Flame towers in tank. Towers of fire in Baku Neighborhood of the Flame Towers

Source: DiaryInternetlife

Flame Towers, Baku, Azerbaijan.

An incredible construction boom in Baku over the past years - new hotels, office buildings, skyscrapers, museums contemporary art...all this is amazing! This report is about how contemporary art and architecture can be organically integrated into a centuries-old layer of rich history. Flame Towers are a new symbol of the capital. And also a story about the world's most famous female architect, Zaha Hadid, and her ambitious project in Baku.

Korean architects from the architectural bureau Heerim Architects , decided to add a little variety to the landscape of Baku. Their project of two hotels in the capital of Azerbaijan will bring a new spirit to architectural ensemble cities. It is likely that the project’s customers are haunted by the laurels of another oil power shocking the public with extraordinary projects; one of the hotels resembles the project of an exhibition center in Arab Emirates Rema Koolhasa.

Moving around Baku you constantly see cranes and scaffolding. In the city, I noted three areas of construction: firstly, the repair and improvement of old rear and facades of Soviet-era buildings. Everything looks in the same style in one eye-pleasing color. All the facades of the building along the central highways are ideal, very beautifully illuminated at night. There will be a separate report on this. Secondly, I saw an excellent example of the fact that the old city needs to be protected, and not built up, as in my city. In Kyiv, in fact, in the city center over the past 20 years, an incredible number of absolutely tasteless buildings have been built, which have erased the authenticity of the old city. In Baku, the old city was preserved and put in order, entry into it was limited, the buildings were repaired, they even overdid it a little with the repairs, this will also be a separate article. Modern buildings in the center are trying to be stylized while maintaining the general concept of the street or block.

Thirdly, this is modern construction. The scale is amazing! Probably in the post-Soviet space only Moscow can be compared in terms of the number of objects under construction, but these are cities that are absolutely incommensurable in scale!

The victory in the Eurovision Song Contest became a significant catalyst for construction in Baku; almost all new facilities should be commissioned by the spring of 2012. Locals they say that the city is changing literally before our eyes; within a month the same building may not be recognized. A modern shopping center in the city center and the Hilton hotel. In the shopping center - side elements - dazhavu towers in London, in my opinion they look very good, especially at night ">

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The new building of the Carpet Museum, reminiscent of an unrolling carpet. And here’s an interesting detail - in the middle ground there is a small tower that shows the time “15:10”, this is a Soviet-era design, previously used as a parachute attraction. Now they have decided to preserve it as one of the favorite symbols of the old city, even the old electronic scoreboard has been left the same! Although there is a modern embankment nearby.

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Pay attention in this frame - the building on the left is in the old style, although it is a modern building. In general, there are very few buildings that would not fit into the appearance of the city with their novelty.

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It was very nice to see that absolutely everything, even very small parks and squares in the city, looked perfect. Well-groomed lawns, benches, fountains, lighting... Everything is very nice and attractive. Everywhere is perfectly clean!

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The night illumination of buildings in the center looks very beautiful, but a report on “Baku at night” will definitely be in the near future:

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“Flame Towers” ​​have definitely already become a symbol of the new Baku. Flame is a flame, and one of the slogans of Azerbaijan is the phrase “Land of Fire”. 3 flames have been part of the coat of arms of Baku since 1883!

The towers are already fascinating, one can only imagine what it will look like after the opening. The construction budget is $350 million. These are three towers, 34, 37 and 39 floors respectively, which will house a hotel, offices, and residential premises. Total area – 350,000 sq.m. The opening is scheduled for early 2012. The buildings are located on a hill and are visible from almost anywhere in the city and from the sea. The project takes into account the fact that Baku is located in a zone of constant winds and increased seismic activity. The towers fit perfectly into the urban landscape and are visible from anywhere in the city.
What it looks like now:

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31.”Heydar Aliyev Center”

