Cultural: The Latest Architecture and News

Why would this building be abandoned when at one point it was such a significant symbol for the country? Buildings such as this that have been left to stand alone are calling out for architects to intervene and come up with well thought out solutions while being sensitive to its historical significance. At one time, the Buzludzha Monument, designed by Gueorguy Stoilov, was the most celebrated monument dedicated to the sociopolitical movement of communism. Now, in the mountains of Buzludzha National Park in Central Stara Planina, Bulgaria, stands an abandoned communist concrete structure right in the middle of the country taking on a “flying saucer” in appearance. What should be done with buildings that have been abandoned all over the globe? Now is the time to think critically and discover the possibilities. More images and after the break.

A couple weeks ago, we featured STL‘s proposal for the Kaohsiung Competition. Now, Sun & Schrempp Associates have shared with us their design for a Marine and Pop Music Center driven by the wave motion of the water experienced at Kaohsiung’s marine port. More images and architect’s description after the break.

The Parklands, South Bank, Brisbane, Australia, has played host to Lightwave, a sensory light installation at the Unlimited festival. At 10m x 16m x 5.5m, Lightwave is not just a sculpture or an art piece, but an object that can be interacted with, like a large animated toy or hybrid living creature—glowing and pulsing by the river. The design by AnL Studio was intended to provoke conversations about using contemporary parks as a performative public space. By offering a new and unexpected experience between people and the object (displayed art), or between nature and the (artificial) object, Lightwave responds in a purposefully dynamic and playful way, engaging and inviting public participation. The object is responsive to the new environment, therefore generating a new pattern into the place and time. More explanation and photographs of Lightwave following the break.

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Architects: AnL Studio Location: Brisbane, Australia Project Architects: Keehyun Ahn and Minsoo Lee Prototyping Design/Interactive Consultant : Rory Nugent, Andy Doro Project Management: Laing O’Rourke, Byte Logic Curator: Creativesight, Hassell Electrical Engineers and Lighting/Interactive Consultants: Webb Australia Structural engineer: OPUS Cost Planning: Mitchell Brandtman Building Certification: Certis Surveying: LandPartners Construction and Construction Management: Laing O’Rourke Project Year: 2010 Photographs: Courtesy of AnL Studio Interactive Fabrication: Watthouse, Zenith, Xenian, CTI, Imaginus Fabrication: Flow Force, Heyday Landscaping: Dig It, South Bank Corporation, Concrete Supply: Boral

Vedran Pedišić, (SANGRAD architects), Emil Špirić, Erick Velasco Farrera and Juan Jose Nunez Andrade (AVP_arhitekti) have submitted their competition proposal for the University of Zadar Library in Zagreb, Croatia. The project received was awarded with an honorable mention. Images of the proposal and the architect’s description after the break.

Creating an anchor to the urban development of Edmonton, Canada, the collaboration of architects Group2 Architecture Engineering Ltd. and Shore Tilbe Perkins + Will created a harmonious synthesis with the site, its natural landscape and the needs of the community with their Meadows Community Recreation Centre & Edmonton Public Library. Their project is to begin construction in January of 2011. More images and architect’s description after the break.

Enota has been awarded first prize for the renovation of the Dominican Monastary into a Performance Center located in the western most part of the historical center of Ptruj, Slovania on the embankment of the Dvara River.

More images and description after the break.

‘The Building: Problem or Solution?’ competition, managed by Faith in Place, encouraged the creative design of religious buildings through the re-use and modification of existing structures. Through the collaborative ideas of architects Onat Oktem, Ziya Imren, Zeynep Oktem and Uri Tzarmotzky, their Green Mosque won the competition’s, “Best Freestanding Religious Structure”. More on the architect’s description and images after the break.

The competition for the IJhal in Amsterdam announced its first place winner, Wiel Arets Architects, on 8 October, 2010. The project will entail the construction of a pedestrian-centric area adjacent to the existing Centraal Station in Amsterdam along the River IJ waterfront.

The new addition will act as a synthesis between Amesterdam North and the rest of the city, which historically has been seperated by the River IJ.

More images and information after the break.

Montréal-based Chevalier Morales Architectes shared with us their finalist proposal along with Busby Perkins + Will for the Nouveau Centre Culturel de Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Competition. See more images and architect’s description after the break.

Amsterdam-based Laura Alvarez Architecture has been awarded with the second prize in the International Competition for the realisation of the New Cultural Centre in Hernani, Basque Land. The competition was launched as an open european tender organized by the municipality of Hernani. More images and architect’s description after the break.

Mexico-based Dellekamp Arquitectos shared with us ‘New Palace-Lecumberri’, their proposal for the new archive in Mexico City Competition. They were one of the two finalists. More images and architect’s description after the break.