Captured Impressions

Cooper Union - Morphosis

Residential Tower going up by Brooklyn Bridge - Gehry

Highline Residential

Habitat 67 - Moshe Safdie

Canadian Parliament Building - Ottawa

Art Gallery of Ontario - Gehry

Royal Ontario Museum - Libeskind

Walls of Water - Niagra Falls

Frank Lloyd Wright - Fallingwater

West Side Hwy Neighbors - Nouvel & Gehry

Alice Tully Music Hall - Diller, Scofidio + Renfro

Lady Liberty - NYC Harbor

Architourism : by Mash-Arkt

rouse[D] competition winners announced

Rouse [D] is an open ideas international competition for the city of Detroit. Exhibition opening will be held at 555 Gallery Studios in Detroit, Michigan on September 26, 2009 @ 7pm

1st Place:
Jason Pierce, Illinois




2nd Place:
David Wothers, Denmark


3rd Place:
Scott Long, New York


Honorable Mention:
Jessica Wilcox, Wisconsin


for more info visit:
www.rousedetroit.com

Ambush gets its pavilion

The new Red Bull skate lounge in Ambush board shop creates an environment for the kids to hang out and refuel between banging out sessions on the street. Monitors are equipped with PS3 and cycle the latest skate, snow and wake DVDs, while a Red Bull vending machine provides the wings.


The aesthetic is tough and durable, recalling the construction of ramps in a skatepark. Dings and scratches add to the ambiance along with randomly placed stickers by the local patrons.
The pavilion will house Red Bull events such as "meet the pros" and contest results.

Design : MASH-ARKT
Fabrication : Associated Fabrication

www.ambushboardco.com

SDL wins in Seoul

"In this day, the past, present, and future are one. Just as each drop of water is linked to a tiny spring in some mountain valley and linked to a distant, azure sea."

- 'Today' by Ku Sang

In the heart of Seoul, Korea the "Archipelago 21" is the winning proposal by Studio Daniel Libeskind for an international competition. The project includes over 3 million sqm of built area that are collected into smaller characterizations each with a distinct aesthetic and sense of place. The new international business district will attract global markets as Seoul leads the way for progression in the east.

At the center of the International Business District is a 640m tall iconic tower. The project also includes world-class shopping, residential neighborhoods, a museum, a performing arts center, a school, extended transit, and a generous amount of gardens that invite the city to a new focal point. The 15 year project has an estimated construction budget of 27trillion KRW (20bil USD).

view from Han River

The competition invited 5 world class teams. The architects leading the competing teams were Foster Partners, SOM, Asymptote, and Jerde Partnership.



Lanmark Tower elevations

landmark tower winter gardens

casual neighborhood

international business district

typical office interior

typical residential interior

luxury shopping district

master plan

master plan model view

evolution of models

final model

view from north

aerial view

Architecture / Urban Design: Studio Daniel Libeskind
Structural / MEP / Transportation: ARUP
Landscape: Martha Schwartz Partners
Renderings / Animation: Studio AMD, Tronic

For more please visit

http://www.dreamhub21.com/eng/mainReal.asp

Yongsan IBD competition animation

Animation of the Yongsan International Business District competition

Produced by Studio AMD for Studio Daniel Libeskind

Monaco Competition Exhibition

The following is a summary of the exhibition currently at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco showcasing 4 of the 5 competition entries for the offshore development. No winner was announced after the submission. Prince Albert of Monaco declared the competition was abandoned due "to the global economic climate".

entry by Monte Carlo Sea Land



entry for Barwa







entry by Fonciere Maritime








entry by Solidere

Monte Carlo Sea Land

Cape Grace of Monaco, the proposed extension of Monaco into the sea by Monte Carlo Sea Land sets a new standard for such developments at a world scale.

