Sustainable Market Square Competition Entry / Joan Alomar

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The proposal by Joan Alomar, of Estudio Lunar, presents a building that completes the urban block and blends in to the neighborhood of . This concept leads the architecture that mimics the events at it’s surroundings, the nature, vernacular architecture, etc. To blend is the rational sustainable concept to exist without causing a disturbance. Sustainability as a complete concept is not only about saving energy, the building first needs to be socially useful and improve the neighborhood, that’s the first target of this market; it’s not only a market hall. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Sustainable Market Square Competition Entry / Nikolova/Aarsø (N/A)

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The proposal for the Sustainable Market Square competition by Nikolova/Aarsø (N/A) brings together the economic, ecological, cultural, and social aspects of sustainability together. The architects do so with the interplay of medieval Islamic design tradition and contemporary advanced building technology. The architectural concept is developed through the use of the girih tiles as a constantly present design method that elevates its purpose from pure ornamentation to a method of developing architectural composition, spatial organization, structural elements, integration of environmental sustainable technology and strategies, to the planning of flow of people. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Sustainable Market Square Third Prize Winning Proposal / Various Architects

Courtesy of Florent Chagny, Soufia Louzir, Thomas Sponti, Florian Chazeau

In their ‘Flying Market’ concept for the sustainable market square proposal in , which won the third prize, the architects began with a simple exercise, utilizing associative words, gathering inspirations and ideas to define the project and its aim. Designed by Florent Chagny, Soufia Louzir, Thomas Sponti, and Florian Chazeau, they decided to propose a ‘magic’ cover, a transformative cap to the utilitarian every-day market. The design, a structural network, levitates over the market utilizing a suspension system of twenty-three colorful Helium balloons. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Market Square Cover Competition Entry / Michael Labory & Bertrand Schippan

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Designed for the market square cover competition, the ‘flying carpet’ proposal by Michael Labory & Bertrand Schippan is a modular and sustainable cover with the goal for the efficient arrangement of the functional facilities. This is attained by putting them along the site border thus maximizing the space to be used for market. They revive the dull facade of the neighboring building by bringing the volume of the facilities into the shape of its skyline. Among all other things, it contributes to the increase in urban density as windowless facade becomes a part of lively market place. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Sustainable Market Square Second Prize Winning Proposal / PMG Architects

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Designed by PMG Architects, their second prize winning proposal for the sustainable market square competition in lets itself be admired, but only reveals itself partially and gradually in using a variety of different architectural elements. Beneath the immense arched galleries, as airy as they are luminous, the architects try to grasp the thousands of riches of this place, so many vibrant fragrances and unknown colors, enticing flavors, and colorful spices. From one arc to another, from one vendor to his counterpart, from one ambiance to its contrary. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Sustainable Market Square Winning Proposal / TomDavid Architects

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TomDavid Architects shared with us their first prize winning proposal for the Sustainable Market Square competition in . In their proposal, they successfully combine indigenous techniques for shelter and heat control, the accountability of it’s residence, and innovative low-maintenance materials. In doing so, they create an efficient and pragmatic icon for the next generation market which serves as a catalyst for improvement. More images and architects’ description after the break.

[CASABLANCA] Sustainable Market Square Competition

Courtesy of [AC-CA]
[AC-CA] just launched their next competition which aims at designing a New Sustainable Market Square in , . A market square is a public open area where market stalls are traditionally set out for trading, commonly on particular days. It is usually situated in the center of the town, surrounded by buildings and streets. To create a sustainable market, environmentally conscious design techniques will be implemented. The architecture of this new structure should reflect contemporary design tendencies. The proposal must not only attend to the specific function but the design should also take into consideration the urban insertion and its impact. Early bird registration ends July 31 with the submission deadline November 5. To register and for more information, please visit here.

Higher Atlas / Barkow Leibinger Architects

© Johannes Foerster

Architects: Barkow Leibinger Architects - Gustav Düsing
Location:
Year: 2012
Photographs: Johannes Foerster

  

Connecting Riads Residential Complex / AQSO Arquitectos

©

Defined by a continuous volume snaking around two semipublic courtyards, the Connecting Riads residential complex by AQSO Arquitectos adapts to the different conditions of the plot to combine a domestic and urban appearance. Its simple gesture is defined by the particular context of each side of the site in a way that the different heights of the elevations become a contemporary and expressive form to which the roof is formed by staircase shaped green terraces. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Learning from Casablanca Exposition

Courtesy of Cattani, Thung, Van der Drift

An exhibition taking place in The Sacré Coeur cathedral of from November 4 – November 26, Learning from is a representation of the result of an architectural comparative research in the field of housing and urbanism. In the context of the 5th African Perspective Conference, AAMatters in collaboration with Casamemoire has initiated this exposition with hopes that looking again at might open new perspectives to the complex problems of modernist neighborhoods being demolished to make way for new development projects. More information on the event after the break.

