Densification of Milano | Studio Shift | 2010

Commissioned by the Architectural and Urban Forum (AUFO) of Milano with support from the Comune di Milano, this is one of twelve proposals located on the periphery of the historic city center offering conceptual solutions for the densification of Milano. Each proposal injects 25,000 inhabitants into the existing fabric of Milano for a total population increase of 300,000. The exhibition opens June 16, 2010 at the Politecnico di Milano.

Crafting a denser, sustainable Milan requires not only an understanding of the region’s history and agricultural roots but also consideration of a future in which natural resources are increasingly scarce. The Lombardy region, home to approximately one-sixth of all Italians and now the dominant industrial center, is responsible for the production of over one-third of the nation’s agricultural output. It is critical that this relationship between production and consumption is not only maintained but is also augmented through forward-thinking development strategies as the city continues to grow. As a major exporter of agricultural food products, increasing foreign demands will surely be placed on Italy’s capacity for production; in order to meet these ever-expanding external and internal needs while simultaneously coping with dwindling available arable land, new plains must be created and harvested.....more at studioshift

Studio Shift | Retail Center | Riverside Miyi, South Lake

Studio Shift newest retail center runs along the riverside in Miyi, and its position allows it to capitalize on the naturally cleansed waters of the South Lake area. The center creates a significant public space with a direct connection to the water so the complex becomes a destination for relaxation and water-based recreation due to the favorable climate. Retail is arranged such that equipment for various watercrafts, which can be launched directly from the rental facility, line the channel while restaurants and a cafe sit along the pier.

More about the retail center after the break.

Evoking the materiality and massing of the mountainous terrain of Miyi, the three buildings are conceptually carved from one solid entity and reconnected through the public plaza. The subtractive process frames views to the surroundings. The stone-clad facade suggests weight and permanence and utilizes locally-sourced materials.

Arhdaily

An extensive climbing wall that can be used both from the exterior and the intrior is articulated as a glass-clad void inserted into the solid mass of the structure. The south-facing plaza maximizes sun exposure as it extends outward, its edge disintegrating into the water as a series of steps enabling residents and tourists to immerse their feet in the refreshing and naturally cleansed waters of the South Lake. It is here where the descending plaza stairs meet a gradually submerged plane, providing the critical, yet casual transition from land to water-based activity.

Brockholes Nature Reserve And Visitors Centre | west Yorkshire, England | Studio Shift

Brockholes Nature Reserve And Visitors Centre
Sponsored by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust and Forestry Commission in the United Kingdom, the competition for a new Visitor’s Center for the Brockholes Nature Reserve near Preston in Lancashire set a series of ambitious goals, among them being the creation of a nature conservation site of regional, national and international importance. The restoration of the project site and adjacent land is part of Britain’s largest land regeneration program ever. The project site is composed of 261 acres of land on which an operating gravel quarry currently sits. The site is surrounded by 163 acres of additional woodlands and is bounded on the south and east by the River Ribble, on the north by the Boilton Woods and on the west by the M6 Motorway. Preston has a somewhat cold and wet climate typical of the northwest UK. Although the chance of occurrence is generally small, the site is prone to flooding. The need to address the flooding issue coupled with the client’s desire to site the building and associated facilities in the general area of the existing quarry facilities led us to select a prominent ridge as the ideal perch for the structure.
Images and text from : Studio Shift

Miyi Tower by Studio Shift,Miyi County,China

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