GeomeEKAtria
Estonian Academy of Arts
Design
Concept
“Push
& Pull” forces: The building resembles a game of “push &
pull” forces, since it will host different faculties and disciplines
under the same cover. These dynamic forces become furthermore evident the
higher the building gets, forming a spiral in movement which finally disappears
in the sky.
This concept has arisen from our intention to deal with the Academy of Arts
as a special building, that could bring together the spirit of the old town
of Tallin and at the same time be a completely contemporary solution of architecture,
forming a new landmark for the city. This spiral effect also creates the notion
of an urban node, which was one of the purposes of the design competition.
Courtyards as continuity of public urban space.
Ice cracks as a poetic entry of light.
Illumination and ventilation:
There are two courtyards, one in the building of phase 1 and one in the building
of phase 2, which is where the oak tree will eventually be placed. These courtyards
give illumination and ventilation to the internal classrooms and to other
facility rooms, like the gallery and the shop on the ground floor, the cafeteria
and the computer labs on the first floor, and finally the common used spaces
of the different departments.
The courtyards on each floor are of a different size, always following the
direction of displacement of the tree. This gives an interesting scheme in
the section of the building, because the displacement creates small terraces,
each of different size, with up a whole series of events by giving a richer
perspective and brings more life to the building. They can serve as an outside
space in the summer, or as plant holding. The spiral of a winter storm has
left these holes in the frozen ice in relation to several cracks, that run
on the deck, on the inside facade and on the pavement of the ground floor.
Finally, we thought about the idea of ice cracks that would bring the light
through reflection, as a proposal for illuminating the workshops at the basement
floor. The sky lights on the pavement of the ground floor will be an assemblage
of cut glass, where you will not see completely through, but you will get
a glimpse of what is happening underneath. The same concept is used over the
stairs strip.
Facades:Geometric patterns with parametric data
The facades come from the geometric pattern of placing the volumetric plan
of the building vertically. This has given us a component, which then will
be proliferated on a grid which is created by the chosen structure. At the
same time this pattern shows a certain similarity to the geometric knitting
patterns, a folk art tradition of Estonia. We have taken this pattern and
have given it our own interpretation.
Using the parameter of natural illumination needed according to the internal
uses of the building, we created diagrammatic images of the facade using bright
color indicating the spaces that need more light and dark for the ones that
they don´t need. Using this images and translating the colors to heights
we created a matrix that we use in order to place the eight selected final
components (from the totally opaque, to the totally transparent).