Organic Relationship Offers Sustainable Future
The extension of Cape Grace is intricately interwoven with the existing city fabric. The proposed project will create a new integrated whole for Monaco with an urbanism that is respectful of the old while creating a new image and set of opportunities for Monaco’s future. This urban fabric is fully informed by the Principality’s existing urban texture, one which has evolved over centuries of organic growth, and injects a new sense of optimism with a new light and energy. The public realm comprised of parks, plazas, promenades and bicycle paths is an expansion of the landscape which together with new cultural, residential and commercial facilities significantly enhances Monaco’s urban experience. Cape Grace is a comprehensive proposal which successfully incorporates all the functional and technical objectives of the Principality and will become the model for such an extensive development demonstrating the utmost sensitivity towards its history, culture and the built and natural environments.

For more than two thousand years successive groups have identified the naturally blessed geography and climate of La Rocher and Port Hercule as an ideal place to live and establish a future. The principal objective of the Cape Grace extension is not only to enhance its beauty but to reverse the recent effects of an increased demand on energy, taxation of our natural resources and the impact of our built environment. With this project, the Principality of Monaco has the opportunity to construct for its people and visitors from the world at large an ideal living environment that is socially, culturally and economically responsible and most importantly one that is environmentally sustainable; Monaco will continue to be the envy of the world.

Extension of the City into the Sea
The development’s focus towards the sea is a reflection and an extension of the Monegasque culture. The plan opens the water’s edge to the public, significantly enhancing the city’s visual and physical connection to the sea. The waterside is reserved as a series of public spaces offering a plethora of leisure activities.

typical street view

view of ecological canal from visitor's center

view of princess grace plaza

global climate center

International Climate Center as Icon
Situated at the tip of the peninsula Le Grand Parvis that separates Port Hyllus from the open Mediterranean, the Global Climate Center is the centrepiece of the project. Eschewing the clichéd position at the project’s seaward extremity the building instead presents itself back towards the city surrounded on three sides by water and standing proudly as a gateway into the extended Port Hercule and Port Hyllus. It is a state of the art structure representing the new iconic image for the Principality of Monaco, yachts on the Mediterranean in the foreground and the densely inhabited Monegasque mountainside as its backdrop. It is the beacon of Cape Grace, an attraction for the Cote de Azure, and a symbol for the future.

view of iconic building from sea

view from one of the terraces on the iconic building

model views

The structure itself is an embodiment of sustainablility and is formed by an advanced high-tech ribbon which is high performance and environmentally responsive. This intelligent skin is articulated with an array of glass undulations which create thermal airspaces enhancing the insulation of the building’s interior. The outer surface of this ribbon is laminated with spherical solar receptor cells that capture and harvest the sun’s energy from all directions. The inner surface is a white, enamel coated reflector made of recycled aluminium due to its low life-cycle energy costs. The glazed portions in-between the ribbon are equally high performance, equipped with operable panels which open to allow fresh air to circulate through and automated shading devices to control undesirable solar exposure, the building’s envelope works in unison with its natural environment. This Global Climate Center is the new gateway to Monaco from the Sea and a new 21st Century symbol as Monaco’s leadership towards a more sustainable existence on the world’s stage.

Hyllus, son of Hercules
Named after a son of Hercules, Port Hyllus extends both the identity and capacity of the world famous Port Hercule, creating the impression of a single expansive marina for Monaco. Located at its mouth, the iconic International Climate Center is perched on Le Grand Parvis and becomes a new symbolic gateway to Monaco from the sea. Port Hyllus is not only a functional marina offering year round berths, but it is a major contributor to the maritime lifestyle of Cape Grace and extends completely through the project transforming into Le Grand Canal.

Maritime lifestyle
Multi-levelled public promenades surround the port bringing people close to the magnificent water craft and adding to the vitality of the quartier. At the water level, floating pontoons line the edges of the marina, giving access to the yachts. A 3m water gap provides the option to increase the security of the Marina during the night or in the future. Small motor vehicles can access the lowest levels of the promenade through a system of ramps, and every berth is fully equipped with the latest modern conveniences. The marina facilities include a chandlery, a crew bar and lounge, lockers and showers and parking. The marina is also surrounded by shops, cafes and restaurants making it an inclusive destination not just for sailors and yachtsman. Water taxis navigate the port and canal and carry passengers to and from Port Hercule. The marina has a capacity of 29 large yachts, and 53 smaller boats extending into the canal. Additional moorings are available during temperate seasons outside the breakwater. A dry stack storage facility with a capacity of 116 boats has direct access to the water. This storage allows for the relocation of many of the smallest boats from Port Hercule relieving space for larger, more glamorous craft.

