Arch Daily |
- St. Patrick's Centre / McCabe Architects
- Portonaccio / NA3 Studio di Architettura
- New House / RÂU ARCH
- Tamarama House / Porebski Architects
- Tangxia Vanke Port-Apartment / PBA Architects + Tumushi Architects
- Arrow Studio / Nervegna Reed Architecture + PH Architects
- The United States' First Mass-Timber Highrise Receives Planning Permission
- Tectonic / Graham Baba Architects
- World's First Bicycle Architecture Biennale to Debut in Amsterdam
- MO Residence / Reinach Mendonça Arquitetos Associados
- MADE BY HOLLAND to Transform Dutch Royal Palace into Forum for Innovation
- Am Kaiserstrand Bathhouse / Lang+Schwaerzler
- NYC Underwater: Video Imagines the Consequences of a Two-Degree Temperature Rise
- Audain Art Museum / Patkau Architects
- Learn More About Permaculture by Building Your Own Herb Spiral
- How to Design a "Building that Breathes": A Sustainable Case Study of Colombia's EDU Headquarters
- Single Family House Castelldefels / Ral
| St. Patrick's Centre / McCabe Architects Posted: 09 Jun 2017 10:00 PM PDT 
 From the architect. The brief was for a Pastoral Centre situated within the grounds of St. Patrick's Church, Donegal Town. For years, church educational programmes, counselling and meetings were held in local schools, the parochial house and hotels throughout the parish. St. Patrick's Centre was designed to consolidate these spiritual, educational and counselling activities and to meet the social needs of parishioners coming together for celebration and bereavement.  Site plan Elevated above the towns busy Main Street, the tranquil site accommodates St. Patrick's Church, the former curates house, the parochial house and extensive sloping gardens. St. Patrick's Church (1935) known as The Memorial Church of the four Masters. Built with Barnesmore pink granite and Mountcharles sandstone in a Neo Irish Romanesque style, the church is one of the most photographed landmarks in the area. The new building had to be placed sensitively to sit side by side with the domineering edifice, respecting its elder.  The R.C. Parish Council identified an elevated overgrown garden area to the rear of the former curates house located to the west of St. Patrick's Church as the preferred location on the site for the new centre. The client requested that a physical link be made to the former curates house as it had been recently renovated as office space for Accord, Catholic Marriage Care Services and was providing an income. Commercially, it made sense that both buildings were linked and would complement each other.  Section The new centre is placed at the edge of the church grounds and quite intentionally it acts as the backdrop to the church gardens. The requirement for a large multi-purpose hall posed particular challenges and opportunity in such a sensitive location. The building is tucked into the excavated hill, the hall is a double height space entered from the lower level by a processional pedestrian route from the church. One can also enter from the upper car parking level and descend into the main space along the granite spine wall. Meeting rooms, and kitchen are ancillary and more intimate in scale.  The sweeping curved granite wall physically ties the building into the hillside, varying shapes of windows are used to highlight the movement of light and frame views of the church, again signifying the spiritual nature of the building. A large corner window is placed to entirely frame St. Patrick's Church upon entry to the main hall, on completion of the processional journey. The building materials are carefully limited to create a calm spiritual feeling, simple rendered walls act as a backdrop to the main stone walls, a dramatic aluminium over sailing eaves is a metaphorical response to the halo the spiritual building deserves.  Ground Floor A curved stone cross reflective of the stone church tower stands to attention in front of the former curates house a 1970's bungalow structure reducing the domestic impact of the house, and helping to increase its scale, in keeping with the new centre.  The fundamental meaning and vision of the centre is an inclusive community resource where people can gather to celebrate, learn, share ideas whilst rooted in a calm sense of composure. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Portonaccio / NA3 Studio di Architettura Posted: 09 Jun 2017 07:00 PM PDT  © Courtesy of NA3 Studio
 © Courtesy of NA3 Studio
 © Courtesy of NA3 Studio The interior of a duplex is found in this context, in a newly erected building.Here, the character, power and determination prevail, opposed to the lightness and ductility of an evolving life: that of a young man, under thirty years of age. Here, there was an ancient ice factory.  © Courtesy of NA3 Studio The connection is the focus: a continuous, equipped panel in raw iron and wood, thought as double wall, branches out into three spatial axes to thicken the consistency of one of the main building components. Value is conferred to the structure through additional panels that merge, loosen, huddle around, re-open and lastly extend; synchronous, inverted, alternate, they embody, unveil and gather the intimacy of this home: the panels are diaphanous to see, glimpse, conceal, discover, double: a wardrobe, an entrance, a hall, a large kitchen, a bookcase.  © Courtesy of NA3 Studio The person inhabiting these spaces is a young man being formed, an evolving life, the human being wishes to reveal himself but also hide and feel protected. It is a home in balance between safety and adventure. Everything is possible here and now: for this reason, it is a bare, material interior where the primary element is the limit, intended as delimitation of a boundary or a corner. Raw, hard iron and noble, ductile wood compensate each other in the character and through all spaces; they attribute the reciprocal destinies to each other in a rhythmic score and dialogue in synch, revealing their essence. And as a minimalist musical score, apparent seriality brings out the uniqueness and unrepeatability of the single detail, even if in minimal changes.  Section C-C' The corner, thought as bond, stands out from a drawing that is never marginal, but alive, designated and re-lived. As in the scale: the two heavy material hubs, at departure and arrival – wood on the floor and totally iron in the slab – the linear layout of the cantilevered treads at the centre is instead light. Two different views are present: the iron skeleton-like structure viewed from below, while from the top, the entire body in wood and iron, in its whole. A constant reminder to the three dimensions, focused on the edges of the corner, rarefied by the mirrors but at the same time creating unusual optical illusions. The wood ceiling reflects the floor design and reproduces the distribution pace of the container.  © Courtesy of NA3 Studio The sensation is that of alienation and re-discovery of the space, a new challenge by going back to the corner, to the limit – as in football- and then resume from it.  © Courtesy of NA3 Studio A continuous band, first skirting and then handrail, runs along the stairway ending attached to the slab, configuring a protection that reminds the ropes of a boxing ring. In the master bedroom, the central, fixed position of the wardrobe divides and separates the private space, creating different functions: partly path and container, and partly headboard and server. The floor in oak is designed to bring out the resident's paths along the iron panels; the large framed windows to introject and then revert the feeling of discovery and astonishment instilled by the urban landscape. The spaces are fluent, detached from pre-built or outdated models. Expedients that accompany the life of a man living in the modern age.  © Courtesy of NA3 Studio This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 09 Jun 2017 03:00 PM PDT  © Hùng Râu Kts
