Institutional Archives - Azure Magazine

Other Scales, Other Species: In Conversation with Andrés Jaque

Sebastián López Cardozo — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:48:00 +0000

Now more than ever, architects are endeavouring to design with sustainability in mind. Yet the world’s slow adoption of a climate-focused mindset signals a reluctance (or inability) to fully confront the realities of the warming planet. The COVID-19 pandemic heightens this tension, as the collective desire to return to “normal” clashes with escalating signs of environmental distress — record-breaking temperatures, haze-filled skies and devastating floods. This discord underscores a broader issue: the tendency of most new construction to perpetuate familiar comforts and the status quo. Andrés Jaque, the pioneering Spanish architect behind Office for Political Innovation (or Offpolinn, founded in 2003) understands this problem...

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Leiden University Welcomes a Tactful Extension

Stefan Novakovic — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 20:13:48 +0000

Designed by architect Joop van Stigt, Leiden University’s Cluster Zuid is a showpiece of 1970s Dutch structuralism. Organized as a series of seven interconnected “houses,” the academic complex was envisioned as an ambitious reflection of linguistic and anthropological concepts; each of the volumes promotes interaction with a greater whole, with social and pedagogical life unfolding within its network of free, liminal spaces.

Yet, for all the ambition and genuine architectural quality, Cluster Zuid’s daily functions were hampered by its uncomfortably narrow, dark corridors and repetitive spaces, which made intuitive wayfinding difficult for students, faculty and visitors. As the complex aged, meanwhile, the small windows and dark ceilings made for an increasingly uncomfortable (not to mention energy inefficient) ambiance. For innovative Groningen-based architects De Zwarte Hond, an adaptation of the facility — which houses libraries, lecture halls, study spaces and common areas — entailed a careful balance between transformative intervention and historical sensitivity.

Armed with a brief to expand the complex into a more welcoming and sustainable campus hub, De Zwarte Hond treated van Stigt’s design with care befitting a heritage structure, maintaining as much of the original design — and its philosophical aspirations — as possible while accommodating current needs. To create a more comfortable environment, a central brick volume — one of the original seven structures — has been replaced with a more public-facing new building, topped by an open and light-filled atrium that effectively knits together van Stigt’s volumes into a more intuitive and coherent whole.

The structures of the six remaining volumes were largely retained, though the top floor of each Cluster Zuid “house” was demolished to accomodate improved mechanical systems and a much more efficient building envelope. While the re-imagined top levels continue the simple metallic language of De Zwarte Hond’s new central volume, the architecture is sensitively contoured to reflect the scale and rhythm of van Stigt’s design, also retaining the expressive circular concrete columns and balconies that lend the expansive hub — now dubbed the Herta Mohr building — an unmistakable visual identity.

Throughout, De Zwarte Hond were also careful to retain and re-use waste materials created through demolition. Notably, the handsome Sequoia redwood panels that previously clad many of the Cluster Zuid ceilings were adapted into the handsome wall cladding that accents the atrium, fostering a cozy yet airy indoor setting that nods to the building’s rich history.

The 11,400-square-metre Herta Mohr complex is now home to a wide range of pedagogical spaces, including two expansive lecture halls, as well as the libraries for the Leiden University’s African Studies Centre and Middle Eastern Studies programs.

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Madrid’s Iconic Estadio Santiago Bernabéu Enters a New Sporting Era

Nathan Abraha — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 15:25:41 +0000

Over the last 77 years, few in sport have been decorated with as much glory as Real Madrid CF, arguably the most important sports team in the world, and one-half of Spanish football’s pride alongside arch-rivals FC Barcelona. Alfredo Di Stefano, Raul, Hugo Sanchez, and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the storied legends draped in their famous white jersey — contributing to Real Madrid’s hoisting of a mammoth 100 combined trophies. The most recent triumphs came last season in the form of their 32nd domestic league title, and record 15th Champions League trophy. Yet, amidst the churn of changing faces and sporting eras, a sole force has remained unmoved; the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

