Arch Daily |
- Kiel Steel House / BLK2 Architects
- Fabrizio Barozzi on Barozzi/Veiga's Obsessions, Process, and Position Within the Architectural Landscape
- TIRPITZ / BIG
- House in the Outskirts of Brussels / SAMYN and PARTNERS
- Niamey 2000 / united4design
- Rope Wave Office / Usual Studio + ten-arch
- Forest House / Studio Miti
- Guilin Wanda Cultural Tourism Exhibition Center / TengYuan Design Institute
- Moreing Road / Mountford Architects
- Undulating Brick Development Reimagines the Cornice in New York
- Tiro al Blanco Art Gallery / Progresivo de Arquitectura
- Rafael Moneo Wins Inaugural Soane Medal for Contribution to Architecture
- Skyview / Murray Legge Architecture
- Disney Unveils Plans for "Immersive" Star Wars Resort and New Theme Park Animation
- Agricultural School Bella Vista / CODE
- These Enormous Concrete Acoustic Mirrors Pepper the British Coastline
- 11 Things You Learn at Your First “Real” Architecture Job (Lessons from a Recent Graduate)
- Music Box Residence / Scott | Edwards Architects
- Skip The Hotel And Stay In Award-Winning, Renowned Architecture Instead
Kiel Steel House / BLK2 Architects Posted: 17 Jul 2017 10:00 PM PDT
From the architect. The Kiel-Steel-House is part of a new housing development on a former parking lot area in the town center of the city Kiel at the german baltic coast. Adjacent to the historic house and town museum "Warleberger Hof", the saddle roofing house with two exclusive apartments and a business unit on the ground floor is completely clad with Cortensteel. It forms an independent accent and marks the urban access to the new quarter with multi-family houses, townhouses and a student house.With a cafe on the ground floor, the steel house will become the small center of the new brick district. The saddle roof as a sign of classic, traditional house typology stands for a connecting piece of the quarter with the structure of the old town centre. The steel material, with its rough and industrial character, is also reminiscent of the tradition of the shipbuilding industry of the city of Kiel.The steel-house-apartments are designed as loft apartments with large glass sliding windows and an open living space. The upper apartment as a maisonette offers a two-storey living room with steel staircase and a gallery level under the saddle roof. From the masterbedroom on the gallery the view leads to the main street of the new neighbourhood This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Posted: 17 Jul 2017 09:00 PM PDT In this episode of GSAPP Conversations, Fabrizio Barozzi—who co-founded the Barcelona-based practice Barozzi/Veiga with Alberto Veiga in 2004—discusses the practice's process and obsessions, including how they position themselves in the architectural landscape and why they are sceptical of defining their own architectural "language". For Barozzi, research and an engagement with history are integral to the way his practice works operates.
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 |
Posted: 17 Jul 2017 08:00 PM PDT
From the architect. The new TIRPITZ is a sanctuary in the sand that acts as a gentle counterbalance to the dramatic war history of the site in Blåvand on the west coast of Denmark. The 2,800 m2 'invisible museum' transforms and expands a historic German WWII bunker into a groundbreaking cultural complex comprising four exhibitions within a single structure, seamlessly embedded into the landscape. Upon arrival, visitors will first see the bunker until they approach through the heath-lined pathways and find the walls cut into the dunes from all sides and descend to meet in a central clearing. The courtyard allows access into the four underground gallery spaces that have an abundance of daylight even though they are literally carved into the sand. The exhibitions, designed by Dutch agency Tinker Imagineers, showcase permanent and temporary themed experiences that ground the tale of an impressive war machine. While set by the heavy hermetic object of the WWII bunker, the new TIRPITZ is a sharp contrast to the concrete monolith by camouflaging with the landscape and inviting lightness and openness into the new museum. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
House in the Outskirts of Brussels / SAMYN and PARTNERS Posted: 17 Jul 2017 07:00 PM PDT
From the architect. This house for an artist includes the street level of an existing small house. It now houses the entry hall, a family room and a kitchen; the living-room and the stairway are in the extension to the building. The second floor includes the master bedroom with its bathroom, as well as ve children's rooms and sanitary installations. They are equipped with a mezzanine protected by textile netting that will lead to the glassed-wall facade. The house presents curved and vegetalised facades that are very private and closed to the neighbours to the north, the east and the south. In contrast, the west facade is entirely glass-walled as if it were one huge partitioned window. It is planned that Immense translucid white polyester curtains in widths of 1.6 m suspended from the top of the structure to the ground floor would run along this great « window » to ensure shade in the summer months. Initially conceived as a wall of ivy with a patinated cop- per roof, the vegetalised facade is finally composed of a selection of exotic plants chosen by the botanical artist Patrick Blanc, and extends to cover the roof. We had to design the structure, the insulation, and the water-tightness of the envelope and resolve the building physics issues in order to receive the necessary support systems, irrigation and fertilisation systems for the plants that are set into a felt support stapled to rigid PVC panels. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Posted: 17 Jul 2017 05:00 PM PDT
From the architect. Niamey 2000 is a 1700 square meter (18,000 ft2) housing development that was designed in response to the current housing crisis occurring in Niamey, the capital of Niger. By increasing density, the project proposes a new model for urban housing. Niamey is home to over one million inhabitants; a majority of the population is poor and only about 20 percent of its residents could be classified as middle-class and above. Nevertheless, the socio-economic makeup of the city has shifted dramatically in recent years. Stronger economic growth has fueled migration to the city, leading to a sizable increase in the middle-class population. Property in the older, affluent neighborhoods remains unobtainable, forcing the low-to-middle income population to seek affordable housing further from the city center. A New Model for Urban Housing Like its early predecessors, Niamey 2000 provides privacy for its inhabitants; however, the project strives to address more than the need for culturally appropriate housing. It takes a firm position on material selection by using unfired, earth masonry and passive cooling techniques to protect against Niger's scorching temperatures. As is the case in many parts of the world, local materials have been increasingly abandoned in urban centers in favor of concrete. The contemporary design of Niamey 2000 reintroduces locally derived resources to the construction industry and offers affordable homes to a broader range of the city's growing population. As Niamey continues to grow, and more foreign investors pledge funds for building public as well as private infrastructure, large-scale housing projects are on the horizon. A few, well-conceived projects in the capital–using local expertise and production methods–could set a valuable precedent for Niamey's future. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Rope Wave Office / Usual Studio + ten-arch Posted: 17 Jul 2017 03:00 PM PDT
