The Azerbaijan Pavilion for Expo 2015 has three big spheres guarded by wavy wooden walls: they are metaphors of biospheres and wind. The three large balls are environmentally sustainable and they represent the union between architecture, interactivity, art and technology signed by Simmetrico Italian team. The Pavilion, named "Azerbaijan, treasure of biodiversity", was presented in Milan by Anar Alakbarov, leader of Azerbaijan delegation to Expo and director of Heydar Aliyev Center, Stefano Acbano, manager of Europa, Americhe, Relazioni Bie, and Relations of the Division participating in World Expo 2015, and Daniel Zambelli, leader of the network of designers and creatives. The structure was designed to give special attention to the environment and the natural heritage of Azerbaijan, which is considered one of the 25 major biodiversity hub in the world. The building was built according to the criteria of optimization of bio-architectural quality, using technologies and energy-efficient and 100% recyclable materials. For example the louver – the "skin" of the wavy wooden slats of the pavilion – protects the microclimate of the structure, by lowering energy consumption. All materials and spaces are designed to make it functional and adaptable over time. At the end of the Expo, the Pavilion will be dismantled and moved to Baku, where it will become the centre dedicated to biodiversity of Azerbaijan. While making the tour in Azerbaijan Pavilion, visitors will be accompanied from interactive multimedia installations and from videos designed to discover the identity and spirit of the country. The Azerbaijan Pavilion consists of three glass biospheres with double curve which represent the protection given to life, development and protection of diversity. The wooden skin, on the longer sides of the Pavilion, represents the wind which wraps around the country and cultural streams that cross it. In the first biosphere the visitor can discover Azerbaijan, its history and traditions, and he can see the most significant historical and natural views of the country, thanks to a video installation. The second biosphere is dedicated to biodiversity. Here the visitor can find an installation reproducing a huge pomegranate fruit tree, symbol of the nation and its richness in terms of natural and anthropological variety. In the third the biosphere the visitor can see an inverted tree, whose function is to translate the metaphor of the relationship between innovation and tradition in Azerbaijan, a summary of the roots which feed the future and move from the treasures to the works of craft and culture. The lower part of the tree encloses the visitor in foliage and in the spirit of renewal that is shown by three big screens through which you can "explore" Baku, capital of Azerbaijan and symbol of new emerging countries. Anar Alakbarov said that the privilege of Azerbaijan is to be, for centuries, a geographical and symbolic meeting point between East and West. The country is also a marvelous biodiversity "hotspots" and it offers an unexpected wealth of landscapes, flora and fauna. The country is also a historical and cultural crossroads where peoples and religions have left a deep and living testimony of their presence. Awareness of Azerbaijan came from here and raised, and now it is able to consolidate one of the most rapid economic developments in the world: large investments in innovation and infrastructure and an attention to international relations, as the strategic, commercial and cultural partnership with Italy evidence. Azerbaijan participates in the protection of works of the Italian cultural heritage. Azerbaijan is taking part in Expo for the first time with a Self-Built Pavilion: it will be one of the most interesting attractions, thanks to its technical and architectural complexity. The project is focused on biodiversity, respect of the environment and intelligent use of resources. These are the topics that will be covered for Expo 2015 during the six months of exposure and that will let Azerbaijan offer a valid contribution to the global debate on the future of food.

Marco Mignatti 

10 January 2019

Italcementi Group alongside Mario Cucinella will be technical partner to build a 100 sqm house with just 100,000 euro, by using the finest materials and the most advanced eco-sustainable techniques. The new building, designed by the architect from Bologna as a sustainable architecture, evidence that Italcementi Group keeps caring about research and innovation. The Centre's technical research and Innovation Group is working in close collaboration with the Studio Cucinella to develop building materials, techniques for thermal and acoustic insulation and industrialization processes for reducing the costs of construction of the eco-home. The non-standardized prefabrication, with light structural elements and mobile equipment, makes it possible to diversify the look both outside and inside.

Carlo Bardelli

18 February 2019

Facades enhance up to become urban decoration projects. And now it is becoming a trend in the City, no more just a technical requirement. It concerns not only on public buildings that are renewed, starting from the exterior, but also on private homes buying charm with luxury finishes.

The British Squire& Partners architectural studio has restructured a three-levels private house, Mayfair House, in Mayfair Conservation Area, in Westminster, just starting from the exterior. This is a shining example of architectural decoration.

Taking inspiration from the urban development of the area and, in particular by a 1800s’ building whose facades are covered with leaves and vines, the architects have clad the exterior and the roof of the house with over 4,000 leaf shape metal elements: each leaf has been folded and aluminum ppc coated. These metallic elements were produced in different colours, ranging from red to orange, to make the project recall the vegetation that characterizes the English homes, which changes color with the changing of the seasons.

The impact project is the result of a research project lasted three years and developed in partnership with the Swiss manufacturer Tuchschmid.   www.squireandpartners.com

Edoardo Croci

25 November 2018

Renzo Piano has recently presented his new skyscraper project: 224 metres high, it will be built in London. The Italian architect’s project is one of the more-than-260 skyscrapers under construction or designed in the British city, reflecting a strong trend. Such high and impressive buildings are aimed to redevelop modern metropolitan areas.

