Foster + Partners have won the competition to design the new headquarters for Chinese e-commerce firm
Alibaba in Shanghai. The building has been designed to “showcase the company’s working culture to the
public” – situated at Xuhui Riverside, it provides views of the Huangpu River and the Pudong CBD. It is
formed around a central space that opens up to create a large public urban room. This design creates an
“active social core,” with viewing terraces overlooking the central space as well as the building’s principal
entrances opening onto it. The building is also designed to be extremely transparent, allowing people a
glimpse into the world of Alibaba as well as preserving views to the outside. The project will utilise offsite
production for quality control, reducing wastage, and minimising on-site operations to create an efficient
construction programme.
ALIBABA HEADQUARTERS, SHANGHAI
FOSTER + PARTNERS
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French architecture practice Moreau Kusunoki
and Genton (as local architect) have designed the
new Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia.
The architects said: “We envisage the new
Powerhouse as a ‘hyper-platform,’ a building with
many functions and limitless potential. The design
will open up towards the river, providing public
space and creating an open 24-hour precinct.”
The project will include 60 residential studios,
which will look to attract leading researchers,
scientists and creatives from across Australia and
around the world, while also providing ongoing
opportunities for students. The project is said to
be the largest investment in arts and cultural
infrastructure since the Sydney Opera House.POWERHOUSE MUSEUM, AUSTRALIA
MOREAU KUSUNOKI/GENTONTurkel Design Studio has designed a new private
apartment in Palm Springs, California. Designed
and built according to prefabricated construction
systems and technologies, Axiom Desert House is
characterised by a pillar and beam construction
with a large open room that opens onto a private
courtyard. “The house is a modern oasis that
offers perfect transitions between indoor and
outdoor spaces, making it ideal for life in the
desert, while it can be replicated through sites
and variable climates,” said the architects. The
architects experimented with materials, including
Canaletto walnut handles on the guest bathroom
sink, and a sculptural fan made of carbon fibre in
the lounge.AXIOM DESERT HOUSE, CALIFORNIA
TURKEL DESIGN STUDIO© Chase Daniel© Moreau Kusunoki30WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK ADF FEBRUARY 2020
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