Monday roundup

Utopia: Juergen Mayer H's Metropol Parasol Marketplace and Cultural Centre in Seville, Spain. As you may know, the building is now complete. This complex gridded structured volume in timber is the fruit of a close collaboration between architect (Juergen Mayer H) and engineer (Volker Schmid) from Arup. Metropol Parasol will obviously play a landmark role for the city of Seville. As Nina Rappaport (Architectural Design, July 2010) writes, a deep decoration structural syntax characterizes this Metropol Parasol, a largely open-air volume made up of a dense fabric of organically woven and undulating panels. A video is available on Domusweb. And see also Ethel Baraona Pohl's text "Waffle Urbanism" published in the May edition of Domus (Issue 947), Nina Rappaport's short analyse (but part of an interesting essay titled 'A Deeper Structural Theory' in the July 2010 issue of Architectural Design, and Duncan Masden's review "Metropol Parasol" in Icon, Issue 096. On web, see designboom j.mayer h. architects: metropol parasol now complete for a complete review.

Metropol Parasol under construction © Juergen Mayer H. Architects
Originally appeared on
wordlesstech.

Metropol Parasol now complete — Overall structure © Juergen Mayer H. Architects
Image: Ignacio Ysasi
Originally appeared on designboom

Definition: According to Nina Rappaport, Deep Decoration is "the integrating structure as part of a project where the parts to the whole have a meaningful and necessary relationship." Deep Decoration is the fruit of a cross-disciplinary collaboration that leads to "typologies in which structure is both subtle and emphatic, and seen in the resulting deep decoration as a holistic spatial structure." Read her article "A Deeper Structural Theory" published in Architectural Design, "The New Structuralism: Design, Engineering and Architectural Technologies", July 2010, see also "Deep Decoration" published in 30/60/90 Architectural Design, November 2006.

Bioclimatic Shell: DRA&U's Rossi Sud Bioclimatic Mixed-use Complex in Latina, Italy. He received the second prize (ex-equo) for the design of this complex. What is Rossi Sud Bioclimatic Mixed-use Complex? A continuous surface to respond to a limited space and a connectively-distribution space. First the shape of the building is derived from the study of the geometry of shells. Finally, the building integrates a geothermal system, precisely, heart to disperse the minimum content of energy and self-regulating systems based on passive elements naturally bioclimate. This allows for minimizing the active contribution of primary energy production systems.

Rossi Sud Bioclimatic Mixed-use Complex in Latina, Italy © DRA&U

Diagram concept — shells © DRA&U

Low enthalpy geothermal heat pump in summer period © DRA&U

Pentagon-à-la-française: here is the ambition of this hexagon-shape new Ministry of Defence, Paris, France. This complex will be designed by three architects Nicolas Michelin, Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Pierre Bolze/Atelier 2-3-4. Apart from the shape of the building, the aeraulic installation* is another strong and important point of this building proposed by Nicolas Michelin. This system is supposed to provide natural ventilation and energy-saving. Photovoltaic panels and this aeraulic system are announced to satisfy 80% of heating and cooling requirements a French Blog Grand Paris et petits detours said. Let's see if this strategy will commensurate the architect's ecological ambition.

Ministry of Defence, Paris, France © Nicolas Michelin, Jean-Michel Wilmotte
and Pierre Bolze/2-3-4 Ateliers
Originally appeared on le figaro

* Aeraulic is the science and technique of treatments and distribution of natural air.