Arch Daily |
- Villa Città Studi / Westway Architects
- KuantoKusta Headquarters / A2OFFICE
- JOOOS Fitting Room / X+Living
- House K / YDS Architects
- Near My [B] / Le Sixieme
- Elm House / Elm
- Comic Break: "Gift Shopping"
- Quelen Ark / Susana Herrera + FACTORIA
- Pei Partnership Architects Wins Competition for Nanhai Cultural Center
- Galpão Sim! / Alan Chu
- I.M. Pei's Le Grande Louvre Wins AIA 25 Year Award
- Police Station in Salt / Josep Ferrando + Sergi Serrat
- Architecture's "Political Compass": A Taxonomy of Emerging Architecture in One Diagram
- House 28 / Equipe Lamas
- Jan Gehl's 5 Rules for Designing Great Cities
- 10 Things You Didn't Know About Modern Icon Pierre Chareau
| Villa Città Studi / Westway Architects Posted: 16 Dec 2016 09:00 PM PST  © Andrés Otero/LUZphoto
 © Andrés Otero/LUZphoto From the architect. From the outside, it looks like one of the typical housing blocks built for railway workers in Milan between 1920 and 1924. Inside, the building has undergone radical renovation which, in two years of construction, has transformed it from both a structural and distribution point of view. Only the building enclosure, with its relative openings, has been maintained, while everything else — foundations, roof, attics, internal insulation, systems, and internal distribution — has been created from scratch. The total volume has remained the same, while the floor area has been increased by 60 m2, thanks to the new placement of the floor slabs, staircases and reclamation of the attic.  © Andrés Otero/LUZphoto From social housing to a city villa with private garden, in a 1920s village in the Città Studi district of Milan. From a large family residence to a bachelor pad, redesigned to meet his specific needs, using a sophisticated home automation system, and according to Class B CENED energy certification standards.  Section "The vertical form of the dwelling gave us the chance to make one of our dreams as architects come true: one of the staircase systems of Escher's impossible constructions. The client allowed himself to be captivated by this dream! We emptied the interior so that the space could be expanded horizontally and vertically and we created a structurally autonomous central core cut off from the existing historical context. This stretches over the five floors, each one served by two separate staircases positioned along the longitudinal load-bearing walls", explains Luca Aureggi. The single-flight staircases are narrow (80 cm) and enable a connection from the cellar to the fourth floor (fitness area, dining and kitchen area, living room, bedroom, study) — not continuously, but alternately. It's a zig-zag route involving the crossing of the individual floors, which are devoid of partitions (open space). "The home is designed as a vertical loft featuring a mandatory route, where getting lost and finding oneself becomes a game. The resulting sense of bewilderment magnifies the perception of the space". L.A.  © Andrés Otero/LUZphoto All the materials used contribute to creating a fluid space stretching all the way to the terrace and garden. The relationship with the outdoors is favoured by these green projections that contextualize the building within the convivial "rustic" reality surrounding it, which is very atypical for a big city. It's like finding oneself inside a hortus conclusus with a vibe of Palermo — the owner's hometown.  © Andrés Otero/LUZphoto From the front door, one finds himself catapulted into the long perspective of the dining and kitchen area that overlooks the garden. This is the beginning of a vertical ascent via the various staircases squeezed between the longitudinal load-bearing walls and the central core structure. The small size of the flights is balanced by the width of the landing — a part of the floor one must pass through to access the subsequent flight of stairs. The ascent continues all the way to the study area created in what was formerly the attic. Nothing hinders an upwards run or descent towards the fitness area. The few pieces of mostly vintage furniture are limited in height and there are no doors or wardrobes. Floors and staircases form a single structural and material entity, all clad in the same wooden slats. It is, however, the many custom details, the choice of ad hoc materials and finishes, and the continuous quest to broaden the space in 3D that makes this 200-square-metre house great.  © Andrés Otero/LUZphoto This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| KuantoKusta Headquarters / A2OFFICE Posted: 16 Dec 2016 06:00 PM PST  © AL.MA Fotografia
 © AL.MA Fotografia KuantoKusta wanted to install their headquarters in an old industrial warehouse that, although degraded, had very interesting conditions: high ceilings and natural light at both ends of the warehouse. However we observed a problem: the company needs pointed to an area about twice the existing one. The solution passed through the creation of a second high floor, taking advantage of the free interior volume. © AL.MA Fotografia  Section The new floor is independent of the surrounding structure: the floor rests on pillars organized according to a rigid mesh that organizes the different spaces on the ground floor. It was used a metal structure for allowing speedier performance lighter structural elements.  © AL.MA Fotografia It was intended to translate this autonomy between the old and the new by applying the white color in the existing walls and ceilings and the gray color in the new elements, within an environment that was intended to keep with unapologetically industrial, sometimes even rude, as in the case of brick masonry wall that was only painted.  © AL.MA Fotografia  Diagram Even the new elements were designed as independent pieces, like as if they were containers, predicting a possibility of mutability of space in the future, where the permanent elements will be only the skeletal structure.  © AL.MA Fotografia  © AL.MA Fotografia The program was distributed by two floors focusing on the top floor all the technical and operational team of the company in a large open space, which benefits from natural light coming from the ceiling. In the background, a glass box located the direction and business rooms and both have a translucent roof so they can also receive natural light from the ceiling during the day. On the ground floor, in addition to public access areas, such as the lobby and meeting room, it was located a locker area next to a door that makes screen for the living space of the company's employees. There is located a recreational area with billiards and game console, sanitary facilities, a kitchen space and an eating area.  © AL.MA Fotografia This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Dec 2016 02:00 PM PST  © Shao Feng
 © Shao Feng From the architect. JOOOS Fitting Room integrates the Top 100 fashion brands in the sales list of Tmall, and selects 4 most representative collections through buyers: Mori Girl Collection, Celebrity Collection, OL Collection and Fashionable Girl Collection. The store hopes to make up the sense of emptiness of fitting brought by modern online shopping.  © Shao Feng Clothes, as the unique fruit of human's labor, it is not only the representation and product of material civilization, but also has profound meaning in spiritual culture. The evolution history of clothes, in some sense, is also an emotionalized development history of human culture. From the date clothes occurred, people have already integrated their life custom, aesthetic taste, color preference, cultural attitudes and religion believes into it, and the spirit connotation of clothes culture is thus built.  © Shao Feng Human society had undergone a period of ignorance during which they were naturally raised, using animal skins and cotton and linen to wrap their bodies. And then it developed into the unprecedented prosperous hand knitting industry era, afterwards, the modern, fast paced civilization era and finally the future world which places more emphasis on individual charm. We hope every customer who enters into these spaces would "get something", or even get involved into it. The designer extracted an inspiration element form the changes of times to create clothes shopping experiences which fascinate all girls.  © Shao Feng Hangzhou JOOOS Fitting Room is located at the door of the ground floor of the Commercial Street Phase II on Xingguang Avenue. An eye-catching screen is placed at the main entrance, every customer could make interaction s with it through internet. This is the most distinctive feature of JOOOS Fitting Room- building offline fitting experience in the internet age through ubiquitous screens.  © Shao Feng Get through the large arch in the main entrance and you will be in Mori Girl Area. Milky white textured walls and white floor create a clean and white space. Bamboo poles are set up and hemp rope is used to connect them, clothes racks are thus formed. The mirror is hidden in the facade of angle formed by two bamboo poles. The space is bright and concise, primitive and simple materials are used to echo with the temperament of this type of clothes in this space.  © Shao Feng Celebrity Collection Area – many delicate golden cages are designed, clothes racks are placed at both inside and outside of the cage. Seen from a distance, they are like princess bubble skirts being well protected. The waving arc platform adds fun to the space and makes it lively and lovely. The fitting room is hidden skillfully inside the "bubble skirt" of curved mirror surface. Meanwhile, each fitting room area provides make-up area, rest area and selfie area, waiting for the visit of every princess.  © Shao Feng  © Shao Feng OL Collection Area- dark grey floor, concrete art paint walls and frame track light make the whole space concise and reserved. Adding of fireplace and wood veneer has softened the texture of the space. While being decorative molding and multifunctional clothes hanger at the same time, every clothes rack is a perfect combination of form and function.  © Shao Feng  © Shao Feng Fashionable Girl Collection Area - contrast of large blocks of colors. Colorful shelves are formed by folded iron bars. In this space that emphasizes individuality, folding angles before and after the rack are used to divide it into a structure which could hang clothes on both sides. And the weaving of colors and fold lines is used to build a colorful space with strong characteristics to echo with personalities of the clothes in this space.  © Shao Feng  © Shao Feng The designer integrates the social and cultural connotation of the four types of women's brand clothing. The dressing philosophy of women's clothing is interpreted through using different techniques in designing the four spaces, and, a new shopping experience is created through multiple possibilities of display. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Dec 2016 12:00 PM PST  © Hiroshi Fujimoto/Studio Fuji
