Danish firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) was awarded first prize in an open international design competition for the new National Library in Astana, Kazakhstan — entrants included Zaha Hadid and Foster + Partners.
Merging the forms of a circle, an arch, a rotunda and a yurt, BIG designed a 33,000 square metres building in the shape of an infinite loop.
Credits:
Architect: BIG
Client: Kazakhstan Presidential Office
Collaborators: ARUP AGU
Location: Astana, Kazakhstan
BIG Partner-in-Charge: Bjarke Ingels
Project Leader: Thomas Christoffersen
Team: Amy Campbell, Jakob Henke, Johan Cool, Jonas Barre, Daniel Sundlin
[via archicentral]
The World Games Stadium, designed by japanese architect Toyo Ito, can welcome 55,000 spectators, and it’s finally ready for the World Games which will be held in Taiwan in July.
Apart from its brilliant overall design, resembling a snake, this stadium is amazing because it’s the largest solar-powered stadium ever built. In fact, its 14,155 squre metres roof is covered by 8844 solar panels which will supply 1.14 GWh green power per annum.
[via Deputy Dog and SkyscraperPage Forum]
Go Toora Loora Toora Loo-Rye-Aye!
Eileen House, a 47 floor tall residential tower designed by Allies and Morrison Architects, is in the making: in fact, a planning application for it has just been filed in.
The tower will consist of 369 apartments, plus some office space on the first two floors. At 137 metres above sea level, it will be one of the tallest building planned in the Elephant & Castle area, 13 metres shorter than the Strata tower which is currently under construction.
According to Oakmayne Properties, completion is due in 2011.
(*) yes, I know, pretty lame title…
The Vatican has cut its carbon dioxide emissions: in fact, on the roof of “Sala Nervi” (aka “Aula Paolo VI”), right next to the Basilica, 2400 photovoltaic panels have been recently installed. This will help save about 80 tons of oil per year.
[images: REUTERS/Tony Gentile]
The wave-shaped hall, which is one of the Vatican’s newest buildings, was built in 1971 on a design by Pierluigi Nervi. The panels will cover the energy needs of the hall, which is the place where the pope holds public audiences.
The panels are not visible from ground level, so that the skyline of St. Peter’s basilica an its surroundings is basically left untouched.
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