SANAA, the famous Tokyo-based architectural firm has revealed its renderings for the proposed Nobel Center, the headquarters of the prestigious international award organization in Stockholm, Sweden, according to several news reports.
Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, the two architects heading the firm, have conjured up a plan that looks just like 'cute soap bubbles' floating on the water, reports Curbed.
The Design
Visual: The proposal features six transparent glass spheres of different sizes that reflect the city's skyline. All the spheres merge at some point, connecting all parts of the site. The glass globe allows for uninterrupted views of the city and the water-front.
Technical: The spherical structures will all be done up in 'retractable photovoltaic membranes' with advanced ventilation systems that will ensure adequate air-circulation and temperature control inside.
Check out the renderings, here.
SANAA's renderings follows Danish design firm, 3XN's plans of the Nobel Center, which looks like a 'Butterfly' on the waterfront. Designboom has some striking pictures of the plans. David Chipperfield Architects, the London-based firm has also submitted their design for the Nobel Center. Check those out, here.
The Nobel Center Design Competition
The Nobel Foundation, which manages the assets and administers all activities involved in the presentation of the prestigious Nobel Prize, had selected 12 architecture firms to participate in a competition to design the new Nobel Center in Blasieholmen, Stockholm, sometime back in March 2013.
The foundation selected the finalist firms after scrutinizing 140 entries. The competition will have two stages in which the 12 firms will design the main building, the new venue of the Nobel Prize. The building will comprise of public rooms for science conferences, exhibitions, meetings and events. The design also requires a library, shops, a café and a restaurant to be designed alongside. The main focus of the project is to turn the venue into a major attraction of Stockholm. Currently, all the Nobel Prize events are held in the Stockholm City Hall.
The winning entry will be announced by April 2014 and construction is expected to start by 2015.