 © Hiroshi Fujimoto/Studio Fuji House K is located in the town surrounded by mountains. The image is shining white box in which one will live feeling the transition of light and shadow while letting go of their mind.  © Hiroshi Fujimoto/Studio Fuji I intended to design interior spaces where one feel natures such as light,wind, and rain. Mixing inner spaces with outer spaces, the spaces respond to the city. Inserting the outer terrace into the white box to bring nature to the inner spaces, light and wind from the terrace go through spaces via T-shaped void. Top light and light from the terrace reflected by the walls pour into the inner spaces. These lights would express transitional beauty.  © Hiroshi Fujimoto/Studio Fuji  Perspective  © Hiroshi Fujimoto/Studio Fuji Putting the terrace between rooms for children and corridors, these spaces have migratory. Corridors around the terrace are like 'Engawa', semi-outdoor spaces which are typical Japanese spaces. The terrace extended towards mountains around the site will be a delightful space. In the living room spatially sandwiched between the terrace and the garden, providing the view of trees and the sky feeling various light.  © Hiroshi Fujimoto/Studio Fuji  Axonometric  © Hiroshi Fujimoto/Studio Fuji The thin white plate floating besides the white box is my image. To make this image come true, the column of the roof are a pair of thin steel poles. One will see 'one's own sky' through the slit of the white volume from the terrace, the living room in the 1st floor, rooms for children. House K adds a new scene on the existing city. The distinctive form consists of white volume, floating white plate, and framed sky provides tranquil spatial qualities for the landscape.  Floor Plan 02 House K is designed to reveal a sequence of spaces combining expansiveness and symbiosis. Nature and the architecture stimulating with each other, spaces expand to infinity.  © Hiroshi Fujimoto/Studio Fuji Product Description. To realize white shining box, we aim to create a white flat exterior walls.To make these walls come true,we selected moen siding and jolipatt. These are one of the most flat and beautiful materials in Japan. In the interior spaces,our intention is white and wooden spaces where one will feel warm atmosphere. Thus,the finishes of the kitchen,bookshelves,floorings are made of natural oak.We chose natural solid oak flooring manufactured by Woodone co.,ltd. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Dec 2016 11:00 AM PST  © Kim Jaeyoon
 © Kim Jaeyoon  © Kim Jaeyoon The space of 'near my [B]' placed in the center of Wuirye new town that changes every day with our passion for making a city easily and the aspiration for a better residential space began from a creative idea of the client.  © Kim Jaeyoon It is intended to provide a small vitality for the whole city by furnishing the public-interest space called 'cultural space' beyond the constructor's goal of parcel-out and lease.  © Kim Jaeyoon  Model It is largely divided into 3 parts. The space having the complex entry route connects the right café, educational space, left space of flower shop, living shop, book café in the most open manner by interpenetrating the link space of 'White Arch Volume' in order to make the linear organic moving line.  © Kim Jaeyoon The language of the material and shape used for the inside was planned most simply and was designed to be faithful to the role called culture space through the delicately designed details and lighting.  © Kim Jaeyoon  Elevation  © Kim Jaeyoon 'Book shelf' placed in the middle of space plays a fundamental role uniting small volumes in the space and made it possible to recognize the character of space easily.  © Kim Jaeyoon  Elevation  © Kim Jaeyoon It was intended to provide experiences of enjoying the landscape and daily life happening in the space from multilateral points of view by providing the 'sitting method' of various ways with the 'small nature' arranged in places.  © Kim Jaeyoon This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Dec 2016 09:00 AM PST  © Julian Parkinson
 © Julian Parkinson From the architect. The aim of this project was to redesign and reconstruct the envelope of a dated home in Halifax's West End. Over the decades this residence was the subject of a number of poorly executed renovations and as a result our team aimed to strip the layers of vinyl and wood cladding back to the original shiplap sheathing and rebuild the exterior of the home with the intention of creating a project that was sustainable in both design and construction practices. Using only the highest quality products, the envelope of this house was rebuilt with wood as the number one material choice. The main house volume was clad in Maibec's Rabbited Bevel siding with the EM Plus installation system and the front and rear accent volumes were clad in locally sourced rough sawn Hemlock. The final result is a strikingly contemporary residence with a sustainable material palette that will certainly stand the test of time.  © Julian Parkinson  Axonometric  © Julian Parkinson Product Description. - VaproShield- Reveal Shield IT Integrated Tape – A UV stable, black mechanically attached, water resistive vapor permeable air barrier membrane with integrated tape. This product enabled us to achieve the open joint cladding with1x2 rough sawn hemlock on the front and rear volumes of this project.  © Julian Parkinson This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Dec 2016 08:00 AM PST  © Architexts One of the true tragedies of the architecture profession is that it instills in you expensive taste, but doesn't give you the salary to acquire all those fine goods. The holiday season is the peak of this conundrum – how do you find the perfect gift for someone that lives up to your own lofty standards when buying a plane ticket home to see your family is already putting you in the red? One thing architects always seem to manage, however, is justifying that a cool new gadget or designed object isn't just something we want, but something we need.
