Aggiornamenti recenti

Nuovo terminal passeggeri nel porto di Bari di AdSPMAM

Partiranno a breve i lavori per il nuovo terminal passeggeri sulla banchina 10 del porto di Bari. Lo spazio servirà ad accogliere il traffico crocieristico. Il Presidente dell'AdSPMAM (Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico Meridionale), Ugo Patorni Griffi, e il Procuratore speciale del Consorzio fra Cooperative di Produzione e Lavoro -Cons. Coop.- Società Cooperativa, hanno sottoscritto il contratto di appalto per l'opera.
Il valore complessivo è di 8 milioni di euro e vedrà l'esecuzione di lavori per la creazione di un nuovo terminal passeggeri per navi da crociera e traghetti che sostituirà le strutture tensostatiche e un prefabbricato leggero, attualmente utilizzati. Previste anche aree esterne di pertinenza dello stesso terminal, sulla banchina 10, Molo di Ponente del porto di Bari.
“Stiamo presentando il nuovo terminal e le sue peculiarità architettoniche alle maggiori Compagnie presenti al Seatrade Cruise Global 2023, la più importante fiera mondiale per il settore crocieristico,- commenta il Presidente di AdSPMAM Ugo Patroni Griffi- le reazioni sono entusiastiche. Poter contare su un’infrastruttura per l’accoglienza dei passeggeri così avveniristica e funzionale ci consentirà di moltiplicare considerevolmente i volumi di traffico. I riscontri che stiamo ottenendo in questi giorni, infatti, vanno addirittura ben oltre le nostre più rosee aspettative- conclude il Presidente- e certificano ancora una volta come gli indicatori di impatto economico, sul territorio, siano significativamente influenzati dal potenziamento infrastrutturale”.
L'Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico Meridionale, evidenzia in una nota che "la stagione crocieristica 2025 sarà ospitata nel nuovo terminal, una struttura all'avanguardia che coprirà un'area di circa 3.000 mq e che si distinguerà per la sua versatilità."

Il progetto sarà sviluppato dall'AdSPMAM e vedrà l'impiego di materiali e tecniche costruttive all'avanguardia per un edificio che sia sostenibile e a risparmio energetico, in linea con i principi dell'architettura bioclimatica. L'obiettivo finale è rendere l'edificio altamente performante e che esso sia anche in armonia con l'ambiente e sostenibile a livello ecologico.

Porto Cruise Terminal by Luís Pedro Silva, Arquitecto

Porto Cruise Terminal is a small port complex, initiative of the Administração dos Portos do Douro e Leixões, located at the South jetty in Matosinhos., Portugal. The definition of a new cruise terminal had since its origin a double objective: improvement of the commercial efficiency and a better urban integration. That’s why the project integrates new buildings, berthing work and exterior spaces of public vocation. The main building magnetizes the complex sheltering several programmatic components: cruise ship terminal, marina facilities, the Science and Technology Park of the Sea of the University of Porto, event rooms and a restaurant.
It’s being implemented by stages. It is now functional for cruises ships, with the street and marina still remaining.
The proposal is largely dependent on the main building that is located within the Atlantic Ocean, 750 meters away from Matosinhos city and 10 km away via river-sea or road from Oporto Ribeira, the most requested turistic point. It constitutes a node between the 3 main functions: the new cruise ship quay, the new marina, and the new street linking to the city. It receives and sends dispatchers and addressees of this three “motivations” as it includes in the sea side the departure/arrivals rooms and marina facilities, and in the land side the Science and Technology Park of the Sea of the University of Porto and other functions.
Enchanted by the jetty's curve and by this intermediary commitment and role, it enlaces the curved blades generating and prolonging itself in the form of 3 main exterior tentacles and a fourth falling inwards, in an helical ramp connecting the internal functions within a quadruple height space.
The building is not very large, mostly when compared with the cruise ships it can shelter. From the beach side, one can realize that its place is clearly inside Leixões port, in such a manner that it faces towards the jetty, not revealing any openings and declaring a mysterious blind façade. The cover and the blade, summit and tilted, grant its personality profile. From faraway the building is read by its volumetry and by the sinuous white with all its nuances regarding light and atmosphere variation. Closely the arches and its texture appeal to proximity, involve movements and the body, inviting the look and the touch. At the accessible cover, the land and the ocean meet and distend the soft broadness that the calm eye can reach.

