Freitag Zurich

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Freitag Store is the tallest building in Zurich – of any kind. The first 2 floors of the store consist of 4 horizontal shipping containers each, giving them a sense of stability. The third and fourth floors are then pared down to just 2 horizontal containers each. Finally, the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth floors are just one container each, making it seem like the building could topple at any moment – though that’s obviously not the case since each level has been secured thoroughly. On the top floor, there is even an observation deck with binoculars.

The bottom four floors house the actual store with displays and merchandise. The other floors contain areas for storage and a staircase that take shoppers up to the viewing platform. What a fantastic example of a company walking the walk as much as they talk the talk – extending reuse and recycling  from their product line into their retail spaces.

http://inhabitat.com/freitag-shop-is-worlds-tallest-shipping-container-structure/

La Dogana Venice; Tadao Ando

Home to Francoise Pinaults art collection, Tadao removed all the internal walls from the last 400 years from this 18th Century Palazzo Grassi. The space remaining was a beautiful 105x75 metre triangle. Ando carefully inserted a limited palette of concrete, glass and steel which is beautifully detailed and reinforces the beauty of the original building.

Ponte della constituzione - Venice by Calatrava

 

Calatrava considered this his most beautiful bridge on its inauguration in 2008 but it has apparently attracted a lot of criticism for its aesthetic and its accessibility (Independent 12 Jan 2014). A POD has been added to the side of the bridge to make it accessible for wheelchair users - however - once they get over this bridge, how do they get over the other bridges in Venice!!

IAUV Main Gate Tolentini Venice

Carlo Scarpa transformed the entrance to this University in 1985. Its classic materiality, using off-form concrete, steel, glass, and travertine. The detailing impeccable; even the stainless steel grate purpose made. Shadow gaps between elements and the ability to know when to leave things rough - and when to contrast that with a higher quality material.
The small internal garden is also special - using a faux fallen doorway to define a small seating area - again of concrete.

Shard Jan 2012

Status: Context perfect. It's amazing the change in scale between this building and it's context. One of the buildings changing London's skyline.

Tate Expands

The Tate Modern is building a new extension over the oil tanks. The Hdm project uses overscale bricks to match the original turbine hall. The exhibition is worth seeing.

Kursaal Centre, San Sebastian

Images: idiggitt

On the shores next to the city of San Sebastian sits two opposing glass cubes housing a congress center, a theater hall, exposition hall and cinema. This beautiful building by Rafael Moneo is made of planks of solid translucent glass; though the glass you can see into the building and the shadowy figures as they go between the different facilities. The building has 'windows' of clear glass in the opaque glass panels, and these frame views to the ocean.