Architecture and design

Amsterdam Green Mountains

A global operating architecture and urbanism practice MVRDV presented a project called Valley, manifesting a symbiosis of modern architecture and natural environment. Valley is a place where nature and contemporary design merge together to create a building that embodies both the natural landscape and modern urban conveniences. It is a place for work and living with an impressive public garden running through its three peaks with heights up to 100m.

River Empire

Aequorea: Vicent Callebaut Oceanskyscrapers

Tall Buildings magazine readers are offered the article devoted an innovative project of the iconic Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut, which represents unusual description of the inspiring architectural concept in the form of an open letter of the future habitant. He is trying to focus people’s attention to the environmental problems and highlight negative urbanization effects. The architect, worldwide known for his sustainable projects, on behalf of a fictional character describes Aequorea concept features implying complete rethinking of the vertical structures and the ways of their construction. Detailed description of the new environmentally friendly materials, megastructures construction ways and ocean problems are originally presented in the architect’s appeal to the people of the Land.

New Jungle of Singapore

Tall Buildings magazine publishes the interview with Christoph Ingenhoven. The Head of German based studio Ingenhoven Architects founded his firm more than a decade ago and has already became notable for his ecologically oriented designs. As an international role model for living and working, Marina One makes an innovative contribution to the discourse on mega-cities, especially in tropical regions, which, in the context of increasing population and climate change, face enormous challenges. The high-density building complex with its mix of uses extends to over 400,000 square meters and, with its group of four high-rise buildings, defines the “Green Heart”—a public space extending over several stories. This three-dimensional green oasis reflects the diversity of tropical flora.

2017 Year in Numbers: Tall Trends and Records

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has released its annual report, the 2017 Tall Building Year in Review, part of the Tall Buildings in Numbers data analysis series. The report shows that more buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed in 2017 than in any other year, with a total of 144 completions, marking the fourth consecutive record-breaking year. That’s a remarkable almost-doubling from 2013, when only 74 buildings of more than 200 meters were completed. Notably, 2017 was also the most geographically diverse year in terms of the number of cities and countries that completed 200-meter-plus buildings, with 69 cities across 23 countries represented in the data, up from 54 cities across 18 countries in 2016. Twenty-eight of these cities and eight countries completed their tallest building.

Simulating the Climate

Highlighting three key aspects of the project, this article unpacks the design team’s integrated approach, illustrating the complexity of the design process, and exemplifying how a tall building may make a positive contribution to its surrounding urban realm. 

The article was published in CTBUH Journal 2017 issue 2 (May 2017). Some extracts relating to the conservation aspects of the project within this article first appeared in an essay by Ho Weng Hin published in The Singapore Architect journal, October 2016. Portions of this paper about the environmental strategy and parametric design were previously published in the Conference Proceedings of ACADIA 2011: INTEGRATION THROUGH COMPUTATION, Editors Jason S. Johnson, Branko Kolarevic, Vera Parlac, Joshua M. Taron.

In Honour of the Reformer

Mexico or the United Mexican States is the state in North America, which capital is the rapidly developing Mexico City. in Mexico City are located 47 percent from the total country’s key manufacturing enterprises. Population of the capital according to official figures currently is about 9 million people and its urban economy is the eight in the world by size. The main street of Mexico City is the Reforma Avenue or the Paseo de la Reforma, named after the liberal reforms of President Juarez. The avenue was designed in the 1860s modeled on the straight, spacious and wide Parisian avenues and boulevards organized in the French capital by efforts of Baron Georges Eugène Osman on request of Napoleon.

Milan’s Fancy Diagonal

Is the Vertical Nest more sustainable than the Vertical Forest? It remained only one, the last hole, to fill in Milan’s financial quarter Porta Nuova. In this space by 2019 will be erected the UnipolSai tower, the headquarters of the international insurance company that will be one of the most innovative designs in the recent Milan history, triumph of the structural novelty, energy efficiency and bioclimatic design.

Beirut Terraces

The city of Beirut lies in the heart of the developing Middle East. Having always been a cosmopolitan city, it is a focal point of the region as a cultural and geographical link between Europe and the Middle East. The history of Beirut could hardly be more diverse, remains of Phoenician, Roman, Mamluk, Ottoman and Colonial rule have shaped the city and its buildings. The design of Beirut Terraces was quite literally influenced by the layers of the city’s rich and tumultuous history. 

High-Rise Cleaner for New York

In response to growing demand for public bird’s eye views in the world’s tallest cities and an increasing need for innovative environmental cleanup strategies, DFA has revealed the design of a temporary prefabricated structure that doubles as a sustainable filtration system to transform the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir into a non-toxic useable freshwater pond and an observation tower offering unprecedented views of the city to all. DFA proposes a 712-foot-tall observation tower to clean central park’s decommissioned and hazardous Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir designed as the world’s tallest timber structure, eco- and urban-friendly public space integrates water-cleansing and wind-power infrastructure.