copper forum 2010 29 en
TRANSCRIPT
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THE MAGAZINE OF COPPER IN ARCHITECTURE I 29/
8 Transparent Inscriptions in Latvia 10 Copper Trio in Prague
22 Cipea Villa Nanjing 26 A Floating Bronze Staircase 36 Dipoli 40-years on
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Copper Architecture Forum, OC TOBER 2010
Copper Architecture Forum is part o the on going European Copper In Architecture Campaigand is published twice a year and has a circulation o 25.200 copies.
The magazine is distributed to architects and proessionals in the building construction industin Russia, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Spain, FrancItaly, Germany and UK.
Editor i Chief: Lennart Engstrm, tel +46 70 657 47 34, ax +46 21 19 87 [email protected]
Editor: Chris Hodson, [email protected]
Address: Copper Forum, Treasgatan 1, Box 550, SE-721 10 Vsters, Sweden
Publisher: Lennart Engstrm
Layout ad techical productio: Naula Grafsk Design/M Reklam
Pritig: Intellecta Inolog 2010, Sweden
Editorial pael:
Hannele Kuusisto, FI [email protected] Miettinen, FI [email protected]
Vadim Ionov, RU [email protected] Zakrzewski, PL [email protected] Pinter, CZ [email protected] Kratochvle, CZ [email protected] Tissot [email protected] Loconsolo [email protected] Klassert [email protected] Ramn Morales [email protected]
A new name and a new direction
Te sharp-eyed amongst you will have spotted that
we have changed the magazine name to COPPER
ARCHIECURE FORUM in this, our 29th issue.
Yes, we shall continue to ocus on copper and
showcase the best examples o its use in buildings
rom around Europe and beyond. But we also want
to develop a more rounded, architectural publication
with greater in-depth analysis o particular aspects o
innovative designs. By ocusing on the architecture
o just one material copper we can present a
unique perspective on building design not ound in
mainstream architectural publications.
Look out or the Copper in Close-up and Copper
in Detail pages, ocusing on new surace treatmentsand working drawings to illustrate how architects
actually achieve their conceptual intent. And we want
to tell you more about the designers o the projects
we eature. o help take Copper Architecture Forum
another level, architect Chris Hodson is now worki
alongside me as Editor and our expanding Editor
Board is on the lookout or projects and developin
trends not just in Europe but around the world.
In this issue, we have an exclusive interview wi
Pritzker Prize winner Ryue Nishizawa just ater t
award was announced and we talk to New York bas
aade specialist Bruce Nichol o Front Inc about h
work or some o the worlds most amous architec
We cover a real diversity o projects ranging r
iconic modern buildings to modest single homes
valid subjects with important lessons to be learnt. O
goals or Copper Architecture Forum are to inspire aninorm architects and designers but, above all, we ho
that you will fnd it both stimulating and enjoyable.
Lennart Engstrm
Editor in Chief Copper Architecture Forum
FROnT COvER
Helsinki Music Centre,scheduled for completion in2011. The main faade mate-rials include pre-patinatedcopper and glass, page 30.
BACk COvER
Serrano Evans Partnershipsoating bronze staircase in aLondon house, page 26.
COPPER DIARY
1-3 March 2011 Ecobuild Exhibition, London.www.ecobuild.co.uk/exhibitor-list/prole/2888.html
Spring 2011 PL T11, metals for architectureconference, Stockholm. ww w.plat10.se/english.php
30 May 2011 The European Copper in ArchitectureAwards, deadline for entries.www.copperconcept.org
Register now. If you do not already receive your own free copy of Copper Architecture Forum magazine, simply register now at http://www.copperconcept.org
Contact us now. We do want to hear from you, both wi th your comments on Copper Architecture Forum and suggestions for projects or topics that we can cover in futurSimply email the editors or your local Editorial Board member, listed above.
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3COPPER ARCHITECTURE FORUM 29/2010
4-5 6-7
8-9 10-12
13 14
15 16-18
19 20-21
22-25 26-28
29 30-33
34-35 36-39
4 Modulated Copper, Tjuvholmen Oslo
6 Celebrating Copper Cratsmanship, Rauma Finland
8 Transparent Inscriptions in Latvia
10 Copper Trio in Prague
13 Copper in Housing, Warsaw
14 The Architecture o Metals Plt 10
14 - Interview with Pritzker prizewinner Ryue Nishizawa
15 - Plt 10
16 Interview with acades guru Bruce Nichol o Front
17 Front case studies
18 Front copper in detail
19 Chocolate Boxes in Sopron, Hungary
20 Going Green in Blackheath, UK
22 Cipea Villa Nanjing, China
26 Sky o Bronze A Floating Bronze Staircase
29 Renovation o the clock tower at Helsinki railway station
30 Helsinki Music Centre emerges
34 Copper keeping disease away
36 Dipoli 40-years on
CONTENTS
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4 COPPER ARCHITECTURE FORUM 29/2010
- 1 . .
Olav SelvaagsPlass
Sj
gangen
Ggate
G
gate
Brygge
Brygge
Nord
F3
F1
F2
L-Bygget,Kontordelen
L-Bygget,Bolig-
delen
Modulated CopperThe new L-Building designed by Schmidt, Hammerand Lassen Architects plays a key role in shaping theurban character o a new section o the Tjuvholmen di-
strict o Oslo. In particular, its strongly modulated cop-per acades orm an important part o the architecturalenclosure o Olav Selvaags Place.
The master plan or Tjuvholmen resembles the struc-
ture and grain o a medieval town with winding streets
and narrow passages contrasting with open squares.
In act, the street rontages o medieval towns, with
their rhythm o continuous buildings, aade elements
protruding and receding almost at random and varying
roo heights, inspired the design o the L-Building.
COMBINING OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL USES
As its name suggests, the plan orm o the L-Building
consists o two angled blocks, one residential, the other
oces, designed to be dierent rom each other but
complementary. The eight-storey oce block aces Olav
Selvaags Place and the canal, and provides approxima-
tely 7,530 sq.m. gross foor space, while the residential
section consists o 13 foors with 78 fats o three di-
erent types acing Sjgangen and the water. Across
rom the site, in the courtyard o the L-building, is the
Oval Building, designed by Torp Architects. The residen-
tial part o the building is designed as a cohesive spacewhere terraces or bay windows grow out rom the
acade. Terraces, bay windows and acades all have a
light-coloured, render surace.
Project: Tjuvholmen Oslo NorwayArchitects:Schmidt, Hammer and Lassen Architects. http://shl.dkCopper installer: Erling Freitag A/S
Block Plan highlighting oces (let) and apartments (right)
Visualisation rom Olav Selvaags Place, oceblock to the ront, apartments behind.
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LIGHT OxIDISED COPPER SURFACEIn contrast, the oce block acades makeextensive use o pre-oxidised copper in alight brown colour. The copper claddingtakes on strong, three-dimensional, mo-dulated orms and is installed over a struc-tural rame system, creating three die-
rent bay depths in relation to the acadesconsistent glass plane. The proportionso the window rames and openings varydepending on the dierent unctions o therooms behind them and the amount o day-light required. For example, the rames othe oces/workspaces correspond to anoce module o 2400 mm. Certain spa-ces, such as meeting rooms, are situatedin the gables acing the canal and by theentrance, where the main staircase is alsovisible.
