By Beverly Pereira
Photography: Christian Gahl (Qingdao Grand Theatre)
Photography: Christian Gahl (Qingdao Grand Theatre)
Marcus Bredt (Berlin
State Ballet School);courtesy the architects
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| Qingdao Grand Theatre & Berlin State Ballet School |
Two
award-winning projects at the Iconic Awards 2014 showcase gmpArchitektens’ affinity
for simplicity, variety and uniformity, and distinctiveness...
It’s
no wonder that gmpArchitektens took home prestigious awards for two projects at
the Iconic Awards 2014, organised by the German Design Council in Munich. The
German architectural practice is acclaimed for its work that embodies the
Vitruvian ideals of solidity, longevity and beauty. Besides bagging the highest
award, ‘Best of Best’ for the Qingdao Grand Theatre, the architects were also
lauded under the Winner category for the Berlin State Ballet School.
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| Qingdao Grand Theatre |
The
Qingdao Grand Theatre in China, not only sits in a unique position but is also
a reflection of its enchanting surroundings. Situated on the eastern side of
the city of Qingdao between a bay in the Yellow Sea and the 1,130-metre-high
Mount Laoshan, the opera house rises like a mountain, echoing the nearby
massif.
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| Qingdao Grand Theatre |
Besides
the opera house, the 80,000 sq-m Qingdao Grand Theatre hosts a concert and
multifunction hall, a media centre, hotel and conference centre. The area is
often wreathed in clouds since it is positioned in the Laoshan Ridge, mimicked
in the theatre’s cloud-like roof that seems to hover above the four buildings. The
raised terraces in the surrounding park remind one of a mountain plateau, taking
their bearings from both, the mountains and the sea.
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| Qingdao Grand Theatre |
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| Qingdao Grand Theatre |
The
opera house at the northern end of the ensemble of buildings offers a direct
view of the coast, and can be accessed through the lower level or via the glass-encased
main foyer that offers views of the terrace, park and Yellow Sea. Further
emphasizing the relation of the building to the mountains are the foyer’s walls
and floor that are clad with local stone.
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| Berlin State Ballet School |
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| Berlin State Ballet School |
The
concept for gmp’s second award-winning project, the Berlin State Ballet School,
Germany, is a reflection of the constant ebb and flow of pupils between the
creative world of dance and the classic functions of full-time schooling. This
concept is realised by linking the ensemble of areas to each other. While the
four-story school and ballet rooms face each other, a curved multi-story hall
runs through the new building, where on the second storey, each area is
accessible via a bridge. The structure’s large display windows on the facade
offer the dancers a view of the outside world, besides giving passers-by a
glimpse of the trainee ballerinas.
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| Berlin State Ballet School |
Both
of gmpArchitektens’ winning projects showcase the interaction of urban-cultural-economic
disciplines.
Wonderful concepts!
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