Moshe Safdie is an architect known for large-scale projects that integrate architecture with their surroundings. Some of his most notable works include Habitat 67, a housing complex built for Montreal's 1967 World Exhibition that comprised prefabricated concrete units stacked to form apartments with private outdoor terraces. Other projects include the Khalsa Heritage Centre in India, which celebrates Sikh history across two complexes connected by a pedestrian bridge spanning a ravine. Safdie's Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City features two performance halls with glass walls offering city views. Throughout his career, Safdie has embraced comprehensive design that enhances projects and responds to human needs.
2. Moshe Safdie is an architect, urban
planner, educator, theorist, and author. Embracing a
comprehensive and humane design philosophy, Safdie is
committed to architecture that supports and enhances a
project‟s program; that is informed by the
geographic, social, and cultural elements that define a
place; and that responds to human needs and aspirations.
Safdie has completed a wide range of projects, such as
cultural, educational, and civic institutions; neighbourhoods
and public parks; mixed-use urban centres and airports; and
master plans for existing communities and entirely new
cities around the world.
3. Born in Haifa, Israel, in 1938, Safdie moved to Canada with his
family at the age of 15. He graduated from McGill University in
1961 with a degree in architecture. After apprenticing with
Louis I. Kahn in Philadelphia, Safdie returned to Montreal to
oversee the master plan for the 1967 World Exhibition. In 1964
he established his own firm to realize Habitat „67, an
adaptation of his thesis at McGill, which was the central feature
of the World‟s Fair and a groundbreaking design in the history of
architecture.
PRINCIPLES OF MOSHE
1.Shaping the public realm
2.Architecture with purpose
3.Responding to the essence of place
4.Architecture that is buildable
5.Building responsibly
6.Humanizing the mega scale
Sketch of habitat 67 by Moshe
4. HISTORY
Safdie's design for Habitat 67 began as a thesis project for his
architecture program at McGill University. It was "highly
recognized" at the institution. After leaving to work with Louis
Kahn in Philadelphia, Safdie was approached by Sandy van Ginkel,
his former thesis advisor, to develop the master plan for Expo 67,
the world's fair that was set to take place in Montreal during 1967.
Safdie decided to propose his thesis as one of the pavilions and
began developing his plan.
5. CONCEPT AND DESIGN
The development was designed to integrate the
benefits of suburban homes, namely gardens, fresh
air, privacy, and multileveled environments, with the
economics and density of a modern urban apartment
building. It was believed to illustrate the new
lifestyle people would live in increasingly crowded
cities around the world
6. Habitat 67 comprises 354 identical, prefabricated concrete forms
arranged in various combinations, reaching up to 12 storeys in height.
Together these units create 146 residences of varying sizes and
configurations, each formed from between one to eight linked concrete
units. The complex originally contained 158 apartments, but several
apartments have since been joined to create larger units, reducing the
total number. Each unit is connected to at least one private terrace,
which can range from approximately 225 to 1,000 square feet (20.9 to 93
m2) in size.
8. ORIGINAL PLANS OF HABITAT 67
SHOWING CONNECTIVITY OF APARTMENTS WITH CORIDORE
TERRACES
MAIN STAIRCASE
STAIRCASE
CORRIDOR
APARTMENT
CORRIDOR
APARTMENT
9. The Khalsa Heritage Centre is a museum of the Sikh
people located in the holy town of Anandpur Sahib, near
Chandigarh, the capital of the state of Punjab. The
museum celebrates 500 years of Sikh history and the
300th anniversary of the Khalsa. Located on a 30hectare (75-acre) site overlooking the town, the
memorial is divided into two sections that straddle a
ravine and are joined by a pedestrian bridge.
10. There are two complexes at each side of a ravine, connected by a
ceremonial bridge:
The smaller, western complex includes an entrance space, an
auditorium with 400 seating-capacity, two-story research and
reference library and changing exhibition galleries.
The eastern complex contains a round memorial building as well as
extensive, permanent exhibition space, consisting of two clusters
of galleries that try to evoke the fortress architecture of the region
(most evident in a nearby Gurudwara) and form a dramatic
silhouette against the surrounding cliff terrain. The gathering of
the galleries in groups of five reflects the Five Virtues, a central
tenet of Sikhism.
11. EXISTING GURUDWARA
ENTRANCE FOYER
WATER BODY
AUDITORIUM
BRIDGE
EXHIBITION HALLS
SITE PLAN OF KHALSA HERITAGE CENTRE SHOWING THE TWO COMPLEXES
AT EACH SIDE OF A RAVINE, CONNECTED BY A CEREMONIAL BRIDGE
12. The buildings are constructed of poured-in-place concrete; some
beams and columns remain exposed, though a great deal of the
structures has been cladded with a local honey-colored stone.
