The wooden Panda figure for ARCHITECTMADE is designed for BIGs Panda House at Copenhagen Zoo. The new habitat for two giant pandas was created in the yin-yang symbol, based on the Chinese philosophy for balance and opposition within a simple shape. The Panda mimics this simplicity, with the rotation of the upper body and movability of the arms and legs. The Panda figure is available in large or small size.
The m separation from the bridge was defined as a minimum distance until the building reached m up in the air, after which it could grow back out, allowing BIG to double the floor plate. The Vancouver House emerges from the ground, expands as it rises, appearing like a Genie let out of the bottle. What seems like a surreal gesture is in fact a highly responsive architecture – shaped by its environment.
Expected to open in years, the new Dock A designed by BIG includes Schengen and Non-Schengen gates, airside retail, lounges, offices, the new air traffic control tower, and an extension of the immigration hall. BIGs design is conceived as a mass timber space frame that is structural design, spatial experience, architectural finish, and organizational principle in one. The structure is made from locally sourced timber, and the roof is entirely clad in solar shingles turning sunlight into a power source.
The studio’s circular shape dismisses the front side-back side logic of a conventional building and produces a non-hierarchical shape that becomes most appropriate in its context of public space. The circular footprint also maximizes its surrounding public space, allowing the recording studio to become more of a sculpture rather than a building. Because the program of the studio has different requirements for clear heights, the roof elevation is strategically varied to form three peaks. These peaks occur at the live room, artists’ private lounge, and academy studios to provide generous space to its users, creating a playful yet elegant roof line reminiscent of the fluidity of sound. The form is then optimized to produce a series of equal horizontal modules that maintain the readability of the undulating roof edge and efficiency of the building structure.
With hard-sound reflecting surfaces and an open ceiling, the dry docks acoustics are perfect for dance performances and concerts, but also suitable for other outdoor activities, exhibitions, and events turning the Maritime Museum into a center for cultural life in Helsingor. Through minimal means, BIGs design created maximum functionality and architectural resonance.