By
Team IAnD
Photography:
Courtesy the architect
 |
| . |
Architects 3XN depict their diligent comprehension of
futuristic design concepts with strong traces of bio-mimicry through two
award-winning projects – the UN head office and the Blue Planet aquarium in
Copenhagen…
With
their UN head office’s Green Building Award 2012 by the European Commission
firmly feathering their cap, Denmark-based 3XN architects have now bagged the
Display Award 2013 at the World Architecture Festival for the Blue Planet
aquarium.
 |
| Blue Planet Photo (c) Adam M¢rk |
Both
projects in question stand apart for their iconic architectural vocabulary with
strong references of biologic attributes to building design.
 |
| Blue Planet Photo (c) Adam M¢rk |
 |
| Blue Planet Photo (c) Adam M¢rk |
With
Blue Planet inspired by the shape of water in endless motion, shaped as it is, like
a whirlpool, the building itself tells the story of what awaits inside. The
whirlpool concept originates in a narrative about water, and as an image, is at
once, both, abstract and figurative, grabbing eyeballs with its distinctive
vortex blades; so it does as a building, changing dramatically depending on the
viewing angle, distance and daylight conditions.
 |
| Blue Planet Photo (c) Adam M¢rk |
In an aerial view, the building is almost entirely
white, its contours reminiscent of a starfish. From the front, the building’s
organic lines are evocative of silvery-grey waves or a vast sea creature, and
on closer inspection, the facade patterning is reminiscent of fish scales. This
is a building that invites interpretation.
 |
| Blue Planet Photo (c) Adam M¢rk |
The whirlpool concept was chosen as ideal not only for
its visual associations, but also because it resolved a practical challenge in
the design brief: it ensures that one or more of the whirlpool arms, with
relative ease and without disrupting the building’s integrity nor the operation
of the aquarium, can be extended with more than 30% in order to create more
exhibition space. The facade is covered with more than 33,000 small
diamond-shaped aluminum shingles, which adapt to the building's organic form - clearly
visible from the nearby Copenhagen Airport.
 |
| UN Head Office |
The other of their award-winning
buildings - the UN City is expected to become one of Denmark’s most energy
efficient buildings with an annual energy consumption of less than 50 KwH per
m2. With minimum LEED® Gold
certification, the new UN headoffice located in the northern harbour of
Copenhagen. Its star-shaped exteriors metaphors the nature of each UN unit
working independently, efficiently and professionally with clear roots in a
mutual set of values – ’Delivering as One’.
The design sees a
marriage of ‘openness’ and ‘security’ – two prime concerns of the organization.
While
high
security and accessibility standards have been central considerations in the
design, it has been a key part of the design to ensure that the high security
level does not become the dominating factor when entering the building.
Instead, security and openness should be experienced as two aspects of the same
coin.
 |
| UN Head Office |
A dynamic atrium serves as the centre of everyday flurry, offering visual and physical connections across floors and units in a space full of natural daylight, bound physically and emotionally via a central staircase. All office levels have an open and flexible layout permitting interaction as well as individual immersion. A healthy good indoor climate is further enhances by green recreational areas and a number of sustainable features.
No comments :
Post a Comment