Arch Daily |
- Luís de Freitas Branco School / a.s* atelier de santos
- The House by the Trees / MODO Designs
- Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang / Delugan Meissl Associated Architects
- Regal Shoes / NUDES
- Weekend House in Kumano-cho / Araki+Sasaki architects
- Sandridge Lookout / Cox Architecture
- SANAA Reveals New Images of Design for Art Gallery of New South Wales
- A-to-Z House / SAW // Spiegel Aihara Workshop
- 10 Exemplary Ways to Represent Architectonic Construction Details
- Doppelmayr Headquarters / AllesWirdGut Architektur
- Los Angeles' New Tallest Skyscraper, the Wilshire Grand, Opens to the Public
- Gallery-House / Carles Enrich
- 8 Extraordinary Examples of Abandoned Architecture
- Caring Wood / Macdonald Wright Architects
- Black Concrete: How Attilio Panzeri Creates Contrast with a Specialized Recipe
- Momoyo Kaijima on the Origins of Atelier Bow-Wow
- Rotterdam's Skyline to Reach New Heights with 150 Meter Residential Tower
- Why Zaha Hadid Architects' Beijing "Mega-Airport" Is Now Set To Become The World's Largest Aviation Hub
| Luís de Freitas Branco School / a.s* atelier de santos Posted: 26 Jun 2017 08:00 PM PDT  © João Morgado
 © João Morgado From the architect. The Luís de Freitas Branco School is a redevelopment project of an existing school located in Paco de Arcos, on the outskirts of Lisbon. The school occupies the interior of a large suburban block.  © João Morgado On a plot that features quite a steep topography, the existing school was constituted by several buildings, which contained the whole program.  © João Morgado The chosen strategy was the demolition of some of the existing buildings and the reorganisation of all exterior spaces. This is achieved by the creation of various levels developed at different heights, allowing for a more fluid circulation throughout the school. Two large parallel volumes were created, and they draw the boundary of the exterior square (entrance) on the one hand, and also clarify the use of the whole complex.  Plan These two bodies, in exposed concrete, contain the library, cafeteria, auditorium and administration of the school.  © João Morgado  © João Morgado The circulation and leisure spaces assume the main role in order to ensure the permanence of the students. The existence of large indoor and outdoor courtyards characterised by their unevenness, the use of triple ceiling heights or of large ramps, are designed with a scenographic approach, intended to allow different uses and also to create spaces that are important in the functional organisation of the whole school. The academic areas are in three pre-existing buildings, the green blocks, which are spatially articulated with patios and with the paths that are created.  © João Morgado This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The House by the Trees / MODO Designs Posted: 26 Jun 2017 07:00 PM PDT  © Monika Sathe
 © Monika Sathe From the architect. The 'House by the Trees' is a gathering and retreat place for a Gujarati family on the outskirts of Ahmedabad set amidst the existing neem, chikoo and amla trees. The brief given was to have a spacious and open place yet addressing security concerns.  © Monika Sathe Our primary concern was to weave the house layout with the existing trees, resulting into some trees within the house courts and some trees along its edge and thus random location of existing trees defined the extents of the house.  Floor Plan The house is a two bay plan with the front bay having the semi open entry porch and vestibule and a guest bedroom adjoining it. A linear court yard segregates the front bay from the rear one enhancing the sense of openness from the enclosed spaces. The rear bay has the living, dining and kitchen on one side and master bedroom on the other side with a semi open lounge that separates these zones in the rear bay. A 12' cantilevered verandah hovers on the north side as an extension to living and master bedroom and along the existing line of neem trees.  © Monika Sathe The semi open vestibule and lounge connects the house with the courtyard and garden beyond making the house a seamless place. This connected area can transform in night when the sliding ms grill disconnects the outer area from the internal spaces making it an introverted secured place.  © Monika Sathe The house uses natural materials and finishes to evoke a raw informal place. The floor has rough kadappa in interior areas and river washed black granite in semi open areas while the courtyard has rough brown kotah stone. All ceilings are exposed concrete finished and door windows made of valsadi wood. The customized furniture is made of old reclaimed valsadi wood.  © Monika Sathe This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang / Delugan Meissl Associated Architects Posted: 26 Jun 2017 03:00 PM PDT  © Katsuhisa Kida
 © Katsuhisa Kida From the architect. Hyundai's "Modern Premium" strategy – the concern's definition of quality encompassing technology, functionality, design, comfort and sustainability – formed the basis for an invited architectural competition to find a correspondingly comprehensive design concept, which could be simultaneously applied to all of Hyundai's spatially very diverse locations.  © Raphael Olivier  First Floor Plan  © Katsuhisa Kida DMAA's competition entry addressed all key aspects of "Modern Premium" and formulated these as titles, hypotheses and arguments. The central themes and content of the winning concept were subsequently incorporated into the extensive "Global Dealership Space Identity" (GDSI) Manual, which presents both the basic design idea for Hyundai's dealerships and the flexibility with which it can be implemented in detail. Hyundai showrooms worldwide have been adapted or newly built according to these guidelines since 2014.  © Katsuhisa Kida The new Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang in Seoul has also been realised in line with the GDSI system. The concept of the building applies the Manual's modular principle with concisely de ned characteristic elements: Lands- cape, Vertical Green and Shaped Sky. These three design elements dominate the space of the Motor Studio without interfering with the panoramic view into the vast spatial unit, which is de ned by simple and clear structure of openness and transparency, where automobiles are presented from different perspectives – similar to an urban or natural landscape, where visitors can wander freely.  