Courtesy of gmp Architekten

The challenging task of designing for the Eurovision Song Contest this year was undertaken by combining the efforts of gmp Architekten von Gerkan, Marg und Partner, Alpine Bau Deutschland AG, and Nüssli International AG. Taking place in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku at Crystal Hall, the aim was to create and implement a multipurpose event-venue that is meant to accommodate 25,000 spectators.The characteristic crystalline shape of the building and its illuminated façade is the response to Azerbaijan’s special request for the creation of a widely visible and visually effective landmark as a bridge between Asia and Europe that will be noticed in an international context. More images and architects’ description after the break. read more »

Courtesy of gmp Architekten

An ecologically designed city quarter for living and working is currently being developed in China’s Qingdao, on the coast of the Yellow Sea, to plans by architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp). The construction of the Chinese/German Eco-Park in Qingdao goes back to an agreement between the two countries, which was signed by the Federal Ministry for Economics and the Federal Ministry for the Environment during Angela Merkel’s state visit in July 2010; it is scheduled for completion in 2015. More images and project description after the break. read more »

We recently had the opportunity to interview gmp architekten founding partner, Meinhard von Gerkan.  Born in 1935 in Riga/Latvia, Gerkan completed his architectural studies in 1964 at the Carolo Wilhelmina Technical University in Braunschweig.  In 1965 he co-founded with Volkwin Marg, von Gerkan, Marg and partners.  They have completed together over 260 buildings, among them the Berlin-Tegel Airport (competition, 1st place 1965, built in 1970-75), the Berlin Central Station, Villa Guna, Christ Pavilion, and the Lingang New City, been recognized nationally and internationally for their designs and competition proposals.

Meinhard von Gerkan has also dedicated time to architectural education serving as a professor at multiple institutions including Hamburg’s Free Academy of Arts and Japan’s Nihon University in Tokyo.  His interest in the training of architects resulted in the creation of a foundation to promote architectural training in 2007: the Academy for Architectural Culture. He has regarded this as one of his most important projects.

“The architect has a particular social responsibility since architecture is an art with social obligation and use.”

Our profession has a big component of passion, and Meinhard was full of it. It was inspiring to interview him, and I hope you enjoy this video.

A list of gmp architekten projects featured on ArchDaily include:

• Tianjin West Railway Station
• Tower Block Complex
• Universiade Sports Center and Bao’an Stadium
• Shanghai Oriental Sports Center
• National Museum of China
• Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
• Moses Mabhida Stadium
• Greenpoint Stadium

Cape Town Stadium outside, © Bruce Sutherland

The stadiums built by the architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa received the IOC/IAKS Award on 26 October 2011. In the context of the international Trade Fair for Amenity Areas, Sports and Pool Facilities (FSB), the International Olympic Committee and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) selected the Cape Town stadium for first prize and the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth for third prize in the “stadiums for competitions and events” category. The awards were received by Hubert Nienhoff, gmp partner in charge of the offices in Berlin, Frankfurt and Rio de Janeiro. More information on the projects after the break. read more »

Courtesy of gmp architekten

Architects: gmp architekten
Location: Beijing, China
Client: Tianjin Ministry of Railway
Design: Meinhard von Gerkan and Stephan Schütz with Stephan Rewolle
Project Leader: Jiang Lin Lin
Structural Engineers: schlaich bergermann und partner
Project Year: 2011
Project Area: 179,000 sqm
Photographs: Courtesy of gmp architekten

read more »

Courtesy of gmp Architekten

Following their success in winning first prize in an international competition, the architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) have been commissioned to realize a tower block complex of ten buildings in Nanjing. The design by gmp is for a financial enterprise center on a site of about 80,000 square meters in this large eastern Chinese metropolis. The above ground gross floor space of the 120 to 200 meter high tower blocks will be about 500,000 square meters. More images and architects’ description after the break. read more »

This week, with the help of our readers, our Architecture City Guide is headed to Shanghai. Shanghai is noted for having more Art Deco buildings than any other city, including László Hudec’s Park Hotel, which is not on our list but will be added in a future guide. Like many cities in China, Shanghai’s rapid growth has meant a boon in contemporary architecture styles. We put together a list of 12 modern/contemporary buildings that we feel provides a good starting point. It is far from complete. There are dozens of other great buildings that are not our list, and we are looking to add to the list in the near future. Please add your favorites in the comment section below so we can add them on the second go around. Again thank you to all our readers who sent in their suggestions and photographs. The city guides would not be possible without your help.

To check out other cities visit our world map or our Architecture City Guide page.
The Architecture City Guide: Shanghai list and corresponding map after the break.

read more »

Courtesy of Flickr CC License / Sarmu

This week, with the help of our readers, our Architecture City Guide is headed to Beijing. Beijing has a range of architectural styles, but the three most prevalent are the traditional imperial style (the Forbidden City), the “Sino-Sov” style (boxy structures built between the 1950s and 70s), and lastly the explosion of a modern corporate style that is punctuated with Starchitect buildings like OMA’s CCTV TV Station HQ. We put together a list of 12 modern/contemporary buildings that we feel provides a good starting point. It is far from complete. There are dozens of other great buildings that are not our list, and we are looking to add to the list in the near future. Please add your favorites in the comment section below so we can add them on the second go around. Again thank you to all our readers who sent in their suggestions and photographs. The city guides would not be possible without your help.

