OMA presents Theater Design Taipei, Taiwan

Amphitheater, arena, black box, in the round, proscenium; there are as many different theatre structures as there are styles of theatre art. The Office of Metropolitan Architecture, world wide known for multi functional auditoriums has presented yet a new approach with the proposed stage design for the Taipei Performing Arts Centre. 

The cube shaped building is to hold three performance spaces (1500, 800, and 800 seats) which may be used in combination, as well as individually. Such flexibility will allow (local) theater companies to create more experimental spectacles. And this innovative theatre complex may also become an interesting venue for foreign, space demanding companies such as Cirque du Soleil. 

The routing of the public through the Performing Arts Centre will allow patrons a look into the back stage areas. This "peek into the kitchen" is reminiscent of what the great visionary/director Ariane Mnouchkine has offered the public for many decades with her Theatre du Soleil.

Iwan Baan in London

In OMA's case Iwan Baan is the one who goes where no one (holding a camera) has gone before, or will go after him for that matter (too late, the curtain wall has gone up). If you've seen the photos he took for OMA in Beijing (on his website), you know he's got what it takes to create lasting impressions even before the project is finished.
Note to Self and Every Other: When in London go see show.

Rem Koolhaas Takes Seat in EU Council

What will the European Union be like between 2020 - 2030?
A council of wise (well sorry girls) men is going to think about and discuss the future of the EU.
Initiator of this gathering is the French president Nicolas Sarkozy. President Sarkozy's ulterior motive for a discussion about the borders of Europe is his own unwillingness to let Turkey join the EU.

Suggested members of the 'reflection' group are Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, Letland's former president Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Finnish Nokia CEO Jorma Ollila, the Polish former president Lech Walesa and the Italian former EU commissary Mario Monti.
The former prime minister of Spain, Felipe Gonzalez will be the Chairman.

The group will report on the future in 2010.

OMA à La Défence

Draw a line on a map of Paris, from the Pyramid by I.M. Pei, and "Le Petit Arc du Carrousel" (in the gardens near the Louvre, Les Tuilleries) through the "Arc de Triomphe" to "La Grande Arche" by Von Spreckelsen and Andreu, in the northwest of Paris and you've got the "Grand Axe". The neighborhood at the end of the line, La Défense has mostly office buildings.

Rem Koolhaas presented a design proposal to revamp La Défense somewhere in Venice during the Biennial (see comment Piet Vollaard below)

Through November 23rd you can visit the Dutch submission to the 11th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennual, organized by the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAi).

Libraries for All

In 1998 the Seattle voters helped pass a bond measure Libraries for All, 196.4 million dollars to renovate 22 existing, and build 5 new branch libraries, as well as to design and build the new Central Library.
Rem Koolhaas co-founder of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture and former Seattleite and then OMA partner Joshua Prince-Ramus were principal designers of the award-winning Central Library building, along with Seattle-based LMN Architects.

On Saturday September 13 the conclusion of the successful 10-year building period will be celebrated in all Seattle Public Libraries.

Rem Koolhaas was scheduled to speak at 2 p.m. in the Microsoft Auditorium, but his presentation has been cancelled.
Here's some old and more recent footage where you can see and hear him speak.

Joshua Prince-Ramus former OMA principle, and since 2006 president and co-founder (with Erez Ella) of REX will present the key note of day-long celebratory presentation in the Microsoft Auditorium (4th Avenue/ 1st floor entrance) at the Seattle Central Library, downtown.

Can't make it?
Read Joshua Prince-Ramus manisfesto or listen to him speak on TED

The presentation is co-sponsored by AIA Seattle.
Admission is free and open to the public.
The Central Library is located at 1000 Fourth Avenue.
For more information, call (206) 386-4636.

The Seattle Public Library Foundation and Friends of The Seattle Public Library ( co-sponsored by USbank) are issuing "passports" with photographs and information on all the libraries in the system. Patrons are encouraged to visit all of them, and if they do, they can collect stamps at each of the branches. Some of those who can show a fully stamped pass in January of 2009 may be eligible for a special gift!

EU Quarter in Brussels

The Office of Metropolitan Architecture is one of five European firms chosen to present plans to redesign the EU Quarter, where offices of the European Union are located. The plans should include apartments, houses and shops.

OMA again in Rotterdam - Kaas van Koolhaas

Rotterdam was bombed during World War II and in rebuilding this world renowned harbor city somehow an anchoring center was omitted. When you arrive in Rotterdam by train, the first impression you get of the city is that it's relatively new. The street that runs parallel to the railroad and the one perpendicular to the Central Station are lined by large post war buildings and some towers. The boulevard straight ahead leads to a shopping center, a village style mall, built to replace what was destroyed during the war. The heart of the city is a replacement, and not more than that.

The architects of the Office of Metropolitan Architecture envision a cube that will fill in that architectural and emotional hole.
An anchoring structure that will return that certain central quality that a city of Rotterdam's proportions and importance needs.
The cube will find its foundation partially on top of existing buildings, and will show "holes" allowing for a connection between the interior and the city.

Only in Holland, where cheese cubes are the obligatory snack presented with wine and beer, a project of this size could be likened to a cube of cheese. So be it, Rotterdam will have "De Kaas van Koolhaas" (Cheese by (or of) Koolhaas).