 © Hùng Râu Kts From the architect. The 800m dwelling house was inhabited by ten thousand people in Quang Binh The one-story house, a mezzanine with fancy looks tens of thousands of people like and share back on Facebook.  © Hùng Râu Kts As an architect in Dong Hoi (Quang Binh), Pham Hung has a lot of ideas but has not found a host like novelty. When conditions permit, he decides to experiment for his own house. After a year of choosing the options, 10 months of construction, the house is finished with a different appearance compared to the surrounding buildings.  © Hùng Râu Kts On the land of more than 200 m2, Hung only build a house on the surface of 110m2, including a floor and a mezzanine, with living room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, worship room, WC area, washing area.  © Hùng Râu Kts The most impressive of the house is the facade using split stone and brick ventilation. Due to the limited budget and the desire to choose materials, Hung spent a lot of time traveling through the provinces to select brick and stone. The construction should be meticulously he had to do as himself mica panels in the front wind turbines.  Floor Plan After choosing the kind of split stone, he hired the sawmill to make small 3-4cm pieces in the area around the house.  © Hùng Râu Kts Brick ventilation from Hue has created a charm for the facade as well as attracting attention in the living room area. There are no conditions to purchase furniture, the family used the items available. The set of tables and chairs of the parents in the donation arranged in the new space brings the old familiar to the living room.  Mezzanine / Ground Floor Plan The floor also made him think much. After that, the young architect decided to choose wood asphalt floor that can resist water, fire, termites and sap. The house is airy, much light thanks to the windows, brick ventilation.  © Hùng Râu Kts Works using familiar materials but fancy design and usability has attracted the attention of many people. When Hung shared his home image on Facebook in December 2016, there were 25,000 likes, 14,000 share and 11,000 comments. Bedrooms in brown-white tones and decorative tiles are warm and light in color, romantic.  © Hùng Râu Kts This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Tamarama House / Porebski Architects Posted: 09 Jun 2017 01:00 PM PDT  © Andrew Worssam
 © Justin Alexander From the architect. Located on a corner site on the hills overlooking Tamarama Beach the design allows the house to be a sculpture on the site. With stone forming the base a sculptured curved fa§ade creates the lighter upper levels. The building is beautifully modulated by the use of timber batten extensions forming bay windows against the curvaceous white render masonry which all sit wonderfully with the Will Dangar designed gardens.  © Andrew Worssam Designed for a family of four the house is inverted from the traditional house with the main living areas positioned on the top floor to take advantage of the ocean views and allows these rooms to use the volume of the roof space creating strikingly formed ceilings.  Lower ground floor plan  © Justin Alexander  Ground floor plan The house is L-shaped in plan creating a central courtyard that flows around to the pool area to the rear. The courtyard acts as a private outdoor area which is purposely orientated to the sun yet protected from the sea breezes, which are a daily occurrence.  © Justin Alexander The upper living areas flow out onto the large covered terrace that take in the beach and ocean views as far as the eye can see. The front rooms flow freely to the rear family room creating the perfect family living arrangements or scene for cocktail parties.  Section A With cavity sliding doors the rear lower play room flows out to the courtyard and pool garden with a seamless transition. A covered terrace contains a built in bbq.  © Justin Alexander The interiors have been styled and finished by Alexandra Donohoe from Decus to compliment the architecture.  © Justin Alexander This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Tangxia Vanke Port-Apartment / PBA Architects + Tumushi Architects Posted: 09 Jun 2017 12:00 PM PDT  © Zhang Chao
 © Zhang Chao Background Port-apartment, produced by Vanke Real Estate, is a well-known brand in Long rental apartment market in China. This product provides well-equipment rental space and the integration of community services for young people. Normally, convenient traffic, handy facilities, and low renovation cost are the three key points for port-apartment. The project is the ideal place to make an experiment, which is renovated by six old factory buildings in Guangzhou Tangxia Village.  © Zhang Chao  Exploded axonometric view, the relationship between new and old is visible.  © Zhang Chao New with the old Design concept sums up 'new with the old'. Based on respecting the value of old building, it means new architecture comes from combining the old with new. the old means that we persist valuable part of old building, the new shows how new programs intervene to whole one.  © Zhang Chao Tangxia project is consisted by six same height old factory buildings which are arranged orderly. Considering overall functional layout of the building, ground floor of the first building, connecting the south side of the street, is used for commercial space. Ground floor of the second building and the gap between the first and second building, are used for the public space which can provide counseling, coffee, fitness, video, meeting and other services for young tenants. Vertical traffic of each building follows original staircase at both ends of the building. Original South Corridor of each floor are moved to the middle. Hence, new corridor cut the original space into two parts, which are transferred to the apartment units with short depth. Considering the modulus of original concrete frame structure, apartment unit is a box space which length, width and height is 5.1, 2.5 and 4.5 meters. In the box unit, bottom is a living room that has installed kitchen, storage and balcony. The upper part is the bedroom, which is connected by a small ladder.  © Zhang Chao Street side At first, we concern that appearance of Port-apartment has a contrast view with the existing streetscape. Therefore, dark gray aluminum curtain wall, which as a backdrop for the shop signs, are used to unify the entire facade at the bottom of the first building. Above ground floor, original granitic plaster still remains on the south side of veranda. On vertical side, new partition wall is painted with bright colors randomly, and outdoor air conditioner machine is hidden by white perforated aluminum plate. due to new white plate and original plaster line, three kinds of jumping colors look vivid and fashion in street space.  © Zhang Chao Public transport corridor Public transport corridor on west side of whole project is not only the traffic space of each building, but also the only important spatial node that can show the whole. So west side bottom wall, surfacing with dark gray aluminum curtain, unifies six buildings into a whole. The slightly upturns eaves, forms one meter deep overhangs. It built a street-like interface with the renovated guard room at the other side. both of them implies the human scale for the traffic space. There are two functions of the opening on the lower part cornice. One is for amplifying apartment entrance, which is emphasized through different color glazing. the other is called Street window. It not only provides position to poster community information, but also acts as an active element, enrich landscape of public transport corridor. The upper facade is basically retain original granitic plaster wall. To solve the problem of rain water, original open staircase is enclosed with different colored glazing.  © Zhang Chao Roof Roofs of six buildings are connected by the steel structure bridge, which can integrate separated public space together. In the east end of roof, we proposed a scene viewing box to emphasize west view. The public kitchen and laundry are proposed on the roof. furniture and recreational landscape are combined together, which value the efficiency of roof. One of the focal point is the precast concrete, which can be organized by program. The cozy atmosphere become more reinforced because of those furniture.  © Zhang Chao Renewal significance Tangxia Port-apartment, which is renovated from factory building , is currently the largest youth long rent apartment in Guangzhou. There are nearly 600 sets of rooms. after a short wane, More than 95% occupancy rate proved that this six buildings have a new nirvana.  © Zhang Chao  Axonometric  © Zhang Chao This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Arrow Studio / Nervegna Reed Architecture + PH Architects Posted: 09 Jun 2017 10:00 AM PDT  © Sam Reed + Toby Reed
 © Sam Reed + Toby Reed From the architect. The Arrow Studio was conceived as an out of focus, reflective vortex in the Australian landscape.  © Sam Reed + Toby Reed Our client, Mr. White retired to the countryside near Hanging Rock in Victoria a few years before the project started. His brief was to build a small gallery in the back yard, facing the bush, where he could hang paintings and photos and also use as a studio. For security reasons, as well as to maximize hanging space, we were asked to have minimal windows, and for those windows to be framed in a way that intruders could not break in.  © Sam Reed + Toby Reed A rectangular cube was 'pushed in' at one end, and correspondingly 'pushed out' at the other end. This design move made the space, while almost accidentally creating an arrow-like form. The push-pull action allowed us to screen the ends from intruders and still create small views, by using optical timber slats. The windows were small as the walls had to be maximised for hanging space. The studio is sited like a piece of random space junk that has fallen into a back garden facing the field beyond.  Section A-A'  © Sam Reed + Toby Reed  Floor Plan The budget, not much more than an off-the- shelf garden shed with slab, and could not be exceeded. Therefor all walls are ply, which braces the structure and replaces plasterboard on the inside. The galvanised sheets, overlapped diagonally, form a second skin which helps insulate and protects the ply from the harsh conditions. These galvanised sheets created a blurred mirror surface which encloses the space on each side. This creates an effect of a habitable void in the landscape.  © Sam Reed + Toby Reed The space between the arrow and the old brick veneer house is a protected outdoor entertaining area, while on the other side the arrow forms a backdrop for entertaining with a view of the bush setting, a place for contemplation. At night the arrow projects light through the timber slats at each end and lights up the garden like a cinema projection booth in a field.  © Sam Reed + Toby Reed This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The United States' First Mass-Timber Highrise Receives Planning Permission Posted: 09 Jun 2017 09:15 AM PDT  Courtesy of LEVER Architecture The United States' first mass-timber highrise (defined by Emporis Building Standards as a building with an architectural height of 115-328 feet, or between 12 and 40 floors) has been granted planning permission, allowing construction on the landmark project to begin. Located in downtown Portland, Oregon, the building known as Framework will cap out at 12 floors and approximately 128 feet, ushering in a new era of tall building construction in the US.  Courtesy of LEVER Architecture The awarding of the building permit follows a stringent Performance-Based Review process that required several tests of the building's fire, acoustic and structural systems, carried out over several months in 2016. The results of the testing have shown that buildings constructed with mass timber including Cross-laminated Timber (CLT) and Glu-laminated timber (Glulam) can meet, and in some cases outperform, all current fire and life safety standards.  Courtesy of LEVER Architecture "Receiving a permit is a critical juncture for Framework and demonstrates the feasibility of using wood to build high-rise buildings in the U.S.", said Anyeley Hallova, developer, project^. "With our path now clear to start building, Framework will start to unlock the demand for mass timber products at all scales justifying new investment into rural manufacturing and job creation."  Courtesy of KPFF Consulting Engineers  Courtesy of LEVER Architecture Framework will contain a mixed-use program, including 42,000 square feet of affordable housing separated into 60 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Five floors of the building will be designated as office space, while the ground floor will house 9,000 square feet of retail. Other amenities will include a rooftop terrace and 102 bicycle parking spaces to encourage sustainable transportation methods.  Courtesy of LEVER Architecture "The innovations in wood construction that are part of the design of the Framework building will help change how America builds in the years to come", commented Steve Lovett, CEO of the Softwood Lumber Board, a lumber industry organization which contributed $1 million to the R&D phase of the Framework project as part of the U.S. Tall Wood Building Competition, in which Framework was awarded top honors. "Modern wood based building systems create opportunities to increase the use of wood products which is better for both the environment and rural communities."  Courtesy of LEVER Architecture The City of Portland is paving the way for new timber construction techniques in the United States – the current tallest timber structure in the US, Carbon12, recently topped out in the Pacific Northwest city. Learn more about Framework on the project's website, here.  Courtesy of LEVER Architecture