Section A-A  Section B-B The uniqueness of the building – and at the same time the main challenge of its design – lies in its ambition to unite a multitude of functions – Sales, Brand Center, Automotive Theme Park, Offices and Services – in one structure. These functions are positioned in horizontal areas, one above the other, and are connected through the vertical design elements. The aim was to create a complete and integral experience of the brand Hyundai for the customers and to let them fully enjoy the high quality of service offered by the company. Symbolically, the experience represents a journey everyone has imagined but never took, into a space, which stimulates one's imagination – a journey of a car, a journey to a car.  © Katsuhisa Kida This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 26 Jun 2017 01:00 PM PDT  © Sameer Chawda
 © Sameer Chawda From the architect. The project designed for Regal Shoes is sited in a North-Mumbai suburb, namely Andheri. The project area is approx. 2750 sqft including a mezzanine for storage and archives.  Exploded Axonometric Regal Shoes, is currently undergoing a re-branding exercise including a re-structuring of its retail service-scape. The Andheri retail outlet is one of four other stores that NUDES is currently designing for Regal Shoes. Products on display include shoes, bags, wallets, belts and accessories.  © Sameer Chawda  © Sameer Chawda The design brief consisted of a large number of stock keeping units (SKU's). To mitigate the high density of SKU's, a central "wave" island display was introduced. The central waveform is hybrid in nature, which consists of display and seating functions. The island display is strategically configured to gradually reveal the products as one meanders through the store.  Ground Floor Plan The island display is constructed out of 200 cubes admeasuring 280 x 280 x 280mm. The island display consists of a combination of "Hard cells" and "Soft cells". "Hard cells" are used for display and "Soft cells" for seating. 48 nos cubes out of 200 are earmarked for seating.  © Sameer Chawda The top surface of the cube is diagonally split to create backlit triangular apertures that transform in surface area. The level of the cube drives the area of the triangular aperture. Higher the level of the cube, larger is the surface area of the back-lit triangular aperture. This allows for unique display customization depending on the scale of the product ranging from shoes, bags, wallets, accessories etc. These cellular triangular apertures form the DNA of the store design and are manifested on the "skin" that acts as an interface between the inside and outside. This enables the skin to be porous and soft allowing natural and artificial light to penetrate into the store. Interesting light patterns are generated as the sun sets down in the western hemisphere, which is the direction of the store frontage. The skin is digitally fabricated using CAD/CAM technology with precision water jet cutting technology. The interior is dominated by a predominantly white and gray aesthetic providing a neutral backdrop for enhancing the products on display.  © Sameer Chawda This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Weekend House in Kumano-cho / Araki+Sasaki architects Posted: 26 Jun 2017 12:00 PM PDT  © Shinkenchiku-sha
 © Shinkenchiku-sha "Ring of stone floor" and "Diagonal pass" Kumano-cho is the traditional brush production region in Hiroshima, Japan. "Weekend house in Kumano-cho" is the privacy-conscious weekend house for the old family. Therefore, it does not have large southern windows near the neighbouring house, while Japanese houses are usually open to the south side.  © Shinkenchiku-sha Instead of southern windows, "Ring of stone floor" and "Diagonal pass" make the interior space and the exterior gar- den come together to active the open atmosphere.  Floor Plan Four "Diagonal pass" which are lined on the corners of rooms come through "Ring of stone floor" made of traditional materials for brushes and calligraphy. These human scale design approaches are developed from the idea of Japanese traditional houses.  © Shinkenchiku-sha This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Sandridge Lookout / Cox Architecture Posted: 26 Jun 2017 10:00 AM PDT  © Peter Clarke
 © Peter Clarke From the architect. Conceived as a sculptural element in The Port Melbourne landscape, Sandridge Lookout acts as both a pedestrian viewpoint and visual landmark for those at sea.  © Peter Clarke With the expansion of the Port of Melbourne's Webb Dock the intensity of Port activities has moved closer to residential areas of the suburb of Port Melbourne.  © Peter Clarke Rather than just provide sound walls and screening, Cox Architecture sought the opportunity to provide amenity for locals and visitors alike.  © Peter Clarke The form of the lookout was derived as an extension to the recreated dune landscape while the prismatic forms of the tower stretch out towards the bay and seek to catch the light as one moves around it. A restrained colour palette of hardwood decking, Corten and galvanised steel afford the observation platform and tower form an austere, natural presence in the Port environment dominated by the monumental container cranes which serve as a backdrop.  © Peter Clarke The Lookout provides an opportunity to experience a dynamic coastal environment, enjoy views back to the Melbourne Skyline and over the bay and provide respite to a range of users.  © Peter Clarke The tower is illuminated at night from below, allowing the tower's textured galvanised finishes to catch the light, creating a strong reflection on the waterline and a highly identifiable sculptural public beacon when viewed from the Port of Melbourne Foreshore. