april 2007
division of Archi-Europe


 Editiorial


Architecture as seen by colleges

The national higher architecture college of Paris Val de Seine which has just been built on the site of a former compressed air plant (1891) in the 13th Arrondissement of Paris, has turned the spotlight once again on architect Frédéric Borel and the design work by architectural colleges. In the context of the restructuring and modernisation of the buildings in Île-de-France, the new establishment allows a rapid transition between "designing" and "doing". Founded on pedagogical diversity, it will soon offer a technical platform and tools enabling structured experimentation, practical and theoretical teaching.

From Toulouse to Strasbourg , from Nantes to Marseille, colleges spread throughout France to train almost 20,000 students have found their own identity, a reflection of their history and teaching methods. That mosaic is a reflection of a local situation. Renaud Donnadieu de Vabres, Minister of Culture and Communication, asserts that the training of architects corresponds to a priority commitment of the public policy implemented by the Ministry. "The responsibility of architects, which is required at all times in their working life, is intense, he writes in the preface to the book « architecture des écoles d'architecture » (Architecture in Architectural Colleges - Hors série d'a - ISBN 11450835). It determines the identity and attractiveness of our territories, like the capacity of our living surroundings to match our way of life, meet our expectations, anticipate our aspirations and realise our dreams.

The Archi-Europe Team!




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 Portrait of the Month

Frédéric Borel, Paris (France)





This former student of Christian de Portzamparc reveals a strong personality in his architectural writing. He loves the city for its "tremendous power of attraction", and imagines buildings for it that are elegant, sophisticated, fragmented and linked together. Or he creates a surprise with geometric shapes and vivid colours. Reading the recent news about his projects is significant. A strong signal, capable of redefining the image of the fire service
in the city, the fire station in Nogent-sur-Marne is a compact building, with the emphasis on means of communication, highlighting the work and the constant mobility of this type of service.

In a more direct, more conceptual formal register, the Crèche des Récollets (Paris) is a bold accumulation of pure shapes. The project for the Law Courts building in Narbonne seeks to fit in with the site and stand as a noble, soothing object, stable and open, with a kind of halo, while remaining familiar. The project is like a marked path, a natural transition leading from the world of everyday life, to the surroundings of the judicial system.

For a residential building in the 16 th arrondissement in Paris, Frédéric Borel answered two questions: how to integrate the building into an enclosed islet, while opening up the calm and voluptuous atmosphere of the sheltered garden of a former convent to the eyes of passers-by? How to design a prestige building with generous architecture, capable of taking the place of present-day minimalism?

As to the project for the Paris Val de Seine Architecture College, it is defined as a conciliatory environment in osmosis with the various urban scales which overlap on the site. This multi-purpose building contributes to the organisation of the Masséna district (13 th Arrondissement of Paris) and sets the University of Jussieu within the city, while dialoguing without inhibitions with the legacy of the industrial past.

Always wanting to "listen to society and anticipate and create a life scenario for someone that he does not know, and for generations to come", Frédéric Borel wants to give back to every city the richness of mixtures.

click to enlarge

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

Legends of the pictures

1. Frédéric Borel
2. & 3. Crèche des Récollets - Paris
Set of opaque blocks pressing against each other, as if levitatig on glass crystal, with limited resources, the building tackles the expression of two pairs of contradictory concepts, attraction and expansion, heaviness and weightlessness.
4. & 5. Palais de Justice de Narbonne
The building is organised around a "transparent axis", which fits in perfectly with the morphology of the site. "We wanted to convey the importance of the building to the city in a different way than just by its size. While remaining absolutely coherent and homogeneous, it is a building which presents different facets in response to the specific nature of the context."
6. Residential building, avenue Poincaré - Paris 16e
The project consists of concealing the mass of the building by giving it a depth, and finding the traditional tripartition, as well as the rhythm of the bow windows, but broken by a sculptural void, allowing a relationship between the barren atmosphere of the avenue, and the luxuriant atmosphere of the garden.
7. & 8. Architecture College of Paris Val de Seine - Paris 13e
A formal, clearly identifiable composition in the monumental façade stands alongside the Seine, and functions beyond the ring road, as a condenser of activities allowing the integration of the inner suburbs.
9. Nogent-sur-Marne fire station
The two residential buildings required by the commission are linked by walkways and girders, so as to form a parallelepiped raised from the ground. A large diagonal links the two rectangles, north-east and south-west, which make up this irregular site.



