Szervita Square Tower. Zaha Hadid Architects

Szervita Square Tower
Budapest, Hungary

Zaha Hadid has designed a landmark building for Szervita Square in the historic centre of Budapest, Hungary (via www.hg.hu).


CONCEPT:


The new building on Szervita Square will add to the overall cityscape of Budapest by providing a new enlarged public square and landmark building. The aim is to create a civic space within the project not only for those who use the building but for the city as a whole. A city like Budapest needs a kind of an archipelago of public spaces that are connected through program and become attractive places for the citizens at different times of the day. The plans for both the building and square connect smoothly to the surrounding net of squares and public places.



From the beginning, after collecting ideas about the light, the combination of landscapes, the building and the space itself, the idea was to move away from closed forms and the perimeter blocks that generally constitute the city, and to make the public zones more porous and open. The design for the new building fits with the architectural context, but is transparent creating a contrast to the idea of non-porosity and solidness of the existing buildings. One can perceive distinguished architectural periods in the development of Budapest’s inner city fabric. Szervita Square itself is an interesting example with high quality architecture from different periods, and with this project an important opportunity is presented to continue with this series and to do something that we can’t do anywhere else: to comply with the traditions of the city and create something new at the same time.


PROGRAM:
Office and Retail
CLIENT:
Orco Property Group
SIZE:
35000 m²







The mixed-use building, for ORCO Property Group, will replace a communist-era car park and will contain shops, restaurants, offices and a nightclub.

Hungarian site www.hg.hu has more details of the project.

Orco Property Group is an Eastern European property developer that is also behind the lota 44 residential
tower in Warsaw by Daniel Libeskind.

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White Bay, Bussines and Comercial District in Alicante. Duran Blazquez Architects. Modena Architecture.

Modena Architecture is a Spanish firm led by  Duran Blazquez architects. This firm develops a cutting-edge design project in southern Spain.

Alicante is a city of Valencia (Spain), capital of the region of the lands of Alicante and of the eponymous province, situated on the Mediterranean coast, is the second largest city of Valencia in Spain and eleventh. Its population is 334,757 inhabitants (INE 2009) and forms a conurbation of 452,462 inhabitants in the neighboring towns of San Vicente del Raspeig, San Juan de Alicante, Muchamiel and Campello. Belongs to the metropolitan area of Alicante-Elche, with 757,443 inhabitants. It is a city to tourism and services.

This city due to their resort is an enclave of culture, vacation spot for citizens of other countries and especially for European citizens of Nordic countries, Russia, England and Germany.

Despite the crisis engulfing the country, are developing draft urban projects that still need several years of development due to administrative processes.

Elements of urban development:

The project develops part of a residential, business and shopping in the city of Alicante.
Although the percentage of per capita m2 of commercial areas in the city, as in other south of the peninsula is high, the developer committed to creating a shopping area with an avant-garde looking reference an international rather than local or regional.

The project works over the concept of urban development of middle income residential high-buildable blocks wide, linked to the development of a commercial area in the city reference.

The location of the sector in an area of urban expansion and commercial dynamism and tourism in the area are the keys to bet promoter.

The first floor will house shops and restaurants connected to an adjacent mall, the buildings near the main square is filled with apartments.

The program is a mix of boutique shops, Business Centers, cafes and homes.

The street and the park will be connected through a foreign city tour closely tied to sources and other recreational spaces, so that external routes themselves generate a meeting space in an area very close to the Mediterranean Sea.

Baja 4 plants are connected to a shopping mall. The buildings closest to the area reserved for apartments.

The square and the outdoor complex offers spectacular views of the old town and castle.

Outlying areas of this public space is shaped like outdoor cafe.

As fashionable as well as buildings change through the season: autumn winter appearance is due to the use of cooler colors. In the spring colors are modified in the facades and peripheral light through the exterior is green in some areas.

The urban development marks a beginning for future development of the city of Alicante in the coming years. Thus, the Central Business District is a model for the transformation process must take place in the cities of southern Spain and his race for a distinct identity in the changing economic climate. Like many other cities economically applicants in Spain, Alicante faces the challenge of establishing an urban identity that unites local traditions with the most innovative ideas for future business.

