Arch Daily |
- Bicycle Hotel Lillestrøm / Various Architects
- AD Classics: University of Virginia / Thomas Jefferson
- Kindergarten Valdaora di Sotto / feld72
- Houses in Wygärtli / Beck + Oser Architekten
- NIO Brand Creative Studio Shanghai / Linehouse
- Platform-L Contemporary Art Center / JOHO Architecture
- Mrs. Fan's Plugin House / People's Architecture Office
- NFB Nursery / HIBINOSEKKEI + Youji no Shiro
- Paul Revere Williams Wins 2017 AIA Gold Medal
- The University of Kansas DeBruce Center / Gould Evans
- InstruMMents Releases Portable Scanner to Digitally Capture the 3D Curves of Any Object
- We're Looking for ArchDaily México's Next Content Editor!
- AS Building / Ambrosi I Etchegaray
- Studio Gang Selected to Design Arkansas Arts Center Expansion
- Suzhou Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum / Vector Architects
- Why Architecture Needs Less London-Centrism and More Ideas in the Wake of Brexit
- Shoesme / Joris Verhoeven Architectuur
- Inside Zaha Hadid Architects' Mathematics Gallery for the London Science Museum
- These Are the 3 Bus Stop Types Needed For Sustainable Transit Solutions
- Call for ArchDaily Interns: Spring 2017
| Bicycle Hotel Lillestrøm / Various Architects Posted: 07 Dec 2016 09:00 PM PST  © Ibrahim Elhayawan
 © David Nowak From the architect. Norway has set ambitious targets for environmental and sustainable future. An increasing number of railway stations will now have a bicycle hotel, to promote the use of bicycles. On Monday 10 October 2016 the Lillestrøm Bicycle Hotel opened in the city that has been frequently voted Norway ́s best cycling city.  © Ibrahim Elhayawan The project was designed by Various Architects AS, commissioned by ROM Eiendom AS and The Norwegian National Railways. The design of the building focuses on making a positive contribution to the surroundings. The project gives back to the city the area it takes away by providing a public green rooftop, which directly connects to the main square of the train station.  © Ibrahim Elhayawan Design Concept  © Ibrahim Elhayawan The dynamic wooden roof that lays on top of the glass box, slopes diagonally down to the west towards the train station plaza. This gesture provides an inviting public access to the top. The roof is conformed by furnishing, vegetation, stairs and slopes, creating a unique experience with a panoramic view towards Lillestrøm.  Section  Elevation The glass walls continue over the roof, turning into the balustrade around the public area. At the same time, the roof penetrates through the walls to frame the entrance and to provide a shelter against rain. Together the glass box and the roof create an intimate yet open and accessible public space.  © Ibrahim Elhayawan The interior space focuses on the function of the building with light and natural surfaces. The double story bicycle rack becomes the main element in the space. The room height varies from 2.70 m to 6.00 m following to the curvature of the roof.  Floor plan  © Ibrahim Elhayawan  Floor plan Structure  © Noemi Fuentes Energy  © Ibrahim Elhayawan The whole building glows at night, creating a unique spot for anyone to enjoy a moment amongst the green roof overlooking the city'́s skyline.  © Ibrahim Elhayawan  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| AD Classics: University of Virginia / Thomas Jefferson Posted: 07 Dec 2016 08:00 PM PST  © Larry Harris The end of the War of 1812 left the young United States of America awash with nationalist fervor. In the following years, the world's first modern republic experienced unprecedented growth and prosperity; it was not without reason that the period came to be known as the "Era of Good Feelings."[1] It was into this epoch of unbridled national pride that Thomas Jefferson, one of the country's founding fathers and its third President, introduced his master plan for the University of Virginia: an architectural manifestation of the Enlightenment and republican ideals he had helped cultivate.  © Larry Harris Although he was first and foremost a statesman, Thomas Jefferson was also a capable self-trained, if purely avocational, architect. Fittingly for a man who had helped to engineer a revolt against the United Kingdom's colonial rule, Jefferson largely eschewed English architectural influences preferring instead the works of Andrea Palladio and the ruins of Ancient Rome. His first design project, begun before the War of Independence, was his own home: Monticello, a Neoclassical mansion with French and Palladian influences set at the peak of a small mountain. Jefferson was also responsible for the Virginia State Capitol, which he modeled upon the Maison Carrée, a former Roman temple in Nimes, France.[2]  Courtesy of US Library of Congress (Public Domain) The University of Virginia had been under Jefferson's consideration for decades by the time he actually began its design. As early as 1782, he affirmed his belief that architecture, being one of the fine arts, ought to be taught at the university; when given the task of planning the institution's curriculum in 1814, he made certain to include it.[3] He also began to formulate his concept for the school's design long before the Virginia State Legislature approved its creation. Rather than attempting to fit every program element within a single monumental building, Jefferson envisioned a grouping of smaller, separate houses for professors, each with a ground level hall for instruction and living chambers above. Organized around a grass square and connected by student housing, this was to become what Jefferson called an "academical village."[4] Once the university's founding was formally approved, Jefferson began refining his concept into a functioning master plan. Rather than attempt to take on the task alone, he sought out the advice of professional architects William Thornton and Benjamin Henry Latrobe. Using the two architects as a sounding board, Jefferson made a number of alterations to his initial plan: at the urging of both, he expanded the living spaces intended for the professors and placed a library at the focal point of the Academical Village's U-shaped layout. Thornton provided a number of sketches for the pavilions that lined either end of the central square, while Latrobe suggested the dome which eventually crowned the library.[5]  This section of Pavilion IX hints at the stratification found in every one of the University's pavilions: residences above, instruction spaces below. ImageCourtesy of US Library of Congress (Public Domain)  Courtesy of US Library of Congress (Public Domain) The center of Jefferson's final design scheme was that of an elongated U, the center of which was occupied by the grass plaza he had always envisioned. Ten academic pavilions lined either end of the square, each containing a separate department of the university and the living spaces of their respective professors. These pavilions, in addition to being connected by rows of student dormitories, were linked by covered colonnades; the sheltered walkways would, according to Jefferson, allow students to exercise even in inclement weather. The 200 meter (656 foot) avenue, left open to the picturesque Virginia landscape at one end, was enclosed at the other by the library Thornton and Latrobe had recommended.[6] In 1817, Jefferson stated to Thornton that "[the academic] pavilions [...] shall be models of taste and good architecture, and a variety of appearance, no two alike, so as to serve as specimens for the architectural lectures."