Looks like Santa's gonna have to do double duty for the rest of the family this year. That's alright, as the prime developer of the North Pole, he's probably got some extra cash to throw around. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Quelen Ark / Susana Herrera + FACTORIA Posted: 16 Dec 2016 07:00 AM PST  © José Luis Saavedra
 © José Luis Saavedra To attract more visitors to Lanalhue Lake, in western Chile, tourism entrepreneur Pedro Durán commissioned architect Susana Herrera and her team FACTORIA to create a symbol for the region. In return, she designed a catamaran that rises from the water like a cluster of cattail leaves.  © José Luis Saavedra "We wanted this Artisanal foliage to emerge from the very nature of the lake, from its marsh grasses, from the wild nature of its shoreline, like woodwater creature coming in and out the natural fog, always present in the mystical legends of the lake", she says.  © José Luis Saavedra She challenged a team of PolyteSolet and more than 15 local artisans to build the boat, by integrating nature, technology and sustainability; the result is the 10-by-4.5-metre Arca de Quelén, a catamaran that can carry up to 40 passengers plus crew. Crafted from laminated bay laurel and cypress, and equipped with a bar and a boutique that sells local products and handicrafts, the vessel has already grown into a source of local pride. And while it navigates a far-flung lake, it aims to attract travellers from overseas to experience its singular design.  © José Luis Saavedra  Floor Plan 01  © José Luis Saavedra We needed to give connectivity between the various touristic entrepreneurs of the lake, and at the same time deliver a memorable and unique experience. We wanted the ark to move almost in a secretive and smooth way, to alter as little as possible the fauna surround, so the double-hulled catamaran gave the stability and safety we needed.  © José Luis Saavedra Just as the Mapuche ancestors built their canoe like Wampos from a carved log, this vessel had to be built on wood and made tribute to those that inhabit the lakes way before us.  © José Luis Saavedra  Section  © José Luis Saavedra This project, must incorporate additional parameters beyond those for architecture, and that was very attractive design wise. We had to get familiar with aspects of computer lofting, 3D modelling, hydrostatic calculations, and creation of boat layouts. In terms of design process, it approaches both, computer-aided design and the craft of woodworking.  © José Luis Saavedra Resilient strength, permanent watertightness, and graceful marsh grasses lines are part of the design theme. The structural ribs highlight the verticality of the ship, dematerializing itself as they touch the sky on the second ledge. In addition, they give an integrated image to the two levels of the boat. The first level closed by a skin of curved polycarbonate sliding windows that allows a 360 panoramic view of the surroundings during winter and another completely open to the landscape on the second level. This contributes to breaking the tourist seasonality. The intentions is to think of this vessel as highly organic expressions of nature, architecture and design reflecting the specificity of this lake by hand crafted means, including natural materials, software systems and laminated wood methods of fabrication.  © José Luis Saavedra We combined traditional boatbuilding methods with cold-moulded wood construction. The technique involves laminating together layers of wood veneers and wood sticks to create a hull that is watertight, extremely strong, and lightweight. We embraced wood and woodworking techniques with an emphasis on hand tool usage as well, bringing an experience of close contact with wood, enabling us to get to know and work with its grain structure and complex joinery.  © José Luis Saavedra This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Pei Partnership Architects Wins Competition for Nanhai Cultural Center Posted: 16 Dec 2016 06:00 AM PST  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects Pei Partnership Architects, in collaboration with Guangzhou HSArchitects, has been selected as the winner of an international design competition for the Nanhai Cultural Center in the Nanhai District of Foshan, China. The winning design seeks to create a "New Civic Plaza" connecting a variety of cultural program elements through a balance of structure and void.  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects To be located on a 400 meter long, 150 meter wide lot facing the Qiandeng Lake Park, the 130,000 square meter (1,400,000 square foot) complex will contain a library, arts and science exhibition spaces, sports facilities, and performance halls, among other cultural amenities. Bound by heavily trafficked roads, subways and bus station transit hubs, the design challenge was to go beyond architectural building design into organizing of the greater urban fabric.  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects This is achieved by a creating a balance of structure and void within the cultural complex, a philosophy that is inherent to the Chinese concept of space and cultivation of culture "The concept of space in the Chinese language describes that the open void is no less important than the physical being. Similarly, Chinese calligraphy emphasizes a balanced void and stroke, sometimes even a deliberate void that complements the stroke to enhance its existence," explain the architects. "The space which enables the people to gather and exchange ideas freely is the key element of the formation of culture. Most importantly, it shall be an open assembly space without predefined programs."  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects "Based on the perception of cultural formation and the dialogue with the contextual urban fabric, we conclude that the central space of Nanhai Cultural Center should be a "void" that provides a welcoming gesture to the public at all times: a 24-7 opened yet sheltered "New Civic Plaza". Thus, the most essential core area of the cultural center is dedicated to the open public and it shall be a sincere architectural response for the community."  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects The "New Civic Plaza" will be pervasive throughout the complex, organized around a "decentralized" unit typology inspired by vernacular architecture that allows southeastern wind to pass through each unit and offers shaded areas to protect visitors from the blazing sun. "Capturing the mountain, the river, and the cloud of Guangzhou Lingnan region along with the imprint of local traditional dwellings, we try to elevate the poetic grace in the project for Nanhai through implementation of the metaphysical instead of the physical form," the architects explain.  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects "The historical heritage is carefully interpreted and preserved in the New Nanhai Cultural Center for generations to come." News via Pei Partnership.  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects  Courtesy of Pei Partnership Architects
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| Posted: 16 Dec 2016 05:00 AM PST
 © Djan Chu From the architect. Located at the rear of brazilian actor Eduardo Okamoto's home, the building houses the theater producer's office of SIM!Cultura as well as the owner's studio.  © Djan Chu  © Djan Chu These premises provide ample working space for research as well as theatrical rehearsals and experimentation.  © Djan Chu The working space is inside a masonry white box which also contains a guest room / dressing room on the ground floor and an office on the upper floor.
