Fax +33 (0)1 42 97 47 76

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Selma MIKOU

Salwa MIKOU

http://www.mikoustudio.com/

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I.B.3, Beirut by Bernard Khoury / DW5

Residential project in the Gemmayzé area of Beirut designed by Lebanese architects Bernard Khoury / DW5

All images, plans and information courtesy of Bernard Khoury / DW5; © by Bernard Khoury / DW5

 

Bernards Khoury and DW5 have provided us with some images of their project I.B.3 in Beirut. We share it with you on DEZzz.ME.

I.B.3

The I.B.3 residential building is located in the Gemmayzé area on plot # 595 Saifi in Beirut. Our design mission was developed around the shell and core principle which consists of designing the structure of the edifice, its facades and the common areas, leaving all the inhabitable surfaces to be partitioned and finished by the architects of the future owners of each residence.

The particularity of the design resides in the free plans proposed initially on all the levels of the building. Every residence is developed around a different section providing each apartment with high ceilings (4.35m to 5.5m) in the reception areas. All apartments feature a split level and / or double level section. The façade of the edifice is designed to accommodate and compose with the variations in its openings that are a consequence of the differences in plan and section of all the residences within the building. Facades are finished in solid wood sections mounted on modular aluminum frames. The envelope of the edifice is shaped by the maximum allowable volume on its site. Residences in the I.B.3 building should be regarded as suspended “urban villas”. Two townhouses are located at the ground level, four residences are interlocked in the main body of the building and a three storey penthouse occupies the top levels of the building.

Issam Fares Institute, Beirut by Office dA

A building for the School of Public Policy and International Affairs designed by the Boston architects

images and information courtesy of office dA; © by office dA

 

Towards an integrated philosophy

For an Institution whose mission is to inform and enrich debates on public policy, international affairs, public health, agriculture, urban planning, and energy policy (among other more traditional fields), it is appropriate to conceive of a building whose performance, identity, and ethos emerges from the very philosophy for which it will serve as home. Our proposal is designed as an integrated building, bringing together its various features into an organic synthesis, much in the same way a policy on energy may be at once linked to planning, the environment, as well as public health. The techniques employed in the Issam Fares Institute offer new and inventive ways of integrating architecture into the educational environment of the American University of Beirut, using its own platform and philosophy as the basis for contributing to the physical well-being of the campus.

 

As a center for interdisciplinary research in the social sciences, the building accommodates four basic programmatic groups: a conference area, an auditorium, a reading room, and offices for faculty and administration. Each of these programs demands a different degree of privacy, and, moreover, the particular relationship between the programs often changes. As such, the building is designed to provide a high degree of flexibility in their interaction. The relationship between the conference area and the auditorium, for instance, can be either continuous –providing a large, multi-purpose event space– or segregated –allowing for several simultaneous independent activities. The areas devoted to scholarship are located on the upper levels. These programs include a double-height reading room, office and administrative spaces, as well as a faculty lounge. All of the programs are linked together by a vertical promenade which offers a series of views out to the campus while providing spaces for interaction between different programs. This promenade culminates in a monumental loggia, which looks out to the green space on the south.

In formulating an architectural language for the project, we took cues from the grove of trees into which the building is set. We arrived at a system of triangulated structural steel members that branch out, hold up the floor plates, and terminate in a diaphanous canopy over the loggia. The structural system uses triangulation among its members to give lateral stability to the building, resisting seismic forces, while offering the best views out towards the surrounding context. Contrary to conventional shear wall systems, triangulation offers an efficient structural model that is not only economical, but also one that resonates at a poetic level in relation to the trees for which it acts as background. In a similar way, the vertical promenade, while offering an integrated social life for the building’s scholars, contributes to the natural ventilation of the building, using the stack effect to draw cool air breezes into the building, while permitting the hot air escape from out of the top. As such, the vertical street serves both a social and climatic function within an integrated philosophy of the building. Similarly, the image of the building emerges from a dialectical process whereby the global ambitions and regional responsibilities of the institute are folded together in an environmentally responsible building. Drawing on materials and methods of fabrication from the region, the image of the building is at once both blended and defamiliarized. Embedded in the cluster of trees, the identity of the building owes it iconography to its natural context, while it simultaneously borrows its material palette from the architectural heritage of Beirut and beyond.

