Bjarke Ingels Group, a Danish firm that is excelling in the fields of architecture, urbanism, research, and development. This upcoming firm has made its name in the industry through jaw-dropping and compelling ideas, especially in building skyscrapers. They are paving a new way to understand them. Their central idea revolves around practical utopian architecture that is breaking the walls of the monotony of today’s ideas. They are urging the architects to once again find freedom in their thoughts to change the surface of our planet to fit better in the contemporary world.
Philosophy for the Skyscrapers
To Bjarke Ingels architecture is not the end but the way to make a better tomorrow with loads of possibilities. Bjarke Ingels Group masters the idea of sustainable design by not compromising it with life pleasures. The skyscrapers often integrate green technology without losing the basic idea of comfort and aesthetics. They don’t want to stick to the rigidity in the form rather like the freedom in architectural ideology which makes it easy for them to build the mind-blowing structures with
such finesse. Each of their skyscrapers narrates a story about the city they built in and its environment. It tells us about the integration of the public sphere in their skyscrapers and how they blend with the surroundings.
How BIG is exploring the world Skyscraper?
Creativity is born when two conflicting ideas collide with each other, building something phenomenal. Bjarke Architects have reinvented the definition of skyscrapers all around the globe. A fine example of this is the residential building (officially known as ‘Via’) known as a court scraper in New York City.
Their main idea was to combine two different building typologies to create a hybrid of contemporary forms. It is the perfect blend of the European courtyard block and the American skyscraper. The Via building exploits the advantages of both typologies and combines the design into one. The compactness and efficiency of a courtyard provide good ventilation and beautiful vantage points of a skyscraper. The three corners are low and the fourth corner is elevated to a height getting a good view of Hudson River from the courtyard itself.
Yet another fascinating and significant design of the BIG Architects is the Arlanda Hotel which dates back to 2007. The project is on hold after the schematic design phase. The façade design is unique in its way. The idea is to represent royalty on the surfaces of the Arlanda Hotel. It is derived from the architects’ point of view of Stockholm itself. It is designed on an artificial topography, which lays the foundation for a triangular prism. The prism contains hotel rooms and their service spaces, and space around the building includes the public spaces and official areas like administration and hotel facilities.
The building is designed in a way that it can be seen from all sides. The ornamentation of the building is done by creating solid cuts on the surface and putting transparent windows in it to let the sunlight enter inside the rooms and also for ventilation purposes. This also adds a level of dynamism in the design giving rise to a rhythmic movement as well.
All these examples tell us about how BIG’ defines their skyscrapers and what makes them unique. Their holistic approach to architecture is wholesome making the user feel important and providing them with comfort. It provides them with a future of a peaceful combination of nature and technology which helps in community building.
The Selling Point of the Skyscrapers
The selling point of these skyscrapers lies in their unique design and their ideology. They are not just the monotonous high-rise buildings that are being built everywhere on a large scale. They stand out because they can rethink how the cities and buildings are tackling principles like sustainability, livability, and increasing human interaction. These skyscrapers are not just places to inhabit or work but they are lifestyle solutions that are solving urban challenges through their pragmatic utopian solutions.
Article Sources:
https://metujfa.arch.metu.edu.tr/index.php/jfa/article/view/2015.1.10/31
https://www.architectmagazine.com/firms/bjarke-ingels-group-big
https://archipreneur.com/how-the-bjarke-ingels-group-reinvented-the-skyscraper/#:~:text=The%20slope%20of%20the%20building,and%20west%20of%20the%20site.&text=The%20highly%20visible%20sloping%20roof,one%20unique%20and%20south%20facing.
