Minister of Municipal Affairs & Agriculture Building, Qatar by Aesthetics Architects Go Group

This towering cactus will be the brand new office building for The Minister of Municipal Affairs & Agriculture (MMAA) in Qatar designed by Bangkok-based Aesthetics Architects.



Also known as the cactus project, its design draws inspiration from the ability of cacti to successfully survive in hot, dry environments.



The energy efficient structure features sunshade panels that open and close according to the sun's intensity, similar to how a cactus chooses to perform transpiration to retain water - an example of biomimicry.



The base of the tower has a botanic dome housing a botanical garden. An edible garden and a living machine will be included adding to its green appeal.



Sources: DesignBloom, Inhabitat
Architects: Aesthetics Architects GO Group

Szervita Square, Budapest by Zaha Hadid

Szervita Square, Render © Zaha Hadid Architects

CONCEPT:

The new building on Szervita Square will add to the overall cityscape of Budapest by providing a new enlarged public square and landmark building. The aim is to create a civic space within the project not only for those who use the building but for the city as a whole.


Szervita Square, Render © Zaha Hadid Architects

A city like Budapest needs a kind of an archipelago of public spaces that are connected through program and become attractive places for the citizens at different times of the day. The plans for both the building and square connect smoothly to the surrounding net of squares and public places.


Szervita Square, Render © Zaha Hadid Architects

From the beginning, after collecting ideas about the light, the combination of landscapes, the building and the space itself, the idea was to move away from closed forms and the perimeter blocks that generally constitute the city, and to make the public zones more porous and open. The design for the new building fits with the architectural context, but is transparent creating a contrast to the idea of non-porosity and solidness of the existing buildings. One can perceive distinguished architectural periods in the development of Budapest's inner city fabric. Szervita Square itself is an interesting example with high quality architecture from different periods, and with this project an important opportunity is presented to continue with this series and to do something that we can¢t do anywhere else: to comply with the traditions of the city and create something new at the same time.


Szervita Square, Render © Zaha Hadid Architects

DRAWINGS:


Source: Zaha Hadid Blog

new corporate headquarters of Giant Pharmaceutical Corp by Morphosis

The new corporate headquarters of Giant Pharmaceutical Corp on the western outskirts of Shanghai, China resembles a dinosaur ready to take flight. The project will house executive offices in the cantelivered “head” of the structure, while the remaining elements—additional offices, a boutique hotel, exhibition hall, auditorium, library, gymnasium and swimming pool—will be contained in the “body” which arcs over a four-lane highway.



DESIGN CONCEPT:



Outdoor plazas provide a variety of recreational spaces for employees. The main circulation spine, an enclosed walkway located outboard at the second level, bridges the street to connect the office building with the clubhouse.



Like other Morphosis projects, the building incorporates many sustainable features including a green roof, a glass curtain wall with sun-shading capabilities and a system of skylights for natural lighting.

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View also from Inhabitat

Architects: Morphosis

Westraven Office Complex receives second award

The cepezed-designed Westraven Office Complex in Utrecht, the Netherlands, has been enthusiastically acclaimed at the festive Dutch Construction Gala. The project's architect cepezed's Ronald Schleurholts and the commissioning Government Buildings Agency were awarded the Dutch Construction Award 2009 for the project's excellence in different aspects.

Seen at WorldArchitectureNews. Click here for more.

Building Programme:
The programme covers more than 53,000 sq m and consists of office space, conference facilities, a national meeting centre, a communications centre, and the Future Center for the Department of Public Works.

Concept:
- Vides, atriums, conservatories, and inner gardens furnish the transparent new construction with an unprecedented spatial quality, and are also important for the orientation of the staff and visitors.

- Much attention has been devoted to realizing perfect equilibrium between low energy consumption and an optimum working climate. For this purpose, an ingenious climate concept has been developed which makes use of thermically active floors, among other methods.

- The conservatories also work as climate buffers and the artificial lighting adjusts itself automatically to the colour and intensity of the incidence of daylight.

- A revolutionary feature is the innovative second-skin façade of open-weave, teflon-coated glass fibre that offers all-round protection against the wind and makes it possible to work with open windows, even on the top floors.

The project also received the Daylight Award 2008 for its optimal equilibrium between the use of daylight, artificial lighting and other architectural aspects.

Herzog & de Meuron unveil design for Madrid bank headquarters of BBVA

Herzog & de Meuron has completed the design of a new headquarters for Spanish banking group BBVA. The design concept proposes creating a small city and artificial oasis on the site.. The city is comprised of a series of long thin three-storey buildings separated by alleyways and gardens intended to recreate the effect of an Arabian garden across the site. Into this mix, is situated the main bank building, a disc-like tower, that rises from a green carpet that is the project’s plaza.

Seen at WorldArchitectureNews. Click here for more.

The plaza and tower anchor the complex and provide orientation. The main entrance and various communal facilities form an interconnected ring around the plaza. The tower, containing offices with views across the city and the Sierra of Madrid, contributes to the diversity of workspaces.

Light and sun are regulated with overhanging floorplates and a brise-soliel structure, which also minimizes the need for artificial lighting and air conditioning. Retractable elements in the roof help to control the temperature of the gardens. Photovoltaic cells on the roof and rain and grey water processing complete the sustainability features.