Public buildings

Kilden, a theatre and concert hall in Kristiansand, Norway, has brought together all the city?s institutions of performing arts. Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra now has a concert hall
accommodating 1200 attendees. Agder Theater, a regional group, is performing in a theater with a capacity of 700. The theater hall can be transformed to accommodate opera performances to house the ensemble Opera South. In addition, there is a stage for
experimental theater and a multi-purpose hall with a level floor.

Kilden produces experiences. The core of its architecture is the way the concert, theater and multi-purpose halls are serviced efficiently and without interference. The monumental abstract form of the wall of local oak, separates reality from fantasy. Passing through, the audience will move from natural landscape to the realm of performing arts. The wall allures the audience and expresses the diversity of artistic performances housed by the building as well as the power induced by their combination.

The wall made of wedged CNC milled solid planks is not only a disguised theatrical effect but a concrete tactile artifact, which also improves the acoustics of the foyer. The infinite blackness of the other facades emphasizes the spectacle of the foyer.

The concept for the Lappeenranta City theatre is exceptional: The theatre will be placed on top of a shopping centre. The idea, however, is ancient, as this is theatre coming back to its roots, back to the marketplace, back to the people. Millions visiting the shopping centre annually will be able to enjoy a variety of plays, while the restaurants cater for intermission. It is also exceptional that basically the entire theatre will be on one level. This is functionally the ideal situation. The stage sets will be brought to the centre of the workshop by a large lift. After assembly the sets can be pushed directly into one of the three halls. The support spaces outline the halls in a linear procession from the technical personnel to the dressing rooms. This means the entire theatre has one single corridor, instead of the usual incoherent dark jungle of spaces backstage. All backspaces will have windows to the street, which is of great importance for these professionals mainly working on and around the stage without daylight. The foyer will be a warm and soft place in contrast with the light and colourful commercial areas. To maximize interaction, the foyer and shopping arcade open fully into each other. Significant synergy will be achieved with this solution both in construction and maintenance.

Hartwall Arena is the largest sports stadium and entertainment complex in Helsinki. The infrastructure of the arena is dimensioned to meet the peak demand during large public events. This happens 2-5 times per year in events such as major ice hockey matches and rock shows. For the remaining time the vast potential of the arena remains unused. The unused infrastructure could supply for another 50.000 square meters of new construction.

We propose a new building on site to take this potential into use. Peak attenuation systems help to overcome the large public happenings. Simultaneously the rough public space around the arena is upgraded from an empty asphalt field into an exciting landscape of action. Site conditions provide clear starting points making tall building the only sensible approach. The proposed tower is close to 120m tall consisting of apartments, offices, and a rooftop restaurant with a viewing deck. The podium contains a sports centre with various sports programs. The roof of the podium extends the current deck surface of the Leijona square providing for the public space in terms of green landscape and various sports uses like basketball and wall climbing.

The arena is separated from the surrounding city structure by two railways and massive road networks. They provide access for the stadium and the new project, and also cause the lack of neighbours who might potentially be disturbed by a tall building nearby. The project is a strong contribution to densification and diversification of the existing urban fabric of Helsinki. By building on the bad we can add quality, usability, visibility, connectivity and sustainability to the area and the whole city of Helsinki.

We propose to plant a Magnolia tree for Tampere. An intelligent glass dome will provide this tree with a more southern climate, complete with ventilation, shading and lighting. The air exhaust of the parking garage will provide additional heating during the cold, dark months. This dome will have its own microclimate fine-tuned using the technical abilities provided by its glazed surface. The Magnolia will be nurtured to burst into a magnificent bright pink blossom by the first of May annually. Its strong perfumed scent will fill the pavilion, on some spring days the scent might even flow down to the parking garage.

Architecturally the project uses the most obvious, simple qualities glass has. Transparency is used for giving the Magnolia tree sunlight, reflections dissolve the dome into the surrounding foliage and refractions magnify the bright pink blossoms of the Magnolia onto the full undulating dome. These spherically extruded surfaces create a variety of illusions whilst relating to the traditions of sand, soda and chalk melted down and blown into fantastic shapes.

The glass is melted into shape by gravitation. The flat pane is placed on a simple triangular frame and melted into its distinctive spherical, double curved shape. This process would use a similar process as often used in windscreen manufacturing. Each pane has a maximum dimension of 2600mm to fit into an autoclave for laminating. The structural steel frame is a domed form consisting of straight t-shaped profiles which are braced through the tree with steel wires. This bracing allows for a much thinner steel structure overall.

With its natural forms and movement the tree will contrast beautifully with the exact glass structures that envelope it. The Magnolia tree will give a soft image for this square at the centre of industrial Tampere.