view toward Port Hyllus

Garden City
Green spaces, both public and private are an essential part of this development making the project liveable and accessible to all. Shade trees fill the open spaces and line the streets. The majority of buildings have green roofs extending Monaco’s landscaped gardens into the sea. Balconies and terraces will also be integrated with plantings to enhance the living conditions and promote the image of the garden city. These gardens will echo the beautifully manicured gardens of Monaco and become part of the character of the entire development. From the higher vantage points in the city, Cape Grace will be perceived as a continuous green landscape; a city of gardens extending into the sea.

promenade of the dancing pines

view of northern luxury shopping promenade

Waterfront as Public Promenade
Cape Grace’s perimeter is composed of three public promenades which form a continuous network, La Promenade Précieuse to the north, La Promenade des Pins Dasans to the south and Les Quais du Grand Canal. La Promenade Précieuse is lined with commercial properties offering shopping and fine dining with a view of the Larvotto Reserve and the existing city. La Promenade Précieuse is connected with La Place Princesse Grace by a wide staircase to facilitate pedestrian circulation between the public areas and enhance public life. Les Quais du Grand Canal offers a unique maritime experience; lined with specialty shops and cafes, this promenade brings pedestrians closer to the water’s edge within the canal and Port Hyllus to view a procession of fine water crafts. La Promenade des Pins Dasans is composed of a continuous green edge that connects the Iconic International Climate Center at one end with the luxurious Monaco Mandarin Oriental hotel at the other. This seaward edge is a collection of tree covered paths which traverse a landscape of gardens and rocky terrain and contains a natural swimming pool filled with Mediterranean waters.

view of Grand Canal

Blue Holes
A sensitive connection to the existing coast line is achieved by maintaining much of its edge as a canal. This approach creates additional waterfront and protects the most vibrant marine ecosystems existing in the shallow waters nearest the coastline. The canal strategy is also employed through the centre of the project, amplifying the maritime atmosphere with additional waterfront promenades and structures. These openings in the landscape allow the project to breath natural air, give access to natural light and provide connectivity with the sea and contribute to the unique environments of Cape Grace.

the Madarin Oriental of Monaco

view of the extension with the Mandarin Oriental punctuating the tip

7 star Luxury
The super deluxe Mandarin Oriental Hotel is located at the eastern tip of the project. The building comprises of two major volumes each of which corresponds to a different function. The first is a horizontal volume that cantilevers at both ends and houses 135 hotel rooms of various sizes and typologies. The second is a vertical volume that terraces upwards reaching a level of 49.4 meters containing 13 residential apartments with an average area of 250m2. The building metaphorically takes the form of a large Cruise Ship, its grandiose volume simultaneously appearing monumental and light, giving the sense that the building floats on top of the sea’s surface.

view over Port Hercule

aerial contextual site plan

illustrative site plan

upper parking level plan

ground level plan

Connecting the Old and the New
The seamless connection between the existing city and the new development is achieved by an expansion of Monaco’s public realm. A close adjacency to the existing coastline enables growth that is sympathetic, compatible and seamless with the existing urban fabric. Pedestrian and vehicular circulation is extended and integrated with the existing network achieving enhanced clarity and accessibility to all public and private facilities as well as to the ocean front. The city’s urban patterns and density are reflected and complemented; points of high density occupy key portions of the development affording other areas to become generous gathering places with parks, plazas, waterfronts and marina. An elevated green park connects directly to the casino plaza and a pedestrian promenade connects the newly extended waterfront to Port Hercule, the historic city and the Larvotto beaches, and the Carrefour du Portier links into a new prominent plaza with cascading gardens serving as a dramatic gateway to the extension and providing open views towards the existing city.