[7] As a result of Jefferson's didactic approach, each of the ten pavilions followed a different, nuanced classical style. Most design elements were taken from examples in the various architectural texts in Jefferson's library: Pavilion I featured a Doric pediment inspired by the Baths of Diocletian, while Pavilion V's Ionic details were taken directly from Palladio. The colonnades between the pavilions utilized the simple Tuscan order, while only Pavilion X and the library featured Corinthian columns.[7]  This elevation of Pavilion IX showcases its radically different style from its neighbor below; only the uniform use of red brick and painted white wood tied the campus together aesthetically. ImageCourtesy of US Library of Congress (Public Domain)  Pavilion X was the only pavilion of the ten to feature Corinthian design elements. ImageCourtesy of US Library of Congress (Public Domain) Corinthian capitals were only one of the features that set the library apart from its surroundings. Situated on the center of the university's main axis, the library was also the only structure on the campus to feature circular geometry. Just as he had imitated the Maison Carrée for the Virginia State Capitol, Jefferson now chose to echo the Roman Pantheon; the library, which would later be named the Rotunda, is built to one-half the scale of its antecedent. Although Jefferson admired the Pantheon as the height of spherical architecture, he could not emulate its cavernous interior in Virginia. Instead, the Rotunda is divided into three floors: the lower two contained classrooms and lecture halls, while the third served as the university library. This space, ringed by columns and crowned by a domed ceiling, was the greatest built expression of Jefferson's rational, Neoclassical ideals.[8]  The plan of the Pantheon on the left can be compared to the ground and third floor plans of the Rotunda at the University of Virginia; differences in scale and material required the reduction of the number of columns supporting the front pediment. ImageCourtesy of Wikimedia user Ibn Battuta (Public Domain) As construction proceeded, Jefferson had to make a number of revisions to his master plan. In 1819, he expanded the initial U-scheme to include two additional rows of housing, known as the Ranges, separated from the original pavilions by a series of gardens with serpentine walls formed of the same red brick as the rest of the campus buildings. The gardens themselves were later divided into halves, allowing residents and guests in the Ranges greater privacy outdoors. After Jefferson's death on July 4, 1826 and the completion of construction the following September, the Village and the Ranges were left practically unaltered; the Rotunda, which caught fire in 1895, was the only structure to be significantly remodeled.[9]  An elevation of Hotel C, one of the buildings set in the Ranges; it's covered arcade was inspired by Thornton's suggestion. ImageCourtesy of US Library of Congress (Public Domain) Although the countryside around it has radically transformed since the early 19th Century, the Academical Village at the University of Virginia continues to serve its original function. The Rotunda was restored to its original Jeffersonian design in the 1970s, allowing its creator's vision to live on after two full centuries.[10] Time may have weathered the bricks of the University of Virginia, but its unique blend of European historical reference and early American rationalism remains as potent a symbol as it ever was. Thomas Jefferson did not choose to note his time served as President of the United States on his tombstone; instead, he elected to be remembered as the author of the Declaration of Independence, the creator of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and the Father of the University of Virginia.[11]  © Larry Harris References
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| Kindergarten Valdaora di Sotto / feld72 Posted: 07 Dec 2016 07:00 PM PST  © Hertha Hurnaus
 © Hertha Hurnaus From the architect. Nestling within the village structure of Valdaora di Sotto in South Tyrol, the kindergarten building communicates the interplay between tradition, contemporary life and nature. The third kindergarten made by feld72 aligns itself within its tranquil background without being subordinate to it. Self-evident and uncontrived. Embedded sensuously in its location, the building responds to the dominant aura of the parish church with the cemetery chapel and the elementary school in the centre of Valdaora di Sotto. The timber building sits as though in an encasement within the massive surrounding wall, lending security.  © Hertha Hurnaus Boundaries and fences determine the village structure. The clear spatial margins divide the village into private and public spaces. Meanwhile, the architectural intervention of the kindergarten alludes to the theme of different boundary intensities and continues it further as a multi-layered circumferential wall. There is a successful contextual interweaving of elements that are typical of the location.  © Hertha Hurnaus  Section  © Hertha Hurnaus Because of the surrounding boundary wall, the kindergarten articulates clear spatial margins in the village ensemble. The unity of building and kindergarten yard is embedded in the traditional context and imparts to the kindergarten the architectural conditions for nest security, as well as for freedom. As a compact edifice this is located on the northern boundary of the property, endowing space for a sunny garden. The free space for children is optically and functionally separated from the road by the surrounding building structure.  © Hertha Hurnaus The wall alternates between concepts of materiality and volume, thus it changes from garden fence to boundary wall for the building, just as much an interpretation of what already exists as it is a further elaboration of the existing stock. The wall on the kindergarten yard side is completely of wood and in a friendly gesture embraces the children's garden. Roofed, weather-protected areas are set up as you pass over to the building. A playful way of handling the element of the wall unfolds. Architecture and playground fuse. The traditional element of fencing-in a property gains in complexity and in quality as somewhere to linger – it shelters, frames, hides, invites everyone to play and presents views not only towards the outside world but also inside. The building itself remains clearly modelled and yet has a multi-stratified effect.  Floor plan Uniform materiality conveys simplicity. Rendered masonry and wood in the innards of the kindergarten create feelings of identity and belonging. A subtle and warm atmosphere is generated within the interiors thanks to the subtly complex treatment of local timber.  © Hertha Hurnaus For the children, the group rooms represent the starting point of their daily explorations. The rooms are designed to be unpretentious and modest, providing scope for individual changes. Small areas for retreat are offered by the large window recesses and accessible partition furniture leading to the cloakroom. The assembly room and multi-function rooms can be adapted as connecting room structures or, if required, used singly. The suggested spatial concept thus enables attractive variations on both levels in realising the educational scenario.  © Hertha Hurnaus A house for children and the village takes shape as intermediary between tradition and modernity. The familiar and the unusual simultaneously find a home in Valdaora di Sotto.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Houses in Wygärtli / Beck + Oser Architekten Posted: 07 Dec 2016 06:00 PM PST  © Börje Müller
