Happy New Year!

Looking forward to 2010!

 

Various Architects would like to thank our collaborators, clients, friends, and family for an eventful 2009! We look forward to the developments of 2010 and to new and exciting projects!

 

In our second year, we have worked with some of the best known architects in the business. In February we delivered a competition entry for the Munch + Stenersen Museum together with New York architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro. In June and July we collaborated with our former colleagues at Snøhetta on an exciting project in Mecca. In August we were interviewed by Rem Koolhaas and asked to join OMA's team as consultants on the Taipei Performing Arts Centre in Taiwan.  Ibrahim Elhayawan and his family moved to Hong Kong in September where he is representing Various Architects as project leader for the OMA team in their new Hong Kong Office. In Norway we have successfully qualified for an upcoming school competition together with Kant Arkitekter from Copenhagen and applied for two cultural building competitions together wth Bjarke Ingels' BIG also from Copenhagen.

 

Various Architects have also continued to make a name for ourselves internationally in 2009 by winning the "Future Projects - Experimental" Award at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona. This was the second design award won by the Mobile Performance Venue, the first being the Spark! Award in 2008. We ended 2009 with a focus on the environment and the announcement of Skagen ØKOntor - Norway's most energy-efficient office building. Earlier in the year we won second-place in our category for the Schiphol Sound Barrier Competition, and another second place with the Yorkshire Diamond Pavilion.

 

In addition to our international work on cultural buildings and competitions, we have enjoyed working on a number of smaller scale projects in and around Oslo that are working their way towards construction. At the moment we are awaiting planning approval for the Villa in Stabekk. Thorvald Meyers Gt. 89 is also up for review by the planning authorities in Oslo to allow for the complete renovation of this historically important corner of Grünerløkka. In December we have also submitted planning documents for a subtle but dramatic underground addition with swimming pool overlooking the Oslofjord from Ulvøya. Even closer to home, we have made several designs for Storgata 25 where we share our office space with other creative professionals. Our latest design will be reviewed by the building owners on monday.

 

2009 was a year frought with financial uncertaintly as the global economic crisis took it's toll on architects and architecture world-wide. We feel fortunate to have made it through this difficult time through hard work, the diversity of our projects, and our willingness to explore new opportunities in collaboration with others. We look forward to the challenges of 2010 and the new collaborations and ideas that are yet to come!

 

Happy New Year in 2010!

 

Jim Dodson & Ibrahim ElHayawan
Various Architects, Oslo

 

 

 

 

 

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