a problem with most new construction in the residential high-rise segment is everything sort of looks the same, nothing really distinctive and unique. another irrational feature of new is the bedrooms are so small, quite out of scale with the rest of the unit and if you have a king-size bed your only hope is a big walk-in closet. chicago now offers an exception within the newly converted chicago tribune tower, a gothic masterpiece of a building. the tower was originally designed for commercial office space but has been repurposed into unrivaled residences and public spaces. below are a few examples.
depending where you live, by mid-august 2020, if you were getting comfortable dining out, that is dining out outdoors, you were beginning to think what are you going to do come winter? chicago has already thought about it and decides to ask the public for ideas via a city of chicago winter restaurant challenge.
chicago’s mayor, lori lightfoot tweets “chicago winters have a reputation. we’re asking chicagoans to share their ideas for innovative winter outdoor dining solutions that adhere to covid-19 protocols so we can support our favorite local restaurants while keeping chicagoans healthy.”
Chicago winters have a reputation. We're asking Chicagoans to share their ideas for innovative winter outdoor dining solutions that adhere to COVID-19 protocols so we can support our favorite local restaurants while keeping Chicagoans healthy. https://t.co/9F1h4kfHmC
in partnership with bmo harris bank, the illinois restaurant association, and california-based design firm ideo, the chicago winter restaurant challenge, a first-of-its-kind competition that will engage community members to reimagine the winter outdoor dining experience in frosty chicago. the contest will award three $5,000 cash prizes for the best ideas in each of the following categories: “outdoor structures,” “indoor-adjacent spaces” and “behavioral shifts making winter dining more appealing.”
the press release invites the city of chicago residents who want to participate in the contest can submit their suggestions online.
submissions criteria include: concept ideas and fesability, a solution overview, user research that take into account the many stakeholders involved – from customers to restaurant workers to construction trade workers, the technical descriptions and prototypes.
ideas already submitted include ice bars, swiss-style fondue chalets pop-ups, and city trains and city buses.
entries deadline will be accepted through 11:30 pm on labor day, monday, 7 september, via ideo’s innovation platform
above> chicago river walk igloos were seen prior to the pandemic hitting chicago.
when thinking about your concept consider this…
“the key to outdoor dining is the free flow of air,” dr. anne rimoin, professor of epidemiology at ucla told today food about the plastic igloo concept. “it’s not clear to me that these domes will keep people in them safe nor the servers who would have to enter the domes to serve the people inside them, who would be dining presumably without masks on, with poor airflow. given the current setup, it seems that these domes might end up promoting transmission instead of preventing it.”
also, an interesting article reimagining restaurants in the chicago tribune re the pandemic forever changing restaurant design similar to how 9/11 air attacks changed airport design.
the city of chicago recently announced a $8.5 billion renovation of o’hare international airport including a new terminal that will be the centerpiece of the largest expansion in o’hare’s history.
to jump-start this vision, twelve global architectural firms were asked to submit proposals including danish architect bjarke ingels, studio fuksas of italy, chicago firms, gensler, hok, perkins + will, and chicago architect helmut jahn, who designed the stunning terminal 1 which opened in 1986.
a shortlist of five firms are highlighted below. two design contracts will be awarded: the winning team will design the global terminal and concourse. the second-place finisher is expected to design the satellite concourses. the eight-year project, made possible by the end of a 35-year lease with the airlines, would be paid for with future airline fees, and therefore would not require taxpayer dollars.
[ design objectives ]
> expand terminal and gate space
> replace aged infrastructure with state-of-the art systems
> introduce new technology and security innovations
> integrate domestic and international to create a seamless passenger experience
> enhance the passenger experience
> incorporate sustainability and enhanced accessibility features
> reflect the legacy of chicago’s innovation, architecture, and it’s diversity
[ scope of work ]
> increasing the airport’s overall footprint from 5.5 to 8.9 million sq ft.