The Sharp, an other skyscraper designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 2012, has enhanced London Bridge, one of the most fashionable areas. Now Paddington Tower, the new architecture, aims to redevelop the neighborhood from which it takes its name.

The Paddington Tower will be a glass skyscraper, with 65 floors and about 200 apartments as well as offices, shops, bars and restaurants. The goal is to finish the work by 2020, two years after the opening of the new Paddington railway station.

The architecture will be fully glazed to reflect the lights of the city, and it will have an important detail: a garden suspended over the city, so everyone will be able to enjoy it.

Vertical growth of London is in the spotlight now. The British city was known as the 'lower town', with few skyscrapers as a symbol of modernity and innovation. Now the city is different: this upward development, according to many, seems to be the only way to solve the problem of housing crisis and city density. Although the homes in these new skyscrapers will be expensive, the modern architectures are more and more recognizable. New urban landmarks are born, as modern aggregator centres for urban areas, less crowded ones too.

Edoardo Croci

15 November 2018

Pottery, Corian, Cristalplant or Cristalite: which one is the best one? Barbara del Curto gives an answer in an interview with designrepubblica.it. Choosing between ceramic and new materials is difficult. She explains: "They are both versatile, suitable for kitchen, bathroom and furnishings". And you can find unexpected innovation: "Pottery has a long history, but today with the help of technology it can be worked into an infinite number of textures, colors and thicknesses. It can also be combined with other materials and find application in public works, walls etc.". But what is the difference between them? They are all resistant to heat, scratches, shocks, stains. And they are inert, hygienic, easy to clean and maintain. "But the new materials have some advantages: they are less cold to the touch, they are made with thermoformable moulds, so they are more easily mouldable and they are resettable: if it becomes dirty, using sandpaper is enough. And if the top is broken, it can be repaired invisibly".

Marco Mignatti

The Metaphone® is the contemporary keystone of the whole project, embodying the site’s new musical and acoustic role. An architecture of materials, sound and light, it is the emblematic space of 9 – 9bis: a building to be looked at and listened to, an immense instrument played by musicians who are alternately invisible or in the limelight. The musical flow of the site strikes its walls and makes them sing. And like music, it evolves in time, in the passing of time: it is transformed into harmonies of sound and colour, fluid, fleeting, but constantly renewed, which will become the spirit of the place.

The Metaphone® is both concert hall and “urban musical instrument”, whose walls produce and diffuse sounds, in harmony with the play of light. The concert hall and its annexes (technical rooms and audience boxes) are contained within a volume of black concrete, itself wrapped in a light skin made of scales of different materials: ground glass, steel, wood... This scaly skin extends outwards and opens above the concourse, forming a great porch protecting the entrance and terrace. Between the concrete mass and the scaly skin, attached to a metallic structure, technical walkways are provided for installing and maintaining the sound and lighting equipment. On the roof, the lattice of scales extends into a sheet of integrated photovoltaic cells. The instrumental elements are made up of plates of different materials, whose acoustic properties have been calculated to produce musical sound. There are two principles of sound production: mechanical or electroacoustic, with vibrating bowls mounted on the plates to form loudspeaker membranes (this technique is commonly used in the car industry). These systems have been developed and tested by making a prototype of the musical facade, composed of 8 modules measuring 1.2 m, half fitted with an acoustic instrument, the other half with vibrating plates.

What can be composed with such an instrument? Obviously, it is not a tool for producing special effects. On the contrary, the aim is to give a totally and resolutely musical shape to a concert hall built on a site dedicated to music. Undoubtably unique. The principles of composition include factors relating to architectural space, materials and light. Factors relating to environment and use, to maintenance and cost... One can only imagine the variety of timbres that can be produced. In addition, the dimensions of the hall offer a playing area great enough for an orchestra bigger than Berlioz himself could ever have dreamed of. It is an exceptional space which will make it possible to invent musical forms commensurate with the architecture. Composers from all over the world will be invited to create works for this auditorium. This is how the originality and power of the project will be maintained.

For the public, the Metaphone® is likely to be a “curiosity”. People will come to Oignies to see and hear it. It will serve as a secular bell, marking the hours, midday or sunset. It will signal the beginning of a concert or the interval, produce a peripheral sound space, discreet so as not to inconvenience the neighbours … It could also be used as an instrument in an orchestral composition, with the musicians playing beneath the porch.

