Sauflon Centre of Innovation

The ethereal centre of innovation project, unveiled in Hungary, stands for the mutual inspiration of science, technology and art. A twenty four meter passage surrounded by the reflections of reflections. Foldes Architects involved a glass sculptor to compose the illusion effects engaging the visual notion of all visitors.

 

Despite the economic challenges of the last years, the contact lens industry remained remarkably prosperous. A leading producer of contact lens and aftercare solutions, Sauflon, decided to establish a part of their lens production in Hungary. A decision, which was followed by the foundation of a subsidiary company in 2005. The opening of the Hungarian production facility ensured a 35% yearly growth, therefore in March 2012 the British parent company decided to create a centre of innovation in Hungary to present the latest technologies in the form of a first class business and clinical training series of inspiring spaces. Five local architectural studios had been invited to tender for the project, which was eventually won by the renowned Foldes Architects.

Laszlo Foldes, chief designer of Foldes Architects, explained the concept that lay behind his company’s presentation.

‘The task was to create an iconic yet functional centre of innovation which mainly serves as the showcase for the high-tech, innovative production methods used in the manufacturing of the latest generation, high-quality contact lens products of Sauflon. 700 people in 4 shifts work daily at the factory which shares the space with the centre of innovation. Though lens production can’t be compared to average factory operation it still meant the industrial to us. It challenged our minds how to couple it to a pure, event and conference oriented, guest welcoming, elegant space. The concept derived from the definition of lens, the means of vision, and also we took inspiration from the high-technology of the lens industry, therefore clean, intelligent, integrated solutions as well as playful reflections, gloss surfaces and transparency played great importance during the design. This concept is supported by the resin flooring, the glass bridges, the opened-up volume and the tremendous flow of light streaming through the glass façade and the glass roof.’ He said.

Some 20 kilometres South of the capital, Budapest, in the heart of a modern industrial park, among bunches of metal masts, this hidden beauty is waiting for visitors from other lands. The physical production process is settled in the same building, only a door divides it from the centre of innovation space. To the façade a huge glass surface is used to maximize the amount of light flowing in. After entering, the 10 meter high volume remains open and a 24 meter-long passage welcomes visitors with a sloped glass surface at the end which tricks the vision. On the right hand side the core functions are located: first a lounge with a 24m2 glass wall presenting the visual ID of the company, then a cloakroom hidden by ‘floating’ glass doors and finally the rebel pink glass covered cafe including kitchen and the mechanical room behind. Above, a wooden box is cantilevered, a house within the house, which serves as an auditorium with 32 seats and an integrated interpreter-cabin for conferences. The box can be entered from the upstairs guest area, through two green glass bridges. The next bridge gives access to the fitting room where clinical training is delivered and the newest lenses can be experienced. A 12 seat meeting room can be reached through the same bridge. On the ground floor a white door opens up the secret of the Sauflon Centre of Innovation – visitors can enter the production area here which provides a unique opportunity to gain an insight into the technologies used by one of the most pioneering companies in optics. An iconic text welcomes their arrival: ‘Innovation is at the heart of everything we do.’

Collaborating glass sculptor, Andras Bojti remarked: ‘Our aim was to create and present all details in relation with each other, which resulted in a special experience for visitors, they sense the unity of the layers and surfaces based on these relationships, while moving around the centre. Thanks to the shared work with Laszlo Foldes and his team the result challenges the visitors in all possible ways: visually, spiritually and intellectually. This is an emblematic project that stands for the shared thinking process of a sensitive architect and an independent artist, also of the collaborative work model, and the implementation of a sculptor’s vision into a physical space. The therapeutic effect is the core of this project; the creation of an atmosphere to influence people enjoying exceptional experiences.’

Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Hungarian origin artist of the 20th century drew the attention of the public to the importance and meanings of vision through his art works, theories and books, among which the Vision in Motion, speaking about the ‘man’s fundamental qualities, of his intellectual and emotional requirements, of his psychological well-being and his physical health.’ All of these facets of the human experience were used in this exciting new project.