But the most incredible project, the implementation of which is already close to completion, is “ Cultural Center Heydar Aliyev.” The complex was designed by the world’s most famous female architect of Arab origin, Zaha Hadid, and will have an area of ​​52,000 square meters (premises) and 111,000 square meters of total park area, a 22m high conference hall, a museum, a library and a sculpture park. . The Cultural Center will house a conference hall, 3 auditoriums, a library and a museum. This ambitious project will play an important role in the intellectual life of the city. The architectural concept is a synthesis of waves-liquid-folds of skin, each element is unique and can be used for various purposes. Zaha Hadid was born in 1950 in Baghdad. From 1972 to 1977 she studied at the Architectural Association in London. In 1980, Zaha Hadid founded her own architectural firm, Zaha Hadid Architects. She proposes designs for a habitable bridge over the Thames (1966), an inverted skyscraper for the English city of Leicester (1994), and a club on a mountaintop in Hong Kong (1983). Designs the Opera House in Cardiff (1994), Contemporary Art Centers in Ohio (1988) and Rome (1999) ... These and other projects brought her victory in prestigious architectural competitions (the first was won in 1983 in Hong Kong), interest, and then popularity among professionals, but remain on paper. Largely due to the unwillingness of customers to accept its non-standard and original design. Gradually, recognition comes to Zaha Hadid. One of the first completed developments was the fire station of the furniture company Vitra, reminiscent of the Stealth bomber (1993).

32.According to Hadid herself, a surge of interest in her work began after the building of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao was built in 1997, designed by Frank Gehry. The museum in Bilbao has defiantly bold forms and it is from here that the success of such buildings begins. Here are some of her projects: Bridge-pavilion in Zaragoza, Spain:

33.Springboard in ski capital Austria – Innsbruck:

34.Left - art center in Abu Dhabi (under construction), top right - Glasgow Transport Museum, bottom right - station cable car in Innsbruck:

35. She is not only an architect, but also a designer of many other things, for example, a lamp of her design:

36.The objects that she designs are automatically included in the booklets of the main attractions of cities!
But her most ambitious project is now being built in Baku - the “Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center”:

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42. In September 2011, the frames of the buildings were almost completed, the opening of the complex is planned in the spring of 2012.

45. The story about this project was published on the Discovery Channel in the program Extreme Engineering (Season 9, Episode 3) – “Azerbaijan’s Amazing Transformation”. More information about the project here: http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/heydar-aliyev-cultural-centre/. And a small postscript... This is a nice sign indicating renovation work on one of the central squares, I really liked this figurine:

46. ​​But not everyone understands this, kids play with a toy builder ">

47. I always have an involuntary comparison between Baku and Dubai, where an ultra-metropolis was built in the desert. With one very significant “but”: in Dubai everything is artificial, bright, but not alive. In Baku, everything is built on a powerful historical layer, where there is culture and history, where the old and the new live very organically with each other. There's even modern forms already have their own soul. It may be difficult to put into words, but you can feel it.

Modern Baku is a city of contrasts, where ancient buildings harmoniously combine with the latest architectural achievements. Famous foreign architects are embodying their most daring futuristic ideas here, turning Baku into an ambitious city. "Moscow-Baku" brings to your attention ten of the most unusual architectural projects that have changed the appearance of the city.

1. Heydar Aliyev Center
The symbol of modern Baku, the Heydar Aliyev Center, has become one of the favorite places to visit for Baku residents and guests of the city. The Heydar Aliyev Center was built according to the design of the world famous architect Zaha Hadid. The design of the building, designed in the postmodernist style, has no straight lines. And the closer you get to the Center, the more you notice how the building rises from the ground like a wave, then falls down again, as if personifying infinity and continuation. The center, distinguished by its multifunctionality and being a unique example of architecture, has already been included in the list of world architecture. The building houses a museum, conference hall, library, etc.