While the stadium has served as the club’s home ground since 1947, the iconic venue has recently been conspicuously re-imagined for the first time in its long history. Planning for the USD $1.91 billion, 175,000-square-metre project began in 2012 and has been led by Spanish studio L35 Architects in collaboration with Spanish studio Ribas & Ribas, and German-based designers gmp — a team that won the competition to redesign the Santiago Bernabéu in 2014. The designers responded to a brief to redevelop the stadium as a mixed-use attraction, combining a dedicated soccer venue with a range of additional activations — such as concerts, public events, and other sports — while bringing the facility up to modern safety, efficiency and accessibility standards, and introducing a retractable roof.

The stadium in the midst of reconstruction.

The complexity of the renovation was amplified by Real Madrid’s busy soccer season, which was never interrupted by construction during a five-year buildout which began in 2019. To minimize both disruption and upfront carbon cost, the architects opted to maintain the existing building’s structure, while subtly re-organizing and expanding circulation — a process that entailed moving two of the stadium’s prominent exterior stairs. In addition, the stadium bowl was expanded by 3,000 seats, while a new retractable pitch (which has quickly become the standard for multi-use stadiums) allows for a smooth transition into a concert stage or NFL football gridiron.

To accomodate the new program — and create a bold visual signature — the designers wrapped the body of the stadium in a ventilated façade comprising of curved steel louvers. Extending seamlessly into the new roof, the dramatic envelope is also subtly contoured to demarcate entrances, creating intuitive wayfinding within a sculptural body. As the L35 team puts it, “This architectural solution provides the stadium with an iconic presence that establishes a strong link with the city.” When no matches are taking place, visitors are able to enjoy a skywalk tour of the grounds. A new museum also provides a chance to sift through Real Madrid’s storied history, while retail spaces and restaurants further deliver on the promise of all-year dynamism.

For one of soccer’s most vaunted cathedrals, it all adds up to a dramatic transformation. Change is nothing new for the Santiago Bernabéu. Since its inception in the 1940s, the stadium — originally designed by architects Manuel Muñoz Monasterio and Luis Alemany Soler — has seen updates and touch-ups consistently implemented. A renovation took place ahead of the 1982 World Cup, where the stadium played host to four games, including the final. In the 1990s, third tiers were added in the stands behind both goals and the west stands of the stadium, along with a retractable roof on the east stand, as well as four towers added in each corner of the grounds to facilitate smoother entry and departure for fans.

Additionally, new UEFA rules were set for teams across Europe to have seating areas available for all spectators at the stadium, eliminating standing areas. This brought the seating capacity at the stadium to 106,000 — something that was brought down to 81,044 seats after another round of renovations in 2001. In the present day, however, modernizing in the name of diversification is a growing trend. Stadiums are no longer solely a home for football, but for community and culture. Case in point? Taylor Swift inaugurated the refurbished stadium with a double concert in May.

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Transsolar’s Tommaso Bitossi on Sufficiency Before Efficiency

Elizabeth Pagliacolo — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 13:28:29 +0000

If you look at the project credits for any notable sustainable building these days, chances are you will come across Transsolar. Founded in Germany, the company is active worldwide, bringing its brand of climate engineering — or KlimaEngineering — to public and institutional works. Recent high-profile credits include Winnipeg’s Leaf, by KPMB Architects with Architecture49, and Toronto’s own Limberlost Place, by Moriyama Teshima Architects and Acton Ostry Architects; as well as globally notable projects like the CERN Science Gateway in Geneva by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Brodbeck Roulet Architectes. These architecture firms bring on Transsolar to help them derive solutions for making their projects as sustainable as possible.

Tommaso Bitossi, an Italian-born and -educated architect and Associate Partner at the firm, describes its ethos as one of innovation driven by a passive design–first approach, which he terms “sufficiency before efficiency.”

Tommaso Bitossi.