(Fabiana Cambiaso, Università La Sapienza) Credits: www.herault-arnod.fr Figures: © André Morin; © Marie Clérin   Concert Hall, Oignies (Pas-de-Calais), France Hérault Arnod Architectes Site: 1 980 m² Completed: 2013 Materials: Frosted Glass, Wood, Corten Steel Applications: Envelope  

08 January 2019

An outer shell to protect the precious contents within: that's the goal of the façade of the Library at the Folkwang University in Essen, Academy of music and art in the region of Rhine North-Westphalia. A particular crystal structure features one side of the building. The exterior consists of glass panels with an impressive optical effect: thanks to the use of a special photographic technique applied to glass, viewers live in the illusion of being in front of a stone material. These images depict the rough stone in its original size. In this way you can see the shadows of those beyond the façade and natural light is filtered inside the library. At night, the building also illuminates the outer space. The façade is attached to the bearing structure of reinforced concrete building with a vertical system. The concrete pillars were sized and positioned according to the proportions of internal racks, where library’s volumes are housed. The cherry wood used for shelves and furniture was used for the coating of the pillars also, but not everyone is designed as carriers: inside the cavity of some, there are the piping of air-conditioning systems. The building was designed by architect Max Dudler, in collaboration with photographer Stefan Müller. The Folkwang University is a charming building, housed inside the old Benedictine monastery of St. Ludgerus.   www.maxdudler.com

Edoardo Croci

25 March 2019

The San Francisco Federal Building offers a contemporary response to its context, but more importantly it establishes a benchmark for sustainable design in its use of natural energy sources. The building physically democratizes the workplace as it enhances health and comfort and empowers its users with a sense of control over their surroundings. The project has developed around three primary objectives: the establishment of a benchmark for sustainable building design through the efficient use of natural energy sources; the redefinition of the culture of the workplace through office environments that boost workers’ health, productivity, and creativity; and the creation of an urban landmark that engages with the community. A slender 18–story tower punctuates the skyline, and a public plaza and four–story annex connect to the scale and fabric of the city. The large, open plaza at the intersection of Mission and 7th is a valuable asset in the South-of-Market district, identified by the city as deficient in public space. The placement of the free standing cafeteria pavilion and the public nature of the facilities housed within the tower’s lower levels (including a conference center, fitness center, and daycare center for both local residents and employees) enliven the urban plaza with a steady stream of visitors. The re–definition of circulation and vertical movement paths provides opportunities for chance encounters, a critical mass in circulation, and places for employees to gather across the typical confines of cubicles, departments, or floor plates. The democratic layout locates open work areas at the building perimeter and private offices and conference spaces at the central cores. Many of the same design decisions that create high quality workspace also maximize energy efficiency. The Federal Building is the first office tower in the U.S. to forgo air-conditioning in favor of natural ventilation. As a result of the tower’s narrow profile and strategic integration of structural, mechanical and electrical systems, the building provides natural ventilation to 70% of the work area in lieu of air conditioning, and affords natural light and operable windows to 90% of the workstations. A folded, perforated metal sunscreen shades the full-height glass window wall system and a mutable skin of computer–controlled panels adjusts to daily and seasonal climate fluctuations. With an energy performance that surpasses the GSA’s criteria by more than 50%, the project sets new standards for applications of passive climate control, while physically democratizing the workplace and enhancing employees’ health, comfort, and sense of control over their environment. A dramatic example of sustainable design principles, the San Francisco Federal Building’s shape and orientation maximize natural airflow for cooling and ventilation, and take advantage of natural daylight for the majority of the office interior. The first five levels, with high concentrations of people and equipment, are fully air-conditioned. Above the fifth floor, the windows automatically adjust, allowing fresh air directly into the building for natural ventilation and free cooling. The window system creates a “living skin” that allows the building to breathe. Breezes pass through openings on the windward side and are vented out through the leeward wall, with control based on wind speed and direction. A computerized system, known as the building automation system (BAS), controls and monitors all of the building’s mechanical equipment including those devices that are used to maintain internal environmental conditions and lighting levels.  During the night, the BAS opens the windows to flush out heat build-up and allows the nighttime air to cool the building's concrete interior. Throughout the day the thermal mass of the exposed concrete columns, shear walls and wave-form ceilings help cool the occupants of the building. In the tower, the design of the high-performance façades is critical to the functioning of the natural ventilation. At the southeast elevation, a perforated metal sunscreen protects the glass façade from excess solar heat gain; at the northwest elevation, a series of fixed translucent sunshades are attached to an exterior catwalk, breaking the sun’s path to shade the glass. Through simple sensors, the building's automated systems manage the balance between powered and natural daylight. The building minimizes pollution by replacing high proportions of Portland cement in its concrete foundations and frame.  In the Federal Building’s concrete mixture, 50% of the pollution-intensive Portland cement is replaced with blast furnace slag, a recycled waste product from the steel industry, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from conventional concrete. This environmentally sound choice also results in higher-strength concrete and has a warm, light-colored tone that contributes to the favorable daylight penetration within the office space.  The project recycled 87 percent of its waste material. (Fabiana Cambiaso - Università La Sapienza) Credits: www.morphosis.com morphopedia.com/projects/san-francisco-federal-building   Federal Building – Morphosis Team Completed: 2007 Site: San Francisco, California (USA) Materials: Concrete, Metallic Grid, Translucent Glass Applications: Structure, Envelope Photos: © 2013 Morphosis Architects; © Frankie Flood.

Marco Mignatti