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| United Kingdom | News | Ramboll project wins Experimental category at 2009 World Architecture Festival | Print page | Send to a friend |
 09 November 2009
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The World Architecture Festival is intended to celebrate the best in international architecture. The idea is to bring together architects from across the world to share best practice, gain insight on key issues facing the architectural community and stimulate future collaboration.
Various Architects project leader Ibrahim Elhayawan explains: “The client set a tough brief. The structure had to be capable of being erected within two weeks and when demounted it had to fit inside a reasonable number of shipping containers for transportation across the world. It also had to be of the highest quality architecturally.” The team set out to design a lightweight and easily transportable venue that will fit into 30 containers when demounted, while also creating a unique and iconic structure. The aim is to provide a distinctive environment for the public and artists alike, with state of the art surround sound systems and projection screens. The resulting lightweight steel, aluminium and inflatable fabric tube structure encloses an area larger than a football pitch, making the structure the largest mobile event venue in the world. Effectively composed of a kit of parts, small sections of the structure can be erected as self-stable entities and hired out for smaller events. The central performance space (2000m2) will hold a standing audience of 3,500 people. Possible configurations include the use of portable stadium seating and conversion of the central screen area to a stage for live performances. Ramboll director Stephen Melville added: “Collaborating with Various has been enormous fun and we’ve all learnt a great deal in the process, which makes this award all the more deserved.” The winners were announced at an award ceremony in Barcelona on Thursday 5 November and Various Architects founders Jim Dodson and Ibrahim Elhayawan and Ramboll director Stephen Melville were present to accept the award. |