 © Börje Müller From the architect. The two houses "Im Wygärtli" are located in a villa garden on the southern hillside of Hofstetten. The buildings are situated across the slope and are accessed from the north on the upper floor level, which offers a beautiful view towards the first hills of the Jura Mountains. The curved shape of the roof creates its own topography, which connects the two floors and turns the location on a slope into a part of the design concept. On the inside, a single-flight staircase provides the spatial connection between the entrance hall on the upper living floor and the sleeping floor below. The dynamic and open staircase creates a strong reference between the two floors. It also allows daylight into the translucent bathroom cubes - which are built out of glass blocks and divide and structure the lower floor.  © Börje Müller  Section  © Börje Müller The effect of the curved ceilings in the interior is enhanced by the reduced and honest choice of materials; concrete ceilings, dyed concrete floors and white plaster walls. Also on the outside, the facades were developed to support the volumetric concept. The curved ceilings are indicated with hard concrete bands – the light filling in between is composed of ceiling-high windows and curtain walls covered with translucent polycarbonate panels. An economical and considerate use of housing space contributes to sustainability, as well as the use of uncoated materials and efficient building services with heat pump, thermal solar panels and comfort ventilation.  Floor Plan  Floor Plan The project is an example of a modest densification of villa plots in rural living areas. The relation between the new buildings, the existing villa and the landscaped grounds were essential. The design of the two houses, inspired by the topographic particularities of the site, allows optimal integration into the existing estate and leaves enough presence, space and views for the villa.  © Börje Müller Product Description. The lightwave polycarbonate boards are the filling between the ceiling foreheads of concrete. This supports the volumetric concept of waves and curved forms as a reaction to the slope of the plot.  © Börje Müller  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| NIO Brand Creative Studio Shanghai / Linehouse Posted: 07 Dec 2016 02:00 PM PST  © Dirk Weiblen
 © Dirk Weiblen Linehouse was commissioned to create the Brand Creative Studio for electric car company NextEV in Xintiandi, Shanghai. NextEV sought a design to reflect its NIO brand in a space that enabled collaboration and creative development by a wide range of design disciplines.  © Dirk Weiblen  Floor Plan  © Dirk Weiblen Linehouse inserted an inhabitable wall into the centre of the space. This oak wood structure fluidly shifts to create different pockets that can be occupied. The central enclosure forms the studio's primary working area. The surrounding negative space can be inhabited as meeting rooms and for social engagement. This wood apparatus operates as desks, shelving, and a screening mechanism, offering privacy and transparency between the private and public areas of the studio.  © Dirk Weiblen A glass skin is layered on the timber shell, the location of the skin shifts from the interior to the exterior of the structure, allowing the occupiable side of the wall also to alternate. The glass is etched with a white vertical gradient from opaque to translucent, this creates a weightlessness that reflects the brands promise, Blue Sky Coming. The gradient also offers privacy for users, occupying the lower half at desk level, and clear sightlines at higher level. The glass screen provides an ephemeral quality to the office allowing light to filter through, and shifting perspectives throughout.  © Dirk Weiblen  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Platform-L Contemporary Art Center / JOHO Architecture Posted: 07 Dec 2016 12:00 PM PST  © Sun Namgoong
 © Sun Namgoong From the architect. Platform-L Contemporary Art Center is located in a residential area of the Gangnam district in Seoul, South Korea. The sites irregular geometry - an irregular trapezoid - and being surrounded on three sides by street presented was a unique design challenge. The Laws of Architecture on the proposed site limiting building ratio to be no more than 60% of the total site area was a key focus to the design of Platform-L. This restriction typically leads to most projects designating parking to be on grade with a large mass covering the rest of the site. Platform-L situating the parking to be underground allows for a voided space on grade. The design of two independent masses with a central courtyard opening to the west proved to be the most efficient use of space. The north end mass is comprised of the museums entrance, two exhibition spaces, VIP lounge, as well as featuring a roof terrace looking out towards the cityscape. On the south end of the site a cafe / restaurant and office spaces are located. The exterior façade design inspiration came from Louis Quatorze fashion design company. This company is the sponsor for Platform-L and ideology is based on Louis XIV. The use of basic geometries of Louis XIV was reinterpreted to become the design for the façade of Platform-L. This design stands as a new symbol for the company and its high regard for fashion and culture.  © Sun Namgoong Platform-L Contemporary Art Center in Seoul is situated in a secluded area near the Segwan Seoul Customs intersection in the Nonhyeon-dong neighborhood of Gangnam District. Its uniquely shaped footprint—an irregular trapezoid—necessitated utilizing innovative design elements in response to the unique challenges presented by its unconventional dimensions. Although urban planning in Gangnam generally adheres to a grid system, Platform-L enjoys street access on three sides, a distinguishing feature of the site and one of its many assets. The site is also classified within a general residential zone rather than a commercial zone, subjecting it to increased restrictions concerning building coverage rate and floor area ratio. With these considerations in mind, a more compact plan for the building was prioritized.  Diagram This geometry implies Louis XIV's wishes to be recognized as an absolute royal entity rather than a mediator between god and man. The circle, square and octagon were utilized extensively in the geometric plan of the famed Gardens of Versailles executed during Louis XIV's reign. These symbols served as physical embodiments of heaven, earth and the authority of the king, respectively. The exterior façade of Platform-L reinterprets the historical notion of absolute authority, particularly with regard to the site's unconventional plan and its surrounding roads on three sides. The application of this concept is the transformation of the octagon into widened lattices which highlight the building's horizontality and imply infinite expansion toward the horizon. The appropriation of this geometry within the context of local culture is realized through the use of tenon joints to bind materials, a practice typically seen in traditional Korean windows. In total, three separate louvers were fitted together to form Platform-L's lattice of intersecting sight lines and create building's striking exterior.  © Sun Namgoong  Section  © Sun Namgoong Courtyard One of the foremost aims of the project was that it retain a sense of outdoor space throughout; this concept guided the formulation of a design which addresses Korean construction regulations in an unexpected way. Platform-L achieves this by interpreting the outdoors as a mediating space and platform serving to extend and link the various functions of the building, including programs in the galleries and events in the Live Hall as well as visitor experiences in the art shop and cafe. A void space in the form of a courtyard set in the center of the building visually resembles a Western courtyard, though from a functional standpoint it operates more like a traditional Korean courtyard—namely, as a buffer zone and resting place. This space performs a key role in the overall design of Platform-L, connecting the building's two separate wings and providing a shared free space.  © Sun Namgoong Live Hall The Live Hall is an underground multipurpose venue which can accommodate diverse programming for larger audiences. Utilizing basement levels in the design of Platform-L was essential in order to overcome floor area ratio limitations and make use of all available space as efficiently as possible. This spacious setting features eight-meter ceilings and is equipped with full A/V capabilities as well as reconfigurable seating which increases its versatility in facilitating various performances and events. Its interior is also finished as a white cube space in order to offer additional gallery space as needed to complement the building's upstairs galleries. A moving wall system further enhances the space's compatibility and allows it to be configured as a box theater, cinema or auditorium. Its removable seating and adjustable stage structure also provide additional opportunities for events such as fashion shows, weddings and other ceremonies.  © Sun Namgoong Product Description. Its façade covered with anodized aluminum panels helps to create an unique atmosphere responded to urban context. Due to the materials feature, Platform-L's façade reveals the mischievously dual nature of aluminum, with its uncanny mass-to-volume ratio.  © Sun Namgoong  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Mrs. Fan's Plugin House / People's Architecture Office Posted: 07 Dec 2016 11:00 AM PST  © Gao Tianxia / People's Architecture Office
 © Gao Tianxia / People's Architecture Office Mrs. Fan is from a traditional Chinese family. Newlyweds like her are expected to purchase a car and move into a new house in the suburbs to start the next phase of their life. But for people in their early 30's who wish to be financially independent, the astronomical price of real estate in Beijing makes buying a house on their own nearly impossible.  © Gao Tianxia / People's Architecture Office  Diagram  © Gao Tianxia / People's Architecture Office Mrs. Fan was born and raised in the Changchun Jie Hutong neighborhood in the center of historic Beijing. By the time she was in high school her family had moved to the suburbs while her old neighborhood, with outdated infrastructure and overcrowding, continued to descend into slum-like conditions. But Fan never got accustomed to suburban residential towers, preferring the intimacy of the close knit community she came from.  © Gao Tianxia / People's Architecture Office  Section  © Gao Tianxia / People's Architecture Office The affordability of the Plugin House, thirty times less than the cost of buying a typical apartment, made moving back to where Mrs. Fan grew up a practical reality. The living standard and energy efficiency of a Plugin equals or exceeds that of new apartment towers. And her daily commute to work is now reduced from four hours to one. The Plugin replaces part of the old house and adds new functions such as a kitchen and bathroom. The Changchun Jie neighborhood has no sewage system, so public toilets are usually the only option. But an off-the-grid composting toilet system integrated into the plugin makes Hutong life much more convenient.  Floor Plan The Plugin House is custom designed for Mrs. Fan. The living room ceiling extends upwards to provide a double height space with skylights on either side. Sunlight is channeled in from above to flood the previously dark interior with light. To relieve Mrs. Fan of her claustrophobia the small bathroom also has a skylight but receives reflected sunlight from a blue privacy screen. Even on gloomy days the bathroom is covered in a blue tint. A roof deck gives her breathing room from the dense surroundings and private social space.  © Gao Tianxia / People's Architecture Office PAO's proprietary prefabricated Plugin Panels makes the Plugin House very affordable. Originally developed for the Courtyard House Plugin for "house in house" renovations, the new Plugin House System is waterproof and can be used outside of an existing structure. These prefabricated modules incorporate insulation, interior and exterior finish into one molded part. Plugin Panels attach to each other with an integrated lock making construction a task simple enough to be completed by a couple of unskilled people and one tool in one day. Wiring and plumbing are integrated into the molded composite panels.  © Gao Tianxia / People's Architecture Office The architectural form of the Plugin is defined not by limitations imposed from regulations but instead the negotiated demands from surrounding neighbors. On all sides of the Plugin the structure cannot block sun light, air circulation, and views of the people next door. Even as the structure was built, new demands came about. The Plugin Panel material makes accommodating these changes practical, chopping off entire sections of the building can be done on site.  © Gao Tianxia / People's Architecture Office As an expression of intersecting social forces the Plugin House is a new urban vernacular born from local conditions. For original residents like Mrs. Fan to move back to these historic parts of Beijing is rare. Through improving living standards for an affordable price within given social constraints the Plugin House attempts to breathe new life into old neighborhoods.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| NFB Nursery / HIBINOSEKKEI + Youji no Shiro Posted: 07 Dec 2016 09:00 AM PST  © Ryuji Inoue / Studio Bauhaus
