Malmström Edström were along with three other architectural firms invited by to a parallel assignment to create a concept for future railway installations and maintenance buildings. The aim of the assignment was to find a design concept with a high architectural standard.

The Maintenance Depot Of The Future, render courtesy Malmström Edström Arkitekter Ingenjörer

The Maintenance Depot Of The Future, render courtesy Malmström Edström Arkitekter Ingenjörer

Jernhusen – the client – owns and develops stations, maintenance depots and freight terminals along the Swedish railway. The background to Jernhusen's initiative is that rail travel increases in Sweden. This means that the transport operators are expanding their fleets of vehicles and there is an increased need for depots for maintenance. Jernhusen has high ambitions in this development.

The Maintenance Depot Of The Future, render courtesy Malmström Edström Arkitekter Ingenjörer

The selected concept for the building design is volumes added to each other in order to illustrate the content – a number of elongated railway tracks. This implies a moderate scale, whereas the large buildings are subdivided. The volumes are of variable slope in relation to each other, they cooperate to an expression of speed and movement.

The Maintenance Depot Of The Future - Sectional 3D, drawing courtesy Malmström Edström Arkitekter Ingenjörer

Malmstrom Edström was selected for further cooperation with Jernhusen. The office is now working with a proposal to an initial depot for Hässleholm in the south of Sweden.

The Maintenance Depot Of The Future, render courtesy Malmström Edström Arkitekter Ingenjörer

The Maintenance Depot Of The Future - Design concept, drawing courtesy Malmström Edström Arkitekter Ingenjörer

+ Project credits / data

Project: The Maintenance Depot Of The Future
Location: Sweden
Architect: Malmström Edström Arkitekter Ingenjörer | http://www.malmstromedstrom.se/
Client: Jernhusen
Typology: Transportation

+ About Malmström Edström Arkitekter Ingenjörer

Malmström Edström Arkitekter Ingenjörer is an architectural firm based in Gothenburg. The staff consists of 12 architects and engineers.

A great part of the projects the office has worked with is the results of competitions and parallel assignments. The projects include cultural buildings, libraries and residential buildings. The office also works within the field of urban planning.

+ All images and drawings courtesy Malmström Edström Arkitekter Ingenjörer

International architecture and interior design firm dwp designed the Crystal Design Center Phase 1 in Bangkok, Thailand. The Crystal Design Center is a modern design facility that would be the bench-mark for Thailand's creative industry.

Crystal Design Center Phase 1, image courtesy dwp

Crystal Design Center Phase 1, image courtesy dwp

dwp achieved true design excellence by transforming the space through organic shapes enhanced by the use of indirect multicolor lightings. The white backdrop mixed with bold colours unites the spaces to creating a fun, unique and entertaining environment for designers.

Crystal Design Center Phase 1, image courtesy dwp

The state-of-the-art library was also included into the design agenda with the modern library focusing on the "Enhance Communication" theme that would emphasize the subject of hi-tech. The creation of a central escalator feature would be the most striking attribute where dwp designers would blueprint the library's arrangement around. Every area of the library is curved and this is highlighted in the ceilings wavy characteristics.

Crystal Design Center Phase 1, image courtesy dwp

Each of the meeting rooms are themed based on famous designers around the world with iconic furniture design. Thisallow CDC's users to choose their preferred room & designer to feel the difference in space characteristics as they meander through the Crystal Design Center.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Crystal Design Center Phase 1
Architect: dwp | design worldwide partnership | http://www.dwp.com/
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Size: 4,830 sqm
Completion: November 2009
Typology: Culture

+ About dwp

From small, voracious, entrepreneurial beginnings, since 1994, dwp has flourished into an award-winning, one-stop integrated design service, with global reach. Even in the most challenging of locations, over 450 multi-cultural professionals work together to deliver architecture, interior design, planning consultancy and project management, across borders, to the highest international standards.

dwp is as passionate about delivering innovative, visionary design solutions, as they are about working in close collaboration with their clients. Their multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural teams unite to provide a wealth of expertise, experience and know-how, in today's ever-changing, fast-paced and challenging environments. Their solid reputation and definitive successes are continually enhanced by an innate ability to mobilise international resources and guarantee the highest levels of quality and service.

dwp integrated design services are divided into three distinct dwp portfolios, namely lifestyle, community and work, encompassing, managed and driven by the different dwp studios across the globe. dwp portfolios and studios ensure dwp delivers each project with the qualities of a highly focused and specialised service, while offering diversity, flexibility and creativity over a broad spectrum.

dwp creates unique, memorable and compelling spaces, structures and environments, with the utmost respect for sustainability and their clients' architectural, interior design, functional and spiritual aspirations. dwp embraces every challenge with equal fervour and flexibility, playing their part in shaping the future. Thorough research and enquiry into each and every stage of every single project ensures they maintain exacting levels of knowledge and understanding. With vast international and award-winning experience, dwp is an efficient, dedicated and service-oriented team, proudly presenting their best iconic designs, time and again.