From the architect. The office area is only 170 square meters and it's located at QSW Culture Center in Shanghai. Owner wants to create a working space at low budgets but innovative and attractive. In this office small-scale design team and startups can work together. Design Concept 1.Sharing, communicating, creativity The floor plan of two circle shapes streamlined in the open space shows the function and make the room usage more efficient. The original space below public staircases is too small to be used. According to the space conditions, now this space turn to be a reading and corporate culture display area. 2.Rope, steel, wood Most materials in this office are natural materials, such as rope, steel and wood, which are low price and eco-friendly. In order to highlight the rope material possibility and natural material beauty, we use waving rope as the main design concept. 3.Waving rope cover beam-column system Dynamic waving rope interface, like a new clothes for the space, cover the original beam-column system to make office more energetic. Rope weaving as a spatial partition, define the function of each space and produce small into large space experience. This office decorated with warm colors and elaborate lighting and furniture, trying to create a comfortable and friendly space. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Posted: 17 Jul 2017 01:00 PM PDT
From the architect. Recently, the conservation of nature came and most of human trying to be close with the nature. First of all, the trees are the questions which all agree to measure of tree's size and space between them. The minimum space found at 2.70 meters which is the maximum size can be building the house. They have learned the theory of monk cubicle which width and length 7:12, tantamount 2.40 : 2.40 meters. They aim to build the house between those space without any effected to trees around. The pattern they chose is plus symbol that can be allocate for 5 sections which contain terrace, hallway, living part, the bedroom and lavatory. At the beginning they build whole 4 houses which each house will be 1.20 meters away upper and connected every single house by the terrace. These made each house has different viewpoint but concordant with the tree height. The house is raise up from the ground and nature around. An original technique made by local technician using to build the house. The window uses as the awning for the house which has no terrace in the different position to response the different view and each activity. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Guilin Wanda Cultural Tourism Exhibition Center / TengYuan Design Institute Posted: 17 Jul 2017 12:00 PM PDT
Concept The connotative relationship between architecture and nature as well as architecture and culture always attracts the attention of the architects as a key focus. In this project, we hope to establish a linkage between architecture and nature as well as architecture and culture in a simple and plain way. Just as art and literature both have sketches, this project is a construction sketch to some extent. It doesn't mean that the sketch has neither technical difficulty nor thought depth. Instead, it just doesn't need to spare no pains and give mature consideration to all aspects of a question. Sketch is a flash in high spirits, which means without too much hesitation when selecting from big things through small ones. From landscape to architecture, we hope this house can express the scenery and breath of nature in an implicit way, which is complex but temperate, free but rhythmic. Thus, human, nature, architecture and scenery are connected together. Poetic Landscape The Origin of Concept: From Scene to Context with Landscape Sentiment "Shan Shui" "ShanShui" has special significance in the traditional Chinese culture. For example, traditional Chinese paintings are divided into figure paintings, bird-and-flower paintings and mountains-and-waters paintings. In traditional Chinese paintings, landscape painting is called mountains-and-waters painting, while in classical Chinese poems and lyrics, landscape poem takes a crucial splendid part. Dating back to Wei and Jin dynasties, landscape paintings entered a period of great prosperity in Tang and Song dynasties, which integrate universe, nature, humanity and art together in an abstract and enjoyable manner, thus forming unfailing interest. Chinese literators abandon themselves to mountains and water, express their aspirations to mountain and pour out their feelings to water. There are not only natural scenery in landscape poems, but also view, emotion and feeling, which manifest the symbiotic relationship between human beings and nature with the union of mind as well as the interlink of breath. Guilin The scenery of Guilin has been called the finest under heaven. There, typical karst topography constitutes peculiar scenery, and mountains rise out of the ground in different poses with different expressions; in the Lijiang River, twisting water is bright and clean as a mirror; besides, there are also many caves in the mountains with fantastic rock peaks, forming "Four Wonders of Guilin"——green mountains, clean water, strange caves and beautiful stones. Thus, it is a natural selection to create a landscape theme for a display architecture located in Guilin, such a poetic city surrounded by mountains and water. We try to exclude "patterning" from this aesthetical landscape to some extent and make it shown by a kind of abstract line structure. The architecture in the plan is still a very simple cube without any shape or style change, which creates a "landscape cube" through the curtain wall structure. We hope the project can be derived from the scene, to form, through a pure glass box evoke people's inner feeling about nature and landscape Sentiment. Tectonics & Context: Exquisite Skills Lie in Architecture Compared with those projects with huge volume and complicated functions, this exhibition center is an undeniable architectural sketch. During the creating process, we want to make it simple and relaxing. We give more consideration to the pureness of concept and operability of implementation. At that time, what we considered is mainly shown as follows: 1. From shape to connotation: How to manifest the connotation of "landscape" in the traditional Chinese culture by simple architectural language? 