Extensions to buildings are normally regarded as significant projects by most architects, whereas linking two existing structures might appear as a lesser priority. On rare occasion of such a significant linkage, which took place between two buildings at Pratt Institute in New York was the project by Steven Holl, which had to deal with differing floor levels in fitting the connection to the two structures.
In joining two museums structurally, especially when designed by a world-renowned architect, the design bar is suddenly raised. Add to that the fact that the architect of both museums is a household name in his home country of Finland. With that in mind, the connector cannot be too high-profile, but must enhance, rather than detract from its two neighbors, at the same time becoming part of a greater composition.
When confronted with the question of solving such a challenge—connecting two museums designed by Alvar Aalto—the Finnish city of Jyväskylä turned to an international design competition for a solution. Even considering the rather small size of the project, the Aalto name alone was enough to attract the submission of 674 entries.
Sponsored by the Alvar Aalto Foundation, and adjudicated by an all-Finnish jury, the aims as expressed in the brief were clear:
“In its criteria the competition jury stresses the need for an integrated architectural approach and the technical and economic feasibility of the design. It is particularly important that the winning entry should suit this nationally important cultural environment, and that it should find a way of creating a seamless link with Alvar Aalto’s architecture.” Important to note is that a plaza is created by linking the two buildings, introducing the importance of landscape design.
As is often the case with Scandinavian juries, the majority of the members were local stakeholders, with two architect appointees serving on the behest of the National Finnish Architectural Association. At the conclusion of judging, An entry called “Silmu” (Finnish for a leaf bud) by a team of young Finnish architects was announced as the winner of the international Ruusupuisto design competition. By staging a competition for a project of relative modest size, but high-profile in its importance, the Finns have shown that competitions for smaller projects can also be the subject for important solutions.
First Place by Sini Rahikainen, Hannele Cederström, Inka Norros, Kirsti Paloheimo, & Maria Kleimola – Finland
In an ambitious plan to facilitate hi-tech research and development, the MK:U competition was launched in January 2019 to seek a masterplan for a new university. The site of the new university at MK is located at the heart of the Oxford to Cambridge innovation arc and just 30 minutes from London by train. MK, now known as a Smart City, has excellent connectivity; its proximity to the M1 motorway and rail network means twenty million people can reach it within 60 minutes.
Form and Dichroic Light Scott Hall at Carnegie Mellon University Michelle LaFoe and Isaac Campbell OFFICE 52 Architecture Forward by Cesar Pelli, FAIA Introduction by Michael J. Crosbie, FAIA Leete”s Island Books, Maine USA Hard cover; 96 pages in color ISBN 9780918172709
In his introduction to Form and Dichroic LIght, Michael Crosbie never mentions the term, “wild card,” to describe Office 52’s participation in the invited competition for the Carnegie Mellon Engineering Building. The four finalists, picked from a list of 17 firms, also included three household names: ZGF, Wilson, and BCJ (Bohlin Cywinski, Jackson). So what possible chance could a firm, which had just recently opened a small office in Portland, Oregon, have against a competition lineup of this magnitude? But as OFFICE 52 Principal, Isaac Campbell explained, as a small firm, “we were quite nimble,” and the $50,000 stipend the firms all received to produce a design could allow OFFICE 52 more time to undertake the research involved than might be the case with a larger office, where a cost controller is constantly focusing on the operation.
The Rails to Trails program, which gained momentum after the1984 Federal Land Banking Law—supported by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy—has seen over 24,000 miles of trails established where rail lines once existed. Some sites were strictly urban, while others, sometimes over 100 miles in length, were primarily rural, while others combined some of both.
The reunification of Germany in 1989 not only had a great impact on the lives of many Germans, especially those living in the former DDR,but together with the decision to move the nation’s capital from Bonn to Berlin resulted in two major international design competitions in 1992: the first was to convert the existing Reichstag building into a home for the German parliament, the second being the Spreebogen planning competition, which included a chancellery for the head of state as well as needed buildings nearby for the Federal government.
The renovation of Miremont-le-Cret n 2012 was unusual in that the project was the subject of a competition. This building had long been landmarked as one of Geneva’s most significant modern accomplishments, designed in 1953 by a local architect, Marc-Joseph Saugey. The building’s design is remarkable in how it fits into a somewhat narrow, elongated site, but solving the issue of monotony that could naturally arise, had the facades not consisted of a simple elevation with no protruding edges. Instead Saugey came up with the idea of a faceted treatment of the facade on both sides of the structure, thus eliminating any notion of boredom on the part of a casual visitor.
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