 © Ryuji Inoue / Studio Bauhaus From the architect. Nara province where the site located has 8 world heritage architectures. So this city has a lot of history. On the other side, the site is located at the center of the industrial residence in Yamatokoriyama city. Surrounding is a special sight with simple and no color factories. This project is to reform an old kindergarten at that site.  © Ryuji Inoue / Studio Bauhaus  © Ryuji Inoue / Studio Bauhaus We were trying to make a positive kindergarten at such a negative environment. And, by explain the "Factory" where can create stuffs and product things, we made the "Dream and creativity making factory" as our concept.  © Ryuji Inoue / Studio Bauhaus  Plan 1  © Ryuji Inoue / Studio Bauhaus About the surface, by consider the urban landscape, we made the designed that had hard texture feeling like a factory. At the same time, through the courtyard to set up a lot of greens, to create a soft atmosphere. In order to cultivate the kids' curiosity. And about the indoor, the places where usually be hidden were deliberately exposed, to create atmosphere like the factory. At the same time, through the ventilator of the piping made of transparent, and put the propeller inside, so that children can learn how the wind flow. By exposed the pipe of washbasin, let the kids know how the flow of water working inside the drain-pipe  © Ryuji Inoue / Studio Bauhaus Through the design of trampling generating plant, let the children learn how electricity is flowing. Like these, many discover places has been designed. Kindergarten is a place for education and growth, not a place with noble color and toys, as a kindergarten, let the children through their own thinking to create like what we respect is one of the results of our design.  © Ryuji Inoue / Studio Bauhaus  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Paul Revere Williams Wins 2017 AIA Gold Medal Posted: 07 Dec 2016 08:45 AM PST  LAX Theme Building, 1961. Image © Flickr user thomashawk. Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced Paul Revere Williams, FAIA as the posthumous winner of the 2017 AIA Gold Medal. With a portfolio of nearly 3,000 buildings over five decades, Williams' career was notable for breaking boundaries within the profession as the first black member of the AIA.  Paul Revere Williams. Image Courtesy of AIA "This is a moment in our Institute's history that is so important to recognize and acknowledge the work of a champion," said Phil Freelon, FAIA, Managing and Design Director at Perkins + Will, who presented to the AIA Board of Directors on behalf of Williams. "It's been many decades but Paul Williams is finally being recognized for the brilliant work he did over many years."  La Concha Motel, Las Vegas, 1961 (now Neon Museum). Image Courtesy of AIA A native of Los Angeles, Williams was known for his many schools, public buildings, and churches in a variety of styles, notably the Palm Springs Tennis Center (1946) and the space-age LAX Theme Building (1961). Eight of his buildings have been named to to the National Register of Historic Places.  Guardian Angel Cathedral, Las Vegas, 1961. Image Courtesy of AIA "Our profession desperately needs more architects like Paul Williams," wrote William J. Bates, FAIA, in his support of William's nomination for the AIA Gold Medal. "His pioneering career has encouraged others to cross a chasm of historic biases. I can't think of another architect whose work embodies the spirit of the Gold Medal better. His recognition demonstrates a significant shift in the equity for the profession and the institute."  LAX Theme Building, 1961. Image Courtesy of AIA As the 73rd AIA Gold Medalist, Williams joins an esteemed list of winners including Frank Lloyd Wright (1949), Louis Sullivan (1944), Le Corbusier (1961), Louis I. Kahn (1971), I.M. Pei (1979), Thom Mayne (2013), Julia Morgan (2014), Moshe Safdie (2015). Last year, the prize was given to Denise Scott Brown & Robert Venturi, the first time the Gold Medal was given to a pair of architects. Read more about Williams' nomination here. News via AIA.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The University of Kansas DeBruce Center / Gould Evans Posted: 07 Dec 2016 07:00 AM PST  © Steve Hall
 © Steve Hall From the architect. A unique hybrid of museum and student commons, the new DeBruce Center at the University of Kansas creates a permanent home for the historic two-page document on which, in 1891, James Naismith outlined The Original 13 "Rules of Basket Ball."  © Steve Hall  Diagram  © Steve Hall Gifted to the University, The Rules document became a catalyst for a new $12 million, 32,000 sf facility. The DeBruce Center needed to be more than just a game day attraction, however, as the University desired a building that would provide more student commons space to serve its campus throughout the academic year. Gould Evans responded with a design that weaves together the two distinct programs – an interpretive center built around the concept of The Rules, and a student commons – allowing the story of basketball to unfold at multiple scales and to multiple audiences.  © Steve Hall Using The Rules document as a point of departure, the architecture focuses on the creation of an immersive experience to tell the story of the University's role in the development of the game. Program is arranged along a linear pathway that winds through the open interior, connecting the story of The Rules and all building program - including a 200-seat dining commons for students and visitors, nutrition center for the men's and women's basketball teams, coffee shop, museum store and exhibits.  © Steve Hall The building consists of two main volumes: a three-story transparent prism within which exhibit and path are delicately suspended, and a single-story bridge connecting the building to the historic Allen Fieldhouse arena where James Naismith perfected the game. Within this bridge, the original 451-word document is enshrined by a perforated scrim containing the more than 45,000 words that make up the contemporary rules of the game, offering visitors a way to physically experience basketball's evolution over 125 years.  © Steve Hall A refined material palette of structural glass and honed black concrete highlights pedestrian movement within a transparent and overlapping building program. This spectacle of social activity breathes life into what might otherwise be a very traditional museum experience. Aluminum provides a substrate for marrying architecture and museum content – a continuous aluminum ramp weaves together exhibit content while perforated aluminum scrim walls wrapping the space where The Rules document is housed pay homage to its author and other significant figures in the history of the sport.  © Steve Hall Open since May 2016, the building is making a significant impact on the University by bringing student traffic to a growing quadrant of campus, acting as a primary attraction for prospective students and athletic recruits, drawing visitors from across the country, and strengthening its pride and sense of identity as "the cradle of basketball."  © Steve Hall Product Description. An aluminum-clad bridge enshrines the original Rules of Basketball document and connects to Allen Fieldhouse. Excerpts from the contemporary rules of basketball are engraved in the aluminum plate, wrapping the 451-word historical document in the more than 45,000 words that define the game today. This juxtaposition gives visitors a unique way to experience how the game has evolved over the past 125 years.  Bridge Vignette  © Steve Hall  Detail Likewise, the area between the exterior scrim and the building is a new "pocket park" where students and basketball fans can gather. The wheat pattern on the scrim references the KU Basketball fan tradition of "the waving of the wheat" during games.  © Steve Hall  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| InstruMMents Releases Portable Scanner to Digitally Capture the 3D Curves of Any Object Posted: 07 Dec 2016 06:15 AM PST Digitally modeling objects from real life has just become easier. Tech innovation company InstruMMents has unveiled a new functionality to their 01 portable dimension scanner that allows you to capture the 3D curves of any surface. Logging in to the Pro App, users can then track, share and export the curves into key 3D formats, allowing you to quickly recreate any desired object in 3D.  