Pics by FG+SG Fernando Guerra

Soaring Gardens by OMEGARENDER STUDIO

Soaring Gardens is the first object in our “Neo Archaic” project series. Our main goal is to reimagine the legendary buildings of ancient times through a modern perspective.

We needed an architecture who would both impress contemporaries as well as evoke the image of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Inspired by bionic architecture, we have created a complexly proportioned facility with an area of 172 hectares in the heart of Singapore’s financial district. The choice of places of pilgrimage in Singapore is due to the expected climate for botanists and the international routes that pass through the city.

According to the idea of our project, the "Gardens" will become a global centre for the study of botany, which will house a research centre and a greenhouse museum. The center can be engaged in the cultivation of endangered plants, the organization of expeditions, and the process of agronomy to help humanity find new solutions to comba the food crisis.

Enjoying the overhanging abundance of vegetation, everyone will also have the opportunity to be lifted up. The floating parts are connected to the skyscrapers in such a way that people can go straight from these buildings on an excursion through the botanical garden.

Pics by OMEGARENDER STUDIO

Ex Acetaia di LAMBER + LAMBER
Modena, 2023

Gli uffici si trovano all'interno di un volume esistente un tempo adibito alla produzione del famoso “aceto balsamico”. L' idea semplice e forte di lavorare con un nuovo involucro all'interno della struttura esistente. Gli uffici sono distribuiti su due livelli, ognuno dei quali rappresenta un'organizzazione spaziale formalmente diversa. Una scala a chiocciola verde realizzata in metallo e pedate in legno di faggio collega i due piani e contemporaneamente funge da elemento focale dell' intero spazio. Il piano terra è concepito come uno spazio continuo in cui gli elementi di arredo possono essere liberamente distribuiti, un'unica parete continua e sinuosa contiene tutti i servizi (kitchenette, bagni, ripostiglio, vano tecnico) e contemporaneamente dà vita allo spazio di lavoro. Il secondo piano è rigorosamente diviso da pareti trasparenti fortemente relazionate alla struttura di copertura esistente. Gli uffici al primo piano, attraverso una parete vetrata leggermente inclinata nel vuoto, si affacciano sul piano terra creando nuove ed inaspettate relazioni visive. L'altro elemento specifico dell'ufficio è l'ingresso concepito come un piccolo spazio pubblico coperto all'interno dell'edificio esistente, un nuovo filtro tra la strada e l'interno.

Pics: fotografofabiomantovani

Timeless Beacon by MAD architects

Ma Yansong was invited by Guangdong Nanhai Art Field to complete an art installation named “Timeless Beacon” in Taiping Xu, Nanhai, Guangdong province of China.

The design renovated Taiping market, known as the largest abandoned building in Taiping Xu, a once bustling fair established in the late Ming Dynasty and and flourished for centuries until the 1980s when fishermen, businessmen, and villagers gathered there for trading.

However, the onset of an urbanization boom changed everything, gradually pushing young people to seek opportunities outside the village. Meanwhile, the internet era began overshadowing the need for physical markets, leading to a slow abandonment of the formerly buzzing fair. On the side of Taiping’s deserted streets, concrete houses occasionally interspersed with old brick buildings emerge. There, a couple of elderly residents sit at their doorsteps and chat, painting a picture of a prosperous era that has now gone into decay.

“I see many plants growing towards the sun from the gaps of the abandoned building. We hope to create a sense of vitality and rebirth from the ruins, so that people can feel new energy and perception from the old structure, as well as new understanding of time to this whole area.” – Ma Yansong

The quiet village contrasts the contemporary backdrop of a fast-growing city across the river. When the function of the place is no longer important, the emotion and inspiration it carries are the value that is left by the building. MAD intends to parallel the time scales of history and future through design, forming a surreal scene that brings people back to imagination.