ISSAM FARES INSTITUTE
American University of Beirut
Beirut, Lebanon
2006

Project size
2,800 square meters

Principal in charge
Nader Tehrani

Project Design
Monica Ponce de Leon and Nader Tehrani

Project Coordinator
Arthur Chang

Project Team
Remon Alberts, Sean Baccei, Kurt Evans, Lisa Huang, Hana Kim, Richard Lee, Ji-Young Park, Ahmad Reza Schricker, David Dahlbom, Jhaelen Eli

Partners and Consultants
Rafik El-Khoury & Partners: Ramy El-Khoury, Fouad Hanna, Chawky Layoun, Pierre Geara, Pierre Abi Akl, maroon Nassif, Guy Ghosn, Georges Khawwam
Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture: Vladimir Djurovic, Federico Alvarez
Arup: Mark Walsh-Cooke, Patrick S. McCafferty
Acentech: Carl J. Rosenberg

 

The 7th of October University at Bani Walid, Libya designed by RMJM

A planning theme inspired by traditional local architecture leading to a compact sustainable design driven by issues of sustainability.

All images and information courtesy of RMJM; © by RMJM

 

In 2008, RMJM’s Global Education Studio in Princeton became the first U.S. architecture firm to receive a commission in Libya since the United States normalized relations with the North African nation in 2006. The firm has designed two award-winning university campuses in Libya – in Bani Walid and in Zliten.

Designed by the firm’s Global Education studio in Princeton, the 7th of October University will serve more than 3,000 students. Construction of the 50-hectacre campus containing 110,000 square meters is expected to begin in December 2009 and be completed in December 2011.

Located about three hours south of the capital of Tripoli, the new university campus will accommodate 3,250 students from surrounding communities and provide academic programs in language, business, education and medical technology.
In addition to academic facilities, the campus will include a student center, library, mosque, athletic facilities and housing for faculty.

 

aerial view

The 7th of October University at Bani Walid

The architectural development of the 7th of October University at Bani Walid follows closely the principles and guidelines established by the Master Plan. The overall organization of the plan retains its original essence of creating distinct geometrical precincts within the wider desert landscape. Within the Academic Precinct, the Faculty Buildings remain rough, textured, earthtone “shards” rising from the desert floor. They are contrasted with the smooth crystalline white forms of the Academic Support Buildings which create portals into the campus and contain the most public and social functions of the University.
All the buildings are oriented towards an intensely landscaped central court-garden that organizes principal access and pedestrian movement through the campus. The spaces immediately adjacent to this zone are given to shared and common uses for the University, effectively creating a campus-wide “hub” along this central core.

desert rose

Site Characteristics:

Inspiration for the design came from the desert rose, a naturally occurring silica crystal that captured the design and client teams’ imaginations.

 

The planning theme was also informed by the town of Ghadames, where sunken courtyards cool the town center and irrigate the perimeter oasis. The compact design of the campus is driven by issues of sustainability.

conceptual model

 

conceptual model

 

conceptual model

Program:

The new branch campus of the existing 7th of October University will accommodate 3,250 students from surrounding communities and provide academic programs in languages, management, business, education and medical technology. In addition to academic facilities, the campus will include a student center, library, mosque, administrative building, athletic/recreation facilities and future housing for faculty/staff.

perspective of the library

Zoning Constraints:

In keeping with local design tradition and character the buildings will be low scale; no more than 4 stories. Except for high voltage lines there are no services currently provided for the site – the team is relying on good campus planning precepts to guide design decisions.

courtyard perspective

 

courtyard perspective

Construction Systems:

Using local and traditional building materials, including: cast in place concrete for structure

facade study

Funding Source:

Government of Libya

Square Footage:

50-hectare campus in the desert supporting a 200,000 square meter master plan build out and a first phase of 100,000 square meters of academic and athletic/recreation buildings

 

Team Members and Consultants

RMJM
Managing Director – Gordon Hood, RIBA, ARIAS,
Managing Principal- Philip Dordai, AIA, LEED® AP,
Joanna Strauss, RA, PP – Project Manager,
Landscape Designer – Simon Richards,
Visualisation – Andrew Maxwell,

Consultants
Mechanical / Electrical / Plumbing / Fire Protection / Structural Engineer –
Buro Happold Consulting Engineers, PC, Andrew Coats, P.E.
Civil Engineer – Educational Consulting Services Corp. (ECS), Brian Barron
Construction Consultants Davis Langdon, Andrew Smith

H Chalet in Faqra, Lebanon by Nabil Gholam Architects

Lebanese architects Nabil Gholam blend a terrace house into the stunning landscape at Faqra

