Parliament’s entrance Canton Grisons

Jordi Costa — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 09:02:42 +0000

Architects: Valerio Olgiati Photography: Valerio OLgiati Archive Construction Period: 2008-2010 Location: Chur, Switzerland

The new entrance to the Grisons parliament building, designed by Valerio Olgiati, is the result of a successful competition proposal. The main objective of the competition was to make the entrance of the parliament building handicapped accessible. According to the architect, his solution provides the building itself and the institution it houses with a suitable identity and a sumptuous, refined character. The main parts of the intervention consist of white, monolithic in situ concrete. To obtain the white concrete, white cement was mixed with white sand and gray gravel from the local area. A vast canopy, slightly projecting over the edges of the building, covers the access ramp.

The canopy has a width of 18 meters and a weight of 90 tons. It is supported by a massive, elliptical-shaped slab of concrete and a single slender pillar of square crossection. The elliptical-shaped slab is slightly angled in relation to the facade of the parliament building, and hides the entrance door. This slab is conceived as a hanging pillar, barely touches the floor and appears to hang from the canopy. The walking surface of the access ways has been roughened. The railings of the new entrance are ade of massive bronze profiles.

Text provided by the architect.

La entrada Parliament’s entrance Canton Grisons se publicó primero en Global Spaces.

Pearling Site

Jordi Costa — Sun, 26 Jun 2022 13:20:50 +0000

Architects: Valerio Olgiati Photography: Valerio OLgiati Archive Construction Period: 2019 Location: Muharraq, Bahrain

The site contains ruins that form part of the UNESCO Pearling Path. The entire building functions as the entrance to the cultural heritage and the foyer for the medina. It is an urban room for the people of Muharraq with the scale of a public park. Concrete elements are placed along the property boundary to form a new locus in the dense city.

A large space is created in which a forest of columns and wind towers hold a horizontal plate 10 meters above ground. A roof, understood as an archaic gesture, donates vital shadows for the people of Muharraq in this very hot climate and produces a new and unique situation through its different scale.

Slightly set back in the shadow is an enigmatic house in which the museum of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage is located. As a totality, the building creates a universe in itself that is the entrance for the Pearling Path and the city beyond.

Text provided by the architect.

La entrada Pearling Site se publicó primero en Global Spaces.

Valerio Olgiati archivos - Global Spaces

Parliament’s entrance Canton Grisons

Pearling Site