*️⃣Watercube – National Swimming Centre

Architect #PTW
City #Beijing
Country #China #AP

🔤The Water Cube's design was initiated by a team effort: the Chinese partners felt a square was more symbolic to Chinese culture and its relationship to the Bird's Nest stadium while the Sydney-based partners came up with the idea of covering the 'cube' with bubbles, symbolizing water. Contextually, the Cube symbolizes Earth, while the circle (represented by the elliptic stadium) represents heaven, a common motif in ancient Chinese art.

Comprising a steel space frame, it is the largest ETFE-clad structure in the world with over 100,000 m2 of ETFE pillows that are only 0.2 mm in total thickness.

In July 2003 the Water Cube design was chosen from 10 proposals in an international architectural competition for the aquatic center project.

The Water Cube was originally constructed to host the aquatics competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics. After renovation and adaptive configuration, the Water Cube also hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics.

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Colour #white #blue
Material #polymer
Function #entertainment #sport
Feature #nightlight
Address: 11 Tianchen E Rd, Chaoyang, China, 100107
Google street
Night google street
Interior google street

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pics by pinterest and architects
text by Wikipedia

*️⃣The Matrimandir

Architect #RogerAnger
City #Auroville close to #Puducherry
Country #India #AP

🔤The Matrimandir is an edifice of spiritual significance for practitioners of integral yoga, in the centre of Auroville. It is in the form of a huge sphere surrounded by twelve petals. The Geodesic dome is covered by #steel discs covered in gold wich reflects sunlight that gives the structure its characteristic radiance.

Inside the central dome is a meditation hall known as the inner chamber - this contains the largest optically-perfect glass globe in the world.

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Colour #golden
Function #public #park
Address: 2R46+V72, Matrimandir Rd, Auroville, Bommayapalayam, Tamil Nadu 605101, India
Google street

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pics by #JamesEwing and Wikipedia
text by Wikipedia

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*️⃣Dongdaemun Design Plaza

Architect #Hadid #ZahaHadid #ZHA
City #Seoul
Country #SouthKorea #AP

🔤The DDP is an architectural landscape that revolves around the ancient city wall and cultural artefacts discovered during archaeological excavations preceding DDP’s construction. These historic features form the central element of DDP’s composition; linking the park, plaza and city together.

The design integrates the park and plaza seamlessly as one, blurring the boundary between architecture and nature in a continuous, fluid landscape. Voids in the park’s surface give visitors glimpses into the innovative world of design below, making the DDP an important link between the city’s contemporary culture, emerging nature and history.

Construction the exterior envelope of DDP was a challenge as the cladding system consists of over 45,000 panels in various sizes and degrees of curvature. This was made possible by the use of parametric modelling with an advanced metal-forming and fabrication process to develop a mass-customization system.

At night, the building will reflect all the LED lights and neon signs of the surrounding buildings. With the interplay of the built-in façade lighting, the building’s appearance will be animated and take on the characteristics of its unique urban settings. #nightlight #context

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Colour #metallic
Material #aluminium
Function #entertainment #venue
Feature #adminvisited
Address: 281 Eulji-ro, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea
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Underway google steer

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pics by #Bertrand
text by architects and Archdaily

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*️⃣Chengdu Jiaozi Pedestrian Bridge

Architect #CSADRI (China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute)
City #Chengdu
Country #China #AP

🔤To ensure seamless connectivity and unobstructed passage for pedestrians, the footpath system is organized into three elevation levels. The three-dimensional transportation and layered #greenery are reminiscent of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. As a tribute to ancient construction pioneers, the pedestrian bridge reproduces the dreamlike vision of "people traveling in the air".

The structure of the bridge is inspired by the stem from which lotus leaves grow and adopts an irregular two-way rigid frame system. The varying sizes of openings between the lotus leaves ensure stability while reducing the overall weight of the structure.

The nine discs not only form a complete whole but also offer nine relatively independent activity scenes. The fantastic water show features fountains and colorful glass displays. The middle section of the bridge deck is hollowed out into a ring, creating an ideal spot to overlook the river from within the opening. The #water curtain is designed around the ring, where a light show is held at night.

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Colour #white
Material #steel
Function #transportation #bridge
Feature #nightlight
Address: 30°35'06"N 104°04'37"E

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pics by #HoliLandscape
text by Archdaily

*️⃣Raj Sabhagruh Discourse Hall

Architect #Serie architects
City #Bilpudi close to #Surat
Country #India #AP

🔤Awarded to Serie Architects in 2012 through an international invitational competition, the design of Raj Sabhgruh draws its ideas from the Jain Samavasaran, a fabled temple, composed of a tapering ascension of platforms, housing humans, animals, and demi-gods in divine communion with a 'Tirthankara', an enlightened being, seated at the apex of this formation.

This mythical building represents the aggregation of knowledge—through discourse and learning—as building blocks, to bring devotees ever closer to enlightenment. This concept is reified in all Jain temples, where the aggregation of self-similar elements creates lofty shikaras—curved, pyramid-like forms that cap the sanctum sanctorium at the heart of the temple and appear to reach for the sky.

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Colour #tan
Material #brick #marble
Function #entertainment #venue
Address: G5VV+6PM, Bilpudi, Gujarat 396050, India

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pics by #RoryGardiner
text by Archdaily