The Tulip Korean of Dior

Seam in the outside, seam in the inside, not could have been erected a best Mansion in Seoul for the luxury brand by excellence.
(Edición en español)

Hi, how affects the maximum expression of the luxury to the architecture? Or, expressed in another way, can we understand the architecture without the luxury? If you ask to your tireless "search engine" of materials and construction systems, Rodolfo (I, of course), sure that he would tell you something witty and disturbing, as, for example, "asks Dior!"

Recently I was invited (of course) to the opening of the Maison of Dior in Seoul, specifically in the luxurious Cheongdam Dong District. This district has been transformed in the commitment of the French brand by the market of South Korea. A building that weaves the Haute Couture with the architecture and who dares with new challenges, such as, for example, the merger of three different materials in the creation of a fantastic facade that lights up the street from the end more opposed (if you think it is true, I was pleasantly surprised).

The outcomes accompany the company in the first half of this year, and with this new incursion anyone doubts their growth in the Asian market. So, with the wind in favor, Dior decided to embark on this new adventure that involves the completion of the last (for now) brand boutique. The design of the building was conducted by the famed Christian de Portzamparc, in whose career has a Pritzker Prize from 1994 (not-so-distant).

The architect, of the old school, was not only based on his professional experience, also he got involved with the art of sewing, scrutinizing with interest for find the idea I wanted to express. Thus, the construction is clearly separated in two volumes, which reflect two ideas clear and antagonistic: the lightness and the absoluteness. The first represented by the shades of white of the façade and its different provisions in layers of metal and glass, together with the asymmetry (parts of the building that not saved spatial relationship between them) of its exterior. The second, represented by a sullen and rectangular volume, of which comes the first, merging ideas in a subtle and elegant, as the House of fashion would.

The construction is distributed in six floors, with an art gallery, a lounge VIP (where make presentations), and, as a pleasant surprise, two plants unique to the Dior Homme collection, obviously, I took note of what I need to buy. When you enter in the building, you can see the hand of the other great architect of the design in this great work, Peter Marino, whose experience includes houses as Chanel, Loewe and Louis Vuitton among others. He was who decided to greet us with a sculpture of Lee Bul. Also had to do with the arrangement and choice of interior decoration, where the decorations shine with their own light: woods, lacquers, leather, unique fabrics...

If I did not say it, the opening of the building was on 20 June, and, if I have not said you, I have two places which, undoubtedly, will impress you. The first is the spiral staircase that reach different levels intended for the prêt-à-porter, with the most varied collection of Dior (shoes, perfumes, jewelry, bags...) for the Femme, all elegantly distributed with the due harmonization of tones in different walls and furniture. As all important stairs combines aesthetics and functionality, thus, gives a feeling of weightlessness comparable to the (fantastic) facade, this time by two equally opposing concepts: transparency on a railing and the reflection in the other, however, the effect of enlargement of the space is to sit and admire it.

My other place is favorite for three reasons. The first by the location, the top floor which includes terrace outside, the second by the function, is a plant intended to Cafeteria with a superb and luminous design which include the large floor-to-ceiling windows, and, most importantly, the third reason, has its own name: Pierre Hermé, a renowned French pastry chef who comes from a line of chefs and he has written numerous books and has distributed its boutiques by the world. Hermé has prepared a letter special for Dior coffe (so called) with unique products, such as the Ispahan (association of rose, litchi and raspberry), and other surprises that I will not reveal (at least today).

As gift for the visitors to this new flagship, Dior has launched an exclusive collection that only will be sold there, accessories and handbags with the phrase of Limited Edition that, surely, become in the obsession for the many adorers of the brand.

But now you are going to allow me that I return to the facade. In 2011 Portzamparc begins to glimpse what will be the outside surface, it is clear that he wants to cover it in such a way that it represents a dress. He dissects this huge fabric in eleven parts, in the form of folds or pieces of cloth that exits the metal box (enormous). These huge areas (of up to 20 meters height) had to be made with a very special material, an intense work of experimentation was necessary to achieve this. Conclusion: the fusion of resins, plaster and fabric, in unique molds and with a colossal size.

