Arch Daily |
- Aldeia Solar / Costa Lopes
- American University of Armenia Renovation / Storaket Architectural Studio
- NIKE + RUN CLUB Hubs Land in Shanghai / Coordination Asia
- Benoy Unveils Newest Hainan Island Plans
- Perkins+Will White Paper: Why Antimicrobial Products Should Be Avoided
- 35HP / Joeb Moore & Partners
- RAIC Honors Roger du Toit with Posthumous 2017 Gold Medal
- Critical Round-Up: The 2017 Pritzker Prize
- Brede School Aarle-Rixtel / architecten|en|en
- Lemay Wins Casablanca Coast Redesign Bid
- Razorfish / Bruzkus Batek Architects
Posted: 04 Mar 2017 09:00 PM PST
From the architect. Aldeia Solar is located in the Comuna of Cabiri about 50km from Luanda, not far from Lake Lalama, along the national road 110 (Luanda-Funda-Catete). More than a settlement and housing for about 500 low-income families, it is intended to ensure for a farming community some self-sufficiency in the about 100 available hectares, while respecting the fertile landscape of lemon grass punctuated by multiple baobabs, trees sacred in Africa. The line of the ridge, optimizing orograhy and the extension of the terrain, creates an infrastructural central spine, distributor and equipped, that provides for the community spaces - school, community center, job center, health center, market - between the water tower in the northeast limit, to the highest allotment, and the playing fields, highlighted, in the northwest limit. Then, this new avenue adds twelve neighborhood units, low rise, with houses, attached farms (each division amounts to approximately 210m² for agricultural and livestock activities) and common farmyards - created to safeguard the baobab trees - that deliver distinct identities. Fed by Lake Lalama, the water tower directs the water by gravity to each reservoir associated with each housing unit, providing a water supply and irrigation. Energetically autonomous, the houses guarantee 3 to 5 rooms, with kitchen countertop and covered exterior toilet facilities, with possible flexibility. For circumstantial reasons, it was not possible to use earth blocks in the houses or for their self-construction. Still, at very controlled costs, a built environment fit for use and location was obtained. Designed in partnership with the Mozambican architect José Forjaz, the Aldeia Solar worked beyond the best expectations, integrated into the landscape, suitable for the purpose, anchoring a new rural community and delivering a better life to many people. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
American University of Armenia Renovation / Storaket Architectural Studio Posted: 04 Mar 2017 06:00 PM PST
From the architect. The old building of the American University of Armenia (AUA) in Yerevan was built in 1979, by two of the most prominent Armenian architects of the time, Mark Grigoryan and Henrik Arakelyan. The building, that has a symmetric triangular shape, is made of felsic tuff on basalt basis. Narrow rectangular niches are regularly arranged on three surfaces at the full height of the building. This approach, in combination with light colored facade, alleviates the building's character despites its massiveness. The American University of Armenia's educational standards and philosophy have distinguished it as one of the top universities in Armenia, and this renovation project serves as a testimony of the university's culture of transparency, innovation, and academic commitment. The open structure allows students to exchange energy and encourages development of campus culture. Through the renovation project, an interior was created, where the old (Soviet era architecture) and the modern meet each other and create a reciprocal harmony. Renovation includes the following areas: Papazian Library, Collaborative Study Space, Test Center, Innovation Lab, Auditorium and the Working Area. The library was expanded at the expense of the area formerly used as a kitchen, now fitting extra reading and study spaces. This has also provided increased number of outlets and surfaces for computers. The Collaborative Student Center is located in the center of the lobby. Transparency and light was added to the interiors by using glass and lighting fixtures. A new lighting scheme begins from the facade of the building and continues inside of the entrance and lobby area, creating a welcoming motion. The original gypsum ceilings and floor finishing was preserved to emphasize the rich history of the building. The aim of renovating the testing space was to create a transformable area, where folding partitions provide varied possibilities to create larger and smaller spaces according to need. The Innovation Lab is a combination of two rooms, one dedicated to technical tests and the other for