AD Classics: National Congress / Oscar Niemeyer

Located at the head of the abstract bird-shaped city plan by Lúcio Costa, and as the only building within the central greensward of the eastern arm of the Monumental Axis, the palace of the National Congress (Congresso Nacional) enjoys pride of place among Oscar Niemeyer’s government buildings in Brasília. The most sober of the palaces on the Plaza of the Three Powers, the National Congress reflects the strong influence of Le Corbusier, while hinting at the more romantic and whimsical forms that characterize Niemeyer’s trademark Brazilian Modernism.

“I Want to Get Down to the Roots of Things”: Interview with Kim Utzon

Kim Utzon started his small architectural practice, Kim Utzon Arkitekter, in Copenhagen in 1987, choosing to work primarily in Denmark and neighboring Sweden, to keep close ties with family and be able to reflect effectively on regional building traditions. Kim is the youngest son of Jørn Utzon (1918-2008), the Pritzker Prize-winning architect whose most celebrated buildings include the Sydney Opera House (1973), Bagsværd Church near Copenhagen (1976), and the Kuwait National Assembly Building (1982). Kim’s brother Jan Utzon is a practicing architect and his sister Lin Utzon is a ceramic artist.

House in San Nazzaro / Wespi de Meuron Romeo architects

The house is designed for a family of four people. The irregular outer form of the building is determined by the shape of the plot and the respective border distances. A clear rectangle is inscribed in this irregular form, which corresponds to the heated interior living space; on the valley and mountainsides, inner courtyards are located in front of the living space.

Genbudo Park / CASE-REAL

The rough rock surface has a large wavy pattern with countless ripples. A hard wall can be seen with hexagonal rock cross-sections in layers. "Genbu-do Park" in Toyooka City, located on the west side of Hyogo Prefecture, is a nature park where visitors can see the characteristic geological features called "columnar joints" that developed roughly 1.6 million years ago when the magma cooled and solidified. This project was a redevelopment plan for this park, which has been a scenic spot for many years, in conjunction with the transition to charging admission for visitors. The most discussed issue throughout the planning process was how to enable visitors to experience the power of the columnar joints, also known as "nature's sculptures". Another issue was the balance between the degree to which existing elements of the park should be retained and new elements should be added.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Follow Us On