A LAPISEIRA
Architecture, Landscape, Illustration and Others
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H A R P A C O N C E R T A N D C O N F E R E N C E
C E N T E R R E Y K J A V I K
a project by Henning Larsen Architects and Batteriid Architects
reykjavík, iceland, completed 2011
Copenhagen studio Henning Larsen Architects and Icelandic studio Batteriid Architects have completed a concert hall and conference centre in Reykjavík, Iceland, in collaboration with artist Olafur Eliasson.
Panes of clear and colour-coated glass surround a steel framework of twelve-sided modules on the south facade of the Harpa Concert and Conference Centre.
Inspired by basalt crystals, the faceted glass scatters reflections of the surrounding harbour and sky, and presents a glittering wall of light after dark.
A flattened version of this geometry surrounds the other elevations of the building.
Three large concert halls occupy the first floor, including one finished entirely in red, while a smaller fourth hall on the ground floor provides a venue for intimate performances and banquets.
Visitors access the main foyer from a south-facing entrance, while staff and performers enter the backstage area from the north.
Here are some more details from Henning Larsen Architects:
Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre in Reykjavik gathers inspiration from the northern lights and the dramatic Icelandic scenery.
Situated on the border between land and sea, the Centre stands out as a large, radiant sculpture reflecting both sky and harbour space as well as the vibrant life of the city.
The spectacular facades have been designed in close collaboration between Henning Larsen Architects, the Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson and the engineering companies Rambøll and ArtEngineering GmbH from Germany.
The Concert Hall and Conference Centre of 28,000 m2 is situated in a solitary spot with a clear view of the enormous sea and the mountains surrounding Reykjavik.
The Centre features an arrival and foyer area in the front of the building, four halls in the middle and a backstage area with offices, administration, rehearsal hall and changing room in the back of the building.
The three large halls are placed next to each other with public access on the south side and backstage access from the north.
The fourth floor is a multifunctional hall with room for more intimate shows and banquets.
Seen from the foyer, the halls form a mountain-like massif that similar to basalt rock on the coast forms a stark contrast to the expressive and open facade.
At the core of the rock, the largest hall of the Centre, the main concert hall, reveals its interior as a red-hot centre of force.
The project is designed in collaboration with the local architectural company, Batteríið Architects.
Harpa – Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Centre forms part of an extensive harbour development project in Reykjavik, the East Harbour Project.
As the name indicates, the overall objective of the project is to expand and revitalise Reykjavik’s eastern harbour with a new downtown plaza, a shopping street, a hotel, residential buildings, educational institutions and mixed industry.
The overall intention is to generate life in the area and to create a better connection between the city centre and the harbour.
Situated outside the city’s building mass, the building will become a significant icon in the city – a visual attractor with a powerful and varying expression.
The isolated location will mean that, to a great extent, the changing climatic and light effects will be exposed in the facades of the concert building, often in contrast to the narrow and shady streets in the rest of the city.
Henning Larsen Architects has designed the facade of the Concert Hall in close collaboration with the local architects Batteríið Architects and the Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson.
As the rest of the building, the design of the facades is inspired by nature.
In particular, the characteristic local basalt formations have provided the inspiration for the geometric facade structure.
Made of glass and steel in a twelve-sided space-filling geometric modular system called the ‘quasibrick’, the building appears a kaleidoscopic play of colours, reflected in the more than 1000 quasibricks composing the southern facade.
The remaining facades and the roof are made of sectional representations of this geometric system, resulting in two-dimensional flat facades of five and sixsided structural frames.
In order to develop these ideas the team worked with three-dimensional computer models, finite element modelling, various digital visualisation techniques as well as maquettes, models and mock-ups.
Light and transparency are key elements in the building.
The crystalline structure, created by the geometric figures of the facade, captures and reflects the light – promoting the dialogue between the building, city and surrounding landscape.
One of the main ideas has been to “dematerialise” the building as a static entity and let it respond to the surrounding colours – the city lights, ocean and glow of the sky.
In this way, the expression of the facade changes according to the visual angle.
With the continuously changing scenery, the building will appear in an endless variation of colours.
credits:
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There has been a design competition between a few international architecture firms for the new casino at Barangaroo, Sydney; and these are the results. They are by Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill, Wilkinson Eyre and Kohn Pederson Fox respectively.
The main tower will be approx. 250m tall. The colourful matching towers on the right have already been approved, the tallest of which will be 217m.
The winner is to be decided by the end of May.
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But! Really this is just an excuse to post these two:
Q1 - Gold Coast and Eureka Tower - Melbourne
The two tallest buildings in Australia and for a few years (2006-10) they were the two tallest residential buildings in the world. Pretty much Australia’s only claim to fame as far as the tall buildings race goes, …and it’s certainly not something we can claim back any time soon, but it was fun while it lasted.
They are also coincidentally-ish two of my favourites in Australia. And the only other building I’d say that about would be
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(Source: hoschke118)
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7. Absolute World - 151-167m - Mississauga, Canada
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(Source: hoschke118)
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(Source: hoschke118)
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1. Abraj Al-Bait - 601m - Mecca, Saudi Arabia
There are many reasons people hate this building. These range from a simple dislike of its scale and kitsch style, all the way to seeing it, one of the largest buildings in the world, as a symbol of both commercialism and the ongoing destruction of Islamic heritage sites. This is further complicated by the fact that it is metres away from Masjid al-Haram (the largest mosque in the world) which holds within it the Kaaba (the most sacred site in Islam).
The building is designed to cater to the millions of pilgrims who arrive in Mecca every year during the Hajj, which is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world and one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Now I’m not really in a position to have a real opinion on this, but to me it seems hard to believe that the current (understandable) backlash will last. Over time the tainted image of this building will fade and it will likely become a symbol in itself. A symbol of the Hajj, Mecca, even Islam. Even if it takes several decades or several centuries, I do not believe the world’s view on this building will stay negative. But this is just the humble opinion of a 21 year old who knows very little about Islam and even less about the future.
There are plans that may still eventuate that involve far more extensive construction in the area. If they push it too far I feel my opinion will change very fast.
As for this building I find the kitsch style entirely bearable; the clock face and the spire are particularly beautiful. There are a combination of styles here that come together to make something quite unique. And my god, the size of it…
Superficially I find it glorious. Definitely the most interesting and exciting building of the year.
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16. Soul - 243m - Gold Coast, Australia
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45. One Raffles Place Tower 2 - 205m - Singapore
Quite a nice building, but its placement and style could be a little awkward in Singapore’s well established skyline. Curious to go back and see.
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(Source: hoschke118)
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(via hyperform)
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(via hyperform)
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(via hyperform)