The rooftops are stainless steel-clad and exhibit a double
curvature: they gather and reflect the sky while a series of dams
in the ravine create pools that reflect the entire complex at
night. A series of dams create a water garden in the ravine; a
restaurant located midway across the pedestrian bridge faces
the water garden.
13. Internally the facility incorporates a number of
exhibition galleries, a multi-level library organised
around a grand reading room, storage for rare
archival materials, and a 400-capacity auditorium.
Outside, visitors will find reflective water gardens
for quiet contemplation spreading across seven acres
and centred on a 540ft bridge
EXHIBITION HALL
SKYLIGHT
VIEW OF GALLERY
14. The site is located in the downtown of Singapore at marina bay.
Marina bay is an integrated resort developed by Las Vegas sands.
With the casino complete, the resort features a 2,561 room hotel 1,300,000sq ft
convention exhibition centre,8 lakh sqft the shops at marina bay sands mall, a
museum ,2 large theatres ,7 celebrity chef restaurant,2 floating crystal pavilion
etc.
The main feature is the infinite swimming pool located at the roof above the
three towers of hotel. It is the worlds largest public cantilevered platform. A
series of layered gardens extends the tropical garden landscape from Gardens
by the Bay towards the bayfront.
15. The art science museum is one of the attractions at
marina bay sands. It is the worlds first art science
museum. It is the landmark of Singapore.
the art science museum is anchored by round base in the
middle with a ten extensions referred to as fingers. the
design concept for each finger denotes various gallery
spaces supporting skylights at the fingertips which are
included as sustainable illumination for curved interior
walls.
16. SUSTAINABLE FEATURES:
Rainfall is harvested and channelled down the centre of the
building, flowing through its bowl-shaped roof into a
reflecting pond at the lowest level of the building the
rainwater is then recycled for use in buildings restrooms.
The roof that is used to collect water is also used for laser
shows at night. This reflects Moshe's principles of
architecture with purpose and monumental architecture.
17. The opportunity to design a major new performing arts center was
precipitated by two significant decisions: the selection of an
extraordinary site crowning the escarpment overlooking the
historic warehouse district and the new entertainment
district, affording a 180° view of the horizon; and the decision to
construct two dedicated halls for symphony, ballet, opera, and
theatre.
18. Muriel kauffman theatre
Helzberg hall
Moshe believes that the site of a project always holds the secret for its design
concept. He was compelled by the dramatic view to the south. As the site was
on a higher plateau facing the city on its south he placed the two performance
halls on the north ,which he considered “performance areas” that should be
exposed to the view of the city. The glass enclosure opens the foyer to
dramatic views of the sky and skyline. At night, seen from the exterior, the
glazing disappears and reveals the dramatically lit theater facades and activity
within the public areas.
21. Structure of glass wall at the entrance
Glass wall
The enveloping structure of the complex is a series of
undulating, vertical segments of a circle forming the northern
container of the theater's stage, concert hall, and experimental
theater. As these elements ascend, they create a segmented,
gently curving crown to the building. From this crest, the roof
descends in a curve following the toroidal geometry of light
cables, metal, and glass toward the south. The roof intersects
with an outwardly inclined and curved glass wall(which contains
the foyer with a southern view). The tensile forces of the
suspended glass foyer roof are counteracted by a series of
cables tying down the structure to anchors at the entrance
terrace
22. . The curved, segmented northern walls are sheathed in
silvery stainless steel and punctuated by acidetched, limestone-colored, precast concrete perpendicular
walls. The roof is stainless steel over the performing
halls, changing to glass over the foyers . The theater facades
are clad in veneer plaster forming continuous curved, stacked
balconies. The lobby bars form sculptural shapes visible under
the glass structure.
23. plan
Muriel kauffman theatre
N
Helzberg hall
foyer
The drop in the land towards the south allowed them to include a
new road that serves as the drop-off point and leads to a large
underground parking garage on top of which sits a park. From the
garage and the drop-off levels, the public ascends the grand stair
to the great hall, with public gathering areas and the individual
theatres on each side. Recognizing the significance of downtown
as an additional access point, the North Entrance was aligned on
the axis of Central Street, penetrating through the building into
the theatre lobbies.
24. NEW YORK HABITAT II UNITED STATES EAST (1968)
PALM JUMERAH GATEWAY MOSQUE(2008)
HABITAT PUERTO RICO ,
UNITED STATES –WEST (1971)