All information and images courtesy of Nabil Gholam Architects; images by Nabil Gholam Architects and ateliers U and V-Pictures; © by Nabil Gholam Architects

 

The H Chalet by Nabil Gholam

Faqra, Lebanon
2009

Tucked into the steep landscape of Faqra Club, Mount Lebanon, the H Chalet is a vacation home designed to cater for a family of four, with a slight accent to the parent’s activities. Subtle games of hiding, exposing, gazing and peeking shape the dynamics of the program. The base of the house is blended into the landscape with the use of the ancestral language of local stone terraces cascading to make use of sloping agricultural land. The local stone and rough finishes working with the simplicity and the purity of the form, relate the project to its rural vicinity, highlighted by the presence of massive limestone rocks. The side walls are almost blind to secure privacy from the neighbors; with minimal opening to access the side terraced gardens.

The house reads as 2 shifting concrete boxes placed on the landscaped terrace.
The shifting responds to the very tight building limits for the site, yet benefits from opening different angles on the breathtaking view, with a privilege for the master bedroom.
The night areas are located in the concrete boxes, whereas the living is at the lowermost level extending outside to a terrace. A pool at the edge blends the terrace through its reflection with the view beyond. Due to its glazed longitudinal walls this pool at its depth gives substantial lighting to the playroom situated in the basement, which in turn can get a playful view of the swimmers and the view at the other end.

Two circulations happen in the house: one direct and internal and the other indirect and external. The internal one is integrated in a service bar that anchors all levels. The external circulation is more of a promenade down the different levels of the terraces and gardens of the house. A third “secret” stair connects the main living area to the playroom in the basement. The dining area enjoys a double height ceiling and is connected visually to the master bedroom floor through a free shaped hole in the slab. Thick walls, deep openings with low-E glazing and green roofs work to stabilize the temperature inside and absorb the climate extremes, leading to an improved quality of life paired with a reduction in energy consumption. Sustainability is enhanced further through the use of the local excavated stone on site for the finishes of the terraces and the base of the house, and through collecting the snow water that is filtered to be used domestically as well as for irrigation.

Area: 415.5m² (net), 973.8m² (gross)

Team:
Architecture: nabil gholam architects
3D Images: nabil gholam architects, ateliers U and V-Pictures

Nabil Gholam Architects

Architecture is a human endeavor.
We are a people-focused architectural and planning practice where each project is important for not what we can build but the lives that it facilitates.  Aware of our role as catalysts, our design process prioritizes the needs of the clients while integrating the broader social and environmental impact of the project today and tomorrow.  Throughout the phases of design, the firm explores the physical and intangible qualities of each location, balanced with technique, aesthetics and community, realizing distinctive and timeless environments. Optimizing living, engendering character and organizing ecological and functional efficiencies are qualities valued in our architecture and planning practice.  Throughout our past work, we have also learned that the subtle qualities of each project, sometimes physical, sometime symbolic, most often complex reflective combinations of both require what we can broadly describe as a humanistic approach.  In this way our designs offer buildings as simple and condensed distillations of the realities of the building program, site and inhabitants. Our efforts have continuously strived to improve the quality of people’s lives by being aware of how and where they live in the dimensions of time and space.

Lebanon
jisr el-wati, street 90
building 110, 2nd floor
beirut 2066 8421, lebanon
t: +961 1 423 513
f: +961 1 423 510 

 

 

Spain
paseo de las delicias 3, 3º Dcha
41001 sevilla
Spain
t:+34 95  421 33 56
f:+34 95  421 81 32

 

 

www.nabilgholam.com
info@nabilgholam.com

 

For job opportunities at nga
please send your resume to
jobs@nabilgholam.com

http://www.nabilgholam.com/

 

Museum of Islamic Art, Doha by I. M. Pei

The Museum of Islamic Art, a new cultural icon for the Gulf region

Angular structural supports of the Museum of Islamic Art complement the faceted dome above

© by Museum of Islamic Art, Doha

 

 

