Seuthopolis - Amazing ancient City will carry out water

In Bulgaria an ancient city is about to reappear from the bottom of a lake. The city is called Seuthopolis and dates from the fourth century before Christ.

Image(Copyright Tilev Architects) (click-2-enlarge)

Seuthopolis was founded in 323 BCE by the Thracian king Seuthes III, who is believed to have lived from around 330 BCE to around 300 BCE. It is known that the city was the capital of the Odrysian kingdom and vanished in 270 BCE. Its ruins suggest that the place had been an important political and economic center, as well as containing evidence of the Thracian culture and traditions.

Image(Copyright Tilev Architects) (click-2-enlarge)

The city was discovered and researched between 1948 and 1954, when the reservoir's building began. At that time, an extensive photographic and archaeological evidence was gathered, but the significance of the discovery was appreciated when the reservoir's construction was under way and impossible to stop. Unfortunately,The discovery came too late, because under construction nearby was a reservoir dam, which would soon flood the valley and drown “the best preserved Thracian city in modern Bulgaria.”

Image(Copyright Tilev Architects) (click-2-enlarge)

Over half a century later, a project proposed by Bulgarian architect Zheko Tilev would uncover and preserve the ruins using “A Circular Dam Wall, resembling a well on the bottom of which, as on a stage, is presented the historical epic of Seuthopolis.” The city lies 20m below the water level of Koprinka reservoir near the city of Kazanluk in central Bulgaria.

Image(Copyright Tilev Architects) (click-2-enlarge)
Image(Copyright Tilev Architects) (click-2-enlarge)

Architect Zheko Tilev presented a restoration plan for the ancient Thracian city of Seuthopolis in 2007, the next step of the campaign for preservation and exposure of the archaeological site is to attract both Bulgarian and foreign investors to secure the 150 million euro needed to carry it out,
Most everything about the project is theatrical: “Approaching the surrounding ring by boat from the shore Seuthopolis is completely hidden for the eye. But the view from the wall is breathtaking - with its scale, comprehensiveness and unique point of view; from the boundary between past and present. The possibility to see the city from the height of 20 meters allows the perception of its entirety.”

Image(Copyright Tilev Architects) (click-2-enlarge)

Once there, and if your interest in exploring archaeological sites wanes considerably faster than expected, there are other things to do on the ring-wall. For instance, there will be restaurants, cafes, shops, bike rental facilities, and also other facilities for various recreational sports and fishing.Being a number of decades under water, the city is still well preserved, archaeologist Maria Chichikova has said, and it is a great example of modern civil engineering and planning.

Image(Copyright Tilev Architects) (click-2-enlarge)

Programmed as “a unique modern tourist complex,” the ring-wall will also house a museum, a hotel complex, open-air exhibitions, concert and festival halls, conference centers, and hanging gardens.According to Tilev, the site could welcome more than half a million foreign tourists a year. The project has generated interest from various foreign cultural institutes as well as from Greece through a programme for three-sided collaboration.

Image(Copyright Tilev Architects) (click-2-enlarge)

There are three sites where this should be done as well:
1- New Orleans (i.e., having abandoned the city, its inhabitants now live and work and die on grossly heightened and fattened levees; everyone will laugh at them, but when the deluge comes, they will have the last laugh)

2- Alexandria , More information
3-Yonaguni

Image(Copyright Tilev Architects) (click-2-enlarge)
Image(Copyright Tilev Architects) (click-2-enlarge)

Podium - Dubai Land - World's Largest LED Screen

This amazing screen will be the world’s largest LED screen in Dubai - a curved, 100 meter(300 feet) tall that will be visible at a distance of 1.5 kilometers. Termed ''Podium'' will combine architecture and technology to deliver a powerful medium for advertising, messaging and art.
Tameer Holding, a development company based in the United Arab Emirates will build this massive screen which will be situated within the Majan district of the entertainment complex Dubai Land.

image( copyright Tameer) - click 2 enlarge
The Building will have 33 levels of premium commercial office space, and 2 floors dedicated to retail - with 6 shops providing retail therapy on the ground level and mezzanine. A signature restaurant will also find its place in the second floor. Opulently spacious, each floor is approximately 10,000 square feet – giving a lot of room to inspire a productive business environment.

image( copyright Tameer) - click 2 enlarge
The magnificent screen on the facade of Podium is designed by the L.E.D. technology experts who worked on the Argosy Casino in Illinois and the Grand Lisboa & surrounding skyline in China. This curved facade will be a powerful medium for advertising, messaging and art. Highly-reflective tinted glass will be utilized to achieve astounding visual quality, as the massive screen gives off an elegant bluish sapphire glow. Aluminum panels, mullions and canopies will frame the glass components in buffed natural aluminum.

image( copyright Tameer) - click 2 enlarge
But maybe the most interesting aspect of the mega sign is not its size but ''The design of the LED screen, along with the technology utilized in its construction, will not impede the flow of natural light into the building. Thus, the offices directly behind the massive screen will have the same open feel as those on the opposite side of the building.''