This white masonry box is located inside a warehouse which has hinged doors at the front and rear constructed of aluminum overlaid with alveolar polycarbonate sheet.  © Djan Chu In addition to serving as closures and providing both illumination and ventilation as needed, these doors also can be opened and closed as part of a theatrical performance.  © Djan Chu In the actor's own words expressing his appreciation to the architect: "... And, most importantly, beyond its beauty I feel the space will save me years in theatrical research. The architecture, condensed as it is to its essential core opens new scenic perspectives and truly stirs my emotions. Many times I look at these studio shapes and lose myself in meditation and the simplicity of the architectural lines calm me. Soon I hope to persuade the architect to design sceneries for my stage plays."  © Djan Chu This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| I.M. Pei's Le Grande Louvre Wins AIA 25 Year Award Posted: 16 Dec 2016 04:00 AM PST  © Koji Horiuchi. Courtesy of AIA The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected The Grand Louvre – Phase I as the recipient of the 2017 AIA Twenty-five Year Award. Designed by I.M. Pei with his firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, the project is notable for its 71-foot-tall glass and stainless steel pyramid, which according to the AIA, "now rivals the Eiffel Tower as one of France's most recognizable architectural icons." The award is presented annually to a project that has "stood the test of time by embodying architectural excellence for 25 to 35 years."  © Benoit Perrin. Courtesy of AIA "Greeted with hostility and derided as a Modernist affront when it was first proposed as the main entrance to Paris' Musée du Louvre, the project was born of President François Mitterrand's quest to modernize the Louvre in the early 1980s," commented the AIA. "Pei's pyramid thrust the 800-year-old Palais complex into the modern era while simultaneously making the museum more accessible to larger crowds. To execute the project, Pei wove together an unprecedented amount of cultural sensitivity, political acumen, innovation, and preservation skill."  © Koji Horiuchi. Courtesy of AIA  © Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. Courtesy of AIA This year's jury for the award included: Mark Reddington, FAIA (Chair), LMN Architects; Gregory P. Baker, AIA, HNTB Architecture; David Cordaro, AIAS Representative; Leslie K. Elkins, FAIA, Leslie K. Elkins Architect; Timothy J. Johnson, AIA, NBBJ; William Q. Sabatini, FAIA, Dekker/Perich/Sabatini; Adrian D. Smith, FAIA, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture; Beatrice Spolidoro, Assoc. AIA, Rothschild Doyno Collaborative and Marilyn Terranova, PhD, Interim Superintendent, Pocantico Hills CSD.  © Koji Horiuchi. Courtesy of AIA The project will be honored this April at the AIA National Convention in Orlando. You can read more about this year's award winner, here. News via AIA. AD Classics: Le Grande Louvre / I.M. Pei This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Police Station in Salt / Josep Ferrando + Sergi Serrat Posted: 16 Dec 2016 03:00 AM PST  © Adrià Goula
 © Adrià Goula The site The new police station is located on the outskirts of the neighborhood in a zone reserved for council buildings. The proposal is placed in a pre-existing grove of magnificent beech trees that determine the main decisions for the project. The main building mass is concentrated at the north end of the site, in the unoccupied area, while the car park is organized around the grove. The remainder of the site forms a green cushion that separates the building from the road becoming a transition space for the visitors.  Site Plan The building The building is separated from the street by no more than a wooded garden. There are no railings to bar the public. The police should be seen to be accessible and friendly. A compact, horizontal, abstract and introverted volume is proposed due to the requirements of high-security, use and flexibility of the program. The public entrance is formed by raising the head at one of the ends of the building forming a large access porch. The staff entrance is placed at the opposite end of the main facade.  © Adrià Goula  © Adrià Goula The materiality Once inside everything changes. A system of double height spaces and patios organize the private zones and flood the interior with light. The color white becomes the main player. Its texture changes to differentiate the different walls: textured concrete for the exterior, polished stone on the floor, white brick and wood for the walls, perfect white for the ceiling...  © Adrià Goula The briefing The lightness of the interior is also reflected in the organization of the building. The program is ordered around strict hierarchical and functional criteria.  © Adrià Goula A longitudinal spine-like scheme ordered around the patios orders the program in plan and establishes a clear transition between the public and the private.  Plans This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Architecture's "Political Compass": A Taxonomy of Emerging Architecture in One Diagram Posted: 16 Dec 2016 01:30 AM PST  The full political compass diagram (Version 0.1) produced by Alejandro Zaera-Polo and Guillermo Fernandez Abascal. Image © Alejandro Zaera-Polo & Guillermo Fernandez Abascal Observing the architectural landscape today it's clear that the type of work which is currently ascendant, particularly among young practices, is very different to what came before the financial crisis of 2008. But what, exactly, does that architectural landscape look like? In an essay titled "Well into the 21st Century" in the latest issue of El Croquis, Alejandro Zaera-Polo outlined a 21st-century taxonomy of architecture, attempting to define and categorize the various new forms of practice that have grown in popularity in the years since—and as a political response to—the economic crisis. The categories defined by Zaera-Polo encompass seven broad political positions: The "Activists," who reject architecture's dependence on market forces by operating largely outside the market, with a focus on community building projects, direct engagement with construction, and non-conventional funding strategies; then there are the "Populists," whose work is calibrated to reconnect with the populace thanks to a media-friendly, diagrammatic