> tearing down 55-year-old terminal 2 and creating a new global terminal
> adding 25% gate capacity at existing gates to accommodate larger aircraft
> increasing gate count from 185 to 235
> adding two new remote satellite concourses
> adding a tunnel to a new parking facility foreshadowing a future new terminal
> renovating terminals 1,3, and 5
while affirming the 14 project design objectives and scope of work expectations DesignApplause considers the heart of this project is replacing a 55-year-old terminal with a cutting-edge architectural solution that’s categorically a part of every world’s-best discussion.
[ uniquely different ] two concepts stand out: studio ord features ample neighborhoods and greenspace not seen elsewhere in terminals. foster epstein moreno jv boasts a world-first column-less concept under an extraordinary shell with a span of 550 feet.
[ wow factor ] one concept dominates: foster epstein moreno jv a space that pushes the limits of technology and truly lifts the spirits.
[ pro vs con ] what stands out…only one concept with zero con: foster epstein moreno jv.
[ shortlisted firms ]
above > the fentress-exp-brook-garza joint venture’s globally-minded terminal design for chicago provides an elegant, spacious, and sustainable gateway to connect chicagoans and the world with speed and efficiency. soaring spaces sparkle with sunlight and lift the human spirit. daylight and spatial composition guide passengers intuitively and purposefully. the latest technological advances shape a smart, seamless, comfortable, and unencumbered experience. from arrival to departure, every element of the new terminal is crafted to elevate the passenger, making their journey inspiring, engaging, stirring, and fun. our vision is to return the romance of air travel to all who pass through chicago’s o’hare.
above > foster epstein moreno jv / a joint venture led by foster + partners and chicago-based firms epstein and moreno. our design is based upon a sequence of memorable and distinctive spaces that create a gateway to chicago with architecture that is open, transparent, inclusive, welcoming and functional, in turn resolving the sophisticated security, airport and airline requirements in a way that meets the needs of both employees and passengers. three arches frame the landside of the building, merging into a grand single arch on the airside, thus dissolving the barrier between inside and out and allowing the spectacle of the airfield to be visible to all who pass through the gateway, and recapturing the romance associated with air travel.
above > studio ord / chicago is a city defined by motion; confluence – of our river, of trail networks, of railroads – has shaped our most vibrant civic spaces. studio ord’s elegant and efficient design for the o’hare global terminal and global concourse unifies the airport’s campus by converging seamless lines of motion across three terminals around a spectacular central oculus. this confluence becomes orchard field – a vibrant neighborhood that combines abundant green spaces with distinctive landmarks, bespoke retail pavilions, and diverse activity zones. richly layered and easily navigable, it captures the unique character of chicago and redefines o’hare as a 21st century international destination.
above > som / we have delivered global excellence in this great city, shaping chicago’s skyline, neighborhoods and public realm for more than 80 years. it’s said that our chicago buildings turn “pragmatism into poetry.”
our elegantly undulating o’hare global terminal aims to be the world’s best, through optimal functional planning, great design, and keen practicality – all quintessential chicago qualities.
we infuse the muscular heritage of chicago architecture and engineering with many lessons from the natural environment, to increase human comfort, save energy and define a distinctive sense of place. this can be chicago’s next great building and our new gateway to the world.
above > santiago calatrava, llc / o’hare’s global terminal by santiago calatrava is a masterwork of modern terminal architecture. with a glass façade and dramatic shell-like roof soaring over the approach road, the building unifies the terminal complex while establishing itself as its centerpiece.
inside, vaulted, light-filled spaces celebrate both the grandeur and simplicity of bygone travel as customers move easily to and from gate areas enlivened by chicago-focused concessions in an airy, park-like setting.
convenient links to adjacent terminals, satellite concourses, and public transit support a future vision plan that transforms the area opposite the terminal into a vibrant hotel, retail and business complex.
somewhat unusual is the jury is not being disclosed, not even to the architects. please stay tuned.
above> kyoto-based artist kohei nawa’s molecular white bubbles bring your eye skyward in the lobby.
the interior design concept for the hotel was ‘the address to the sky.’ wind, light, and other phenomena of nature are embraced through 389 pieces of art.