A three-story building is wrapped in reflective film, a new material that blurrily mirrors the surrounding old streets through the building’s façade and inner space, respectively. At the top, a towering multimedia light device is enveloped in colorfully delicate pieces of cloth, fluttering in the wind romantically. At night, it transforms into a new “lighthouse” of the village, creating a dreamy aura along the bankside.

Timeless beacon, the art installation will be on show until the summer of 2024.

Pics by Tian Fangfang

Urban elevator in Bellavista by JIGA Arquitectura

Bellavista is a neighborhood in the municipality of Les Franqueses del Valles located on a small hill. Several facilities such as a school, an institute, a cultural center and a sports area are located in the highest part of Bellavista, while the residential area is located in the lower part. The main access route to the facilities passes through the Paisos Catalans park, where we find long pedestrian ramps and many steps, without having a comfortable and adapted solution to overcome the great unevenness.

The purpose of the order is to build an elevator that allows optimal accessibility between the upper and lower parts of the Paisos Catalans park, thus bridging a height difference of 10 meters in height and more than 20 meters horizontally.

The project as a whole consists of a vertical shaft where the elevator is located, a walkway and the urbanization of the lower and upper reception spaces. The intervention fits into the environment carefully, avoiding having to cut down any existing trees.

A 30-degree turn of the elevator shaft with respect to the axis of the walkway allows for a small raised viewpoint in front of the upper door from where privileged views of the park can be enjoyed. This small gesture also adapts to the urbanization present in the lower area, placing the elevator shaft in the same direction as one of the existing retaining walls.

Both the elevator shaft and the walkway have been built with a carefully modulated laminated steel structure, made in a workshop and finished with reflective glass. The pavement of the walkway has been made with prefabricated perforated sheet metal, thus solving the evacuation of rainwater and contributing to the lightness of the construction. A high degree of prefabrication has been sought for the structural design and the rest of the construction elements, as well as the optimization of the sections to lighten their weight and cost.

Photo Credits: Davide Pellegrini

Caffè San Carlo by lamatilde
Torino / Italia / 2023

For the restyling of the Caffè San Carlo, lamatilde decided to opt for a discreet and non-invasive approach, maintaining the elegance and the classic identity of the venue while starting a dialogue with contemporary processes and materials.

The hero element of the main room is the central peninsula counter, made of oak with a ribbed relief finish – an echo of the motif on the original decorative pilasters – and topped with smooth Emperador Dark marble.

The central position of the counter is further enhanced by its relationship with the original, sumptuous chandelier and with the two red velvet sofas with high backrests, which pay homage to the typical style of 19th-century armchairs.

The displays behind the counter feature a metal frame structure with built-in lighting, designed and produced in collaboration with OliveLab, and follow the rhythm of the original architectural elements.

To maintain a cohesive style, coherent with the original one, lamatilde chose furniture by Midj: Lea sofas and armchairs upholstered in red velvet, and Smart tables with a top that resembles the dark marble of the counter.

Pics by Alessandro Saletta

Jinyun Quarries by DnA_Design and Architecture

The mountainous landscape of Jinyun County in Zhejiang Province, China, has been shaped by the manual mining of natural stone. For the rugged and hard-to-access region, the Beijing architect Xu Tiantian and her team were asked to develop strategies for new uses for nine of the over 3000 small, abandoned quarries, which now provide a stage for cultural and social activities, and simultaneously strive for ecological improvements and create new economic perspectives for the rural population. The pits, provided with new functions, have become part of a public infrastructure that puts historical aspects extending back over a thousand years as well as the everyday culture heritage in a new context. The exhibition, which reached us from Beijing by the most sustainable means of transport possible, namely by train, communicates the breath- taking sense of space in the stone quarries of Jinyun in a large-scale installation. Spacious, translucent models, photos, plans, and films visualize the complex structure of the spaces carved into the rock.