2. Flame Towers
The architects of Flame Towers were inspired by the history of the Land of Fire and decided to create a project that could become a new symbol of modern Baku. The towers have become the tallest building in Azerbaijan and their appearance resembles flames. Today, three “fire” towers are visible from the farthest points of the city and are the hallmark of Baku. Flame Towers are three high-rise buildings comprising a hotel, apartments, offices, restaurants and a cinema. The towers are completely covered with LED screens that display the movement of fire. The effect of torches is visually created, which emphasizes the main idea of ​​the project, hidden in their name - “Fire Towers”. Flame Towers was announced the winner of the MIPIM 2013 competition - the largest investment exhibition of innovative projects in the European real estate market - in the category "Best Hotel and Tourist Center". And the lighting of the Flame Towers, according to a survey by skyscrapercity.com, an influential forum on urban planning, was recognized as the best in the world.

3. State Museum carpet
The Azerbaijan Carpet Museum was erected on Baku Boulevard, a favorite recreation spot for residents and guests of the capital. Its building resembles a rolled up carpet - this was the idea of ​​the author of the project, the famous Austrian architect Franz Janz. The new building was opened quite recently - in August last year and today it is the most visited museum in Azerbaijan. By the way, the museum has an unusual exhibition concept. Its exhibits - carpets - are hung on arched walls, many of which are visible from all floors from different angles. About 14 thousand exhibits are stored here, in addition to carpets and rugs, these are metal products, clothing, ceramic and wooden objects, jewelry, books, and a unique collection of photographs.

4. Baku Crystal Hall
Baku Crystal Hall was erected on the shores of the Caspian Sea, on the State Flag Square. This complex is designed to host international cultural events. And it was built specifically for the Eurovision Song Contest, which took place in 2012 in the Azerbaijani capital. The complex accommodates more than 23 thousand people and, according to the builders, “if any emergency occurs, all visitors to the stadium can be evacuated within eight minutes.”

The façade of Crystal Hall is equipped with numerous modern dynamic lighting installations, allowing for the creation of various effects. Luminous crystals with thousands of light panels reflect more than 45 thousand color shades and create bright architectural lighting at night.

5. Baku international Airport Heydar Aliyev
Today we can safely say that Baku is home to one of the most unusual airports in the world. Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport is a clear embodiment of the fact that an airport can be not only a convenient infrastructure facility, but also a masterpiece of architecture, a real calling card of the country. From above, the futuristic terminal building resembles a huge plane soaring over the runway. The four floors of the building at all levels are entwined from the inside with structures of peculiar “cocoons” made of oak veneer, and the architects hid cafes, bars, and shopping kiosks in the Salam Lounges business area on the top floor in wooden hemispheres.

6. SOCAR Tower
The 42-story skyscraper SOCAR Tower is located on the busy Heydar Aliyev Avenue and will soon become the office building of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan. The moving stream of fire is the central idea of ​​the skyscraper design. The initial SOCAR tower project included two towers, which curled around each other to form one whole building. Over time, changes were made to the project. Now it is one tower, which is slightly split into petals of fire. The top of the first “petal” is located approximately at the 22-23 floor level. The other two crown the top of the building. The facade itself is wavy from base to top - another reference to the theme of flame.
The most modern technologies were used during the construction of the building. Thus, the building is equipped with TWIN elevators, the peculiarity of which is that in one shaft, one above the other, there are two cabins that move independently of each other. Socar Tower is also equipped with a self-cleaning system, and the façade of the building can be used as an LED screen.

7. Azersu Office Tower
Azersu Office Tower will become the new office headquarters of the national water operator of Azerbaijan. The building is located on Heydar Aliyev Avenue, which is the main place for the implementation of futuristic high-rise buildings in Baku and aspires to become the business center of the capital. The tower was built according to the design of the Korean company Heerim Architects, which proposed a building design in the shape of a large drop of water, thereby reflecting the main activity of the company. The building has 22 floors, its height is 124 meters. Construction began in 2013, and the opening ceremony of this grandiose project is expected in the near future.

Azersu Tower successfully combines with the fiery theme of the neighboring building - SOCAR Tower. Thus, the symbols of water and fire, embodied in architectural forms, ended up next door on Heydar Aliyev Avenue.

