The de Young museum by Herzog & de Meuron in San Francisco, CA. Columbia University

The de Young Museum by Herzog & de Meuron - GSAPP Digital Craft Animation from Emily Menez on Vimeo.




Herzog & de Meuron
de Young Museum
San Francisco, California

Constructed of warm, natural materials, including copper, stone, wood and glass, the new de Young blends into and complement its surroundings.

 

Founded in 1895 in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the de Young Museum, damaged by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, was closed to the public on December 31, 2000.
The new de Young replaces the former facility on the same site, returning nearly two acres of open space to Golden Gate Park by reducing the footprint 37 percent.

Historic elements from the former de Young, such as the sphinxes, the original palm trees, and the Pool of Enchantment, have been retained or reconstructed.

The dramatic copper facade is perforated and textured to replicate the impression made by light filtering through a tree canopy. The copper skin, chosen for its changeable quality through oxidation, will assume a rich green patina over time that will blend gracefully with the surrounding environment.

The educational department is housed in a 144-foot tower that spirals gently from the ground floor and aligns at the top with the grid formed by the surrounding neighborhood.

The building is threaded with a series of courtyards that draw visitors and the landscape into the museum’s interior. The main entrance leads through a courtyard paved in Yorkshire limestone.

The exterior is encircled by ribbons of windows that reflect the landscape and allow park visitors glimpses of the art within the museum, while simultaneously providing museum visitors views of the park. A public observation floor offers panoramic views of the entire Bay Area.

Broad staircases lead from the double-height interior lobby to the open, expansive galleries, paved with honeyed colored hardwood, that houses the museum’s diverse collections of world art.

Total area: 293,000 square feet
Completed: October 2005
Photographed by Thomas Mayer
Client: de Young Museum
Primary Designers: Herzog & de Meuron
Principal Architects : Fong & Chan Architects
Landscape Architects: Hood Design
Herzog & de Meuron Team:
Project Architect: Ascan Mergenthaler
Project Manager: Jayne Barlow
Fong & Chan Team:
Project Manager: Nuno Lopes
General Contractor: Swinerton Builders
Project Manager: Mike Strong
StructuralEngineers: Rutherford & Chekene
MEP: Ove Arup Group and Partners
BookThe de Young in the 21st Century
A Museum by Herzog & de Meuron
By Diana Ketcham
Publisher: Thames & Hudson

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VitraHaus by Herzog & de Meuron

Here are some photographs of the VitraHaus by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, which has opened at the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany.



Designed to display the furniture brand’s Home Collection, the five-storey building consists of stacked volumes with pitched roofs covered in charcoal stucco.

Each gabled end is glazed and cantilevers outwards up to five metres, creating the impression of a pile of houses.

Internally, spiral staircases connect the intersecting white-painted interiors.

The VitraHaus project joins existing buildings on the Vitra campus by Frank Gehry and Tadao Ando.


Photographs are by Iwan Baan.


In January 2004, Vitra launched its Home Collection, which includes design classics as well as re-editions and products by contemporary designers. As a company whose previous activity was primarily focused on office furnishings and business clients, Vitra created the Home Collection with a new target group in mind: individual customers with an interest in design.
 

Since no interior space was available for the presentation of the Home Collection on the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, the company commissioned Basel-based architects Herzog & de Meuron in 2006 to design the VitraHaus. Thanks to its exposed location and striking appearance, it not only enhances the already outstanding ensemble of Vitra architecture, but assumes the important role of marking the Vitra Campus. Standing on the northern side of the grounds in front of the fenced perimeter of the production premises, the VitraHaus joins two other buildings in this area, the Vitra Design Museum by Frank Gehry (1989) and the Conference Pavilion by Tadao Ando (1993). The ample size of the plot made it possible to position the new structure a good distance away from the Vitra Design Museum and adjacent gatehouse, making room for an extension of the orchard meadow in front of the buildings, a typical feature of the local landscape.

The concept of the VitraHaus connects two themes that appear repeatedly in the oeuvre of Herzog & de Meuron: the theme of the archetypal house and the theme of stacked volumes. In Weil am Rhein, it was especially appropriate to return to the idea of the ur-house, since the primary purpose of the five-storey building is to present furnishings and objects for the home. Due to the proportions and dimensions of the interior spaces – the architects use the term ‘domestic scale’ – the showrooms are reminiscent of familiar residential settings. The individual ‘houses’, which have the general characteristics of a display space, are conceived as abstract elements. With just a few exceptions, only the gable ends are glazed, and the structural volumes seem to have been shaped with an extrusion press. Stacked into a total of five storeys and breathtakingly cantilevered up to fifteen metres in some places, the twelve houses, whose floor slabs intersect the underlying gables, create a three-dimensional assemblage – a pile of houses that, at first glance, has an almost chaotic appearance.