innovation, scientific meetings and discussions. The Auditorium now serves as lecture hall with a semi-transparent back office and working area. Based on the requirements, a second level was added to create additional space. Product Description. Steelcase, media scape Furniture. Effective collaboration — informational, evaluative, generative — depends on equal access to both analog and digital information, a seat at the table and a view of the screen for each participant, and the ability for every user, no matter where they're located, to join in the collaborative process. Media scape thoughtfully integrates technology, furniture and space with the organization's existing infrastructure, to foster greater collaboration and workplace connection than ever before. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
NIKE + RUN CLUB Hubs Land in Shanghai / Coordination Asia Posted: 04 Mar 2017 12:00 PM PST
Something new has been spotted on Huaihai Road. COORDINATION ASIA just completed the newest running hubs for Nike at Shanghai's Times Square, home to Asia's trendsetting department store Lane Crawford. The hub provides gym pop-up services for runners during the chillier months while promoting the Nike+ Run Club, a community that finds the runner in everyone – bringing together people to hone their skills and explore their city through running. This spring, runners can kick themselves into high gear with a full-fledged experience placed inside an extraterrestrial setting. The hexagonal structure with dynamic media surfaces houses treadmills in pod-like sections, creating a kaleidoscopic interior. As runners get in the zone, their performance stats are displayed on screens both inside and outside. Training sessions with professionals, tech demos, and healthy living Just Do It Sunday all take place in the hub. Those who want to participate can pre-register online or sign in at the separate information hub nearby, also designed in a similar stealth craft style. "With an ethereal, out-of-this-world design, stepping inside the main hub of the NIKE+ RUN CLUB takes you far away from the busy, chaotic streets of the city." says COORDINATION ASIA founder Tilman Thürmer. Exemplifying the power of immersive brand experiences, the NIKE+ RUN CLUB on Huaihai is an inclusive experience for runners that combines personalization, community, and activation. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Benoy Unveils Newest Hainan Island Plans Posted: 04 Mar 2017 08:00 AM PST Benoy has released its latest designs for the China International Travel Service (CITS) Sanya Enot development scheme, which will be located on the reclaimed Hexin Island in Hainan, and is the second phase of a large-scale plan. Connected to the first phase of development by a pedestrian bridge, the project will be surrounded by the area's luxury international hotels and natural attractions. The 32,000-square-meter mixed-use, retail-led space features a "porous and multi-layered environment," with clusters of small-scale buildings that will create a series of indoor and outdoor spaces for entertainment and retail programming. Buildings will be connected by a succession of elevated walkways and bridges. Bookended by a large aquarium with a reflective pool, the northern end of the development will house a covered market area that will host fish farm facilities for fresh, local seafood, as well as stall space for imported goods. Designed in accordance with solar paths and prevailing wind studies to encourage natural ventilation and open sightlines, the canopy structures throughout the project draw inspiration from sea shells in both form and color.
Construction on the project is expected to commence later in 2017. The development is targeting a China 3-star sustainability rating. Developer: China International Travel Service (CITS) News via: Benoy. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Perkins+Will White Paper: Why Antimicrobial Products Should Be Avoided Posted: 04 Mar 2017 06:00 AM PST Perkins+Will and the Healthy Building Network (HBN) have released their latest material health and performance white paper, Healthy Environments: Understanding Antimicrobial Ingredients in Building Materials. According to the paper, antimicrobial building products "marketed as healthy or beneficial to human health contain ingredients that may have adverse environmental or human health impacts, and alternative products should be considered whenever possible." Citing a lack of evidence that antimicrobial products prevent the spread of communicable diseases, the report highlights potential impacts like "super bugs," contamination of aquatic ecosystems, and carcinogens. Ten top highlights from the paper, concerning antimicrobial products, are:
Read more about these top ten ideas, here, or read the entire Understanding Antimicrobial Ingredients in Building Materials paper, here. News via: Perkins+Will. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Posted: 04 Mar 2017 05:00 AM PST
From the architect. The renovation/addition of this Tudor style residence in Rye, New York links the home to its exterior by adding light filled program and circulation. While maximizing the habitable use of the site, the addition also responds to the key parameters of the existing home, preserving its character and history within the suburban neighborhood context. In addition to the restoring original stucco and timber façade, our firm added a new wood-clad entryway that offers a delicate and understated contrast to the neighborhood street. This new material appears again as the cladding for the more minimalist and abstract box addition that extends from the rear of the home. Its simple rectangular form both contrasts and compliments the original Tudor, post and beam gable structure. The addition is wrapped in a dark, charcoal-stained cedar skin, mimicking the colors found on the existing façade. The wood timber transforms into wood skin that wraps the new addition in a moiré enclosure system that reinterprets the white stucco and dark wood timber of the New England Tudor Style. The skin striates to reveal a glass enclosure and allows light into the interior rooms. The perceptual effect of oscillations between exterior monolithic form (platonic box) and wood siding/planking as an abstract striation allows the addition to move back and forth between autonomous/porous and related to its progenitor (the existing house). By carving into the rectangular box, we define the key spatial concept for the new house, which include the addition of a family and mudroom on the first floor, as well as a master bedroom suite on the second floor. The glass stairwell built between the existing house and the addition creates a transitional "white space," allowing natural light to filter through to the rooms on each side. The new wood, steel, and glass stair was hung from the existing house's chimney, which creates a sectional void, offering moments of visual and spatial connectivity within and beyond to the landscape. Through a series of elegant yet poignant disjunctions between light and space, the design is unified in a symbiotic relationship between old and new. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
RAIC Honors Roger du Toit with Posthumous 2017 Gold Medal Posted: 04 Mar 2017 04:00 AM PST Canadian architect, landscape architect and urban designer Roger du Toit has been posthumously awarded the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada's 2017 Gold Medal. The influential designer, who passed away in 2015, amassed a rich, diverse portfolio throughout his 45-year career, including Toronto's CN Tower, Regina's Wascana Centre, and 45 projects across 25 Canadian university campuses. His RAIC Gold Medal, recognizing a significant and lasting contribution to Canadian Architecture, will be accepted by his widow Sheila du Toit and two sons at the RAIC/OAA Festival of Architecture in Ottawa in May. Roger du Toit, FRAIC, was born in South Africa in 1939. Having graduated from the University of Cape Town with a bachelor of architecture, he moved to Toronto in 1965 to complete his studies. During his subsequent decade in John Andrews Architects, he oversaw the planning and construction of the famous CN Tower, and co-authored the first design guides for downtown Toronto. In 1975, he established Roger du Toit Architects with his wife Sheila, which would ultimately become known as DTAH. Throughout his career, du Toit has been involved in a bounty of architectural works across Canada, as well as international projects in Australia, Hong Kong, the Middle East, and the United States. From 1982 onwards, he oversaw a long-range plan of the Wascana Centre in Regina, including a 2,300-acre park with civic and community buildings. From 2000 onwards, he was involved in the revitalization of Toronto's Central Waterfront, designing key components such as Queen's Quay and the WaveDeck structures. His legacy is embedded in Canada's capital Ottawa, where he was involved in projects such as the National Gallery of Canada, Canadian Museum of History, and Confederation Boulevard. In the 1990s, he oversaw the development of building height regulations in Ottawa, protecting views of national icons such as the Parliament Buildings. During this time, he also guided expansion of the University of British Columbia, and produced a heritage masterplan for the 19th-century Distillery District, which has since become a major cultural destination.