In 2021, the Beijing architect Xu Tiantian and her firm DnA_Design and Architecture were awarded a commission to develop new utilization concepts for the old and today abandoned stone quarries in the northern part of Jinyun County in Zhejiang Province. Located in direct proximity to Songyang, where Xu Tiantian has already very successfully realized revitalization projects for the rural area, which have received close international attention, are over 3000 disused small stone quarries that, until recently, were still mined manually. The nine stone quarries that have been worked on by Xu Tiantian and her team since then are located in a valley named Xiandu with an impressive natural landscape and bizarre volcanic rock formations that is already a tourist attraction today. To support the development of the region with the measures, the project strives for ecological improvements, while simultaneously creating social and cultural locations to be used by both the local population and visitors. The converted stone quarries that have been given a new use are part of a public infrastructure that puts historical aspects going back over a thousand years as well as the everyday cultural heritage in a new context.

The Transformation of the Quarry Landscape of Jinyun

The landscape of steep mountains and narrow valleys in Jinyun County today was shaped by the small-scale exploitation of local stone quarries that were in operation for decades and thus led to considerable interventions in the natural landscape. With the Xiandu Scenic Area, the region already attracts many tourists today. The temple for the legendary Yellow Emperor (Huangdi), who has already been honoured for over 3000 years as the founder of the Chinese nation, has an impact far beyond the region. According to the legend, he ascended the local Dinghu Mountain into the heavens on a dragon after achieving immortality. The temple, which was destroyed in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), was reconstructed in 1994 and has regularly been used since then for commemoration ceremonies, and was admitted to the National List of Immaterial Cultural Heritage in 2011. Moreover, in natural and artificially created caves, there are 125 important stone calligraphies, the oldest of which comes from the Tang dynasty (617–907), which have been listed as national cultural heritage since 2001.

Jinyun County is located in the southern centre of Zhejiang Province. Nearly 80 per cent of the region is covered by forest, thus making agricultural production on the rocky substrate difficult due to the scarcity of fertile soil. The inhabitants therefore relied on the hard profession of the stonemason, and until recently carved the material from the rock face manually. In the region, the massive stone blocks were used for the construction of houses, whose height was, however, limited by the heavy weight of the material. The stone quarries have now been abandoned for some years, are used in part for chicken farming and in part as fish ponds, or have fallen into disrepair.

Due to the on-going transformation of society and the socioeconomic challenges, as well as the need for new perspectives to counter the exodus from rural regions, the administration is seeking new possibilities for dealing with the remainders of the archaic mining industry on the one hand, and new sources of income for the population on the other. In addition, the stone quarries today gape like wounds in the natural landscape and urgently require ecological improvements.

The Projects

The exhibition presents all of the nine former stone quarries that have already been completed for new utilizations as well as those in planning. The individual locations are each characterized by very individual and random forms cut into the rock, and are connected by a footpath that is routed over stairways due to the differences in elevation. The stone quarries are situated within a radius of one kilometre and contribute as a pilot project to revitalizing the landscape and the region by means of the smallest-scale interventions possible. The simple, very careful interventions by the architect contrast with the ‘over-designing’ of rural areas, in the sense of kitschy romanticizing or ‘Disneyfication’, which has become common in many places in China.

New Uses for the Quarries

Some of the immense—often cathedral-like—spaces in the rock face, which were created by chance when the stone was quarried and are up to thirty-eight metres high, have good acoustics and are thus suitable for performances of traditional Wu opera or as spaces for presentations. At another station, former stonemasons

demonstrate the quarrying of stone in live presentations. There are also huge stone chambers that are used as a teahouse, or platforms from which visitors can observe the sunset through a spectacular hole in the rock face.
The nine stone quarries are connected with one another via a valley with a small village. An information centre with a stone quarry park with water surfaces, in which visitors will be given insights into history, flora, and fauna, is being planned there. Besides new locations for social and cultural infrastructure, possibilities for economic development, for instance, a restaurant for catering to guests and an education centre for processing natural stone are also being created.