The charcoal colour of the exterior stucco skin unifies the structure, ‘earths’ it and connects it to the surrounding landscape. Like a small, vertically layered city, the VitraHaus functions as an entryway to the Campus. A wooden plank floor defines an open central area, around which five buildings are grouped: a conference area, an exhibition space for the chair collection of the Vitra Design Museum and a conglomerate comprising the Vitra Design Museum Shop, the lobby with a reception area and cloakroom, and a café with an outdoor terrace for summer use. A lift takes visitors to the fourth storey, where the circular tour begins. Upon exiting the lift, the glazed northern end of the room offers a spectacular view of the Tüllinger Hill. The opposite end – where the glass front is recessed to create an exterior terrace – opens to a panorama of Basel with the industrial facilities of the pharmaceutical sector. As one discovers on the path through the VitraHaus, the directional orientation of the houses is hardly arbitrary, but is determined by the views of the surrounding landscape.

The complexity of the interior space arises not only from the angular intersection of the individual houses but also from the integration of a second geometrical concept. All of the staircases are integrated into expansive, winding organic volumes that figuratively eat their way through the various levels of the building like a worm, sometimes revealing fascinating visual relationships between the various houses, at other times blocking the view. The interior walls are finished in white in order to give priority to the furniture displays.

With maximum dimensions of 57 metres in length, 54 metres in width and 21.3 metres in height, the VitraHaus rises above the other buildings on the Vitra Campus. The deliberate intention was not to create a horizontal building, the common type for production facilities, but rather a vertically oriented structure with a small footprint, which grants an overview in multiple senses: an overview of the surrounding landscape and the factory premises, but also an overview of the Home Collection. Just as interior and exterior spaces interpenetrate, so do two types of forms: the orthogonal-polygonal, as perceived from the exterior, and the organic, which produces a series of spatial surprises in the interior – a ’secret world’ (in the words of Herzog & de Meuron) with a suggestive, almost labyrinthine character. On their path through the five storeys, visitors traverse the Vitra Home cosmos, ultimately returning to their starting point.

The VitraHaus has a daytime view and a night time view. In the evening, the perspective is reversed. During the day, one gazes out of the VitraHaus into the landscape, but when darkness falls, the illuminated interior of the building glows from within, while its physical structure seems to dissipate. The rooms open up; the glazed gable ends turn into display cases that shine across the Vitra Campus and into the surrounding countryside.

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Herzog & de Meuron: VitraHaus, Weil am Rhein  

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FC stadium by H&M

In English city Portsmouth will be build project by swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron. Whole complex will be situated near to the coast and the main access road. So the stadium will be new gateway to the city. On the other side new 36,000 seater stadium will be also connected to a housing, an exhibition centre and a waterfront park.

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Elbphilharmonie by Herzog & de Meuron

Yesterday saw the topping-out ceremony of Herzog & de Meuron’s philharmonic hall on the river Elbe in Hamburg.

Called Elbphilharmonie, the project involves installing the Swiss architects’ new glass structure atop a red brick warehouse built in 1963 by the late Hamburg architect Werner Kallmorgen.

The building will comprise three concert halls, a hotel, apartments, and a public square elevated 37 metres above the river.

Construction is due for completion in 2012.

Images © Herzog & de Meuron) unless stated otherwise.
Here’s some more information from the architects:

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The Elbphilharmonie – a New Landmark for Hamburg
Roofing ceremony for a spectacular concert hall
During a Roofing ceremony, to take place on 28 and 29 May, Hamburg will present with the “Elbphilharmonie” (Elbe Philharmonic Hall) its new concert house to the public. More than 5000 guests will gain an insight into the making of this unique concert house. Designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, the magnificent building is to become Hamburg’s newest landmark.

The daring harmony of Kaispeicher A, this historic redbrick monument, and the cool, glass-bodied design will be Hamburg’s new architectural gem. Located right on the Elbe River, this 110 metres high building combines tradition and modernity. The building complex is constructed on approx. 1,700 reinforced concrete piles. It comprises three concert halls, one hotel, 45 flats and the Plaza, a public square elevated 37 metres above the river, with an amazing 360 degree panoramic view of the city.

At the core of the Elbphilharmonie lies one of Europe’s most challenging building projects: an acoustically superior concert hall that stands 50 metres above the river and provides seating for 2,150 people. With its unique location, the Elbphilharmonie Hall can be regarded as an unprecedented work of art. This magnificent building is not just a tourist attraction – it will also be a unique venue for classical music, jazz, pop and world music.