 Project of the Month

Finnforest Modular Office - Tapiola (Finland)
Architects : Helin & Co Architects

This wooden office building covering an area of 13 300 m² belongs to Finnforest (the Finnish wooden construction and building corporation), and is the largest in its category in Europe. Everything is made of laminated wood, while the main cladding is made of laminated planks. Only the lift shaft, the cellar and the exit stairs are made of concrete. Kerto LVL is used in the carcass and the visible structures of the building, and represents the possibilities of wood in advanced applications. The architectural aspect consists of rectangular modules, reminiscent of a stack of sawn construction timber. At one end, a conical module with a sunshade shows the ability of the wood to adapt to the structures.

The aim was to prove that prefabricated wood products can be an efficient solution for medium-sized office buildings, in terms of programme, costs and execution. Architect Pekka Helin is confident about the popularity of wood in contemporary projects. "This renewable construction material reduces carbon dioxide emissions and stores heat. It can meet today's architectural requirements for more human structures that are better for the environment." Indeed, the ecological aspects were taken into account most carefully at every stage, from planning to construction and use.

This ambitious project proves that for architects in the 21 st century, wood is a fascinating material which, when facing new challenges, is firmly turned towards the future.

FMO Tapiola is the winner of the Wood Award 2006, an annual award in Finland that honours high quality architecture where wood is used in a way that encourages new construction technologies.





 Product of the Month

ClimaDeck, energy-efficient flooring

Echo is obliged by its image as a green pioneer to look for low-energy, efficient alternatives. As the leading Belgian manufacturer of prefab flooring solutions, it applies the principle of concrete core activation. Prefabricated water pipes for heating and/or cooling are integrated into the concrete flooring elements, which uses the thermal accumulation potential of concrete optimally. After the structure of the building is complete, the elements can be connected to the heating and cooling circuits. To achieve proper integration of the system, of course it is important that already at the design stage, the principles of concrete core activation and ClimaDeck are taken into account. For this purpose, architects and engineers can count on professional advise from Echo's technical staff. The main advantage is the environmental benefit and energy savings. The traditional avenue of air conditioning is being increasingly left behind because this contributes to high energy consumption, and often results in an uncomfortable feeling. ClimaDeck forms a very valid alternative. During the warmer seasons, it is sufficient to circulate cool water (e.g. ground water) through the pipes to achieve a comfortable temperature. The system of night cooling can be applied here: at night, the concrete mass is cooled, and during the day, the cool is released gradually. With the motto "heating with low temperatures and cooling with high temperatures", thermally active floors are energy-efficient.



 Agenda

- GERMANY -

  • Vogt Landscape Architects
    (24/03 - 20/05/2007) - Berlin
    AedesLand
    The daily work of a landscape architect
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Auf.einander.bauen in Berlin: Baugruppen, Projekte, Potentiale
    (30/03 - 25/05/2007) - Berlin
    Deutsche Architektur Zentrum
    The new housing typology emerging from a trend in German's building scene.
    --- Go to the site ---

  • The Destruction of Gemütlichkeit?
    (> 28/05/2007) - Weil/Rhein
    Vitra Design Museum
    Evolution of living concepts in the 20th century
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Cross-Border / Fotografie und Videokunst aus dem MUMOK Wien
    (> 17/06/2007) - Stuttgart
    Kunstmuseum
    About 200 works by internationally renowned artists
    --- Go to the site ---

  • 100 Jahre Deutscher Werkbund
    (19/04 - 26/08/2007) - Munich
    Pinakothek der Moderne
    The German Werkbund was founded in Munich in 1907 with the aim of refining arts and crafts.
    --- Go to the site ---

  • The Eternal Now: Deutscher Werkbund
    (5/05/2007 - 16 h) - Munich
    Pinakothek der Moderne
    Lecture: The 100th jubilee the Deutscher Werkbund
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Auf.einander.bauen in Berlin: Baugruppen, Projekte, Potentiale
    (5/05/2007 - 4.00pm - Taut Saal) - Berlin
    Deutsche Architektur Zentrum.
    Symposium
    --- Go to the site ---

  • TECHTEXTIL
    (12 - 14/06/2007) - Francfort/Main
    International trade fair for technical textiles
    --- Go to the site ---

  • THE DESIGN ANNUAL
    (14 - 17/06/2007) - Francfort/Main
    Focus on kindling a social discourse on design
    --- Go to the site ---

  • MUTEC
    (20 - 22/06/2007) - Munich
    International Trade Fair for Museums, Collections, Restorations and Cultural Projects
    --- Go to the site ---

- AUSTRIA -

  • Lessons from Bernard Rudofsky
    (> 28/05/2007) - Vienna
    Architekturzentrum Wien - Old Hall
    The cosmopolitan Rudofsky's complex architectural concept
    --- Go to the site ---