view over monaco

view of Cape Grace extension

Design Team: Studio Daniel Libeskind, Arata Isozaki Architects, West 8, Alex Giraldi Architect, ARUP, Creocean
Renderings: Miller Hare
Models: Radii, Rossi, SDL
Client: Monte Carlo Sea Land, MCSL

Monte Carlo Sea Land animation

Red Bull brings it to NYC

captured impressions

detail of Duomo - Milan

Riomaggiore - cinque terre, Italy

Ponte Vecchio - Florence

Meier - Rome

detail at Pantheon - Rome

UN Studio - Seoul

detail, anoymous building - Seoul

Dongdaemun Market - Seoul

Dominique Perrault - Seoul

Morphosis - Seoul

architourism by mash-arkt

Ambush skate lounge for Red Bull

The Ambush skate lounge is a chill environment created as a hang out destination for skateboarders. The pavillion is CNC milled as a simple strut model with notched connections out of painted medium density fiberboard and skatelite. These materials recall a skateboard park construction aesthetic.

The pavillion is to be located inside the Ambush board shop in Atlanta.

MASH-ARKT : 2008

Urban Guerrillas : Skateboarding and the City

"Skaters by their very nature are urban guerrillas: they make everyday use of the useless artifacts of the technological burden, and employ the handiwork of government/corporate structure in a thousand ways that the original architects could never dream of." - Craig Stecyck, 1976


The skateboarder in the metropolis is an urban warrior of a different kind. The perception of the city that comes from this user group is loaded with a specificity of seeking, combined with creativity, athleticism, and a rebellious counter culture. Public space in the city takes on new identities when viewed through the mind of a skater. The search for new 'spots' is endless and the ability to adapt to any environment is unrelenting. For the skater the entire city is a usable terrain. Design elements intended for sitting, landscape, changes in elevation or public safety become obstacles of opportunity for grinding, sliding and clearing that can be combined and with any array of tricks limited only by the technical skill, confidence, and will of the skater.

The stair, for example, is a very necessary and basic element of architecture. In urban design, it is historically used to represent a sense of monumental grandeur, it functionally connects areas of different elevation bringing people from one place to another, and in design it offers a scale and flexibility to the designer that can adapt to any situation. The pedestrian uses the stair for access or seating and within a public plaza can offer a place of hesitation to observe the interchange of the community. But the skateboarder sees the stair in a whole new light as a challenge to experience, an opportunity to practice, and a place to express creativity. A simple set of stairs with a good landing and runway can tempt skaters to push the boundaries of their own existence and inspire a creative act that transcends typical movements of the body through space. Add a rail, a curb or a ledge and the potential for the application and combination of tricks becomes limitless increasing the possibility of new perceptions through space. Every element in every corner of the city offers a potential arena for the sport multiplied thousands of times throughout an urban fabric.

The movement of skateboarding changes the parallax of the city. The ability to roll at speed alters the viewpoint continuously. The skater is not bound by the separation of car and pedestrian, but can roll seamlessly between street and sidewalk. The fluid and dynamic motion of skateboarding propels the body through space. The loud rumble of urethane wheels, and the distinct 'clack' of the ollie announces the presence of a skateboard from a distance and turns the heads of unsuspecting pedestrians. This audible presence also influences the perception of the skater causing a reaction of indifference to the surrounding social context. In this sense, the skateboarder like the architect, exists outside the constructs of society and is free to experiment and explore. But unlike the architect, the skater exists free to reinterpret the function and use of spatial sequences for their own expression and enjoyment.

