*️⃣The Barbican Estate

Architect #Chamberlin #Powell and #Bon as #CPBA
City #London
Country #England #EU

🔤On the 29th December, 1940, at the height of the Second World War, an air raid by the Luftwaffe razed a 35-acre site in the heart of the City of London to the ground. The site was known as the Barbican (a Middle English word meaning fortification), so-called for the Roman wall which once stood in the area.

As the area had become increasingly commercialized, the number of residents had plummeted from 100,000 in 1851 to just over 5,000 in 1951. With such a small electorate, the City of London was at risk of losing its Member of Parliament (MP) and, as a result, its political clout. A housing scheme put forward by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon in 1955 offered an opportunity to reverse the population decline by enticing new residents into this void in the City.

In order to maximize rental income and make the scheme financially viable, the architects proposed a high-density development. The complex was designed as an urban microcosm, with residential blocks arranged around communal spaces – an approach inspired by the work of Le Corbusier. Unite d’Habitation housing project in Marseilles had been recently completed; his vision for a ‘vertical garden city’ is evident in the Barbican.

Bon had spent part of his earlier career working in Milan, and the architecture of Italy held a great fascination for the three architects. This influence is evident in the estate; the penthouses of the terrace blocks, for example, have barrel-vaulted roofs – a feature widely employed in Roman architecture. The architects cited the canals, bridges and pavements of Venice as the model for the pedestrians systems of the Barbican.

More of the project history.

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Material #concrete
Function #residential
Feature #retro #water
Address: Silk St, City of London, London EC2Y 8DS, United Kingdom
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pics by Pinterest and #Timpau
text by Archdaily

#bonus@simoderna (Quantum of Solace Jame Bond movie and Dua Lipa Blow your mind music clip was filmed here)

*️⃣One Za'abeel

Architect #NikkenSekkei
City #Dubai
Country #UAE #ME

🔤Built on two plots separated by a highway, the project’s two towers are connected by THE LINK. The modern and dynamic “symbolic gate” development is one of the first major real estate projects to greet visitors as they travel to the city center from Dubai International Airport.

Its 67.5-metre-long cantilever overtakes the 66.5-metre-long observation deck at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore as the longest cantilever in the world. #record

According to Nikken Sekkei, achieving a world record "was not the main aim" of the project. Rather, the studio set out to create a deceptively simple structure with clean-cut glass facades, embodying its minimalist Japanese design approach and challenging Dubai's tradition of more elaborate skyscrapers.

"You want to stand out in a certain way," he continued. "I think this is a more Japanese approach, to take a step back. The architecture is becoming the background for the scenery and all the drama that is going to happen here with all the luxury, sparkle and glamour." added project lead David Lehnort.

#quote@simoderna

The Link itself contains restaurants and bars, all with column-free interiors thanks to an external diagrid structure.

On its roof is another record-breaking feature – the world's longest suspended infinity pool and the UAE's longest rooftop infinity pool, which is intended to resemble "a beach in the sky". #record@simoderna

Another building with a record-breaking cantilever is the Busan Cinema Center in South Korea with its column-free roof.

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Function #mixeduse #residential #office #hospitality #hotel
Feature #cantilever #skyscraper
Address: Zabeel Plaza - 2nd St - Za'abeel - Za'abeel 1 - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
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pics by #HuftonCrow, #KojiHoriuchi
text by architects and Dezeen

Digital platform for engineers and developers from Middle East

*️⃣Amorepacific headquarters

Architect #Chipperfield #DavidChipperfield #DCA
City #Seoul
Country #SouthKorea #AP

🔤The form of the building is both abstract and gestural. Focusing on a single, clear volume, the proportions of the building have been carefully developed around a central courtyard to maximise the effectiveness of natural ventilation and daylight.

As ‘hanging gardens’, these openings give scale and allow nature to extend from the adjacent park into all parts of the building. The design elaborates the social, cultural and professional ambitions of the company by combining the workplace with other communal activities.

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Colour #white
Material #aluminium
Function #office
Address: 100 Hangang-daero, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea
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pics by #NOSHE
text by architects

*️⃣Tao Zhu Yin Yuan Apartment Building

Architect #Callebaut #VincentCallebaut #VCA
City #Taipei
Country #Taiwan #AP

🔤Tao Zhu Yin Yuan, a name rich in ancient heritage, draws inspiration from the wisdom and loyalty of Fan Li, also known as Tao Zhu Gong, from the Spring and Autumn period. The name signifies the ideals of benefiting others and harmonious coexistence. Its form, inspired by the DNA double helix, symbolizes the source of life and vitality, aiming to recreate a natural ecosystem amidst the urban hustle and bustle, bringing the forest back to the city center and revitalizing it.

The project's distinctive double-helix structure, which maximizes green coverage, enabling the building to absorb up to 130 tons of carbon dioxide annually. Additionally, the rainwater harvesting system can store up to 500 tons of water, enough to meet all irrigation needs. Custom-designed rooftop solar panels, installed at optimal angles for the building's unique structure, are expected to generate around 40,000 kWh of electricity annually. #sustainability

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Function #residential
Feature #greenery
Address: 2HQC+C5 安康里 Taiwan, Taipei City, Xinyi District
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pics and text by architects

*️⃣Miyashita Park

Architect #NikkenSekkei
City #Tokyo
Country #Japan #AP

🔤MIYASHITA PARK is a reconstruction of Shibuya Ward Miyashita Park (opened in 1964), which comprised a park on top of a public parking lot alongside a busy rail line. Prior to reconstruction, the park had become earthquake-prone due to aging of the artificial ground and general deterioration over time and suffered from insufficient barrier-free access.

Defining a New Iconic Space for Shibuya with a “Canopy” - In order to achieve both “Shibuya-like” park activities in a rare public space located in the central city commercial area and the shade of greenery without fear of falling trees on the adjacent railroad tracks, park greening in the form of an arched decoration reminiscent of an arbor canopy was planned.

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Material #steel
Function #mixeduse #public #park #retail #mall
Feature #refurbishment #adminvisited
Address: 6 Chome-20-10 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan
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pics by #Nacasa
text by Archdaily