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| Tectonic / Graham Baba Architects Posted: 09 Jun 2017 08:00 AM PDT  © Rafael Soldi
 © Rafael Soldi From the architect. Tectonic, a digital experience design studio, desired an open workspace that satisfied their simple office requirements while simultaneously providing space for entertainment—a union of work and relaxation. The modest 2,738-square-foot office space is located on the fourth floor of a six-story, mixed-used building in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood.  © Rafael Soldi In addition to workstations, the office includes two conference spaces (one essentially a part of the larger office and another private option), as well as an entertainment area, symbolically raised two steps above the workstation level. The entertainment area includes a kitchen/bar, casual seating area including a sofa and occasional chairs, and access to the outdoor patio which affords territorial views to the neighborhood.  © Rafael Soldi  Floor plan This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| World's First Bicycle Architecture Biennale to Debut in Amsterdam Posted: 09 Jun 2017 07:00 AM PDT  Chongming Bicycle Park / JDS Architects. Image Courtesy of CycleSpace The world's first international Bicycle Architecture Biënnale - a showcase of outstanding built environment solutions around cycling - will take place this month in Amsterdam. The event - organized by leading cycling innovation agency CycleSpace - takes place on Wednesday 17 June and will celebrate the cutting edge and high profile building designs that are facilitating bicycle travel, storage and safety around the world. .jpg?1497017796 "Medibank / HASSELL. Image © Earl Carter") Medibank / HASSELL. Image © Earl Carter The biënnale is being launched in Amsterdam in recognition of the city's leading status for prioritizing cycling travel and forms one of the breakout events as part of the global cycling conference Velo-City. The biënnale aims to reflect how cycling can improve urban living and how design solutions can not only meet transit needs but can also inspire and facilitate greater cycling uptake. The designs profiled at the biënnale have been curated by Professor Steven Fleming, whose new book Velotopia about bicycle architecture is out this month. The biënnale will show off the work of 14 international designers, from all corners of the globe. Amongst the designs selected are The West Village Basis Yard apartment complex in Chengdu by Jiakun Architects, where cyclists can ride from their tenth floor apartments all the way down to the ground, SkyCycle, a controversial and largely misunderstood proposal from Foster + Partners to build new buildings for cyclists in the airspace above London's train lines, and Hassell Architects' Medibank Building in Melbourne with its spiraling bike ramp inside the main atrium. The biënnale takes place at the Zuiveringshal in Amsterdam's Westerpark and will be open to delegates attending Velo-City. The show will then go on public display, details of which will be announced on the biënnale website www.bab2017.org. A limited number of public tickets for the biënnale are also available by emailing connect@cyclespace.org. The biënnale is being supported by the building firm BAM, and it is one of a number of international programs organized by CycleSpace, which also initiated the global Bicycle Mayor network. The first Bicycle Mayor summit takes place a few days before the biënnale - also in Amsterdam - on 10 and 11 June.  SkyCycle / Foster + Partners. Image © Foster + Partners Professor Steven Fleming said: "In recent years we have witnessed a profound change in attitude among architects toward bikes. Bikes used to be lower than horses in architects' eyes. Facilities for them always seemed built on the cheap, as though they would only be torn down when all the cyclists could afford cars. This exhibition celebrates buildings that roll out a red carpet for bikes. They show bicycle planning doesn't stop at the curb side. As the built environment grows with this mode—that we now know is the healthiest and fastest for making connections in cities—the desires of cyclists are going to start shaping the design of new buildings." Lee Feldman, co-founder of CycleSpace, said: "Amsterdam has shown how we can make cities more liveable when we put the bicycle first. It facilitates a change in how we think and move that improves so many aspects of our lives, from physical and mental health to clean air and family friendly neighbourhoods. The bicycle is a vehicle to literally transform the way we live our lives. Architects, urban planners, designers, futurists, system disruptors, and so many others all have great ideas about how the built environment influences greater ridership in cities, and by celebrating that and showcasing it we can encourage and inspire even more powerful ideas for the future." For more information, go to www.bab2017.org About CycleSpace CycleSpace is making the shift from car-centric to human-centric cities possible through acting as a catalyst for breakthrough solutions around cycling. We create and accelerate ideas, kick start collaborations, and launch global innovations and programs. We have an ambitious goal - for 50% of all city trips to be by bike by 2030. We call this '50 by 30' and we believe it will lead to fundamentally healthier, happier and more prosperous cities. Cycling is more than transportation. It is transformation. In all our work, we never stop asking 'Where can the bicycle take you?' Velo-City takes place in Arnhem and Nijmegen from 13 to 16 June. A break out day then takes place in Amsterdam on 14 June and will conclude with the Bicycle Architecture Biënnale. Press release via CycleSpace
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| MO Residence / Reinach Mendonça Arquitetos Associados Posted: 09 Jun 2017 06:00 AM PDT  © Evelyn Müller
 © Evelyn Müller From the architect. The project was guided by important desires of the residents; a contemporary design allied with a predominant use of concrete and glass and interconnected ambiences alike the relationship between indoors and outdoors. Moreover, a versatile social space that could adapt according to the weather, wherein the veranda can become the living room and the living room can become the veranda.  © Evelyn Müller The solution to the social areas was through the design of three main social ambiences - living, dining and gourmet space – sequentially distributed in a large rectangular area turned to the garden. The glass doors have a span of 14 meters and can be completely open and embedded within concrete walls, resulting in one single veranda with all spaces integrated facing the garden. On the first floor is the intimate area of the residents including a large TV space and service areas.  © Evelyn Müller  Floor plan  © Evelyn Müller The upper floor accommodates the bedrooms of the children along with a room turned to a terrace that can be used as a massage and yoga space. Others significant aspects to recall are the access to all floors by an elevator and the use of steel structure contrasting with concrete, bringing elegance and lightness to the house.  © Evelyn Müller This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| MADE BY HOLLAND to Transform Dutch Royal Palace into Forum for Innovation Posted: 09 Jun 2017 05:30 AM PDT The team known as MADE BY HOLLAND has been selected to transform the palace and gardens of Soestdijk, a 17th century country estate and former residence of the Dutch royal family, into a forum for innovation and entrepreneurship, where large-scale exhibitions and events can be held for a wide range of audiences.  Palace Renovation. Image © TomPostma Design Lead by four developing partners – MeyerBergman Erfgoed Groep, MeyerBergman Erfgoed Programmering, Hylkema Erfgoed Advies and Ontwerp en MeyerBergman Erfgoed Ontwikkeling – MADE BY HOLLAND also features contributions from West 8 (masterplanning and landscape architecture), Tom Postma Design (Palace Renovation) and Tinker Imagineers (Follies), as well as Natuurmonumenten, Staatsbosbeheer, Horwath HTL, Motivaction, Goudappel Coffeng and 4Building.  Palace Renovation. Image © TomPostma Design  The site will include several new follies. Image © Tinker Imagineers The planning strategy involves the restoration of key historical structures and landscape elements throughout the grounds, as well as several new additions that will enhance the identity and programming of the estate. In the historic Palace, spaces will be arranged to accommodate a constantly changing series of presentations, while existing buildings around the site, including the Orangery, the Royal Stables, the sports pavilion, the playhouse, the water tower, the chalet and the ice cellar will be accompanied by several new temporary follies to provide other venues and interactive experiences.  Existing site. Image © Rijsvastgoedbedrijf Learn more about the design, here. News via West 8.  Aerial view of West 8's masterplan. Image © West8 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Am Kaiserstrand Bathhouse / Lang+Schwaerzler Posted: 09 Jun 2017 04:00 AM PDT  © Bruno Klomfar - Tom Maldener
 © Bruno Klomfar - Tom Maldener From the architect. The "Am Kaiserstrand" bathhouse in western Austria offers spectacular views of the Bay of Bregenz, Pfaender Mountain and the foothills of the Swiss Alps. A 42 metre long pier connects the pile structure situated on the eastern coast of Lake Constance to the recreational zone of the same name on shore. The revitalisation of the entire complex has also just been completed: the coastal promenade was extended, new pedestrian and bike paths were laid out, and a historic hotel complex was refurbished.  © Bruno Klomfar - Tom Maldener The bathhouse is, however, without a doubt, the highlight. Translated into the contemporary formal vocabulary of Vorarlberg's architecture, it convincingly continues the typology referred to as the Swabian Sea tradition. Resting atop the platform - which is supported by 30 reinforced concrete columns - is a simple, single-storey structure. It houses a glazed restaurant (whose terrace provides access to the sundeck), as well as changing rooms, showers and WCs.  Plans The numerous storey-high folding shutters, which constitute the facade's outermost layer, and the sliding-glass doors behind them allow the building to be used flexibly; because the bathhouse can be opened up completely, or, on the other hand, closed and protected, for example, from inclement weather, a variety of spatial combinations are possible.  © Bruno Klomfar - Tom Maldener The use of wood, however, is a constant: the columns and the beams. as well as the horizontal cladding of the facade, and all floors - inside and out - are all of the renewable resource. In a nod to sustainabllity, the architects worked with untreated silver fir from nearby forests. The silver fir, which is exposed to the elements, will weather naturally with the passage of time.  © Bruno Klomfar - Tom Maldener The energy concept is also environmentally sound. The bathhouse is equipped with controlled ventilation and heat-recovery. During the heating season, an air-ta-air heat pump pre-warms the incoming air to ensure that the restaurant space can be quickly brought up to a comfortable temperature.  © Bruno Klomfar - Tom Maldener This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| NYC Underwater: Video Imagines the Consequences of a Two-Degree Temperature Rise Posted: 09 Jun 2017 02:30 AM PDT James Hansen, professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University, former NASA scientist, and the planet's preeminent climatologist, was among the first to sound the alarm on climate change during his 1988 testimony before Congress. Since then, he has continued to shine a light on the problem through lectures, interviews, TED talks, and his blog. He has warned that a mere 2-degree increase in temperature could result in a sea level rise of five to nine meters by the end of the century, flooding coastal cities and rendering them uninhabitable. Inspired by Hansen, filmmakers Menilmonde have imagined Manhattan underwater. The French duo's previous videos experiment with subtle subversions of the world we experience, and their latest creation, 2°C New York City, is arguably their most powerful to date.  Courtesy of Menilmonde via screenshot from video The three-and-a-half-minute video features haunting images of a desolate city where there is liquid instead of streets; a dense skyline with a population of zero. It evokes the eeriness of I Am Legend, the all-too-real possibility of losing the most vibrant metropolis on earth to willful stupidity. As a reminder of what was, traffic lights continue their red-eyed winking, and LED billboards still shill for Stella Artois, Bud Light, and Toshiba. Underscoring the visuals with a doleful cello is Luke Richards' "It's Happening," a soundtrack that mourns along with us. According to Menilmonde's website, the gorgeously rendered water, which shimmers and reflects light as it reacts to the wind's caress, was achieved through 3D simulation (with 3DSMax) after photoshopping the people out of the image. Admittedly, the impressive scenes include some topographical inconsistencies that push the video from the realm of plausible scientific scenario and into artistic interpretation. Despite that, the message is loud and clear: we must reduce greenhouse emissions, now, or risk losing our urban crown jewels. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Audain Art Museum / Patkau Architects Posted: 09 Jun 2017 02:00 AM PDT  © James Dow / Patkau Architects