With this discovery they moved to Seoul, where it prepared the molds and gave life to the panels that perfectly simulate the weightlessness, the touch and the fluidity of a fabric. They required large transports and the blockade of the main arteries of the city to move these pieces from the factory to its resting place. Once there began another equally singular work, using two cranes led the elements to its final location, them respecting the necessary franchises for proper dilation of various materials. The dilation is the property that most affects the design of a building, so it is not a trivial matter, limits us the size, the distribution and the efficiency. The useful life of the building depends of the rigorous implementation of these parameters (resounding).

For me, this is a clear example of the combination of the different qualities of materials: adhesion of the resins, workability of the gypsum and the tensile strength of the fabric. Bye bye.

The impressive Sailboat Hotel

The largest sailboat of the world is in Panama and has a hotel five-star, luxury residences and a promising future.
(Edición en español)

Hi, have you longed my presence in the last week? I hope that if... the disappointment would be capital if it were in another form, as large as a few years ago, at the opening of the sailboat largest of the world. When write my historiography, in a future yet to come, could to entitle this episode as "when Rodolfo inaugurated a Hotel Trump and he did not make any business", as well as you read, I was so embedded in the environment that I didn't put care to what could be a great opportunity. Finally, as is wise to rectify, I returned recently to address the "deficiency". During my visit I could not help remember the José de Espronceda's famous poem: the song of the pirate.

“The breeze fair aft, / all sails on high…”

The building has the design of a sailing ship, in fact, the greater sailboat of Panama with 284 meters, becoming in the highest building in Latin America at the time of the inauguration (July 2011). The planner, Arias Serna Saravia, foresaw this marvel of 262,000 square metres of built surface that is distributed in 70 plants and containing a Hotel, private residences and, 10 (as the cannons) floors for offices.

“The moon in streaks, / the waves illumes…”

The promoter is Newland International Properties Corp. company, which began the development of the complex in 2006, acquiring the license of the Trump International and hiring Trump Hotel Collection to the Hotel Management, becoming in the first foray of the Trump Group in Latin America, years later from a comment by Mr Donald (Trump again) on the Panama Canal , which, to put it mildly, annoyed the Panamanians. Despite the headwind, Newland got its purpose and changed forever the Panamanian coast.

“Sail on, / my swift one / nothing fear…”

The Trump Ocean Club International Hotel&Tower cost 430 million dollars (382 million euros). The Hotel is considered by many as the first six-Star of Panama, and I, of course, am agree completely. For the cheapest room will pay 300 dollars (266 euros) overnight and you can make own one of their apartments from 250,000 to 1,000,000 dollars per unit (222.000-890.000 euro), if you want the best is that you contact with the Cervera Real Estate operating from Miami without fear or enemy.

“Despite the English cruisers fleet / We have full twenty prizes made:…”

Of course, as luxury resort has the possible comforts: the hotel has 369 rooms (you can go with your football team), including 47 suites (was said), 37 lifts, spa, an infinity pool on the coast, gourmet restaurants, boutiques and stressing about this, a club with a private beach on the island of the Pearl, only two hours if you go in boat or fifteen minutes by plane. In its instalations has an international Casino managed by Sun International in which you can get the dams you want, despite of the banking or your opponent.

“My treasure is my gallant bark,/ My only God is liberty;…”

The backbone of the building is made of reinforced concrete of high-strength, to bring this material to the top, the constructor used three different pumping systems, when the concrete are pumped exist the danger of segregation (separation of the constituents breaking the uniformity of distribution within the mass, and therefore diminishing their characteristic resistance). Luis García Dutari and Oscar Ramírez structural engineers enjoyed this treasure and of its freedom of calculation.

“There blindly kings fierce wars maintain / For palms of land, when here I hold…”

For the interior of the complex, Trump chose to the renowned designer Adriana Hoyos, this veteran, with over twenty-five years of experience, has developed her career in several countries of Latin America, she was in the United States where he began his training in interior design. Colombian by birth, her company is based in Ecuador, from there she has designed the 140 models different of residences that have the complex, as well as all the public residential areas with their 66 halls, lifts and residential entrance. Certainly, seeing the exclusive collection created for the Trump, this professional has won this ferocious war.