Above photograph is by Oliver Heissner
Even now, during construction, the Elbphilharmonie is attracting worldwide attention. Under the artistic direction of Christoph Lieben-Seutter, it aims at becoming one of the world’s finest music venues. The building is part of one of Europe’s largest urban development projects, HafenCity Hamburg, and can be considered an icon of this booming port city.

Above photograph is by Oliver Heissner
Moreover, it also portrays the public spirit of the Hamburg citizens: from among those €400 million construction costs, more than €77 million alone has been covered by donations and further revenues. After the Roofing ceremony, the work on this ambitious construction project will be further accelerated, so that the building will be accomplished by the year 2012.

Above photograph is by Oliver Heissner

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Beirut Terraces by Herzog & de Meuron

Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron have designed this apartment tower with overhanging floor plates and terraces for Beirut, Lebanon.

Created as part of a wider masterplan to regenerate this area of the city that includes a marina, the building will comprise five different modular floor slabs used in varying combinations to create a mixture of overhangs and terraces.

The building will have vegetation on the terraces to provide privacy and in the main entrance space to act as continuation of the neighbouring green boulevard.

The 116 metre-high structure will be supported by columns on a 14.7 metre regular grid, with each floor plate overhanging the glazing by at least 60 centimetres.

129 single, duplex and townhouse apartments will be available, arranged in different clusters throughout the tower.

The project is due for completion in 2013.

See all our stories about Herzog & de Meuron »
All images © Herzog & de Meuron. More information on the project website.
Here’s some more from the architects:

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Site
The city of Beirut finds itself at the heart of the developing Middle East. As a cosmopolitan city throughout its existence, it always figured as a cultural hub of the region and – culturally as well as geographically – functioned as a link between Europe and the Middle East. By consequence Beirut’s urban history could hardly be more diverse; remains of Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Mamluk, Ottoman and colonial rule have shaped the city and its buildings, just as its past and eventful present have left their mark.
The design of Beirut Terraces was quite literally influenced by the layers of the city’s rich and tumultuous history. The most immediate historical event, which those from Beirut will remember for generations to come, is that of the assassination of the Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, which occurred when his car detonated in front of the St.Georges Hotel, its ruins are still visible as a daily reminder. Adjacent to the site there is a vast landfill of war-debris and trash from the several bombings since the 1970’s, but in the future this will change. Despite the scarred history, there is a clear vision to rehabilitate the area, the current masterplan already well under way aims to rebuild and bring life back to this part of Beirut. The site is located in a portion of the masterplan dedicated to building office and residential high rise buildings and is closely related to a new yachting marina.

Above: level three
Architecture
The proposed building concept, structure, and appearance are conceived by both awareness and respect for the city, as well as self-confident optimism that it shares with contemporary Beirut. The project is founded on five principles: layers and terraces, inside and outside, vegetation, views and privacy, light and identity. The result is a vertically layered building expressed by diverse sizes of slabs which create both openness and privacy and enable flexible living between in- and outside. Fine detailing and a focus on the concerted orchestration of decent materials make for an efficient and luxurious building. Conscious of energy use, the environmental engineering coupled with the integration of vegetation into the architecture, enhance the quality of living while also lending to the building’s sustainability.

Above: level 9
Layers and Terraces
The building is a 116 meter tall multilayered high rise. Its stratified structure is differentiated by the individual residences set back or forward to allow for terraces and overhangs, light and shadow, and places of shelter and exposure. In this way unique places are created to be enjoyed by residents and guests alike. The individual apartments are grouped on the different levels in different formations and come together to carefully shape a new neighbourhood.
Inside and Outside
The moderate climate of Beirut is certainly one of the city’s biggest assets; it makes outdoor life not only an additional, but an integral part of Beirut’s urban life. Capitalizing on this asset and cultivating apartments that foster such specificities is one of the key design principles. Each apartment’s indoor and outdoor spaces merge, and in this way the terraces become integral to everyday living.
Vegetation, Views and Privacy
The proposal for the vegetation blends in with the concept of the existing masterplan. The idea of a green boulevard that connects the residential high rise to its surroundings is taken up by the design and continued vertically both inside and outside of the building. The main entry, an airy high space is equipped with water ponds, plants and outlooks that open up the views to the sea in the north and the green boulevard to the east. The complement between architecture and suspended nature enlivens the spacious lobby around the central core and continues up to the balconies and terraces throughout the entire building. The entry sequence thus develops a consistent transition between the open, public landscape and private, green residences.
Being almost on the shoreline of Beirut, the sea-views are precious qualities of the project. Throughout the building’s terraces plantings create vegetated screens, which simultaneously provide shade, but, more importantly, guarantee the necessary level of privacy between the individual apartment’s terraces. Additionally, the building’s vegetation frames views and generates pleasant microclimates by tempering their immediate environment and providing an active breathing part of the architecture.