approach to architectural form; next are the "New Historicists," whose riposte to the "end of history" hailed by neoliberalism is an embrace of historically-informed design; the "Skeptics," whose existential response to the collapse of the system is in part a return to postmodern critical discourse and in part an exploration of contingency and playfulness through an architecture of artificial materials and bright colors; the "Material Fundamentalists," who returned to a tactile and virtuoso use of materials in response to the visual spectacle of pre-crash architecture; practitioners of "Austerity Chic," a kind of architectural "normcore" (to borrow a term from fashion) which focuses primarily on the production process, and resulting performance, of architecture; and finally the "Techno-Critical," a group of practices largely producing speculative architecture, whose work builds upon but also remains critical of the data-driven parametricism of their predecessors. As a follow-up to that essay, Zaera-Polo and Guillermo Fernandez-Abascal set out to apply the newly-defined categories to the emerging practices of today with a nuanced "political compass" diagram. They invited practices to respond to their categorization in order to unveil the complex interdependencies and self-image of these political stances. For the first time, here ArchDaily publishes the results of that exercise.  The work of Marc Fornes represents a "Techno-Critical" attitude, utilizing parametrics but in a very different way to his pre-crash predecessors. Image © MARC FORNES & THEVERYMANY During the last decade, there has been a growing interest within the architectural debate about the possibility of a political re-engagement of the discipline, a subject which had been remarkably absent from the disciplinary debate since the 1970s, but which seems to be back in the spotlight. Based on the political categories outlined in the text "Well into the 21st Century," published in El Croquis 187, and deeply inspired by the infamous diagram from Charles Jencks in Architecture 2000, we set out to make a synchronic map of contemporary emerging architectural practices. We have selected 181 world-wide emerging practices, which we have located on a dial where the political categories were laid out, trying to set their adjacencies with some sense of continuity. Starting from the Techno-critical, we move clockwise to the Technocratic, then to the Cosmopolitical, then to the Austerity-chic, Activists and then to the Material Fundamentalists, Constitutionalists, Historicists, Revisionists, Skeptics and finally to the Populists.  H Arquitectes' work could be categorized as "Cosmopolitical," a close relative of "Austerity Chic". Image © Adrià Goula MethodologyWe mapped the emerging architectural practices following their estimated political inclinations inside a circular field comprised in the dial. While there was an interesting adjacency between the different political categories, and we could place them nicely around the circular field, some of them had to be placed in less evident adjacencies. The difficulties of locating the practices are evident: some of the practices were often bridging non-adjacent categories, so they were difficult to locate. Practices are not homogeneous and sometimes shift positions between projects and sometimes, between partners. We nevertheless tried to place every one of the emerging practices that we thought were significant on the map, to the best of our judgment, which is obviously limited. This is Version 0.1, so we will hopefully do later iterations where a different mapping technique could be used, further categories added or more precise information about the practices can be included.  Assemble take an "Activist" stance in their work. This is reflected not only through the production method which focuses on communities and self-building, but also in the aesthetic, which uses traditional forms and soft, pastel colors. Image Courtesy of Assemble Then we asked all practices for a self-assessment, so we could see the deviation between our estimated location and their desired one. We sent the practices a list of the political categories and the empty compass, deleting the names of the practices that we had located, so they could position themselves without being affected by the proximity of other practices, or by our own hypothesis about their location. We asked them to position themselves on the map: the closer they locate to the outer border of the compass, the more orthodox they consider themselves in respect to the neighboring category; the closer they go to the center of the circle, the more hybridized they would consider themselves.  Focusing on craft and the authenticity of natural materials, Studio Mumbai is a clear example of a "Material Fundamentalist". Image © Hélène Binet Analysis of Data
 Reintroducing formal references from historic architecture, Barozzi Veiga are an example of the "New Historicists". Image © Simon Menges ConclusionsThere is a logical reluctance in the practices to accept our categorization. Given the current resurgence in politics in architecture, we expected emerging practices to have a more ideological stance to practice than the previous generation. Instead, we noticed a general refusal to take a clear stance. Perhaps our categories were not sufficiently varied. Some practices requested the category "Utopian" which was missing from the reference text, and the categories on offer. This was particularly true of those in the categories of the Activists and the Populists. We had excluded Utopianism simply because we do not believe any of the practices included can be considered truly utopian. We do believe there may be Utopian practices in architecture today but rarely within the selection of practicing architects which we have adopted for our analysis. There were several requests for a "Pragmatic" label, as if Realpolitik was still alive and well within the emerging generation, despite the general claim for a more "engaged" architectural practice. We had deliberately avoided Pragmatism as a political option, as it was one of the most common claims of the previous generation of "neo-liberal" practices, and it appears to imply a lack of a strong ideological conviction as a driver of the practice. However, several practices appear to reclaim pragmatism as a political stance, even referring to authorities such as Latour, Marres, etc. Perhaps a difference should be made between ideological and tactical politics in further iterations of this experiment. Many of the practices tended to express a wish to move toward the center of the chart, to remain in a more ambiguous position, including those positions which claimed that every project develops its own political stance. Some of them even claimed that every partner has a different political stance, which is both probably true and interesting.  