“Nor is there shore around whate´er. / Or banner proud, but of my might…”

Deserves a special mention, of course, the material that I will take to my future building (you know, I will do a construction in an island by to decide). This is none other than the pavement of marble that looks at all the residences of the property. The marble is a metamorphic rock (which is caused by processes of pressure or submission to high temperatures to already existing rocks) its base is limestone or dolomite. It has two properties that make it irreplaceable, the first being its singular beauty when it is polished and the second its workability, or ease of carving, making it highly prized by the sculptors and the designers. Using this material, you guarantee the splendour of your homes.

“¿My treasure is my gallant bark / My only God is liberty;…”

When you go to the Trump Ocean Club, enjoy of the views, of the pools and their food. Also enjoy of great sculptures by the Colombian artist Fernando Botero, the "female horse" of 3 meters high and the "Reclining woman" of 2.4 metres wide. Enjoy of its materials: wood, granite, concrete, steel, marble. Feast your eyes with its unique designs, or its unrepeatable horizons. But before you go, saves one minute and you sing the song of the pirate:

“… My law is might, the wind my mark, / My country is the sea”

The two Suns of Beijing

We move in the time and the space to discover what happens to the new building by Zaha Hadid.

Ai Weiwei loved the sunrise, the sunset and, more specifically, the dusk. he loved it because he had experienced this of first-hand in his youth and, although now it were only part of the memory, he could enjoy using it in several times a day. He was only fifteen years when took place the phenomenon who stopped to humanity as no other natural or scientific prodigy could, appeared one Sun, i.e. another star; but with a curious peculiarity: it moved in a position equidistant to the globe and following the same orbit around another star, the Sun.

Ai Weiwei felt a slight sense of relief when he understood the near that the humanity had been of the mass extinction: cults of any nature, urban chaos, the madness, the chaos and the despair. It was as if most of the people in that year (2020) had been waiting for the appearance of the second star to undertake misdeeds unspeakable. The details of how it had reassured the population, it was not something that interested too to the peculiar character of this story. The motivation that moved his interest are of a very different nature.

Ai Weiwei not have only the name in common with the artist of Beijing which had helped the architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron on the design of Chinese Stadium "Bird's nest", he moving also by artistic and architectural interests. He was proud of his name, boasted of knowing all the interventions of his namesake, and, also had a healthy and legitimate interest in the claim political to what he considered abuse or inactivity, incidentally, it was not well received by a large part of their fellow citizens.

Ai Weiwei resided in Beijing, in the Luontianwa district, very close to the Sub-District of Wangjing, he worked at a technology company of last generation. "The mornings", (had decided to continue to call tomorrow to the appearance of the star King by the East), got up to go to work. He loved his work, but even more liked the site where he exercised it: Wangjing Soho Technology Center, built between 2009 and 2014 was, in the beginning of its creation, the architectural forefront of what would come later.

The company owner, Soho China Ltd., made the request to the most internationally renowned architect: Zaha Hadid. The premises were clear: to be a complex, unique, modern and adaptable, functional and with more than 500,000 square meters. The study of Zaha Hadid was raised built a project of two towers, but the idea was scrapped by the current: three towers of 200, 118 and 127 meters in height for use of offices and three pavilions surrounding for commercial uses and other.

The original design, in the form of stones or fishes (as you look at it) and its privileged position in the city, close to the Airport (it is the last thing that the citizens look when come and go from the capital), together with its communication (motorways and trains), before even of the completion of the construction, the towers 1 and 2 be exhausted to 100% and the third to 90% at the time of the inauguration, a success. The total area was 521.265 square meters, distributed in 136.384 for the tower one, 125.131 for the Tower two and 125.307 for the third. To these amounts should add 5.443 square meters in three halls and 129.000 square meters in the basement.

While he parked his bike in one of 8.256 parking lots for this vehicle that has the complex, Ai Weiwei  thought about how fortunate that must have been for the passers-by of the place seeing grow this icon. Not in vain, surround the complex 60,000 square meters of free space, open to the public 24 hours a day, and designed with a park to the South, gardens to the North and areas of activities to the East and the West. The breadth and generosity of the hallways, with ceilings of up to 10 meters high, with receptions of between 1,100 and 2,200 square meters, with 81 lifts for the three towers (with possibility of access control) and offices with between 3.6 and 4.2 meters high, it are friendly to all users.