 © James Dow / Patkau Architects From the architect. The form and character of the Audain Art Museum is deliberately restrained to provide a quiet, minimal backdrop to the art within and the surrounding natural landscape. The simple form of the exterior is clad in an envelope of dark metal which recedes into the shadows of the surrounding forest. Where this envelope is opened, to provide access in the entry porch or view from the glazed walkway to the galleries, the dark metal is overlaid by an inviting luminous wood casing. Public spaces in the interior, which are visible from the exterior, continue this warm luminous materiality.  © James Dow / Patkau Architects  Ground Level  © James Dow / Patkau Architects Project Description  © James Dow / Patkau Architects  © James Dow / Patkau Architects The design of the museum is shaped by three powerful determinants. The first determinant is the need to house both the permanent exhibition of Michael Audains collection and, in juxtaposition with this collection, temporary exhibits of all kinds from across Canada and around the world. The second determinant is the beautiful but challenging site in Whistler which, although blessed by magnificent evergreen forest vegetation, is located within the floodplain of Fitzsimmons Creek. The third determinant is the enormous snowfall typical of Whistler which averages nearly 15 ft annual accumulated depth.  © James Dow / Patkau Architects Our design responds to these determinants, simply and directly, by projecting a volume of sequential public spaces and galleries into an existing linear void within the surrounding forest. It is elevated a full storey above the ground and crowned with a steeply sloped roof, containing administration and back-of- house support functions.  © James Dow / Patkau Architects The building design and siting work synergistically within the context of the site to create a public pedestrian link, beginning from the _village strolF, the pedestrian spine of Whistler Village, across Blackcomb Way, leading to and through the Museum and then across the site to Fitzsimmons Creek park. A bridge from Blackcomb Way rises through the forest to arrive at a sky lit museum entry porch. From there, visitors can either descend to the forest floor and central meadow to continue passage through the site, or enter into the museum lobby and event space. Once inside, visitors proceed along a glazed walkway overlooking the meadow below, to gain access first to the galleries which contain the permanent collection and then to the galleries which contain temporary exhibits.  © James Dow / Patkau Architects The form and character of the building and interiors is deliberately restrained to provide a quiet, minimal backdrop to the art within and the surrounding natural landscape. The simple form of the exterior is clad in an envelope of dark metal which recedes into the shadows of the surrounding forest. Where this envelope is opened, to provide access in the entry porch or view from the glazed walkway to the galleries, the dark metal is overlaid by a luminous wood casing. Public spaces in the interior, which are visible from the exterior, continue this warm luminous materiality. Gallery interiors in both the permanent and temporary exhibition areas are closed white volumes with minimal detail.  © James Dow / Patkau Architects This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Learn More About Permaculture by Building Your Own Herb Spiral Posted: 09 Jun 2017 01:00 AM PDT
Australian ecologists, David Holmgren and Bill Mollison, first coined the term permaculture in 1978, encompassing holistic methods for planning, updating and maintaining environmentally sustainable, socially just and financially viable systems. For Mollison, "Permaculture is the philosophy of working with and not against nature, after a long and thoughtful observation." In this sense, herbal spirals are an excellent exercise to begin to understand some of the concepts of this culture, as it brings together various natural functions in a single element, making it more productive and healthy.  © Iana Lua Dias da Cruz The spiral structure promotes the creation of microclimates in a small space, enabling the cultivation of species with different requirements of water, light, and nutrients. At the top, exposure to the sun is higher, causing the substrate to become drier as it drains to the lower parts. The lower, the moister the earth becomes. In addition, there are parts more shaded and others more exposed to the sun. For its construction, it is recommended to choose a flat, sunny and easily accessible space, preferably near where the meals are prepared. The walls can be constructed with an infinite choice of materials, all you need is creativity and the resources. Stones, bricks, logs, bamboo, or even tiles or bottles can work. It's important that the radius of the spiral is not huge so that you can easily reach all its parts at arm's length. Therefore, reserve a space between 1.00 to 1.60 meters, and at least 60 cm around it to circulate.  The first row of material is essential to shape the structure. After that, the blocks must be paired, removing some of each of the layers, to make the structure staggered. After reaching the desired height, close to 1.00 meter, the structure must be filled with soil. A good drainage system and fertilization it highly recommended. For this, consider including sand and organic fertilizers in the mixture. Then, plant the species through seedlings or seeds. The species that work well for each part of the spiral are listed below:  1. Full Sun and Dry Soil 2. Medium Shadow and Relatively Humid Soil 3. Medium Shadow and Humid Soil As permaculture advises, it's important to observe and evaluate the behavior of each species and its relationship with others. That is, apply one of the twelve principles of permaculture: "By taking the time to engage with nature we can design solutions that suit our particular situation." - David Holmgren This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| How to Design a "Building that Breathes": A Sustainable Case Study of Colombia's EDU Headquarters Posted: 08 Jun 2017 11:00 PM PDT .jpg?1479223605 "© Alejandro Arango") © Alejandro Arango In the Colombian capital city of Medellin, a new headquarters is being constructed for the Empresa de Desarrollo Urbano (Urban Development Company), combining optimal thermal performance with local urban regeneration. The new EDU headquarters is the result of a three-part collaboration between the public company, the private sector, and Professor Salmaan Craig from the Harvard Graduate School of Design who has family roots in the Colombian capital. Constructed on the site of the former EDU headquarters on San Antonio Park, the scheme aims to act as a benchmark for sustainable public buildings in Medellin, embracing the mantra of “building that breath." As a specialist in materials, thermal design, and building physics, Professor Craig (EngD) voluntarily offered his service to the scheme’s realization. Below, he explains the thermodynamic challenges behind the building’s conception. The design represents a serious commitment to innovation towards the generation of sustainable buildings in Medellín, through prefabricated façade system, solar panels, solar chimney, temperature calibration, thermal buoyancy, and an absence of air conditioning.  Bosquejo preliminar. Image Cortesía de EDU The purpose of this project is to use innovation as a tool for the renovation and revitalization of downtown Medellin, creating a socially safe territory through a healthy mix of building functions and public activity. In this dynamic, the project aims to stimulate the transformation of the city center to promote a sustainable habitat and guarantee public freedom - a dual strategy of social urbanism, and a culture of sustainability.