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| SANAA Reveals New Images of Design for Art Gallery of New South Wales Posted: 26 Jun 2017 09:25 AM PDT  In progress image of Sydney Modern Project, view from north-east as produced by Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA. © Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2017 New images have been revealed of SANAA's design for the expansion of the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, as the project has received a $244 million AUD ($186 million USD) commitment from the NSW Government, more than two-thirds of the project's total estimated budget. A supplemental campaign will be launched later this year for the remaining $100 million, $70 million of which has already been pledged.  © Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2017 The SANAA-designed expansion will consist of a series of pavilions that sit "low and lightly on the site," matching the existing topography of the land to complement the natural landscape reaching toward the Sydney Harbour and existing Gallery building. The addition will significantly increase the total floor area of the museum, including galleries dedicated to the display of Australian, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Asia Pacific art, as well as international galleries and specialized spaces for works of paper, photographs and the moving image. The expansion will also focus on creating a connection between the indoor and outdoor, with a new outdoor cultural plaza designed to feature art displays, live performances and a variety of other events.  © Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2017 "Our expanded Gallery will deliver an iconic building that combines art, architecture and landscape in an extraordinary way, and in one of the most breathtaking locations in the world," commented Art Gallery of NSW director Dr Michael Brand. Refinements of the design concept will continue to be made leading up to the submission of a State Significant Development Application plan in the coming months.  © Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2017 Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2019, with a grand opening ceremony planning to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the Gallery's founding in 2021.
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| A-to-Z House / SAW // Spiegel Aihara Workshop Posted: 26 Jun 2017 08:00 AM PDT  © Bruce Damonte
 © Bruce Damonte From the architect. The A-to- Z House proposes an alternative to conventional approaches for expanding an outmoded San Francisco home. Perched on a hillside in Golden Gate Heights, a modest single story 1934 developer vernacular structure had limited space and failed to take advantage of expansive views of Sutro Tower, Golden Gate Park, Sausalito, and the Bay.  © Bruce Damonte But rather than replacing or merely attaching to the existing structure, the A-to- Z strategy seizes upon the existing forms – scaling, repeating, and manipulating found objects into a contextual collection of structures comprising a dynamic home immersed in its surroundings.  Diagram A new gabled roof structure is inserted at the ridgeline of the existing living room bar, stepping back from the street to reduce mass and nestling into the existing roof to establish a low horizon line. This datum is characterized by a ribbon of operable windows that wrap two corners of the building to take advantage of critical views, accented by to a sawtooth window system and thickened metal edge. Inside, variations of the floor level and ceiling height provide different ways to experience this horizon in each space, from sweeping vista to private lookout.  © Bruce Damonte  Ground Floor Plan  © Bruce Damonte  First Floor Plan  © Bruce Damonte As the new gabled structure reaches the carefully terraced back yard, it twists and wraps down around the dining room. This turn along a torqued Z-shaped axis (alternately horizontal and vertical) is held ever so slightly apart from the existing house, using a band of light and the articulation of the ceiling to create meaningful difference out of similar forms.  © Bruce Damonte This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 10 Exemplary Ways to Represent Architectonic Construction Details Posted: 26 Jun 2017 07:00 AM PDT  Project: Altos de San Antonio Club House / Dutari Viale Arquitectos. Image via © Dutari Viale Arquitectos The visual presentation of a project, which architects are responsible for, must effectively communicate and analyze the organization of the project's material elements. This essential creative process allows those involved to effectively identify and even modify key aspects and components of the building during all phases of its conception. Because of the inherent challenges of material selection and other practical issues, the development of what exactly will be built tends to be relegated to the end of the design process. But a true understanding of minor yet invaluable details is among the most interesting and important aspects of the best architectural projects. In our search for the most outstanding recent examples of construction detail representations, we've collected a series of ten drawings that celebrate different styles and approaches. 01. Freehand SketchesWhen it comes to materials and details, it is necessary to understand the relationship between the project's constructive elements in both formal and spatial terms. For this, freehand sketches can be an effective tool to show organizational and material links. + House in el Carrizal / Daniel Moreno + Sebastián Calero  via © Daniel Moreno + Sebastián Calero 02. Construction DetailsRecognizing the way two different structural elements will meet clearly demonstrates the design challenges that must be solved. In many cases, the work's final aesthetic is the result of approaching the project on the scale of these important yet inconspicuous details. + Råå Day Care Center / Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter  via © Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter + Tasting Room at Sokol Blosser Winery / Allied Works Architecture  via © Allied Works Architecture 03. Integrated SectionsUnderstanding, analyzing and communicating the material behavior of an architectural project in its totality is an essential step to avoid serious problems such as issues with the isolation of architectural elements or even mismatched joints. + Cabaña-torre Karadya BIO-RESERVA  via © Estudio Borrachia Arquitectos + Centro Holístico Punto Zero / Dio Sustentable  via © Dio Sustentable 04. 