Finally, An Oppoturnity! Structural Design Inspiration

I finally have the chance to put a real stamp on a project in my hometown, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. It may be a small project, a gate entrance statement for KKIP, but it is nonetheless interesting due to the size of the monumental entrance. There would be 4 similar entrances which would be occupied by a dual carriageway with a median, hence the width could reach 30 metres. There is a need for it to become a focal point, a monument that is inviting and intruging for the new hub itself. It is exciting because I can practically do anything with it, but my aim is to design something that would hopefully influence the design around the city. The pictures gathered here are just some structural design featured in the World Archtiecture Festival for inspiration.

Selected projects from 2009

Entrance Square, Iran, Naqshyad Architect
This is a project that seems to fit most of the criteria, a literal entrance monument. This monument is designed as the symbol of harbors and seamanship and intends to convey a feeling of the sea elements without directly referring to any of them. A vivid contrast between the severity of metal structure and plasticity of the tensile structure displays an endless encounter which is emphasized in the collision of cycloid and straight lines in the monument structure.

Arena Zangreb, Croatia, UPI-2M [2009 Winner]
Mode-Gakuen Spiral Towers, Japan, Nikken Sekkei Ltd
Road Bridge, Netherland, OAK

Selected projects from 2010

AAMI Park, Australia, Cox Architects and Planners Buttressed Core Structural System for Burj Khalifa, UAE, Skidmore Kish Ladies Sea Coast Complex, Iran, Noandish Sakhteman Consulting Engineers Main Entrance Facade & Vestibule, Colchester UK, Rafael Vinoly Architects Mediacite Retail Centre, Liege Belgium, Ron Arad Architects