MIA – Qatar’s iconic landmark building designed by I.M. Pei Architect

Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect I.M. Pei, the 376,740-square-foot Museum of Islamic Art in Doha Bay houses a collection of international masterpieces in galleries encircling a soaring, five-storey-high domed atrium. The Museum, an architectural icon 60m (195ft) off Doha’s Corniche, rises from the sea and is connected to shore by two pedestrian bridges and a vehicular bridge. A C-shaped peninsula and park area on the shoreline behind the Museum offer shelter and a picturesque backdrop.
The Museum is composed of a five-storey Main Building and a two-storey Education Wing, which are connected across a central courtyard. The Main Building’s angular volumes step back progressively as they rise around a 50-m-high (164ft) central domed atrium. The dome is concealed from outside view by the walls of a central tower. A sheet of glass rises to a height of 45m (148ft) on the north side of the Museum offering views of the Gulf and West Bay area of Doha from all five floors of the atrium. Ceilings are constructed of intricate cast-in place architectural concrete coffered domes, finished with individual molds. At the top of the atrium is the circular oculus of a stainless steel dome, which captures facets of patterned light. The form of the dome changes as the structure descends, so its perimeter becomes an octagon and then a square, which in turn is transformed into four triangular column supports.

west-east section

© by  I.M. Pei Architect

Mission
The Museum of Islamic Art is dedicated to reflecting the full vitality, complexity and diversity of the arts of the Islamic world. It is a world-class collecting institution, which preserves, studies and exhibits masterpieces spanning three continents and 13 centuries. As a centre for information, research and creativity, the Museum aims to reach a wide global audience and serve as a hub for dialogue and cultural exchange.

The Museum of Islamic Art’s main building entrance façade through the palm tree alley;

© by Museum of Islamic Art

Context
The Museum of Islamic Art is the flagship project of the Qatar Museums Authority, which under the leadership of its Chairperson, H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa, is transforming the State of Qatar into a cultural capital of the Middle East. Qatar Museums Authority was created in December 2005 to combine the resources of all museums in the State of Qatar. The QMA’s vision revolves around the provision of a comprehensive umbrella under which future plans will be drawn for the development of national museums and the establishment of an effective system for collecting, protecting, preserving and interpreting historic sites, monuments and artifacts.

View of the Museum of Islamic Art from the Doha Corniche;

© by Museum of Islamic Art

The Building
The Museum of Islamic Art is the result of a journey of discovery conducted by I.M. Pei, whose quest to understand the diversity of Islamic architecture led him on a world tour. During visits to the Grand Mosque in Córdoba, Spain; Fatehpur Sikri, a Mughal capital in India; the Umayyad Great Mosque in Damascus, Syria; and the ribat fortresses at Monastir and Sousse in Tunisia, he found that influences of climate and culture led to many interpretations of Islamic architecture, but none evoked the true essence he sought.

The Museum of Islamic Art appears to float above the waters of the Arabian Gulf;

© by Museum of Islamic Art

Mr. Pei’s final design inspiration was the 13th-century sabil (ablutions fountain) of the Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Tulun in Cairo, Egypt (9th century). In the “austerity and simplicity” of the sabil, Mr. Pei stated, he found “a severe architecture that comes to life in the sun, with its shadows and shades of colour” The sabil offered “an almost Cubist expression of geometric progression”which evoked an abstract vision of the key design elements of Islamic architecture.

The desert light plays with the geometry of the Museum of Islamic Art;

© by Museum of Islamic Art

Declining to build the structure on any of the proposed sites along the Corniche, Mr. Pei suggested a stand-alone island be created to ensure future buildings would never encroach on the Museum. The building stands in the sea some 195 feet off Doha’s Corniche. A park of approximately 64 acres of dunes and oases on the shoreline behind the Museum offers shelter and a picturesque backdrop.

siteplan

© by I.M. Pei Architect

Built of fine materials, such as cream-coloured Magny and Chamesson limestone from France, Jet Mist granite from the United States and stainless steel from Germany, as well as architectural concrete from Qatar, the Museum is composed of a five-storey main building and a two-storey Education Wing, which are connected across a central courtyard. The main building’s angular volumes step back progressively as they rise around a 164-foot-high domed atrium, which is concealed from outside view by the walls of a central tower. At the top of the atrium, an oculus captures and reflects patterned light within the faceted dome. The desert sun plays a fundamental role, transforming the architecture into a play of light and shadows.

Museum of Islamic Art, reflected in the waters of the Arabian Gulf;

© by Museum of Islamic Art

 

The faceted dome of the Museum of Islamic Art features an oculus that captures and reflects sunlight;

© by Museum of Islamic Art

A glass curtain wall on the north side of the Museum offers panoramic views of the Gulf and West Bay area of Doha from all five floors of the atrium. Ceilings are embellished with intricate coffered domes, and perforated metal chandeliers hang in the atrium. Two more lanterns, each 100 feet tall, mark the boat dock on the west side of the Museum, creating a grand entrance for guests arriving by boat.