To check out other cities visit our world map or our Architecture City Guide page.
The Architecture City Guide: Beijing list and corresponding map after the break.

read more »

© Christian Gahl

To mark the occasion of the Universiade, which will take place from 12th to 23rd August 2011, the Universiade sports center and Bao’an stadium will be opened tomorrow in Shenzhen, southern China. The international competitions to come up with a design for the buildings were won in 2006 and 2007 by the designs of Architects von Gerkan Marg and Partners (gmp). The Universiade sports center consists of a stadium, a multifunctional hall and a swimming pool. The stadium in the Bao’an district is designed as an athletics stadium. However, during the 2011 Universiade, it is being used for football matches.

Architect: Architects von Gerkan Marg and Partners (gmp)
Location: Shenzhen, China
Photographs: Christian Gahl, Stephan Schütz, gmp

read more »

© Marcus Bredt

The Shanghai Oriental Sports Center (SOSC) just celebrated its opening for the 14th FINA World Swimming Championships from 16th to 31st July 2011. The sports complex was designed and built by architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp), who won the competitive bidding in 2008, and constructed it in under two and a half years. It consists of a hall stadium for several sports and cultural events, a natatorium (swimming hall), an outdoor swimming pool and a media centre. In keeping with a sustainable urban development policy, the SOSC was built on former industrial brownfield land along the Huangpu River. The individual venues are designed so that after the Swimming Championships, they can be used for a variety of other purposes.

Architects: gmp architekten
Location: Shanghai, China
Design: Meinhard von Gerkan and Nikolaus Goetze with Magdalene Weiss
Project Leader: Chen Ying
Team: Jan Blasko, Lü Cha, Lü Miao, Jörn Ortmann, Sun Gaoyang, Yan Lüji, Jin Zhan, Fang Hua, Martin Friedrich, Fu Chen, Ilse Gull, Kong Rui, Lin Yi, Katrin Löser, Ren Yunping, Alexander Schober, Nina Svensson, Tian Jinghai, Zhang Yan, Zhou Yunkai, Zhu Honghao
Project Year: 2011
Client: Shanghai Administration of Sports
Photographs: Marcus Bredt

read more »

© Christian Gahl

Architects: gmp architekten
Location: Beijing, China
Design team: Gregor Hoheisel, Katrin Kanus, Ralf Sieber, Du Peng, Chun-song Dong
Project leaders: Matthias Wiegelmann mit Patrick Pfleiderer
Outline design: Meinhard von Gerkan and Stephan Schütz with Stephan Rewolle and Doris Schäffler
Revised design: Meinhard von Gerkan and Stephan Schütz with Stephan Rewolle
Project team: Bao Wei, Johanna Enzinger, Anna Bulanda, Kong Jing, An-dreas Goetze, Guo Fuhui, Mulyanto, Chen Yue, Zheng Xin, Gao Hua, Xing Jiuzhou, Helga Reimund, Tobias Keyl, Christian Dorndorf, Anette Loeber, Ve-rena Fischbach, Jiang LinLin, Liu Yan, Mehrafarin Ruzbehi, Yoko Uraji, Lu Han, Xia Lin, Tian Jinghai, Uli Bachmann, Ajda Guelbahar, Iris Belle, Sabine Stage
Client: The National Museum of China
Project area: 192,000 sqm
Project year: 2007 – 2010
Photographs: Christian Gahl, Ben McMillan, gmp

read more »

©gmp – von Gerkan, Marg und Partner Architects, Berlin / Photo by: Marcus Bredt

The Nelson Mandela Bay Multi-Purpose Stadium located in Port Elizabeth is the third stadium designed by gmp architekten for South Africa’s World Cup. It will host eight games, including the 3rd and 4th place match. Check our recently featured stadiums by gmp architekten (Moses Mabhida Stadium / Greenpoint Stadium), and decide which one you like the most!

More images and architect’s description after the break. read more »

©gmp – von Gerkan, Marg und Partner Architects, Berlin / Photo by: Marcus Bredt

Almost six months till the 2010 South Africa World Cup kicks off. A while ago, we told you we’ll be featuring the stadiums that will host this huge competition. We started with Soccer City Stadium, designed by Boogertman Urban Edge and Partners in partnership with Populous. This week, we’ll be featuring three stadiums designed by gmp architekten. We’ll start with the Moses Mabhida Stadium, in the city of Durban. The stadium was also designed by Theunissen Jankowitz Durban, Ambro-Afrique Consultants, Osmond Lange Architects & Planners, NSM Designs, and Mthulisi Msimang.

More images and architect’s description after the break. read more »

©gmp - von Gerkan, Marg und Partner Architects / Photo by: Bruce Sutherland

Greenpoint Stadium was the name of the previously stadium located in Cape Town which hosted a maximum capacity of 18,000 spectators. Designed by gmp architekten, the new Cape Town Stadium will host more than 65,000 soccer fans that will enjoy eight World Cup matches.

As a reader told us, several architects were involved in the design of the stadium. Stadium Architects JV, a joint venture comprising: gmp architekten, Louis Karol architecture, and Point Architects (a joint venture of Jakupa Architects, Munnik Visser Architects, Comrie Wilkinson Architects & urban designers, and Paragon Architects).

More images and architect’s description after the break. read more »