Courtesy of InstruMMents "Capturing not just dimensions, but character lines and sections of objects in 3D is essential to anyone working in 3D," said founder and CEO Mladen Barbaric. "Yet today, it's a really painful experience. We are going to change that." The 01 scanner launched in November with the Lite app, which allows you to capture the dimensions of any object. Now with the Pro app, users can create 3D curve files directly on their Android or iPhone.  Courtesy of InstruMMents The architectural applications of this new product are obvious – need to document an unusual wall contour or produce a 3D model of a unique furniture piece for a perspective drawing? The InstuMMents 01 with Pro App makes that possible. The 01 is available now for $149 at Indiegogo, and can be integrated into a pen, pencil or stylus for increased practicality. The Lite app is available for free download on Google Play and Apple App Store starting on December 10th, while the Pro app is expected to become available in Spring of 2017 at a cost of $10/year.  Courtesy of InstruMMents Learn more about this product, here. News via InstruMMents.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| We're Looking for ArchDaily México's Next Content Editor! Posted: 07 Dec 2016 05:30 AM PST We're hiring! Our team works with the most prestigious and influential architectural practices around the world in order to deliver specific and valuable content to a premium readership of architects. ArchDaily has quickly established itself as one of the leading architectural websites in the world due to our editorial staff’s meticulous understanding of what our audience is really looking for: the best architecture around the world, as soon as possible. And now, we're looking for another bright, enthusiastic and motivated member to join us. The editor we're looking for is passionate about producing content about local, emerging practices and publishing the work of Mexico's talented architects. This proactive, vocal and articulate individual will help shape the space for debate around important topics. If you live in Mexico and have excellent writing skills in Spanish, this is the opportunity for you! Interested? We're looking for... Calendar:
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| AS Building / Ambrosi I Etchegaray Posted: 07 Dec 2016 05:00 AM PST  © Rafael Gamo
 © Rory Gardiner The buildings in Condesa, Mexico City, have special regulations surrounding the preservation of architectural heritage because of the history of the neighborhood.  © Rory Gardiner The commision ask to design four living units on a site where a registred house with a historic facade was to be preserved. This condition inspired us to rethink life inside the old house and translate the schema into the new building.  Diagram The project's intention was to create interior spaces mimicking the original patios while mantaining privacy of these spaces from the other apartments. These patios allowed each apartment to be naturally lit and ventilated. Garden beds where also incorporated at the limits between the interior and the patios in order to incorporate the landscape within the architecture.  © Rafael Gamo  Floor Plan  © Rory Gardiner This process helped us understand how to treat a valued heritage with awarness and care and the result is an juxtaposition of memory and urban development.  © Rory Gardiner  Section  © Rory Gardiner  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Studio Gang Selected to Design Arkansas Arts Center Expansion Posted: 07 Dec 2016 02:45 AM PST  Courtesy of Arkansas Arts Center Studio Gang has been announced as the design architect for the $55-65 million expansion of the Arkansas Arts Center (AAC), located in Little Rock, Arkansas, beating out finalists Allied Works, Shigeru Ban Architects, Thomas Phifer and Partners and Snøhetta. Consisting of a renovation to existing theater and studio spaces, new education facilities for families and gallery space to house the museum's expanding art collection, the project will be Studio Gang's first art museum commission. "Designing a re-envisioned Arkansas Arts Center is a truly exciting commission," said Studio Gang founder Jeanne Gang. "Its extraordinary collection, historic MacArthur Park setting, and rich mix of programs present a unique opportunity to redefine how the arts can strengthen local communities and surrounding regions. We look forward to working closely with the AAC to discover how architecture can enhance the Center's important civic and cultural mission by creating new connections between people and the arts in Little Rock and beyond."  Courtesy of Arkansas Arts Center In naming the winner, the selection committee cited the firm's "elegant and smart approach to architecture, their understanding of the issues posed by the AAC's current facility, their vision for the center as a cultural beacon for Central Arkansas and their commitment to sustainability and strength as urban planners." "This project is about more than just addressing the physical issues of the current building. It requires rethinking how the AAC fits into the downtown fabric," said Todd Herman, executive director for the Arkansas Arts Center. "How can we best serve the community, and how do the AAC and MacArthur Park connect to other social and cultural nodes in downtown Little Rock? We want to do more than build; we want to transform the cultural experience." A capital campaign to maximize the impact of the public investment is currently underway. An RFQ to find a local architect to collaborate on the project will be issued later this month. News via Studio Gang, Arkansas Arts Center.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Suzhou Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum / Vector Architects Posted: 07 Dec 2016 02:00 AM PST  © Chen Hao
 © Chen Hao Suzhou Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum is located at east part of the Suzhou Horticultural Exposition Park, in a reserved village near Taihu Lake of Wuzhong District, Suzhou. The site is surrounded by river on its three sides, and the design is inspired by its natural environment and the traditional culture of the city- Suzhou.  © Eiichi Kano Our strategy is connecting different scattered functions by courtyards and outdoor corridors in order to generate the spatial experience of traditional building types. In consideration of local climates, it allows visitors to walk through those outdoor corridors between different courtyards when raining. The main spaces located in the courtyards are designed with identities, such as the dome theater covered by laminated bamboo louvers with green vegetation, the iconic cloud installation on the roof-top platform of the museum lobby, the observation tower that overlooks the surrounding view in distance and the restaurant at the water-front.  © Chen Hao  Second Floor Plan  © Chen Hao To meet the program requirements and reduce the negative impact on natural environment, the majority of the volume is covered by green roof. It amplifies the theme of blending the boundary between architecture and nature. The Suzhou Intangible cultural heritage museum offers people large amount of information and interactive experiences during their visit. Three atriums create natural ventilation and lighting, and direct visitors to the roof exhibition platform. It forms a public park with various types of vegetation where outdoor performances, dining events as well as educational and interactive experience can take place.  © Chen Hao  Sketch  © Chen Hao  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Why Architecture Needs Less London-Centrism and More Ideas in the Wake of Brexit Posted: 07 Dec 2016 01:30 AM PST  <a href='http://www.archdaily.com/421970/library-of-birmingham-mecanoo'>Library of Birmingham / Mecanoo</a>. Image © Christian Richters Between March of 2013 and December of 2014, Simon Henley of London-based practice Henley Halebrown wrote a regular column for ArchDaily titled "London Calling," covering architectural topics of note in the UK's capital. Now, Henley is returning to his column – but in the wake of 2016's shock political developments, his column is re-branding. Thus, here he presents the first of his column "Beyond London" – a look at architectural topics around the UK. Here, Henley presents his opinion on those political developments, and the role architects should play as the UK embarks on a new period in its history. Post-Brexit, British architects need to think hard about the profession's London-centric position. There has been a policy of inclusion of non-London architects on panels, their work in magazines and on awards shortlists, but this is not enough. It was quite clear on June 24th when the London design community awoke to the realization that Britain will leave the European Union, that a "Remain"-minded bubble had formed within the capital. The same may be true of the other large cities around the country which voted largely in favour of "Remain."  <a href='http://www.ashsak.com/project/the-malings-newcastle/'>The Malings, Newcastle / Ash Sakula</a>. Image © Jill Tate What was perhaps saddest was witnessing just how hostile or elitist individuals were prepared to be within this urbanist bubble. Mantras about inclusion and tolerance were out the window, particularly as Londoners declared their desire for an independent city state while undermining the intelligence and motives of "Leavers." In design terms, too, those in favor of Brexit were written off by some acerbic critics as nostalgia merchants mad on theme parks. Yet "Leavers" are a significant part of the population that anyone designing public buildings will encounter--whether as clients, through public consultation or as occupants of schools, hospitals and shopping centers (perhaps there are even a few quiet "Leavers" in avant-garde practices). So, there should be real social and cultural awareness of the concerns, values and perspectives of "Leavers" as expressed through their vote in the referendum.  <a href='http://www.archdaily.com/174968/park-hill-hawkins-brown-with-studio-egret-west'>Park Hill Redevelopment, Sheffield / Hawkins Brown with Studio Egret West</a>. Image © Daniel Hopkinson If part of the reason for voting to leave Europe was a sense of loss of national identity and disenfranchisement, then instead of belittling people for this, we should think how to address such issues. Identity has a lot to do with social cohesion and not just nationalism per se. Are architects in a position, for example, to think creatively and constructively to improve a sense of cohesion or solidarity in schools? Can we find building solutions that assist with regenerating areas desperately in need of investment? Can we work with local authorities and businesses towards masterplans and feasibility studies helping to unlock existing potential and enhancing ways in which existing buildings are used, updated and extended? And how, we may ask, can design and architecture help to strengthen local identity and distinctiveness of place? Transport infrastructure is key to many of today's challenges including the housing crisis. There is a myth about high density in cities being the best way to live. However, many urban dwellers are too cramped and out-priced to really enjoy their homes and neighborhoods. Now of course London's creative industries too are under threat as a result of the spiraling cost of real estate. The near-closure of nightclub Fabric, and closures of Curzon Mayfair Cinema and a number of street markets, together with artists recently being pushed out of Hackney Wick are indicative of this. As a result, new creative centers and ideas will emerge elsewhere. Architects should embrace this energy and help direct it in an intelligent way. For example, if commuting were improved, more families would enjoy more spacious and more affordable accommodation, alongside the fruits of cultural migration from big cities. A home could be just a home and not an asset to sweat for at every opportunity. Decentralization enables more families to cast the net wider in terms of where they choose to live, and new enterprise and activity would no doubt follow. However, currently there is a lot of posturing about how modernity can only exist in urban centers. We need to overcome this with a fresh, credible vision for contemporary life outside the metropolises.  <a href='http://www.archdaily.com/504031/everyman-theatre-haworth-tompkins'>Everyman Theatre, Liverpool / Haworth Tompkins</a>. Image © Philip Vile Despite the number of regeneration policies that exist to try and address such issues, many aspects of what makes a good place are poorly understood. The potential of intelligent retrofitting is often overlooked, perhaps because contractually there is less money in re-purposing. Councils are also not necessarily best placed to understand what makes their communities genuinely attractive or gives them the potential to be bolstered. Ideas seen to have worked elsewhere are unthinkingly replicated and generally there is too little original site-specific planning. It's time architecture once again became more a part of how we conceive the future of our cities rather than how we might style our future. Architects are well placed to do this. They are by nature generalists. They like complex issues and divergent thinking and yet their influence is on the wane. They need to play a more proactive role in fomenting new ideas, and challenging clients' briefs and preconceptions. We need more architects in positions of influence, involved in politics, local councils and as clients. We need more architects to think profoundly beyond their own location. And we need to work hard to think how physical spaces can be catalysts for a better way of life and contentment for everyone be they in Blackpool, Birmingham, Boxford, Bute or Balamory.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Shoesme / Joris Verhoeven Architectuur Posted: 07 Dec 2016 01:00 AM PST  © John van Groenedaal
