Style: May 04, 2018

More documents

Recommendations

Info

36 STYLE | architecture Can a building be an object of desire? Photograph Richard Dalman
STYLE | architecture 37 Architect Richard Dalman highlights a Christchurch building that transcends its commercial purpose. Building design can divide opinions. Take the ChristChurch Cathedral for instance. For one person this is a colonial neo-gothic masterpiece, a Christchurch landmark that must be repaired and conserved at all cost. For another, it is a dull pile of old stones that hasn’t functioned as a modern worship space for decades. Buildings act as functional structures that can house people undertaking many different aspects of their lives – working, playing, sleeping, worshipping, or just plain living. But because they are three-dimensional objects, buildings can also be seen as large-scale sculptural objects. And when they are quite beautiful, they can even become desirable objects. One such building constructed after the earthquakes that I have admired is the Deloitte building at 151 Cambridge Terrace. Not only does this building serve a functional purpose, it is also a beautiful object. Designed by architects Jasmax, it addresses Roman architect Vitruvius’s three architectural mantras of utilitas (function), firmitas (structure) and venustas (beauty or delight). From a functional point of view, the floor plan is simple and clear and provides logically laid out hospitality venues with offices above. It even allows more shop frontage – with the internal laneway ‘cutting the corner’ – than a traditionally designed building would. Structurally, the building is base isolated with pendulum bearings, providing excellent resilience for future earthquakes. And as far as beauty and delight are concerned, well, this is where the building excels. I could talk about how the building positively addresses the acutely angled corner in a way that many of the old and now demolished Christchurch buildings did. The strict rectangular grid in central Christchurch is broken only by the two diagonal lines of High and Victoria streets, and the meandering river. These are the places in the central city where the drama takes place. This building does not let us down and performs with aplomb. But it is really the sensually curvaceous façade that lifts the building into the realm of sculptural excellence and desire. There is a direct relationship here with the curving Avon River across Cambridge Terrace, which is obviously where the concept for the wavy form originated. The architect says, “The building’s distinctive rippling façade has taken design cues from the Avon’s watercourse. Linking this building to its local context, floor-to-ceiling glazing strengthens this connection by providing occupants with unrestricted views out to the river and its embankments.” The exterior louvres follow the curves, accentuating them, as well as providing solar control to the interior. The louvres help to soften the glazed façade even more and provide colour variation. Principal at Jasmax, Alasdair Hood said he “wanted people to engage with the interior of the building even if they were not actually inside it, and by curving the corner people could easily ‘float’ around and under the building”. At the ground level the building opens up to the street with bars and restaurants providing seating areas looking out across to the river and activating the streetscape. The wavy façades create interesting internal spaces, whether adjacent to a corridor or office space. Because the curtain glass wall is hung both beside and beyond the columns, sometimes it is hard to distinguish whether you are actually inside or outside the building. The Deloitte building, for me, is an object of desire for two reasons. The first is because, as a three-dimensional object on a large scale, it is quite beautiful – like a piece of sculpture it sits on a city corner by the river in a very elegant manner. I believe it could also sit comfortably on the Canterbury Plains, in a big landscape, as a piece of sculptural artwork. The second reason is… I wish I had designed it!
Page 1 and 2: MaY 2018 COMPLIMENTARY Objects of D
Page 3 and 4: northlands.co.nz
Page 5 and 6: 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20
Page 7 and 8: Anywhere Ford Pickup a Weber Q-Seri
Page 9 and 10: clothes shouldn’t come with an ex
Page 11 and 12: g for the ourme t Create, entertain
Page 14 and 15: 14 STYLE | events SAVE THE DATE MAY
Page 16 and 17: 16 STYLE | inside word INSIDE WORD
Page 18 and 19: 18 STYLE | inside word INSIDE WORD
Page 20 and 21: 20 STYLE | report LOOK BUT DON’T
Page 22 and 23: 22 STYLE | report A MAGIC CARPET RI
Page 24 and 25: 24 STYLE | luxe living LUXE LIVING
Page 26 and 27: 26 STYLE | promotion PLASTER - The
Page 28 and 29: 28 STYLE | promotion FEED the fire
Page 30 and 31: 30 STYLE | home Central heating If
Page 32 and 33: 32 STYLE | home Bioethanol fires If
Page 34 and 35: 34 STYLE | promotion The future of
Page 38 and 39: 38 STYLE | home LEFT: Boivin Chande
Page 40 and 41: 40 STYLE | art Us v Them, 2010, acr
Page 42 and 43: 42 STYLE | art OFF THE WALL Had it
Page 44 and 45: 44 STYLE | landscaping DESIGNED to
Page 46 and 47: Meet the TEAM Bill Herbison establi
Page 48 and 49: Latest trends and ideas Show only s
Page 50 and 51: 50 STYLE | education available brai
Page 52 and 53: 52 STYLE | promotion image: Wallace
Page 54 and 55: 54 STYLE | promotion DENTISTRY ON M
Page 56: 56 STYLE | fashion SHOE OF THE MONT
Page 59 and 60: Remember Mum this Mother’s Day Su
Page 61 and 62: DRAMA “The dress was created as p
Page 63 and 64: STYLE | fashion 63
Page 65 and 66: SCULPTURAL “This piece appeals in
Page 67 and 68: STYLE | promotion 67 FOR MOTHER Add
Page 69 and 70: STYLE | promotion 69 THE SECRET TO
Page 71 and 72: STYLE | beauty 71 La Prairie Cellul
Page 73 and 74: STYLE | luxe travel 73 TRAVEL BY DE
Page 75 and 76: STYLE | luxe travel 75 The Partheno
Page 77 and 78: STYLE | travel 77 REST YOUR HEAD Af
Page 79 and 80: STYLE | travel 79 Rumpus Room, Mond
Page 81 and 82: STYLE | motoring 81 The 3008 rides
Page 83 and 84: STYLE | wellbeing 83 1. SUPPORT A s
Page 85 and 86: STYLE | food 85 image: Facebook PIE
Page 87 and 88:
Outfit Your Mum! To celebrate Mothe
Page 89 and 90:
STYLE | wine 89 Joiy Sparkling NV a
Page 91 and 92:
Fishermans Wharf The Coffee Fans Un
Page 93 and 94:
Rob Latham, Glen Sulzberger, Paul W
Page 95 and 96:
Craig Campbell, Matthew Alfeld, Jac
Page 97 and 98:
ROARSOME. ROARSOME. THE ALL NEW BMW
Page 99 and 100:
Spoil Mum sunday 13th May this Moth
show all

Style: May 04, 2018

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?