A "SHAMIANA" FOR A FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

THE CLIENT, LIKE ALL OTHERS WHO WANT TO MAKE A SUPER-SHOP, INITIALLY THOUGHT OF RENTING OUT FLOOR SPACE IN AN EXISTING SHOPPING MALL------THE RESULT WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE IN MANY.

THE SUPER-SHOP IS FOR LIGHT FIXTURES, LIGHT IS A POWERFUL THING, ARCHITECTURE IS REVEALED IN LIGHT. WE THOUGHT THAT THIS STRUCTURE MUST CELEBRATE THIS.

THE SITE IS A CORNER PLOT. WE WERE GIVEN THE PARKING SPACE AND GARDEN OF AN OLD BUILDING TO WORK WITH. IT HAD SOME BEAUTIFUL LARGE TREES ON ITS SOUTH SIDE, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE SHADE AND ALSO BECOME A BEAUTIFUL BACKDROP.

THE PROGRAM OF THE PROJECT WAS SUCH THAT THE TOTAL SITE DID NOT NEED TO BE COVERED SO IT CALLED FOR A BEAUTIFUL STATEMENTAL PLACING OF THE BUILDING.

SINCE THE BUILDING WAS BUILT ON A LEASE OF LAND BASIS WE NEEDED TO COME UP WITH A STRUCTURE THAT COULD BE ERECTED QUICKLY AND ALSO WILL NOT BE A LARGE INVESTMENT TO WRITE OF AT THE END OF ITS TERM. THIS CALLED FOR A NEW VISION OF A BUILDING.

WE CONCEIVED THE STRUCTURE AS A " SHAMIANA" IN A FIELD TO HOLD A FESTIVAL OF LIGHT. FOLDED PLANES OF STEEL THAT RISE TO HOLD THIS EVENT. A GLAZED FAÇADE CAREFULLY ORIENTED TOWARDS THE NORTH AND NORTH EAST SO AS TO HAVE ALMOST NO HEAT GAIN, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM EXPOSURE TOWARDS THE ROAD. THE SITE IS RECONSTRUCTED, AND THE CORNER IS DISSOLVED……… POWERFUL DELIBERATE LINES MAKE THE SITE AND BUILDING ONE. . A PLAZA CALLS AND GREETS, AND THEN DIRECTS ONE TOWARDS THIS CELEBRATION.ONCE INSIDE ONE FEELS TRULY LIKE IN A "SHAMIANA", THE STRUCTURE DISSOLVES, A CONTINUOS SPACE -----CONTINUOUSLY IN DIALOGUE WITH THE EXTERIOR , SERVES TO CALM THE OBSERVER, SO THAT ONE CAN TAKE TIME TO DECIDE, AND DOES NOT FEEL RUSHED. A SANCTUARY IS CREATED AWAY FROM THE RUSH OF THE CITY, THE STRUCTURE CONTROLS LIGHT SO THAT NO DIRECT SUN ENTERS AND CAUSES GLARE , BEAUTIFUL; DIFFUSED LIGHT FROM THE NORTH CLADS THE FIXTURE WITH A SOFT GLOW SO THAT WHEN THEY ARE LIT UP THEIR OWN CHARACTERISTICS SHOW.AT NIGHT THE STRUCTURE BECOMES A TRUE CELEBRATION OF LIGHT. ITS COMPOSED FAÇADE LIGHTS UP LIKE ARTWORK. ITS PURPOSE BECOMES EVIDENT.

THIS BUILDING NOT ONLY BECOMES A PLAY OF SITE AND STRUCTURE AND ITS ARCHITECTURE SETS A NEW ERA IN OUR CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE, BUT ALSO CAREFULLY ADDRESSES CLIMATE , VIEW, APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY, AND OBJECTIVE.