8. Trump Hotel Baku
Baku has also attracted the attention of American tycoon Donald Trump. A new creative building of modern Baku - the 33-story Trump International Hotel & Tower Baku - will open soon. The tower will house 72 luxury apartments and 189 hotel rooms. And the tycoon’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, came several times to monitor the construction process. “When we open in 2015, visitors and residents of our building will see not only luxury real estate that has no analogue in Baku, but also some of the best in the world,” said Trump Organization President Donald Trump.

Rising above the Caspian Sea, Trump Baku is an oasis in the midst of a bustling city. The building is located at a busy intersection, but surrounded by extensive gardens, fountains and park paths. The building's façade has a distinctive striking silhouette, reminiscent of the mast of a sail on the open sea, and is composed of bronze metal panels, glass openings and private terraces.

9. The Crescent Development Project
On the shores of the Caspian Sea, construction is underway on the grandiose project The Crescent Development Project, which will consist of three buildings: the Crescent Hotel, the Crescent City business center, as well as the residence and shopping and entertainment center Crescent Place. The most unusual thing in this complex is the hotel building, which is being built in the shape of a crescent, the ends of which rest with their “horns” on the water surface. The architects assure that the arched configuration of the skyscraper will not affect the internal space of the building, since it is supported on both sides by multi-story towers, which create additional volume and support the entire hotel. A 35-story hotel is being built in the sea, on man-made island, at a distance of 100 meters from the shore. Construction of the complex is expected to be completed in 2016.

10. Khazar Islands New City
An analogue of the ambitious Dubai Palm project will appear on the coast of Baku. The Azerbaijani version is called Khazar Islands, and is being built on an artificial archipelago that will consist of 50 islands and 19 microdistricts. In total, the archipelago will occupy 24 square meters. km - length will be 8 km, width - 3 km. Most of the residential buildings on Khazar Islands will be 25 storeys high, while some islands will have 40-60 storey buildings. The construction of the main part of the project requires $60 billion. This entire amount will be raised from external sources - $30 billion will be foreign investment, and the same amount will come from the sale of apartments. The project is still at the early construction stage.

GRAND PARK PLAZA

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS BUILT AT ADDRESS: NASIMINSKY DISTRICT, SAMED VURGUNA STREET, 79

• 2 buildings; 

• 2 entrances; 

• 25 floors; 

• 176 apartments. 

• Construction area: 1960 sq.m
• Total volume: 172600 cubic meters
• Total area of ​​apartments: 36981 sq.m
• Living area of ​​apartments: 22546 sq.m

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPLEX

The Grand Park Plaza residential complex is being built by Azinko Holdingq in the Nasimi district of Baku, next to the building of the Ministry of Finance. The complex consists of two buildings, each with one entrance. It includes three-, four- and five-room apartments, as well as a number of public utility facilities: markets, a health center, gyms, etc. A beautiful architectural design, earthquake-resistant design, and densely landscaped area will provide residents with the highest level of comfort and safety. The territory is guarded around the clock. There are all conditions for children's recreation and entertainment. The buildings of the complex are equipped with Mitsubishi brand freight and passenger elevators that meet high international standards. The courtyard opens directly onto the Officers' Garden. Stained glass from Belgium is used for cladding buildings.


The complex is provided with a two-story underground garage.


Buyers of apartments are offered a favorable payment system.


The business center building, located at 109 Heydar Aliyev Ave., will certainly become one of the leading business centers in the country over time. His land plot occupies almost one and a half hectares. The building itself has a total area of ​​84,486 sq.m and a height of 277 m.

The upper floors of the business center will be allocated for a hotel, which is especially convenient for organizing business events when business partners have to communicate quite intensively.


The convenient location of the hotel will allow guests to enjoy beautiful views of the city and the picturesque bay directly from the window of a comfortable room during their leisure hours.

