Baugespann, Dutch Building, Project, Photo, News, Design, Dordrecht Proposal, Balloon, Images

Baugespann Wijnhaven Concept

Flying Tower design, Wijnhaven, Dordrecht, Netherlands design by morePlatz architects

4 Feb 2010

Proposal for Wijnhaven, The Netherlands

Flying Tower – ‘Baugespann’

Design: morePlatz

Flying Tower – Dordrecht Design Concept

‚Flying Tower’ visualizes future urban developments in scale 1:1 by an inflated balloon-structure.

An array of helium filled balloons are tacked up along four inflated columns as pearls on a necklace. One balloon per floor outlines the envelop of the future volume – the structure visualizes the building right at its original location.

The lightweight ‚flying tower’ is founded by concrete blocks and supported by diagonal braces. The engineer offices ABT and ARUP have been calculating the structure for wind forces up to 4 Beaufort.

“Flying Tower’ contributes to the publicity and potential of any urban area. It not only visualizes the future development but also creates space for public events.
The marked spot between the balloons offers space for exhibitions, meetings, projections, screenings, festivals and manifestations for everybody.
Anything can happen between the balloons.
The ‚Flying Tower’ evokes a positive expectation.

‚Flying Tower’ is inspired by the Swiss ‚Baugespann’
This methode of publishing future building plans in scale 1:1 on site exists in Switzerland already for a long time and is even part of the construction permit procedure.
In the country of direct democracy, the inhabitants are early involved in the process and can directly express their opinion about building plans to the municipalities.

Images of the Prime Tower in Zurich are spread by multiple websites and chatforums and anybody can react and place his opinion.
The errection of a ‚Baugespann’ is used in a positive way to announce building plans.
In the Netherlands this methode of announcing projects is not known.

The ‚Flying Tower’ project is directly linked with dealing with public space.
The negative effect of the internalisation of the public realm has been widely discussed. Shopping as the only remaining activity in the city has often been criticized. The reciprocity of social security and well-functioning public space is evident.
‚Flying Tower’ defines a space and creates a location – the site convertes from an unused emptiness to a public attraction. ‚Flying Tower’ makes space public.

Baugespann images / information from morePlatz architects

morePlatz

Location: Wijnhaven, Dordrecht, Netherlands