2. The depth of space in external surface construction: How to express the stratification of landscape and depth of space by the surface treatment? 3. Scenery direction of the material composition: How to build an implicit object with fuzzy boundary and overlapped layer using different reflection, refraction and transmission performances of glass together with the digital-colored glaze glass in order to create an enshrouding natural landscape? In a word, the whole design starts from construction and context. Mountains in Guilin are well-distributed far and near. In addition to the inverted reflections on the water, a rich gradation is formed accordingly. This architecture manifests the hillshapes up and down through the rising and falling vertical glass ribs and creates three hillshape levels of the facade through different densities and overhang scales of glass ribs, namely "nearby view", "medium view" and "distant view". Thus, the gradation superposition caused by the transmission, reflection and refraction effect between different glass can form subtly changeable dramatic effect under different light conditions such as cloudy, sunny, raining and foggy. In the mottled shadows, the "boundary" becomes blurry and flowing. At a close look at the architecture, people feel like staying in the mountain range while steam flows above, and the architecture reflects the changes of the surrounding natural environment sensitively. Viewers, architecture and landscape of Guilin interact with each other, creating a wonderful and far-reaching prospect. Unity of Landscape Language : Wander in Bamboo Forest and Think about Landscape The landscape design of the Exhibition Center continues the theme of landscape and realizes the linkage and scaling of space by virtue of layered water surface, winding path and elegant bamboo gallery, which forms a delightful contrast and makes people stroll in it. As people move their steps, they will see different sceneries and go into a wonderful paradise from landscape. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Moreing Road / Mountford Architects Posted: 17 Jul 2017 10:00 AM PDT
From the architect. The Moreing Road project started as series of conversations and sketches inspired by a home commissioned in the early 1950s by the actor Gary Cooper, and built in Hollywood Hills by the prolific architect Quincy Jones. The outcome is a design that accommodates and contains family life with in three zones: formal, informal and alfresco. The three zones, represented respectively by the grand fire place, the cantilevered mezzanine and the outdoor courtyard, are strongly distinguished from one another yet are connected to each other visually. The well finished nature of these spaces, the use of stained timber detailing inside and out, the stonework and deciduous plantings all contribute to a uniquely modern home that the owners feel has the essence of the timeless, mid-century design that inspired its creation. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Undulating Brick Development Reimagines the Cornice in New York Posted: 17 Jul 2017 09:30 AM PDT NY YIMBY has unearthed plans for a new mixed-use development at 540-544 Hudson in New York's West Village. Designed by Morris Adjmi Architects, renderings show a brick building with a contemporary reimagining of the historic cornices found throughout the neighborhood. Being developed by William Gottlieb Real Estate, the scale and materiality of the building has been tailored to its context – at 7 stories, it will rise only a few blocks over its immediate neighbors, and feature a brick facade, as a majority of the area's buildings do. As the building rises, the facade undulates increasingly, allowing the structure to stand out from the streetwall. The mixed-use building will contain 26 total residential units, along with 5,600 square feet of street front retail and a 552-square-foot community space. The building will be capped by a 7th floor penthouse with a private roof terrace, and a smaller rooftop space to be shared by the other units. Awaiting an approval hearing from the Landmarks Preservation Commission next week, a timeline for construction has yet to be announced. News via NY YIMBY. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Tiro al Blanco Art Gallery / Progresivo de Arquitectura Posted: 17 Jul 2017 08:00 AM PDT
From the architect. The increasing necessities of the gallery required the outplacement of the building, the chosen place for the new gallery was an old hosiery factory in the Santa Tere neighborhood, and it is located at the West side of Guadalajara’s city. Santa Tere was built at the 20’s decade over a big agricultural field. The neighborhood is a rectangle about 180 hectares with a grid design. The requirements of the client for the intervention were two: Organize the interior space refusing a rigid design, leaving a free developing of the gallery program at the insides and outsides, where the boundaries are unrestricted and inviting to a dynamism where the pieces of art and cultural objects place, it must be conceived as a place of conservation, diffusion and research of arts created for the contemporary world. The second requirement invited us to change just few of the existent architecture, the quality of the design is not measured just by the originality, and it is measure for the respectful integration. The way an art gallery is designed affects the visual perception of the visitors and clients, thanks to these architectonic values the Tiro al Blanco gallery is a unique place dedicated to promote and boost the interest in Art, and giving shopping and investment advice to the costumers, also commercializing particular collections. One of the principal purposes is to boost in the art´s sphere between Mexico and the rest of the world the exchange of ideas and point of views. The artists managed by the gallery are from Mexico, Argentina, China, Dubai, Dominican Republic and few more, we want to show to collector a worldwide panorama of the Art. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Rafael Moneo Wins Inaugural Soane Medal for Contribution to Architecture Posted: 17 Jul 2017 07:00 AM PDT Spanish Architect Rafael Moneo has been selected as the recipient of the first-ever Soane Medal for contribution to architecture, presented by Sir John Soane's Museum in London. As the medal winner, Moneo will be the first speaker to take part in the Soane Annual Lecture, established to " [recognize] architects, artists, writers and others whose work has broadened and enriched understandings of architecture and the built environment." "We are delighted to announce this new Soane Annual Lecture and Medal, and look forward to the significant voices and ideas it will bring to the museum," Sir David Chipperfield, Trustee of Sir John Soane's Museum said. "Our aim is to promote architectural culture, as Soane himself worked so tirelessly to do, and we hope it will become an important event in the London calendar.' Bruce Boucher, Director of Sir John Soane's Museum, added: 'We are pleased to inaugurate the Soane Annual Lecture and Medal, and honoured that Rafael Moneo will be the first recipient. His buildings, writings, and teaching have immeasurably enriched the field of architecture, and his lecture promises to be a significant contribution to the contemporary discussion." Learn more about the award below. Text via Sir John Soane's Museum The inaugural Soane Annual Lecture will be delivered by the distinguished Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, who has devoted his career to teaching, writing and practice. Moneo's career has embodied the idea of architecture as something that resides not just in the structure and the materials of a building, but in time and place, word and image, people and community. His most famous works include the National Museum of Art in Merida, the extension to Prado Museum in Madrid, and the City Hall in Murcia. In addition to the lecture Moneo will be awarded the Soane Medal, a copy of the medal presented in 1835 to Sir John Soane by 'the Architects of England', in recognition of his 'essential services to Architecture'. The Soane Annual Lecture continues the mission established by the Museum's founder Sir John Soane. Since he bequeathed his house to the nation 180 years ago, the Museum has served as a place to provoke and inspire everyone – young and old, architects or not – to consider the possibilities of architecture to shape the environment in an immediate, understandable way. Instilled in its very spaces is a profound belief in the central importance of architecture to the body and the soul, to people and to the city. As we tackle the challenges of the 21st century – housing shortages, uncoordinated development, strained infrastructure, congestion, pollution, the effects of climate change – this approach to architecture is arguably more important today than it has ever been. Given the scarcity of open public debate about the shape of the built environment, the new Soane Annual Lecture and Medal is an opportunity to fill this gap and bring the spirit embedded in the Museum to our contemporary condition and a wider audience. The Annual Lecture will encourage better understanding of the influence of architecture both throughout history and in the future. By identifying and addressing common issues, it will seek to bridge the gap between theory and practice, between academics and practitioners, between planners and developers, between conservation and development. As such, the awarding of the lectureship is not only a tribute to talent and imagination in architectural works alone, but also recognises those individuals who have dedicated themselves to a wider view of the built environment, to the city, as well as to architectural theory and teaching. The event will take place on 1st November 2017 at The Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street, London from 19:00 to 20:15.
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Skyview / Murray Legge Architecture Posted: 17 Jul 2017 06:00 AM PDT
From the architect. This typical Austin 1940's bungalow was strategically remodeled to transform an arrangement of dark, low-ceilinged rooms into a single continuous space with kitchen, dining, and living areas. Custom clerestory windows provide indirect daylighting throughout the day, and a tall window slot in front of the kitchen sink frames a crape myrtle. Built-in cabinets maximize storage along both sides of the room. Our intention was to work with the existing building typology, the modest post-war stick frame construction. Stick frame construction is the most common building system used in residential construction and its inherit beauty and elegance is often hidden, buried underneath sheetrock and other finish materials. For this project we wanted to reveal and work with the stick framing as a finished product and to allow it to shape the character of the interior space. The even distribution of load paths through the building form give the stick framing a light and delicate quality. We introduced a balloon framing technique to support the roof and placed a custom window unit on the outside of the framing. In doing so we eliminated the need for a large header and were also able to conceal the window stops and other glazing comments behind the continuous wooden balloon frame studs. This technique reduces the amount of components that are visible so that the simplicity of the framing is revealed. For both the exposed wall and roof framing elements we chose standard No 1 Douglas Fir for the warm tone and lack of defects while still being standard framing lumber. These framing elements were also a fraction of the cost of furniture grade custom lumber that is typically used for exposed framing elements. We added a satin polyurethane finish to the exposed studs and joists to reflect the light through the clerestory. Another standard stick framing element that was exposed was the 3/4" AB plywood roof deck with the A side facing down. We added a pickling stain to the wood to lighten it and suppress the grain. The effect is a very light and reflective ceiling that has a warm and natural feeling. The roof framing was layered so that the exposed structural framing, visible from below, supported a secondary framing system above that from the cavity for the insulation which also concealed the fasteners used to attached the roofing. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Disney Unveils Plans for "Immersive" Star Wars Resort and New Theme Park Animation Posted: 17 Jul 2017 05:25 AM PDT At the D23 Expo this past weekend, Disney announced plans for a new Star Wars hotel and resort at the Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and revealed an animation of the upcoming Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge theme park that will bring the beloved galaxy into the present and not-so-far-away. The revolutionary hotel has been envisioned as a completely "immersive" experience – visitors will each be given their own "story line" complete with "secret missions," interacting with a full in-costume and in-character hotel staff. Early concepts for the resort show starship-themed spaces throughout, from the lobby to hotel rooms each featuring "a view into space." Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts explains: "It's unlike anything that exists today. From the second you arrive, you will become a part of a Star Wars story! You'll immediately become a citizen of the galaxy and experience all that entails, including dressing up in the proper attire. Once you leave Earth, you will discover a starship alive with characters, stories, and adventures that unfold all around you. It is 100% immersive, and the story will touch every single minute of your day, and it will culminate in a unique journey for every person who visits." Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is scheduled to open in 2019. An opening date for the hotel is yet to be announced. News via Disney Parks Blog, CNN. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Agricultural School Bella Vista / CODE Posted: 17 Jul 2017 04:06 AM PDT