“The core meaning of ‘sufficiency before efficiency’ is looking at how efficiency, in the past, has failed us. In other words, our computers now are much more efficient than in 1995. However, now we have two laptops per person, one iPad, one smartphone, etc. So… our carbon emissions didn’t change. Perhaps they increased! Or, our servers are now cooled very efficiently, but, with the advent of AI, we are exponentially increasing our need for data storage and computational power. Again, did efficiency save us?

“Sufficiency will save us, together with efficiency.”

The firm looks at a problem dynamically, performing sophisticated simulations on its custom software that models the very physics of a building design and its site conditions – thermal, energy, daylight, etc. These studies are used to prove a concept and understand the “sensitivity of certain variables,” and then to make design decisions. “What is the energy of the building if I do this or that?” Bitossi explains. “We rarely use simulations to ‘predict’… because real life can be very different, mostly due to unpredictable user behaviour.”

In the lead-up to AZURE’s Human/Nature conference — taking place in Toronto on October 24-25 — where Bitossi is a keynote speaker, here are a few highlights from the firm’s portfolio:

Villa Viva Haus, Hamburg, by Me Di Um Architekten

At this “social guest house,” run by Heimathafen Hotels and the non-profit organization Viva con Agua, which advocates for universal access to clean drinking water, the designers at me di um Architekten and Transsolar made the mechanics of the building legible to patrons — and to Viva con Agua’s staffers, who also have their HQ here. The key move was to create a buffer storage tank for water heating and place it in the atrium — so that it is a visible feature of the design, the intention being to communicate the inner workings of the eco-efficient architecture.

“Residential needs a lot of hot water (for showering) year-round, and high-temperature water is not easy to efficiently generate with an all-electric heat pump,” Bitossi explains. “So, here we generate it with solar thermal panels and store it. Together with the design team, we decided to celebrate this technological moment and use it to raise awareness — and to show a design philosophy where a mechanical system can be part of the design.

“We could have hidden the buffer storage tank underground, but hiding mechanical systems creates a lot of embodied carbon; it requires excavation, concrete, water proofing, et cetera. Or, we could have built a wall around it, again increasing the project’s embodied carbon. So, we decided to expose it. It looks beautiful to me, and people always ask ‘what is that?’… And that’s how they learn.”

CERN Science Gateway, Geneva, by Renzo Piano Building Workshop in collaboration with Brodbeck Roulet Architectes

In seeking to make the wonders of science engaging to the greater public, the European Organization for Nuclear Research commissioned RPBW to design this welcoming facility. The firm devised a campus of four pavilions and two tubular structures that are inspired by CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. Transsolar came onboard to make the auditorium experience as comfortable as possible for visitors of all ages.

“In this project, we applied a well-known principle, though it is still state-of-the-art for auditoriums. In auditoriums, you need a lot of air because you have a lot of people and this air typically requires much heating and cooling. In an all-air system, you can supply this air from the top, which is not efficient, or from the bottom, which is very efficient. If you supply from the bottom (where your feet are), you need to do so at a very low velocity.

“So the innovation is how to apply a known principle (displacement ventilation) in a way that is pretty unconventional. We needed flexibility, so we said, Let’s just perforate the entire floor. When you have a lot of floor area, you end up with a lot of area where the air can slowly move through. Usually, you apply that principle with off-the-shelf diffusers, and you have a manufacturer certifying how they perform. But when you perforate a floor, there is no manufacturer certifying that. So we had to do our homework, run CFD studies, to prove that it would have worked acoustically and also thermally.”

The Leaf, Winnipeg, by KPMB Architects with Architecture49

With its spiral roof in ETFE, The Leaf is a marvellous structure that promotes the health of the plant life flourishing within it as well as the broader mandate of the the Assiniboine Park Conservatory.

