Striking Concepts: The Architectural Projects Unveiled this Month

London Centre for Music

London, UK

Architects: Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Designed to be a world-class music centre for the UK’s capital, the concept designs for the London Centre for Music show a dramatic structure that blends natural materials with a glass façade, providing a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere.

“A vital public space seamlessly connects to the foyer and extends a welcome to everyone, with or without a performance ticket. We imagine a concert hall for the 21st century that embraces both a bespoke and a loose fit approach: tailored for exceptional symphonic sound, yet agile enough to accommodate creative work across disciplines and genres,” said Elizabeth Diller, founding partner, Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

Image courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Henry Arctowski Antarctic Station

King George Island, Antarctica

Architects: Kuryłowicz&Associates

Designed as a prefabricated structure, the Henry Arctowski Antarctic Station has been designed with function as a priority. Able to host up to 29 scientists, it is designed to be constructed rapidly, while withstanding strong winds and severe temperatures.

“The design of the station is shaped by a detailed functional program, the extreme environmental conditions of the site and by a modular construction strategy which has been imposed by site access restrictions. The result is a highly efficient tripartite ensemble that provides scientists with research space and a 'home away from home' atmosphere, while the sinuous exterior seeks to capture the mystery of arctic life,” said Kuryłowicz&Associates.

Image courtesy of Kuryłowicz&Associates

KoolKiel

Kiel, Germany

Architects: MVRDV

A 65,000 square meter mixed use project, KoolKiel is designed as redevelopment of a post industrial site, and offers a flexible design system to allow it to evolve over time in line with demand. Commercial units line the lower levels, with apartments and a 250-room hotel tower sitting above. A further tower will host office spaces, while a public event space will host community activities.

The scheme features MVRDV’s characteristic playfulness, featuring an unexpected silhouette and graphic façade panels to add character to the design.

Image courtesy of MVRDV

Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Oakland, California

Architects: Bjarke Ingels Group

A proposed overhaul of the soon-to-be-defunct stadium, this design sees the grounds of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum transformed into a new municipal park, including a tech campus, mixed-use housing, educational facilities and a business park. At the core of the site, the old stadium would be turned into a “ruin”, creating a sunken amphitheatre for recreation and relaxation, and providing insight into the history of the space.

"We want to preserve the field of the A’s, like when you visit Rome and come across urban ruins," said Bjarke Ingels.

Image courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group

Taipei Twin Towers

Taipei, Taiwan

Architects: MVRDV

Designed as a dramatic focal point for the Taiwanese capital, the Taipei Twin Towers feature stacked block structures coated in a series of interactive media façades. Designed to sit over the existing station, the towers will host retail, offices, hotels and cinemas, providing an entertainment and retail hub for the city.

“Arriving at Taipei Central Station is currently an anti-climax. The immediate area does not reveal the metropolitan charms and exciting quality that the Taiwanese metropolis has to offer. The Taipei Twin Towers will turn this area into the downtown that Taipei deserves, with its vibrant mixture of activities matched only by the vibrant collection of façade treatments on the stacked neighborhood above,” said Winy Maas, principal and co-founder, MVRDV.

Image courtesy of MVRDV