From the architect. The agricultural school building has been developed and realised by CODE - the department of architectural design and construction of Prof. Pasel at the Technische Universität Berlin. In an international collaboration with the ecumenical foundation Fundación Cristo Vive Bolivia that works on poverty reduction in Latin America, CODE has developed and implemented the new school building in a two year process. Under supervision of Prof. Pasel and his team 40 students have designed, planned and realised the project together with local partners. The school building is part of the vocational school "Sayarinapaj" that offers young Bolivian students coming from rural Andean areas a professional perspective within the field. Result of the first design and construction phase is a building that is based on a modular concept offering six flexible classrooms. It consists of three massive volumes each of them comprising two classrooms and an additional space that serves as an archive, a laboratory or an installation room for the integrated solar plant. One continuous shed roof structure covers the whole building including two intermediate open air spaces between the volumes to ensure natural ventilation. These 'in between spaces' allow for the connection of two classrooms into a larger multi-functional room. With simple but effective means the building responds to the extreme climatic conditions. The massive brick masonry compensates the daily fluctuation of temperature, thus allowing for a comfortable indoor climate. The ventilated roof construction prevents the classrooms from overheating. Its orientation ensures adequate supply of daylight in the classrooms and the optimal declination of the roof for the integration of the solar system. In order to convey skills all players are integrated in the design and building process. As the project is based on an integrative approach to architecture the relevant factors include both the architectural product and the multi-layered process of its creation considering technical, social, cultural and academic aspects. Being developed by an international and interdisciplinary collaboration of experts, students and craftsmen/-women from both Germany and Bolivia the mutual transfer of knowledge between academia and practice, between the two cultures and between the different disciplines is consequently one of the superior characteristics of the project. As it is set up as a design-build project it additionally allows for the combination of theory, research and practice in the project work. The indoor climate is being enhanced by the temperature-regulating solid brick structure. In terms of the architecture the overall task was to create a low-cost and energy efficient, climate responsive and resource saving building that would serve as a supportive learning environment and as a case study for sustainable building developments in low-tech environments, innovation and intelligent low-cost construction methods. The Special construction method in brick replaces common concrete skeleton structures and allows for a building process without an professional entrepreneur that is both cost efficient and earthquake proof. Last but not least the building was designed in such a way that it could be self-build and constructed under the preconditions of "auto-construction", which form 98% of the local building activities. Knowledge transfer leads to further qualification of the local community and the students. One of the main social aspects of the project is that not only Bolivian and German students were involved into the construction work but also a local cooperative of women working already as bricklayers. With this project they were able to broaden their skills and subsequently apply their newly acquired knowledge of innovative building techniques to their own work. The women will in return train the skills of the next generation of students in the second building phase, that comprise the development of a boarding school for the agronomy campus. By this, an iterative process of knowledge transfer and service learning is commenced that will in the course of years lead to a further qualification of both, the local community and our students. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
These Enormous Concrete Acoustic Mirrors Pepper the British Coastline Posted: 17 Jul 2017 03:15 AM PDT These vast concrete dishes, which can be found along the northern and easterly British coastline, are sound mirrors. Originally designed to capture the sounds of incoming enemy aircraft as they approached the United Kingdom from across the English Channel and the North Sea (although one was also built at Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq in Malta), these military listening devices acted as a rudimentary early warning system in the decades before Radar was developed and deployed. Conceived by William Sansome Tucker, and operated at differing scales between around 1915 and 1935, the acoustic mirrors were able to signal an aircraft from up to 24 kilometers (15 miles) away, allowing for enough time to allow British defence to prepare for counterattack. The concave structures responded to sound by focusing the waves to a single point, whereupon a microphone would be positioned. Not only were the structures able to announce the arrival of an aircraft, but they could also determine the incoming direction of attack of the plane to an accuracy of 1.5 degrees. With the development of faster aircraft in the 1930s, these sound mirrors became obsolete. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