Project name: Sauflon Centre of Innovation
Location: Gyal, Pest County, Hungary
Program: Innovation Centre attached to Sauflon contact lens factory
Type: competition commission
Area/Size: 730 m2
Year: Design: 2013 • Completion: Nov 2013
Cost: 850.000 EUR
Client: Sauflon CL Kft.
Project by: Foldes Architects (http://www.foldesarchitects.hu/)
Principal Designer: Laszlo Foldes
Project Design Team: Johanna Csuri, Tamas Holics
Co-designer glass sculptor: Andras Bojti

Images: Tamas Bujnovszky
Text: Viktoria Szepvolgyi

Taken from: http://www.e-architect.co.uk/hungary/sauflon-centre-of-innovation

RISING TO THE TOP

Gehry designing the tallest tower in Berlin.

 

Gehry Partners has won a competition to design Berlin’s tallest building and first new residential skyscraper in over forty years. The Die Mitte tower is being developed by Houston, Texas–based international real estate firm Hines, and will go up next to the company’s Die Mitte retail building in Alexanderplatz square. The 500,000-square-foot building will be 492 feet tall and contain 300 apartments and a hotel.

Gehry’s cream-colored design, clad in stone, features a spiraling tower in three segments. The lowest portion of the building is articulated as a cluster of smaller towers, while the central portion of the building rises as a more subtly undulating single volume. The third tier of the skyscraper again splits into apparently separate blocks, rotated against and seeming about to lift off of the central section.

The tower is Gehry Partners’ third collaboration with Hines. The firm designed the Hines-owned DZ Bank, also in Berlin, as well as the New World Center in Miami Beach, Florida.

Gehry Partners beat out nine other firms, including Adjaye Associates and Architectonica, for the commission. “In order to transform the square we want to take a chance on something new and exceptional,” said Christoph Reschke, co-managing director of Hines Immobilien GmbH.

Not everyone in Berlin is thrilled with the competition’s outcome. At least two of the German firms submitting designs have questioned whether the jury placed too much faith in the so-called “Bilbao effect,” the power of a Gehry building to spur revitalization. In an interview with The Guardian, competition participant Hans Kollhoff criticized the Gehry design as lacking relevance to everyday life in Berlin. Kollhoff has a long history with the Alexanderplatz site, as the author of a 1993 plan to place ten towers around the square.

Anna Bergren Miller

Taken from: http://www.archpaper.com/news/articles.asp?id=7143

Revolutionary building material developed at Materials & Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University

Liquid Granite is not only capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 1100 degrees Celsius, but it also maintains its heat adversity for longer and won’t explode at extreme temperatures like traditional concrete.

What’s more, the bulk of it is made from recycled materials and it contains less than one third of the cement used in precast concrete, reducing its carbon footprint and making it a greener alternative to current materials.

Made up of between 30 and 70 per cent recycled industrial base product, Liquid Granite can be poured much in the same way as regular concrete, making it ideal for fireproofing hard to reach areas such as the gaps between electrical conduits and ventilation ducts, where traditional fire-resistant materials can be awkward to use.

Professor Pal Mangat, director of CIM, helped to develop Liquid Granite. ‘Liquid Granite is a very versatile material that can be used in a similar way to concrete,’ he said.

‘The fact it has a high level of fire resistance means that it can be used in areas where fire safety is crucial, such as around power stations, and in domestic and commercial buildings can offer added time for evacuation in case of an emergency.

‘The product replaces most of the cement in standard concrete with a secret formula of products to change the basic properties of the material. I believe it has great potential for the future.’

The product has now been licensed to, and is being marketed by, RoystonbasedLiquid Granite Ltd, a joint venture set up by Total Firestopping Solutions Ltd and North Barnsley Partnership Ltd.

Bob Richards from Liquid Granite said, ‘There has already been a great deal of interest from the building industry about this product, and it has been supplied onto projects such as the Olympic Village and Stratford Shopping Centre in London in the form of fire rated lintels manufactured by King Stone Products.

‘It will really make a difference to the safety of our buildings and could potentially save lives.’

Taken from: https://www.shu.ac.uk/research/meri/news/revolutionary-new-building-material-developed-meri

We need a Jamie Oliver of architecture to save us from uninspiring design says Living Architecture founder Alain de Botton

 

We get what we deserve when it comes to the uninspiring buildings devoid of design in which many of us live and work, according to a panel  member of the first government-commissioned review into architecture in more than a decade.