Its conceptualization is based on "a building that breathes", thinking of "simple materials, intelligent geometries”. An external skin composed of high-quality prefabricated elements allows the external cold air to be directed towards an external chimney, generating and influencing thermal mass. Thermodynamic concepts, such as convection and thermal forces, generate a constant flow of air by a change of temperature, from cold to hot, creating comfortable air currents in employee workspaces. .jpg?1479223400 "© Alejandro Arango") © Alejandro Arango The building is located within an area of a strategic development, the Macro Project of Rio Centro. The building has a total area of 2,983 m2, including 1,968 m2 of common areas. Its slender quadrangular massing reaches a height of 37 meters starting from platform level, following the same perimeter as the demolished existing building. The building has two basements where there are utility areas for water storage, parking, technical rooms, recycling, trash, maintenance, and storage rooms. The first floor is catered to the community with a payment center, reception, gallery of projects, community services and filing area. The new headquarters has ten floors with an average height of 3.70 meters, distributed as follows: from the 2nd to the 4th floor are offices; on the 5th are the common areas, a kitchenette and a terrace; Offices from 6th to 8th; the 9th floor is for the general management office, while on the 10th, utility and work areas are distributed, in addition to the elevator maintenance room. .jpg?1479305949 "Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU") Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU A new type of ventilation, a new type of experimentThe way we sense heat is more complex than we like to admit. Thermal comfort standards define what is acceptable in buildings, and these standards evolve as we learn more about thermal sensation. Most people will agree when it is far too hot or far too cold. But in between, it’ s harder to predict how people will react. What will they tolerate? What will they enjoy? Any number of physiological, psychological, cultural and climatic differences could tip the balance. At first, the purpose of thermal comfort standards was to define a universal range of temperatures that would apply to all people in all buildings in all climates at all times. These standards developed alongside air-conditioning technology and modernist architecture. Together they gave rise to the International Style. But new thermal comfort standards signal a change in approach. They acknowledge important subtleties in thermal sensation, such our tendency to adapt to seasonal changes, or our tendency to tolerate warmer temperatures if we know we can open a window.[1]. It’ s hard to overstate the importance of these revisions. The target comfort range is the starting-point or closing door to all conversations on passive design. Medellín is a case in point. On a typical day, the temperature will oscillate between 18°C and 28°C in the shade, and there is very little variation throughout the year. Most people will instinctively say that the upper part of this range is too hot, leading to the conclusion that air-conditioning is necessary. But according to the new standards, this temperature range is okay for office activities, so long as there is sufficient air movement [2].This raises an important question: If we can’t design buildings without air-conditioning inThe Eternal Spring, where else can we?  Velocidad del viento en Medellín. Image Cortesía de Saalman Craig One of the major challenges of natural ventilation is the unpredictable frequency, direction, and strength of the wind. In Medellín, the direction of the wind is reliable, but it is only strong enough for about 40% of the year. Thankfully, in the last decade, progress has been made in understanding a more reliable driving force — buoyancy. Buoyancy ventilation is a different kind of natural ventilation. It isn't powered by the wind. It’ s powered by the waste heat from occupants, computers and other internal heat gains. Hot air rises, as every paisa who ever made a globo knows. We have designed our building to exploit this effect. A chimney connects to all the office floors. Heated by occupants and computers, the interior air rises naturally up the chimney. Asit escapes at the top, fresh air is pulled in from the windows and across the floor plates.  Análisis bioclimático. Image Cortesía de EDU With wind-driven ventilation, the fresh air is pushed in from the sides. But with buoyancy ventilation, the fresh air is sucked in from the sides—by the warm air column rising up the chimney. So the action is different. And it’ s also more reliable. On a hot day, when the occupancy is high, there may not be enough wind to flush out the interior. But buoyancy ventilation is different: as the occupancy increases so does the driving force. In other words, buoyancy is a force you can engineer. By design, we can reliably sustain a ‘ breeze’ in the absence of wind.  Axonométrica. Image Cortesía de EDU How does one know how to size the chimney and the windows? If the openings are incorrectly sized, there will not be enough air flow, and the interior will overheat. This used to be a difficult problem, especially for multistory buildings. But new research has provided new insights. We now have simple mathematical models that retain the most important physics[3]. Now design teams can easily decide if buoyancy ventilation is feasible, early on in the design process. The video below shows an‘ app’ based on these mathematical models. I developed it so the EDU design team could size the windows and the chimney properly, and make any necessary adjustments during the life of the building. .jpg?1479221177 "© Alejandro Arango") © Alejandro Arango The table shows what size the openings should be on each level, to ensure that everyone gets the same deal. If you increase the fresh air rate per person, the openings increase, while the interior temperature (relative to the exterior) falls. It turns out that, by adjusting the openings properly, we can keep the average interior temperature at no more than two degrees above the exterior, while providing three or four times the normal amount of fresh air per person [4]. .jpg?1479223370 "© Alejandro Arango") © Alejandro Arango There will be three openable windows per floor, spaced to give an even distribution of fresh air, from the least polluted and quietest sides of the building. Our current idea is to put graphics on each window, showing occupants how much they should open the window, depending on