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AMDL Circle and Iart wrap Basel pavilion in energy-neutral media facade
CategoriesSustainable News

AMDL Circle and Iart wrap Basel pavilion in energy-neutral media facade

By Zarkon Group,

Italian studio AMDL Circle and interdisciplinary design studio Iart have created the Novartis Pavilion in Basel, Switzerland, which is wrapped in an energy-neutral media facade.

Located alongside the Rhine at the campus of the Novartis healthcare company, the pavilion, which was recently shortlisted in the Dezeen Awards, has a communicative skin made from photovoltaics and LEDs.

Novartis Pavilion - The Novartis
The media facade features a total of 10,000 solar modules with 30,000 embedded LEDs

Designed by AMDL Circle, which is led by Michele De Lucchi, the round pavilion was wrapped in a media facade created by Switzerland-based Iart. The media facade has a total of 10,000 solar modules with 30,000 embedded LEDs and consumes only as much power as it can produce.

“With this project we want to show that a media facade not only consumes electricity, but can also generate it itself,” Iart founder Valentin Spiess told Dezeen.

Organic solar modules were chosen over silicone-based counterparts for their lower grey energy footprint, aligning with Novartis’ sustainability principles.

“They require less grey energy in production and need little light to start generating electricity,” he continued. “They can be used in areas where light conditions are not ideal, such as a facade.

Novartis Pavilion - The Novartis
It was inspired by the shapes and colours of cells and molecules

According to Iart, the design was based on the idea of an organism with the buildings skin made up of individual cells.

The multi-layered membrane reflects the artistic works displayed on the facade, which “embody constant change and research,” Spiess said.

Novartis Pavilion - The Novartis
AMDL Circle worked closely with local architect and general planner Blaser Butscher Architecten AG

The works covering the pavilion were created by artists Daniel Canogar, Esther Hunziker and Semiconductor in collaboration with Novartis scientists.

Their collaboration with Novartis scientists was inspired by the shapes and colours of cells and molecules, as well as the themes of sustainability and the convergence of art and science.

“It communicates the themes of Novartis, through the digital artworks, into the urban space,” Spiess told Dezeen.

“The aim is for curiosity and fascination to arise in the viewer; for the medium, for the content and for the subject of life sciences.”

AMDL Circle worked closely with local architect Butscher Architecten AG for the planning, tender, technical design, construction and delivery of the pavilion.

“The floor plan of the Novartis Pavilion was inspired by the universal symbolism of the circle, considered a powerful field of psychophysical energy, a sort of sacred area where all physical and spiritual forces are concentrated,” added Michele De Lucchi.

Novartis Pavilion - The Novartis
Organic solar modules were used for their lower grey energy footprint

The interiors feature whitened, laminated wood and ceiling slats combined with a continuous light grey terrazzo floor. Providing a background for the dark green division curtains and details in natural oak wood, the internal material palette was chosen to create a “luminous and humanistic appeal”.

Other pavilions recently featured on Dezeen include an ice-block pavilion in China and the Parallel Histories in Chicago.

The photography is courtesy of Iart and Laurids Jensen.

Reference

JUJU Studio creates flagship for Miss Circle in New York
CategoriesInterior Design

JUJU Studio creates flagship for Miss Circle in New York

By Zarkon Group,

Pools of red carpet spill across the floor of this women’s fashion boutique designed by JUJU Studio in New York City.

For fashion brand Miss Circle, New York-based JUJU Studio created the interiors of its 2,600-square-foot (242-square-metre) store on West Broadway in SoHo.

Rows of arched colonnades displaying garments on both sides of the store
The Miss Circle flagship in occupies a long, narrow space designed by JUJU Studio

The space has a long, narrow footprint, so studio founder Jing Ju devised a variety of display techniques for the brand’s womenswear garments.

“Unlike typical fashion retail spaces, the Sensorial Flagship Store is inviting and relatable, encouraging customers to engage with the brand in a fully stimulating way,” said the studio.

Minimal sliding counter
At the front of the store, a sliding counter can be used for multiple purposes

The majority of surfaces are finished in beige plaster, providing a neutral backdrop for more dramatic moments.

These include areas where red carpet appears from the walls in fluid forms and spreads across the floor to look like pools of liquid.

Carpet on walls, floor and ceiling beside the entrance
Red carpet extends from the floor to the ceiling beside the entrance

“The smooth yet durable surfaces add texture and visual interest to the space, while the beige hue creates a sense of lightness and spaciousness,” the studio said.

“This helps to create an accommodating atmosphere in the closed retail environment, where customers are likely to take their time browsing through the store’s selection of clothing and accessories.”

Ribbed red seating and carpet on the wall
Matching the carpet is a curvaceous red sofa

At the front of the store, carpet also extends up the wall behind a curvaceous sofa of the same colour and seeps onto the ceiling.

A sliding counter can be used for checking in guests during events, or for displaying accessories at other times.

View of the store from the front
Garments are displayed in niches formed by arched colonnades on either side of the store

“The sleek and minimalistic design of the counter complements the overall aesthetic of the store and demonstrates a thoughtful and efficient use of space,” said the studio.

Along both sides of the store are arched colonnades, with cove-lit niches that each display a selection of clothing designs.

More outfits are presented on chrome railings and mannequins in the centre of this double-height space, above which a long skylight is positioned.

Towards the back of the boutique is a carpeted staircase that leads up to a mezzanine level, where the fitting rooms are located.

Red furniture in the fitting room area
Fitting rooms and a lounge area for customers is located upstairs

Red satin furniture, designed by Thehighkey, forms a seating area for customers to relax beneath another skylight, while plenty of mirrors are provided for those trying on garments.

“The warm lighting adds to the overall golden atmosphere, and the use of red provides a poetic and romantic sensation, making for a truly captivating experience,” the studio said.

Store exterior on West Broadway
The Miss Circle store is on West Broadway in SoHo

SoHo is renowned as a shopping destination for both fashion and furniture, and new stores are always appearing in the neighbourhood.

Recent openings include a Khaite flagship with a tree planted in the centre, an outpost for Road to Awe that includes red fitting rooms and a lofty Moroso showroom.

The photography is by David Luo and Justin Missner.

Reference