Co-Habitation / Kilo Architectures

© Luc Boegly

Architects: Kilo Architectures
Location: ,
Client: Private
Size: 2000 sqm
Program: 5 Houses and a Collective Farm
Completion: 2011
Office: Kilo Architectures
Photographs: Luc Boegly

Grand Stade de Casablanca / NBBJ & Yassir Khalil Studio

© Studio 216

NBBJ & Yassir Khalil Studio shared with us their vision for the new Grand Stade de . Their goal for the project is to create a center for sports and assembly events which is keenly in tune with the natural environment, geography, and history of the nation of . The sports center will signify to the world the unique character and vision of the city, while taking advantage of the natural environment to reduce energy consumption and create a dramatic human experience. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Volubilis Visitor Center / Kilo Architectures

© Luc boegly

Architects: Kilo Architectures
Location: ,
Client: Ministère de la Culture
Structural Engineers: TESCO
Project Year: 2011
Project Area: 4,200 sqm
Photographs: Elio Germani, Luc Boegly

Culture and Leisure Complex in Morocco / Younes Diouri

Courtesy

Younes Diouri has shared with us  a proposal for a Culture and Leisure complex in , Morocco. Read more on the project featuring additional images after the break.

BMCE Headquarters / Foster + Partners

© Nigel Young /

Architects: Foster + Partners
Location: Rabat,
Photographs: Nigel Young

Rabat Grand Theatre / Zaha Hadid

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Following a recent ceremony in Rabat, Morroco, Agence pour l’Aménagement de la Vallée du Bouregreg (The Bouregreg Valley Development Agency) verified that architectural designs will be provided by Zaha Hadid Architects.  The program will include three theater spaces, indoor spaces consisting of 2,050-seat and a 520-seat, and a fully-equipped outdoor amphitheater holding up to 7,000 people.   The theaters will share back of house facilities, efficiently reducing the size of the building services needed.  Creative studios will also be incorporated into this cultural venue.  Estimated cost is at 120 Million Euros for the Rabat Grand Theatre.

Follow the break for more renderings of The Rabat Grand Theatre.

Architects: Zaha Hadid Architects
Location: Rabat,
Design: Zaha Hadid with Patrik Schumacher
Associate: Nils Peter Fisher
Project Leader: William Tan
Project Team: Torsten Broeder, Martin Krcha, Hoda Nobakhti, Rafael Contreras, Yevgeniya Pozigun, Michal Treder
Structure Engineer: Adams Kara Taylor
MEP Engineer: MaxFordham
Acoustics & Theatre: Artec Consultant
Facade: Donnell Consultants Incorporated
Lighting: Office for Visual Interaction Inc
Client: Agence pour l’Aménagement de la Vallée du Bouregreg
Project Area: 47,000 sqm
Renderings: Methanoia, Courtesy of Zaha Hadid

National Museum of Archaeology and Earth Sciences / archi5 & OKA

Courtesy of &

French architects archi5 and Omar Kobbité Architectes (OKA), have won a competition to design the National Museum of Archaeology and Earth Sciences in Rabat, Morocco. More images and architect’s description after the break.

Global Holcim Awards 2009 Winning Projects

The second cycle of the Holcim Awards competition has reached its pinnacle: the top sustainable construction projects out of thousands of submissions from all continents have been selected. THOLChe four winning entries are a river remediation scheme in , a greenfield university campus in Vietnam, a rural planning strategy in China, and a shelter for day laborers in the USA. A series of prize-handovers will be held at the site of each project to celebrate the winners and their highly-acclaimed examples of sustainable construction.

Almost 5,000 sustainable construction projects and visions from 121 countries entered the five regional Holcim Awards competitions in 2008. Winners of the Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards in each region automatically qualified for the Global Holcim Awards competition in 2009. The global jury was headed by Charles Correa (architect, India) and included Peter Head (structural engineer, UK), Enrique Norten (architect, Mexico/USA), Saskia Sassen (sociologist, USA), Hans-Rudolf Schalcher (civil engineer, Switzerland), and Rolf Soiron (economist, Switzerland).

More images and description of the winning projects, after the break.