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Planet M @ 2000 World’s Fair Hanover Germany by GKD

Posted by Frank on July 13, 2012
Posted in: Uncategorized.

The best World’s Fairs have served as seedbeds for innovation. The Hanover, Germany 2000 World Fair was among the best. One of the architectural highlights of the fair was Bertelsmann’s Planet M: a remarkable ovoid shaped building clad in Escale stainless steel designed by Triad Architects. In the daytime, the light-reflecting skin glistens, and in the evening the building glows from within as the mesh recedes into the night. Photography copyright 2001, Wolfgang Schwager.

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Last night -one week ago in Paris, we celebrated the best of the…

Posted by Frank on June 28, 2012
Posted in: Uncategorized.


Dean Marchetto’s Apse


Ronan’s Poetry


Eiffel from Nouvel


Pantheon


BLDGs Building


New housing near Library


Goodbye Paris

Last night -one week ago in Paris, we celebrated the best of the best with our Trophy Zinc Award ceremony.  This ceremony takes place once every two years and is judged by an international jury of architects.  The ceremony itself is preluded and followed by events that circle the sun of architecture and art.  This blog entry is a quick recap of the event. 

Before the ceremony began, we took the winners on a little Paris sight-seeing trip.  First stop was lunch on top of Jean Nouvel’s Musee du quai Branly. (http://tinyurl.com/2oykwm) The museum is one of the newer additions to the city of lights, and is located close to the Eiffel Tower.   One notable feature of the restaurant, out of many, is the attention to detail that Mr. Nouvel extended to the interior finishes.  Like, for example, applying permanent shadows to casework and carpet that reflects the skeletal frame holding up yards of glazing for the restaurant.  As the skies move from zinc-colored drama to full-tilt sunshine, the real shadows ebb and flow as they overlay the permanent (created) ones and the whole ensemble starts to dance.  It is dynamic, but in an understated way that could easily be missed without inspection.  With a room full of architects, very little was missed. 

Of course, the views are also notable.  The shot above of the Eiffel was taken from the restaurant’s exterior deck.  The shot was taken from in front of a wide gutter that warns one of the edge and possibly death below.  It is slightly visible in the lower right-hand corner of the shot.  (Lautner-esque in execution. Think: Marbrisa in Acapulco  http://tinyurl.com/7cwet9n)  Whereas other parts of the restaurant deck have low rails and glass partitions.

The scale, the massing of the housing blocks, and the rich texture pulls one forward -there is little choice in the matter.  Perhaps, subsequently, someone at the museum decided that more of previously seen glass partitions should warn patrons of a drop beyond the wide gutter-slash-water feature.  We slipped passed these glass warnings easily and grabbed myriad shots with cheap (as is the case with the above shot) or expensive  cameras.  (Note:  No participants in the Trophy Zinc Award program were hurt in the filming of this event.  However, very few participants could resist the promise of memories of the view.) 

From Nouvel’s aerie, we traveled to a newer neighborhood surrounding Mitterrand’s National Library -The Bibliotheque Nationale de France.  To be honest, this was unexpected by the group.  Most tours of Paris involve the more well known landmarks and monuments.  This tour included this up and coming neighborhood, the library itself, the School of Architecture nearby, and tons of projects covered in glorious zinc.  (Sorry.  Shameless self-promotion.)  One of Corbusier’s buildings was swathed in the clothing of remodeling -otherwise this blog post would have been easily overrun with a tribute to the master.  Instead, we looked at the byproducts of modern masters and enjoyed every moment of it.  We did in hours what could have been done (enjoyably) in days. 

The tour cumulated in a quick stop back at respective hotels late in the afternoon.  This was done so that one and all could appear freshly laundered at the big event later in the evening.  The American contingency was fairly amped up.  But then again, what do Parisians expect of Americans?  It was a self-fulfilling prophecy.  In addition to our natural outgoing, somewhat irrepressible enthusiasm, we were jazzed because three Americans won awards in this international competition.   The Americans were not alone, however. The winners arrived from distant lands such as Asia, Australia, and Hoboken, NJ.  (Please excuse the slight ribbing that we give our good friend from Hoboken.)  Spain, Germany and France won, too.  Here is a complete list of the winners:

  • Individual Housing: Winner — Fabien Chavignaud Architecte for a Private House in Carquefou (France); Special Mention — Brian Bell – BLDGS for the Ansley Glass House in Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
  • Commercial Buildings: Winner – Dean Marchetto/Marchetto Higgins Stieve Architects, for the Extension, Architecture Studio, Hoboken, New Jersey (USA).
  • Public Buildings: Winner – Ulrich Junk/Junk & Reich Architecten for Historical Library, Augustinian Monastery, Erfurt (Germany); Special Mention 1 – Cheng Dapeng/Beijing New Era Architectural Design Ltd., for Yungang Grottoes Museum, Datong (China); Special Mention 2 – David Mackay & Francisco Gual Trajine/MBM Arquitectes for Casa Dels Xuklis, Llars Mundet (Spain).
  • Sustainable Building: Jean-Philippe Thomas Architectes for Luis Ortiz Secondary School, Saint Dizier (France)
  • Daring: Steve Woodland, Cabinet Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland for Entertainment Centre, Albany (Australia)
  • Internet Award: Diego Garcia Munoz Vaquero/Prieto + Vaquero Arquitectos y MCCL Arquitectos for Centro Sociocultural, Agron (Spain)
  • Jury’s Special Award: John Ronan Architects for the Poetry Foundation, Chicago, Illinois (USA).

Blurry photos above include Ronan’s presentation of the masterful Poetry Foundation -which won the “Special Award” or Grand Prize, Brian Bell and BLDG’s presentation on the beautiful addition to a home in Atlanta, and Dean Marchetto’s description during the event of his firm’s great apse addition to an existing church turned architectural office in New Jersey.  It was a great night and we are looking forward to the special edition of Focus on Zinc that will cover all of the winners and their wonderful projects.  More information can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/83az5e4

The venue itself provided stunning views of Notre Dame and the Pantheon/Paris (photo above.)  After awards were handed out, conversation and champagne flowed on a roof deck patio in full view of these monuments, while the amazing Paris light did a slow fade into the brilliance of a Paris night, and mouths hung agape in blissful wonderment. 

Jump forward two days and we could be found at CDG airport, satiated, happy and still buzzing from the high of great architecture, a great city, great conversation and great people.  It has taken some time for us to come back down to earth.  One week, last night, to be exact.  -VM

(Please click on each photo above)

Source: www.zincsense.com

repost from www.zincsense.com