though conrad osaka boasts impressive views of the downtown cityscape, the real draw of the hotel is light, stunning visual art, and architectural elements. the space itself is situated on the 33rd to 40th floors of osaka’s newest skyscraper, festival tower west. the sleek 164-room conrad osaka is bathed in tones of silver and walnut, with a few eye-catching pops of red and white. the pillar-free areas let natural daylight and dusk seep in through its double-tall floor-to-ceiling windows during the day drifting to artificially evoked evening lighting.
the interior design, is a collaboration with designer yukio hashimoto and nikken space design. world-renown lighting design firm worktecht was called in and specified soraa lighting. “lighting could bring the corresponding special atmosphere and perception to immerse people in,” said atsushi kaneda, founder and designer of worktecht.
above> yukio hashimoto articulates the design theme of the hotel
soraa lighting was founded on breakthrough nobel prize-winning led technology and has been designing simply perfect light since 2008. known for their full-spectrum lamps that provide unparalleled color rendering ability, and introducing violet into their leds replacing traditional blue, to mimic daylight and create a more natural white light that is human-centric and creates a more serene atmosphere – no matter the time of day. soraa lighting is used in art galleries, world class museums, and luxury retail stores around the globe.
we were never worried. apple michigan avenue delivers a better than anticipated airy, transparent, floating paper-thin carbon-fiber roof architecture & design proclamation.
“apple michigan avenue is about removing boundaries between inside and outside, reviving important urban connections within the city,” said jony ive, apple’s chief design officer. “it unites a historic city plaza that had been cut off from the water, giving chicago a dynamic new arena that flows effortlessly down to the river.”
above> video courtesy apple
the airiness, a result of a roof supported only by four columns inside and a perimeter of glass walls that range in height from 14 – 32 feet. the glass sheets are laminated together offering both structural support and seemingly – seamlessness. above> image courtesy foster + partners
if you think it looks expensive, it is. $27 million or $1,350 per square foot.
conceivably project architect stefan behling’s best achievement was integrating the store to the newly developed riverfront. the city in recent years has invited all to come down to the river’s edge. the apple store has hands down won best concept in the category of a building to date. in contrast, just west of the new apple store, a new trump tower chicago presents a fine looking, but it has come to pass, not so inviting river’s edge landscape.
above> last september, apple’s senior vice president of retail, angela ahrendts, shows off an illustration of the company’s newest flagship store in chicago, an uber example, of open gathering places and avenues, dubbed “apple town squares.” the company will also invite creative professionals into its facilities, she says, for something called “today at apple.” image courtesy apple
at the chicago opening apple ceo tim cook reiterated that though all apple stores are meant to sell product, the philosophy is not akin to the creaky grocery store crammed with just shelves of products. it’s more like a fresh food market with a restaurant, a wine bar with baby grand piano, where some people hang out, get hungrier, and maybe buy edibles on the way out.
the former michigan avenue flagship which opened in 2003, is an example of the evolution, from at first a lot of shelves and tables selling product. but something new was added – a service/genius bar and a theatre for how-to classes. as the store evolved the service and training areas grew and replaced the shelves. whatever, the original store became unique among all michigan avenue stores, possibly all stores in downtown chicago – there were lines waiting to get in daily – i was in those lines – and the store opened one hour earlier, 9am, than most other retailers. a scary thought, maybe there are lines in other cities.
below > the new sales floor, in the foreground are boxes to sit on to watch a large video screen, further back tables for playing with new products and way, way back are shelves of product. image courtesy foster + partners
above> putting an apple logo on the roof was considered – a paper logo test a month prior to the grand opening. amid worries that a logo in this setting marginalized brand and architecture, the concept was discarded.
now with construction complete, DA lobbies for reassessing the alluring relationship of iconic silhouette and logo.
we fully endorse a less is more philosophy regarding credible achievement. here, end-product and team are exemplary. but there’s also this… it’s not what but how. afterall, the laptop roof concept itself, wasn’t an afterthought and didn’t get anyone nervous. and there’s a carefully located logo inside at streetlevel, nice.
an equally important philosophy – avoid decisions that may be construed as a miscalculation. this isn’t just about a building or a brand. this is about art. “art is never finished, only abandoned.” ~ leonardo da vinci
above> courtesy @lynettegrinter
architect> partner and project architect, stefan behling of foster + partners. the firm also created apple’s mother ship headquarters in cupertino.