Seattle Central Public Library

The Seattle Central Public Library opened its doors to the public at the end of May 2004.
At the beginning of the following month volunteer library docents started guiding patrons through the building on general (focused on library functions) and architectural tours.
By the end of May 2008, it turned out that during the four years that the library had been open, 34,000 visitors signed up for a hike through the 11-story building (covering 10 floors, since Head Quarters on the 11th floor is off limit for patrons).
This number did not include all the tagalongs and unregistered tours.
The library of OMA and LMN became an important tourist draw, and continues to be part of the itinerary of many people visiting Seattle.

OMA / AMO in Italy for PRADA

Imagine Milan, an industrial building renovated and expanded to create a home for the Prada Art Foundation.
More later…

According to Michael Kimmelman for the New York Times Magazine (3/23/2008) the PRADA ART FOUNDATION may be likened to New York City's DIA or Houston's Menil as far as being chic and slightly arcane. Arcane?

OMA in Dubai

OMA presented the masterplan for a complete Waterfront City in Dubai.
The city, which will give a home to 400,000 people is going to be build up from the ground. Waterfront City will be the center of the man made island group called Dubai Waterfront that surrounds Jebel Ali.

HafenCity Hamburg

image courtesy OMA
Rem Koolhaas and Ellen van Loon have presented the design for the Science Center and Aquarium in Hamburg's HafenCity.
Playful in design, building blocks create an eyelet on edge. The building, a magic ring of activity in the harbor, permits an eye on the city, on the river, and on the future.
Marc Paulin will be the principle architect for this project.

Maggie's Centre

Rem Koolhaas will design a "home-away-from-home" for patients of the Beatson Oncology Center in Glasgow. Founded by and named after the late Maggie Keswick Jencks, the client, Maggie's Centre has in the past commissioned architects such as Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid

OMA Tower in Delirious New York

More than three decades after Rem Koolhaas's book Delirious New York rolled of the press, Rem Koolhaas is going to add a 60,000 square foot, 22-story high tower to the Big Apple's landscape.

The tower will house the Creative Artists Agency Screening Room and other facilities of CAA.

Koolhaas will take the lead, in partnership with Shohei Shigematsu, Director of OMA New York.

The tower, which will be located in Madison Square Park, is expected to be finished in 2010.

A Tomb for All People - The Great Pyramid

Dance like an Egyptian, be memorialized like a Pharao.

Rem Koolhaas is said to head committee which will choose architect to design and build The Great Pyramid

You can make reservations to be buried or have a memorial stone placed now.

Presentation of the tomb's model were presented during The Great Pyramid Festival on September 2nd, 2007.

RIBA European Award

The Royal Institute for Britisch Architects (RIBA) had awarded Rem Koolhaas and Ellen van Loon of OMA with the RIBA European Award for their design of Casa da Musica in Porto.

In 2003, three years after het received the Pritzker Prize, Rem Koolhaas was awarded RIBA's Royal Gold Medal.

Dubai Renaissance II

Rem Koolhaas and Fernando Donis will give an other shot at the Dubai Renaissance.
With their "anti icon" proposition they offer a real clean design, the White Page, a reflective element within the sardonic forest of iconic imagination.

SculptorAnish Kapoor, landscape architect slash textile designer Petra Blaisse and industrial designer Konstantin (gimme 9 pedal bins) Grcic will collaborate with Koolhaas to add the spectacular to what at first glance comes across as a lighter in the desert.

Rem Koolhaas elected to AAAS

Bright light, brilliance.
The photo that accompanies the announcement that Rem Koolhaas will join the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) couldn't have been chosen better. On October 6 Koolhaas will join like brilliant minds for the induction ceremony at the AAAS headquarters in Cambridge.

Er gaat hem geen licht op, hij heeft het licht daar zelf geplaatst.

Jobs at OMA

It's not really my business, and if you were looking, you already know, but still, it may be good to check and see if there's a position for you at OMA.

Besides, this is as good a time as any to point out that the OMA site is new and improved, with head shots of all the partners, way finding that makes sense, links that deliver. In other words, all round attention for detail, a signature web site for a firm such as OMA.

Who's on First?

Every creative person knows: world wide and at the same time, others wrap their minds around exactly the same ideas.
Writers know: you don't get copyright for an idea alone, it's the approach of the story that count, as well as the moment of publication.

A box, is a box, is a box, but for what it contains, the measurements, the material it's been made of, the color and print, the signature and branding.

bd: the architects' website, reports that Rem Koolhaas has pointed out that the designs for city plans in Abu Dhabi by OMA and by Foster + Partners show great resemblances.

Rotterdam City of Architecture 2007

The Kunsthal is one of 40 sites used and highlighted during Rotterdam 2007.

The mayor of Rotterdam and council members have proclaimed 2007 the Year, and Rotterdam The City of Architecture.
The program throughout the year includes exhibits, art auctions, presentations of artifacts, theatre and a home show. There will be a trade fair —Architect '07, cruises to view prospective home sites from the water, walking tours and the dedication of new buildings.

The third International Architecture Biennial titled "Power —Producing the Contemporary City" will take place at the Kunsthal from May 24 - September 2, 2007