“This is a project that’s very dear to me. The hypothesis: a high-performance roof that allows the visitor to connect to the outside as if it weren’t there. To have that visual connection, you need a very thin structure, and historically the only way to have a thin structure is to work with single glazing, which is very inefficient, especially in a cold climate like Winnipeg. To have efficiency, you need a double glazing, if not triple. But then your structure becomes much more visible, and you ruin the visitor experience – suddenly it feels like you’re inside a conservatory and not a subtropical forest. Not to mention, double and triple glazing would bring in less natural daylight, which is essential for the plants to grow.

“ETFE performs much better than single glazing and the structure is super thin – you get a lot of daylight. Here the compromise is between energy and user experience. In order to boost the energy efficiency of the biomes, we used ‘roots heating’: we have pipes of warm water (like in a radiant floor) that pass through the roots. This lets us keep the air in the biome at lower temperatures while still allowing the plants to grow, because their roots are warm. In summer, the biomes are completely naturally ventilated.”

Limberlost Place by Moriyama Teshima Architects and Acton Ostry Architects

This much-anticipated tall timber building in Toronto – designed to house the architecture department, and more, at the George Brown Waterfront Campus – is finally almost complete. Setting a significant precedent for how to employ CLT throughout a building design, the project (formerly known as The Arbour) has already earned many accolades. One of its standout features is a climate-response facade with integrated ventilation, which encourages the flow of natural air and daylight into the student spaces.

“This project is designed to work in 100 per cent natural ventilation mode, without any fan assist whatsoever. And it has a lot of classrooms (which requires a lot of air). Of course, there are periods where the building reverts to mechanical model (when it’s too cold or hot/humid outside). So it is a building that can work in mixed-mode ventilation.

“The façade is key: It’s motorized. We control the air flow through the opening and closing of the windows. This is the scariest part for a mechanical engineer! MEPs pressurize the building by mechanical means (aka fans). When there are no fans, you need to control the airflow by opening and closing the windows – like you do in a car, or at home. And since this is a public building, this happens through a centralized brain (the BAS) and the windows control the airflow at different levels.”

Photo of The Leaf, top of article, by Ema Peter.

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A Deep Retrofit Transforms a Rural School in Southern India

Ashna Lulla — Tue, 14 May 2024 14:26:32 +0000

The state of Andhra Pradesh encompasses one of the hottest — and driest — regions of India. Beyond the coast, blistering temperatures and a sun-baked landscape shape a frequently harsh local climate. Yet, local architecture isn’t always well-adapted to the conditions. In the rural village of Talaricheruvu, for example, the aging local school offered little respite from the intense afternoon sun, with shade provided only by a few trees along the compound’s wall. For Bangalore-based architecture and design studio CollectiveProject, a renovation of the facility presented an opportunity to create more comfortable and welcoming indoor-outdoor environments — as well as a subtle local landmark.

PHOTO: Vivek Eadara

Funded by the Penna Foundation — a privately owned cement company — the Talaricheruvu Rural School has served the children of the cement factory’s workers for 15 years. Yet, as the facilities and finishes gradually degraded with age, the design’s shortcomings became more obvious. In addition to the lack of shaded outdoor spaces for play and circulation, the school’s 16 oversized classrooms were seldom fully utilized, while support spaces — including a library doubling as a faculty room — were too limited, while the bathroom facilities were inconveniently local far from the main building.

PHOTO: Vivek Eadara

Situated on the edge of a barren two-acre property, the L-shaped 1,850-square-metre main building was structurally sound but in a state of relative disrepair. Tasked with renovating the campus and integrating new programs while ensuring minimal disruption to the children’s education, CollectiveProject oversaw a gradual transformation over the course of six years. The architects’ approach centred on adapting and augmenting the existing structure with subtle interventions, helping the building feel more intimate rather than institutional. “We retained the L-shaped structure while introducing porous masonry screens (jalis) and strategically placed windows in a staggered rhythm to invite natural light and ventilation into the classroom interiors,” says CollectiveProject co-founder Eliza Higgins. “These strategies also created a fluent dialogue between the interiors and green pockets.”