The penthouse will have a restaurant with panoramic views of the city. Here you can order lunch or dinner with friends or business partners. In addition to all the necessary infrastructure that will facilitate the productive professional activities of tenants, the business center will be equipped with a spacious two-story gym, where in your free time you can improve your health by gaining strength on exercise machines. For swimming enthusiasts - both tenants and hotel guests - it is planned to build a spacious swimming pool. The developers' project also includes an elite party house.

• GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUSINESS CENTER BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT THE ADDRESS: NIZAMIN DISTRICT, HEYDAR ALIYEV AVENUE, 109 Square land plot
• : 1.4834 ha
• Tower height: 277m
• Number of floors: 52
• Total area: 84486 sq.m
• Internal area: 71613 sq.m

Basement area: 17613 sq.m

Towers of Fire is one of the main architectural projects of Baku, consisting of three towers symbolizing flame. The official slogan of Azerbaijan is “Land of fire” (as for me, “Land of food”), so something like this definitely had to be born.

It turned out great. During the day, the towers resemble a city ripping apart with fangs, but in the evening...in the evening it is a completely different conversation. On each floor of the towers there are diode panels (“TVs”) that allow you to create the craziest lighting in the world - a burning flame.

Here's a good video from the Internet:

Looks really mind-blowing in real life. And up close, by the way, you can’t make out anything :)

One of the towers during the day:

There is such a pleasant area around the towers, a mosque, a park, an observation deck.

People take photos.

In one of the towers there is a hotel, at the top of which I settled. The welcome is great.

Be sure to take a room with a view of the Caspian Sea - it is a little more expensive, but it absolutely makes up for the views! Plus there is a small bonus - you will have access to the lounge (more on that below).

Types of bomb!

Panorama of Baku along with the Caspian Sea.

Breakfast takes place in the same lounge where you can always sit and drink tea. Here during the day at certain hours you can have something light to eat. The snack will be free.

You have a relatively personal assistant (very nice girls) who will help you with all sorts of organizational hats.

A snack option is to sharpen baklava or liver. Breakfast, by the way, is terrible - it's continental! IN BAKU! CONTINENTAL! That is, in a city where it is almost impossible to eat something that tastes bad, in one of the most expensive hotels in the country they serve an absolutely boring, mediocre breakfast, ala a buffet of everything. A very bad decision.

Fortunately, this is the only negative of the hotel.

Need I say that a bunch of Russians periodically appeared in the lounge? :)

Not a bad installation. It reminded me of Singapore with its kinetic rain at the airport.

Tired of Baku Boulevard and the Caspian Sea? No problem!

View of another tower from the inside. They write on the Internet that they can’t find a use for the other two towers and that they are going to develop the complex, but something is constantly slowing everything down. But how true this is, alas, I don’t know.

The weather is getting worse, but my personal opinion is that cloudy weather suits Baku much more than the sun.

View of the old town and Maiden's Tower. The guys on the tower think that they are looking at the city from above) Ha ha ha.

Vintilovo. It’s sooo interesting to watch all these little people!

There are a lot of residential buildings around and from this height you can almost climb into the window.

Architecture of Baku in the palm of your hand. The white piece of the building in the center is the coolest architectural project in Baku, we will talk about it separately.

The most beautiful part of hotels with views is the sunset and sunrise.

And the real magic comes after sunset - the sun has already set, it gets a little darker and the golden backlight slowly begins to turn on.

Magically.

Well, the dawn...What can I add here? It’s dawn, the birth of life, the beginning of a new day, and there’s nothing to add here. Sunrises at the Fairmont Flame Towers are just as stunning.

Dawn in Baku should be greeted with tea and baklava!

Baku is covered in morning haze, but is waking up and will soon delight again with its hospitality and delicious food.

Thank you, Baku! It was cool.

Paris has it"s Eiffel Tower. In Moscow, St. Basil"s Cathedral draws them in. In Rome, it "s the Colosseum. Athens, its Acropolis. And in Baku-the distinguished architectural landmark is none other than the Maiden Tower. Azerbaijanis are incredibly proud of this monument that is shrouded in mystery and legend even though scholars and historians are unable to speak with absolute authority about its origins.