11 Things You Learn at Your First “Real” Architecture Job (Lessons from a Recent Graduate) Posted: 17 Jul 2017 02:30 AM PDT You did it! You finished those grueling years of architecture school, perfected your portfolio and your interview pitch, and you landed your first job with an architecture firm. Everyone told you that working in a firm would be lightyears different from what you were used to doing in school, but until you get out there yourself, there is really no way to know just what that might entail. Once you've tackled life's bigger questions about surviving outside of architecture school, you still have to learn to function in a day-to-day job. The learning curve is steep and it can certainly be overwhelming, but you've made it this far and there are a few lessons and skills you are sure to gain quickly as you start your career. 1. You might not do much designing.We might as well get this one out of the way. We've all heard the horror stories of new employees becoming nothing more than Revit-monkeys and slowly wasting away in front of their computers working on toilet partition details. While it's not necessarily going to be that bleak, don't expect to be given a big design assignment on your first day at the office. This, of course, depends on the type and size of firm you work for. A smaller firm is often more likely to give you experience on a wide variety of tasks, including some design work, while larger firms often have their employees take on more specialized roles. Under what conditions you work best is up to you to figure out, and you may not always get it right the first time. If you're not happy with the kind of tasks you are given, you can always ask your supervisor about taking on different responsibilities, but it may help you to expand your mental definition of "designing." Even the more mundane-seeming assignments you may be given still require careful thought and decision-making and you can really "design" all the work you do by applying the design thinking you have developed to the task in front of you. 2. Communication really is key.It sounds like a cliché, but one thing it can be difficult to simulate in school is the role of communication between multiple parties that is always involved in the design and construction of a building. While by this point most of us have been disabused of the idea of the lone wolf architect/genius, the extent to which coordination and communication become a part of your work day may be surprising to new hires. Architects are not expected to have all the knowledge and expertise necessary to put a building together from start to finish, but we are expected to orchestrate, coordinate, and facilitate communication between all the people who do make up that collective knowledge base. The quality of that communication can make or break a project perhaps even more easily than the quality of the building design. Don't be embarrassed if you don't know something, just find the person who does. 3. Ask questions.No, really. Ask ALL the questions. It may sound obvious, but this is one of the most important things you can do when you are just starting out in the field. Some may be hesitant to show a lack of knowledge in a certain area to their project managers, or may be uncomfortable interrupting someone time and again to ask for help, but trust me. They would much rather take the time to explain it to you than to have you guess and make a mistake. Because unlike in school, a mistake here can cost someone real money and time. Will you still make some mistakes? Sure, it happens. But the best way you can minimize that risk and coincidentally the best way to learn and show your supervisors that you're interested and engaged in your job is to ask every question you can think of. 4. Keep learning.On a related note, it is important to never stop learning and never lose the curiosity you had in school. Architecture school creates a great foundation, but once you get out and into the real world, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by all that you still don't know. Instead, try to see that missing knowledge as an opportunity. There is no better way to learn than by doing, and you'll likely learn something new every day when you start working at a firm. Be open to it, be excited, and you'll find yourself climbing the learning curve in no time. 5. Take an interest in your coworkers.If you can become friends with your coworkers, you'll have a more enjoyable time coming to the office every day. In addition to the social benefits, you can learn a lot from people who have been in the field longer than you. Your coworkers will likely have diverse backgrounds that give them a particular perspective, or they'll have something they're especially passionate about or a unique skill that sets them apart in the office. People usually like to talk about themselves if you can get them started, and if you ask them what they're interested in, chances are they'll tell you all about it and maybe you'll learn something new along the way. This can be especially true if your firm also employs interior designers, planners, engineers, or really anyone else. It can be helpful and interesting to look at a project from their different perspectives to learn more about the design process. 6. Go to as many meetings and site visits as you can.If you get the opportunity, a great way to learn about the design and construction process is to sit in and tag along at site visits and other meetings. Plus, what could be more exciting than seeing a building you've worked on or helped to draw start to become a physical space? Seeing something firsthand make the transition from the theoretical realm you've become familiar with in school to a habitable building is a fantastic way to learn about the process and way more fun than reading about it in a textbook or ARE study manual. Even if you feel out of your depth, or perhaps underqualified, for a certain meeting or conversation, you'll never be at a disadvantage for having participated and you're sure to pick up something interesting or useful along the way. 7. Find a firm with a culture that works for you.As I mentioned earlier, the firm you choose makes some difference in the type of work you'll likely be doing, but besides this most new hires start at about the same level. The major difference will likely be in the culture and atmosphere of the company you choose. You will probably be spending at least 40 hours a week at this place, so it will make your life a lot more enjoyable if you like being there. Priorities vary, but good general guidelines are to choose a firm that matches your workstyle. If you work more efficiently in peace and quiet, maybe don't choose a firm with an open office layout. If you get your creative energy from interacting and collaborating with others, you might not be happy in a cubicle. As someone who is new to the field, it is also important to look for a firm whose leadership really fosters and encourages growth for young staff. A supportive culture can go a long way in your development as a designer and future architect. 8. Get started on licensure right away.Speaking of the future, if licensure is something you are interested in pursuing it can be helpful to get a jumpstart on it right away. Find an AXP supervisor (or whatever you need given the licensure system in your country) and make sure to get credit for your hours if you're going to be working them anyway. Even if you don't feel like you're ready to start your tests, it can be easiest to start studying while your brain is still accustomed to it rather than a few years out of school. If your firm has a licensure study group, join it! If it doesn't have one, start your own and recruit your coworkers! A support network can be advantageous when you're working towards licensure, not to mention giving you and your coworkers a bit of mutual responsibility and guilt to hold you accountable to your study goals. 