mondrian doha is different. less a hotel and more a fairytale. doha is miami’s delano by philippe starck on steroids. wanders has a unique relationship with a stable of designers via their relationship with his furniture showrooms moooi. various moooi objects are sprinkled throughout the project.
above > architecture by south west architecture below > interiors by marcel wanders / interior images courtesy of marcel wanders
our story starts in a small village with just 600 inhabitants on the banks of a gently flowing river, a bucolic picture postcard from eastern france. it’s here, at the edge of the village, that the haeberlin family established the now famous auberge de l’ill over 150 years ago. with its three michelin stars, maintained in an unbroken run since 1967, the auberge de l’ill is part of the heritage of alsace and french gastronomic tradition.
today marc haeberlin presides over the kitchen, supported by his sister danielle baumann and her children, who run the gastronomic restaurant, and marco baumann, who runs the adjacent hotel. in 2007, marc haeberlin and danielle baumann commissioned patrick jouin and sanjit manku to carefully rethink the architectural concept of the restaurant’s interiors.
above> danielle baumann and marco baumann / below> auberge de l’ill by jouin manku 2007
above/below> this marked the beginning of a loyal friendship that continued with the design of the haras de strasbourg in 2014, the chef’s first brasserie, in exceptional surroundings at the heart of the alsatian capital, which has been incredibly successful.
in 2016, danielle and marco decided to extend their hotel’s capacity and to equip the hôtel des berges with a new annexe, the spa des saules. architecture and interior design were entrusted to jouin manku, in collaboration with silvio rauseo. by way of a brief, the two designers were (in all confidence) given carte blanche to design a place for rest and relaxation, a complete break, where time is suspended.
below> the modern barn with suites/balconies in foreground 2016
for marco and edouard baumann, the idea was to create a place that would go beyond hospitality and give the visitor the impression of being a guest in their home. their ambition was to equip the hôtel des berges with a spa and meditation space that would allow guests to get the most from this oasis of calm at the heart of the alsatian countryside. this is how patrick jouin and sanjit manku came to imagine a space ‘of one’s dreams’, a new building of a simple, pared-back design, ideal for enjoying a moment of wellbeing and total relaxation. there are just five junior suites, ensuring the calm environment is preserved, a mineral spa, whose treatments are inspired by the roman baths of the region, and a ‘multi-faith chapel’, a space ideally suited for a spiritual retreat.
below> the spa 2016
patrick jouin and sanjit manku’s proposal was to faithfully respect the baumann family’s wishes. but took the fairly radical decision to pare back the design, to keep just the essential, removing any superficial detail or ornamentation from the project. spiritual, a stay at the hôtel des berges is a moment to refocus and recharge the batteries. an authentic simplicity, and meditation, are the project’s key themes. the architecture had to reflect these directional ideas.
patrick jouin and sanjit manku designed the annexe by drawing for inspiration on the timber frames of the alsace region’s vast old barns. materials are natural and untreated, the palette of colors very limited: an oak timber structure rests on a concrete volume, the whole then placed on smooth grey stone. materials are left in their natural state and not re-worked. they express the authentic, natural characteristics that inspired the designers. from the outside looking through the trees, the visitor can see an imposing timber frame that literally envelops the building, a roof tiled in dark grey tiles and a volume in raw concrete. upstairs are the five junior suites, each 430 sqf / 40 sqm with 23 ft / 7m-high ceilings. on the ground floor the spa includes a hot pool that extends outside from within the building.
this year’s neocon attendees will be the first to experience the first major renovation at the mart in 40 years. the cost: $40 million. a new name too: themart.
this transformation centers around the grand stair, a communal space connecting themart’s first and second floors, and includes a large multi-purpose space atop the grand stair on the second floor, a modernized, urban food hall and an expanded riverfront park with alfresco seating. attendees at the upcoming neocon 2016 event (june 13-15, 2016) will be the first to experience the new 1st and 2nd floor layout and amenities, including a specially curated lounge furnished with product from themart showrooms.
dynamic elements of the renovation include:
• the grand stair: a monumental new portal of themart, the 50-ft wide majestic staircase creates a connection between the first two floors, and also serves as a meeting or workspace with stadium seating, a large projection wall and free wi-fi.