In the surrounding, the workers of other companies (Microsoft, China Telecom, Panasonic) in telecommunications, or manufacturers as Siemens, Caterpillar could immortalize countless photographs of the uprising of the structure of reinforced concrete, as well as the crowning of the three towers, with their steel trusses. The envelope of the building is composed of external white aluminium slats that walking sinuously (with different thicknesses) the outline of each building and windows with double glazing and low emissivity (protecting of the sun's rays), in addition, reduce the consumption of heating and cooling.

The building complex was designed using the BIM technology and the systems MEP (Mechanical, electrical and Plumbing) with fantastic results helping to reduce the emissions of CO2 and the consumption of electricity and drinking water. This lowered the energy costs a 13% and 42% the consumption of drinking water, with respect to the criteria of the ASHRAE Foundation (for 2015) for the sustainability and energy efficiency. The thermal transmittance (ability to creep out of the heat through objects) of the envelope is U = 0.55 w/m2oC (a higher value of U, does easier the transmission of heat, and, therefore, less protective).

The buildings have also rainwater collection systems for its re-use, recovery of heat from the air systems, sensors controlling the energy efficiency, monitors of electricity consumption in real time, a high-efficiency pumps, fans, boilers and chillers. One of the major achievements was the introduction of high-efficiency electrostatic air filters, that removed the environment harmful bacteria and prevents the entry of particles PM2, 5 (particles of less than 2.5 microns), with this managed to improve the ASHRAE requirements by 30%. The management of the buildings within the plot and design, allowed the anchor in the identity of Wangjing community project.

Ai Weiwei was always the first to arrive at his office, in the tower one, he used to open his window to listen carefully to the horizon, "Yes", he used to think, "definitely to have two Suns not appears nothing wrong".

The fire of Azerbaijan

A Hotel, a residential building and other of offices make up a wonderful complex that burns the day and the night.

Hi, do you know feels when lost a good business, and you discover that you was near it? Do you know this tragic moment in which you give with who (or what) had removed your great opportunity that cannot be repeated? I, Rodolfo, don't know, and, in fact, isn't one of my priorities to find out how it is, "au contraire" (I would say my cousin), I will continue avoiding that feeling.

But you do not think that the intolerance to the error is what I have, or the excessive predilection for myself, none of this, what happens is that they taught me well to choose the battle before we start. I will give an example related (clear) with my self-requirement from get an exquisite place where to design and build a vigorous building. A few years ago I was enjoying of Eurovision, in the place where, in a few days, will be held the first European games, but I will not speed up the narrative. The slowing is enjoyed, or as recounts Benito Pérez Galdós that the king Fernando VII said to his personal assistant: "Dress me slowly, I have hurry".

The Caspian Sea

In May of the year 2012, I was advising to a very good international investor about the possibilities of a country that has not stopped growing in the last five years, we were in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan. As the coincidences exist, you know it, was celebrated at that time the Eurovision Song Contest in which the Spanish representative, Pastora Soler, had one more than respectable position: the number 10. We was very badly at the beginning, because we could not reside in the Fairmont Hotel of the Flame Towers, all an architectural landmark in the city, since still missing almost a year for its inauguration, in compensation, in 2013, the Hotel Manager gave me the Royal Suite a week (with expenses paid, stuff from my last name).

I'll be honest, I had many problems with the international investor, the best thing that has happened to me in life was discover the complex formed by the three towers where the Hotel is located, and wanted to devote more time to analyze the construction, this clashed with the intention of the employer, of how I resolved the situation I'll talk about another day, the important thing is that I got my goal of course. But we go at the beginning, the developer of the complex was Azinco Development MMC who commissioned the design to the architects HOK team, specifically to Pierre Baillargeon.

In an area of 28,000 square meters the designer developed three towers joined at their base. The three skyscrapers are based on the coat of the city and, therefore, in its history.  The work on the complex began in 2007 and finished in 2012, cost some 320 million euros, and it have become the three tallest skyscrapers of Azerbaijan. Its towers are three large flames, distributed between them as if it will try the three vertices of a triangle, one to the North, one to the South and the last in the West.

