Projects on architectural drawing boards that STIRred 2019

“Architecture is an art. It has the potential to affect us, to move us,” said Jean Nouvel. Inspired by this thought, STIR selects 10 projects conceptualised in 2019 that inspire, fascinate and provoke thought. These ideas and renewed approaches explore new spaces, concepts and technologies to build a brighter tomorrow.

1. CENTRE FOR MUSIC, London, UK
by Diller Scofidio + Renfro Architects

The concept design for the Centre for Music in London, proposed by architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro, is an inclusive approach to bring the city, its people, its urban and cultural fabric together making music as a means. It is intended to be a world-class venue for performance and education across all musical genres, brought together by three internationally recognised cultural organisations - the Barbican (an arts and learning centre), London Symphony Orchestra, and Guildhall School. The concept design includes a concert hall and spaces for performance, education and rehearsals. Estimated to cost around £288 million, the building for the Centre for Music would be fully integrated with digital technology, enabling music and education activity delivered there to be distributed to a global audience. It aspires to be a place for people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the joy of making music first hand.

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2. HIGHRISE TOWER, Berlin, Germany
By David Chipperfield Architects

The high-rise, office tower by David Chipperfield Architects in Berlin’s Mitte district has been planned amid a diverse inner-city environment, at Jannowitz Bridge. The 70m tower astutely employs recesses within it, creating spacious green terraces with roof gardens. The use of light coloured brise soleil (sun breakers) aluminium pilasters, in both horizontal and vertical directions, over the translucent façade of the building, provides protection against heat and extreme exposure to the sun. The public areas of the structure feature wide, floor to ceiling windows that provide visual relief from an otherwise continuous gridded form.

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3. HYPERLOOP TT
by MAD Architects

MAD Architects designed a sustainable model of the rapid tube transportation system for HyperloopTT, which aims to connect distant cities in a span of a few minutes. HyperloopTT, an American research company, commissioned the Beijing-based architects to conceive a versatile pylon design as a structural support for the transport system that could easily be integrated across an array of environs, be it a bustling city centre, a rural farmland or a remote desert. The project aims to deliver Space X and Tesla's CEO Elon Musk's 2013 breakthrough concept for future mobility by developing a low pressure, tube-based transportation system that will connect cities at hyper speeds to counter urban issues such as overcrowding, traffic congestion and pollution.

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4. INTERNATIONAL AERIAL TRAMWAY, Russia and China
by UNStudio

UNStudio’s winning proposal for the first-ever cross-border cable car aims to connect the cities of Blagoveshchensk in Russia and Heihe in China in just a few minutes. This terminal, connecting the border cities, will have two cable car lines running over the Amur river that separates the two regions. The structure of the Blagoveshchensk terminal will portray an expression of the historic connection where the majestic Amur river has defined a natural boundary between the two nations since the mid-19th century. In winter, the river freezes and its surface acts as a platform for cross-border activities like trade, commerce, and social connections. The journey time will be approximately seven-and-a-half minutes, while actual travel time from station to station will be three-and-a-half minutes.

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5. LE DOME WINERY, Saint-Émilion, France
by Foster + Partners

In a lush countryside setting of the French city of Saint-Émilion, London-based Foster + Partners has visualised the design of a state-of-the-art facility for Le Dôme, the distinguished wine brand by Jonathan Maltus – one of the early winemakers in the Bordeaux region. The architecture of the winery is organically set within the UNESCO heritage landscape of the region. Walking down a woody avenue, visitors will arrive at a partially sunken circular building, which integrates spaces for wine production and tasting. The layout comprises of a lower level dedicated to wine-processing, while the upper – the social heart of the building – is a place for visitors to savour the fine wine of the region.

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6. MECKLENBURG'S MAIN LIBRARY, North Carolina, USA
by Snøhetta

The new Main Library, designed by Snøhetta and Clark Nexsen, is expected to spur the burgeoning development and cultural scene in Charlotte, North Carolina. Designed by architectural firm Snøhetta and Clark Nexsen, the five-storey, ceramic clad building will take shape in the heart of Uptown Charlotte in North Carolina. The design draws itself from the concept of ridgeline, referencing the ancient trading paths carved out by people of the Piedmont region (now called Tryon Street), which also serves as the context of the project. Infused with a rich cultural and topographical influence, the building generates views in a variety of directions and also act as a convergence point that deeply ties people to their place.

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7. O'HARE AIRPORT, Chicago, USA
by Studio Gang

Studio ORD, led by Jeanne Gang, won the 8.5 billion-dollar expansion programme to design the new global terminal and the global concourse at O'Hare airport in Chicago, Illinois, organised as a competition by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The design will attempt to be a reflection of a modern airport that will be an efficient, inspirational, and an easy to access gateway for the passengers. The new design will integrate international and domestic operations. The design of the 2.2 million square feet O’Hare global terminal resembles the confluence of the Chicago river, where three branches converge to create a hub that forms a vibrant neighbourhood in the heart of the O’Hare airport. At the confluence of the branches, a dramatic oculus welcomes visitors under a six-pointed glass skylight, its geometry resembling the Chicago flag.

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8. STRAW BALE SCHOOL, Malawi, Africa
by NUDES

Mumbai-based architecture firm Nudes used straw bales to curate a design for a school in Malawi, East Africa, with a focus on sustainable technology and making the best use of local materials. A modular ‘ladder’ component has been designed to create a structural system that houses the pedagogical intent of the school. A module-based design provides the opportunity of multiplication and expansion in the future. An important aspect of the project is the use of ‘straw bale cubes’. This local material is injected with voids for light and ventilation to create a breathable skin. The bales of straw are renewable, cost-effective, and fire-resistant. 

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9. SADRA CIVIC CENTRE, Sadra, Iran
by Next Office

Next Office's design of the Civic Centre in Sadra, Iran, is an example of how cultural evaluation can be used to develop an image to uplift the architectural fabric of an area. The design modules act as descendants of traditional mud-straw construction with their central courtyards, while the form and function cater to modern needs. The protruding shapes in the skyline remind one of badgirs or ‘wind-towers’, predominantly used in traditional middle-eastern construction to bring in the cool winds, however with a modern touch. The semi-open and flexible spaces, based on different social events, take on a variety of themes such as Ta’zieh (an Iranian ceremonial performative form), storytelling, music, game, etc., while a fluid network has been created for access and inclination, which also work as a good shading device against the harsh sun of the desert and make such activities possible. 

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10. SCOTT BASE, Antarctica
by Hugh Broughton Architects

A new Scott Base has been conceptualised as New Zealand’s research facility in Antarctica, designed by London-based Hugh Broughton Architects in partnership with Jasmax, a multi-disciplinary design practice from Auckland. The strategic hub that contributes to global understanding of climate change would see the existing base replaced by three large interconnected buildings and a separate helicopter hanger. Located three kms from the principal American Antarctic base - McMurdo Station - the design includes laboratories for science, offices, stores, vehicle workshops, and space to organise scientific expeditions going into the field. An intelligent design and a sustainable approach is envisioned to bring about the new Scott Base that contributes to important research for a climate friendly future. 

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