Bogotá: The Latest Architecture and News
Click Clack Hotel / Plan B Arquitectos
Santa María de los Caballeros Chapel / MGP Arquitectura y Urbanismo
- Area: 1695 m²
- Year: 2013
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Professionals: EXACTA PROYECTO TOTAL S.A, CNI Ingenieros
Embassy of Ecuador / Arquiteck & Asociados
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Architects: Arquiteck & Asociados
- Year: 2013
Rodrigo Nino: In Defense of Crowdsourcing and Crowdfunding
As both crowdsourcing and crowdfunding gather momentum in the architecture world, they also gather criticism. The crowdsourcing design website Arcbazar, for example, has recently attracted critics who label it as “the worst thing to happen to architecture since the internet started.” A few months ago, I myself strongly criticized the 17John apartment-hotel in New York for stretching the definition of "crowdfunding" to the point where it lost validity, essentially becoming a meaningless buzzword.
In response to this criticism, I spoke to Rodrigo Nino, the founder of Prodigy Network, the company behind 17 John, who offered to counter my argument. Read on after the break for his take on the benefits of tapping into the 'wisdom of crowds.'
Richard Meier Designs Two-Tower Residential Development for Bogota
Richard Meier & Partners has unveiled designs for their first project in Bogota: Vitrvm. Conceptualized as two towers united at the base, the new 13-story residential development will provide 36 apartments along Septima Avenue in the north section of the city.
“The project is contextually inspired by the beauty of its immediate surroundings,” described the architects. “It aims to reflect and to engage the beautiful gardens and large trees at the Chico Park and the Seminario Mayor,” one of the largest and most important seminaries in Colombia.
Crowdfunding in Architecture: Game Changer or PR Game?
Building off of the success of their crowdfunded BD Bacatá building in Colombia, the real estate group Prodigy Network has announced a plan to bring this same funding method to New York, with an apartment hotel in Manhattan named 17 John.
The project, a glassy rooftop extension to the existing art deco building at 17 John Street, has much in common with Prodigy Network's past projects: the same funding method as their skyscraper in Bogotá as well as the same designer, Winka Dubbeldam, head of the New York practice Archi-Techtonics. Dubbeldam also previously helped them to crowdsource ideas for the future development of Bogotá in the "My Ideal City" project.
However, when applied to the USA, this funding paradigm - which is so promising in Colombia - becomes twisted beyond recognition. Upon close inspection, 17 John more resembles the standard developer's model than anything else - and the claims of ethical superiority begin to melt away.
Winka Dubbeldam: "My Ideal City" of the Future
Winka Dubbeldam believes there is power in the people.
As a public intellectual, she has invested her efforts in researching the concept of "bottom-up" and "systems" design at academic institutions like Columbia, Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania - where she now serves as chair of the department of architecture. As principal of the New York-based firm, Archi-Tectonics, she demonstrates how these concepts work in both theory and practice.
In between the consistent cadence of client meetings and academic functions, Winka has been vocal about the future of cities, traveling overseas and giving TED Talks. Her most recent project revolves around a bilingual website, Mi Ciudad Ideal (My Ideal City), which has led her to Bogotá, Colombia where she is leading efforts to crowdsource and document the opinions of hundreds of thousands of urban residents in hopes to better understand what makes the "Ideal City." ArchDaily recently caught up with Winka to discuss the project's foundation and how it works.
Latin America's Top 8 Smart Cities
In this article for Fast Company, Boyd Cohen counts down the top 8 smart cities in Latin America. Using publicly available data and his own comprehensive framework to evaluate how smart a city is, he has generated a list which even he admits features a couple of surprises in the top spots. To see the list and discover what each city has achieved to deserve its ranking, you can read the full article here.
El Fabuloso / FMAS - Fidel Mendoza Estudio de Arquitectura + AR-AR (Martínez Arquitectura) + Colette Studio
OMA Selected to Masterplan New Civic Center in Colombia
OMA (NY), along with local collaborators Gomez + Castro Arquitectos, has been selected to masterplan the Bogotá Centro Administrativo Nacional (CAN) in Colombia, a mixed-use civic center roughly the size of Washington DC’s National Mall. Located at the midpoint of Calle 26 Avenue, the city’s main axis that has symbolically charted its growth from the historic downtown to the airport and the international gateway of Colombia, CAN will serve as a new city center and government headquarters with additional programs of residential, educational, retail and cultural developments.
Shohei Shigematsu, director-in-charge of OMA New York, commented, “Our proposal enables CAN to be a lively node, providing a continuous public domain that curves through the site to connect the park, the university and Calle 26. With a single gesture, the arc achieves a clear urban identity while accommodating programmatic diversity.”
Los Nogales School / Daniel Bonilla Arquitectos
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Architects: taller de arquitectura de bogotá
- Area: 1576 m²
- Year: 2009
Los Nogales School Chapel / Daniel Bonilla Arquitectos
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Architects: Daniel Bonilla Arquitectos
Centro Internacional de Convencions de Bogota awarded to Herreros Arquitectos in collaboration with Daniel Bermudez
Herreros Arquitectos in collaboration with Daniel Bermudez, were recently awarded the design of the Centro Internacional de Convencions de Bogota. Beating some of the world’s most prestigious architects, Zaha Hadid, David Chipperfield, Rem Koolhaas, Diller & Scofidio, Snøhetta, and Dominique Perrault, the winning design is defined as an urban experience, in which its inhabitants and strangers will come together to share their common interest in knowledge, innovation and the strength of civil society. Aspiring to obtain the Gold-status LEED certificate the new 70,000 sqm Centro Internacional de Convencions de Bogota will be the maximum exponent of Colombia’s ability to apply state-of-the-art technology as well as of the country’s commitment to the environment
An exhibition devoted to Herreros Architectos’ recent work is currently on display at the ROM for Kunst og Arkitektur Gallery in Oslo.
More renderings of the winning design following the break.
Gimnasio Campestre / MGP Arquitectura y Urbanismo
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Architects: MGP Arquitectura y Urbanismo: MGP arquitectura y Urbanismo / Felipe González-Pacheco, Felipe González-Pacheco, Alvaro Bohorquez, Alberto Aranda
- Area: 6200 m²
- Year: 2011
Public Library and Music School / Donaire Arquitectos
Bogota Tourist Information Spots / Juan Melo + Camilo Delgadillo
- Year: 2010
New Doctorate's Building, National University Bogota / Steven Holl Architects
The importance of the National University of Colombia campus began with its enlightened master plan by the architect Leopold Rother in the 1930s. With its green center, classical axiality, and layered concentricity, the campus contains some wonderful examples of architecture.
Architects: Steven Holl Architects Design Architects: Steven Holl, Chris McVoy, Garrick Ambrose Senior Partner in Charge: Chris McVoy Project Architect: Garrick Ambrose Project Team: Johanna Muszbek, Scott Fredricks, Dimitra Tsachrelia Location: Bogota, Colombia Project Area: 70,000 sqf
AeI Headquarters / Arquitectura e Interiores
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Architects: Arquitectura e Interiores
- Area: 910 m²