9255 - 9229 SUNSET BLVD

14/02/2019

Complete architectural and interior renovation of two iconic office buildings on Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.

The project is a “Creative Enhanced Conservation”; this is a concept that goes beyond the simple renovation.

The idea is to enhance the existing iconic architecture with important additions and modifications that radically transform the buildings but work organically with the existing features, reinforcing their original image in a re-envisioned architectural composition.

9229 Sunset was designed by Victor Gruen Associates in 1960; 9255 Sunset was designed by Palmer & Krisel in1962. Both buildings became part of the important legacy of midcentury Sunset Blvd architecture. We recognize it and respect it. Rather than replacing the image of these buildings with one alien to it, we opt for a strategy of surgical intervention and allow the new design to grow seamlessly out of the existing architecture compromised in the 80’ and 90’ by multiple inconsiderate alterations.
We preserved and enhanced the iconic image of the main volumes “floating” on Sunset Blvd above the podiums.

Sophisticated fragments of steel and structural glass architecture replace the heavy chunky crumbling canopies and old storefronts.
New refined book-match carrara marble skin, for both podiums, continues seamlessly inside the lobbies and introduces a cohesive identity to both buildings. All the new surfaces are trimmed with s/s plate.
210’ long backlit translucent channel glass box stretches along Sunset Blvd from the corner all the way over the driveway separating the buildings: here the new massive cantilevered truss becomes the iconic portal of ?the NINE TWO TOWERS complex.
The renovated driveway flanked by the new book-match marble skin is now the grand vehicular entrance.
The parking structure at the end of the driveway is revitalized with a stupendous 4 story high living vertical garden visible from the street; this is the main feature of the new patio/ garden created in the hart of the complex which establishes a new communal place for all the tenants partially covered by a high glass canopy between the parking and the 9255 building.
The patio and the renovated lobbies feature a unique palladiana carrara marble floor.
The new City National Bank lobby volume is a delicate composition of bypassing sheets of glass with s/s fins reaching to the sky.
The backlit traslucent channel glass shroud floating on top of the 9229 tower is rotated to enhance the break between the volumes and to dramatize the perspective view driving down Sunset Blvd. As a beacon it identifies the end of Sunset Strip driving from West Hollywood.
At the back, the 22’ tall channel glass sinuous wall springs from inside the City National Bank lobby emphasizing the new architectural language along Doheny Dr.

STADIUM G. MEAZZA, SAN SIRO

23/05/2023

PROPOSAL San Siro Nuovo Stadio Meazza – Project summary.

The project is a “creative enhanced conservation”; this is a concept that goes beyond the simple renovation. The idea is to enhance the existing iconic architecture with important additions and modifications that radically transform the stadium, but keeping its identity and even reinforcing its iconic image in a new architectural composition.

The project is characterized by a colonnade as “giant order” all around the existing stadium. Black columns and beams closed with a skin in ETFE or glass which can be illuminated from within in blue or red, creating with the actual architectural elements the iconic colors of Inter and Milan. The magnificent original Meazza structure is painted white and accentuated by contrast as architecture within architecture inside the new transparent/ translucent envelope, forming a new contemporary and unique building. For the third time a new structure is added around Stacchini’s 1925 building, the enlargement by Calzolari-Ronca in 1953 and the incredible and beautiful construction designed by Ragazzi in 1989. The stadium remains as the fantastic super-scale object immersed in the greenery of the new designed park, which mitigates the relation with the residential buildings of the area. It is important that the park stays at the level of the surrounding urban fabric to preserve the correct urbanistic relation with the entire San Siro area.

In the Trotter area, we imagine the grand new “Piazza dei Campioni” which maintains the memory of the historic Trotter footprint. The new stadium becomes part of the architecture that forms the piazza together with the curved cantilevered buildings and the tall residential tower (approx. 27,000 m2 of retail and 245,000 m2 of residential and or offices if necessary) . The exterior escalators give access to the “belvedere commercial level” at the third ring. The Vietti Stables are maintained and renovated with the new escalators that are inserted as a contrast between new and old. New multilevel underground parking structure is located under the piazza. Even under the Parco dei Capitani we can have new underground parking accessible through the underpass Patroclo. An alternative option shows the new stadium integrated with the garden/residences plan through a reduced “Piazzetta dei Campioni”.

