BUILD February 2017

NEWS , Conceptually designed to be flexible and adaptable to a com- pact urban lifestyle. The furniture pieces being fabricated in Asia and will then be transported to the college’s New York studio for public usage. The partnership is an example of alumni giving back to the educational institution that has nurtured them and played an instrumental role to their future success. Kent Kleinman, Gale and Ira Drukier Dean of Cornell AAP commented “Each piece is a hybrid: a modular urban element that functions as a kind of infra- structure, mated to a customized artifact specific to particular pro- gram. Taken together, they are a microcosm of Cornell’s famous lessons in collage urbanism. Bril- liant!” Gaysorn 2 Plaza is the new phase of a successful mall in the heart of Bangkok which faces tough competition in the devel- opment of Thailand’s commercial shopping outlets. This new phase containing a retail mall of 5,500 m2 and a 30 storey office tower, is set to rejuvenate the develop- ment. CL3 was invited to design the new phase and to create an iconic linkage between the new and old developments. Using the Architects Vincenzo Marchese and Petter Nordahl have recently created an eye-catch - ing library, clad in sustainable Kebony wood, by converting the second storey of a garage in Vestfold, Norway. The building has been given a new lease of life with a clean, contem- porary design which enhances the existing architecture, and brings new character to the property as a whole. The architects altered the original pitch of the roof to dramatically increase the amount of usable space, and with bookshelves a priority, the steep angles of the new roof allow for walls that are heightened with large bookshelves set into them. Windows of differing size break up the bookshelves with tranquil seating spaces surround- ing, and the geometric shapes of these windows adds an interesting variation in light and form. The transformation of the building has been entirely achieved without any adaptations to the original size of the area, while the variation in roof height also acts to break up the massing of the second storey. Simple, clean and untreated mate- rials are used throughout, with the interior walls and shelving crafted from birch veneer, polished concrete worktops and the exterior clad- ding and roof made from Kebony and zinc. Over time, the exposed Kebony will take on a delicate silver-grey patina which will comple- ment the tone of the zinc, while also providing contrast to the bright metal in order to highlight the variation in material. The simplicity of the design and materials used evokes a natural feel, creating a space that is calming and unadorned. The architects from NOMA Arkitek- ter AS wanted to combine a natural aesthetic with sustainable creden- tials, using geothermal energy to provide the heating for the library, as well as environmentally friendly building materials. The shelves and interior cladding are made from sustainable softwood, while Kebony cladding provides the required external protection, as it has the same durable qualities as tropical hardwoods, without the associated environmental impact. The patented Kebony technology uses an environmentally friendly process, which permanently en- hances the properties of sustainable softwood with a bio-based liquid derived from agricultural crop waste. By polymerising the wood’s cell wall with furfuryl alcohol, the wood gains greatly improved durability and dimensional stability, giving it characteristics similar to those of tropical hardwood. In creating a wood with comparable properties to tropical hardwood that can be grown in a FSC certified, sustainably man- aged forest, the demand for tropical woods is reduced, allowing timber to once again be an important part of sustainable construction. Vincenzo Marchese, architect and owner of NOMA Arkitekter com- mented, “this has been a truly excit- ing albeit challenging project to work on, as a large change in purpose and design of the structure was required, while still keeping within the existing spatial restraints. It is the simple, clean lines of the design, as well as high quality of materials such as Kebony that have made the finished project so beautiful.” Mette Valen, Sales Manager Norway at Kebony added that, “the team at NOMA Arkitekter have a wealth of experience creating fan- tastically designed properties that enhance the building’s purpose. The team at Kebony is always ex- cited to see what their next project will be, and look forward to working with the architects again soon” Thai artisans’ craftsmanship and cultural heritage as an inspiration, contemporary design blends re- tail with attention to detail of local materials to create a warm and sophisticated ambience. An idea of porosity allows visual connec- tion among the multiple levels of the retail environment. A 20-me- ter-tall cocoon-like structure made of teakwood penetrates the bridge, connecting the old and new wings. Visible from the street, it is highlighted as the architectur- al focal point of the development. The retail podium is scheduled to be launched in first half of 2017. Other parts of the mall and the office tower are scheduled to be launched later that year. H Queens is a 24-storey purpose built vertical gallery building in the heart of the most expansive CBD-Hong Kong. Dedicated to art businesses, restaurants and retail, the building aims to trans- form the urban environment by creating a new focus for art and entertainment alongside HK’s his- toric Pottinger Street. As well as complimenting the Arts hub of ‘Tai Kwun’, the city’s largest historic preservation project, located just 3 blocks away. Features include a laminated low-e IGU glass curtain wall with ceramic fitting and an integrated building maintenance unit (BMU) that includes a gondola system to facilitate the delivery of artworks through the operable facade (approx. 3.5 m by 4 m) on each gallery floor. The restaurant floors include large exterior balconies or terraces for al fresco dining, with a dramatic roof top bar. One year prior to completion, major international art businesses Da- vid Zwirner Gallery, Pace Gallery, Pearl Lam Galleries, Seoul Auc- tion, Tang Contemporary Art Gal- lery, Whitestone Gallery and fine dining group Le Comptoir have already confirmed their tenancy. An architectural icon in itself, H Queen’s is designed to be at the center of Hong Kong’s art and lifestyle. The development hous- es non-traditional spaces for exhi- bition with the interest of promot- ing the arts as well as expanding the audience for art. Kebony Cladding for Library Hideaway N “Over the last 20 years we have built a portfolio of that comprises celebrated designs for hotels and restaurants, as well as commercial, residential and corporate developments.”