Above: level 20
Light and Identity
Extensive overhangs provide shadow and reduce the solar gains of the building to a minimum. Wherever needed, perforations mediate the levels of light and solar exposure. Their density, shape, and shadows generate an unmistakable pattern that clearly distinguishes the identity of the tower from its surroundings. Furthermore, the relative thickness of the floor plates is substantial enough to balance the daily temperature cycles by virtue of its thermal mass, storing heat over the course of the day and releasing it during the cooler nights. It is such passive strategies that make the building a truly sustainable place to live.
Structure
To guarantee sufficient differentiation of the building volume and maintain a reasonable building ratio, the tower is made from five module floors that repeat in different combinations. The slabs of each floor protrude around their entire circumference by 60 centimetres, easing construction and maintenance of the extensive glass façades. The structure is carried by the core and a regular column-grid that spans up to 14.7 meters. Each quarter of the tower has its own lobby with elevators serving no more than two apartments at a time. For higher efficiency two lobbies share service elevators, MEP risers, and fire escapes.
Apartments
The mix of apartments of different sizes and types such as simplex, duplex and townhouses with pools are distributed throughout the building to offer a variety of conditions to meet each tenant’s needs and provide each apartment with a unique identity. The apartments generally consist of three areas: a reception, private living spaces, and a service area. The reception opens to a foyer and leads to a grand living room with a spacious area for entertaining, a dining area, and a generous viewing terrace. The private space features a family living room and bedrooms including en-suite bathrooms and walk-in closets. The service area includes a kitchen with storage and laundry room attached and a maid’s bedroom with bathroom. All the main spaces like living rooms and bedrooms consistently provide a generous clear height of 3.4 meters.

Above: level 25
Amenities
Beirut Terraces provides the residents with amenities at the entry level such as a generous spa with pool, sauna, steam and massage rooms and shopping facilities along the boulevard.
Parking
Parking is fully split between visitors and residents. The visitors enter by car from north, while the residents’ cars enter through the main gate to the south. Upon entering they first drop off their passengers, and then use the ramps that flank the circular driveway to descend directly to the restricted lower levels. When leaving the building the passengers are picked up in front of the main lobby and exit through the gate.
Project Name: Beirut Terraces
Address: Plot 1801 and Plot 1802, Block 18, Beirut Central District, Lebanon
Project Phases
Competition: March – June 2009
Schematic Design: October 2009 – April 2010
Design Development: April – September 2010
Construction Documents: September 2010 – April 2011
Construction: June 2011 – June 2013
Project Team
Partner: Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Stefan Marbach
Project Architect: Tobias Winkelmann (Associate), Ursula Hürzeler
Project Team Competition: Dorothee Dietz, Joris Fach, Dara Huang, Christina Liao, Susanna Rahm, Monica Sedano, Thomasine Wolfensberger
Project Team Schematic Design: Alexandria Ålgård, Julia Jamrozik, Hamit Kaplan, Yusun Kwon, Christina Liao, Sam Nelson, Daniel Rabin, Antonia Weiss, Claudia Winkelmann
Client: Benchmark Development SAL, Beirut, Lebanon
PLANNING
Architect Planning:Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland
Structural Engineering: Arup, London, UK (SD) / Khatib & Alami, Beirut, Leban (DD)
Mechanical Engineering: Arup, London, UK (50%SD) / Khatib & Alami, Beirut, Lebanon
Electrical Engineering: Arup, London, UK (50%SD) / Khatib & Alami, Beirut, Lebanon
Executive Architect: Khatib & Alami, Beirut, Lebanon
SPECIALISTS / CONSULTING
Fire Consultant: Arup, London, UK (Competition), Socotec, Beirut, Lebanon
Landscape Architect: Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture, Broumana, Lebanon
Lighting Consultant: Arup Lighting, London, UK
LEED Consultant: G/ECS, Beirut, Lebanon
Façade Consultant: PP Engineering, Basel, Switzerland
BUILDING DATA
Site Area: 4’422sqm / 47598sqft
Building Footprint: 4’273sqm (base) 2’884sqm (tower) / 45,994sqt (base) 31,043sqft (tower)
Building Dimensions: Base 65,90m x 66,20m / 216 x 216ft
Tower: 53,70m x 53,70m / 177 x 177ft
Height: 119,62m / 392ft
Gross Volume (GV): approx. 309’000 m3 / 10912211 cubic feet
Gross Floor Area (GF): 100’700sqm (incl. basement + terraces) / 1083934sqft
Relation GV/GF: 3.07
Facade Surface 19’500sqm / 209,898sqft
Number of Levels 26 (+1 Plant Level on Roof / +6 Underground)

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