More information: www.tameer.net

Recommended Books:


Dubai Architecture & Design By daab








Architecture in the Emirates By Philip Jodidio

First Skyscraper after Thirty Years in Paris

Paris council has unveiled plans for a 50-story glass pyramid after voting to drop a ban on high-rise buildings. Proposals for the Project Triangle, designed by Swiss architecture practice Herzog & de Meuron who designed the Olympic stadium in Beijing. The tower will have offices, a conference center, 400-bedroom hotel and restaurants and cafes. It will be surrounded by parks, gardens and shops. The building is planned to be around 590 feet high which will make the third highest building in Paris. The tower will run on solar and wind power and is set for completion in 2012.

Image:Copyright Herzog & de Meuron- click 2 large

The pyramid’s construction may be a point of contention for many Parisians, as polls have found that 62% do not favor high rises within the city, however Herzon & de Meuron are confident that their new project will integrate into the Parisian landscape perfectly:

"The Triangle is conceived as a piece of the city that could be pivoted and positioned vertically. It is carved by a network of vertical and horizontal traffic flows of variable capacities and speeds. Like the boulevards, streets and more intimate passages of a city, these traffic flows carve the construction into islets of varying shapes and sizes.''

Image:Copyright Herzog & de Meuron- click 2 large

"This evocation of the urban fabric of Paris, at once classic and coherent in its entirety and varied and intriguing in its details, is encountered in the facade of the Triangle. Like that of a classical building, this one features two levels of interpretation: an easily recognizable overall form and a fine, crystalline silhouette of its facade which allows it to be perceived variously."

Image:Copyright Herzog & de Meuron- click 2 large

''The base of the project is open to all, from the square of the Porte de Versailles and along the avenue Ernest Renan which regains the appearance of a Parisian street, with its shops and restaurants. An elevated square, on level with the roofs of Paris, will offer everyone a unique view of the district and the whole city. This visit might then be extended in the higher reaches of the Triangle, from where the entire metropolis can be discovered.''

Image:Copyright Herzog & de Meuron- click 2 large

''The Triangle will thus become one of the scenes of metropolitan Paris. It will not only be a landmark from which the urban panorama can be viewed, but also an outstanding silhouette in the system of axes and monuments of the city.''

Image:Copyright Herzog & de Meuron- click 2 large

Source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com

Recommended Books:

Contemporary Living in Paris
By Wim Pauwels

Sky High Living: Contemporary High-rise Apartment (Tall Buildings)
By Georges Binder

World's Largest and Tallest Arch Bridge in Dubai

Dubai is a real city which working to create the urban landscape of the future, it's city of the future ,Artificial islands arranged in the shape of the world,The world's only seven-star hotel ,The Tallest Building in the World ..... And in 2012, it will also become home to the largest, tallest arch bridge ever.A New York architectural firm has been selected by Dubai authorities to design the longest and what could be the most expensive arch bridge in the world.The firm’s winning bridge design further advances the infrastructure and transportation initiatives in Dubai. FXFOWLE’s design makes the 6th Crossing the largest and tallest spanning arch bridge in the world. Sudhir Jambhekar, Senior Partner, FXFOWLE INTERNATIONAL stated,

Image copyright Fxfowle International

“The bridge’s design was inspired by multiple sources, each evoking similar imagery – the rhythmic grace of Dubai Creek’s current, the elegant splendor of the sand dunes adjacent to the City, the lighting patterns of the lunar cycle and the design of the future Opera House. We believe that our bridge design is not merely to link the City’s cultural and commercial developments or ease congestion, but an opportunity to connect people both physically and emotionally by creating an iconic landmark, destination, and gateway between the old, the new and the future Dubai.”

All Images copyright Fxfowle International

The firm FXFOWLE has designed a unique structure that will include massive archways that will tower 205 meters above 12 lanes of traffic and two railway lines carrying Dubai Metro trains along the Green Line. The bridge’s largest main span will be 667 meters long(It's one mile long and 670 feet tall), eclipsing the 550-meter main span of Lupu Bridge in Shanghai, China, which is currently the world’s longest arch bridge.