Skateboarding is an individual activity expressed as an extension of self. It is a creative act that is as specific and unique as each skater's persona and style. As an art form, it can be elegant, smooth, effortless and beautiful... yet at the same time it can be aggressive, intense, bold, and in your face. As a sport, the physical body is pushed to a level of coordination and conditioning as real as the concrete, stone and asphalt surfaces that break and bruise the body which fails to roll away after attempting a maneuver. The adrenaline of each attempt and the reward of rolling away pushes each skater to pursue the act, focus the mind and succeed. Unlike organized sport, there is no winner or loser in skateboarding, it is the process that counts, not the result. Skating is an individual sport and its style is an act of self expression, but it is fueled through the social interaction and competition driven camaraderie that a group dynamic provides. Skaters roll in packs, pushing each other through performance and praise to break new boundaries and experience the urban criteria through a new interface of exchange. This social construct becomes a representation of a new type of family unit, providing support and validation for a user group that is often seen as problematic through the eyes of a corporate, capitalist society.
The skateboarding culture emerged during the mid 1970s in southern California as an extension of a surf culture, but quickly took on a lifestyle of it's own. It represented an energy and urban radicalism that has classified skateboarding as an alternative to the mainstream. Within the context of the city, the skateboarder can still be regarded as a public nuisance by property owners, patrons and pedestrians being ushered away by security guards and harassed by the law. The pursuit of skateboarding and its attitude directed against the grain leaves a clear mark on the architecture of the city. The tracks of skate spots can be seen on waxed curbs, walls, ledges and rails left to be revisited at another time. Seen by some as vandals, skaters leave behind hints of the alternative uses provided by urban spaces that enrich the fabric of the urban jungle. Conditioned to appear at moments when there is the least resistance, skateboarders are urban guerrillas seeking an environment in which to practice their medium.

One of the many things that architecture and urbanism can learn from this integral user group is the flexibility and adaptability of using sequences of prescribed space. Another is the understanding of alternate perceptions through experimentation. These ideas can be utilized to create changes that may introduce completely new trajectories of architectural thinking.

MASH-ARKT : 2008

links:
Skateboarding: Space, City, Architecture, Body

www.loudpapermag.com/

Interview with L'Uomo

The following was conducted for a profile in the April issue of L'Uomo Vogue, Italia...

What made you want to become an architect?
As a kid, I always played with blocks and legos, and enjoyed putting things together. Growing up I built countless tree forts with my friends, and then I got into skateboard ramps. Some of the ramps we built would qualify as large construction projects 3 meters high and covering 300 square meters. Skateboarding was a great forum for creativity. It’s precise and fluid movements offered a freedom, while demanding practice and discipline. I also loved to draw and paint…spray paint. I wanted to be an artist for a time, but it was my dad that suggested architecture as a profession. There are fewer starving architects out there, though sometimes we get pretty hungry. Architecture is a discipline that offers the potential to create possibility.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?
I know it sounds cliché, but pretty much everywhere and anywhere. I like to walk around the city. I like to feel the spaces of the streets, to look at the facades, to watch the people interact with the buildings and with each other. I like to visit other cities, and look at good buildings…I’m somewhat of an archi tourist, if you know what I mean. I listen to music a lot, I’m partial to the old punk rock scene from Nor Cal…heavy doses of Rancid and NOFX. I also like to listen to classical piano from Chopin, Bartok and Prokofiev. I was raised on the classical piano and trained for 14 years. But the best inspiration comes from nature and the natural world. There’s nothing more inspiring than sitting at the top of a mountain, strapping into your board, and taking in the vista of distant peaks, forests and lakes. I am especially intrigued with water. It can be calm and serene, or brutal. It is so flexible through its different states and is always beautiful. I am intrigued by people’s attraction to water…it is a life source.

In which way your work influence your everyday's life?
Honestly, I’m always tired from working late and my wife is often jipped out of evenings together. But that’s part of the practice. As an architect I see things differently. Sometimes I play the role of the observer, standing outside of society in order better understand its patterns. I think about projects as small interjections that make a difference in behaviors. I also play the role of the critic, looking at designs or places and thinking of how they can be improved, how people’s lives are hindered by thoughtless construction. I like to think my work best serves as an outlet for expression. It gives a focus to direct my energy toward a positive end. It helps me appreciate leisure time as well.