Unique in world architecture, this ancient, almost windowless, eight-storey fortress was reconstructed in the 12th century but may have started life as a fire beacon and lookout post as long ago as 500 BC.

Measuring nearly 30m tall and around 16m in diameter, Maiden Tower was once the largest and most impressive building in Azerbaijan. Its century of construction is the subject of much debate, though its present form is the 12th century. The Azeri name, Qyz Qalasy, is usually rendered ‘maiden’s tower’ in English, leading to plenty of patently fictitious fairy-tales. A better translation of Qyz Qalasy would be ‘virgin tower’, alluding to military impenetrability rather than any association with tragic females.

Why is it called Maiden Tower?

The question everyone asks is, "why is it called Maiden Tower?" Well, many legends surround the name. Most of them center around the word-"Maiden." According to one of the most popular legends, a wealthy ruler falling in love with his own daughters and wanted to marry her. Revolted by the thought of incest but unable to disobey her father she stalls, commanding that he build her a tower high enough to survey the full extent of his domain before she decides.

When he completed it, he had still not changed his mind. So she climbed to the top and that"s when she leaped into the sea. As the level of the Caspian Sea has experienced cycles of fluctuation-rising and falling-over the centuries, there is a strong possibility that at one time, the waves did lap at the Tower although today the sea is about a block away (observations show it is getting closer and closer again).

Another story goes the a King used to lock up his virgins in the tower, and would request their "services" when he would visit his Hammam at the base of the tower. Yet another story goes that Baku has never actually been taken in a war, thus it"s a "virgin" tower. There are countless other tales and legends, which is part of the allure. Whatever the reason for the name, it"s still one of the better things to see while visiting Baku. And at only 2 Manat, it"s an absolute bargain when compared to other things in the city.

An alternative version accuses Khunsar, the legendary founder of Baku, of locking his guiltless sister in the tower. She threw herself to her death and as retribution God drowned Khunsar"s great pastures and created the Caspian Sea.

In fact the term Qiz Qalasi has nothing whatever to do with young, abused female relations. It is a name quite commonly applied to fortress towers - virginity coming from the fact that it was never penetrated by the various attackers who besieged it throughout history. True or not, the name gave defenders of such towers a certain feeling of invincibility.

Maiden Tower's architectural plan, seemingly so simple, consists of walls which at the base are extraordinarily thick, beginning at five meters in depth and gradually narrowing to four meters at the top. Today, dwarfed by the emergence of skyscrappers, it still manages to retain it"s status of Azerbaijan"s unofficial symbol. It is on the national currency, gracing the back of the 10 Manat bill and the 5 Qapik coin. Not to mention countless seals and coat of arms. Baku"s Old city and is listed on UNESCO"s (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/958) world heritage list

Historians agree that it has served as a defensive tower; beyond that some claim it was also a lookout post, a fire beacon, a Zoroastrian tower of silence or even an astronomical observatory. It was certainly an incredibly massive structure for
its era, with walls 5m thick at the base and an unusual projecting buttress. Openings on the south side permit light to enter. The eight floors are linked by steps within the walls, except for the ground floor, where a retractable ladder has now been replaced by a modern iron staircase. A deep well descends from a recess in the 2nd-floor chamber. A mysterious doorway on the 3rd floor opens into thin air; its original function (possibly astronomical) remains unknown.

Today, the interior contains an interesting display of old photographs and a souvenir shop, but the highlight is the superb rooftop viewpoint surveying Baku Bay and the Old City. The views from the top are worth the climb, with a sweeping panorama of the Old City, the new skyscrappers on the hills and the Caspian Sea.

If you"re planning a trip to Baku you may need: 1) A wide selection of accommodation options in Baku (basic hostels, budget hotels for unpretencious travelers, small size family run hotels, international business hotel chains). 2) Practical information for tourists (visa regime, prices, best time to visit and etc). Please do not hesitate to contact us for consultation