With its bright plastic exterior, SelgasCano's 2015 Serpentine Pavilion is an excellent example of the playful yet contingent architecture of the "Skeptics" category. Image © Iwan Baan Other than the tendency toward the center, Activism and Cosmopolitical are some of the most coveted locations for emerging practices. Those located in the Populist area did not agree with their location and tended to complain of oversimplification of their position. This may very well be true, as populism is more of a style of delivery and we ourselves believe that, while it may be predominant in some practices, we can probably have populists among the Cosmopoliticals, the Activists or the Material Fundamentalists. Those practices that we have located in the Material Fundamentalism or the Cosmopolitical tended not to respond to the experiment by a large margin. The same is true for the people we located within the Activist and Austerity proponents. That seems to be consistent with their political stance of prioritizing the actual building itself, the cosmos or the engagement with the community...  BIG is perhaps the ultimate example of the "Populist" category, using diagrammatic forms and easily comprehensible explanations for their projects. Image © Iwan Baan The Global compass was not as global as we had wanted: we did not manage to engage a sufficient number of Asian practices, despite their disproportionate weight in the global construction output by comparison with other regions in the world. The scarce engagement of Asian practices in the study may be an index of a general disbelief in architectural politics, or perhaps the reluctance to engage with a possibly too-Western political perspective. 80% of the contributors expressed a positive attitude towards the classification. Even some of the ones who refused to take part in the quest qualified the experiment as "nice," "intriguing," "amazing," "maniac," "genial," "funny," "great," "very cool," "super interesting," or "fascinating," and they appeared to like the fact that a magazine best known for monographs of established architects was willing to open this debate. To all those who engaged in the experiment, in whatever form, our deepest gratitude. We hope to continue the debate that was initiated here with all of them, to produce more sophisticated versions of this map. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Dec 2016 01:00 AM PST  © Haruo Mikami
 © Haruo Mikami From the architect. The architecture of the House 28 presents as an extension of the arid and lush landscape from the Cerrado Biome. A family that sought tranquility and connection with nature commissioned this urban refuge located 10 minutes away from the national congress of Brasilia.  © Haruo Mikami The area of 7000 m2 enabled to spread 850m2 of construction on the ground. Gardens permeate the volumetry and generous windows of wood and glass connect the experience to the landscape.  © Haruo Mikami Varieties of perspectives are revealed while walking through the house. The rooms have different heights that confirm a spatial hierarchy. Extensive walls, coated with polymer mortar, define fluid spaces and openings positioned in all directions integrate the living areas. The large windows frames are mostly positioned east west and the walls north south. This orientation allows a dramatic natural light effect during Sunshine / sunset and open views across the house.  © Haruo Mikami Independent bedrooms facing east ensure privacy for family members. All three suites have a balcony and a metal trellis for climbing plants. The Windows there, when opened, serve as seats either for the bedroom and balcony.  © Haruo Mikami The landscape colors continue in the house materials: the tile floor and walls coated fulget has the same color of the reddish earth of Brasilia. The window frames and the lining of Ipe wood, confirm the sense of belonging. The metal roof structure in corten steel also mimic among vegetation.  © Haruo Mikami There are three Colored Carpets tiles with geometric designs where the use of traditional woven carpet would be impractical: entrance, kitchen and dining room.  Ground Floor Next to the terrace under an old Jatoba tree, there is a rectangular pool coated with white regional marble. It is a conversation pool with a bench along its entire length and flanked by wooden deck.  © Haruo Mikami The house has mixed structure: concrete pillars and cover in metallic structure. Rainwater collected by the coverage is directed to an underground reservoir serving the garden irrigation during dry period. Solar panels heat the water and the pool throughout the year and tilting windows allow cross ventilation and natural light in every room.  © Haruo Mikami For the interior, a playful and relaxed spirit with pieces designed by the architect Samuel Lamas and masters of Brazilian and international design: Sergio Rodrigues, Jorge Zalszupin, Tenreiro, Jean Gillon, Geraldo de Barros, Lucio Costa, Lina Bo Bardi, Campana brothers, Vico Magistretti, Charles Eames, Antonio Bonet, Pollock and Achile Castiglioni among others.  © Haruo Mikami The landscaping is an extension of the Woods with native trees and shrubs masses that flourish throughout the year to attract birds. In the central garden, a native tree Erythrina Mulungu, known as coral tree, will often bring to the Entrance hall, the view of a carpet of red flowers. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Jan Gehl's 5 Rules for Designing Great Cities Posted: 16 Dec 2016 12:00 AM PST  Copenhagen, Denmark. Image © Flickr User: Forgemind ArchiMedia. License CC BY 2.0 Danish architect Jan Gehl is a world renowned expert in all things related to urban design and public spaces. He obtained this expertise by publishing numerous books, and later, from his consulting firm Gehl Architects that he founded in Copenhagen, his hometown, to make cities for people. The firm celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016.
