Category: Blocks & Buildings (page 2 of 2)

OMNIA, Floating Office

Why | To transform a floating building into an office and give it a role in the haven
What | Multi-analyse + programmation + concept + feasibility study
Where | Lloydkwartier, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
With | ABL2
Who | For VDM+Dataview

VDM+Dataview is a successful company looking for a new creative inspiring bigger place for its employees. The owner of the company has bought the Omnia, a floating workplace from 1938 that was used as the office and restaurant of Holland Diving. He would actually like to use it for his company and to place it in a old haven that became a vibrant area in Rotterdam: the brand new Lloydkwartier district. ABL2 was asked to make a whole study for that case: context analysis, concept development and feasibility studies: for the wished place or for some alternative places in case the first case is revealed too difficult to achieve.

After few interviews and meetings with the different parties, it was decided that the Omnia, if placed in this district, should also have a public function because it would quite central and significant. Moreover opening the office of VDM+Dataviewis representative of the vision of the company: the behaviour of the people is central. By welcoming the population of the district and Rotterdam, both of parties would win: VDM+Dataviewis highlighted, Lloydkwartier has a symbol to sell, the multi-cultural population a new hype place to explore.

Here is the concept: De Nieuwe Wereld (The New World) “Unconventional, multifunctional and experimental”, a “creative stopping place that would be the beginning and ending of the creative sector in the Lloydkwartier, where water and port serve as source of inspiration”.

SOUTH DIVE, Metropolitan Swimming Pool

Why | To design a metropolitan swimming-pool in a neglected area
What | Analysis + local benchmarking + programme + design + construction details
Where | Lille, France (1,4 ha)
With | ENSAPL
Who | For  ENSAPL

Lille-Sud is a district in complete regeneration. It has lots of social housing and is separated from the rest of Lille by rail and belt ways. A new park is developing on a brownfield along those ways around the topic of sports.

The goal of the project is to design a new metropolitan swimming-pool that will also give a new image to the now neglected district.

After having analyzed the site and especially its two different scales,  I studied the current needs and the trends of the swimming-pool market and made a references booklet about the existing facilities in the metropolis to make an adapted and unique programme with necessary functions and special areas.

The metaphor of a diving board has been chosen to make a shift between the scale and direction of the ways and the ones of the district as the cantilever also expresses the fact that there is a special diving pool. That upper block also contains a panoramic restaurant overlooking the sports park. That attracts more than swimmers and divers. The minimalist architecture recall the one of the brand new neighbour skate hall.

A lightning concept has been developed to make the journey of the visitor experimental. He dives in the rather dark changing rooms under the outdoor basin to then slowly reach the bright pools halls through ramps.

BB HOUSES, Row Housing

Why | To design a model of terraced townhouses for a district to renew
What | Concept + model + construction details
Where | Lille, France
With |  ENSAPL
Who | For ENSAPL

The house has been designed to be multiplied and to create houses terraces.

The parents’ block (bedroom-bathroom-office) slips from the street to the garden and lets a great space develop itself  for the living-room. The dining-room is the centre of the house and can be seen from almost everywhere. That makes an impression of space although the house is narrow and high. Finally, the split levels help smooth transitions between the spaces.

Newer posts »

© 2024 Saskia Huizinga

Theme by Anders NorénUp ↑