Alicante on the other hand has the Altet airport (also known as Alicante airport despite being located in the neighboring city of Elche), which is today the most profitable airport in Spain by the massive influx of tourists throughout the year .

Moreover, the seaport city, is a reference port of both goods and tourist traffic through the cruise ships.

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Port House Antwerp by Zaha Hadid Architects

Zaha Hadid Architects  won a competition to design the new headquarters of Antwerp Port Authority in Antwerp, Belgium.

The 12,800 square metre development consists of an glazed extension above the former fire station, supported asymmetrically on three concrete pillars.

Clad in glass and aluminium, the 46 metre-high extension overlooks the city and port.

The building will house approximately 500 staff; the refurbished, existing building will house public counters, offices and meeting rooms, while the five-storey extension will comprise an auditorium and restaurant, as well as additional offices and meeting rooms.

The following information is from Zaha Hadid Architects:
–
Top international architect Zaha Hadid to design new Port House
The future headquarters of Antwerp Port Authority will be designed by the London firm of Zaha Hadid Architects. The choice of architect was made at the Port Authority board meeting on 13 January. The new Port House will occupy the site of the technical services building on quay 63.

The Port Authority aims to make its operations more efficient by centralising the administrative and technical services which are now divided between the Port House and quay 63. The new headquarters will also solve the pressing shortage of workspace in the present Port House on the Entrepot quay. Some 500 people will be able to move into the new building when it is completed in 2013.

In addition to offering better accommodation, the future Port House will contribute to further development and upgrading of the part of the city known as Het Eilandje. The brief for the new building specified that it had to symbolise the Port of Antwerp as a world port and economic driver of Flanders and the Antwerp area. It also had to be built according to the principles of sustainability.
In selecting the architect it was decided to use the Open Call for Tender procedure of the Flemish Government Architect’s team. The procedure was launched in December 2007, and nearly 100 architectural firms responded. A shortlist of five firms was chosen:

• Consortium of TV A2O Architecten / Atelier Kempe Thill / Marcq & Roba / BEG from Hassel, Belgium
• Vier Arquitectos from La Coruña, Spain
• Xaveer De Geyter Architects from Brussels
• Zaha Hadid Architects from London
• Rapp + Rapp from Rotterdam.

The jury/board of directors finally opted for the proposal by Zaha Hadid Architects, because:

• the design preserves as much as possible of the dignity of the present building as a monument, adding a new object to the site;
• the board and its advisors had confidence in a team such as Zaha Hadid Architects being able to further develop the project so as to achieve a high quality end result that can act as a “shop window” for the Port Authority.