News via: RAIC. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Critical Round-Up: The 2017 Pritzker Prize Posted: 04 Mar 2017 03:00 AM PST The 2017 Pritzker Prize was a surprise to many, awarded to the three founders of RCR Arquitectes, a modest Spanish firm located in the small town of Olot in Catalonia. Many people and critics shared their astonishment at the prize being awarded to three individuals for the first time since the Pritzker Prize began in 1979, including the third female winner, and at the relatively low profile of RCR Arquitectes before March 1st. Whether this surprise was pleasant or shocking differs from critic to critic, but there nevertheless seems to be a consensus on the jury's decision to venture further into politics and away from their traditional interest in celebrity architects. As clearly stated in the jury's citation: "In this day and age, there is an important question that people all over the world are asking, and it is not just about architecture; it is about law, politics, and government as well." Are they steering the prize in the right, or wrong, direction? "An oblique commentary on global politics" – Margaret Rhodes, WiredRhodes ventures into the political endeavors of the Pritzker jury from the get-go, with an article titled "Even Architecture Prizes Are Political In This Crazy World," clearly questioning the role an architecture award should play in our world's political sphere:
Despite the jury's obvious political agenda, Rhodes labels it an "easygoing message of openness," which may very well be the safest choice in our contemporary society where division and destructive criticism currently seem to be increasing, much to our dismay. This may perhaps be why Rhodes identifies the 2017 Pritzker Prize as a situation where:
"A surprising choice that also seems a pointed response to globalization and the contemporary political climate" – Christopher Hawthorne, LA TimesEqually critical, but perhaps not agreeing with Rhodes on the use of terms such as "oblique" and "easygoing" is Hawthorne. One of the only big critics to focus almost entirely on the issue of countries turning into themselves and away from the world highlighted by the jury's citation, Hawthorne compares their standpoint to that of Brexit and Trump supporters and draws parallels to "punitive nationalism and outright xenophobia," in contrast to "an interest in protecting local and cultural heritage":
Hawthorne also addresses the jury's step away from the usual process of recognizing an already well-known name—this time not in context to the current situation of Western politics, but instead to the history of the prize itself. He points out the award's potential to shape the structure of the architectural discipline, for better or for worse:
"RIP, starchitecture. And good riddance." – Diana Budds, FastCo. DesignBudds, like both Hawthorne and Rhodes, instantly dives into the apparently redirected priorities of this year's jury, but with a tone of bold celebration. She calls the decision "emblematic of evolving dynamics in the profession, and the priorities of architecture's gatekeepers," clearly championing the discipline's hopeful movement in the right direction:
Budds appears to be seeking more responsibility and integrity within the architectural world, relieved to finally be presented with architects who can lead a path for us to discuss, critique, and ultimately follow:
"The architecture they have collectively created in the years since they founded their practice in 1988 is some of the most ethereal, exquisite and, yes, beautiful architecture of modern times." – Edwin Heathcote, Financial Times (UK)Taking time to critique RCR Arquitectes' architecture, as opposed to just their political connotations, Heathcote praises their collection of work for standing out amongst a profession overcrowded with people whose primary aims are to become the next Zaha Hadid:
Also predicting how the unexpected award may influence the (until now) low-key architecture firm, Heathcote seems confident in their good character. His judgment is backed up by Ramon Vilalta's own comment in an exclusive interview with ArchDaily, in which he said, "What can this prize give us? I'd like to be able to do less projects, but with more intensity." As Heathcote points out:
"This is how architecture is really practiced so, thank you." – Alexandra Lange, CurbedLange raises the fact that this year's prize sees just the third female winner in the Pritzker Prize's 38-year history, represented in this trio by Carme Pigem. Lange, like Heathcote, reflects on the effect of the prize on an architect's career:
In accordance with several other critics, Lange comments on the unusual choice made by the jury, regarding its list of previous winners, but makes a point to highlight the jury's disinterest in "crowning" an already world-famous figure, especially when a firm like RCR Arquitectes has remained under the radar for so long:
However, Lange also reflects on the dynamic state of our modern world, where opinions and trends change every day. Not even the Pritzker Prize is exempt from that:
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Brede School Aarle-Rixtel / architecten|en|en Posted: 04 Mar 2017 01:00 AM PST