During a recent visit to New York, Gehl gave a lecture at the Van Alen Institute, which takes a very similar approach to the importance of design in the quality of life of people. The architect discussed five tips that were published by Fast Co.Design and explained what he believes is the way to go about having livable, healthy, safe and sustainable cities. The 5 points he mentioned are: 1. Stop Building 'Architecture for Cheap Gasoline'  Las Vegas, United States. Image © Flickr User: Jan Buchholtz. License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Climate change and public health are two factors that Jan Gehl says should be of utmost importance to planners, especially considering that "for 50 years, we made cities in such a way that people are almost forced to sit down all day in their cars, in their offices, or in their homes. This has led to serious situations health-wise." What causes that? According to Gehl, it is cars and the availability of cheap gasoline that created the suburban construction period, but when gas starts to become more expensive, it’s no longer a good idea. This line of thinking is reflected in a recent study published in The Lancet which found that those living in city centers have a longer life expectancy than those living in the outside areas because they walk more often over the course of their lives when making their daily commutes. The research was conducted on 6,822 people from 14 cities in ten countries with participants who were between 18 and 66 years old. The studied noted, among other things, each person's ability to walk and their access to public transport and parks. 2. Make Public Life the Driver for Urban Design  Superkilen Park, Copenhagen. Image © Flickr User: Forgemind ArchiMedia. Licencia CC BY 2.0 In 2009, the City of Copenhagen enacted "A Metropolis for People", a plant inspired by a theory from Gehl Architects that allowed for the design of a vision and goals for urban life in the Danish capital in 2015. Thanks to that, we’re able to see that six years ago public figures in Copenhagen set out to make it the most livable city in the world, ie. a sustainable city in which, through their public spaces, people are invited to have a unique and diverse life. To move towards this goal, the plan was structured in three main components: walking more, spending more time in public spaces and getting out of “private cocoons” more. As Gehl explained during his stay in New York, this made the city more exciting, interesting and safer, as well as promoted social inclusion. 3. Design for Multisensory Experiences  Venicde, Italy. Image © Flickr User Ștefan Jurcă. License CC BY 2.0 To explain this point, Gehl uses Venice and Brasilia as examples, stating that if you want to have an experience where the senses are active and therefore, more pleasing, you should visit the former. However, if you don’t want something like that, go to the Brazilian capital city. These examples show how people living there have lost the opportunity to enjoy their surroundings through their senses, since as Gehl says "we have broken all the rules to make automobiles happy." In contrast, what cities should be doing is building around the body and senses of human beings to take advantage of our capabilities, so that people can enjoy their cities to their fullest potential. 4. Make Public Transportation More Equitable Promoting equality in cities has become a mission in various parts of the world. We can achieve more equality if public transport becomes accessible, efficient, and a reasonable alternative to cars. This way, people who live in the suburbs, because the land there is cheaper and more suited to their income, don’t need to spend so much of their budget on transportation, something that people who currently live in city centers don’t need to worry about. 5. Ban Cars  Traffic in Singapore. Image © Flickr User Lynac. License CC BY-NC 2.0 According to Gehl, the car is not a smart way of getting around, especially in cities that have populations of 10 million or more, like in South America, Africa, and Asia. In the latter region, Gehl uses Singapore as an example, by saying that it is a very small island, and as a result of the large number of cars there is almost no more free space on the streets, even when in a dense city it’s possible to get everywhere much faster either on foot or by bicycle. He also argues that "it is no secret that the good days of the automobile are over." This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 10 Things You Didn't Know About Modern Icon Pierre Chareau Posted: 15 Dec 2016 10:00 PM PST  Pierre Chareau, Maison de Verre interior, 1928–32, Paris. Image © Mark Lyon. From the 2016 Organizational Grant to The Jewish Museum for "Pierre Chareau: Modern Architecture and Design." Known for his collaboration on the legendary Maison de Verre, French architect, and interior designer Pierre Chareau is a celebrated artist cited by Richard Rogers, Jean Nouvel, and more as a major influence on their work. Completed in 1932, Maison de Verre—or "House of Glass"—has become a prime example of modern architecture, despite the fact that not many people have actually seen the hidden treasure, located on Paris' Left Bank. Although his work is currently viewed in high regard, Chareau had a tumultuous career, with large variances between his successes and his failures. Drawing from a Cultured Magazine spotlight article on the designer, we have compiled a list of facts about Chareau's life and career that showcase the rollercoaster of his success. Continue reading for the 10 things you didn't know about Pierre Chareau. 1. Chareau failed his entrance exams at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. 2. Because he failed these exams, Chareau took a job at a Paris-based British furniture manufacturer as an apprentice, and eventually became head designer.  © Wikimedia user: Subrealistsandu 3. In the mid-1920s, Chareau opened two shops in Paris, one that sold cushions and hand-throws, and the other that sold furniture and lighting. 4. Years before being commissioned to build the Maison de Verre for Dr. Jean Dalsace, Chareau designed a study and bedroom for him.  © Wikimedia user: Subrealistsandu 5. Collaborating with modernist architect Robert Mallet-Stevens, Chareau created furniture for three French films by director Marcel L'Herbier. 6. Chareau also dabbled in theater, designing stage sets for Edmond Fleg's production of Merchant of Paris at the Comédie Française in 1929. 7. Together with his wife, Dollie, Chareau hosted salons for the celebrated artists, writers, and musicians of his time. 8. Once completed, Chareau's Maison de Verre hosted events attended by Max Ernst, Joan Miró, Louis Aragon, Paul Éluard André Breton, and more.  © Wikimedia user: Subrealistsandu 9. After migrating to New York from Paris, Chareau designed the Motherwell House in 1946. Bad press for the project led to a decline in work for the designer, so he made money by giving cooking lessons to wealthy Americans and by selling art from his personal collection. 10. In the 1950s, Chareau sought out a show at MoMA, but was rejected by the museum's director of architecture, Philip Johnson.  © Wikimedia user: Subrealistsandu An exhibit on Chareau designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro will be on display at the Jewish Museum in New York through March 26, 2017. Find out more about Chareau in the full Cultured Magazine profile, here. News via: Cultured Magazine. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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