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Quai 9
From a distance, the outer shell of Quai 9 resembles an alien spaceship which has landed in the town of Lanester in north-western France. But on closer inspection, the facade is clearly composed of a series of triangular shapes which evoke the white sails of the boats that have been the lifeblood of this area for centuries. The name Quai 9 reflects both the maritime heritage of the region, and the fact that Lanester was established as an independent town in 1909.
Architect Cécile Moga (MOG Architects) Location Lanester, Lorient (France) Company involved Elval Colour Website www.elval-colour.com -
China Pavilion - Shanghai Expo
One of the most striking pavilions at last year’s Shanghai Expo came, appropriately, from the home country. It was obvious immediately that it was Chinese, through both the inverted pyramid of its shape, with strong horizontals, and the bright red that is immediately reminiscent of monuments such as Beijing’s Forbidden City. The horizontals, with ends cantilevering a short distance beyond the supporting elements below, pay homage to one of the most typical forms in traditional Chinese architecture, interlocking ‘dougong’ brackets. These were always realised in timber but here, in this modern interpretation, are clad in aluminium.
Architect South China University of Technology Institute of Architectural Design (He Jingtang) Location Shanghai - China Company involved Hunter Douglas China Website http://www.hunterdouglasgroup.com -
Maison Commune Emploi Formation
The Maison Commune Emploi Formation (MCEF) building hosts nine different organisations which provide training and employment services for jobseekers in Rodez, a town in the south of France. A public building, the MCEF has 3,680 square metres of floor space housing offices, meeting rooms, and social spaces. Situated in a neighbourhood just outside the historic centre, the building is surrounded by shops and residential structures from different periods and architectural styles.
Architect Lacombe - De Florinier Location Rodez (France) Company involved Umicore Website www.umicore.com