The project is developed using strategically the existing ramps and the existing circulation exit system. The new slab of the concourse is connected at the entrance to the second ring from the ramps that surround the stadium. The double-height voids are scalloped around the helix ramps, the different entrances and the perimeter columns. At the new concourse of approx. 25,000 m2 there are the volumes of the new bathrooms (imagined as pedestals for statues of the most representative champions of the history of Inter and Milan) and the commercial concessions for retail, food and beverage characterized by roof covers wrapped in digital displays. The concourse provides all the amenities for the comfort and services enjoyed before and during the game, as in the new contemporary stadia which generate all the additional profits per nowadays standards.

On the east side, where the third ring is currently left open, we designed the new “belvedere floor towards the city”. Approx. 11,000 m2 of possible commercial functions, restaurants, museums etc. (to be defined with the most appropriate program) accessible also directly from the “Piazza dei Campioni” through the exterior escalators. This area would be open every day regardless of football games. At this level, on the east side the façade is operable and can be opened towards the city.

The entry floor of the stadium is raised at the level of the existing entry of the “distinti” (see sections) above the ground boxes. We create a grand raised entrance with monumental stairs from the park. The concourse at the first ring is approx. 30,000 m2 with the volumes of the new bathrooms (imagined as pedestals for statues of the most representative champions of the history of Inter and Milan) and the commercial concessions for retail, food and beverage characterized by roof covers wrapped in digital displays. A reflecting pool around the new platform makes the new architecture as if “floating” on the park. This reflecting pool also defines a separation for security reasons and allows the safe management of the entrances. The VIP entrances would be created descending from the park to the existing underground floor (see sections).

The spaces currently used for bathrooms at the first and second ring can be reprogrammed and reconfigured as service operation spaces, or they can be used to improve the sky boxes and sky lounges. The sky boxes and sky lounges can be extended even at the orange, blue and green sectors at the first ring. If necessary, the steps at the third ring can be re-prefabricated with slightly larger dimensions with a capacity reduction of approx. 20% and moved approx. 10 meters inwards, closer to the field, slightly overlapping the second ring.

The new envelope is structurally independent from the existing stadium structure.

Because the new project maintains strategically the existing ramps as basic circulation, the construction can be organized by phases keeping the stadium open during construction similarly as it was done in 1998/99 (see drawings with the schematic job site phases). Only the third ring would be kept closed for the entire duration of the new construction with the possibility of working “from the top” with cranes mounted on the third ring structure (either on the four corner towers or on the big boxed beam that supports the steps).

San Siro Nuovo Stadio Meazza – Descrizione sommaria di progetto

Il progetto consiste in una “creative enhanced conservation” o “conservazione creativa accentuata” --- un concetto che supera la mera conservazione o ristrutturazione. Si vuole valorizzare l’ architettura esistente migliorandola con aggiunte importanti e inserimenti opportuni che la trasformano radicalmente, mantenendone intatta l’identita’,

e addirittura rafforzandola in una nuova composizione.

Il progetto e’ caratterizzato da un colonnato ad “ordine gigante” tutto intorno allo stadio esistente. Colonne e travi nere chiuse da una pelle di ETFE o vetro che si puo’ illuminare di azzurro o rosso creando con l’architettura stessa gli iconici colori dell’ Inter e Milan. Dentro il nuovo involucro trasparente, la magnifica struttura del Meazza, interamente pitturata di bianco, risalta in contrasto, come un’ architettura nell’ architettura creando una nuova costruzione contemporanea e unica.

Per la terza volta una nuova struttura si aggiunge ad avvolgere l’edificio dello Stacchini del 1925, l’ ampliamento

Calzolari-Ronca del 1953 e l’incredibile bellissima costruzione del Ragazzi del 1989.

Lo stadio resta il fantastico “fuori-scala” immerso nel verde del nuovo parco che mitiga la relazione con gli edifici del quartiere. E’ importante che il parco mantenga il livello del tessuto urbano circostante per avere la corretta relazione urbanistica con tutto il quartiere San Siro.