9. Speak up about your interests.Just like starting a study group, if you have other interests and passions, share them with your supervisors or project managers and work with them to get the most out of your time at the firm. A good firm will want to help you pursue your interests and they'll always appreciate any outside expertise and enthusiasm you can bring to the table. It can be intimidating to speak out and jump into responsibilities as a new employee, but it can personalize your career and make it much more rewarding. 10. Get involved in the community outside of work.It is important to be involved not just within your new company, but outside of it as well. Especially if you moved to a new city for your job, a great way to get to know your community and really relate to the context of the work you'll be doing is to get out there in person and see what it's all about. This could take the form of volunteering for an organization you're passionate about, joining a committee that's design related like a Public Arts Committee or the local Main Street Organization, or it doesn't have to be work-related at all. Take karate lessons, start a book club; the possibilities are endless and it has the bonus of bringing variety to your life so that you don't feel like all your time revolves around your job. You aren't in studio anymore—you'll need something to fill your newfound free time! 11. Your first job doesn't have to be your dream job.Lastly, there can be a lot of pressure for new grads to find their dream job with their dream firm right out of college. And to be honest, that's just not always possible or feasible. Don't beat yourself up about it. Every job you have will be a valuable learning opportunity that you can take with you to the next job you land. Don't give up on your dreams of course, but if it doesn't pan out right away, just be patient, be engaged in the job you have, and give it your all until the next opportunity comes around. If you're feeling like you're in a rut, maybe switch to a different but related field for a while and then see how you feel about coming back to architecture. An architecture education is a great knowledge base and offers a creative way of thinking and problem-solving that you can use wherever and however you choose. Don't worry about taking the linear path to your dream job and try to focus on the present; by the time you get to that job you know you were meant to have, you'll just have more valuable experience and knowledge than you did when you graduated. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Music Box Residence / Scott | Edwards Architects Posted: 17 Jul 2017 02:00 AM PDT
From the architect. The Music Box Residence was designed around the intimate and communal qualities of music and family. Situated along a steep sloping site on the outskirts of Portland, the Music Box Residence rises up to capture and accentuate magnificent views of the Portland cityscape and the Cascade Range beyond. In order to create acoustically separate spaces for the two musicians to practice and teach, the home was split into two distinct sides. The home's entry bridge leads directly onto the second story of the home, accenting the vertical move from the adjacent street. A glass volume bridges the two sides and serves as a communal gathering space. On the lowest level, the percussion room is placed against the hill. The husband, a timpanist in the Oregon Symphony, required a large space for a wide array of boisterous percussion instruments. On the main level, screened behind the exterior bamboo garden, sits the piano studio where the wife's students come to learn and play. The studio opens onto the main living room and outdoor space, providing the opportunity for larger recitals and parties. The upper level houses the private spaces of home, including rooms for the children and guests. Ascending up the stairs, an operable skylight opens up to a spacious balcony and roof deck with unobstructed views to the north. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Skip The Hotel And Stay In Award-Winning, Renowned Architecture Instead Posted: 16 Jul 2017 11:00 PM PDT Ever wondered what it would be like to wake up within the iconic pink walls at La Muralla Roja? Or, you could finally swim in the rooftop pool atop the Brutalist Torres Blancas in Madrid, or even enjoy the weekend in a house designed by Pritzker laureate Shigeru Ban in Sri Lanka. Thanks to house renting platform AirBnb, that architecture daydream is now a reality. Residential architecture masterpieces can often feature in an architecture lovers bucket list but can be limited to looking at it from the outsides. Now, you can actually experience many famous works for what they are designed to be. This time we have selected 17 homes, rooms, offices and even capsules designed by your favorite architects around the world. Are you ready to book your next vacation? La Muralla Roja / Ricardo BofillLocation: Calp, Valencian Community, Spain Built on a cliff overlooking the sea, the rosy-hued modernist icon has a 2-bedroom apartment up for rent, boasting a penthouse pool and private outdoor parking. Residents can enjoy walking through the labyrinth of picturesque roof terraces, interlocking stairs and bridges that span the colourful property. Villa Vista / Shigeru Ban ArchitectsLocation: Weligama, Sri Lanka After designing and building post-tsunami reconstruction houses in Sri Lanka, Shigeru Ban was commissioned to design a residence for an owner of a local tire company. Located on a hilltop site facing the ocean, the floor, walls and ceiling of the villa frame three different views. Torres Blancas / Francisco Javier Sáenz de OizaLocation: Madrid, Spain This brutalist monument (often seen while driving into central Madrid) is a fixture in many precedent studies for residential architecture – it's one of the most complicated and innovative reinforced concrete structures of the era.With its unique lobby, circular rooms and rooftop pool its butterfly-like floorplans have many architects wondering how it was possible to design something that truly owned circular living spaces on a large scale. Glow Worm House / RCR ArchitectsLocation: Olot, Catalunya, Spain This house was designed to overlook spectacular views towards the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, and is also a quick 10 min walk to the town of Olot in Catalunya. Equipped with modern fittings, the house also has a pebbled light well inside, allowing for both natural daylight and sunsets during dinnertime. Cabañas Morerava / AATA ArquitectosLocation: Easter Island, Chile For the eco-conscious traveller, or someone who wants to experience what it's like to live in a sustainably designed dwelling, this prefab cabin is your getaway. AATA Architects explain the idea behind the cabins so that "the construction process, material resourcing and