- BELGIUM -

  • INOUT - Ici et Maintenant
    (> 13/05/ 2007) - Hornu
    Grand-Hornu Images
    Urban design furniture of two young designers from the Lausanne «Ecole Cantonale d'Art».
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Kitsch, Camp or Design ?
    (27/04 - 24/06/2007) - Ghent
    Design Museum
    The confusing phenomenon of kitsch and camp.
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Eero Saarinen : Shaping the Future
    (20/05 - 7/10/2007) - Brussels
    CIVA
    Eero Saarinen, TWA-Terminal, John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, 1962. ©
    Ezra Stoller/Esto. One of the most prolific and controversial masters of 20th-century architecture.
    --- Go to the site ---

- DENMARK -

  • Cindy Sherman - 30 years of staged photography
    (> 20/05/2007) - Humlebæk
    Louisiana Museum
    The American artist Cindy Sherman's production
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Marimekko - the story of a Nordic brand
    (> 28/05/2007) - Copenhagen
    Danish Museum Art & Design
    Marimekko's colourful textiles for furniture and fashion design has since 1951 been known all over the world and contributed to the 1950s - 1960s revolution of modern printed textiles and fashion design.
    --- Go to the site ---

  • SCANDDBUILD
    (17 - 19/04/2007) - Copenhagen
    Construction & Real Estate, Industrial Supplies
    --- Go to the site ---

- SPAIN -

  • Barcelona, 1978-1997... Manolo Laguillo
    (> 6/05/2007) - Barcelone
    Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona Work of Manolo Laguillo (Madrid, 1953).
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Palazuelo: proceso de trabajo
    (> 10/06/2007) - Bilbao
    Musée Guggenheim
    Pablo Palazuelo (1915) is one of the key figures of Spanish art of the second half of the 20th century.
    --- Go to the site ---

- FINLAND -
  • Formula 1™ - The Great Design Race
    (> 22/04/2007) - Helsinki
    Design Museum
    Now the public will be able to discover the design innovations at the heart of Formula 1.
    --- Go to the site ---
  • Rogelio Salmona
    (18/04 -10/06/2007) -     Helsinki
    Museum of Finnish Architecture
    Presentation of the work of a contemporary Colombian architect, winner of the Alvar Aalto Medal in 2003.
    --- Go to the site ---

- FRANCE -

  • Le nuage Magellan
    (> 9/04/2007) - Paris
    Centre Pompidou
    This exhibition takes an inquiring look at contemporary perceptions of modernism - from dethroned utopias to possibilities for the future - bringing together the projects of 8 contemporary artists.
    --- Go to the site ---

  • S 333 Architecture + Urbanism, Amsterdam. Nouvelles écologies urbaines
    (> 14/04/2007) - Paris
    La Galerie d'Architecture
    The today'urban design'chanllenges
    --- Go to the site ---

  • DPA Dominique Perrault architecte
    (> 29/04/2007) - Bordeaux
    Arc en rêve centre d'architecture
    Dominique Perrault's recent works.
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Joe Colombo - Inventing the Future
    (28/03 - 19/08/2007) - Paris
    Musée des Arts Décoratifs
    The work of the Italian designer Joe Colombo, a visionnary spirit of the sixties.
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Christian de Portzamparc. Rêver la ville.
    (21/03 - 16/09/2007) - Paris
    Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine - Palaisde Chaillot
    Recent works and current projects
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Génération Europan
    (21/03 - 27/05/2007) - Paris
    Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine - Palais de Chaillot
    The main points of Europan Awards
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Avant-Après. Architectures au fil du temps
    (21/03 - 16/09/2007) - Paris
    Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine - Palais de Chaillot
    Architectural projects and urban planning
    --- Go to the site ---

- GREAT-BRITAIN -

  • Gilbert & George
    (> 7/05/2007) - London
    Tate Modern
    Their impact on the international art world was immediate, radical and subversive
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Glasgow Greenhouse
    (> 7/05/2007) - Glasgow
    The Lighthouse Level 1 Review Gallery
    Leading Scottish practice, Chris Stewart Architects
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Thinking Inside the Box
    (> 7/05/2007) - Glasgow
    Young Designers Gallery Interiors in the 21st Century
    --- Go to the site ---