how many people are on that floor that day. What about in the afternoon, when the exterior temperature can exceed 28°C in the shade? To tackle this, we exploit two environmental aspects. First, the chimney faces west, so it will receive a ‘ solar boost’ in the afternoon. This will increase the fresh air rate by up to a third. Second, we utilize thermal mass. The exposed concrete ceilings will cool down at night, staying relatively cool during the day. They will absorb radiant heat from occupants, making it feel cooler than the exterior for most of the time. .jpg?1479221365 "© Alejandro Arango") © Alejandro Arango We see this building as a laboratory. It’ s an experiment in buoyancy design, and a test of the comfort standards. The occupants are mostly architects and city planners, working for EDU. They will experience the theory and reality of buoyancy ventilation first hand. They will get to know the successes and the failures intimately. They will see how to improve the design, and how to apply the concept to different building types across the city. And it’ s not just an experiment for EDU. We plan to broadcast the performance of the building live on the internet. Most clients and architects are not prepared to share this kind of data, because it may reveal oversights in the design or operation. But if nobody knows how buildings actually perform, how can we as an industry collectively learn from our successes and failures? .jpg?1479224665 "© Alejandro Arango") © Alejandro Arango GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) molding and on-site installation Moldaje de GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) e instalación in situ. Image Cortesía de EDU  Moldaje de GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) e instalación in situ. Image Cortesía de EDU .jpg?1479243273 "Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU") Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU .jpg?1479243176 "Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU") Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU .jpg?1479243194 "Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU") Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU .jpg?1479235657 "Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU") Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU .jpg?1479243329 "Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU") Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU .jpg?1479235690 "Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU") Estado de construcción en Abril de 2016. Image Cortesía de EDU Video CaptionsThe Thermal Sensation: here is a video of an old experiment that I recreated in class last year. Santiago González Serna is the Colombian volunteer. The experiment goes back to at least John Locke, the seventeenth-century philosopher, who was interested in how what perceive physically and how we perceive the world. In front of Santiago, there are three buckets of water. One of them is hot, another cold and the last at room temperature. You can see him putting one hand in the hot bucket and the other hand in the cold bucket. After your hands have acclimatized, remove them. One hand is hot and the other is cold. Then dip both hands into the bucket filled with water at room temperature. When I asked him to guess the temperature, he had trouble answering. His senses were obviously in conflict: "I can not say, because my hot hand feels cold, but my cold hand feels hot." What does this tell us? That we judge temperature - and everything that comes from the senses - in a comparative way. Whether you think the water is hot or cold depends on what you just experienced. We are deeply comparative creatures. Multistory Buoyancy Ventilation: I developed this 'app' to help the EDU team design the chimney and windows on each floor. The buoyancy force is generated by the heat of people and computer equipment. At higher levels, the resulting suction force on the façade is proportionally less. So the window openings need to be larger to deliver the same amount of fresh air down. See: Andrew Acred and Gary R. Hunt, "Stack Ventilation in Multi-Storey Atrium Buildings: A Dimensionless Design Approach," Building and Environment 72 (February 2014): 44-52, doi: 10.1016 / j.buildenv.2013.10.007 Notes[1]Richard J. de Dear and Gail S. Brager, "Thermal Comfort in Naturally Ventilated Buildings: Revisions to ASHRAE Standard 55," Energy and Buildings 34, no. 6 (2002): 549-61. [2]See for yourself here. Choose the "adaptive comfort" [3]Andrew Acred and Gary R. Hunt, "Stack Ventilation in Multi-Storey Atrium Buildings: A Dimensionless Design Approach," Building and Environment 72 (February 2014): 44-52, doi: 10.1016 / j.buildenv.2013.10. 007; Torwong Chenvidyakarn, Buoyancy Effects on Natural Ventilation (Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013). [4]The recommended dose for new buildings is usually 10 liters per second per person (depending on the type of activity and the particular level)
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| Single Family House Castelldefels / Ral Posted: 08 Jun 2017 10:00 PM PDT  © Adrià Goula
 © Adrià Goula From the architect. The volumetric envelope is almost the first of the premises when confronting preexisting and program requirements. The contradiction between a latent hostility in an apparent idyllic condition of the place is also.  © Adrià Goula Often in relationships and transits the shortest or easiest distance is not the most appropriate. The direct roads become twisted, the fast roads become slow, which we take for granted it is no longer, the fine becomes thick and the thick becomes the fine.  Site Plan The strategy is to incorporate some of the preexisting contradiction. A grid of large-format pieces wraps around the house. This perimeter wrap is not coincident with the façade holes and the openings find their place changing plane. In the most exposed part of the building is formed a kind of a double-scaled lattice where some pieces are rejected and others are properly filter. Some of these can change their position at the disposal of usability thus activating the modifications of perceptions of volumetry and tectonicity.  © Adrià Goula  Axonometric  © Adrià Goula In other parts where the wrapping is still compact the initial volume is modified with the appearance of patios.  © Adrià Goula The back façade houses a shady garden that becomes a projection screen where every morning the leaves of the row of poplars play to be small suns.  © Adrià Goula This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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