PHOTO: Benjamin Hosking

The facade received a facelift with a light cement wash sourced from a neighbouring factory. Subtle additions of pale pinks, greens, and blues on the jalis, doors, and window frames softened the building’s boxy presence. The gentle hues complement the earthy tones of the arid context and also imbue the corridors with a sense of lightness and play. Previously oversized and poorly lit, the architects reconfigured the building’s internal layout from 16 classrooms to 24, while also inserting two faculty lounges, three labs, and two multi-purpose libraries. Spread across two floors, the new classrooms are smaller, brighter, and airier, fostering a calm and focused learning environment. Each classroom is distinguished by pastel-coloured perforations, contributing to a dynamic sensory experience as children traverse the corridors, encountering shifting patterns of light and shadow throughout the day.

PHOTO: Benjamin Hosking

A bamboo canopy extends from the main building, providing shade to the much smaller surrounding “pavilions” that house ancillary programs. The preschool, kindergarten, and art room were situated in front of the main building. Portals that cut through either axis led to the kitchen, cafeteria and bathrooms behind the main building. Beneath the expansive canopy, these pavilions are interspersed amidst a network of multi-purpose landscaped pockets that come alive with the children’s energy.

PHOTO: Vivek Eadara

The architects adopted a collaborative, community-focused approach to construction. Guided by the cement factory’s head engineers, local labour from neighbouring villages participated in constructing the showpiece canopy. Divided into repeating triangular forms, the canopy is crafted from 15,000 locally sourced bamboo poles, which were seasoned on-site and are supported by a lightweight metal structure. Strategic roof pockets remain open, allowing shoots of freshly planted greenery and trees to reach from the ground floor to the corridors on the second floor. Incorporating bamboo and indigenous vegetation not only softens the arid landscape but also mitigates heat gain, creating comfortable outdoor temperatures.

PHOTO: Vivek Eadara

Although the buildings are programmatically separate, the architects have fostered a sense of cohesion within the campus. Kadappa black limestone from a small village nearby was used as the flooring across the campus. A unified palette of cement plaster, accented by pastel-toned perforations, establishes a clear visual language across the site. “The facade was finished with a simple cement plaster, trowel finished and sanded till smooth,” says CollectiveProject co-founder Cyrus Patell.

PHOTO: Benjamin Hosking

Prioritizing local materials and placemaking in equal measure, CollectiveProject has reinvigorated the campus into a light-filled, energetic environment that empowers students and educators and serves as a catalyst for inspiring future school retrofits across the region.

Lead image by Benjamin Hosking.

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A French Aquatic Centre Combines Tranquility and Kid-Friendly Fun

Stefan Novakovic — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 22:34:46 +0000

As new parents, Karen Le Billon and her husband Philippe moved their young family from Vancouver to northern France. For Canadian Le Billon, relocating to Philippe’s hometown came as a culinary — and child-rearing — revelation. In a nation famed for its complex and even intimidating gastronomy, the couple’s daughters transformed from picky and demanding North American eaters to budding gourmands. Chronicled in Le Billon’s popular 2012 book French Kids Eat Everything, the process hinted at a broader difference in the cultural understanding of childhood.

It’s a sensibility that translates to French design. In the Tours suburb of Fondettes, a striking aquatic centre by designers Dominique Coulon & associés artfully integrates the serene, contemplatively ambiance of a spa within a distinctly child-friendly environment.

Situated on an expansive green site near the edge of the community, the municipal pool complex stretches 2,340 square metres across the flat landscape, with sinuous, gently undulating white walls that — viewed from a distance — can almost become one with the horizon. Breaking up the monolithic mass, expansive windows give a hint of the eclectic public amenities within.

On the other side of the walls the walls, the aquatic centre unfolds with both indoor and outdoor recreational spaces. The exterior encloses a simple green lawn outfitted with a splash pad and volleyball court, as well as newly planted trees.

Inside, a lap pool (measuring 25 by 12.5 metres) is paired with a shallow and relaxing pool aimed at learners — and their parents, as well as lounging adults — and a circular wading pool for the youngest visitors.