And Britain urgently needs a Jamie Oliver figure to do for buildings what the famous chef did for school dinners, says Alain de Botton, one of 11 experts on the Farrell Review commissioned by culture minister Ed Vaizey earlier this year.

“We need a Jamie Oliver of architecture because architecture is now where food was 20 years ago: in desperate need of improvement, which will happen when people grow fussier about being served substandard stuff,” said Mr de Botton.

It is the fault of the public’s “indifference to good design”, rather than “corporate greed” of building companies, argues Mr de Botton, founder of Living Architecture and honorary fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba).

“They merely want to make money and they have zero confidence (rightly) that we would follow them in the venture of delivering quality at the necessary price.”

He added: “We need a public that will be appalled by tiny rooms, lack of storage space, tiny windows, poor insulation: and will do what they need to do when faced with it: refuse to buy.”

Victoria Thornton OBE, another member of the review panel, commented: “Recognising that architecture and urban design have an impact on our daily lives is the key to any change and this can only fundamentally happen if it is accepted as integral part of our education system – from schools through to public participation in the debate of our neighbourhoods and surroundings.”

The need for celebrity ‘champions’ of architecture will be a key recommendation of the review being led by Sir Terry Farrell, one of Britain’s most respected architects. His work includes the MI6 building in Vauxhall and the 441 metre high KK100 Tower in Shenzen, China – the tallest building ever designed by a British architect.

Sir Terry’s report, which will be given to ministers early next year, will also call for radical reform of the training required to become an architect. The cost of joining the profession is close to £100,000 and he recently commented: “It is the most expensive course to take and its relationship to income is the poorest equation of any profession. Something has to give…My biggest worry is that, unless we do something, the profession will become increasingly elitist.”

The government needs to be “much more involved in proactive planning…not top-down state planning; it has to be bottom-up.”

And the focus should be on improving on what we already have, according to Sir Terry. “If you look at how few new buildings we are constructing, you are not going to make a huge difference by changing the new stock. We need a new approach to town planning and how we manage and look after our cities.”

He warned he will not allow his review of architecture and the built environment to be used for political ends. “If they are messing around because it is election year, and are going to be cautious about what they say, I will speak out.” And the architect added: “I’m glad this is an independent review. I am not a party political person…it is my review, not theirs.”

Taken from: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/architecture/we-need-a-jamie-oliver-of-architecture-to-save-us-from-uninspiring-design-says-living-architecture-founder-alain-de-botton-9022994.html

‘The world’s first supertall tower for which energy is the primary design driver’

 

Renderings have been released of the latest scheme in Jakarta by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): the Pertamina Energy Tower and associated energy campus. The project was celebrated with a groundbreaking ceremony this week as construction work began on the consolidated headquarters for state-owned energy company Pertamina. Construction is due to complete in 2020.

Anchoring the project will be a 500m-high office tower for 20,000 employees which SOM describe as ‘the world’s first supertall tower for which energy is the primary design driver’. The 99-storey structure is located at the centre of the campus, its slim silhouette tapering as it rises to a ‘wind funnel’ at the top which will harness the prevailing winds to generate energy for use within the offices.

The curved façade of the Pertamina Energy Tower has been devised in relation to Jakarta’s proximity to the equator for maximum solar heat gain across all four seasons. Sun shades also play a strong role in the design, reducing dependency on artificial lighting.

SOM Director Scott Duncan, AIA furthers: “Pertamina Energy Tower’s iconic presence will stand as a model of sustainability and efficiency, as well as collaborative workplace design. The headquarters’ performance-driven design supports and reflects the ambition of Pertamina’s mission and forges an innovative model of green development in Jakarta.”

Surrounding this soaring office tower will be a number of public amenities as SOM envisions a ‘city within a city’ for Pertamina. These elements include a performing arts and exhibition pavilion with 2,000-seat auditorium, a public mosque, a sport fieldhouse and a parade ground. Landscaped pathways and a covered walkway known as the ‘Energy Ribbon’ are planned to stitch these facilities together.