The South Tower, the highest with 190 meters of wingspan, is destined to housing with 130 luxury apartments and views over the city of Baku and the Caspian Sea that make extreme sports the Spa and the gym. The North Tower, the Fairmont Hotel, reaches 160 meters in height and is distributed in 36 floorswith 318 rooms and 61 apartments. The hotel entrance has a height of 17 metres and is decorated with a chandelier with crystal drop shape and six metres high (I love it). The West Tower, no less important, is nearly 140 meters tall, is destined to offices with a whopping of 33,000 square metres of flexible space for business offices.

The curvilinear facades of the three buildings are covered in crystals of colours orange and blue, to mimic the colours of the flames. The structure of the building is concrete reinforced, giving rigidity to the set. At the base, the buildings joined by a podium of 78 meters in height, which is distributed in three levels and has various uses for the users of the complex, whose roof is glazed. The complex has been awarded with the international prize MIPIM 2013, the international award in the real estate world.

At the top, with a curious needle peak termination, lies one of the most conflictive areas due to gusts of winds that support in these latitudes. Their last 30 meters are made with a different structure that the rest of the building structural system: steel frames with a form of a watermark that, in addition, creates a spacious place. Dlubal Software GmbH software was used for the calculation of this network. This framework consists of three sides curved that it find on top, the tubes are of 610 mm in diameter and their sections are biaxial curved (in both directions).

The contractor Day Holding Azerbaijan gives us more data from this mega-structure: its final surface is 251,000 square meters, have been used 165,000 cubic metres of concrete and 1,500 tons of steel; the facade occupies an area of 64,000 square metres, have been distributed 611 kilometres of low voltage cables and, most importantly, 1,198 vehicles occupy their parking.

But continues reading, comes the best! The Traxon Technologies company has been responsible for the introducing of more than 10,000 lights led (always led) on the facades. It are placed so that not are distinguished from the outside, an intelligent control allows that it interact forming different pictures, the most common, the flames moving, also can be formed individual animations for each building or giving life to three buildings. The main problem he faced was the variety of sizes in crystals, the different lengths of modules of lighting can reduce to 16 (a success).

But we return to the beginning of the article, where I promised you an example of my prudence in the decision-making. Recently I had an idea for my future construction in the BoyukZira Island, opposite the city of Baku, but the confluence of large architectural formats made me fear that the island was predestined to other use, as almost always I was right.They intend to make a Master Plan called Zira Island, in which give shape to eight of the geographical places the most emblematic of Azerbaijan, the architects responsible are the BIG Danish group and the idea is to build a city of one million square meters with energy independence, using the thermal solar panels, photovoltaic cells, the recycling of waste water and rain water harvesting and a wind farm the island will be completely independent and will have a zero carbon expulsion.

As you may understand, I wasn't going to spoil the design of the architects by my plans. Bye bye.

Journey into the World of César Manrique

For years has been the backbone of tourism in Lanzarote, also its safeguard and environmental advocate.

Hi, you will forgive me because I feel a little “corny” in this week, not in vain I will talk about a person who touches me closely, an island that still touches me closer and a material which is, for me, like a second skin. I had thought in this island as one of the options for my future construction, but the feeling didn’t let me to think with clearly so I discarded it entirely, but not before of enjoy my stay in the island (as always).

There is no other island like Lanzarote anywhere in the Atlantic, its peculiar orography and its unique climate make it a spectacular place to live, and on a better site for the summer, all year round (which is not little). However, the island had lacked of a thing that the time denied it: an architectural identity, a natural resource, an international boost. Luckily, the island did not have to move to find whom will succeed in it, he was born there, in Arrecife, and he did not stop until he achieved their goal. I, Rodolfo, not have witnessed of this event, not because I not wanted (obviously), the reason is that I arrived late, I have the luck to have whom lived in first-hand: my father (you know, I inherited his charm).