3D SchemesWhether one must identify the relationships between a project's constructive parts or study the design's performance, three-dimensional representation allows for a clearer spatial understanding of material components, providing clear and precise visualizations of material organization. + Bodega Navarro Correas / aft Arquitectos  via © aft Arquitectos  via © IR arquitectura 05. Perspective SectionsIn order to understand aspects of construction alongside other types of information, it's important and interesting to visualize the relationships intended to occur between spaces, giving an idea of the resultant spatial atmosphere. + Nest We Grow / College of Environmental Design UC Berkeley + Kengo Kuma & Associates  via © College of Environmental Design UC Berkeley + Kengo Kuma & Associates  via © Santiago Viale + Ian Dutari + Alejandro Paz 06. Construction ModelsAnother possible approach to the reality of construction is the development of models—a process that helps focus on key elements such as the performance of the structural system. + RDP House / Daniel Moreno Flores + Sebastian Calero  via © Daniel Moreno + Sebastián Calero This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Doppelmayr Headquarters / AllesWirdGut Architektur Posted: 26 Jun 2017 06:00 AM PDT  © Hertha Hurnaus
 © Hertha Hurnaus From the architect. Global Village  © Hertha Hurnaus Traditionally rooted in Wolfurt, the industry-leading ropeway technology company was always embedded in the village structure of the town's Rickenbach district. Reinterpreting precisely that urban-design situation in the now location was the guiding idea that informed the new building. Lined up left and right of a central backbone axis, alongside which all community areas are situated, are cubic individual buildings that accommodate different-sized office areas.  © Hertha Hurnaus  Section 03  © Hertha Hurnaus This circulation area with its inward, outward, and through-views provides for a spatial experience of high amenity quality and is the distinctive characteristic of the design. The focus is on communication, internal exchange, and cooperation while concentration and undisturbed work still remain possible.  © Hertha Hurnaus  Section 01  © Hertha Hurnaus The new building emphasizes qualities like precision, innovation, and advanced technology, which the Vorarlberg-based company stands for; at the same time, the building's internal organization centers on the needs of the people working here.  © Hertha Hurnaus This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Los Angeles' New Tallest Skyscraper, the Wilshire Grand, Opens to the Public Posted: 26 Jun 2017 05:30 AM PDT .jpg?1498496364 "Via constructdtla") Via constructdtla Los Angeles' newest skyscraper, the Wilshire Grand Center, opened to the public this weekend, earning the crown of the United States' tallest building west of the Mississippi River. Topping out at 1,100 feet, the building eclipses the nearby U.S. Bank Tower by about 82 feet, thanks to its glass crown and decorative spire that rise from above the 73rd floor. Designed by AC Martin Partners, the structure also represents a major change in Los Angeles tall building design as the first skyscraper completed since the city's 2014 decision to remove the stipulation that all buildings over 75 feet must feature a flat roof to serve as a helipad. The 73-story building is home to an 889-room InterContinental Hotel, open office floors, sky restaurants on the 71st floor and a publicly accessible roof terrace and bar. Its signature feature, the LED-lit glass crown, was inspired by the curve of Half Dome, a distinctly-shaped granite formation found in California's Yosemite National Park. Check out some shots from the building's opening below. Learn more about the building here. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 26 Jun 2017 04:00 AM PDT  © Adrià Goula
 © Adrià Goula From the architect. This early XX century patio-apartment presents the opportunity to reformulate the dwelling's conditions, adapted to Mediterranean climate, in the urban density of Gracia's district.  © Adrià Goula Beyond solving the housing scheme for a young couple with two daughters the project aims to understand the house as a gallery that connects the street with the inner courtyards enhancing comfort situations in the intermediate spaces as living thresholds.  © Adrià Goula The needs of the owners allow to enhance the advantages of a productive dwelling by combining a domestic program with a music studio that will replace the old storage room located at the back of the plot. The patio then becomes another inhabited interval of the house.  Axonometric 01 1. Structural intervention The original dwelling was fragmented into small rooms connected through dark corridors slightly connected with the outside. The potential of the existing space was hidden behind the consequences of several interventions. The new housing system modifies the current distribution and affects the main structure of the apartment.  © Adrià Goula The first operation consists in erasing the envelope by stripping the ceilings, walls and floors. The rooms were paved with a hydraulic mosaic in a good state, even though the floor had given way due to the pass of time. A selective demolition is carried out reusing 90% of the 918 hydraulic tiles and the old bricks coming from the partitions, which will be relocated in the facades. The tiles will be replaced in strips of the same type in the circulation areas, kitchen, bathroom and dressing room, extending the life of the preexisting pavement as material heritage of the house. The satin finish of the mosaic offers a bright spot in the most interior areas of the house.  Plan 03 The second intervention proposes a main space based on the succession of different rooms connected by porticos defined by structural interventions in the load walls. With this intervention the visual depth of the house is enhanced and different circulations are granted. From all rooms the inhabitants can enjoy views of the street and the inner courtyard so the boundaries between the domestic and exterior spaces are broken.  © Adrià Goula 2. Inserting light systems Once the structural interventions are done the Interior spaces are redistributed trough light elements that will allow future modifications.  © Adrià Goula The resulting 3 rooms are interconnected with the insertion of a wooden structure that works as a distribution and storage space. This light construction generates a shared space for the 3 rooms so they don't need to include storage furniture. This strategy provides a great flexibity to all rooms that can accept exchangeble programs.  Section In the courtyard a structure made of steel profiles and ropes is introduced in order to make a seasonal porch that improves the climate conditions and allows the use of the patio during the hotter months. To this structure we weld round 14 mm steel profiles that serve as the support for a wooden board stairway that allows access to the studio's roof, where an urban garden and a solarium are planned.  © Adrià Goula 3. Climate strategies Passive climate strategies are enhanced by understanding that most of the year's domestic life will occur in the yard or in the intermediate thresholds. In this sense we optimize the interior-exterior relationship, create shade in summer and use a carpentry system that allows the maximum openings in order to inhabit an intermediate gallery.  © Adrià Goula The patios offer great conditions of thermal regulation, natural lighting and biological exchange. The extension of the small courtyard in the center of the house and the sequence of porches offers a cross ventilation that help to cool the apartment in the hottest months.  Axonometric 03 The bricks coming from the demolition of the existing partitions are reused as double façade, improving thermal inertia and acoustic insulation. The accumulated rainwater of the cover of the annex will be used to irrigate the planter that will cause, in a few years, a vegetal pergola, mixing wisteria with vine and jasmine.  © Adrià Goula This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 8 Extraordinary Examples of Abandoned Architecture Posted: 26 Jun 2017 02:30 AM PDT  © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buzludzha_Monument_Auditorium.jpg'>Wikimedia user Stanislav Traykov</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> Throughout history shifting economies, disasters, regime changes, and utter incompetence have all caused the evacuation of impressive architectural structures. From the 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine that rendered a region of the then-Soviet Union uninhabitable, to the decline in public transport that saw a number of US train stations becoming superfluous, the history of architectural abandonment touches all cultures. And, without regular maintenance, structures deteriorate, leaving behind no more than awe-inspiring ghosts of the past to fuel the ever-growing internet trend for "ruin porn." Below are 8 abandoned buildings slowly being reclaimed by nature: 1. Buzludzha, Bulgaria © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/libertinus/10706207236>Flickr user Montecruz Foto</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY-2.0</a> Nicknamed "Bulgaria's UFO," this brutalist saucer-shaped monument to communism was erected by the Bulgarian Army between 1974 and 1981. The domed structure held a large seating area that served as a venue for celebrations and state functions. Additionally, the room's interior was slathered in murals that celebrated Marx and Lenin. After the communist party helmed by Todor Zhivkov fell in 1989, the building fell into disrepair. Although the structure still stands, the constant freeze-thaw cycles of Eastern Europe have caused large holes to form in the roof. Both restoration and demolition are too conflicting to undertake, so the building continues to wither away on the mountaintop. 2. Hashima Island, Japan © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/kntrty/3720075234/>Flickr user kntrty</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY-2.0</a> Hashima Island is a small but dense coal mining development 9 miles (14 kilometers) off the coast of Nagasaki. The island has a dark history, with much of the mining work carried out in the 1930s and 40s done by Chinese and Korean forced laborers under brutal conditions. However, after WWII this practice ended, and in 1959 Hashima Island housed 5,200 people, making it by some accounts the most densely populated place on earth. But as Japan's rapid industrialization shifted from coal to petroleum during the latter half of the 20th century, the demand for miners quickly fell as coal reserves were exhausted. By 1974 work in the mines had ceased and Hashima was abandoned shortly after. 3. Maunsell Sea Forts, United Kingdom © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Redsandsforts.jpg'>Wikimedia user Russss</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> In order to defend the British Isles from the formidable German Luftwaffe, civil engineer Guy Maunsell proposed taking the fight to the sea. This idea played out in a series of anti-aircraft sentry towers held together by a series of catwalks a few miles off of the mainland in the Thames Estuary. Built in 1942 and decommissioned a decade later, the sea forts had a relatively short but crucial service. Although the project was officially left to rust in 1958, the sea forts were briefly used to broadcast rogue, uncensored pirate radio broadcasts in the late 1960s. 4. Pripyat Amusement Park, Ukraine © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AMUSEMENT_PARK_AT_PRIPYAT_NEAR_THE_CHERNOBYL_PLANT_NOW_ABANDONED_UKRAINE_SEP_2013_(10006421786).jpg'>Wikimedia user calflier001</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY-2.0</a> May 1, 1986 was supposed to be a jubilant national holiday for the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, "May Day" was preceded by the meltdown of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant on April 26th—less than a week before Pripyat's new amusement park was planned to open. The town was vacated and the radioactive Ferris wheel never served a patron. 