Image copyright Fxfowle International

The proposed bridge will be located south of the existing Business Bay Crossing and will be large enough to handle 20,000 vehicles per hour across 12 lanes in total, six lanes in each direction, Al Tayer said.The metro train will carry 23,000 passengers an hour across the bridge. The bridge will rise 15 metres above the creek to allow for free navigation, although the floating bridge to the north which was erected last year has already blocked some boats.It should be completed by the end of 2012 .

Recommended Books:


Dubai Architecture & Design By daab








Architecture in the Emirates By Philip Jodidio

''BMW Welt'' Design - "chess game on a digital plane"

Since it opened in 1973, the BMW Museum has been one of Munich's leading tourist attractions. More than 200,000 people a year have visited the building next to BMW's "four-cylinder" skyscraper near the Olympic Park, making it the #2 museum in Munich after the Deutsches Museum.'' BMW Welt '' is a larger and more ambitious BMW Museum.

The architectural firm COOP HIMMELB(L)AU creates "BMW Welt" - a center for brand experience and vehicle delivery. Prof. Wolf D. Prix describes the design as a "chess game on a digital plane".The main element of the COOP HIMMELB(L)AU design proposal is a large, permeable hall with a sculptural roof and a double cone which emerges in relation to the existing headquarters complex. The hall is a marketplace for differentiated and changing uses and an unmistakable sign for the BMW Group. The interior topography creates differentiated spatial densities and fluid subspaces. The heart of the building is the "Premiere" vehicle delivery area. Hanging above this space are the customer lounges which allow views through the event space and toward the BMW headquarters. The entire building makes use of natural resources in its operation. Consequently, the building can operate with the lowest possible energy consumption and the natural resources are used directly and indirectly to meet all requirements.

picture: Marcus Buck






Photo© ISOCHROM.com, Vienna

More Information: http://www.bmw-welt.com

Recommended Book:


German Architecture for a Mass Audience
By Kathleen James-Chakraborty

New Designs to ReshapeThe Seoul For The Future

Eunpyeong Mixed-use Development (EPPF) is a new Town center of a major transportation gate way to Seoul,It has been designed by DeStefano + Partners and consists of a sculpturesque retail and entertainment complex surrounded by a hotel ,a 31- story office building and three residential buildings.This Complex will be located to the Northeast of Seoul and surrounded by mountains on the east .

Copyright DeStefano + Partners
With an eight-story retail and entertainment multiplex at the heart of the development, the design is sculptural, with the bow shaped building appearing to drift across the landscape and at night the giant glass structure glows with a luminous exhibition of light. Attached to the discernable northwest corner is a 200 room hotel and 31 story pioneering office tower, with a twisting form inspired by traditional Korean pottery. At the southern point are three residential towers, ranging from 25 to 30 stories in height. A meandering stream entwines itself into the sculptural mould of the retail complex above, to fashion a dynamic space for this vibrant 24/7 transit hub.

Copyright DeStefano + Partners
With an extremely contemporary edge and reveling in traditional Korean culture, the development is a seamless fusion of old and new. The high regard for nature and significance of the mountains permeates the elaborate design, and in addition the buildings appearance is driven by old Korean styling. In contrast the luminous exhibition emanating from the multiplex is a direct reference to the colorful traditional festivals of the area.

Copyright DeStefano + Partners
Seoul's Mayor. With world renowned architect Daniel Libeskind taking the helm at the Seoul Design Olympiad as keynote speaker, Seoul is offering an exciting new architectural region for world-class architects to explore. The Olympiad, running from 10-30 October is showcasing Seoul’s architecture of the past, present and with an aim to reshape the city for the future. With its form, light and color,DeStefano + Partners’ Eunpyeong Mixed-use Development (EPPF) demonstrates the vibrancy of architecture hoped for the city’s future.

Copyright DeStefano + Partners
Source :www.destefanoandpartners.com

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Architectural Lighting Design By Gary Steffy








In Full Colour: Recent Buildings and Interiors By Dirk Meyhoefer

Houses Stacked in the Sky - Amazing Skyscraper in New York

This 57-story residential in the Tribeca area will house 145 residences, each one with its own unique floor plan and private outdoor space. This typology makes the building look like a stack of houses,each floor stacked on top of one another, each one slightly askew to create dramatic cantilevers, away from the traditional skyscraper form.This a wonderful concept .The $650 million project will be ranging from 1,430 square feet to 6,360 square feet, and is projected to be open in 2010.The translucent skyscraper will be the first high-rise commission for the Swiss architects,Herzog & de Meuron, who have had their hand in designing the Beijing National Stadium in China for the recent 2008 Olympic games, the Tate Modern in London, and the de Young Museum in San Francisco.The contemporary artist Anish Kapoor has been commissioned to install one of his signature stainless steel, reflective sculptures on the ground floor.The tower will appear to be resting a top his sculpture, and will be the first permanent public artwork for the artist in New York City.

