Skyscrapers: The Latest Architecture and News

Architects: Richard Meier & Partners Architects LLP Location: Tel Aviv, Israel Project year: 2007 – 2013 Photographs: Courtesy of Richard Meier & Partners Architects LLP & dbox

Atelier Zündel & Cristea architects shared with us their Grenelle Tower in Paris France, which has been commended by the Mipim AR FUTURE awards. At a time when Paris is reviewing its ambitions of ‘greatness’, the richness of the city’s diversity is transposed vertically into towers of shifting density. More images and architect’s description after the break.

There are some buildings that have the power to make one step back and simply enjoy being part of our profession. For us, Steven Holl’s Horizontal Skyscraper does just that. As we’ve been sharing with you, it is a project that gracefully hovers above the Shenzhen landscape, allowing both the ground and the elevated ground plane to be occupied. The project balances the built with the natural as reflecting pools and lush greenery are interspersed with small restaurants and cafes, and as the “sunken cubes” of the main wings of the center – glass volumes offering 360 degree views – strengthen the connection with the landscape.

The building has recently been awarded a 2011 AIA Institute Honor Award for its architectural creativity and contextual thoughtfulness.    The jury commented, “This project skips along from mound to mound and manipulates the landscape – it builds it up and shapes it into a powerful form above the land with inventive manipulation. The building is shading the landscape and letting it breath – integrated sustainability. A reinvented building type with the building floating over the landscape – dancing on the landscape.”

More information, with more photographs from Iwan Baan, after the break.

Archdaily presents another competition entry from the Taiwan Tower Competition in Taichung City by Aedas R&D in collaboration of Thornton Tomasetti and Phaconsult. T he conceptual development for the project came from the geometry of a pebble dropped into the sea, and the shape of the tower was derived from the patterns that emerge on the surface of the water as the concequence. The rippling effect on the water was taken to develop the landscaping around the tower, as well its extrusion into the wrapping skin of the tower.

More on this project after the break.

The Taiwan Conceptual Tower International Competition awarded “The Tower of Droplets” Sir Peter Cook and Gavin Robotham’s London-based Cook Robotham Architecture Bureau (CRAB) won second prize for their entry: “The Tower of Droplets in The Taiwan Conceptual Tower International Competition. Presented here is just one of the 237 entries from 25 countries that were submitted. Crab studio recieved a $65,000 award for their entry for Taichung, Taiwan. The team comprised Jenna Al-Ali, Nuria Blanco, Lorene Faure, and Selma Johannson. Consulting engineer was Michael Kaverne of Buro Happold.

Read on for more on the tower after the break.

M&A Architects has shared with us their Bubble Skyscraper, a study on new typologies for futuristic architecture by the young international studio. A description of the process that lead them to the bubble solution and additional images after the break.

Wansoo Lee

Taiwan Tower Conceptual Design International Competition

DSBA, Mihai CARCIUN and upgrade.studio have been declared winners of the Taiwan Tower Conceptual Design Compeition with a design proposal that encompasses the symbolism of Taichung as a city. The team conceptualized a structure for Taichung that would activate the local culture in a design that also stands as a landmark for the city and as a campaign for diligent and responsible design.

More information and images after the break.

The Taiwan Tower International Design Competition awarded Little, a Merit Award for its contribution in conceptual designs of a signature tower in Taichung, Taiwan. The emphasis on the competition is to provide a marker to symbolize Taiwan’s history and spirit at the Taichung Gateway Park, an international portal of Central Taiwan as a place for innovation, culture and biodiversity.

More information and images after the break.

As we reported back in 2009, RMJM‘s proposed Okhta Center was the subject of heated debate as residents of St Peterburg’s wanted nothing to do with the tower which was regarded as a “symbol of political ego.” Yet, as Record shared, the tower is set to move ahead after receiving a construction permit from Glavgosekspertiza, the body in charge of issuing building permits. Towering 403 meters into the skyline, the building will become the highest in Europe and as we’ve seen with Nouvel’s proposal for 53rd Street, Pelli Clarke Pelli’s 15 Penn Plaza and Frank Gehry’s Beekman Tower, adding a big change to the skyline sparks big controversy. In St. Petersburg, approximately 3,000 people gathered to protest the project which is being developed by gas giant Gazprom and is backed by Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin. In addition to strong public opposition, BD reported that Russian authorities were reviewing RMJM’s design following a report from Unesco’s World Heritage Committee, which has repeatedly threatened to strip the city of its World Heritage Site status if the tower as originally planned is built. The tower still needs a construction permit from City Hall, which, as Record reported, has backed the project from the start.

More images after the break.

Jean-Paul Viguier et Associés shared with us his project ‘Majunga Tower’, located in La Défense, Paris, France. More images and architect’s description after the break.

Renzo Piano’s Shard is quickly climbing up London’s skyline. The 1,016 ft high skyscraper will provide the mixed use density the city needs, as it incorporates apartments, office space, a spa, hotel and restaurants within its sleek pyramidal form. Inspired by perhaps a ship’s mast from the Pool of London, or a modern take on the church spire, the Shard will become a prominent fixture in the skyline as it nears it completion. Check out these images illustrating the Shard’s progress – the crisp aesthetic commonly found in Piano’s projects is becoming evident as the low-iron glazing is applied to the structure.

More images after the break.

Peaking above some contemporary New York favorites – such as Gehry’s IAC Building and Field Operations + DS+R’s High Line – Jean Nouvel’s 100 Eleventh Avenue adds yet another touch of character to Manhattan’s West Side. ArchRecord‘s great pieces on curtains walls gave us a better look at Nouvel’s textured glass curtain wall.

More about the curtain wall after the break.