At once intimate and monumental, the simple interiors are defined by gracefully rounded forms — including the circular windows, skylights, and lighting fixtures — and rigorously pared down, materially unified finishes.

Against the crisp white walls and monochrome tiles, the changing light textures the curved walls, creating a sense of depth and warmth within the pools — which open out to slanted double-height ceilings — changing rooms, and saunas. Combined with reflected light from the water, the space is painted by the movement of shadows. At the same time, “The staggered arrangement of the pools create a circuit that is varied and fun,” note the designers. (After all, there’s even a waterslide.)

And the sense of fun is palpable. While the aquatic centre design is imbued with a sense of tranquility, the program is imbued with a sense of adventure — for young and old alike. Although Le Billon notes that the French “do not romanticize childhood” in the American fashion, the whimsy and grace has a romance of its own. Call it a je ne sais quoi.

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An Intimate Community Centre Meets a High-Rise Rennes Neighbourhood

Stefan Novakovic — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 22:46:53 +0000

To visitors and tourists, the compact French metropolis of Rennes is perhaps best known for its half-timbered medieval houses and stately neoclassical architecture, including its eponymous 19th-century cathedral. In the town’s densely populated south end, however, the Blosne district is a strikingly different milieu, dominated by high-rise apartment blocks dating to the 1960s. Thanks to a recent intervention by Paris-based firm Antonio Virga Architecte, however the neighbourhood is home to new a social hub that celebrates its bustling surroundings — yet also speaks to the city’s older and more intimate urban fabric.

On the site of a historic former barracks building, a nearly 2,000-square-metre community centre meets its high-rise neighbours with a bold, vernacular-inspired form. A cluster of steep, gabled roofs draws the eye from afar, with an interplay of façades that combines solid surfaces and subtle brise-soleils across wood, concrete and aluminum panel frontages. Punctuated by punched windows and generous loggias, the five house-like forms are joined together by glazed passageways, and interspersed with narrow courtyards.

“The building was designed in close consultation with the residents who wanted the place to evoke a village,” Rennes mayor Nathalie Appéré told Ouest France. In fact, the community centre’s name — “Polyblosne,” a portmanteau of the Blosne neighbourhood and the French term for community centre — was selected by local residents, as well as the neighbourhood’s elementary school children.

Managed by the municipality in partnership with a variety of non-profit agencies, the complex combines a cluster of multi-use community and social outreach spaces — including a reception hall and cafeteria, and a flexible room with kitchen and patio, a sports area with changing rooms and showers — with youth-specific programming, which comprises a digital lab and an audio-visual recording studio, as well as recreational spaces geared at a variety of ages. In addition, the facility houses office space for organizations that serve the local community. For the neighbourhood, it conveys a sense of home on a civic scale.

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In Greater Sydney, a Civic Centre Catches the Sun

Stefan Novakovic — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 21:21:23 +0000

It’s hard to miss. Even when the sun isn’t shining, the tessellated red roof draws the eye with a vivid, kinetic form. And when the Australian rays are at their full splendour, it appears to flow with the changing light, catching the play of glints and shadows to command a marquee presence at the heart of Parramatta’s high-rise business district. Dubbed Phive, the mixed-use public and cultural hub integrates a civic centre — housing the local council chambers — with offices, research facilities, and a library branch, as well as a variety of exhibition spaces, including an Aboriginal Keeping Place dedicated to local Indigenous objects.

PHOTO: Nils Koenning

Designed by Paris-based Manuelle Gautrand Architecture in collaboration with local partners DesignInc and Lacoste & Stevenson, the 15,000-square-metre structure sits along a vibrant pedestrianized street and public square — a setting which lends the dramatic sloped roof and invitingly transparent façade even greater prominence. On the ground floor, Phive is also animated by a café that spills out onto the street-level plaza, inviting passerby to linger and explore the space.