With their interventions, the architects are transforming the relicts of a landscape shaped by a work culture of hard physical labour into a symbol of the economic and cultural transformation in the rural area, which also contributes to socioeconomic and ecological improvements. The spatial experience in the amorphous caverns, dramatic natural illumination, and acoustics offer an experience that is not possible in such a way in the normal day-to-day life of rural and urban populations. Embedded in the natural and cultural landscape of past centuries, a necessary measure is combined with a contemporary world of experience that brings together the different expectations and possibilities.



Photocredits: Wang Ziling © DnA_Design and Architecture

Atkins provided full multidisciplinary design and management of the civil works on Dubai Metro. This included geotechnical and site investigations, bored tunnels, viaducts and bridges, route alignment, depots and additional specialist services such as fire and ventilation, environmental impact, concrete durability, noise and vibration reduction and landscaping.

The first line of the Dubai Metro opened to the public on 09 September 2009. It is the longest automated, driverless system in the world and it has eased traffic congestion by improving mobility throughout Dubai.

A key challenge has been to integrate the specialist skills from Atkins' international offices to work with our local presence on this tightly programmed project. Another challenge was to tackle the project in a carbon-critical way. Our approach resulted in less glass and more insulation than the original designs. Our recommendations saved just over 500m3 of aluminium and a saving of approximately 12,900t (CO2-e) and reduced estimated peak cooling load by around 35%.

Photo Credits: Aedas, Atkins

Torre Designo di Pininfarina

International design firm Pininfarina, known around the world for bringing its distinct automotive heritage and sleek aesthetic to the built environment, is pleased to announce its latest project, a two-tower corporate office building design titled ‘Torre Designo’ for Grupo Bosque Real, a real estate investment and management company based in Mexico City. Located within Bosque Real’s six million squaremeter, privately owned commercial development, Torre Designo will be the latest addition to one of the most premium neighborhoods in the outskirts of Mexico City. Surrounded by the natural foliage of the landscape and extensive views of the Capital, Torre Designo’s two towers rise from a dynamic topography of hills and canyons that seamlessly blend into the surrounding environment.

“We are extremely honored to partner with a firm of such high prestige as Pininfarina in the creation of Torre Designo, which will serve as the first office building within the Bosque Real Development,” says Moises Salame, Vice President of New Projects for Grupo Bosque Real. “Torre Designo represents an exciting first step into the creation of an office corridor in this part of the Metropolitan area –– a critical piece in the puzzle of our greater vision.”

“Our vision for the Torre Designo towers was centered around the idea of providing a high-end, human-first experience, while complementing the mission of Bosque Real’s existing, full mixed-use development,” says Paolo Trevisan, Pininfarina of America’s Head of Design and Architecture, echoing Salame’s sentiments about the forthcoming project’s impact on the surrounding community.

Working alongside architecture and interior design firm, SPACE, Pininfarina’s architectural design concept for the office building encapsulates the two commercial towers featuring 45,000-square-meters of office space and a 5,7000square-meter lower retail level, offering a high-end, community-oriented campus, seeking to support the nearly 4,000 residents that live within the existing residential areas surrounding Torre Designo.

In keeping with Pininfarina’s ethos of balancing beauty with functionality, the architecture of the two-pronged structure elevates the user experience by leveraging the beauty of Mexico City. From afar, Torre Designo’s high-rise towers are an icon, serving as a gateway that signifies the departure from the capital city and entry into Bosque Real’s exclusive, lush development. From a proximity, Pininfarina’s design blends nature and modernity, blurring the lines with materials and shapes that relate to its immediate context.

“Our team was very focused on enhancing the quality of life for those who use the office building,” emphasizes Jairo Vives, Lead Architect at Pininfarina of America.

“This resulted in the incorporation of various green spaces, as well as distinct moments where views of Bosque Real can be celebrated. We also paid special attention to the selection of nature-friendly materials.”

Recalling the vast amount of greenspace present within the growing neighborhood below, lush, sky-high gardens and a rooftop terrace are incorporated to offer tenants and visitors a moment of reflection and reprieve throughout the day, while changing the perception of the typical office building. Despite its location on the edge of Mexico City, the development still provides easy access to key sections of the city, offering the rare combination of office space surrounded by natural landscape, while in the proximity of urban amenities and nearby airports. Coldwell Banker has partnered with Bosque Real to support sales and leasing efforts for Torre Designo, which are currently open for interested parties and is slated for completion in 2023.