Facing Olav Selvaags Place is a unnel-
shaped entrance carved out o the buildingand rising up to ve storeys. The Oval Buil-ding is accessible rom Olav Selvaags Pla-ce via a vestibule - an important circulationarea between the two buildings - throughthis main entrance. The ground level hasa granite foor covering matching that oOlav Selvaags Place itsel, both in the en-trance and the interior, giving a seamlesstransition between exterior and interior.
The ground foor o the wing acing OlavSelvaags Place houses a reception areaor the oce building and conerence
rooms. The remaining foors consist ooce space, each with an average o 900sq.m. gross foor area and have workspa-ces along the acades and a central corewith service acilities. The wing acingSjgangen and the water has a groundfoor ca with outdoors seating that willadd lie to the courtyard.
Entrance level 01 plan Level 03 with oces (let) and apartments (right) Typical higher level plan
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6 COPPER ARCHITECTURE FORUM 29/2010
Copper Convinced the OwnersOriginally, the house had a galvanized tin
roo which required increasing, periodic
maintenance to resolve problems such as
blistering o the green roo paintwork.
Tereore a decision was made to replace
the whole roo. With this coastal location,
the changing weather conditions expose
the external materials to extreme strain.
According to the buildings owner, Raimo
Hilakari, copper was the only sensible solu-
CELEBRATING COPPER CRAFTSMANSHIP
Text by Hannele Kuusisto/Chris Hodson
Replacement of the failed galvanized tin roofs on this distinctive house with
beautifully detailed copper has added a new dimension to its unique design.
Perched on a rocky slope overlooking the seashore in Rauma on the West coast of
Finland, the house was designed by local Architect Jukka Koivula and built some
20 years ago. The multi-level house follows the natural contours of the terrain and its
mannerist design borrowing both from traditional and modern sources presents
various different forms seen from both sea and land.
tion let. Its durability and malleability were
important considerations when deciding on
the material or the various dierent roo
orms. Additionally, the shade o copper and
its natural patination over time will give a
natural match to the yellow-toned stone sur-
ace o the house. A new copper roo was in-
stalled last year and a ll the other sheet metal
cladding was replaced with copper.Owners: Tuire and Raimo Hilakari, Rauma
Architects Oice: Jukka Koivula, Rauma
Photo:HanneleKuusisto
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Superb WorkmanshipTe roo was clad with 60-cm-wide copper
strips, supplied in 200-kg coils ready to be
cut and shaped into correctly sized pieces
or use in dierent places. Te 500m2 roo
has various details demanding a particu-
larly high level o skill rom the installation
crew a local sheet-metal company. Copper
has also been used in the unusual rainwater
system, the distinctive architect-designed
chimney, and even protective cladding or
the ence. Te highly individual windowrames are copper-clad, too. Tis house is
ull o small, delightul details all beau-
tiully executed and a real celebration o
copper cratsmanship. Its now a year since
the new copper was installed and it has oxi-
dized into a sot brown colour. Te owners
are pleased with their choice and know that
the roo will last or many generations.
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By Hannele Kuusisto
TRANSPARENTINSCRIPTIONSIN LATVIALast year in Copper Forum (issue 27/09) we looked at
the design o a new library in Parventa, Latvia whichis now complete. A key element o its architectural
concept is the inscription o hand-written tets on a
massive scale across the perorated copper cladding
that wraps around the building. In this article, we
take a close look at how this was achieved.
P
erorated copper cladding has been used beore to create
transparency, adding a third dimension to otherwise at
acades. But this project takes the technology to anotherlevel o sophistication, successully replicating the subtleties o
hand-writing using light and shade, generated using only our
sizes o perorations in the copper. Tese permanent images o
text immediately suggest the buildings literary use but also have
an important national resonance, as the designers INDIA Ar-
chitects explain.
Te copper is inscribed with some o the handwriting o the a-
ther o Latvian olksongs Krijnis Barons. He dedicated his lie
to collecting and classiying national olksongs (Latvju dainas)
and preserving Latvian spoken linguistic culture by recording
it. Barons compiled 217,996 olksong texts and is seen as being
responsible or the 19th century Latvian national reawakening.
His hand-written record o olksongs is kept in the well-known
Dainu skapis and examples rom it were replicated on the library
acade.
Project: Parventa LibraryArchitects: INDIA architects, Latvia. www.india.lvMain contractor and copper installer: Pilsbuve, Latvia
Examples of the handwriting of the father of Latvian folksongs, Krijnis Barons
were transposed accurately onto copper panels using perforations in the surfa
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9COPPER ARCHITECTURE FORUM 29/2010
puter programmer was involved in our de-
sign process who created special sotware to
convert graphic images o Barons originalhandwriting into digital les. Tis unique,
home-made sotware was the key to our
success and it took only a ew hours to cre-
ate all the les which were sent to the Lu-
vata actory.
Te second challenge was to adapt the
text layout to the overall length o the a-
ades. All the copper panels are xed at a
distance away rom the structural acade to
create a sot, transparent eect and accom-
modate lighting xtures. Tis means that
just a ew millimetres error at the xing
points would ruin the appearance o hand-
written text. We careully chose some zones
with a homogeneous peroration character
and let them until the end. Only ater
most o the perorated copper panels were
xed was the nal run o perorated sheets
ordered. Now it is nished, its almost im-
possible to see where those adjustment lines
are on the building.
A unique technique was developed, in con-
junction with the copper supplier Luvata, to
create the six hundred individually perorat-ed copper panels that orm the acade. Our
ideas started with standard copper sheets
using single-size perorations, then devel-
oped to individually laser-cut square holes
o our dierent sizes. Te smallest holes
are surrounded by copper which reects
daylight, while the largest have little metal
around them and read almost as black. Te
our variants gave us a design vocabulary o
subtle shades capable o replicating hand-
writing and adding depth to the aade.
First, sketches were drawn on big paper
sheets to nd the best possible appear-
ance. Ten, shortly aterwards, the rst
mock-up panels were created by Luvata to
test our ideas and a ew were exhibited by
the company at FINN EXPO in Helsinki.
Tese rst mock-up panels were created
rom manual drawings a daunting task
i applied to six hundred individual copper
sheets. Fortunately, a young amateur com-
A system using laser-cut square holes of four dierent
sizes was used to create text
allowing varying amounts of light to pass into the void
behind or reect o the surface, replicating the subtle
shades of handwriting.
Text by Hannele Kuusisto / Chris Hodson
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10 COPPER ARCHITECTURE FORUM 29/201010
Residence Zabehlice aims to uniy an
existing, extensive sports complex in a
mature landscaped setting. A linear,
ground oor building with car park
basement, which provides administra-
tion, tness and wellbeing unctions
with some housing, sits below a trio
o skewed trapezoidal masses on slen-
der columns, containg two-storeys o
apartments. Te architects see these
masses as reminiscent o three beached
boats with the horizontal stratication
o their sides symbolising boarded hull
construction.