The Museum of Islamic Art features a 5-storey window that offers views of the Gulf and the West Bay of Doha;

© by Museum of Islamic Art

 

The fountain café on the ground floor of the Museum of Islamic Art;

© by Museum of Islamic Art

The galleries, designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte from Paris, France feature dark grey porphyry stone and Louro Faya, a Brazilian lacewood that was brushed and treated to create a metallic appearance, which contrast with the light-coloured stonework of the rest of the Museum. To protect the fragile antiquities on display, the exhibition rooms feature specially designed cases and lighting. Mr. Wilmotte also created custom furniture for the museum, inspired by Pei’s architectural style.

Gallery view of the Egypt and Syria (12th-13th Century) section of the Museum of Islamic Art’s permanent collection;
Photo by Lois Lammerhuber,

© by Lois Lammerhuber

View of the manuscripts/rare books reading room located in the Education Wing library;

© by Museum of Islamic Art

The Museum’s education programs are housed in a 29,000-square-foot wing, located to the east of the main building across a fountain courtyard. The Education Wing, scheduled to open late 2009, includes a light-filled reading room in the Museum library, classrooms, workshops, study spaces, and technical and storage facilities. Among the latter is the conservation laboratory, an important new resource for the entire region. Underscoring the central role of education in the Museum of Islamic Art, the Education Wing will host educational and community activities to develop and foster an understanding and appreciation for Islamic art.

Interior of the Education Wing library designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte & Associés;

© by Museum of Islamic Art

 

 

Striking geometry of the Museum of Islamic Art viewed from the southwest;

© by Museum of Islamic Art

 

Museum of Islamic Art is located on its own island off the Doha Corniche;
© by Museum of Islamic Art

 

The Museum of Islamic Art against the Doha skyline;
© by Museum of Islamic Art

 

Museum of Islamic Art situated 60m off the Doha Corniche on an island made of reclaimed land;
© by Museum of Islamic Art

 

The grand staircase at the Museum of Islamic Art, as seen from the main entrance;
© by Museum of Islamic Art

 

The grand spiral staircase at the centre of the atrium of the Museum of Islamic Art is offset from the patterned chandelier
© by Museum of Islamic Art

MIA first floor plan © by I.M. Pei Architect

 

MIA second floor plan © by I.M. Pei Architect

MIA third floor plan © by I.M. Pei Architect

MIA fourth floor plan © by I.M. Pei Architect

 

MIA fifth floor plan © by I.M. Pei Architect

 

MIA north-south section © by I.M. Pei Architect

 

Facilities
Two floors of permanent exhibition galleries
One main temporary gallery
Two outdoor courtyards flank the vast atrium area
A 197-seat auditorium
Prayer halls for men and women
A gift and bookshop
A world-class conservation lab and object storage
A library and closed rare-books study section
Classrooms and offices

Dimensions
Total building 35,500sq m (382,118sq ft)

Total gallery space 4,225sq m (45,477sq ft)

Permanent gallery space 3,100sq m (33,368sq ft)

Temporary gallery space 750sq m (8,073sq ft)

Study galleries 375sq m (4,036sq ft)

Education Wing 2,700sq m (29,062sq ft)

Library 820sq m (8,826sq ft)

Conservation lab 400sq m (4,305sq ft)

Collection storage 1,800sq m (19,375sq ft)

Auditorium (197 seats) 430sq m (4,628sq ft)

Restaurant 380sq m (4,090sq ft)

Gift shop 300sq m (3,229sq ft)

Highest point (inside) 50m (164ft)

Highest point (outside) 63m (207ft)

North facing glazed glass 45m (148ft)

Chandelier (main lobby) 12m diameter (39ft)

Light pillars at the boat dock 30m high each (98ft)

Museum Park (inc. peninsula) 26 hectares (64.2 acres)

Ceremonial entrance & bridge 280m (918ft)

Design Team
Architect: I. M. Pei Architect (New York)
I.M. Pei
Perry Y. Chin, Project Manager
Hiroshi Okamoto, Design, Site Representative
TohTsun Lim, Design / Job Captain, Site Representative
Fatma Aslihan Demirtas, Lead Design
Deborah Ann Campbell, Job Captain
Haruko Fukui, Design
Rayme Kuniyuki, Technical Design
Stephen A. Hopkins, Technical
Aki Ishida, Technical
Chris Rand, Design
Yi Chi Su, Technical
Michael Visscihelli, Technical Advisor
Andy Mei, Technical