 © John van Groenedaal The new headquarters of Shoesme, a childrens shoe's manufacturer in Tilburg, has been given two different faces. This conscious duality originated from its location in the city.  © John van Groenedaal  Section On one side, the building has a classical facade that radiates allure and status and blends seamlessly into the historic ribbon structure of the city. The gap in this typical street structure is filled with a building that always seems to have stood there. As if a missing link is put in the chain.  © John van Groenedaal The other side of the building is recessed relative to the street, a playful modern shoebox is put on a black base and slid into a glass facade. This very pronounced statement hides itself to the unwary passerby.  © John van Groenedaal Thus, it has become a building with two very different faces. The design is a result of the collaboration between architect Joris Verhoeven and designer Teun Fleskens. The main entrance of the office is situated under the expanded-metal box at the Trouwlaan and immediately reveals what the company is about; design and manufacture contemporary childrens shoe's. It tells the story of materiality, layering and plasticity. The building changes from closed to open depending on the facade and the time of day. When it gets dark for instance the shoebox changes in a diorama.  © John van Groenedaal  © John van Groenedaal  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Inside Zaha Hadid Architects' Mathematics Gallery for the London Science Museum Posted: 07 Dec 2016 12:30 AM PST  © Luke Hayes This week London's Science Museum will open The Winton Gallery, a new space dedicated to the study and exploration of mathematics, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. While this is the practice's first permanent public museum exhibition, it also represents the first UK project to open since the death of its eponymous founder and director. Inspired by the Handley Page aircraft, the design of the space was conceived through observing equations of airflow used in the aviation industry. The layout and lines of the gallery therefore represents the movement of air that would have flowed around this historic aircraft in flight – a metaphor which extends from the positioning of the showcases and benches to the three-dimensional curved surfaces of the central pod structure.  © Luke Hayes Positioned at the center of the gallery is the Handley Page 'Gugnunc' aeroplane, built in 1929 for a competition to construct an aircraft which could operate safely. According to the Science Museum, "ground-breaking aerodynamic research influenced the wing design of this experimental aeroplane, helping to shift public opinion about the safety of flying and to secure the future of the aviation industry." It therefore encapsulates the gallery's overarching theme, illustrating how mathematical practice has helped solve real-world problems and in this instance paved the way for the safe passenger flights that we rely on today.  Courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects
 Courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects According to the architects, "our design for the Gallery responds to the ambition of David Rooney and his team to present mathematics not as an academic concept, but as a practice that influences technology and enables the environment around us to be transformed. Mathematics and its tools have always played a central role in the evolution of the human understanding of nature and the constructed world: for example, Sir Isaac Newton's methods to derive the laws of gravitation, Henri Poincaré's extension of the Cartesian geometries to the planetary system and Lord Kelvin's use of the mathematical technique of curve-fitting to predict the tides."  © Luke Hayes  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| These Are the 3 Bus Stop Types Needed For Sustainable Transit Solutions Posted: 07 Dec 2016 12:00 AM PST  © NACTO The latest publication of the National Association of City Transportation Officials, NACTO, is the "Transit Street Design Guide" in which tips and proposals are presented on how to improve streets through urban design. The ideas are centered on prioritizing sustainable mobility so that both the member cities of the organization and those that have access to this document can improve their practices in relation to public spaces, mobility, and transportation.
From these recommendations, the organization made a series of designs classified according to the style of stops that are defined as somewhere "to do more than just wait." We talk about three such designs for bus stops below. 1. In-lane Sidewalk Stop  © NACTO Bus stops on sidewalks are probably the most common due to their low economic cost and how quickly they can be made. In addition, the design is easy to replicate on both the smaller and larger streets where traffic is mixed and bus lanes and car lanes aren’t necessarily separated by barriers. However, keeping cars or other private vehicles from traveling on bus routes is possible if the latter are painted with bright colors. Nevertheless, NACTO maintains that on very narrow sidewalks shelters for bus stops should be omitted. 2. Median Stop, Side Boarding  © NACTO In many cities around the world, it has become more common to see center lanes of large streets designated as bus lanes for public transport. This design is classified by NACTO as something that gives identity to the service and offers some of the following functional advantages; greater safety to passengers, allows buses to pass more frequently by reducing the presence of other types of vehicles, and gives a more orderly visual appearance. According to NACTO obtaining part of these advantages is possible if the size of the passenger waiting area is determined by the expected number of buses and the demand of the passengers. Additionally, options include using visual methods to indicate safe waiting areas for passengers, making sure the height of the platforms allows both passengers with or without reduced mobility to board the buses without inconvenience, and equipping stops with certain elements that provide comfort and protection such as seats, railings and ceilings. 3. On-street Terminal  © NACTO Streets referred to as terminals can be those close to intermodal stations or where a bus routed begins or ends. It is common for crowds of passengers to be present on the sidewalks and for buses not to travel with a fixed frequency. For this reason, NACTO recommends putting signage in sidewalk waiting areas so that people know where each bus stops and what their routes are. These signs should also use braille to keep passengers with reduced vision equally informed. They also advise against other activities taking place on the sidewalk so as not to get in the way of passengers getting on and off the buses or affect foot traffic. If you want to learn more about this guide, we recommend that you visit the NACTO website.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Call for ArchDaily Interns: Spring 2017 Posted: 06 Dec 2016 11:10 PM PST  ArchDaily is looking for a motivated and highly-skilled architecture-lover to join our team of interns for 2017! An ArchDaily Content internship provides a unique opportunity to learn about our site and write engaging, witty and insightful posts. Interested? Then check out the requirements below.
If you think that you have what it takes, please fill out the following form by December 19th 10:00 AM EST. Applications will be processed on a rolling basis; once we fill the position we will stop accepting applications. (Read: Submit early!) We will contact potential candidates (and only potential candidates) for follow-ups after December 19th. Late submissions will not be accepted! ArchDaily internships are compensated.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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