Te solid and compact mass o the
ground oor building opens up to the
south with a glazed wall. Its remaining
acades are made o air-aced concrete
panels. In contrast, the trapezoidal trio
above are crisply detailed in copper, ar-
ticulated by horizontal strips o glazing,
some twisting out rom the wall plane
to orm bays. Generously glazed walls
to the north ends ace the tree-lined Bo-
tic river. Tese three volumes contain
more luxurious apartments, each with
its own roo terrace: the remaining roo
areas are simply planted.
A largely residential development in Prague uses three shades of copper
to create bold, horizontally stratied surfaces enveloping its three oating
rhomboidal masses. This technique has been seen before but generally in
prepatinated green, and this brown-themed design is a fascinating departure.
Block Plan
Cross section showing upper two-storey trapezoidsfying over the horizontal block under with below-ground parking and services.
COPPER TRIO
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11COPPER ARCHITECTURE FORUM 29/2010 11
Typical upper foor plan o luxury apartments, each with privateroo terraces either on the block below or the roo above.
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Architect: Atelier KAAMA, Ing. arch. Karel M razek, Ing. arch. Jan Tichota
Copper Installer: Ruukki CZ, s.r.o.
Photos: Radovan Boek
Te three trapezoids are clad horizontally with 200 mm
wide copper panels, ranging rom 2 m to 4 m long in a
ventilated cladding system over an insulated, reinorced
concrete structure. One o the most intriguing aspectso the scheme is the combination o three dierent sha-
des chosen to create a smooth transition rom lighter
to darker copper. Tis is achieved using standard mill
nish copper in combination with material that has
been pre-oxidised at Luvatas actory in both light and
dark versions. Te colour combinations are placed ran-
domly on the acade to raise its dynamic design and to
evoke the eect o timber bark.
CONTINUING NATURAL CHANGESAll three shades represent, at one point in time, dierent
stages in the natural patination o copper that would
occur over many years in the external environment.
Interestingly, these natural changes will now continue
over coming months and years but dierently or each
shade, adding an animated dimension to the building.
A TRIO OF BROWNS IN COPPER RESIDENCE ZABEHLICE, PRAGUE
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COPPER IN HOUSINGThere is a growing trend amongst architects to use copper cladding as part o a limited
palette o aade materials, rather than in isolation particularly on housing projects.
We eatured an example rom the UK in the last issue o Copper Forum (28/2010, page 38)
and this Polish project takes a similar approach but in a very dierent, contemporary
style.
Text by Hannele Kuusisto/Chris Hod
Architect: www.hermanowicz.pl
Commissioned by www.integraeko.pl/
Construction work by www.henpol.com.pl/
Installation o acades by www.dachistrych.pl/
Villa Bianca is a medium-rise housing de-
velopment within a new residential area o
Wilanow, just 11 kilometres rom the cen-
tre o Warsaw. Designed by local architectsHermanowicz Rewski Architekce, the estate
consists o several, six-storey blocks with ve
foors above ground level and one below, con-
taining a total o 347 apartments or living and
working.
Despite its total foor area o 64,000 m 2, thedevelopment is not overbearing and gives an
impression o cool, understated modern de-
sign. The white rendered acades combine
with dark metal windows and panels, and cop-
per cassettes to give a restrained palette o
materials throughout the development.
A regular grid o stacked copper cassettes is
applied to various external wall areas giving
the impression o a thin surace with regu-
lar horizontal bands accentuated by the jointdetailing. Around 1,900 m2 o standard cas-
settes rom Finnish manuacturer Luvata
were suppl ied, made up o 1.25 mm thick cop-
per sheet. The copper has a actory-applied
textured, rolled surace which adds a urther
dimension to its visual characteristics andwill infuence the natural patination as rain-
water passes over it.
C
B
D
C = depth of the cassette, min 25mm; max 60mm
D = joint width, min 15mm; max 60mm
B = height of the cassetteA = width of the cassette
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THE ARCHITECTURE OF METALS
KEEP IT SIMPLEThis is the mantra o Ryue Nishizawa, a principal o SANAA, a Tokyo basedarchitecture studio designing innovative buildings internationally, set up some15 years ago with Kazuyo Sejima. They were joint recipients o the 2010 PritzkerArchitecture Prize. Ryue Nishizawa presented a vision o his architecture at thePLT10 event in Malm, Sweden, just ater announcement o the Pritzker Prize inApril. Copper Architecture Forum editor Chris Hodson was also there and seizedthe opportunity or an eclusive interview to ask about his work and interest indesigning with metals.
CH: Firstly, congratulations! When you dis-covered that you had won the Pritzker Prizehow did you eel?RN: We were very surprised!
CH: The Pritzker Jury Citation highlightsyour singular architectural language thatsprings rom a collaborative process that isboth unique and inspirational . How does thiscollaboration with Kazuyo Sejima and yourother colleagues work?RN: We dont make dierent roles or eachother but try to work all the time in an evenway. We have never worked alone and al-
ways invite a ew other architects to workon each project and then we all work to-gether extensively.
CH: Which o your projects best denesSANAAs architecture?RN: This is dicult. I love each project soI cant give some priority between them.They are all, kind o, my kids. For each pro-
ject we try to do our best with an individualprogram and specic environment.
CH: Beore setting up SANAA what were yourdesign infuences and which architects orteachers infuenced you most?RN: To me, actually, Kazuyo Sejima is oneo the biggest infuences and Toyo Ito con-tinues to infuence me very much as well.
CH: How do you adapt your ideas and conceptsto dierent places, particularly as SANAA isnow working on an international basis?RN: A very dicult question. The localenvironment is the important thing orus to drive a project. We love to go to thesite rst or the atmosphere, then several
more times to develop a uller understand-ing.
CH: Can you eplain your interests and pre-erences in terms o choosing materials?RN: I work with many dierent materialssuch as metal, wood, concrete and brick.Actually, we oten use metal constructionbecause its very light and can give a trans-parent eeling, but is also strong.
CH: With the New Museum in New York, whatwere the intentions and process in selectingthe transparent, silver colour metal aadematerial?
RN: Because the New Museum programneeded to be enclosed by an opaque wallor exhibitions and the building had to bevery tall 50 m or so its kind o a sky-scraper. So, we started thinking about howwe could give a transparent eeling or nu-ance to the aade. This is one reason whywe had the double layer o metal mesh togive some transparency and a eeling odepth.
I wanted a museum which is very closeto the city, with material reerences oundlocally. Bowery Street was a very roughstreet where actories used to be located
with metal air conditioning boxes outside. Ithought this kind o local industrial eelingcould be transormed in our design. Themetal mesh on our building looks to mevery industrial - kind o normal, a city-sidematerial.
CH: Do you epect SANAA to continue to growas an architectural practice more projects,more oces, more people?RN: This is a very important discussion orus. I dont want to grow the oce so bigthat we have 100 people this sounds tome dicult to manage so to me the maxi-mum would be 50 or 60.
CH: How would you summarise your ap-proach to design?RN: Keep it simple!
CH: Do you see any specic trends developingin architecture internationally?RN: I have seen so many dierent move-ments happen in the world. In the States,computer orientated design is becominga big movement, and then in Europe I seesustainable architecture leading the way.We cant choose just one aspect as we haveso many dierent directions, so many di-
erent issues to discuss.CH: And nally, not talking about architectureany more, what other interests do you have?Where do you go to rela?RN: I have my home where I can eel com-ortable and maybe aeroplanes! Travel-ling gives me an opportunity to rereshmysel. I love being at the airport alone,
just waiting or the gate to open watchingthe people around me.