31 years later it still stands rusted, overgrown, and frozen in time. 5. Canfranc Rail Station, Spain © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canfranc_Station_Color.jpg'>Wikimedia user Alberto Pascual</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> In 1928, the Canfranc International Railway Station was the largest rail station in Europe, serving as a crucial connection between Spain and France for nearly half a century. The station was extensively used as the set for the 1965 film Doctor Zhivago. Alas, in 1970 a train derailed and destroyed an approaching bridge on the French approach to the station, rendering the terminal useless. Despite the current dilapidated condition of the station itself, Canfranc's subterranean train tunnels have remained useful. In 2006 Spanish physicists opened the Canfranc Underground Astroparticle Laboratory under the existing station. The cool tunnel environment and existing movable train tracks provide an oddly apt lab space. 6. Michigan Central Station, United States © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michigan_Central_Train_Station_Exterior_2009.jpg'>Wikimedia user Albert duce</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> This grand Beaux Arts train station, hotel, and office tower opened in 1914 as the tallest train station in the world. As the motor city entered its golden age, Detroit's rail industry began to falter. Through the 1960s and 1970s, the site was engulfed by interstates, and the station kept losing profitable lines. In 1988 the final Amtrak train left the station marking the end of the building's service as a passenger station; in 2000, the building resumed service as a freight train station, but this only lasted until 2004, and the station has been abandoned ever since. In spite of the building's uncertain future, the current owners of Michigan Central Station recently completed an initiative to replace the building's windows. 7. Sanzhi Pod Houses, Taiwan © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UFO_House,_Sanjhih,_Taiwan_(2364630060).jpg'>Wikimedia user yeowatzup</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY-2.0</a> The Sanzhi Pod Houses were initially envisioned as a playful series of modular vacation houses just outside of New Taipei, Taiwan. The project was marred from its start—construction began in 1978 and was perpetually over budget and behind schedule. The houses were deemed "haunted" by the public as a number of workers on site died shortly after opening. The forward-thinking pods were never continuously occupied and were unceremoniously demolished in 2008. 8. Buffalo Central Terminal, United States © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buffalo_Central_Terminal_(4844255509).jpg'>Wikimedia user Bruce Fingerhood</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY-2.0</a> It's little surprise that the list includes another art deco rust belt train station. Buffalo Central Terminal opened in 1929 and served up to 200 daily trains during the city's heyday. As manufacturing was continuously outsourced, and automobiles became ever more popular the station was forced to fold in 1979. For years the building was left to wither until recently when the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation purchased the terminal. They intend to restore the station to its former glory—an endeavor as daunting as it is admirable. Update: This article originally neglected to mention the history of forced labor on Hashima Island. We have updated the text to reflect this history and to more clearly explain the reason for the island's inclusion in this list—namely, the island's extreme population density in its more recent history. ArchDaily apologizes for this omission and any offense it caused. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Caring Wood / Macdonald Wright Architects Posted: 26 Jun 2017 02:00 AM PDT  © James Morris
 © James Morris From the architect. Caring Wood is an extensive country home for three generations of the same family, incorporating formal, communal and private spaces. Set in 84 acres in Kent, its brief was twofold: to embody the spirit of the English country house and estate in a design that would embrace its context and landscape; and to provide a sustainable home for life, both in the sense of carbon neutrality and in terms of a flexible design that can accommodate an entire family and evolve with them, potential being extended for future generations.  © James Morris Having worked together previously, James Macdonald Wright (of Macdonald Wright Architects) decided to collaborate with Niall Maxwell (of Rural Office for Architecture) to realise the design of Caring Wood. This project is the joint authorship of both architects.  Section A-A The project programme had three clear stages: groundworks, including access roads, quarrying for stone on site and construction of a lake; the main contract, incorporating the house and the estate manager's cottage; and the landscaping. The project was subject to a rigorous planning process to achieve consent under PPS7*.  © James Morris Geometry and setting  © James Morris The client wanted the form of the house to reflect the notion of the family's interdependence and independence through a 'four in one' and 'four and one' geometrical conceit. In response, the architects developed four equal, pronounced forms in pinwheel formation, rotating around an inner courtyard. Working with the Frank Lloyd Wright principle that "No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it...", the architects 'pushed' the house over the site's hill and rotated it to give an ever changing series of views and vantage points.  First Floor Plan The fact that the house emerges from the hill also affects the way that it is seen on approach. In historic country house style, a sense of anticipation is created by providing a glimpse of the house and then restricting it. The final approach over the brow of the hill from the west and to the threshold allows the house to take control. It limits views and expresses its entrance.  © James Morris Form and materials  © James Morris The roofs find expression from the inside of the house as well, giving magnitude to the ceilings of even modest-sized bedrooms and creating natural opportunities for light wells, the largest of which illuminates a monumental staircase descending from Caring Wood's grand mezzanine area to the lower ground living quarters.  Section B-B Interiors  © James Morris The internal courtyard has been designed as a contemplative 'skyspace'. A counterpoint to the views over the surrounding land, this is a hidden spot, completely shut off from the house and landscape. The emphasis is on carefully crafted materials and harmonious colours – pale wood panelling, warm terracotta paving and the deep green of a central pond – and an uninterrupted view of the sky overhead.  © James Morris Estate buildings  © James Morris This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Black Concrete: How Attilio Panzeri Creates Contrast with a Specialized Recipe Posted: 26 Jun 2017 01:00 AM PDT  Casa Via Castel. Image © Giorgio Marafioti What makes the color black so enticing for architects? Projects made in black concrete are both striking and complex in their design and are gaining widespread appeal in contemporary projects, both public and private. What we don't know is just how hard it is to create black concrete in the first place. We spoke with Attilio Panzeri & Partners who have mastered the craft - and here's what we learned:  Villa Comano . Image © Alessandro Crinari  © Attilio Panzeri & Partners "Color is deeply tied to a surface's properties; a rough surface exalts tonality, smooth ones produce an inverse effect," says architect Attilio Panzeri, who has been quietly developing his craft of black concrete for years now. Tucked away in Lugano, Switzerland, Attilio Panzeri & Partners has a growing family of projects built using black concrete as the key material. "After years of playing with the composition of concrete mixtures, their treatment and textures we decided to alter a component which has insofar seemingly remained relatively unchanged in the widespread use of concrete; its pigmentation."  Casa Via Castel. Image © Giorgio Marafioti  Villa Comano Interior. Image © Alessandro Crinari The complexity of achieving a uniform and rich-toned black is real: The concrete under question results after years of experiments and tests collaborating with many material specialists, including concrete experts, structural and chemical engineers. The final pigmentation varies from project to project, and all of Panzeri's materials are treated with a unique concrete finish, using timber formwork to create a natural texture.  Villa Comano Interior. Image © Alessandro Crinari  Casa Via Castel. Image © Giorgio Marafioti
 © Alessandro Crinari  © Alessandro Crinari  Casa Via Castel. Image © Giorgio Marafioti The process is broken down into four parts: Pigmentation, vibrating the concrete, casting the concrete using timber formwork and finishing the surface. Read on for the breakdown:  Casa Via Castel. Image © Giorgio Marafioti Natural x Chemical = Black Before prototype walls are even made, getting the color right is key. Each pigment is unique to every building Attilio Panzeri builds, with a custom mixture of black made from scratch every time. Pigmentation tests are conducted in order to determine the right chemical compound ratios of the ingredients used to give the concrete its characteristic black shade. The variety of compounds needed to darken the concrete samples is laboratory-like: oxidized metals including Iron Oxide Black, and carbon oxide combined with Pozzolanic cement (a volcanic material extracted from Pozzuoli, Italy since antiquity, - known for its resistance to chemical applications and darkness).  Concrete Pigmentation. Image © Attilio Panzeri & Partners Shaken, Not Stirred Vibrating the concrete allows its components to liquefy, reducing the friction between components of aggregate, water, cement and pigment, and eliminating any air bubbles. In short: it is structurally important for the concrete to be distributed evenly when it's cast, and allows the architects to play with the "grain" of the black concrete before it has to carry the loads of building walls and floors. By not vibrating the concrete, it becomes brittle and settles unevenly, risking structural failures. The aggregate settles unevenly and becomes visually present – like these tests below:  Pedestals for exhibition. Image © Attilio Panzeri & Partners  Non-Vibrated concrete. Image © Alessandro Crinari  Non-Vibrated concrete. Image © Alessandro Crinari Casting Using Timber The formwork within which the concrete is cast is "the face of the finish" – the relief that is left behind. In this case, wood is used to create a more natural texture that counteracts the artificiality of the concrete mixture. It is important to consider grain size, type, finish, format, orientation, the treatment of the wood itself and even its coating (which all interact with the resting concrete). These not only define the surface texture of the concrete but also its final coloration, opacity, reflectivity, and tone - despite the mixture already being pigmented black. The light that falls on the surface of the walls gets dispersed through the texture the wood relief brings – bringing that cozy, intimate atmosphere.  © Attilio Panzeri & Partners  © Attilio Panzeri & Partners  © Attilio Panzeri & Partners
Finishes After the formwork is removed, a lot of wood grain remains stuck to the cast concrete. The leftover residue is almost entirely removed by hand with special sponges that scratch off all wood fragments without damaging the concrete's surface. A waterproofing treatment is added to make the concrete impermeable and protect its structure. The water treatments can either be transparent or tonal, adding a final layer of depth to the black concrete surface, and a final degree of complexity to the materials craftsmanship.  © Attilio Panzeri & Partners  © Attilio Panzeri & Partners When paired with different materials of similar color families the results are striking:  © Alessandro Crinari
 © Alessandro Crinari  Villa Comano . Image © Alessandro Crinari Projects depicted: News via: Attilio Panzeri & Partners.