From the architect. A schoolbuilding is a special building in a little village, because almost all the inhabitants have spent an important part of their life there. This means that, as an architect, you can give children something for the rest of their lives, because everbody remembers his or hers old schoolbuilding. "The building as an adventure" was therefor the starting point of the design. The Brede School is located in the heart of Aarle-Rixtel in the south of Holland. A fundamental part for the plan were the site-specific qualities like the many old trees and the existing playgrounds. Beside the use of challenging form, we have chosen not to use obvious materials. Often raw, sometimes smooth, mostly unfinished and visibly attached the form a unity that does not leave people untouched. The brickwork of the existing gymastics hall and the entire new schoolbuilding are finished in the same manner, with a thin film of mortar, called slempwerk. By using this kind of tradional local craft, the buildings form a coherent unity with an appearance like they've been there for years. A Brede School has different users. "Together under one roof" was the basic thought for the lay-out of the total plan. We have chosen a distinctive building with a small-scale charisma, where within the context of the entire building, all users can express themselves. The main structure is based on a recurring building block of 50m2, which is connected for each independent user in a different way. This circuit determines its own identity, but because of the modular design, compatibility is garanteed in the future and growth and shrinkage can be captured. The implementation of different angels of inclination into the slanted roofs, is a result of a maximum of spaciousness and variation. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Lemay Wins Casablanca Coast Redesign Bid Posted: 04 Mar 2017 12:00 AM PST Quebec-based practice Lemay has won the global bid to redesign Morocco's Casablanca Coast, which will include the new seaside promenade of the Hassan II Mosque and the Ain Diab corniche. With modernity, sustainability, and innovation in mind, the urban and landscape design will promote mobility along the length of the corniche (a coastal, cliffside road) and aims to reinforce the appeal of the coast. Launched in December, the project will feature an urban park and corniche along the El Hank embankment that will include rest areas, walkways, outdoor sports, and more. As an extension of the Hassan II Mosque, the promenade is expected to become a new Moroccan landmark. A series of landscaped layers inspired by Islamic Gardens will define the project. "A first shaded layer defines the entrance to the promenade, as a green park traces a line between Corniche Blvd. and the shore. The next level of gardens encourages recreation and leisure, while the following levels are dedicated to walking and the beach. Mineral and plant layers wander, meander, rise and overlap to create elegant and integrated landscapes. At street intersections, open public squares act as gates to the sea and connect services such as restaurants, boutiques, fountains, sanitary facilities and underground parking. An unobstructed view of the sea always dominates, thanks to an integration of facilities and rolling landscape," explained the architects. Sustainable development strategies have been woven into the project's design, such as an electric tramway, the Casablanca coast's fist bicycle path, a greywater treatment system, recycling, use of local materials, and the revitalization of natural areas. Programs will be based on three main functions: a festive event space, seaside resort, and a nature preserve. The first phase of the Hassan II Mosque's seaside promenade is "scheduled for the end of 2017." News via: v2com. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Razorfish / Bruzkus Batek Architects Posted: 03 Mar 2017 09:00 PM PST
From the architect. In the historic former cold storage building "Eierspeicher" on the north bank of the River Spree, Osthafen, Berlin, Bruzkus Batek architects have undertaken the redesign and comprehensive material and spatial conception of Razorfish's 2500 sq m office space. The office occupies two levels, linked by pre-existing staircases. The elements of the new design enclose the building's structure without disturbing it, working harmoniously with the existing elements, mainly using OSB. In the reception area, the central position of the counter provides better eye-contact between staff, and visitors arriving at the office. The meeting room is enhanced with a cladding of long vertical wooden slats in a natural finish, providing some privacy but also connection with the rest of the space. The staircase in the centre of the area, along with the railings around the edges of the upper floor are coated in bright yellow finish, providing a colour accent. Underneath the staircase is extensive book shelving, giving a sense of homeliness to this space. The upper floor houses the actual office space, with the renewed desks constructed of light metal framing and OSB surfaces lending a sense of airiness and space to the area. The kitchen area features a large, freestanding counter with seating, inviting communication between staff as they enjoy their food. Along from the kitchen area is a second, wider staircase, clad in OSB and transformed into a novel, podium style seating area that forms the centrepiece of meetings with all of the company's 80 employees present. When staff wish to leave their desks and work, the tea house atmosphere of the White Room is perfect, with its adaptable, varied soft furnishings providing a comfortable setting to be productive in. The minimalist concept of the design is extremely effective, with sensibly chosen materials and surface treatments uniting to provide a sublime, exciting space. The flexibility of OSB to facilitate varying accents with the different finishes used and both bare and ABS lined edges makes each space different and provides dynamic contrast between them. Finally, brushed stainless steel and the Green Wall both provide unique accents. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
You are subscribed to email updates from ArchDaily. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States |
Nema komentara:
Objavi komentar