What are your upcoming projects?
Currently at SDL (Studio Daniel Libeskind) I am finishing up a very detailed 14 month competition proposal for a new offshore development in Monaco. I am also involved in a proposal for a controlled sustainable environment in Dubai, and just submitted a competition entry for a new Guggenheim Hermitage Museum in Vilnius, Lithuania. These projects have been pretty intense during the past several months, so I haven’t had a lot of time for my own practice, MASH-ARKT. This summer I have a single family home in California to design, and I have some ideas I want to explore in furniture and interiors. I have some ongoing research and experimenting I would like to continue. As I stated earlier, I am interested in water…not only the aesthetics of water, but the physical properties of two small molecules joining with a large one in an ever-changing fluid relation. How amazing will it be when a building can change from a solid to a liquid state, adjusting to the behavioral patterns of its users?

What's your professional wish for the future?
I have been fortunate enough to work with some really great people on some amazing projects in the past and present. I feed off there energies and ideas, and really appreciate the collaborative nature of our profession. My ambition is to continue doing interesting work with interesting people. At the end of it all, I would like to make a contribution to the discipline…be it through work, or ideas. Architects make things, and most of the time these things, once they exist, have a life of there own outside the knowledge or will of their maker. If these things that I make can spark someone’s curiosity, or alter someone’s perception enhancing a life, then I’m happy. Other than that, I’d like to move to a tropical island and design things remotely from a sunny beach.

http://www.mash-arkt.com/object.html

L'Uomo Vogue
Piazza Cadorna 5/7
20121 Milan
Italy

Libeskind in Vilnius - The People's choice

NEXUS - The Guggenheim Hermitage Museum, Vilnius

Vilnius is a city with an enormous historical significance. Before the devastations of WWII, the Holocaust and the subsequent imposition of communism, it was the “Jerusalem of the North” – a city who’s cultural life was an inspiration to people as diverse as the Gaon of Vilna, Marc Chagall, Romain Gary and Jonas Mekas.

aerial view from north with old city in background

The dramatic transformations of the late 20th Century have put Vilnius right back into the living current of the world and its diverse arts. The Hermitage Guggenheim museum is therefore the Nexus connecting Vilnius to its tradition by building a future institution which will reshape public space and build an expressive civic building. This Nexus is articulated in a structure whose wide ­and sweeping arcs embrace the historical and the new, old vistas and new skyscrapers, the city and the Nevis.

model view

The dynamic double movement harmonizes a series of spaces that unfold the landscape and gesture toward the sky. This tension between landscape becoming building and building becoming landscape creates an unprecedented opportunity to make the entire sculptural form publicly accessible. The building becomes the emblem of memory, sustained by the ground yet pointing towards multiple and unexpected horizons. The topographical fusion of building and landscape mirrors the internal functional distribution of galleries, theaters, education, Litvak Center with its symbolic skylights, store, cafe and restaurant. The compact footprint at the terminus of the White Bridge takes advantage of the site while promoting connectivity through a network of public piazzas and gardens.

model view


view from Neris River

By harnessing state-of-the-art technologies and building flexible spaces both intimate and grand, a new relationship between museum and nature emerges. This marriage between art and technology radically reduces energy consumption while energizing the imagination of the public. The Nexus is indeed a renewed connection between the Vilnius of the “golden tradition” in a city poised to regain its rightful place at the cultural heart of Europe.

view of entry plaza

The project proposal is designed with integrated sustainable practices that address issues such as lowering energy use, natural day lighting and solar heating, recycling and waste management, site water collection and reuse, and pedestrian and community activity. We believe sustainable design is a process that needs to be pursued throughout all stages in the design development and must be allowed evolve and adapt to new technologies, client needs and budgetary constraints.

exhibition panels

exhibition in Jonas Mekas Center, Vilnius

The building is situated on the site and formed as an emerging part of the landscape to create synergy between architecture and its environment. It is sited on axis with the White bridge, which links the historic city fabric and the new city center. The building reconnects the site, making it continuous in the east-west direction, while creating an attractive experience along the north-south axis. The museum becomes another destination on the axial route and encourages the public to interact in open plazas and the green park spaces along the Neris River. The project fills the void between the two city fabrics creating a draw to the new commercial center.

