Surprise! Niemeyer puts Avilés on the map.

where: Avilés, Spain
who: Oscar Niemeyer
what: International Cultural Center

Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, at age 103 (yes, still at work!), is soon to inaugurate an International Cultural Center in the northern town of Avilés, Spain, opening its doors to the world. Some already call it the "Niemeyer effect", as its impact attracts celebrities (and their support) around the globe: like Stephen Hawking, Brad Pitt, Paulo Coelho, Woody Allen, and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and also promises to position the town as home of the top ten cultural spots in the world.

The decision was to create a new site to host the Principe de Asturias annual awards, which honours leading figures in science, arts, or public service (Niemeyer was awarded in 1989), building an open public space where, in Niemeyer's words, "social meaning is more important than architecture itself"

His unique and simple architecture can be vastly seen, among all, in Brasilia, the capitol city of Brazil, where his modern architecture is mostly recognized and applauded (because of quality and quantity), in Manhattan, New York (the UN headquarters with Le Corbusier) and gladly, in years to come, in the Argentinian city of Rosario.

I admit I like his words more than his work (his architecture in the "formal" point of view). Formally, I think and feel different. Maybe because of the excesive use of reinforced concrete, the monumentality, the heaviness, the immense dry areas that usually surround his buildings (as he says: "clean terrain emphasizes architecture"). But all this is nothing when it comes to "living" his architecture. I had the privilege of visiting his museum in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and experiencing the richness of the inside spatiality. A dome, a ramp, and a big hole in the ground was all he used.

Long live Niemeyer!

What's with the twins at Puerto Madero?

where: Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires, Argentina

The developing neighborhood in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires's most previliged and expensive area, has a peculiar characteristic: many projects are conceived as twin tower complexs. I haven't studied the reasons that explain this particular repetition, but I'm sure the clue to this must have to do with building code's: height restrictions (airport nearby), elevated FOT (total occupation factor) and low FOS (land occupation factor) per square feet of land.
This means: build a lot of square feet in a small portion of land and up to determined height. This helps reducing horizontal mass area and therefore, avoids the generation of dense barriers, that alter views and create big shadowed areas.

This is how Puerto Madero, the "twin tower neighborhood", looks.

Let's look closer...

Still under construction, and the one's I like most, Madero Harbour. by Pfeifer-Zurdo arquitectos.

The slit-like corners turn a glassy bulk tower into a lightweight building.

The highest (171.8 m), Torres Renoir, by Robirosa, Beccar Varela, Passinato

Great terraces and last generation technology with the "domotization" of services and electronics at Torres Mulieris, by Justo Solsona of M/SG/S/S/S.

The first built in Puerto Madero: Torres River View by Camps & Tiscornia

The triplets: Torres Le Parc Puerto Madero, by Estudio Aisenson

The "linked" towers: El Faro, by Dujovne, Hirsch & Asociados

The ones with the gap: Torres del Yacht by Fernandez Prieto y Asoc and M/SG/S/S/S

Will Aslop. Ontario College of Art & Design

map: 100 McCaul St, Toronto, ON M5T 3K4, Canada

After reading interviewed British architect and artist Will Aslop, I couldn't help posting his work.

COLOR as architectural element, DEMOCRACY in the process of elaborating the project and SELFISHNESS in the final decision making, describe his architecture and the way he moves.

In my previous post, regarding Herzog & de Meuron's works, I wrote about their constant innovation and how they reinvent themselves in each project. This is what Aslop says, and I quote him as to deepen my thought:

"I like architects who always defy people’s expectations. It doesn’t mean I like what they do, but when their work is done, it will have presence, and it will be a strong part of the fabric of what the city could be. For example, I like Jean Nouvel’s work because I don’t know what he is going to do next. But if you show me a site where Zaha Hadid is going to build, I can try to predict how that building is going to look and, chances are, my prediction will be 70% accurate."

try the whole interview

• Ontario College official site
• Aslop official site