Taken from: http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=23670

Don’t panic if you are forced to change specified products on your specification once your project reach site

Changing a Specification

One thing that we get asked to do a lot is to change a specification. This normally follows the same kind of story – the Architect has specified lets say a brick type that he wants to help create the design that he has been tasked to acheive, the project has progressed and has been picked up by the chosen contractor, and now costs are being looked at in fine detail and one of the first things that they look at is the external facade, can we change the brick for a cheaper one?

Now, if the architects had worked with Vitruvian from day one we would have ensured that only a brick type that was clearly justified for the design or that specically fitted the designated PC sum was specified, however, even then cost savings can often be sought at a the contractor ordering stage.

In such circumstances our task is to ensure that the Architects design vision is adhered to whilst searching for possible alternative brick (or other material) products that could be substituted. We also have to balance this with what planning will allow and the any other construction issues, including the Carbon Footprint of delivery (ideally a local brickworks for example should be used in order to reduce transportation to site, etc). A whole host of factors.

In many cases we can find a cheaper alternative to change the specification to. Balancing the Architects design with the desired cost and target cost savings. Often we can leverage a project at this stage to ensure that the cost of any specified materials is minimised by the manufacturer, under the threat of losing the specification.

Either-way, as an Architect it can often feel that you design is under threat when you are being asked to change product specifications to cheaper materials at this stage. We ask that you speak to us as soon as possible on any project and at least when this issue has arose, we can help, and can often ensure that your design is built using the materials that you intended, whilst keeping costs to a minimum.

Contact Vitruvian Architectural on 0844 5555 190 to discuss a particular project with a dedicated product specialist no matter what stage your project is at.

 Article by John Hall of Vitruvian Architectural Specification

Olympic Park wins London Planning Award

The London 2012 Olympic Parklands and Public Realm, designed by LDA Design and Hargreaves Associates, has won the Mayor’s Award at the London Planning Awards.

 

The award was presented to the London Legacy Development Corporation at the ceremony held on Thursday 31 January at City Hall, in London.

The Olympic Park formed the stunning backdrop to the most sustainable games to date and it will be almost doubled in size post games to act as a catalyst to continue the regeneration of East London.

Neil Mattinson, Senior Partner at LDA Design, said: “We’re immensely proud of our involvement with the Olympic Park and delighted that our work for the Olympic Delivery Authority and the London Legacy Development Corporation has been recognised by the London Planning Awards.”

The London Planning Awards recognise excellence and showcase examples that are leading the urban renaissance in London.

www.lda-design.co.uk

Source: http://www.architectnews.co.uk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=400:olympic-park-wins-london-planning-award&Itemid=90

From Design To Delivery: Time Limits on Green Star – Design Ratings

 

Australia has earned a strong international reputation for the design of world-leading green buildings. From PTW’s iconic Watercube, which took centre stage at the Beijing Olympics, to Studio 505’s Pixel Building, which achieved the highest LEED score of all time, Australian architects are known around the world for their innovative responses to the challenges of sustainability in the 21st century.

This reputation owes much to the Green Star environmental rating system, which has encouraged architects and designers to integrate sustainability into their grand designs.  Green Star – Design ratings have been instrumental in motivating Australia’s property and construction industry to design and build green. Design ratings encourage project teams to consider sustainability from the initial stages of a project’s development by providing a recognised set of best practice benchmarks for sustainable design.

However, many building projects are promoted as ‘Green Star-rated buildings’ long after they have been built despite having no certification that demonstrates the Green Star design was reflected in the construction or in the performance of the building. Stakeholder research by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has confirmed that this may create confusion in the marketplace.

The Green Star – Design rating is seen as a promise within the industry, which provides the groundwork for a Green Star – As Built rating. The As Built rating demonstrates that this promise has been delivered through construction. This, in turn, provides the foundation for an ongoing assessment of the building’s performance in operation, which will be assessed under the Green Star – Performance rating tool, which is currently under development.

 

In response to industry feedback, as of January 1, 2013, the GBCA is introducing time limits on the Green Star – Design ratings of projects registering after that date.

This new policy means that future Green Star – Design ratings will only be valid for 24 months after a building’s practical completion. 

The time limits on Green Star – Design ratings will apply to any project registered for a Design rating from January 1, 2013, irrespective of the rating tool used. It does not apply to projects that were registered before January 1, 2013.

