Sammy Ofer Wing – National Maritime Museum, the winning project of the Landscape Institute Awards 2013 at the ”Design for a Small Scale Public Development” category, will be presented on June 3rd, in Bucharest, by architect Chris Churchman.
This project represents the integration of architecture into the landscape, the new pavillion merging with the historic landscape of Greenwich Park. Working with a world heritage site, Churchman’s office was able to process landscape and the public to open perspectives so far unseen, transforming a forgotten river arm in an attractive public domain. Working with the composition of the World Heritage Site, Churchman were able to manipulate landscape and public realm to open up hitherto unseen vistas and perspectives, turning a forgotten backwater into a major piece of public realm.
Churchman’s design-heritage spans public space, private domains, rural expanse and urban confines. “We believe that this diverse track record enables us to appreciate the symbiosis between nature and the manmade environment – where some might see conflict, we strive to achieve a balance between the two. Our design output is underpinned by rigorous research conducted amongst an array of groups, such as professionals, artists and local communities. This allows Churchman’s to meet contemporary needs in the context of the physical, historical, cultural and emotional characteristics that create a “place”. We also conduct research into sustainable technologies, including our own testing and trials of innovative “green” solutions. The design also creates a new east-west axis to Greenwich, providing a counterpoint to the historic access running from the Observatory to the Thames. In doing so, it diverts visitors off the well-trodden path from Greenwich town centre and the observatory. We were trying to create a greater sense of community within Greenwich Park by offering new routes,” said Churchman.
The Sammy Ofer Wing is located within a highly sensitive World Heritage Site and immediately adjacent to the finest collections of C17th / C18th architecture in the UK. Achieving the right balance between the historic fabric and a contemporary intervention was always going to be challenging but has been achieved with great sensitivity.
Arch. Chris Churchman is the Founder and Director of Churchman Landscape Architects, England, with more than 15 years’ experience in the field. He described the project as being “technically demanding, as we were trying to convey as sense of playfulness within an historic setting”.
At LAUD 2014, alongside arch. Chris Churchman, European architects who have signed landscape architecture projects awarded over the past year in international architecture competitions will attend.
LAUD Architecture Expo Conference is part of the series of international artchitecture and entrepreneurship expo conferences organised by ABplus Events, alongside INGLASS, GIS, RIFF and CONTRACTOR.
Date, place: June 3rd, Bucharest
Structure of the event: expo conference – plenarry sessions, specialised workshops, thematic exhibition
Organizers ABplus Events, the Order of the Architects of Romania
Institutional Partner: “Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urbanism, Association of Landscape Architects of Romania and the Romanian Landscape Contractors Association
Main media partner: Igloo
Communication Partner: Zeppelin
Online Media Partner: Spațiul Construit
Media Partners: Arhitectura, Arhitext, Roarhitect, Inspirationist, Pardoseli, Spa Magazin, Mansarde și Acoperișuri, Proiect Casa, Instal Focus, Ibc Focus, World Architecture Community, e-architect, Archilovers.
Website: www.laud.ro
Contact: laud@abplusevents.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/expoconferinte.arhitectura