• the lounge: a multi-purpose space with views of the chicago river and skyline, located atop the grand stair, will feature food-service and provide various areas to meet, work and socialize. during neocon, the lounge will offer food service provided by lettuce entertain you restaurants and be a convenient meeting place for all participants. comfortable seating and complimentary wifi will offer a welcome respite from the busy showroom and exhibit hall floors. lounge furnishings include casual and dining furniture by allermuir, bernhardt design, davis, hbf, herman miller and stylex, and floor coverings by masland carpets.
• the food hall: a reconfigured, reinvigorated and dramatically designed seating area with more natural light will engage visitors beyond dining and offer additional space for lounging, socializing and working.
• river drive park: a 5,000 square-foot outdoor green space along the riverfront connects tenants, visitors and pedestrians to themart’s main entry, and includes seating and shaded areas with dramatic views of the river and chicago skyline.
• reception/information desk: a new greeting point for the building located at the base of the grand stair.
vornado realty trust, the property’s owner, engaged innovative new york-based architecture, strategy and design firm a+i to lead the design process throughout the three-year capital improvements renovation project.
“rather than creating a port of entrance and exit, the architectural features of themart’s new lobby allow for a new kind of engagement by slowing down the pace of passage,” states brad zizmor, principal and co-founder of a+i. “the grand stair and reception area create a spectacular architectural landscape conducive to reflection, thinking and socializing. in keeping with a+i’s reinvention of the lobby as a programmatic space to dwell in, as opposed to pass through, we designed a colossal stair with a physical structure that is 80% meant to be lingered on as opposed to being walked on.”
other building upgrades neocon participants will find include:
• enhanced wifi service on the first and second floors
• A NEW BANK OF AUTOMATED ELEVATORS ON THE FAR WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING SERVING ALL FLOORS
• a completely renovated seventh floor exhibit hall featuring new floor coverings, wall system, lighting, wayfinding, and enhanced wifi service
about themart: one of the largest commercial buildings in the world, the 4.2 million sf merchandise mart (themart) is located in chicago, il along the chicago river. completed in 1930, the building continues to meet the changing needs of the office and showroom businesses it serves. as a gold-eb oem leed certified building, themart is committed to creating and maintaining sustainable environments.
singapore-based firm woha announces their contribution to the xv international architecture exhibition—la biennale di venezia (28 may-27 november 2016), as part of the gaa foundation’s collateral exhibition time space existence. located at the palazzo bembo, fragments of an urban future answers to the most pressing issues facing megacities today—unprecedented urbanization, accelerating climate change, and the need for preservation of tropical biodiversity. a selection of woha’s most recent work shows how the firm’s vertical ecosystems transform these challenges into inspiring models for sustainable building.
three projects selected from woha’s innovative portfolio are the centerpiece of the immersive multimedia exhibition, designed to draw visitors into the vertical environments. among them is parkroyal on pickering (2013), an innovative hotel that has been celebrated for its topographical architecture and the blurring of boundaries between building and landscape; skyville @ dawson (2015) boldly redefines the model for social housing development with its sky villages and lush gardens on multiple ground levels; and the oasia downtown hotel (2016), enveloped by a living green façade, embraces the notion of breathing architecture and reimagines urban ecosystems for both humans and living creatures alike.
above / below> skyville @ dawson is a public housing project that addresses the themes of community, variety and sustainability. three 47-storey towers are designed with breezeway atria that are cooled and ventilated by horizontal and vertical breezeways. every dwelling unit belongs to a ‘sky village’ that comprises 80 homes. a total of 12 villages are stacked in four layers across the 3 inter-connected blocks. to maintain a sense of human scale, every village shares community spaces and a communal terrace. a publicly accessible park on the roof, and extensive public parkland at ground level, further contributes to the high-density high-amenity development.