PHOTO: Sara Vita

The relationship to the public realm also guided the building’s distinctively angular design, with the roof carefully sculpted to preserve sunlight along the pedestrian promenade while creating comfortable indoor conditions. Comprising 549 individually fabricated panels, the tessellated roof invites indirect light into the open interior, mitigating solar heat gain. Moreover, the sloped, organic form also facilitates passive ventilation, drawing hot air into the top of the spire to maintain cooler indoor spaces below.

PHOTO: Br

“Ours is a brave little building compared to its towering neighbours,” says DesignInc director Richard Does. “The tessellations of the red cladding are its identity, referencing the blooms of local flowers.” Inside, a more subdued colour palette continues the natural references, with the local soil and ﬂora — such as native waratah, bottle brush and grevillea — providing a point of inspiration.

PHOTO: Brett Boardman

While the interior is animated by a range of cultural and civic functions, the two-level Phive library branch is a focal point — and a hub of activity. Spanning much of the building’s first two storeys, the library is also prominently visible from outside, signalling a welcoming public space. From the second storey reading room, visitors enjoy a panoramic view of the street, all from an airy, soaring space under the show-stopping roof. It offers a moment of respite within a distinctly energetic, cosmopolitan setting.

PHOTO: Brett Boardman

Lead image by Sara Vita.

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In Türkiye, the U.S. Embassy Embraces Local Vernacular

Sydney Shilling — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 20:35:52 +0000

An embassy symbolizes the intersection of two cultures: the country it represents and the country it inhabits. In Ankara, Türkiye, the recently opened U.S. Embassy by New York firm Ennead Architects embeds this marriage into its design, honouring Türkiye’s historic architecture while reflecting the U.S. Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO)’s goals of sustainability, resiliency and stewardship. The resulting building solidifies the countries’ commitment to their partnership.

Though Ennead is no stranger to designing works in the public realm, the embassy in Ankara marks the first of this typology in its portfolio. The firm is also working on the U.S. Embassy in Nassau and U.S. Consulates General in Nogales, Mexico; Chiang Mai, Thailand; and Lagos, Nigeria (which are all slated to open in the next few years). In each of these projects, the firm weaves together the institution’s mission, site context and culture to create a “compelling architectural expression.”

“At the core of Ennead Architects’ work on this project is that it is specific to its location and emphasizes the power of place, creating the perfect blend of mission and culture,” says Design Partner Richard Olcott. “Through our close study of local building techniques, construction materials and historic traditions, the U.S. Embassy in Türkiye serves as an inspiring, flexible and collaborative workplace that accommodates the needs of dedicated staff and visitors alike.”

Working with local firm Emre Arolat Architecture, Ennead drew inspiration from Türkiye’s rich material history and vernacular architecture — in particular, traditional courtyard designs that merge architecture and landscape elements into a unified form. To that end, the architects conceived of a series of courtyards that gently rise up the steeply sloped 3.6-hectare site to create an accessible and easy-to-navigate space.

The embassy is located in Ankara’s new central business district, Sögütözü. Set back from the street, an arrival plaza at the entrance to the complex serves as the first courtyard in the sequence, blurring the boundary between the embassy and the city. Inside the gates, trees and lush plants bring greenery back to the streetscape and offer a place of respite within the urban realm.

As is the case in many historically significant Turkish buildings, visitors make their way to the Chancery through a series of courtyards and gates, on a gently sloping path that weaves through the landscape designed by GGN. This design approach turns the journey into a thoughtfully curated experience, with clear sightlines that enhance wayfinding, while also eliminating the need for stairs and elevators. The courtyards offer comfortable outdoor spaces for large formal gatherings and more casual diplomatic exchange — and bring natural light into the massive building.

In addition to daylighting, several other sustainability measures were employed to reduce environmental impact and optimize performance, including highly insulated exterior walls, rainwater harvesting, climate-appropriate landscaping, efficient mechanical, electrical and lighting systems, and solar thermal water heating.