Herzog & de Meuron’s 56 Leonard St., shown rising above Lower Manhattan in a rendering, employs the calculated irregularities and asymmetries of the Deconstructivist style. via Andrea Schwan Inc. The condominiums that will be offered for purchase range from $3.5 million to $33million and have been described as “houses stacked in the sky.”

In Artdaily, Herzog & de Meuron are quoted summarizing their design, “We approached the design process for 56 Leonard Street from the inside out, from the homes themselves. But we also considered the outside in terms of the Tribeca neighborhood. Here you have the small townhouses, the old manufacturing buildings, and the high-rise buildings, but also a lot of little corners and surprising things between. The different scales characterize the neighborhood and we wanted to establish a dialogue among them. For us, creating a building is a research process. We call it a journey.”

With its articulated surfaces, dramatic cantilevers, profiled slab edges, profusion of balconies, expanses of glass, and views from downtown Manhattan to as far as the Atlantic Ocean,

Costas Kondylis & Partners of New York City is serving as executive architect for the building. Construction manager for 56 Leonard Street is Hunter Roberts, New York City. Exclusive sales and marketing agent for the project is Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group.

“We are extremely pleased and honored to be able to create a tower of true global character at a moment when great architectural ferment is reshaping New York City,” said Izak Senbahar of Alexcio. “With 56 Leonard we aspire to make a unique contribution to the fabric of our town with a building that relates directly to the city but is also an outstanding international address.”

Herzog & de Meuron has replaced the usual extrusion of standardized skyscraper floor plates with a staggered progression of structural slabs turning slightly off axis by degrees as they ascend, creating constant variety among the apartment floor plans.

This structural arrangement of floor plates at 56 Leonard Street will create an irregular flurry of cantilevered terraces up and down the building, making plays of light and shadow that give the tower a shimmering, animated appearance on the skyline and widely varying interiors.The building’s dramatic nine-story crown contains its apex penthouses - eight occupying full floors and two occupying half floors - will appear on the Manhattan skyline as a chimerical geometric sculpture of stacked, glimmering glass volumes. Ranging in size from approximately 3,650 to almost 6,380 square feet, these aeries embrace the outdoors through expansive private terraces of up to 1,700 square feet. Penthouses are accessed by private elevator. Soaring window walls rise to 14 feet and open onto panoramas of the city and sky.

All photos Copyright Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, 2008

Location
56 Leonard Street, between Church Street and West Broadway, in the Tribeca Historic District of Manhattan, New York City (map).

Schedule
Site Preparation: Spring/Summer 2008
Construction Commences: Fall 2008
Projected Occupancy: Fall 2010

Developer/Sponsor
Alexico Group LLC, New York, NY
Principals: Izak Senbahar, Simon Elias
Client Representative: Eric Anderson

Design Architect
Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland
Partners: Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Ascan Mergenthaler
Project Architects: Vladimir Pajkic (Associate), Philip Schmerbeck , Mehmet Noyan
Project Team: Zachary Vourlas, Jason Whiteley, Daniela Zimmer, Mark Chan, Simon Filler, Sara Jacinto, Jin Tack Lim, Mark Loughnan (Associate), Jaroslav Mach, Donald Mak, Hugo Moura, Jeremy Purcell, James Richards, Heeri Song, Charles Stone (Associate)

Executive Architect
Costas Kondylis and Partners, New York, NY

Construction Management
Hunter Roberts, New York, NY
Site Area: 12,500 square feet

Building Footprint: 12,500 square feet

Building Dimensions
Width: 125 feet
Depth: 100 feet
Height: 830 feet

Gross Floor Area (GF): 425,000 square feet. plus technical, parking and structure

Floors: 57 above (+1 below)

Exterior Materials
Structure: concrete
Facade: glass, stainless steel, aluminum, concrete

Interior Materials:
Lobby: granite floors, absolute granite tile walls, concrete ceilings
Elevators: terrazzo floor, stainless steel mosaic tile walls, polished stainless steel frame

More Information:www.56leonardtribeca.com