11. Republic Polytechnic, Woodlands, Singapore 2007
While the campus maintains existing green areas of the site and coexists with the existing topography, it also introduces new landscape elements in contrast to the natural wilderness.
As a master plan strategy, the Republic Polytechnic is conceived as a campus with a central nucleus of main educational programs. The central nucleus contains 11 identical learning pods and a staff administration building. Two elliptical spaces of common facilities, namely the “Lawn” and the “Agora,” unify these learning pods.
The central nucleus is connected by bridges to the main administration building, cultural center, indoor parking, and gymnasium facilities.
12. Fukui Prefectural Library and Archives, Fukui, Japan 2003
The Fukui Prefectural Library and Archives designed by Fumihiko Maki is located in the rural suburbs of Fukui City, surrounded by lush rice fields and adjacent to the Asuwa River, situated in a desirable natural setting. To take complete advantage of this environment, this building establishes a positive relationship with the surrounding setting. The open stack reading rooms are spread out across one floor, and most of them are enclosed by glass curtain walls, creating a visual connection between the inside and outside. The majority of reading areas are situated along the perimeter of this space.
13. Nagano City Hall (+Nagano Performing Arts Centre) Nagano, Nagano, Japan, 2016
The building is designed by Fumihiko Maki with low eaves along the boulevard and a rhythmically divided facade, in order to establish a human-scale streetscape. Visual transparency creates an active interplay between interior and exterior.
The building houses the new City Hall and an Art Wing, linked by a corridor around a shared courtyard that enhances the activities of the visitors. Located on the opposite ends of the courtyard, the two functions serve as one integrated facility, sharing similar roof forms, materials, and color. At the same time, the interior spaces enclosed in the auditorium and the city hall offer different characteristics and functions, which are reflected in their distinct facades.
14. New Machida City Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 2012
Although the lucid composition of the multi-story part and the assembly hall is remarkable from a distant view, the planning, allocating the low part along the street, provides an intimate streetscape with a human scale. The one-stop lobby where public services to the citizens are provided is a public space for the city and is located at the center of the building, surrounded by offices, a restaurant, and a café. The atrium is another public space that consists of a multi-story spine portion. It acts as a thermal for buffer the office area and will provide views of Tanzawa mountains to the workspaces
15. 4 World Trade Centre, New York, United States
The form achieves a sense of a rotational pivot at the corner to contribute to its role in the formal composition of the master plan.
The 72-storey building reaches a height of 977 feet (298 meters) and contains 2.3 million square feet (213,700 square meters) of office and retail space. The offices comprise 56-floors in two distinctly configured floor plates in three vertical sections.
The tower is designed by Fumihiko Maki to create a strong sculptural effect with a quiet presence. Seen from a distance, it can be identified as a minimalistic sculpture with its angular profile that distinguishes itself in the skyline. The building is clad in colorless silver glass that dynamically changes appearance depending upon the time of day, weather and light. It transforms itself from a distinct sculptural object to one that blends and becomes a part of the sky with glazed and metallic materiality. Upon arriving at the base of the tower, one is unable to discern the large building as a complete entity. Unlike pure sculpture, the building clearly establishes a sense of place that is not only visual but one that is felt through rich spatial experiences.