The estimated construction cost is 31.5 million euros excluding VAT and architect’s fees. This includes all the work for an office building with around 12,000 m² of floorspace for around 500 people, together with underground parking for 300 or so cars.
The new building fits in with the Port Authority’s future-oriented investment policy. At the same board meeting it was also decided to purchase four tugs as part of a renewal series of nine. And of course there will be further investments in infrastructure for expansion and renovation of the port. The various Flemish port authorities are currently holding discussions with the Flemish Government about financing for basic port infrastructure.
The new Port House forms part of a programme of improvements to the Port Authority’s own buildings. In addition to various renovation and new construction work that has already been carried out, a public call for tender has been issued for the new VTS (Vehicle Traffic Service) building beside the Zandvliet lock.
The winning design and project team for the new Port House
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (London, UK)
Project support: Bureau Bouwtechniek (Antwerp, Belgium)
Stability: Studieburo Mouton (Ghent, Belgium)
Restoration: Origin (Brussels, Belgium)
Special technology: Ingenium (Brugge, Belgium)
Acoustics: Daidalos Peutz (Leuven, Belgium)
Design proposal
The design team from Zaha Hadid Architects proposed a very dynamic architecture that strikes up a dialogue with the Oosterweel road link, with the Lange Wapper bridge forming a backdrop to the New Port House. With its unique design, its facade architecture and its height of 46 metres, the new Port Authority will be an iconic building, visible from many different directions.
The concept is a free interpretation of a beam-shaped volume raised above the existing fire brigade building and supported on three sculptured concrete pillars housing the stairs and lifts. Two of the pillars are situated on the covered inner courtyard of the firehouse, while the third is located beside an external support point and consists of a panoramic lift shaft.
The new volume is oriented North-South parallel to the Kattendijk dock. The head of the building on the South side is a frame that looks towards the city and clearly marks the start of the port area.
The outside walls are made up of glass triangles, some transparent and some reflecting. These do not all lie in the same plane but are rotated slightly with respect to one another, creating an attractive reflecting play of incoming light in a reference to Antwerp’s diamond industry.
The present firehouse will be kept free of building all around, so that the four outside walls will be fully respected. As for the arrangement of the inside spaces, consultations will be held with Flanders Real Estate Heritage and the Monuments department of the City of Antwerp to determine whether open-plan offices (as laid down in the schedule of requirements) are possible, either partly or throughout.
The inner courtyard will be roofed over at the height of the second story so as to create an enclosed interior space. This central entrance hall will be considered as a semi-public space, with various enquiry desks (Personnel department, Harbourmaster’s Office, Planning Permission & Environment Permit office and Port Dues payment desk) integrated in the inside wall portals.
A sculptural, sloping roof unites an underground lobby with the covered inner court. Access to the underground car park is an important aspect of the overall concept, with the loading & unloading bays and the refuse handling facilities also located here. The car park has space for 300 or so cars and consists of a single underground level. The design of the square can be arranged so that daylight is allowed to enter. The above-ground layout forms part of a design project that is being carried out in consultation with the city departments responsible, with the main imperative being to “preserve the visual quality of the outside spaces in the Het Eilandje area.”
The open plan offices are indeed very open, so that office staff will have a great impression of space with a view along the various outside walls. The concept for the open plan office also allows for small areas in which to hold meetings, along with separate study offices.
The new Port House, Antwerp, Belgium
Zaha Hadid Architects
The Antwerp Port Authority will build its new headquarters – the future Port House – on the boundary between the city of Antwerp and its harbour.
Program
The new Antwerp Port Authority headquarters will house approximately 500 staff (currently working in separate buildings) in a single new building that comprises a former fire station and the new extension.
From a central lobby, which also operates as an exhibition space, staff and visitors have direct access to the public counters, offices and meeting rooms in the refurbished fire station, whilst the offices, meeting rooms, auditorium and panoramic restaurant in the new extension are also accessed directly from this central lobby.
In total the new Port House design is 12,800m2 (gross): 6,600m2 in the refurbished Fire Station, and 6,200m2 in the extension. The maximum dimensions of the new building extension are 111m length, 24m width and 46m height (5 additional floors).
Design
The new Port House design consists of two entities: the existing fire station and a new crystalline volume lifted above the retained building. Together they form an impressive new landmark as the headquarters of the Antwerp Port Authority, overlooking the city and port, and symbolizing Antwerp as a port of global importance and a major economic driver of region.
The new extension is positioned asymmetrically over the central glazed courtyard of the existing fire station, allowing light to enter the heart of the building. The extension is supported by three sculpted concrete pillars that house the stairs and lifts. Two of the pillars land on the ground within the courtyard, while the third lands outside the existing building and houses a panoramic lift shaft.
The new building’s volume is enclosed by articulated surfaces that have a façade of glass and aluminium panels, reflecting the surroundings during the day and transforming into a radiating crystal at night. The panels do not all lie in the same plane but are rotated slightly with respect to one another, reflecting light from these facets – a reference to Antwerp’s diamond industry.
Competition
Invited competition, organised by the Flemish Government Architect.
1st Prize: Zaha Hadid Architects
Other Competitors:

• Xaveer De Geyter Architects bvba
• Rapp+Rapp bv
• Vier Arquitectos sl
• A2O architecten

Start Competition: June 2008
Submission date: September 2008
Decision: January 2009
Jury:

• Marcel Smets (head of Jury)
• Kristiaan Borret
• Marc Van Peel
• Eddy Bruyninckx
• Greet Bernaers
• Sigrid Fruytier
• Maarten Schmitt

Zaha Hadid Architects
Design: Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher
Project Architect: Joris Pauwels
Project Team: Kristof Crolla, Sebastien Delagrange, Paulo Flores,
Daniel Santos, Lulu Aldihani
Consultants
Local Architect: Bureau Bouwtechniek
Structural Engineers: Studieburo Mouton bvba
Services Engineers: Ingenium nv & Daidalos Peutz

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