"Influenced by his experiences during the second World War, Richard Buckminster Fuller designed a modified geodesic dome as housing for army troop units, the wounded or refugees. The aluminium tubes that form the frame are connected via a plug-in system. This facilitates the construction’s quick assembly and dismantling. Buckminster Fuller’s construction principle was patented in 1954 in the USA.
The Dome on the Vitra Campus was created in 1975 at Charter Industries and was the product of a collaboration with Thomas C. Howard. In 1978/79, it was used as a car showroom in Detroit (USA). In 2000, Rolf Fehlbaum bought it at an auction and installed it in Weil am Rhein in the same year. Today, the tent construction is used as a space for events and exhibitions." www.vitra.com/en-us/campus/architectur
Tags: Dome Richard Buckminster Fuller Vitra Campus Vitra Design Museum Weil am Rhein Germany Allemagne Deutschland Architektur architecture
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"The petrol station designed in 1953 by Jean Prouvé and his brother Henry is one of the first serially manufactured petrol stations. It was built about 1953 for Mobiloil Socony-Vacuum and stood at “Relais des Sangliers” in the Département Haute-Loire. Created modularly of individual pieces, it was installed in 2003. There are three in total on the Vitra Campus.
The building consists of angular aluminium components and sheeting perforated with bull’s eye cut-outs. The load-bearing structure and wall construction are clearly differentiated from one another, a distinction reinforced by the colour scheme. Many of the buildings by Prouvé constructed out of prefabricated metal components have structural and formal qualities almost identical to his table designs and demonstrate his consistent adherence to tectonic principles in the design process." www.vitra.com/en-us/campus/architectur
Tags: Petrol Station Jean Prouvé Vitra Design Museum Museum Design Vitra Weil Weil am Rhein Germany Deutschland Allemagne
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Detail of a spiral ramp
"The factory hall designed by Frank Gehry is located behind the Vitra Design Museum and is similar in size to the neighbouring Nicholas Grimshaw building. Here, the ramps and pillars serve as a formal connection to the Museum. The building contains production rooms, a showroom, the test centre, the canteen and offices. The first floor windows look out onto the entire hall and allow visitors to observe the production stages in progress." www.vitra.com/en-us/campus/architectur
Tags: Factory Building Frank Gehry Vitra museum Vitra Design Museum Vitra Museum Weil am Rhein Germany Deutschland Allemagne
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"The large and simple brick building designed by Álvaro Siza is reminiscent of anonymous factory buildings from the 19th century and is extremely unobtrusive in comparison to the other buildings on the grounds. The most eye-catching feature of the building is its curved bridge roof, which connects the building to the neighbouring one. It is so high that it does not obstruct the view of the Fire Station by Zaha Hadid and automatically lowers in rainy weather, thus protecting the logistics vehicles on their way to the Grimshaw building. With its brick facing, Álvaro Siza’s production facility makes reference to the production hall that burned down in 1981." www.vitra.com/en-us/campus/architectur
Tags: Factory Building Álvaro Siza Architecture Architektur Weil am Rhein Vitra Design Museum Vitra Museum Design
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"After the major fire in 1981, Vitra decided it would be a good idea to have a fire brigade. Zaha Hadid was commissioned with designing a building for it. Knowing that its company fire brigade could only combat a fire in its initial stages and could not replace the public fire services, Vitra decided to disband its fire brigade a few years later. Since that time, the rooms have been used for events and exhibitions held by the Vitra Design Museum. Today, the Weil fire services are responsible for the Vitra Campus. Together with the Basel fire services, they assume the role of protecting the Vitra Campus.
The Fire Station is the very first building complex designed by Zaha Hadid. It consists of spaces for fire engines, showers and changing rooms for the firemen as well as a conference room and a kitchenette. The sculpture-like building was cast in concrete on site. Positioned alongside the angular features of the neighbouring production facilities, it has the effect of a frozen explosion. Its lack of colour and right angles provides visitors with an unusual spatial experience." www.vitra.com/en-us/campus/architectur
Tags: Fire Station Zaha Hadid Vitra Design Museum Vitra Museum Design Deutschland Germany Allemagne Weil am Rhein Architecture Architektur
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