While the design is resolutely contemporary, Ennead leveraged local, responsibly sourced materials to integrate the building into its context. These materials were not only selected for their aesthetic appeal but also for their high recycled content, durability and low embodied environmental impact.

The building’s stone cladding recalls the history of masonry in Türkiye, while the Chancery’s façade comprises a high-performance concrete screen that reinterprets traditional vernacular. Balancing transparency and openness with security, the screen ensures access to daylight and views while maintaining the privacy needed in an institution such as this. An interstitial space between the screen and the curtain wall offers a space to connect with the surrounding landscape.

Marble, travertine, native wood, and local ceramics round out the building’s contextually inspired palette. Throughout the landscape, and the lobby designed by interior architects Spacesmith, site-specific works from OBO’s Office of Art in Embassies are displayed, including pieces in various media by both U.S. and local artists.

Through this project, roughly $175 million USD has been invested in the local economy. A contemporary interpretation of Turkish design history, the civic-minded building represents a true partnership between nations.

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A Living Room for Canada’s National Film Board

Stefan Novakovic — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 22:09:47 +0000

Since its inception in 1939, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has remained a public agency with a distinctly public purpose. Over the decades, the federally funded office has produced a wealth of documentaries, animated films and — in recent decades — digital media, many of which became part of the national consciousness. From the 1988 animated classic The Cat Came Back to Sarah Polley’s tour de force Stories We Tell, the agency’s support has carved out a place for Canadian cinema on the international stage. And in downtown Montreal, the NFB now boasts a welcoming stage of its own.

While the NFB has long played a crucial role in nurturing Canada’s cultural landscape, its physical presence belied a leading institution. Until 2019, the NFB was headquartered in a sprawling suburban complex flanked by a cluster of car dealerships and parking lots. That year, the agency moved downtown, becoming an anchor tenant of the showpiece Îlot Balmoral office complex in Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles cultural district. Designed by Provencher_Roy, the eye-catching office tower devotes five floors to NFB offices, along with a planned reception area to facilitate new public and industry programming.

The 225-square-metre lobby is now animated as a public face for the NFB. PHOTO: Raphaël Thibodeau

After the tower was completed in 2019, the building’s lobby — and office spaces — were fitted out later, with the full opening also delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, an energetic new space meets the public realm, inviting visitors, tourists and film professionals into the building.

PHOTO: Raphaël Thibodeau

Led by local studio Taktik Design, the airy space is anchored by simple furnishings in bold primary colours. Designed to operate as a lobby and exhibition space as well as a venue for film openings and receptions, the colourful room serves as the NFB’s new public face.

PHOTO: Raphaël Thibodeau

Conceived as a “third space,” the 225-square-metre lobby also features a media library, viewing room and broadcast booth, allowing visitors to explore NFB programming and history. Meanwhile, the bright furnishings — including modular green vinyl seats that come together to form the NFB logo — are also conducive to casual workday meetings and coffee breaks, as well as the more structured industry events that often animate the space into the evening hours. Framing the room, Taktik’s aluminum tube interior scaffolding easily allows for new exhibits and screenings to be staged.

PHOTO: Raphaël Thibodeau

The interplay of bold, solid colours creates a dialogue with the building’s design, with the tower’s otherwise rectilinear form punctuated by a crystalline volume in bright red — a motif that spans from the lobby and atrium to the external facade. And for true NFB aficionados, the blue table’s single white chair is recognizable as an exact replica of the titular seat in Norman McLaren’s 1957 stop motion classic A Chairy Tale. Fabricated by Montreal-based craftspeople, the bespoke furnishings are also easily movable, and can be reconfigured depending on the occasion.

PHOTO: Raphaël Thibodeau

Whether a place of respite for serendipitous tourist visitors, a place for a casual workday meeting, or a mecca for film lovers, the eclectic lobby is a showcase of the NFB’s avant-garde identity and its manifestly public purpose. For the Quartier des Spectacles — and the city of Montreal — it’s a seamless fit.

PHOTO: Stéphane Brügger

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