By Chris Hodson
I love each project
so I cant give some priority
between themthey are all,
kind of, my kids
Photo: Anna Hllams
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Here, metals architecturalpotential is showcased withinfuential buildings, novel ap-plications and new techniques.Both locally based and inter-nationally renowned architectspresent their work and debatethe latest innovations in aadedesign. Previous key speak-ers have been Kengo Kuma,William Zahner o A.ZAHNERCOMPANY, Dominique Per-rault and Jacob van Rijs oMVRDV.
This year, PLT10 was held inMalm, Sweden, at the centreo the impressive dockyard re-development and overlookedby Santiago Calatravas iconic54-storey Turning Torso resi-dential tower. Key speakerswere 2010 Pritzker Prize Win-ner Ryue Nishizawa o SANAA(interviewed opposite) andBruce Nichol (interviewed onpage 16), a ounding partner oFront, one o the worlds lead-ing acade consulting rms.
ALL ABOUT METALSThe PLT events are organ-ised by sa Ragnarsson (Farrom standard) on behal o
PLT10
an association o the leadingcompanies supplying the mainarchitectural metals: steel,zinc, aluminium and copper(represented by Luvata). Anadditional partner is the pro-essional organisation repre-senting Swedens sheet-metalworkers with almost 1,000member companies. The eventalso hosted a presentation othe 2010 Swedish sheet metalworkers awards, recognisingthe importance o cratsman-ship in realising architectsdesigns.
There were presentations byour Scandinavian architects,each describing the role playedby a dierent metal in deningthe design and perormanceo their projects. ke Brisvallo ke Brisvall Arkitektkon-tor talked about aluminium atHamnens hus (a new customshouse) or the port o Kalmar,a modern take on marine ar-chitecture. Holse ArkitektersPeter Holse presented theZink House, a sculptural, tiltedblock o 60 luxury apartmentsin Copenhagens Nordhavn.Then, the heat-refective capa-bilities o steel sheet or roosand walls to reduce operatingcosts were highlighted by ArneLudvigsson, City Architects,Borlnge.
COPPER IN THE OFFICECopper was represented byJose Eder o General Archi-tecture discussing the copperaade o his Skellete Kratbuilding (eatured in Cop-per Forum 28/2010). Ater theevent, Chris Hodson caught up
THE ARCHITECTURE OF METALS
Every year some 300 architects, contractors and consultantsrom around Scandinavia and beyond - come together or amajor event to celebrate the use o metals in contemporary
architecture.
Photo: Chris Hodson
with him at his Stockholm o-ce and was surprised to nd acomplete section o the build-ings aade inside. Jose ex-plained: When it comes to thecopper wall, we liked the ideao having a ull scale samplein the oce. During the wholeprocess, particularly in theearly design stages, we try todo ull scale tests o joints andobjects in the oce and there-
ore we have a small carpen-ters shop here. We try to workwith sturdy materials in all ourprojects and since we have alot o experience o copper a-ter the Skellete build we wantto use that knowledge in otherprojects too.
Next Spring, PLT11 will be held inStockholm. Visit http://plat10.se/or more inormation.
Photo: ke E:son Lindman
Inside the Stockholm oces o General Architecture.
Photo: ke E:son Lindman
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CH: Front has been described simply as e-perts in putting it all together. Is this a goodsummary?BN: There is a lot more to it than that. Wetry to enable our clients whether theybe designers, owners, abricators or con-tractors to achieve the design intent o aproject. So, we add value wherever we can.
We dont have a restricted or limited palleto materials and we try not to restrict ouractivity.
CH: So, is the New York Times descriptionhigh priests o details too precise?BN: Could be but I quite enjoy that one soI wouldnt like to retract it!
CH: Could you just briefy outline your col-laborative process with architects?BN: On a typical project we are commonlyasked to contribute on a technical basis system design and mechanical and struc-tural engineering and then to advise on
detailing, abrication and method o pro- ject delivery including construction advice.Occasionally we are invited to contribute ina more ormally creative way. Perhaps tooer opinion on material choices or coloursor proportions in a more conventional ar-chitectural sense and since were largelyarchitects we greatly enjoy that. But i thatisnt the case then we try to be creative withwhatever tools we have.
CH: What are your interests and preerencesin terms o materiality and the epression omaterials and structure?BN: My interests are, I suppose, charac-terised by material and structural honesty.I dont particularly enjoy trying to makesomething look like what its not, or try todeny its existence. I like to recognise ma-terials and to let them look beautiul in their
own way, so metals that patinate naturally Ireally enjoy.
CH: Can you tell us something about youreperience with copper acades?BN: Well, copper has had somewhat o arebirth I think in recent years. One gen-erator o that rebirth has been Herzog &de Meuron, who have used copper in someinnovative and perhaps counter-intuitiveways. It is quite dicult to perceive thescale o some o their buildings due to theplay o light on, and through, the coppercladding. The way that they have ormedsuraces, pressed them, embossed them,
punched them is ascinating.Weve become involved in similar uses
o copper too. We have one on-going pro- ject in Boston with Renzo Piano BuildingWorkshop; the Isabella Stewart GardnerMuseum, which is clad in pre-patinatedcorrugated copper to beautiul eect. An-other interesting example is a speculativedevelopment in New York by Flank Ar-chitects with sharply detailed mill-nishcopper acades. (Both projects are dis-cussed on page 17).
CH: Looking specically at metal acades,what do you see as the latest developments,opportunities and innovations today?BN: I see new metal ormation techniques.Im interested in the way metals can be giv-en surace geometry and were getting intosome quite sophisticated means o orm-
ing unusual geometrical and non-standardshapes. And there are applied nishes - notnecessarily paint systems but things thatare slightly more sophisticated and sub-tle, dierent coatings that can give metalsgreater longevity and a certain nish qualitythat is unusual and very seductive. We seedierent iridescent nishes being appliedto metals that make them subtly beautiul:it is oten hard to tell what a certain metalis, and they can transorm under dierentlighting conditions.
CH: Do you see any specic trends develop-
ing in architecture generally today?BN: One trend that springs to mind isorm nding. Architects have been tryingto discover new orms and design in anorganic way. At rst this was a little mis-guided. Computer sotware kind o reedup the architect to invent new shapes, butthe shapes werent rational and so theywerent readily buildable. There was a loto, what I call, blobby architecture that wasreally quite ugly. But we have seen thatbecome more and more rational, perhapsderived rom pure geometry and then ex-tracted, extrapolated, made into somethingbuildable. Forms based on engineeringrst principles that can be accurately de-scribed, turned into proper structures andconstructed.
CH: What other interests do you have awayrom work and where do you go to rela?BN: Well, I do something that I love. But I tryto entwine my work and outside interests.I very much enjoy the arts and i I can workon buildings that are art institutions, evenbetter. Then I can also enjoy and learn romthe artists that use them.
