Overview
This lecture covered the history, design, construction, and engineering challenges of the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan, highlighting the center's distinctive architecture and construction solutions.
History and Purpose
- The Heydar Aliyev Center was proposed as a symbol of Azerbaijan's future and independence, moving away from traditional architecture of the Soviet era.
- The center serves as a lecture hall, museum, plaza, and cultural meeting place with public spaces, restaurants, and parking.
- It hosts major cultural events, city exhibitions, and played a role in Azerbaijan's bid for the 2016 Olympics.
Building Design and Architecture
- The exterior design mimics the surrounding landscape using a continuous smooth surface forming different sections of the building.
- The building's structure is based on fluidity, blurring the boundaries between the building and the urban plaza.
- Zaha Hadid and her firm were the lead architects, with the State Property Committee as the client.
Structural Solutions and Modeling
- The construction used a double-layer space frame system and a wide interior concrete structure without columns.
- The space frame geometry uses a square-on-tilted-square grid to optimally distribute loads and form.
- The structural design considered varying distances between the inner and outer skins and complex transitions between areas.
Cladding and Panel System
- The exterior skin consists of about 15,000 unique curved panels requiring custom fabrication.
- Two main cladding materials: GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) for walkable surfaces, and GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester) for lightweight roof panels.
- A prefabricated weather-resistant tray system and secondary steel structure support the cladding.
- Adaptable molds were used to manufacture uniquely shaped panels, saving cost and time.
Construction and Coordination Issues
- The remote site required importing materials and subcontracting panel fabrication.
- Each panel and substructure tube had a unique shape matching its location.
- Electronic chips were embedded in panels to enable precise tracking during installation and speed up construction.
- Installation required high precision, with tolerances up to half an inch.
Key Terms and Definitions
- Space Frame — A structural system using interconnected bars in a geometric pattern for rigidity and span.
- Cladding — An outer layer of material covering and protecting a building's structure.
- GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) — A composite material used for durable, walkable surfaces.
- GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester) — A lightweight composite material used for non-walkable surfaces.
- Rain Screen System — A cladding method allowing moisture drainage away from the structure.
Work Items / Next Steps
- Review lecture images and diagrams of the space frame and panel system at the Heydar Aliyev Center.
- Prepare to discuss adaptive manufacturing techniques in architecture.
- Read about other fluid architecture buildings designed by Zaha Hadid for comparative analysis.