Courtesy of Powerhouse Company, Vivid-Vision, Atchain
Powerhouse Company has just revealed its designs for “The Harmony” in the AmsterdamZuidas area. Featuring two towers, The Canyon and The Coast, the project aims to blend office spaces, commercial areas, and affordable housing. “The Harmony” establishes a new link between the Zuidas district and the upcoming residential zone of Ravel.
The principles of the circular economy have been most influential and applicable to the construction industry. Emphasizing the efficient use of resources, models around reuse and recycling of components and materials are increasingly being pioneered by global architecture practices. The concept of "design for disassembly" has emerged as an innovative approach especially in the case of building facades. Striking a balance between the demands for new infrastructure and the transition towards sustainability requires a review of traditional facade design throughout its lifecycle.
Studio Monnik, 'Alles Komt Goed', 2023. ‘Poreuze Stad’, Illustratie van Jan Cleijne. Een toekomstscenario voor Amsterdam in 2089. Image Courtesy of Het Nieuwe Instituut
Still, the country faces expected and unexpected challenges, from an acute housing shortage to raising concerns regarding climate change and shifting ideas of ecology. In the words of curator Suzanne Mulder, the country is “once again on the drawing board,” as architects, urban planners, and designers are reopening conversations about the future by looking at past lessons. To come to their help, Rotterdam’s Nieuwe Instituut is organizing the exhibition ‘Designing the Netherlands: 100 Years of Past & Present Futures.’
Advancements in 3D printing technology are progressing at an unprecedented pace, accompanied by a parallel surge in computational power for manipulating and creating intricate geometries. This synergy has the potential to offer architects an unprecedented level of artistic freedom in regards to the complex textures they can generate, thanks to the technology's remarkable high resolution and rapid manufacturing capabilities. If the question of production was out of the way, and architects could now sculpt virtually anything into a facade effectively and efficiently, what would they sculpt?
