Wednesday 14 October 2009

Nordpark Cable Railway by Zaha Hadid Architects

Nordpark Cable Railway:  Congress Station 1
Photograph by Peter Bennetts.
Nordpark Cable Railway:  Congress Station 2Nordpark Cable Railway:  Congress Station 3
Photograph by Helene Binet.

Congress station.

'
“The railway reflects the city’s continued commitment to the highest standards of architecture and pushes the boundaries of design and construction technology. These stations are the global benchmark for the use of double-curvature glass in construction.”
-Zaha Hadid.

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the 1.8 km long Nordpark Cable Railway in Innsbruck, Austria, comprised of four new stations and a cable-stayed suspension bridge over the river Inn, takes you from the center of Innsbruck to the top of the mountain in less than half an hour. The design for each station adapts to the specific site conditions at various altitudes, whilst maintaining the coherent overall architectural language of fluidity. This approach was critical to the design for the railway, and demonstrates the seamless morphology of Hadid’s architecture.

Starting at the underground Congress Station in the center of the city, the railway travels through a tunnel to Loewenhaus Station by by the river.

After crossing the river Inn on Hadid’s suspension bridge, held by steel cables from concrete pylons, the car starts its steep ascend on the Nordkette Mountain side to Alpenzoo Station.

The final station is at Hungerburg village, 288 meters above Innsbruck, where passengers can join the cable-car to the summit of the Seegrube Mountain.

“Each station has its own unique context, topography, altitude, and circulation. We studied natural phenomena such as glacial moraines and ice movements - as we wanted each station to use the fluid language of natural ice formations, like a frozen stream on the mountainside.”
-
Zaha Hadid.

A high degree of flexibility within this language enables the shell structures to adjust to these various parameters whilst maintaining a coherent formal logic. Two contrasting elements “Shell & Shadow” generate each station’s spatial quality, with lightweight organic roof structures of double-curvature glass “floating” on top of concrete plinths, creating an artificial landscape that describes the movement and circulation within. New production methods such as CNC milling and thermoforming guaranteed a very precise and automatic translation of the computer generated design into the built structure. The architects used state-of-the-art design and manufacturing technologies developed for the automotive industry to create the streamlined aesthetics of each station.

Nordpark Cable Railway continues Hadid’s quest for an architecture of seamless fluidity, representing Zaha Hadid Architects’ very latest contribution to the current global architectural discourse in digital design and construction.'
-Arc space.Nordpark Cable Railway: Loewenhaus station 1Nordpark Cable Railway: Loewenhaus station 2
Photograph by Helene Binet.

Loewenhaus station.


Nordpark Cable Railway: Alpenzoo Station 1
Photograph by Helene Binet.
Nordpark Cable Railway: Alpenzoo Station 2Nordpark Cable Railway: Alpenzoo Station 3Nordpark Cable Railway: Alpenzoo Station 4Nordpark Cable Railway: Alpenzoo Station 5
Photograph by Peter Bennetts.

Alpenzoo station.


Nordpark cable railway: Hungerburg Station 1Nordpark cable railway: Hungerburg Station 2Nordpark cable railway: Hungerburg Station 3Nordpark cable railway: Hungerburg Station 4Nordpark cable railway: Hungerburg Station 5
Photograph by Peter Bennetts.

Hungerburg Station.


a+. nordpark cable railway
a+. zaha hadid architects
a+. peter bennetts
a+. helene binet via dezeen via arc space
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Monday 12 October 2009

Fredrikson Stallard- Table #1 & Table #2

Fredrikson Stallard's Table #1Made from wood & steel, Table #1 & Table #2 are furnitures designed by Fredrikson Stallard which 'aim to confront aesthetic orthodoxies and provoke a dialogue about the possibilities of design, the prevalent physical tension, careful choice of materials and archaic method of construction elegantly contrast each other.'
Fredrikson Stallard's Table #2
a+. fredrikson stallard via david gill galleries
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Sunday 11 October 2009

'Bloom' by Kenneth Cobonpue

Bloom 1
Spectacular!

'Bloom' by Kenneth Cobonpue is a lounge chair which resembles a blooming flower. 'Bloom' is made from microfiber stitched over a resin top with a steel base and sculpted by hundreds of fine running stitches radiating from the center of the seat that creates a subtle textural feel. Its invisible supports form shapes reminiscent of soft and graceful musical tones.



Bloom 2Bloom 3

a+. kenneth cobonpue via contemporist via designmilk
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Carnival of Ideas: Ogilvy & Matter Guangzhou Office

Ogilvy & Matter Guangzhou Office 1Ogilvy & Matter Guangzhou Office 2
"Carnival of Ideas" is the theme for Ogilvy & Mather's expanded office in Guangzhou. Designed by M Moser and Associates, the office has been selected as one of the recipients of the 3rd annual China's Most Successful Design Award 2oo8, which is also the first interior design project to receive this award title.

The Ogilvy & Mather’s expanded office, relocated from the business hub of Guangzhou to the edgier arts and culture region in the city-fringe, with views across the Pearl River toward the historical Sha Mian district.

'Michael Lee, Ogilvy’s Shanghai & Southern China COO, was quoted as saying that although the commute time has doubled for many staffers, they still love coming to work because the new environment is so much fun. In a media release, M Moser Associates’ director Wendy Leung is quoted as saying that although seeing the workplace as a strategic tool to support business goals is a new concept in China, it is gaining recognition as a serious trend.'
- Tuija Seipell, Coolhunter.
Ogilvy & Matter Guangzhou Office 3Ogilvy & Matter Guangzhou Office 4
Ogilvy & Matter Guangzhou Office 7Ogilvy & Matter Guangzhou Office 6Ogilvy & Matter Guangzhou Office 5The designer:
M Moser is a global firm, specialising in the creation of workplace environments, corporate base buildings and campuses since 1981.

Client's business objectives and needs are met through M Moser's integrated solutions approach. Teams are based around experienced strategic planners, interior designers, architects, M&E engineers, technology specialists and construction professionals.

Located in 11 offices around the world, M Moser is constantly evolving to serve the needs of global Clients, which vary from multinational companies and financial institutions to privately-owned businesses.

a+. m moser and associates via coolhunter
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