site plan

The main segment of the White bridge, spanning over the Neris River, remains intact and is made more prominent as it is aligned with the front façade and main entrance of the museum. Throughout the proposed park will be extensive plantings and groves trees that will increase biodiversity. Circulation paths meander across the site and encourage recreational uses such running, walking and bicycling. Several pools across the site are also proposed across this landscape to both enhance the environment and act as water retention areas. These collection pools can provide additional irrigation for the park and function as natural filters for the surface runoff before it is discharged into the Neris River. This extended site proposals, beyond the confines of the museum proper, is conceptual at this stage and will be further studied with the client and city authorities alike.



ground level plan

first level plan

second level plan

third level plan

The site is made fully accessible to pedestrians, bicyclist and wheel chairs thereby reducing the visitors’ dependency on motorized vehicles. There is no additional parking provided on the site. Existing parking fields are to be shared and street parking is utilized. Loading and services are located below grade allowing the green of the landscape to be continuous at the pedestrian level.


north-south sections

east-west sections


A green roof system is utilized over a large percentage of the roof structure. This green roof will increase the thermal insulation quality of the overall roofing section. Irrigation and rainwater is collected into a storage container for reuse. Grey water reuse reduces the demand on potable water and the city’s storm water system.

park view from west

east and west elevations

north and south elevations

Energy use in the building is reduced through the implementation of a holistic approach. A combination of heat exchange strategies are proposed such as using the Neris River and/or geo thermal piles as heat exchange agents. Skylights bring controlled natural light into the interior spaces and provide opportunities for natural ventilation which can also be used to reject heat naturally at night. All of the glass clad facades make use of high performance and reflective coatings, thermal insulation, and automated solar shading devices. The western façade and the façade around the Litvak Centre have limited transparency, approximately 25%, to be responsive to the uses beyond and limit energy use. The south facing glass façade allows for low angle winter sun to light and warm the interiors. The main air distribution is through raised floor plenums with a low velocity system. This allows the mechanically controlled air to be supplied at the point of use rather than forcing the air down form above. Light control sensors are coordinated with day light to provide optimal light conditions and reduce electrical loads.

interior view of lobby

interior view of galleries with lobby below

Natural materials will be from renewable and local sources. Manufactured materials are will be from local sources and will be specified to be green. During construction, a recycling and waste management program will be implemented. These strategies reduce the consumption of raw materials and energy use in production and transportation.

park view from east

evening winter view from park

The project was a proposal for the new Guggenheim Hermitage Museum in Vilnius Lithuania in an invited architectural competition including Studio Daniel Libeskind, Zaha Hadid Architects and Massimiliano Fuksas. Zaha Hadid was pronounced the winner on April 9, 2008. Popular vote selected Daniel Libeskind.

Project Team: Studio Daniel Libeskind
Lead Design: Daniel Libeskind
Principal in charge: Yama Karim
Project Architect: Michael Ashley
Design Team: Sascha Manteufel, Jared Olmstead, Kristian Foshalt, Alvin Sewe, Matthew Young, Injune Kim

Structural and MEP: ARUP

Renderings and Animation: Studio AMD

Vilnius Animation

The people's choice.

Intelligence at MOMA

Design for the Elastic Mind is on exhibition at New York's MOMA showing how computation and algorithms can potentially shape our future. The show is an interesting display that reaches the general public...1000s of visitors introduced, some for perhaps the first time, to the power and seduction of the physical manefestations of scripting, generative design, and digital representation.

Long has the discourse of algorithmic design been presented in academic circles with the pursuit of unlocking the secrets of a post human era. This exhibit showcases some of the latest research and ambitions. The question is, whether this trajectory is leading toward a better possibilty, or is it a search for form utilizing new tools and techniques. If computation and generative modelling is only a search for form leading toward a new era in architectural history, then it is a positive leap toward an interesting end. But can it also have a greater possibility?Can the ambition be to build a new and better world through automated fabrication? Can CAM production be modified to reduce waste and reuse material? Can energy used in machining be generated by the process of machining? Can we as designers truly create a natural and symbiotic system of relationships using computational processes between people and the natural world?

visit the exhibition site

http://moma.org/exhibitions/2008/elasticmind/