  • The Timeless Vision : Alvar Aalto Through the Eyes of Shigeru Ban
    (> 27/05/2007) - London
    The Barbican Gallery
    This fascinating exhibition which explores the themes linking these two influential architects.
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Airworld - Design and Architecture for Air Travel
    (12/04 - 27/05/2007) - Glasgow
    Tramway
    The aesthetic of the golden age of air travel
    --- Go to the site ---
  • On the Threshold: The Changing Face of Housing
    (> 27/05/2007) - London
    Victoria & Albert Museum Architecture
    Exhibition Gallery
    Looking at and under the residential skin.
    --- Go to the site ---
  • Ettore Sottsass. A Life in Design
    (29/03 - 10/06/2007) - London
    Design Museum
    To mark Ettore Sottsass' 90th birthday the exhibition drawns from six decades of an on-going career.
    --- Go to the site ---
  • Luigi Colani. Translating Nature
    (03/03 - 17/06/2007) - London
    Design Museum
    Luigi Colani is one of the great mavericks of 20th Century design
    --- Go to the site ---
  • Living in Motion - Design and architecture for Flexible Dwelling
    (1/04 - 10/06/2007) - Edinburgh
    Edinburgh City Arts Center
    --- Go to the site ---
  • Zaha Hadid Architecture and Design
    (29/06 - 3/10/2007) - London
    Design Museum
    Zaha Hadid has defined a radically new approach to architecture by creating buildings
    --- Go to the site ---

- GREECE -
  • The invisible thread
    (> 14/04/2007) -     Athens
    Benaki Museum
    Retrospective exhibition of the Alexandros Tompazis' work
    --- Go to the site ---

- ITALY -

  • The New Italian Design
    (> 25/04/2007) - Milan
    Triennale
    All the new forms of the 21st century
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Jean Prouvé - The Poetics of the Technical Object
    (> 15/04/2007) - Mantoue
    Palazzo Té
    One of the most innovative architectural and furniture draftsman of the 20th century
    --- Go to the site ---

  • SALONE INTERNAZIONALE DEL MOBILE
    (18 - 23/04/2007) - Milan
    International Furniture Exhibition
    --- Go to the site ---

- LUXEMBOURG -

- NORWAY -

  • Håkki™
    (> 29/04/2007) - Oslo
    Norsk Design - Architecture Center
    an art project that merges with business
    --- Go to the site ---

- THE NETHERLANDS -

  • Architectuur van de nacht - Schitterende gebouwen
    (> 06/05/2007) - Rotterdam
    Nederlands Architectuurinstituut
    The exhibition shows how over the last hundred years the use of artificial light has changed the way we design and build.
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Building Portraits
    (23/03 - 13/05/2007) - Rotterdam
    Nederlands Architectuurinstituut
    Twelve talented young photographers
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Hertzberger's Amsterdam
    (13/04 - 2/06/2007) - Amsterdam
    ARCAM
    The Hertzberger's career, from the early student projects in the mid-fifties to future schemes
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Power. Producing the Contemporary City
    (24/05 - 02/09/2007) - Rotterdam
    Kunsthal
    International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Steiner & Lenzlinger. Four Vegetative Sleeping Rooms
    (> 28/10/2007) - Rotterdam
    Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
    The Swiss artists Steiner & Lenzlinger are interested in all cross-overs between nature and culture.
    --- Go to the site ---

  • ENHR Conference Sustainable Urban Areas
    (25 - 28/06/2007) - Rotterdam
    Conference Centre De Doelen
    The conference will highlight the many aspects of housing and urban issues in relation to sustainability.
    --- Go to the site ---

- POLAND -

  • ECODOM
    (20 - 22/04/2007) - Katowice
    International Exhibition For Energy Saving And Thermal Meassuring
    --- Go to the site ---

- PORTUGAL -

  • EXPOCLIMA
    (17 - 20/04/2007) - Lisbone
    Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Energy Control Exhibition
    --- Go to the site ---

- CZECH REPUBLIC -

- RUSSIA -

  • CONSTRUCTION DESIGN
    (17 - 21/04/2007) -     St Petersburg
    Specialized Exhibition of Construction Design
    --- Go to the site ---

- SWEDEN -

  • SYDBYGG 2007
    (17 - 19/04/2007) - Malmö
    Construction & Real Estate, Industrial Supplies, Computer Hardware & Software
    --- Go to the site ---

- SWITZERLAND -

  • Rémy Zaugg - My neighbour Death and perception
    (> 03/06/2007) - Basle
    Zentrum Paul Klee
    Resonating with the eclipsing of the visible is the eclipsing of life itself.
    --- Go to the site ---

  • Edvard Munch. Signs of Modern Art
    (> 15/07/2007) - Basle
    Fondation Beyeler
    The first special exhibition in its jubilee year to the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944).
    --- Go to the site ---

 
Navigation


 Competitions

  • GREATER HELSINKI VISION 2050 : INTERNATIONAL IDEAS COMPETITION
     Greater Helsinki is one of the most dynamic metropolises in Europe. To respond to the challenges of the twenty-first century, the 14 municipalities of Greater Helsinki and the State of Finland have decided to organise an international ideas competition to envisage the metropolitan area's future up to the year 2050. Total of 500,000 euro will be awarded as prizes and purchases.
    Submission: 31 May 2007
    --- Go to the site ---


  • HOLCIM AWARDS