above / below> based on the concept of a hotel-and-office in a garden, parkroyal on pickering investigates the potential of green intensification in a dense metropolis and transforms the abstract building-as-silhouette into one with rich detail and tactility. its topographic architecture podium is designed as a land form for landscape that extends the green of the adjacent public park vertically into the building as one continuous sweep of urban parkland. facilitating the public life of the city, the building’s porte-cochere opens up as a gateway that physically and visually links singapore’s business and historical districts.
above / below> a verdant tower of green in the heart of singapore’s dense central business district, oasia downtown is a prototype of land use intensification with a tropical approach. instead of a fully glazed and air-conditioned building, the tower contains three well-ventilated atria surrounded by l-shaped blocks of hotel rooms and offices. these provide naturally cross ventilated spaces and dynamic internal views. each elevated ground level is treated as an urban scale veranda, sheltered by the one above. landscaping forms a major part of the development’s material palette, creating an alternative image that is distinct from the surrounding curtain-walled towers of the cbd.
[ woha ] in 1994, architects wong mun summ and richard hassell founded singapore-based woha. as one of southeast asia’s preeminent architectural offices, woha integrates environmental principles at every stage of the design process. their strategies champion biodiversity, sustainability, and the local vernacular to design responsive building solutions for the city of tomorrow. the firm’s awareness of context and tradition is intertwined with an ongoing exploration of contemporary architectural questions, uniquely fusing practicality and invention.
woha’s architectural repertoire—throughout southeast asia, china, and australia—ranges from residential towers and hotels to transportation hubs and public institutions. their designs reconfigure the elements of a building, breathing smart design into the dense landscape of the megacity. woha’s blueprint for sustainable development imagines a biophilic future where towering structures evolve in harmony with native ecosystems and urban communities.
underscoring woha’s contributions to the advancement of architecture, the practice has received numerous international awards, including the international highrise award (2010), the prestigious aga khan award for architecture (2007), the renowned riba lubetkin prize (2011), and most recently, the urban habitat award (2015). the firm’s most acclaimed projects have been featured in many international publications, including urban environment design (ued) magazine (2015), dense + green: innovative building types for sustainable urban architecture (2015), greening asia: emerging principles for sustainable architecture (2012) and the phaidon atlas of 21st century world architecture (2011). in 2011, a traveling exhibition devoted exclusively to their work opened at the deutsches architekturmuseum in germany. garden city mega city (2016) follows the publication of four substantial monographs—woha: selected projects vol. 1 (2011) and vol. 2 (2014), woha: breathing architecture (2011), and woha: the architecture of woha (2009).
blending practice and pedagogy, hassell and wong also teach at the national university of singapore and the singapore university of technology and design (sutd), and have lectured widely at universities around the world such as the harvard university graduate school of design, the university of hong kong and the university of western australia.
artist rolf sachs presents a new design concept for the dolder grand hotel’s new restaurant: saltz. inspired by the new interior, chef à la carte patrick hetz presents corresponding culinary creations. the dolder grand’s new all-day dining restaurant saltz opened march 8, 2016.
renowned for creating “emotionalized” works, sachs draws much of his inspiration from his immediate environment. he moves freely between art and design and is known for surprising audiences – encouraging them to question preconceptions and view objects from a different perspective. for the interior of saltz, sachs used elements of the surrounding swiss landscape and its cultural references as inspiration.
in the 280 sqm restaurant sachs combines unusual materials such as neon lights, salt, rock and felt in an unexpected way to form artworks and custom made furniture paired with classic chair designs by eero saarinen and jean prouvé. ranging from the more theatrical to the cosy, each area conveys a different ambience and character, inviting the diners to respond with their own thoughts and reactions.
chef à la carte patrick hetz creates international cuisine using both typical and, at times, uncommon, locally sourced produce. the saltz bar offers guests a number of choices: an aperitif before dinner, a quick, light snack in a comfortable setting, or a lively place for single diners to enjoy a meal overlooking all the activity in the restaurant.
the new restaurant of the dolder grand, which opened on 8 march 2016, offers two distinct culinary concepts: the saltz restaurant with chef à la carte patrick hetz and the restaurant (2 michelin stars, 18 gaultmillau points) with chef fine dining heiko nieder.
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