Fast Track
HBA London has designed the new Amadria Park Capital in the centre of Zagreb. Working in collaboration with project developers, Ugo Group,
Zagreb, HBA London has converted a heritage property dating back to 1923, which was previously a bank, into a boutique hotel full of residential charm and sense of place. The hotel’s bespoke interiors combine the original and the new with a deft touch, embracing the building’s historic character as a significant example of Secessionist architecture and translating this into interiors that are light, fresh and elegant with a touch of romanticism.
The public areas take meaning from Gesamtkunstwerk – they are a work of art that makes use of many art forms. These include the original, classically carved mahoganyclad columns which were removed during the construction and then reinstated, as well as listed ceiling features, light fittings and magnificent arched windows. They also include new pieces which reflect the influences of the
20th century design, such as softly draped curtains and a variety of seating collections, and some restored antique furniture discovered in the building, now joined by new seating, including plush banquettes. Altogether, the interiors uniquely belong within this heritage building. The public areas are planned as a series of rooms, reinforcing the suggestion of a private home overlaid with something of the winter garden, thanks to high ceilings, touches of Viennese- style detailing and an abundance of large pot plants. The colour palette is reminiscent of the lovely rooftops of old Zagreb.
Phoenix Mill has recently inaugurated Palladium Shopping Mall in Chennai. As many as 70 brands are gathered in a place that provides a luxury goods shopping experience. The architects at Urban Studio treated the volume of the mall like a jewellery- box clad in PIGMENTO brown zinc, to express the exceptional nature of the programme.
Several solutions were envisaged to create a vibrant skin; made- to- measure cassette- type or pre- formed shingles, rhomboid shingles, etc. In the end, the architects and clients opted for an unusual solution; installation of a customised folded cassette to add threedimensional volumes.
Five different modules were necessary to recreate an effect that evokes the façade of the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara. The height of the relief on each type of module varies to adapt to the various parts of the façade divided into three cases; flat parts, curved transition parts, requiring three different modules and main parts without any overhanging coping. An innovative solution demonstrating the creativity and openness of a market which, despite its widespread use of metal, discovered zinc only very recently.
The globally renowned architecture firm Goettsch Partners ( GP) has announced the start of construction for Changchun CR Center, a major mixed- use complex with a striking 980ft tower in Changchun, the capital city of China’s north- eastern Jilin Province.
Designed by GP with international architecture and design firm Lead8, the project represents the third collaboration of the two design firms with developer- owner China Resources Land Limited, the previous two efforts leading to new citymaking projects with multiple buildings and significant civic and economic impact in the Chinese cities of Wuhan and Hangzhou. In Changchun, GP is designing the main tower, and Lead8 is designing the retail and entertainment centre.
Plans for the development of the 34,000sq m parcel in Changchun comprise multiple towers, including office space, high- end residential units, and fully furnished serviced apartments. In addition, new ‘ signature spaces’, including a 66th- floor observation deck at the tower’s luminous crown, are designed to draw visitors to the site overlooking the adjacent Mudan Yuan park and lake. It is slated to open in 2021.