The first time I landed on the island took me by the hand, before getting off the plane told me: “Son, if you do not like something on the island, I disown” because you understand that glimpsed the island with unusual excitement (not I had heard before the verb disinherit, and had no idea of ​​the consequences, but I thought it was something fun for my parent’s grimace at the word).

The first stop was the Mirador del Rio, hidden under a thick layer of volcanic rock is undoubtedly the most amazing that I have peered viewpoint. Inside, a winding road with white walls and wooden floors leads to the inside of the gazebo, to a room where two large windows lead you slightly curved outward, increasing the (smart) illusion of spaciousness. At that time, I was dazzled figures adorning metal rods and space, but it was not until years later that I learned that also prevent sound reverberation.

The first spiral staircase which I liked being up there too, in the Mirador del Rio, from there you can access the terraces by a beautiful skylight fracture. I can not forget either the famous wrought-iron sculpture which represents a fish and a bird, natural symbols of water and air. The next visit was to the Jameos del Agua, at first I was some uneasiness in the caves introduce a volcanic cave, but the company and explanations of how and why, were reassuring me.

The first time I heard the name of César Manrique down the stairs of the “Jameo guy” and did not pay due attention, lost sight through the vegetation, the dance floor or wood and stone decorations in place. Then we got into the volcanic lake grotto, which struck me most was the white light given off by a hole in the top of the dome, sunlight contrasting darkness of the cave. Natural lake crossing a footbridge discover the “big Jameo” and with it, the oasis.

The first feeling you get when you discover the oasis of Manrique is of disbelief. A white pool, with a background of blue water in a sea of ​​rocks, palm trees and cactus that seem real but are (attest). That time was chosen to ask my father the artist: we will never forget. Then we visit the “Garden of Cactus,” the latest work of Manrique space, a real show of landscape integration and an example that should be studied in schools. However, these conclusions are, in part, taken on subsequent visits, of course, at that age I was not to disquisitions.

The first is not enter the garden, only the name seems to drive you away, I could not believe that someone would have thought so great idea. The place was a quarry for extracting aggregates, now abandoned, the artist was determined to give the shape and dimensions which currently owns. Winding roads surrounded by gravel and cactus stands (of course), with some containing goldfish ponds, take you to two unique buildings: a store of objects and a cafe (without the latter there is no life anywhere). Somehow I do not quite envision this space fills me with peace and power.

The first tour around the island took us to many places, almost all of them had something to do with the artist, architect misnamed by many, since it never started the race and, therefore, much less could finish. We were in the Royal Palace of Mareta, built by order of King Hussein I of Jordan, which presented it to King Juan Carlos I of Spain years later, by the way, the latter maintained a good friendship with Manrique. We also visited the wineries “El Grifo”, whose logo was the famous artist, but whose wines were there long before, in fact, is the oldest winery in the Canary Islands and one of the most mellow of Spain.

The first time I said goodbye to César Manrique, without having met him, I understood that I could never Separate me of it, so, in what was his home, Taro de Tahiche, which now houses the foundation César Manrique, tried to catch in my memory details of each corner is difficult because it has 30,000 square meters of land, 1,800 of living space and 1,200 square meters of gardens and terraces. Of course, it remains indelible in my retinas super masonry exterior wall covered with lime, with a colorful picture that seems to have no beginning or end.

Lime is extracted from Limestone or the Dolomias, each has minerals in different proportions that give them different properties. There are basically two types: air and hydraulic distinction is given the possibility to react with water or not.Limestones of Lanzarote were exported for centuries which is one of the main economic activities of the island, also used in its construction, for it “Caleras” (lime kilns) in which previously crushed stones were introduced were built. The outgoing product a great powdered lime or quicklime to be off and let stand to use.

The use of lime comes from an ancient tradition of using natural resources. More and more voices that advised by his great qualities against the cement (as far as finishing is concerned, of course). They have a great plasticity, do not retract with moisture and adapts well to deformations due to its elasticity (no cracks), it is permeable to water vapor (not water) which makes breathable (goodbye condensation) also it provides good thermal and acoustic insulation. By the way, can be used as paint, but professionals call it “enjabelgar”, yes, you should perform the action once a year.

As to not want it in my future construction! It has many qualities that make you forget why the cement is used! Bye bye.