Like a seismic fault line, the architectural crusts of planet earth are lifted and mingled to form an underlying continuous space of caves and niches, lookouts and overhangs. Rather than a single perimeter delineating an interior and an exterior, the façade is conceived as a sinuous membrane meandering across the site, delineating interior spaces and exterior gardens in a seamless continuum oscillating between the city and the park.
Elements often repeat and continue from one side of the space to another to reinforce the idea of space continuity: a grid of Bulb fiction pendants designed by BIG Product across the north side, a grid of Artemide Alphabet of Light lights around columns throughout the space & larger pill shaped lights across all meeting rooms. Each conference room is furnished with Scoop chairs designed by BIG for Halle. The color of the chairs designates the room.
To ensure an efficient, robust and healthy work environment for Suitsupply’s staff, the building hosts a sequence of terraces in gradual setbacks on the upper-level floors, allowing for relaxing moments during the work day. Dense tree and bush plantings on the lowest terrace floors offer wind protection, while grass and shrubs on the highest terrace floors resist the elements and allow for higher sun exposure.
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.
Before designing the new Ellsinore Psychiatric Hospital, BIG dove into the programmatic requirements and needs of the client, as well as the daily users of the clinic, its staff, patients and relatives. The input from these different groups pointed to several conflicting requirements and ambiguities. To meet these needs and the requirements of modern psychiatric treatment, BIG set out to redefine the traditional hospital typology.