THE HIGH PRIEST OF DETAILIn his second interview at PLT10, Chris Hodson met Bruce Nichol - a British architectand ounding partner o Front, the New York based specialist in architectural aade
systems. Bruce has previously worked with Foster + Partners, and Renzo PianoBuilding Workshop. Front is a cross-disciplinary group o creative individuals thatcollaborates with many leading architectural practices on numerous innovative andoriginal projects, including SANAAs New Museum discussed earlier.
THE ARCHITECTURE OF METALS
Photo:AnnaHllams
Copper has had somewhat
of a rebirth in recent years
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Renzo Piano Building Work-shops design or a major ex-tension to a late 19th centuryItalianate palazzo embracesa central horticultural theme
with its extensive greenhouseand surrounding landscaping.The new buildings our vol-umes will be clad with crystalclear glass or maximum vis-ibility and opaque natural ma-terials brick and copper.
The desire or an organic, liv-ing green nish with depth andvibrancy led naturally to cop-per and Renzo Pianos earliercopper Padre Pio Church wasthe starting point. Renzo Pi-ano takes a tireless approachto investigating materials and,working with Front as an in-
termediary, rigorous designand research was carried outon the aade cladding, whichpassed through several itera-tions. The eventual outcome
is a ventilated rain-screensystem utilising specially pre-patinated copper sheet with adistinctive corrugated prole.It is a very lustrous green and,because the surace is undu-lating, it will take on slightlydierent shades and coloursover its surace on each aceo the building - and that willchange gradually over time aswell. Samples and elevationmock-ups have been erectedand tested, and the cladding it-sel is due to be erected on siteat the end o this year.
This speculative, 12-unit de-velopment by Flank Architectsneeded to appeal to its poten-tial market and, at the same
time, respond to its contextwith a thoroughly contempo-rary architecture based on lo-cal reerences. The aade ismodulated with protruding andreceding elements pushingand pulling as a play on themassing typical o bay-win-dowed traditional housing inthe area.
Fronts aade design uses a4 mm composite sheet with amill nished copper outer ace
which will continue to workwell visually, alongside nearbyred brick and brown stone, asit patinates over time. Dier-ent techniques were exploredto achieve the crisp, squarecorners and a V-cut and old
APARTMENT BLOCK, WEST 12TH STREET, NEW YORK
ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM EXTENSION, BOSTON
THE ARCHITECTURE OF METALS
method decided upon. Thecomposite panels provide sti-ness over span, with impor-tant re protection and noise
reduction characteristics. Thecopper composite panels orma rainscreen system supportedby steel posts and rails creat-ing a drained and ventilatedspace behind (see Copper inDetail on page 18).
The crisply detailed design intent shown in visualisations, such as that above,has been realised in the completed building.
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APARTMENT BLOCK FACADE, WEST 12TH STREET, NEW YORK
A development mock-up highlight s the aade orms. A steel suppor t ramework is used or the copper acade. The suppor t ramewor k, still visible during construc
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Chocolate Boxes
AustriAn chocolAte maa ha a
pd a w pd pa ad v
hgaa bd w sp v gwg
wk p. T amy b a a g-m
mmm qay ad fd k,
mpay bdg dg by Aa a
cp hb ad p-paad pp
w w d, mb ad ga x.
Te building is set in an enterprise park close to a residential
area and its design aims to open out into its environment,
rather than enclose its activities. Te building is on a south-
ern slope, with a wonderul panorama o downtown Sopron
and specic unctions are organised using level changes.
Mechanical and storage areas are on the lowest, copper-
clad level inset into the hill. Te main production areas and
cantilevered visitors centre and ca occupy the intermedi-
ate oor, then a copper box containing ofces crowns the
building.
Visitor circulation is separated rom the production areas,
developed using two distinct volumes - both white rendered.
Te production box is cut into the copper clad lower sto-
rey, while the slightly elevated visitor centre and ca box is
cantilevered out and more open, with glazing on two sides
to maximise views. Te pre-patinated copper cladding is
detailed with a horizontal emphasis, presented as bands o
varying widths, carried straight across service doors as well
as acades. Te building successully combines the unction-
al demands o conectionary manuacture with light and
inviting public spaces where the history and production o
chocolate can be showcased and visitors can relax.
Based on an article by Zoran VukoszavlyevArchitect: Architekt Dipl. Ing. Christoph Huber (awarchitekten, Vienna)
Contact architect in Hungary: Architekt Dipl. Ing. Gbor rpd Kiss, SopronBuilt: March 2008 June 2009
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Michael Kemp considers the Blackheatharea o London to be his home, continuingto live and work there ater many years.Blackheath is an inner suburban area osoutheast London, characterised by large19th century villas with generous spacearound them. Although oten challengingin terms o obtaining permission or de-velopment, the spaces between originalhouses present opportunities or new de-
velopment, as Michael Kemp explains:I bought the site without planning per-mission ater others had ailed on twooccasions to obtain consent or a singlehouse and developed a mirrored pair osemi-detached homes or sale.
Each o the two levels ollows a di-erent plan geometry, with open livingareas downstairs, contained by near semi-
GOING GREEN IN BLACKHEATHBritish designer and property developer Michael Kemp used his previous
experience with copper at his own home to create maximum impact with
pre-patinated copper street elevations on a development of two new houses.
circular walls. The upper level has morerectilinear areas or sleep and work, witha bow-ronted balcony, highlighted by pre-patinated copper cladding supplied by KMEUK. Michael Kemp continues: It is proba-bly unusual to use pre-patinated copperor a small scale residential development.I wanted to use the material mainly becau-se o the uncompromising colour but alsobecause o its historical associations with
London buildings. This, together with thelime render, gives I believe a timelessquality, managing to be both traditio-nal and contemporary at the same time.The pre-patinated copper was chosen orkerb appeal and certainly was largely re-sponsible or attracting the considerableinterest rom potential purchasers: in act,one o the houses has already been sold.
Upper Floor Plan
Lower Floor Plan
By Chris Hodson
Photo courtesy o KME UK
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Actually, I had used copper some years earlier on my own home,nearby in Blackheath. This building also sits in open space nextto an older house but takes a dierent approach. It is all on onelevel and a planted green roo was chosen to suggest the housewas carved out o a hillside. This was also the justication orthe rough Portland stone cladding and large pieces o ammoniteossil can be seen incorporated into the stone. Contrasting withthe living roo is a shallow copper dome - the only part which isvisible rom the entrance gates. The copper adds a gravitas tothe dome and links it with the older house: with hindsight, I justwish that I had used pre-patinated copper here as well.
COPPER DOME
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Michael Kemp attended the amous Goldsmiths Collegein London during the early 1960s and studied ne ar t. Hehas spent most o his lie as a urniture designer and be-spoke maker based at his own small workshop below thecopper dome at his home. Although not an architect, hedesigns houses simply as a larger piece o urniture andalso acts as both the builder and developer.
Michael Kemps own home with its unusual plan (above) incorporates a copper dome (below).
