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Rapid Palace / Visiondivision

By Karen Cilento — Filed under: News , ,
 

visiondivision_rapid_palace_2

After a grade school in Sweden, with a very limited budget, contacted Visiondivision to transform their schoolyard, the team decided to use the school’s existing budget for asphalt maintenance as the means to improve the yard.  Limited budgets always pose a challenge for projects, yet the team saw this as the opportunity to experiment with different materials to stay within their monetary restraints. “With the help of the fast growing Swedish bamboo Salix, we managed to create a large visual impact on the boring asphalt yard that also was relatively inexpensive,” explained the architects.

More about the palace after the break.

visiondivision_rapid_palace_diagram_2

“A pattern combined from plans of palaces from all over the world is created by tearing away parts of the existing asphalt,” explained the architects.   After removing the vast area of asphalt, the voids were filled with Salix, a material known for its strength, height and  its rapid growth.   The sculpted bamboo forest creates little niches for play areas and larger areas for outdoor teaching when the weather permits.

visiondivision_rapid_palace_1

When the children return to school, the Salix walls of the palace will already reach half their height of 4 meters and create “a magnificent palace to play in and cultivate their imagination”.   And, in twenty five years, the architects have planned to “harvest the Salix and ship it as eco fuel to the nearby heating plant or it can become furniture for the new castle that will rise for the next generation of kids.”

Existing area

Existing area

visiondivision_rapid_palace_plan

visiondivision_rapid_palace_diagram_3

visiondivision_rapid_palace_diagram_4

Type: Client

Status: Under review

Birth:  2008

Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

Credits: visiondivision through Anders Berensson & Ulf Mejergren

www.visiondivision.com

 

17 comments »

Gina Gray says:

Brilliant idea! It looks very feasible too.

 
# July 10, 2009 at 11:41
Benny Anderson says:

Awesome!

 
# July 10, 2009 at 11:49
Hertz says:

Just love the strong and fun concepts from this firm!

 
# July 10, 2009 at 12:16

wonderful!

 
# July 10, 2009 at 12:47
Godwina says:

sweet project, magic and mystic!

 
# July 10, 2009 at 13:23
PanamArq says:

cool that they are making a play area out of bamboo.. 10 times cooler that they are using plans for palaces!!

 
# July 10, 2009 at 14:28
Ulises says:

Vision Division Rocks! That´s the kind of architecture thinking our world needs.

 
# July 10, 2009 at 17:45
Maniac says:

just wow!

 
# July 11, 2009 at 07:14
Dara says:

my utmost respect to visiondivision!

 
# July 11, 2009 at 07:33
mike diaz says:

visiondivision just continues to do admirable projects, far away from what is expected and dare to stand out as true genius. respect to you and stay strong, the world needs you!

 
# July 11, 2009 at 08:51
mario says:

how old are the kids? not too safe i reckon

 
# July 11, 2009 at 09:28
Mark says:

thumbs up for the project and the architects behind it, they always keep surprising me. Inspiring!

 
# July 11, 2009 at 13:33
shruti says:

wonderful..simply fantastic!

 
# July 11, 2009 at 13:58
Hamid Rachid says:

cool!

 
# July 11, 2009 at 15:12
Keita Kader says:

A very well executed concept, great!

 
# July 11, 2009 at 16:44
sarah says:

brilliant

 
# July 13, 2009 at 12:29

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