Contemporary Cinema Design.

This is the latest completed project from the Norwegian design firm Fuggi Baggi. Using experimental lighting and structural techniques they have produced a stunning space that can be adapted for multiple purposes. At Bergen Kino the ceiling consists of drilled aluminum plating pre pressed in to a series of wave like structures. Independently controllable RGB lights have then been fitted, being RGB any desired colour can be created and even low resolution graphics can be displayed using the lights. The cinema resides in an old theatre which used to be double the height of the existing space.

I found the whole experience of photographing the space surprisingly relaxing. With long exposures of up to 5 minutes I really had time to appreciate the subtle nuances of colour and spatial design in the auditorium. Whilst tempted to enjoy a film in the space I decided ‘Bob The Builder’ was probably not the most productive use of my time! The rest of the Bergen Kino complex is due to be renovated over the next 3-4 years.

Clash Architects, Sleeperz Hotel, Cardiff

All photography by Daniel Clements, published in Building Design, June 09

Towner Gallery by Rick Mather, Architects’ Journal feature.

Having seen the team at the Towner Gallery work extremely hard organising the space it’s great to see the images finally getting out in to the world. This is my latest feature in the April issue of The Architects’ Journal. The space designed by Rick Mather Architects has managed to achieve that elusive quality of both delivering a functional practicality whilst invigorating and inspiring, and that’s before the art work was on the walls. I have subsequently returned with a new commission from the gallery director Matthew Rowe. These images will be released shortly once the gallery has had a chance to select it’s favourites. It’s amazing what artwork and sunshine does to transform a space.

All images by Daniel Clements Photography except images on page 2 by James Brittain/View & Richard Chivers.

Italo Rota, Toy Building 1, Milan, Italy.

Whilst shooting an urban regeneration project at Varsine in Milan for Ove Arup I stumbled across this fascinating Futurist sculpture late one evening. It is Designed by Italo Rota and entitled Toy Building to commemorate the centennial of the Founding Manifesto of Futurism. Unveiled at 6.30pm on February 3rd 09 in the Piazza Duomo, it stands alongside Milan’s most recognisable architectural structure the Duomo Cathedral.

The instillation is complimented with a sound scape by DJ Spooky an American artist, that resonates from speakers hidden within the angular form. The sounds initially draw you in but soon become overwhelming with a range of voices and abstract noises layed on top of each other resulting in a disorientation and confusion.

Part of the Made Expo, it will remain in the Piazza until June 09.

Blueprint Feature on the Towner Gallery by Rick Mather Architects

 

 

 

Gallery Stock picture library receives 200+ images from Daniel Clements Photography available for purchase.

Having recently joined Gallery Stock, a full service image licensing agency representing the world’s elite photographers. You can now easily organise rights usage day or night for your magazine features or marketing campaigns. With headquarters in New York and London and having just won 1st place at the PDN / Nikon Stock Agency Awards it should be a productice relationship.

My latest images from October 2008’s trip to Egypt have been uploaded there.

I have submitted a diverse range of work from : Africa / Russia / Europe / USA

Please view at : Daniel Clements Photography / Gallery Stock

Here are a few shots to wet your appetite. After climbing over the mountains surrounding the Valley of the Kings in the mid day heat I was confronted with a stunning view looking east towards the Nile River. A view that seemed very familiar but I could not work out why. That was until I returned back to London and came across Andreas Gursky’s image of the Valley.  

 

 

Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor, Egypt

Hatshepsut (or Hatchepsut,),meaning, Foremost of Noble Ladies, was the fifth pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt. She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty.

Although contemporary records of her reign are documented in diverse ancient sources, Hatshepsut was described by early modern scholars as only having served as a co-regent from about 1479 to 1458 B.C., during years seven to twenty-one of the reign previously identified as that of Thutmose III. Today it is generally recognized that Hatshepsut assumed the position of pharaoh and the length of her reign usually is given as twenty-two years, since she was assigned a reign of twenty-one years and nine months by the third-century B.C. historian, Manetho, who had access to many records that now are lost. Her death is known to have occurred in 1458 B.C., which implies that she became pharaoh circa 1479 B.C.

 

 

Desert Tracks, Siwa Oasis, Egypt.

 

The White Desert, Egypt

 

Giza, Cairo, Egypt

Metropolitan Works, London.

 

This is an exciting new space that cleverly blends contemporary creative energy with advanced technology in a fascinating building. Metropolitan Works launched its new £4.5 million building last night with the opening of ‘Digital Explorers: Discovery’, a fascinating (and free!) new collection of works by nine leading artists, all created using cutting edge digital manufacturing techniques.

The building on Commercial Road, commissioned by London Metropolitan University from Cartwright Pickard architects, is a brand new manufacturing and workspace centre for budding creatives. It not only provides workshop space – worth its weight in gold in central London – but also and uniquely it gives access to technology previously only available to industry, specifically ‘digitally-controlled manufacturing’; such as laser cutting, water-jet cutting and rapid prototyping. The design of the building itself cleverly reflects the capabilities of the technology within – the top half clad in metal perforated sheets with the machine hall wrapped in beautifully patterned bespoke laser cut panels. 

The exhibition, which runs until 12^th March, features offerings from Antony Gormley, Timorous Beasties and Tord Boontje, all produced using the technology now available in the facility. According to Gormley, by using CNC (‘computer numerically controlled’, in case you didn’t know) routing to manufacture his metal sculpture he significantly reduced the 3-week production time and also achieved a more accurate result. As a collection, the show is a real eye-opener in terms of the impact that these new technologies will have on the future of art and design. 

The stated aim of the Metropolitan Works enterprise is to bring creative talents and manufacturers together, to enable innovation, and further promote London as a global centre for design. This new facility proves that its not all talk – by providing workspace, training facilities and state-of-the-art technology previously unavailable to artists and designers – as well as enhancing the networking potential which is so vital in the design industry.

Text by Blueprint Magazine.

On Top of The World, Finse, Norway.

Sometimes living in London you just need to escape from it all ! So 1222M above sea level in the isolated settlement of Finse, Norway was where I choose to spend New Years Eve (Nytt År in Norsk). A fresh blizzard at -13˚C greeted the new arrivals from the Bergen to Oslo train on the 29th December 2008. This temperature dropped to -26˚C on the 1st of January 2009 as I skied to Hardanger Jøkulen glacier at 1800M above sea level. The only way to cure a NY hangover.

 

David Chipperfield Architects, St Michele Cemetery, Venice, Italy

Riverside South by Richard Rogers Partnership (Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners), Canary Wharf, London

The site as of October 2008, photographed by Daniel Clements Photography ©2008. It was quite difficult to imagine the immense structures that will be towering over the city of London in the near future. At a grand height of 236m and 189m respectively, accomodating 45 and 36 floors.

This is how the finished project will look.

Map of the site.

 

Riverside South is the largest single office european development (around 300,000 sqft gross). It needs its own electricity substation.

The client, Canary Wharf Group, commissioned RRP to prepare development proposals for a high quality office development appropriate to the site and of a size to compliment the scale and density of Canary Wharf. The brief includes high quality public facilities at ground level along the river edge, with office, trading and ancillary support accommodation at the upper levels and parking, servicing and plant below ground.

Main Contractor : Canary Wharf Contractors Ltd

Service Engineer : Hilson Moran Partnership

Structural Engineer : Yolles Partnership Ltd

 

Here are some other views of recent finished projects around the site on Canary Wharf. I had the pleasure of enduring a fierce hail storm shower whilst creating these images, digital photography equipment and ice don’t go together very well !