daily usage of the cabins had to have minimal impact on the very fragile environment of Easter Island." The cabin is equipped with rainwater collection, solar panels and is naturally insulated and ventilated to match the tropical climate of the island. Casa L4 / Luciano KrukLocation: Costa Esmeralda, Buenos Aires, Argentina Located in a forest of pine trees, Casa L4's concrete texture and colour is in harmony with the calm environment. Set back from the coast, the home is private and intimate, with a unique free staircase and diffused light entering the house from various openings. Most of the program is laid out on the ground floor with the stairs leading to the roof, where "a quiet space for contemplation unfolds." Casa Tiny / Aranza ArinoLocation: Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, México Inspired by Henry David Thoreau's novel "Walden", which reflects upon living in a natural landscape, this tiny house is a quiet getaway from the world. Entirely minimal in design and function, this micro-house is reflective in nature. A place where you can turn of your phone and reconnect with nature, or maybe work on that book you've been wanting to write, guests of the house also get privileged access to neighbouring Casa Wabi (a residency for artist) and Hotel Escondido. The hammock doesn't hurt too. Casa TDA / Cadaval & Solà-MoralesLocation: Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico Described by the architect as a house "for extreme weather that surpasses the standard limits of comfort of the city-dweller; a low-cost house requiring minimum maintenance; a house for any number of habitants, flexible in its uses and configuration; a house that can open up completely to the exterior or close in on itself; a beach house that can be built in a distant corner of the world." Built in concrete, the house features a large cantilever and an outdoor hammock room (a recurring theme in Oaxaca AirBnbs!). Cordoba reurbano / Cadaval & Solà-MoralesLocation: Mexico City, México The building is located in the Colonia Roma, a historic neighbourhood in the central sector of Mexico City. The ReUrbano project transforms an old house of historical value that was abandoned after the death of its eighty year old occupant into a housing building. The dwelling is part of 9 apartments of various sizes and configurations, and has a commercial area in the front façade. The project forces us to confront the value of architectural form within the urban grid, as well as that of heritage and ways to intervene it. MINIMOD Catuçaba / MAPALocation: Catuçaba, São Luís do Paraitinga - Sao Paulo, Brazil Described as a "primitive retreat," MINIMOD presents an alternative to traditional construction: based on prefab plug&play logics, it uses Brazil CLT Wood-Technology to manipulate its natural timber material. Built as a series of prototypes, this house is located in the east of São Paulo Estate surrounded by a chain of coastal mountains. With undulating landscapes and dense vegetation, different faces are left open to frame the surrounding views. Edificio Copan / Oscar NiemeyerLocation: São Paulo, Brazil One of the largest apartment buildings in Brazil, Niemeyer was responsible for the buildings' curved modernist façade. Due to the sheer size of the building and the number of residents, it got its own ZIP code in the city. The one-bedroom up for rent is located on the 21st floor, and has TV and WiFi included. Off-grid it House / Taalman KochLocation: Pioneertown, California, USA Conceived as a small house with glass walls and open floor plan, the itHouse maximizes the relationship of the occupant to the surrounding landscape while minimizing the building's impact on delicate site conditions. Energy efficiency is achieved in the itHouse through passive heating and cooling, utilizing site orientation and cross ventilation, radiant floor heating, hi-efficacy appliances & equipment and the use of solar photovoltaic & thermal panels. It also features that hanging fireplace – which can be enjoyed in cooler nights. Schwartz House / Frank Lloyd WrightLocation: Two Rivers, Wisconsin, USA The Bernard Schwartz House is Frank Lloyd Wright's built version of his Life Magazine "Dream House" design from 1938. Owned by the Schwartz family until 1971, the property is now owned by brothers Gary and Michael Ditmer who are restoring it with painstaking care, offering tours and even stays in the masterpiece. A rare opportunity for Wright lovers, you can rent the entire house for a night or more (however for students, keep in mind that renters have to be 25 years old or above) Kubuswoningen / Piet BlomLocation: Rotterdam, Netherlands A popular tourist attraction and bizarre architectural experiment, the Kubuswoningen is located in the Oude Haven, the most historic section of Rotterdam's port. Known for his desire to challenge conventions, Blom did not want the Kubuswoningen to resemble typical housing; he strived to dissolve the attitude that "a building has to be recognizable as a house for it to qualify as housing." You can stay in one of the iconic, "pencil-head" cube residences, which has 3 floors. The top floor offers 360-degree views of the city, as well as the other cubehouses surrounding you. Silodam / MVRDVLocation: Amsterdam, Netherlands A transformation of a former dam and silo building, the Silodam is a mixed program of housing, offices, work spaces, commercial spaces and public spaces are arranged in a 20 meter deep and ten-story-high "urban envelope". The apartment in question is a luxurious 142m loft offering views towards the port (where you can watch the ships come in) and a private terrace. Nakagin Capsule Tower / Kisho KurokawaLocation: Tokyo, Japan An AD classic, the capsule tower is a fixture for architecture-lovers in Tokyo. Designed by Kisho Kurokawa in 1972, the Nakagin Capsule Tower is a rare built example of Japanese Metabolism, a movement that became emblematic of Japan's postwar cultural resurgence. The building was the world's first example of capsule architecture built for actual use.Though you sadly cannot sleep in the capsule (the nearby apartment where you sleep in is included in your booking), you're welcome to visit the apartment for the duration for your stay. Säynätsalo Town Hall / Alvar AaltoLocation: Jyväskylä, Finland Aalto's town hall is a study in opposition: elements of classicism and the monumental blend with modernity and intimacy to form a cohesive new centre point for the community. Aalto designed the town hall as a complete work of art – which can be seen in its details and furniture designed specifically for the building. Because of its architectural importance, Säynätsalo town hall and its inner courtyard are protected by a building preservation order in 1994, and during office hours you can visit the town hall from your apartment (or get a guided tour). This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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