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Crystal Palace Revived
Crystal Palace Revived
London, United Kingdom
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Crystal Palace Revived
London, United Kingdom
Crystal Palace Revived, London, UK
Proposal for a new exhibition building in Sydenham, 2009/2014
The Crystal Palace was one of the largest buildings ever to have been built. This 'stupendous masterpiece of modern art' (Heinrich Schliemann, 1851) stood for 85 years before it was destroyed by fire in 1936.
Originally designed by Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park, the giant modular steel and glass structure was eventually relocated to Sydenham and transformed into a Winter Palace, re-opening in 1854.
Today, the site in Sydenham is a blank rectangle on the A-Z Street Atlas, but hidden between blackberry canes one can still find remains of the former palace, such as column bases. Most of the original infrastructure is still in place, or could be repaired easily, which makes the site predestined to be re-used by a building of equal size.
The new proposal traces the original footprint of the Sydenham Palace but uses Paxton's initial unrealised Hyde Park design as an archetype. Transcribed into metric it measures 482.4 x 115.2m, comprised of 67 x 16 structural modules each 7.2m in edge length (Paxton's design was based on 24 x 24ft).
Used as an exhibition building, comparable to its predecessor in Hyde Park, it forms an equilateral triangle with London's other exhibition venues Earls Court and Excel.
Making reference to the Hyde Park building it is defined by its stepped profile, with a steel structure supporting its transparent envelope. But different to its famous predecessor, which was defined by arched façade modules of 8ft width, it is encased by cast glass elements of semi-circular profile. The corrugated façade reacts to the scale of the building by using smaller radii along the short elevations and on park level. It is supplemented by an ETFE roof comprised of equally wide vacuum cushions of bi-concave section invented by the architect. The rough glass elements are 7.2m long and fixed along the top and bottom. Their circular profile makes any additional substructure obsolete.
The structure is comprised of beams and joists, circular in plan, and cruciform columns with curved flanks. Beams and joists also work as a lattice reflecting and diffusing daylight. Like this lattice, the columns have a polished finish which adds finesse to the otherwise rather industrial aesthetics.
Spatially the building is split into two separate halls of equal size, divided by a great and a small courtyard. The circular shape of these courtyards can be seen as reminiscent of the barrel vaulted transept of the Hyde Park building.
A central nave on ground floor level traces the height of the Hyde Park nave. Due to its great height the central nave is ideal for tall exhibits. The ground floor opens up to a broad hall on park level and reveals views over the exhibition and the park. An administration and restaurant level is placed on the first floor facing the park and offering great views into the central nave.
Organisationally, both the central nave and the lower ground hall are accessible by large lorries. The aisles are accessible by forklifts and smaller vehicles. Internal road markings and signage on asphalted floors regulate both vehicle and visitor movement, and a grid subdivides the halls into compartments and sets different exhibition layouts similar to sports hall markings.
Aesthetically, the asphalted halls form a space of exterior quality. This is reflected by low key building services with an absolute minimum of local heating of stands, restaurants/cafes and offices similar to train stations; natural lighting and ventilation contribute to the idea of a highly sustainable, prefabricated and easily dismountable building comparable to Paxton's groundbreaking design.
The remains of the original terrace walls and stairs are to be repaired and re-used as links to the park.
Proposal for a new exhibition building in Sydenham, 2009/2014
The Crystal Palace was one of the largest buildings ever to have been built. This 'stupendous masterpiece of modern art' (Heinrich Schliemann, 1851) stood for 85 years before it was destroyed by fire in 1936.
Originally designed by Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park, the giant modular steel and glass structure was eventually relocated to Sydenham and transformed into a Winter Palace, re-opening in 1854.
Today, the site in Sydenham is a blank rectangle on the A-Z Street Atlas, but hidden between blackberry canes one can still find remains of the former palace, such as column bases. Most of the original infrastructure is still in place, or could be repaired easily, which makes the site predestined to be re-used by a building of equal size.
The new proposal traces the original footprint of the Sydenham Palace but uses Paxton's initial unrealised Hyde Park design as an archetype. Transcribed into metric it measures 482.4 x 115.2m, comprised of 67 x 16 structural modules each 7.2m in edge length (Paxton's design was based on 24 x 24ft).
Used as an exhibition building, comparable to its predecessor in Hyde Park, it forms an equilateral triangle with London's other exhibition venues Earls Court and Excel.
Making reference to the Hyde Park building it is defined by its stepped profile, with a steel structure supporting its transparent envelope. But different to its famous predecessor, which was defined by arched façade modules of 8ft width, it is encased by cast glass elements of semi-circular profile. The corrugated façade reacts to the scale of the building by using smaller radii along the short elevations and on park level. It is supplemented by an ETFE roof comprised of equally wide vacuum cushions of bi-concave section invented by the architect. The rough glass elements are 7.2m long and fixed along the top and bottom. Their circular profile makes any additional substructure obsolete.
The structure is comprised of beams and joists, circular in plan, and cruciform columns with curved flanks. Beams and joists also work as a lattice reflecting and diffusing daylight. Like this lattice, the columns have a polished finish which adds finesse to the otherwise rather industrial aesthetics.
Spatially the building is split into two separate halls of equal size, divided by a great and a small courtyard. The circular shape of these courtyards can be seen as reminiscent of the barrel vaulted transept of the Hyde Park building.
A central nave on ground floor level traces the height of the Hyde Park nave. Due to its great height the central nave is ideal for tall exhibits. The ground floor opens up to a broad hall on park level and reveals views over the exhibition and the park. An administration and restaurant level is placed on the first floor facing the park and offering great views into the central nave.
Organisationally, both the central nave and the lower ground hall are accessible by large lorries. The aisles are accessible by forklifts and smaller vehicles. Internal road markings and signage on asphalted floors regulate both vehicle and visitor movement, and a grid subdivides the halls into compartments and sets different exhibition layouts similar to sports hall markings.
Aesthetically, the asphalted halls form a space of exterior quality. This is reflected by low key building services with an absolute minimum of local heating of stands, restaurants/cafes and offices similar to train stations; natural lighting and ventilation contribute to the idea of a highly sustainable, prefabricated and easily dismountable building comparable to Paxton's groundbreaking design.
The remains of the original terrace walls and stairs are to be repaired and re-used as links to the park.
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