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The Villa is part o the international CIPEA
architecture exhibition located in the vicinity
o Nanjing in Pearl Spr ing Tourist and Holiday
Resort. The exhibition has been set up by
architect Arata Isozaki rom Japan who also
acts as the exhibition curator. The exhibitionbuildings wind round the lake surrounded
by hills o great natural beauty. Four public
buildings have been constructed in the
area: the Club House has been designed
by Ettore Sottsas rom Italy, the Museum
o Contemporary Art by Steven Holl andthe Congress Center by Isozaki himsel. In
addition to these, there are twenty villas by the
lakeside designed by ten Chinese architects
and ten architects rom dierent parts o the
world, such as SANAA Architects rom Japan,
Mansilla & Tunon rom Spain, Odille Deque
rom France, Sean Godsell rom Australia and
Ai Wei Wei rom China. The Villas are designed as holiday residencesand serve as guest studios or artists,
accommodation space or amilies, and as
acilities rented to groups and corporationsor meetings and seminars or or use as work
rooms. In practice the Villas are like small
landscape hotels about hal an hours drive
rom the centre o Nanjing.
By Matti Sanaksenaho,architect
Area: 800 m2
Volume: 2 700 m3
Client: Nanjing Siang EducationalEnterprise, China International PracticalExhibition o Architecture
Main design and architectural design:Architects Sanaksenaho Arkkitehdit Oy:Matti Sanaksenaho architect SAFA, PirjoSanaksenaho architect SAFA, Maria Isotupaarchitect SAFA, Jaana Hellinen architectSAFA, Tommi Terst architect SAFA, NatsukoWakimoto student o architecture
Structural drat designs:Insinrotoimisto Matti Ollila Oy:Tero Aaltonen, MSc in Engineering,
Design period: 20032004
Construction period: 20082011
Photos: Matti SanaksenahoSanaksenaho architects
CIPEA VILLA Nanjing, China
Concept drat
Northeast acade
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View rom the lake, a conceptual image
Southeast acade Northwest acade
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The Villa designed by us is located very centrally,
on a small cape at the beginning o the exhibition
round. The role o the building is to enorce the
surrounding nature and bring it close. The Villa
protrudes rom the cover o the orest toward the
lake, embracing the water and the view. From the
outside the end o the building is like a Chinese
lantern refected on the lakes surace.Entrance to the building takes place via a narrow
bridge leading to the lounge foor, which is the
most public level o the Villa. The meeting room
can be joined together with the dining room by
opening the sliding door. The recreation room
with an open replace and the lounge have views
towards the lake. The bedrooms are located on
the lower foor and the two-storey master suite
on the ground level serves also as a guest studio,
which extends to the lake as a private pier. The
roo terrace, which is accessed rom the entrance
courtyard like Villa Malaparte, oers a pleasantarea complete with granite fooring and a replace
or outdoor relaxation. The terrace has views
towards the lake, with the silhouette on Nanjing
seen in the horizon. The load-bearing rame has
been built o in-situ concrete and the cladding
material o the Villa is Finnish pre-patinated
green copper.
The starting point o the architecture o the Villa
is lie in harmony with nature, with the built-up
environment in dialogue with ree nature. The
Villa is being reerred to as the boat house due
to its shape and location on the shore.
Overview o the area
Site plan
Section Completed aade Roo terrace, a conceptual image
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External staircase to roo terrace
Ramp to roo terrace
Plan drawing, roo terrace
Plan drawing, third level
Plan drawing, second level
Plan drawing, rst level
Plan drawing, basement
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interactiveconnecting
a white skin wrapping itthe wires as a mathematical game
The Kendalls Hall project is a conversion o a
protected, historic building in London, built in
1849 as the Hampstead Parish Workhouse,converted into a hospital in 1915 and then into
houses and fats by a developer in 1987 beore
being purchased by the current owner and cli-
ent who commissioned this reinterpretation
by Serrano Evans Par tnership. The architects
aspiration at Kendalls Hall was that the ar-
chitecture and interior design should provide
a coherent, calm and elegant backdrop to the
challenging provision o 6 bedrooms and 6
bathrooms and that the circulation spaces
became the animated and inspiring links be-
tween them. The project is a complete exam-ple o their holistic approach to architecture
and design, explored and expressed through
both the spatial experience o moving through
the house and the design and detailing o the
elements; rom the overall concept o inter-
connections and views, through to the individ-
ual pieces o urniture that the architects were
also commissioned to design at Kendalls Hall.
Serrano Evans Partnership is a London-based Architectural andDesign practice interested in exploring and questioning the bound-aries between design, architecture, ashion and movement. Thepartnership was ormed in 2005 between Ana Serrano and ElanthaEvans ater meeting whilst working or Richard Rogers Partner-ship / Estudio Lamela on the award-winning Madrid Barajas Air-port, Spain. Serrano Evans is an international practice, with recentand current projects in Asia, Europe and the UK, o varying scales rom an Airport in Tyumen, Russia, to house and urniture design,and installation / per ormance at Londons Tate Britain.
Their Kendalls Hall project has inspired andhosted site-specic perormances, art lmsand a high-ashion photo shoot, and when pre-sented to the public as part o Londons OpenHouse Weekend 2009, it was received withsuch enthusiasm that it was invited to appearagain in 2010. A photograph o the stair has re-cently been included in the 50 years o LondonArchitecture exhibition at the Mall Galleries,with Serrano Evans included as one o theUKs up-and-coming young practices.
ABOUT THE ARCHITECTS
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BRONZE STAIRCASE, KENDALLS HALL, LONDON
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Renovation of the clock tower
at Helsinki railway station
Text by: Esko Miettinen, Photo: Eark
The architectural competition orthe design o the station buildingwas opened in 1904. A total o 27 en-tries were received, and Eliel Saarinentogether with Herman Gesellius wonthe competition. The entry submittedby Sigurd Frosterus was ranked sec-ond and greatly inuenced Saarinens
implementation. The construction pe-riod o the station was quite long aterthe competition. Finland became anindependent nation in 1917.
The railway station is a central land-mark in terms o architecture andtownscape in the centre o Helsinki.The building has undergone severalreurbishment projects, but the exte-rior architecture has remained quite
unchanged and in the original orm.The railway station is one o the mostsignifcant buildings designed by ElielSaarinen in downtown Helsinki. Thebuilding is recognised as a nationalmonument, also internationally.
The renovation o the clock tower atthe Helsinki railway station started
in 2009 and was completed in March2010. The clock tower was reurbishedin many ways during the project. Allthe ca. 3800 granite stones o theclock tower were dismantled, cleanedand re-laid. The joints between thestones were reapplied. The clock acewas cleaned, the clock mechanismserviced and the minute points gilded.The lighting system o the clock was
replaced. The copper surace o theclock tower was replaced with newpre-patinated green copper cladding.
The tower renovation project is animportant visible reminder o how sig-nifcant the buildings that representthe frst phase o modern architectureare to the townscape o Helsinki.
Eliel Saarinen emigrated to theUnited States in 1923 and continuedhis successul career as an architectthere. His son, architect Eero Saarinen(19101961) took over rom him as anacknowledged international designerin the USA.
The main railway station o Helsinki was built in 1919. It was designed by one
o the most acknowledged Finnish architects; Eliel Saarinen (18731950).
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Helsinki Music Centre emerges
Faade on Tlnlahdenkatu street, with Parliament House in background.
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Helsinki Music Centre, scheduledor completion in 2011, is takingshape in downtown Helsinki. The
main aade materials includepre-patinated copper and glass.
Marko Kivist, Ola Laiho, Mikko Pulkkinen, architects SAFA
Views rom Parliament House.