“Torre Designo hallmarks a significant achievement of Pininfarina’s expansion into the Mexico market,” says Paolo Pininfarina, Chairman of Pininfarina. “Adhering to the belief that design is the instrument to humanize innovation, our design team focused on thoughtful schemes and user-centric concepts, while also providing an high-end commercial space for the surrounding community.” We are continually innovating based on evolving market needs, and with Torre Designo we are staying ahead of the curve by offering the trifecta of a fantastic life-style: Live, Work & Play,” says Leon Salame, Vice President of Projects for Grupo Bosque Real.

City Park - Kowloon Cultural District | Foster + Partners

Il masterplan da 2,8 miliardi di dollari trasformerà la penisola di Kowloon in un gigantesco distretto della cultura lambito dall’acqua, immerso in un parco da 40 ettari, popolato da più di 5000 alberi.

Arte, verde e shopping sono le tre parole chiave della proposta, intitolata "City Park", vincitrice dell’apposito concorso di progettazione a inviti lanciato dalla Kowloon Cultural District Authority cittadina, cui hanno preso parta anche Rem Koolhaas e Rocco Yim.

Nella valutazione dei tre progetti, la commissione giudicatrice del concorso ha tenuto conto del parere cittadinanza invitata a prendere visione delle proposte in gara attraverso un’esposizione tenutasi presso l'Hong Kong Exhibition Centre e ad esprimere la propria preferenza.

Il progetto di Foster, che ha raccolto la maggioranza dei voti, colloca al centro del parco un viale pedonale da 2.2 chilometri destinato ad accogliere negozi, ristoranti, centri commerciali e residenze. Sul fronte settentrionale dell’area hanno sede gli edifici destinati a ospitare ben 17 istituzioni culturali su una superficie pari a circa 26.000 mq (ovvero al 40% dell’area del’intervento), mentre a oriente ed occidente sono inserite strutture educative e d’intrattenimento, un teatro dell'opera e l’edificio del futuro museo d’arte contemporanea “M+” - entrambi caratterizzati da pianta ovale - un’arena da 15000 posti e un Istituto d’arte.

Il progetto verrà sottoposto al vaglio degli uffici tecnici, il semaforo verde dovrebbe “accendersi” a fine anno dopo un ultimo grado di consultazione pubblica. L’intero intervento non sarà ultimato prima del 2031, mentre le prime funzioni dovrebbero sostituire le banchine esistenti a partire dal 2015.

London City Airport expansion by Bechtel

The five-year contract will see Bechtel partnering to manage delivery of the £480 million City Airport Development Programme (CADP). The CADP includes: expanding the existing terminal by 24,500m2 and completely reconfiguring its internals and externals; constructing a three-storey passenger pier; creating eight new aircraft stands; and constructing a new parallel aircraft taxiway. The expansion work will require working within the King George V Dock where the project team has uncovered unexploded ordnance from World War II.
The upgrade will improve air traffic movements from 38 to 45 movements per hour and enable increased annual passenger movements from 4.5 to 6.5 million passengers by 2025. Additionally, the programme will help future-proof the airport to accommodate the next generation of aircraft that are quieter, have longer range and greater fuel efficiency.
The Airport will be the first in the UK to introduce remotely operated digital aircraft control system. The team will build a new 50-metre tall digital tower to enable this innovative technology and install 14 high-definition and two pan-tilt-zoom cameras to provide a full 360-degree view of the airfield. The pioneering system, controlled at NATS in Swanwick, will enhance safety and improve resilience, setting a new standard for the global aviation industry.
Bechtel staff will work alongside London City Airport officials as part of an integrated team to overcome the unique challenges of keeping the airport operational; minimising disruption to passengers, airlines and the local community; and keeping to the 20/15 passenger proposition during CADP construction. A fantastic logistical challenge.

Pics: Bechtel.com