lifestyle - Inspiring Architecture
Written by Oryx
- Al Jahili Fort wins International Architecture Award
- Sky is the Limit
- Umeе School of Architecture
Al Jahili Fort wins International Architecture Award
Al Jahili Fort of Al Ain in Abu Dhabi has won the 2010 International Architecture Award. Built in 1898, Al Jahili Fort is a unique heritage monument and now houses a visitor information centre, and permanent and temporary exhibits. Restored by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), it was selected from a cross-section of 95 distinctive and recently built buildings and urban planning projects from around the world. The meticulously planned project used a combination of traditional materials and new technologies, resulting in a building that has achieved an environmental and historical harmony with its surroundings.
Sky is the Limit
Overlooking the Sea of Japan in Yang Yang, South Korea is an entirely new take on the traditional tea house structure. The Sky is the Limit tea house, designed by Mésarchitecture, comprises two converted shipping containers that are projected 20m above the ground. The architects refer to the two separate spaces as a ‘bicephalous head’, and the supporting braces and stairway as an ‘arachnid’, or ‘fragile skeleton’. Each ‘head’ offers a different experience – one is almost entirely transparent and the other features a wooden interior with windows at the end.
Umeе School of Architecture
The new School of Architecture at Umeе University, Sweden, has a unique location by the beach of Umeе River and close to the city centre. Its interior landscape of open floor levels and sculpturally shaped stairs give the building a strong artistic expression. With a focus on sustainability and international relations, the intention has been to design an open, robust study environment where each student feels part of the creative study community. The open layout and informal meeting places create a light and laboratory-like atmosphere, to support idea development and creative work processes.