31
The architects behind the competition entry or Helsinki Music Cen-tre, a mezza voce, were guided by the view that new developmentshould enhance the integrity and calm general expression o thearea. The building has been integrated in the coordinate system oits surroundings making two sides o the main mass o the build-ing parallel with Finlandia Hall and the Parliament House, while thetallest part o the main mass continues on the level o the east wallsurace o Karamzin Park. The tallest parts have also been locatedas close to the green zone as possible to continue the impression opublic buildings in a park. The transparent glass side o the MusicCentre displays the unctions o the building and at the same timeconnects it with the newer buildings and newer architecture o theeast part o the area. On the street sides the more solid, peroratedcopper cladding pre-patinated in green colour seeks to connect withthe buildings o Etu-Tl area and the green park volume.
The Parliament House is part o the square composition and theview rom the stairs down towards the parks and urther to the Par-liament House is open. The inclined deck o the lower building part,treated like a park, descends towards south making space or theindependent architecture o the Contemporary Art Museum Kiasma.
On Mannerheiminkatu Street level a pedestrian and bicycle roadruns rom the entrance square along a lawn plane towards Kiasma,while a path or pedestrians winds down to the event square onTlnlahti level. The square has been designed or public outdoorconcerts and similar events that can be watched rom the inclineddeck above. Events taking place inside the Music Centre as well as in-ternational music happenings can sometimes be shown on the videoscreen erected in the square.
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HELSINKI MUSIC CENTRE
Architectural competition 1999-2000.The winning entry a mezza voce was submittedby LPR Architects
Actual development decision in 2008
Architectural designMarko Kivist, Ola Laiho, Mikko Pulkkinen, Architects SAFAAcoustic designNagata Acoustics, Yasuhisa Toyota
Structural designVahanen Oy, Matti Ollila
Floor area 36000 m2Volume 25000 m3- main hall 1700m2- ive small concert halls with 140400 seats- artist and practice acilities or two symphony orchestras- teaching acilities or Sibelius Academy
Main contractorSRV Viitoset
FaadesTerselementti
PhotosOla Laiho and Eark
FaadesThe massing o the building is based on the winningentry in the competition. Helsinki Music Centre is lo-cated in the joint area o the rectangular ParliamentHouse and the more ree-orm Etu-Tl area, andthis is refected in its coordinate system. The aadematerials o the building are copper and glass.
The detailing o the copper cladding on the aadeis built on small-scale abstract patterning based ona vertical rhythm. The patterning has been designedseparately or each aade panel, but in line with thegeneral design o the aade in question.The vertical patterning consists o patinated copper
cladding, while a perorated surace is used as thebackground or the pattern. The patterning has beenimplemented with great care.The colour o the patinated copper cladding is sot
bluish green. On macro scale the general appearanceo the copper surace is light and it also varies ac-
cording to sunlight and the direction o light.The aades have primarily been realised withpre-patinated 1.5 mm copper sheeting, each sheetpatterned separately with a compression techniquebeore erection. The sheets are attached on the rameusing a composite installation technique.Some areas o the composite aades, such as the
areas o ventilation openings, have been coated withhand-patinated 3 mm massive copper panels.The aades refect a controlled impression, which
has been technically demanding to implement.The glazing o the lobby areas o the Music Centre
was in most parts implemented as point-xed glaz-
ing.
By Esko Miettinen, architect SAFA
A detail o the copper aade; the tower o the National Museum (Eliel Saarinen) isrefected on the aade o the Music Centre.
Music Centre seen rom Hakasalmi Villa (Helsinki City Museum).
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A detail o the perorated copper aade.
.
1 Music Centre2 Event Square3 Kiasma Artmuseum4 Parliament House
Tl, Nervanderinkatu Street. Music Centre, site plan.
Tl, Tlnkatu Street.
The town plan o the Etu-Tl and Taka-Tl areas in Tl, ratied in 1917, is in essential parts based on the winning entry o architects Gustav Nystrm and LarsSonck in a competition in 1906. The plan was supplemented with architect Bertil Jungs plan or the Central Park in 1911. The town plan has been supplemented at sev-eral stages, but the or iginal spirit o the plan has been preserved and developed each time modern building projects have been implemented. Examples o such projectsinclude the building o the Social Insurance Institution o Finland designed by Alvar Aalto, and the Temppeliaukio Church designed by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen.
Town plan o Tl area and Music CentreThe town plan o the Tl area o Helsinki has been ratied on 10October 1917. The street grid and the space structure o the townplan have clearly been infuenced by Camillo Sittes thoughts.
Camillo Sitte (18431903) was a Counsellor o Building and theDirector o the Vienna State Polytechnic School. In 1889 he pub-lished a book titled Der Stdte-Bau nach seinen knstlerischenGrundstzen, which was translated into English as City Build-ing According to Artistic Principles. It was published in threeidentical editions, the last one in 1901.
Sitte paid attention to the artistic content o the urban space, itsaesthetics. The street grid and the space structure o the townplan o Tl refect these thoughts. In the Etu-Tl area thestreet grid and the space composition are adapted to the contourso the terrain but are still based on a controlled rhythm, whichdepicts the unctionality o the space series.Sitte highlighted the opportunities that the unctional aesthetics
o an irregular and ree-orm town space oer or urban buildingwithout underestimating the easibility o a town space based onrectangularity as a tool or urban planning.
The Tl town plan determines the nature in terms o the townspace o the part o Etu-Tl located on the side o the Parlia-ment House, west o the present Mannerheimintie Road. Thetown plan indirectly describes the opposite side o Mannerhei-mintie Road with its park-like sections and industrial estateswhich towards the end o the 20th century were converted into anarea o cultural unctions.
Helsinki Music Centre is located in the joint area o the rectan-gular Parliament House and the more ree-orm Etu-Tl areaand this is refected in its coordinate system.
Esko Miettinen, architect SAFA
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Last years swine u crisis highlighted the
role that touch suraces, such as door han-
dles, can play in the spread o inection,
acting as reservoirs o inectious pathogens
just waiting to be transerred to the next
hand. Hand washing and regular cleaning
are the two preventative actions recom-
mended but recontamination is always just
a touch away: germs can survive on com-
mon materials such as stainless steel, plastic
and aluminium, or days even months. o
prevent this, architects are now speciying
Antimicrobial Copper touch suraces or
healthcare buildings, where inection pre-
vention and control are key concerns.
COMPELLING EVIDENCETe scientic evidence or coppers antimi-
crobial efcacy is compelling: research at
the University o Southampton has demon-
strated coppers exceptional efcacy against
the headline-making pathogens MRSA,
C. difcile, Inuenza A and E. coli. Inter-
estingly, results have shown that copper
has unmatched efcacy, outperorming
silver-containing antimicrobial materi-
als. Copper has also been put to the test
in a clinical trial at Selly Oak Hospital inBirmingham, in which requently-touched
suraces such as taps, toilet seats, light
switches and door urniture were replaced
with copper equivalents. Te results showed
an impressive 90100% reduction in con-
tamination on these suraces compared to
controls, and a subsequent Department o
Deense-unded project in the US backed
up the ndings earlier this year.
