Over the last 15 centuries, the Abbey has been decimated by periods of falling rock. A significant strike in 1945 took down the Abbey’s main tower. Because of its historical importance, the tower and other portions of the building have been rebuilt over and over.
To protect the ancient building once and for all, Savioz Fabrizzi architects built a cantilevered, translucent roof that extends out over the abbey. The roof is drilled into the adjacent cliff and can hold up to 170 tons of rock. The structure lets sunlight filter down upon the grounds below and maintains the Abbey’s natural, verdant environment. [DesignBloom via Inhabitat]
Geoff
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 10:57 PM“Because of its historical importance, the tower and other portions of the building have been rebuilt over and over.” Seems the tower missed out on protection, though. Oh, and bugger the architects. Anyone can draw. It’s the engineers we should be impressed by.
Brad
Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 1:15 AMEngineers indeed. Was about to make exactly the same comment. If I want it pretty I talk to an architect, if I want it to stand up I talk to an engineer.
Thanks for the story though, very interesting. I would almost say a sci-fi approach of preservation. As the buildings deteriorate further they might even implement some structural support being given from the overhang.
Gary
Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 1:33 AMYes typical, engineering seems to come a very poor second. NOTHING would happen without them. If something were to go wrong, then the engineers would be at the forefront of blame not the architects.
RichoVonBlack
Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 6:25 AMHmmm, I agree up to a point, in this case it’s the engineering that’s more interesting ( I wonder what the clear panels are made of?) ,but sometimes an architect is a necessity (how many blue prints are used by engineers that come from architects?), DAMMIT I NEED TO KNOW THE LOAD BEARING WEIGHT OF THOSE PANNELS!!! (You can guess which side I’d be on though).
Geoff
Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 10:18 AMIf you check out the link at the bottom of the article it shows more detail of the roof. It appears to be a steel mesh with quite possibly an Alsonite or similar ceiling suspended underneath.
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/images/images_2/erica/801/maurice09.jpg
Ollie
Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 8:08 AMMeh, most engineers have OCD. Talk to the manufacturers instead.
Nikita
Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 8:42 AMIn my experience, Architects come up with the great ideas, Engineers help figure out how to realise them. Most Engineers typically don’t think ‘outside the box’. You need both. Having said that, no matter what your idea and solution is, without a good client to champion it, it will just stay on paper.
Andrew
Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 9:15 AM+1. TBH, I think it’s improtant to have both an engineer and an architect working well together to make something worthy of note. An architect with the mind of an engineer and an engineer with the mind of an architect doesn’t hurt either.