New Power Station
Shortlisted project for the 2016 Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
As part of the regeneration of an old industrial area, a new building echoes a recently restored power station beside it.
The original brief asked the architects to demolish the old, late-19th century power station located on a natural harbour in the Bay of Baku, and build a new events hall in its place, but after a site visit, the architects proposed two new buildings linked by an enclosed bridge to house event spaces, while preserving the old power station as an exhibition space. The resulting New Power Station references the old through its placement and form, and the courtyard outside connects the former industrial site to its surroundings, the expanding green zone on the city’s waterfront. The design, with a simple geometric mass, use of zinc and wood for the large sloped roof and the facade, reflects the industrial spirit of the site and enables it to serve as a flexible, multi-functional space. The restaurants, jazz club and the concert area all have access routes to each other to form a dynamic circulation between the two buildings. The New Power House design reflects what defines an industrial building in the collective memory and yet has a contemporary style as well.