By restricting the rating to a two-year period, it will limit the length of time that building projects can market a Green Star – Design rating and reinforce the robustness of the Green Star rating system.

Project teams achieving As Built and future Green Star – Performance ratings will receive recognition for ensuring that best practice sustainable buildings are not only designed, but delivered.

The GBCA believea this new policy is a natural step towards an holistic lifecycle approach to designing, building and operating sustainable buildings. While Australia knows how to design world-leading green buildings, time limits on Green Star – Design ratings will help ensure the highest standards continue to be met.

By Romilly Madew, Chief Executive

Green Building Council of Australia

Taken from: http://designbuildsource.com.au/time-limits-on-green-star

A SIPs Home in the Suburbs

Isobel Heyworth is a young woman with many strings to her bow. Already qualified as a doctor and currently training to become a GP, she also enjoys a sideline as an accomplished songwriter. If that’s not enough, she recently designed and built a stunning new home in Manchester, incorporating many unusual features.

Her self-build story started out as conventional house hunting, back in 2004. “I was generally unable to find properties which had any kind of a garden, but I was keen to have an outdoor space. Then I came across this site in Fallowfield and noticed it was for sale at auction. It was just an old falling-down L-shaped coach house, with a single skin wall. I liked it because the area was leafy and quiet, and the surrounding houses were mostly beautiful Victorian villas.”

Fallowfield is the centre of Manchester’s student population and the coach house had already been subject to a number of unsuccessful planning applications from developers, despite it being a very difficult site to develop as it had no drains or utilities. But the planners had indicated that a single residence would be looked upon favourably and, on this basis, Isobel went ahead and placed the winning bid at the auction in 2007.

Isobel’s idea was to demolish and rebuild the coach house, staying faithful to its original L-shape. “I decided I wanted to keep as close to the old building style as possible, so I retained the shape but added a basement which would integrate a patio at ground level. I aimed to keep the historic 60° roof pitch, too, and planned to reuse and source more slates to retain the existing decorative roof pattern.”

Isobel was aided at all times by her father, Robert, who is an engineer, and together they designed and specified the house and basement, opting to build the superstructure in SIPs (structural insulated panels) after meeting SIPS@Clays at the Homebuilding & Renovating Show, Harrogate. “They were wonderful — everything was millimetre perfect and fitted together without a glitch in just a week,” says Isobel.

For the basement and the remainder of the superstructure Isobel decided to use a design and build contract with local firm CSC Builders in Cheadle Hulme. The rest of the build went smoothly, the only problem being the tightness of the site, which made storing and moving materials very difficult for the contractors.

The remarkable thing about Isobel Heyworth’s self-build is that it is both striking and unusual and yet it fits perfectly into the surrounding Manchester street scene. It doesn’t shout, “I’m different,” but the more you look at it, the more you become aware of just how out of the ordinary it actually is. Not every new house delights the neighbours as much as the residents, but here’s one that undoubtedly does.

Photographer: Jeremy Phillips Author: Mark Brinkley SIPs Roof Pitch

Taken from: http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/completedprojects/a-sips-home-in-the-suburbs-0

Give your home a timber cladding lift

Top tips on how best to give your home a timber cladding lift to improve the appearance and value.

Homes built before the early 20th century usually have so-called solid wall brick or stone construction which has often been left bare. Therefore, any render or cladding should allow it to breathe, to avoid introducing damp.

Types of cladding: Karren Probyn is one of many owners who favour timber cladding instead of render. Cedar, as Karren used, weathers naturally, as does oak and chestnut; a softer wood like pine, however, often requires treating with a weatherproofing solution to maximise its life. But beware – some species of wood shrink by 10 per cent within two years of being used.

In older homes, the windows – moved out to be flush with the new exterior – are often turned into window seats or small alcoves. Roof tiles are often placed to provide overhangs to reduce sustained water dripping on to timber exteriors.

Source: Freeland Rees Roberts Architects

For more information: The Federation of Master Builders, (020 7242 7583; fmb.org.uk); Royal Institute of British Architects (020 7580 5533; architecture.com)

Taken from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/8905040/Give-your-home-a-timber-cladding-lift.html