COPPER KEEPING DISEASE AWAYThe UKs Copper Development Association (CDA) is at the oreront o promoting research
and development into the antimicrobial eects o copper. CDA Director Angela Vessey
discusses the implications or interior design, architectural ironmongery and fttings particularly in healthcare buildings. But this unique capability o copper could have much
wider implications or the design o all types o buildings.
It is not just pure copper that has antimi-
crobial properties bronzes, brasses, nickel
silvers and copper-nickels are efcacious
too. In act a landmark registration in 2008
led to nearly 300 copper alloys being recog-nised by the US Environmental Protection
Agency as the rst solid materials eligible
to be marketed with public health claims
including a 99.9% reduction o the 6 tested
bacteria within two hours (MRSA, Staphy-
lococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli O157:H7.
and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus
aecalis).
copper showed an impressive 90100%
reduction in contamination
With a range o dierently-coloured cop-
per alloys available to suit dierent designs
and applications, and coppers exceptional
environmental credentials, its little wonder
high-prole healthcare projects are already
incorporating copper. For example, a cut-
ting-edge acility at Shefelds Northern
General Hospital was designed with the
goal o setting the gold standard or inec-
tion prevention, and Antimicrobial Copper
door urniture was specied throughout in
a bid to reduce the risk o healthcare asso-
ciated inections in particularly vulnerable
patients. Here, Dr Frank Edenborough,
Consultant o the Shefeld Adult Cystic
Fibrosis Centre wanted to create an environ-
ment to meet both the clinical and personal
needs o patients: a ward that would com-
bine key inection prevention measures
with a comortable and appealing environ-
ment to mitigate the boredom o sometimesvery prolonged stays.
WIDER APPLICATIONSRecognising coppers beauty as well as its
antimicrobial properties, a piece o copper
artwork was commissioned or the clinic,
which will greet patients, sta and visitors
when they enter. Te artwork is by promi-
nent, London-based metal smith Adaesi
Ukairo, who has a long-standing love o
working with copper and its alloys. I was
originally drawn to copper or its malleablequalities and its ability to patinate beauti-
ully, and it rapidly became the material o
choice to evoke my designs, she said. It
was the perect material to embark on an
ambitious design or a 2 metre-long wall
piece or the clinic. My intention is or the
piece to act as a window, allowing the view-
er to soar through a landscape, transported
momentarily as they enter the clinic.
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35COPPER ARCHITECTURE FORUM 29/2010
The interior potential or copper in healthcare interiors is not just limited todoor handles and ttings. In Japan, architect Ken Takahashi clad the wallso a ever clinic in brass, a gold-coloured alloy o copper beneting rom itsantimicrobial properties.
It seems almost too good to be true, and yet its proven to work
Dr Edenborough explains the role copper will play: In
a bid to set the gold standard or inection prevention
in Cystic Fibrosis, we elt that copper could make an
important contribution towards minimising surace
contamination rom hands or coughing, killing po-
tentially dangerous pathogens in between cleans and
augmenting rigorous hygiene protocols. It is our hope
that, in this way, copper will help reduce the risk o
inections.
Common materials such as plastics may look clean,
but they have no inherent antimicrobial efcacy, ex-
plained Rebecca Haverty o Race Cottam Associates,
the project architects. Antimicrobial Copper can help
to ght inection, so we were very keen to use it. It
seems almost too good to be true, and yet its proven
to work. Te range o alloys available means any pro-
ject can gain rom the benets o copper. We chose to
use an almost pure copper to make a statement, but a
nickel-silver nish would look good too.
Te copper industry has developed a uniying brand
name, Antimicrobial Copper, and symbol to help
designers look out or products that are made rom this
most eective touch surace material.
More inormation can be ound on the dedicated
website: www.antimicrobialcopper.com
Artwor k by Adaesi Ukairo, to be installed at the ward entrance.
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36 COPPER ARCHITECTURE FORUM 29/2010
HERE, FORM FOLLOWS NATURE
RATHER THAN FUNCTION
Text by Hannele Kuusisto and Chris Hodson
Dipoli 40-years onReima and Raili Pietils Helsinki University Student Union Building
Dipoli in Otaniemi is an icon o modern architecture. Although causing
controversy at the time o its construction in the 1960s, or an apparentrejection o accepted modern movement orms, it is today one o Finlands
most highly valued buildings. With an extensive use o copper cladding as
one o its natural materials, Copper Architecture Forum revisited Dipoli
to see how it had changed over time and to discuss it with Raili Pietil.
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THE CAVEMENS WEDDING MARCH
The town plan or the area was produced
by Alvar Aalto in 1949. The Dipoli building
resulted rom a design competition, won
by husband and wie Raili and Reima Pi-
etil in 1965 - their rst project together,
called the Cavemens Wedding March.
Critics have commented that the archi-
tects turned their backs on the modern
movement and unctionalism, in avour
o a more romantic response to the build-ings natural surroundings. It is set in an
archetypical Finnish landscape with tall
pine trees and rugged rocks. However, the
design satises the unctional aspects o
a complex programme, in particular act-
ing as a link between living and teaching
buildings with a strong diagonal route
acting as the dynamic generator o the
A NEW ARCHITECTURAL LANGUAGE
Reima Pietil was certainly regarded as
an innovator and developed a new archi-
tectural language at Dipoli with a timelessquality, integrating the building with its
surroundings. The ree-orm, deeply over-
hanging roos with copper edges seem
almost to span between the trees, walls
merge with the rock landscape and enes-
tration works to the rhythm o the trees.The design or Dipoli was the result o end-
less discussions and keen observation o
plan orm. This diagonal separates recti-
linear, unctional areas to the north rom
the common areas to the south which take
on organic shapes responding directly to
the topography. Here, orm ollows nature
rather than unction.
the surroundings by the Pietils. The land-
scape and its colours and textures played
a key role in the extensive use o natural
materials such as rock and timber. Large
boulders were hewn rom the surround-
ings and stacked high by the walls o the
building. Rock is also used inside which,
together with the large windows, draws
the landscape right inside the building.
Many acades are copper-clad using
narrow strips laid irregularly, almost liketimber boarding. In addition to Dipoli, Tam-
pere City Library called Metso and the
Mntyniemi Presidential Residence are
among the best-known buildings in Fin-
land designed by Architects Pietil and
copper plays an important role in dening
the architecture o them all.
Floor Plan
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The choice o copper or the Dipoli aade
was a well thought out decision and natu-
ral changes in the material over time were
considered rom the start. Today over
orty years later Raili Pietil still regardscopper as a vibrant, beautiul and endur-
ing material as the acades o Dipoli start
turning green little by little. The act that it
took this long beore patination got under-
way shows that the air is clean and unpol-
luted, despite its proximity to the sea and a
major city. Raili Pietil sees the patination
o copper simply as part o the cycle o lie,
like the graying hair o an ageing riend.
She considers Dipoli to be her avourite
amongst all the copper works designed by
the Pietils.
Architects: Raili and Reima Pietil
Photos: Joonas Pirhonen
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Inspirational architecture
and design with copper from
Austria Belgium
Czech Republic Denmar
Finland France
Greece Germany
Holland Hungary
Italy Luxemburg
Norway Poland
Russia Spain
Sweden Switzerland
United Kingdom