Nell’ area del trotter e’ prevista la grande nuova “Piazza dei Campioni” con il disegno in pianta che mantiene la memoria dell’ impronta dello storico impianto del trotto. Il nuovo stadio diventa parte dell’ architettura che forma la piazza insieme agli edifici curvi aggettanti e alla alta torre residenziale (circa 27,000mq di retail e 245,000mq di residenze e/o uffici se necessari). Le scale mobili esterne danno accesso diretto al “piano belvedere commerciale” al livello del terzo anello. Le Scuderie Vietti sono mantenute e ristrutturate con le nuove scale mobili che si inseriscono per contrasto tra vecchio e nuovo. Sotto alla piazza si prevedono parcheggi multilivello sotterranei. Anche sotto al Parco dei capitani si possono prevedere parcheggi sotterranei accessibili dal sottopassaggio Patroclo.

Un’ opzione alternativa integra il nuovo stadio con il piano attuativo a residenze nel verde creando una ridotta “Piazzetta dei Campioni”.

Il progetto si sviluppa considerando e sfruttando le rampe esistenti e il sitema di circolazione/ uscite esistente, connettendo strategicamente la soletta della concourse del secondo anello all’entrata alle gradinate delle rampe che avvolgono lo stadio.

I vuoti a doppia altezza sono “ricamati” intorno alle rampe elicoidali, tra le diverse entrate e tra le colonne perimetrali.

Sulla nuova concourse di circa 25,000mq si collocano i volumi dei nuovi bagni (immaginati in finitura oro come piedistalli di statue dei campioni piu’ rappresentativi della storia di Milano) e le concessioni commerciali di ristoro e retail con coperture avvolte da digital displays. Tutto per il comfort prima e durante la partita come nei contemporanei stadi attuali.

Sul lato est, dove il terzo anello e’ correntemente lasciato aperto, c’e’ il nuovo “piano belvedere sulla citta’”.

Circa 11,000 mq di possibile centro commerciale, ristoranti,museo etc..(da definire con il programma piu’ idoneo) anche accessibile direttamente dalla nuova “Piazza dei Campioni” con scale mobili esterne e che funzionerebbe sempre, anche quando lo stadio non ospita partite.

Si prevede la possibilita’ di poter aprire tutta la facciata est verso la citta’.

Il piano di ingresso allo stadio viene rialzato al livello della esistente entrata dei distinti (vedi sezioni) cosi’ che resta al di sopra dei ground boxes. Si stabilisce una entrata monumentale con scalinate dal parco. Qui la councourse di servizio al primo anello e’ di circa 30,000 mq con i volumi dei nuovi bagni (immaginati in finitura oro come piedistalli di statue dei campioni piu’ rappresentativi della storia di Milano) e le concessioni commerciali di ristoro e retail con coperture avvolte da digital displays. Uno specchio d’acqua stacca la “piattaforma” dal parco e fa’ “galleggiare” l’architettura (oltre a creare una separazione per questioni di sicurezza e gestione delle entrate). Entrate VIP si possono prevedere scendendo dal parco al piano interrato (vedi sezioni).

Gli spazi attualmente usati per i bagni esistenti al primo e secondo anello possono essere riprogrammati per spazi di supporto alle operazioni di servizio o essere usati per migliorare sky boxes e sky lounges.

Gli sky boxes e sky lounges possono essere estesi anche nel settore arancio, blue e verde al top del primo anello.

Le gradinate del terzo anello potrebbero essere ri-prefabbricate a gradoni piu’ larghi riducendone la capacita’ del 20% circa e costruendole circa 10 metri piu’ indentro, piu’ vicine al campo, di poco sovrapposte al secondo anello.

Strutturalmente il nuovo involucro e’ indipendente dalla costruzione esistente.

Siccome il progetto mantiene le rampe esistenti come base di circolazione, il cantiere puo’ organizzarsi in fasi concentrate nel periodo off season per l’inizio dei lavori e mantenendo aperto l’impianto durante la costruzione come si e’ verificato nel 1988/89 (vedi disegno con schema per fasi di cantiere). Solo il terzo anello si puo’ mantenere chiuso per tutta la durata della costruzione con la possibilita’ di lavorare “dall’alto” con le gru montate sulla struttura del terzo anello (sulle 4 torri agli angoli e o sulla trave a cassone che sorregge le gradinate).