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| Momoyo Kaijima on the Origins of Atelier Bow-Wow Posted: 26 Jun 2017 12:00 AM PDT  © GSAPP Conversations For the large majority of "household names" in the architectural sphere, their origins take on an almost mythical status – and this is certainly the case for Atelier Bow-Wow, one of Japan's most renowned internationally operating studios. In this discussion with Dean Amale Andraos (Columbia GSAPP), Momoyo Kaijima—who co-founded the practice with Yoshiharu Tsukamoto in 1992—discusses their particular relationship between research and practice, the difficulty and rewards of working in the Fukushima area following the 2011 tsunami and nuclear incident, and her personal interest in working across generations to develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between buildings and their inhabitants. 
GSAPP Conversations is a podcast series designed to offer a window onto the expanding field of contemporary architectural practice. Each episode pivots around discussions on current projects, research, and obsessions of a diverse group of invited guests at Columbia, from both emerging and well-established practices. Usually hosted by the Dean of the GSAPP, Amale Andraos, the conversations also feature the school's influential faculty and alumni and give students the opportunity to engage architects on issues of concern to the next generation. You can listen to every episode of GSAPP Conversations, here. This particular episode is available to listen to directly on Soundcloud and through the iTunes store and iOS Podcasts app, where you can also Subscribe. GSAPP Conversations is a podcast produced by Columbia GSAPP's Office of Communications and Events in collaboration with ArchDaily. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Rotterdam's Skyline to Reach New Heights with 150 Meter Residential Tower Posted: 25 Jun 2017 11:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of V8 Architects Rotterdam's skyline is set to welcome a soaring new addition in the form of Cooltoren, V8 Architects' 150-meter tower that upon completion, will become the city center's tallest residential tower. Located in the Baan quarter, the design aims to integrate itself within the post-war urban fabric of the district and embody Rotterdam's historical double layered characteristics – that of the low rise and the skyline.  Courtesy of V8 Architects The tower's form follows a trio of crowns which each serve separate functions and conditions. The bottom crown fits into the surrounding urban environment with a logical arrangement of balconies and facades, offering a "direct translation of the many qualities of living at altitude: excellent views, outdoor space and comfort." The middle crown relates to other towers in the area, and creates a widening accent through a gradient of balcony transparency.  Courtesy of V8 Architects  Courtesy of V8 Architects Cooloren's uppermost crown is dedicated to penthouses which, similarly to the middle crown's apartments, have a continuous balcony wrapping around the façade. This is made possible through the structural outrigger system that is central to the construction, allowing sweeping views of the cityscape with fully glazed corners and uninterrupted horizontal glazing.  Courtesy of V8 Architects  Courtesy of V8 Architects Contrasting the tower's explicit verticality, the horizontal parking garage accommodates a 1500 square meter rooftop garden for the residents, also serving as a buffer against heavy rainfall. In total, the tower's 50 floors house 280 apartments, ranging in size from 60 square meters to 400 square meters. Construction on Cooltoren is scheduled to begin later this year, with completion estimated for 2019. Check out the video above for an additional perspective.
News via: V8 Architects.
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| Posted: 25 Jun 2017 09:00 PM PDT  Image by Methanoia. Image © Zaha Hadid Architects When in 2015 Zaha Hadid Architects and ADP Ingeniérie unveiled designs for the "world's largest airport passenger terminal" in Beijing, much of the political maneuvering to allow it live up to its claim remained unclear. But the situation has since changed, Bloomberg reports, with the Chinese authorities designating this new terminal—which will compete with the capital's existing airport—as "the hub for members of the SkyTeam alliance."  Image by Methanoia. Image © Zaha Hadid Architects
 Image by Methanoia. Image © Zaha Hadid Architects This means that the new passenger terminal will serve China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines respectively and exclusively, allowing the two carriers "to capture 40 percent of the airport's passengers" and thereby acquire "coveted time slots to Europe and the US." Air China Ltd., meanwhile, will be met by far stiffer competition in and out of the Chinese capital, which is set to open in 2019. You can read the article in full, here. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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