BIG’s proposal for middle east media HQ features giant tensile canopy
all images courtesy of bjarke ingels group

 

 

 

bjarke ingels’ architecture office BIG has revealed its competition proposal for a vast media headquarters building in the middle east. the scheme will provide a framework for international broadcasting that simultaneously seeks to remain grounded within the region’s specific culture.

bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
the scheme will provide a coherent framework for international broadcasting

 

 

 

formed of two cuboid towers, the 650,000 square meter project has been designed to encourage communication among the building’s various occupants. in order to maximize this interaction, a vertical village of newsrooms and broadcast studios is united beneath a tensile canopy that brings together both staff and visitors.

bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
the scheme seeks to identify with the region’s specific culture

 

 

 

within the ‘valley’ of the design, the podium – and the floors immediately above – form a shared space for informal relaxation, while private roof terraces can be used by staff working higher up the building. the scheme also contains a number of shared amenities, such as a dining facilities, a gym, a bank and an auditorium.

bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
the design is formed of two towers connected with a giant tensile canopy

 

 

 

despite sharing a common base, internal programs are allocated a specific location to ensure a necessary level of privacy. functions with less demand for unusual spatial requirements are located in the higher part of the towers. here, the repetitive floor plates allow for a greater degree of flexibility.

bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
newsrooms and broadcast studios are contained within a vertical village at the heart of the design

bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
despite sharing a common base, internal programs are allocated a specific location within the plan

bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
functions with less demand for unusual spatial requirements are located in the higher part of the towers

bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
private roof terraces can be used by staff working in the site’s various studios

bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
large studios are positioned in close proximity to the vehicle access lane

bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
projections on the building’s façade can be viewed from the passing street

 

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bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 
bjarke ingels group big middle east media headquarters designboom
 

 

 

project info:

 

project: middle east media headquarters
year: 2015
type: competition
client: confidential
collaborators: arup, msp, macmedia, pentagram
size: 653,700 sqm
location: middle east

 

partners in charge: bjarke ingels, andreas klok pedersen
associate in charge: andré schmidt
project leader: christin svensson
team: lorenzo boddi, song he, jan magasanik, joao albuquerque, liao hung kai, anu leinonen, enea michelesio, camila luise de andrade stadler
design assistants: dimitrie grigorescu, jakub mateusz wlodarczyk, jan pietrzak, jesefa templo, jonathan qaad