As architects and designers, dwp is central to the process of planning and building cities, communities and the spaces within. dwp feels a strong sense of duty to demonstrate leadership in striving for economically viable and environmentally sustainable solutions, together with its clientele. Sustainability is an integral part of the dwp brand, with many LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design – the internationally-recognised, green building certification system) accredited professionals, reaching out to people and their well-being. dwp is also a member of the non-profit organisation USGBC (United States Green Building Council), dedicated to sustainable building design and construction. dwp acknowledges and addresses its commitment to sustainability in both design processes and business practices, and works toward achieving 'Climate Neutral' solutions, as well as giving back to the community.

+ All images courtesy dwp

Christopher William Adach has designed the Totem – LED Floor Lamp. The lamp is inspired by tribes cultures and African art. It is made from three independent elements, which could be manual arranged. Base horizontal grooved prism contains first Led system for middle part. Middle part is a plain once in which second, independent LED system is built in. Top element is a multiply disc's like prism. The main materials are black and white transparent acrylic with plain gloss finish. Additional base option is English walnut.

General dimensions: 400mm x 400mm x 1510mm

+ Designer: Christopher William Adach | http://www.adach.co.uk/

Totem - LED Floor Lamp, image courtesy Christopher William Adach

Totem - LED Floor Lamp, image courtesy Christopher William Adach

Totem - LED Floor Lamp, image courtesy Christopher William Adach

Totem - LED Floor Lamp, image courtesy Christopher William Adach

Ben van Berkel / UNStudio’s Galleria Centercity in Cheonan – "If museums are turning into supermarkets, why then should department stores not turn into museums?"

The Galleria Cheonan responds to the current retail climate in Asia, where department stores also operate as social and semi-cultural meeting places. Because of this, the quality of the public spaces within the building was treated as an integral aspect of the design.

Ben van Berkel

Eye Shopping – Re-conquering the public domain within a commercial destination

UNStudio‘s Galleria Centercity Department Store in the Korean city of Cheonan reclaims the social and cultural space within the private, commercial large scale department store.

Galleria Centercity, image courtesy UNStudio | photo by Christian Richters

Galleria Centercity, image courtesy UNStudio | photo by Christian Richters

Rather than being the outcome of a prescriptive, standard-critical approach, the design of the Galleria Centercity is based on observations of current behavioural tendencies in large commercial spaces. Particularly in South East Asia, department stores serve a highly social function; people meet, gather, eat, drink and both shop and window shop in these venues. The department store is no longer solely a commercial space, it now offers the architect the opportunity to build upon and expand the social and cultural experience of the visitor. If today we are seeing the museum as a supermarket, then we are also now seeing the department store as a museum.

Galleria Centercity, image courtesy UNStudio | photo by Kim Yong-kwan

Galleria Centercity, image courtesy UNStudio | photo by Kim Yong-kwan

An expanded interpretation of utility beyond efficiency and profitability is at the heart of the design. In view of this, along with a more varied programme, UNStudio's design seeks to provide a stimulating experience for the visitor.

On the outside, this is translated into an appearance that is almost impossible to fix. The double layered facades are articulated in a trompe l'oeuil pattern of vertical mullions. The vertical lines on the façade make the scale of the building unreadable; does it contain three floor levels, or fifteen? On the inside, this play with scale and dimension is continued in a way that is at least as radical as the outside. Upon entering, the department store is revealed as a layered and varied space which encourages investigation and unfolds  as you move through and up the building.

Programmatically, the Galleria Cheonan incorporates a number of cultural and public spaces, including an art and cultural centre and a vip room. In the basement, a food court and specialty supermarket constitute another distinct destination within the building, which is simultaneously integrated with the overall design strategy.

Galleria Centercity, image courtesy UNStudio | photo by Kim Yong-kwan

Cheonan –New city development as platform for innovation

Situated some 80km south of Seoul, Cheonan is well connected to the capital by railway and road, with a  new high speed rail link having recently been completed. The area around the new high speed terminal is under development and – prominently visible from the main road – the Galleria Centercity marks the entrance to this new development area.

The most interesting thing to me about the effect of the Galleria Cheonan is that, because of the organisation of the atrium and the moiré treatment of the facade, Illusions are created which result in the seeming alteration of scales and the creation of double images. No image is permanent in this building.