Gallery Design
Jean-Michel Wilmotte (Paris)
Jean-Michel Wilmotte
Emmanuel Brelot, Project Manager
Fabian Servagnat, Job Captain and Site Representative
Xavier Turk, Design and Site Representative
Designers Barbara Clout, Abir Fawaz, Hoon Moreau, Emilie Oliverio, Jean-Luc Perrin, Michael Placidi, Moochul Shin

Consultants
Structural Engineer: Leslie E. Robertson Associates, NY
Mechanical Engineer: Jaros Baum & Bolles, NY
Lighting Designer Fisher Marantz Stone, NY
Local Associate: Qatar Engineer & Associates, Doha
Acoustics: Xu Acoustique, Paris
AudioVisual: Shen Milsom Wilke, NY
Fountain: Fountain People, Texas/HOBBS Architectural Fountains, Georgia
Marine Engineering: COWI A/S, Denmark
Fire Protection/ Life Safety: Rolf Jensen & Associates, NY
Gallery Lighting: Isometrix, London
Signage: ENT Design, Paris
Audio Visual / IT Design: Soheil Ghodsy, Paris
Security Design: Quadrant Security Group, London
Kitchen Design: Plan Consultant, Paris
Conservation: Plowden & Smith, London
Quantity Surveyor and Manager: Sterling Quest Associates, Paris

Publications
Museum of Islamic Art by Philip Jodidio, Prestel 2008 Museum Guide
Other books include: From Cordoba to Samarqand
Metalwork Treasures from the Islamic Court
Jeweled Treasures from the Mughal Courts
Iznik Pottery for the Ottoman Empire
Mamluk Enameled and Gilded Glass
Ivory
Silk
A Written Cosmos

Sponsors
Exclusive QMA Media Partner: Al Jazeera Network Strategic Financial Partner: Qatar Financial Center (QFC) Exclusive Communications Partner: Qatar Telecom (Qtel)

Audio Guide
A multimedia tour produced by Antenna is available in English and Arabic

Visitor Information
The Museum of Islamic Art Al Corniche Doha, Qatar Telephone: +974 422 4444 Website: http://www.mia.org.qa
Hours
The Museum of Islamic Art is open Saturday through Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Museum is closed on Tuesdays, December 25 and the first day of Eid.
Admission
There is no charge for admission to the Museum, or to the first Temporary Exhibition. A charge will be made

Torre Alger XXI by Saraiva+Associados

Office tower concept by Portuguese architects Saraiva+Associados

All images and information courtesy of Saraiva+Associados ; images © by 3D Helps + Saraiva+Associados

Portuguese architects Saraiva+Associados design the Torre Alger XXI – an office tower in Algiers

Saraiva + Associados have sent us images of their design of an iconic office tower in Algiers that creates a “positive rupture” with its differentiated and striking image.

Alger XXI Tower

The Alger XXI Tower is constituted by 17 floors (R+16) for office use, has a commercial area at the ground level and also 2 floors for parking in basement.
With a construction area of 8.366 square meters, 7.241 are reserved to the implementation of offices, 145 for commerce and 980 for parking.

Its privileged location in the city of Algiers, allows endowing this structure with a great visibility of the city, which, for this type of use, is extremely important, being able to come to consist in a referential of identity for the place and the region.

Wanting to be a new icon, the building presents an enormous flexibility in its use, enough to be able to adapt to the future users requirements and necessities. This situation endows the tower with a new occupation philosophy, presents an intelligent modulation of its diverse components, not forgetting about the comfort and using technologies that protect the environment, as well as the easiness of exploration and maintenance.

The tower presents an intelligent building concept, not for the existence of expensive technological artifacts, but for its correct adequacy to the environment conditions, and adaptability to programmatically and technological requests of the market, in the future.

Its differentiated and striking image intends to create a positive rupture with its involving one, transmitting to the object distinctness, a singular identity.

Date: June de 2009
Status: Preliminary Study
Promoter: Media Discs Industries
Architecture: Saraiva + Associados
Total area: 8.366 sqm
Offices area: 7.241 sqm
Commercial Area: 145 sqm
Parking area: 980 sqm
Floors above the ground: 17
Floors underground: 2
Credits: 3D Helps+
Saraiva+Associados