Jurys Berkeley Court, Dublin, Ireland

Dublin skyscraper development refused planning permission by local council

The recently proposed redevelopment of the D4 Hotels site in Ballsbridge, Dublin has been refused planning permission, after the local council deemed the project to be ‘too intense.’ Jury Berkeley Court, a 37 storey skyscraper development which was first proposed in 2005, was to include leisure facilities, offices and over 500 residential apartments and would have had significant positive effects on the local economy, with a construction capital investment of 1 billion Euros creating around 970 on-site construction jobs.

Mountbrook Group, who commissioned respected architectural firm Henning Larsen Architects to design the ambitious project, expressed dismay at the rejection, stating that it would have ‘broken the mould for Ireland’. In addition to which, the development included significant social benefits for the local residents of Ringsend and Irishtown, including a sports hall, crèche, day care centre, and a youth club.

While Mountbrook are disappointed with the outcome of the council’s decision, they are considering submitting a revised application more in accordance with the primarily residential zoning. However in a press statement released on the 31st of January they welcomed a proposal by Environment Minister John Gormley to introduce new planning legislation as they describe the current system as “lengthy, expensive, confusing and unworkable,” with too many parties given a say on what constitutes “proper planning and development on any given site.” These parties include local authorities, politicians, inspectors, and architects, each of whom have their own agenda and differing viewpoints that have contributed to gaining planning permission in Ireland into a game of “Russian roulette.”

As a result of these conflicting agendas and contradictory influences, Mountbrook feel that Ireland’s economy is being irrevocably harmed, “These apparent contradictions within our planning system are detrimental to the country’s economic progress, job creation and development.”

John Edwards
Reporter
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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Østfold University College, Halden, Norway

New outlook for landmark University building in Norway

Completed in 2006, the HiØ is a building of national and regional importance. Situated between Oslo and Sweden this University building is a melting pot for many cultures and people. The challenge was to refurbish the existing complex, originally completed in the 70s, modernising it to suit the College's current and future needs, whilst adding to it new functions and spaces that would complement the existing.

The key notion of the architectural strategy is the location's natural features and the use of a limited material palette. The project is situated in an old rural landscape and special attention is paid to integrate it into its surroundings. The design is based on simple geometrical prisms, lines and slabs composed into a complex lay-out of rooms and functions. More than 900 rooms are organized around common spaces, small "forums" or "agoras", reminders of what a University life is all about. Informal meeting spaces, debating arenas, and areas of personal exploration punctuate all the buildings.

Hovering over all the other buildings, tracing the east-west natural ridge between two forests, is a long wood-clad volume which houses the new study rooms and office spaces. This structure is the articulating element and the spine of the whole complex. Where this block intersects the new Library, it opens up in a series of dynamic spaces. Boxes hang from the ceiling defying the laws of physics, light pours in from sky lights and from the continuous glazed façade inviting one out onto the Library’s roof terrace.

The careful choice of materials enhances the experience of this building. Concrete and glass are counterbalanced with colour and softer / warmer materials, such as wood and brick. They blend new and old together creating a unique feeling of accord and defiance, an ideal environment for learning and personal development. The double and triple height spaces created through the main buildings are changed, their volumes sculpted, shaped by the changing light conditions during the dramatically diverse Norwegian seasons. The glazed façade and multiple openings are not however a detriment to the buildings energy efficiency. In fact they reduce the need for artificial light by bringing light deep into the complex. Furthermore, by the use of mass and a structured planning strategy, the building is able to keep its internal temperature fairly constant all year long with limited heating / cooling costs for a building of this size.
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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Haus für Musik und Musiktheater der Kunstuniversität Graz (MUMUTH), Graz, Austria

UN Studio-designed music hall completes in Graz, Austria

The MUMUTH - Haus für Musik und Musiktheater, a faculty building for the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG), has been ten years in the making, including two years of construction but will now undergo a musical official opening celebration on 1 March 2009 together with performances of Mozart.

Since 1963 MUMUTH represents a central practice and event building for the KUG. “Finally we can offer our students an outstanding architectural building space to further their artistic training.”, says Rector KUG Georg Schulz.

The new Music Theatre, designed by Ben van Berkel of the Dutch architecture firm UNStudio following an international competition with 212 entries, has already formed the Austrian contribution to the Venice Biennale of Architecture.

Van Berkel told WAN in December that the design was a labour of love, coming from a musical background where his mother was a choir singer and he himself played piano. Of the design the architect says: “The desire to make a building that is as much about music as a building can be, has been a constant throughout the nearly ten years that it took to build the theatre and the themes that are at the basis of the building and its overall organization have also endured throughout this time.”

Construction of the 19 million euro new music theatre began in March 2006 and in August 2008 the Federal Real Estate Society (BIG) entrusted the main part of the building to the KUG. In February 2009 the MUMUTH also hosted part of the 7th International Competition “Franz Schubert and Modern Music”.

source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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Proposal for Harbor Garage site, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Developer floats alternate proposals for a $900 million tower project on Boston’s waterfront

It’s not the best economic climate for building office space. But Don Chiofaro, a Boston-based developer seems unfazed. He is moving fast and furious to get approvals for a 1.5 million sq ft mixed -use project for Boston’s waterfront, betting the market will change by the time the project goes into construction.

In January he proposed a two-tower scheme for the site, a prime location between the New England Aquarium and the City’s new Greenway. But when that scheme was met with little enthusiasm, Chiofaro unveiled yet another design last week, this three-tower scheme designed by New York architect Kohn Pederson Fox. While this scheme is reportedly the developer's favorite, he has an arsenal of ten different designs that he is prepared to launch on the public until one sticks.

The current scheme, which has been likened to a "matched set of furniture" by Boston architecture critic Robert Campbell, features three tall slender glass towers framed with terra cotta walls. Pederson told the Boston Globe that the intent was to create a high rise that made sense in Boston, a city that has an architectural pedigree of brick townhouses and warehouses. “In both types you have long masonry bearing walls at both sides with large openings in the front and rear” said Pederson.

The two "bookend" towers will be occupied while the middle tower is intended as sculpture and has no program. One tower will hold a 200-300 room hotel topped by approximately 120 condos. The second one will contain 850,000 sq ft of office space. The lower floors of the entire complex will contain 70,000 sq ft of retail space.

Sharon McHugh
US Correspondent
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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Westerdok Apartment Building, Amsterdam, Netherlands

MVRDV completes Westerdok Apartment Building

Dutch architects MVRDV have completed the Westerdok Apartment building in Amsterdam. The 6000m2 building contains 46 apartments and a day care center. The architects design concept is openness, which is achieved using a minimal amount of materials including glass, steel and concrete. Each apartment has a balcony of varying depths, which stretch as bands along the entire façade offering varied outside spaces and views over the western docklands of Amsterdam. The floor-to-ceiling glass façade can be fully opened and contrasts with the mainly brick buildings located within the so called ‘VOC Cour’ port redevelopment.

The building is located inside the court of a closed city block with one façade facing the waterfront of the Westerdock. The project is currently one of the nominees for the Amsterdam Architecture Award.

Sharon McHugh
International Correspondent
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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