The
Music Centre at White City - biographies of architects
Foreign
Office Architects, London
FOA
are amongst the leading emerging practices in Europe and bring an
innovative approach to the integration of landscape and buildings.
While
their work is highly sculptural and evocative, their designs emerge
from a rigorous analysis of the brief and functional programme.
The
practice has completed an impressive new Ferry Terminal with landscaped
public areas and cruise liner facilities at the heart of Yokohama
Bay in Japan.
The
23billion Yen Yokohama Ferry Terminal is one of a number of projects
that blur the edges between the building and landscape, creating
a seamless link between the external public areas and internal spaces.
FOA
has a number of important commissions under construction in Europe
including a new park in Barcelona, an auditorium building in Torrevieja
and a Police headquarters in La Villajoyosa.
The
practice is currently working on a number of recent major commissions,
including large scale office developments in Spain and the Netherlands
and a Publishing Headquarter in Korea, Technology Transfer Centre
and Social Housing in Spain.
The
practice was one of the architectural practices to be shortlisted
for the design of the new World Trade Center in New York and has
recently been shortlisted for the design of a new Pompidou Centre
in France.
Within
the UK, they completed the award winning design for Belgo Restaurant
chain in Notting Hill Gate and have recently been involved in a
string of shortlisted competitions.
Their
most recent successful competition entry is the Master Plan design
for the Lower Lee Valley and the London Olympics, which they did
as part of a consortium headed by EDAW and HOK.
Major
exhibitions include a retrospective at the TN Probe Gallery in Tokyo
(2003), the British Pavilion at the 8th Venice Biennale (2002),
a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, New York (2000), at
the Ministerio de Fomento, Madrid, Spain (1998) and at the Architectural
Association, London (1996).
A retrospective
show on their work will open at the ICA, London in November 2003.
The
work of FOA is widely published in periodicals. A recent monograph
on the work of the practice has appeared as part of the El Croquis
series and previously as part of the 2G series.
A major
publication on the Yokohama Terminal has been published by Actar.
Future
Systems, London
Future
Systems, founded in 1979 by Jan Kaplicky and Amanda Levete, is established
as one of the UK's most innovative architectural practices.
Winners
of the Stirling Prize for Building of the Year for the NatWest Media
Centre at Lord's Cricket Ground, their work includes cutting edge
designs for Comme des Gar莽ons and Marni in New York, Tokyo,
Milan and Paris.
With
the recent opening of their acclaimed design for Selfridges in Birmingham,
Future Systems reputation has moved to a new level internationally.
They
are currently working on a subway station in Naples in collaboration
with the artist Anish Kapoor.
Ushida
Findlay Architects (London/Tokyo)
Ushida
Findlay was established in 1987 . First successes of the practice
were a series of extraordinary houses in Tokyo, including Echo Chamber(1998-1989),
the Truss Wall House (1990-1993), Soft and Hairy House (1992-1993).
The
first UK commission was the design of the key landmark building
for 'Homes for the Future' in Glasgow, which was part of the city's
Year of Architecture programme.
Recent
successes have included the Poolhouse in Southern England, Kasahara
Community Centre in Japan and offices for Cladyon Heeley Jones Mason,
in London.
In
2002 the practice won two prestigious competitions, one for an ultra-modern
3,600m2 country house in Cheshire and another for a landmark Visitor's
Centre in Hastings.
Currently,
Ushida Findlay are commissioned by the government of Qatar to design
an international costume museum on the site of Al Koot fort in Doha.
They
are also designing futuristic homes for the Qatari royal family.
Zaha
Hadid
Born
in Baghdad in 1950, Zaha Hadid studied architecture at the Architectural
Association from 1972, where she was awarded the Diploma Prize in
1977.
Zaha
Hadid is an architect who consistently pushes the boundaries of
architecture and urban design.
Her
central concerns involve a simultaneous engagement in practice,
teaching and research.
Hadid's
built work has won her much academic and public acclaim.
Her
best known projects to date are the Vitra Fire Station in Weil am
Rhein, Germany (1993), a housing project for IBA-Block 2 in Berlin,
Germany (1993), the LFone Pavilion in Weil am Rhein, Germany (1999),
the Mind Zone at the Millennium Dome in Greenwich (1999), a Tram
Station and Car Park in Strasbourg, France (2001), a Ski Jump in
Innsbruck, Austria (2002) and most recently the Rosenthal Centre
For Contemporary Art in Cincinnati, US (2003).
Currently
on site are two arts buildings - Rome and Copenhagen - a building
for BMW in Leipzig, implementation of a master plan in Singapore,
a Science Centre in Wolfsburg and a bridge in Abu Dhabi.
A new
ferry terminal in Salerno, Italy and Maggie's Cancer facility in
Fife are soon to follow.
Three
recent commissions include: a masterplan for the Zorrozaurre ex-
docks district of Bilbao, Spain; a new High Speed Rail Station in
Napoli-Afragola, Italy (2003) and the Department de l'Herault Culture
Sport Building in Montpellier, France.
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