Ben van Berkel

Galleria Centercity, image courtesy UNStudio | photo by Christian Richters

Galleria Centercity, image courtesy UNStudio | photo by Christian Richters

Dynamic Flow and optical illusion on a grand scale

The main architectural theme for the Galleria Cheonan is that of dynamic flow. This is found both inside and outside. The architecture of the 66,000 m ² building responds to its central position by presenting a deliberately changeable aspect all-around. Moiré effects, special lighting and animations ensure that the outside changes appearance constantly.
The double layered facade encloses the building, with a number of strategic openings incorporated into the inner facade layer.These openings provide daylight to the interior. At the same time, the lamellas of the outer façade prevent direct sunlight from entering the building, ensuring a cooler environment, while the use of white finishes throughout the interior minimises the need for artificial lighting.

Galleria Centercity, image courtesy UNStudio | photo by Christian Richters

The interior derives its character from the accumulation of rounded plateaus on long columns. The repetition of curves, enhanced by coiled strip lighting in the ceilings of the platforms, gives the interior its distinctive character. Four stacked programme clusters, each encompassing three storeys and containing public plateaus, are linked to the central void. This organisation propels a fluent upstream flow of people through the building, from the ground floor atrium to the roof terrace. As the plateaus are positioned in a rotational manner in space, they enable the central space to encompass way finding, vertical circulation, orientation and act as main attractor of the department store. The spatial and visual connections within the space are designed to generate a lively and stimulating environment, in which the user is central.

Galleria Centercity, image courtesy UNStudio | photo by Kim Yong-kwan

Media facade – The largest illuminated surface of its kind in the world

The strategy for the building enclosure consists of creating an optical illusion. During the day the building has a monochrome reflective appearance, whilst at night soft colours are used to generate waves of coloured light across the large scale illuminated surface. The lighting design was developed in parallel with the architecture and capitalises on the double layered facade structure. Computer generated animations specially designed by UNStudio are incorporated into the lighting design and refer to themes related to the department store, such as fashion, events, art and public life.

Galleria Centercity, image courtesy UNStudio | photo by Kim Yong-kwan

Place branding – not name branding

Rather than creating a platform for a multiple billboard effect made up of individual brand identities, the thematic animated content of the fully integrated media façade facilitates a more holistic and site-oriented  urban approach to branding.

Galleria Centercity - Double layer facade, drawing courtesy UNStudio

Galleria Centercity - Facade concept, drawing courtesy UNStudio

Galleria Centercity - Knot Axon, drawing courtesy UNStudio

+ Project credits / data

Project: Galleria Centercity, Cheonan, South-Korea
Client: Hanwha Galleria Co. LTD
ARCHITECT: UNStudio, Amsterdam | http://www.unstudio.com/
Design team: Ben van Berkel, Astrid Piber with Ger Gijzen, Marc Herschel and Marianthi Tatari, Sander Versluis, Albert Gnodde, Jorg Lonkwitz, Tom Minderhoud, Lee Jae-young, Woo Jun-seung, Constantin Boincean, Yu-chen Lin
Interior: Ben van Berkel, Astrid Piber with Ger Gijzen, Cristina Bolis and Veronica Baraldi, Lee Jae-young, Felix Lohrmann, Kirsten Hollmann, Albert Gnodde, Martijn Prins, Joerg Lonkwitz, Malaica Cimenti, Florian Licht, William de Boer, Eelco Grootjes, Alexia Koch

EXECUTIVE ARCHITECT/ SITE SUPERVISION/ LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

GANSAM Architects & Partners, Seoul, Korea
Design team: Kim Tai-jip, Han Ki-young, Nam Myung-kwan, Yoon Chang-bae, Park Seong-beom, Kwon Na-young, Nam Young-ho
Interior: Lee Seung-youn, No Se-hyo, Ryu Hee-won, Na Min-hee

CONSULTANTS

Façade Consultant: KBM Co. LTD
Light Designer: a.g. Licht, Bonn, Germany
Content Programmer:    Lightlife, Berlin/Cologne, Germany
Way-finding Designer: Geerdes Ontwerpen, Delft, Netherlands
Visuals: UNStudio, Amsterdam and rendertaxi, Aachen
Structural Engineer: Kopeg Engineering
Electrical Engineer: Ilshin E&C
Mechanical Engineer: Sahmwon MEC
Civil Engineer: CG E&C

CONTRACTORS

Main Contractor: Hanwha E&C Co. LTD
Façade contractor: ILJIN UNISCO, Korea
Interior: Joong Il, Won Intertech, Artifort, Gawon, Creid, Hanmi, Sangwon S&D, and  Daehye

PROJECT DETAILS

Location: 521-3 Buldang-dong, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea
Program: Retail | Department Store with parking garage, supermarket and food court, restaurants, kids' café, VIP lounge, art center and cultural center and roof top terraces
Site Area: 11,235m2
Building Area: 7090 m2
Gross Floor Area: 110,530.73m2
Building Coverage: 63.30%
Floors: 6 below grade, 10 above grade
Structure: Steel-concrete composite columns, floor: steel structure with concrete slab.
Photographers: Christian Richters & Kim Jong-kwan

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