Arch Daily |
- Chicago Grill / Mjölk Architekti
- Hous*e L / re:a.c.t
- The Dasavatara Hotel / SJK Architects
- Garage and Utensils’ Depository in Timau / Ceschia e Mentil Architetti Associati
- Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour / architecture R/T
- Providence Neighbourhood Centre / Ellivo Architects
- 8 International & 178 American Architects Named to AIA College of Fellows
- Machmar Mill Art Center / PLAN Arquitectos
- 8 Projects Announced as Winners of 2017 Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards
- Saatchi & Saatchi New York Office / M Moser Associates
- Morphosis Employs Fiber-Reinforced Facade for Kolon Headquarters in Seoul
- Bigwood / Olson Kundig
- The Top 10 Historical Architecture Sites to Visit in Iran
- Casa 40 / Sergio Reyes Rodríguez
- Apprentice School in Brétigny-sur-Orge / archi5
- Humanity and Art Entwined - How NADAAA's Exhibit Became Blankets for Syrian Refugees
- Watch How JAJA Co-Founders of Park ‘n’ Play are Redefining Public Space
- Morris Law / Bornstein Lyckefors arkitekter
| Chicago Grill / Mjölk Architekti Posted: 10 Feb 2017 09:00 PM PST  © Boys Play Nice
 © Boys Play Nice  Floor Plan From the architect. The main task was to design interior space of typical Americain pub for a client who comes from Chicago and now is based in Liberec. The space is beautiful Art Deco 19th century building which was originally used as a showroom for pianos from piano factory near Liberec. The question here was how to give new look but preserve the quality and charm of this space.  © Boys Play Nice We decided to preserve all plaster decoration and window details only we unified them with single colour. To accentuate this original design we have chosen raw materials to build the pub. For example the bar itself is made of old corrugated iron sheet. The wall behind the bar is garnished with black basalt bricks and decorated with colored metal blinds. Floors are made of bare concrete. This choice of materials gives the space industrial atmosphere which is very close to very atmosphere of Chicago.  Elevation  Detail The ceiling of the restaurant is very high and therefore the acoustic was problematic. So we decided to shatter acoustic with three huge lamps made of fiberglass. Same material was used for the entrance tunnel. We chose this particular material because of its unique quality of light distribution. After three months from opening we can say we managed to create a warm and friendly spot in Liberec. The proof maybe is the fact that Chicago is constantly full with people enjoying the genius loci as well as delicious typical American burgers.  © Boys Play Nice  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 10 Feb 2017 06:00 PM PST  © Relja Ivanic
 Ground Floor Plan From the architect. The school of the Serbian language and culture, with a hostel, is located in Valjevo, a small city in the west of Serbia. The object is situated on one of the hills of the wider city center, among the private houses of a similar or smaller volume. In order to meet the clients' needs for diverse space types and also in order to adequately correspond to the surrounding ambience, the architecture of the object is designed as a quiet neighbor, who also uses all the benefits of the location in order to realize different spatial qualities.  © Relja Ivanic A narrow and sloped lot with an outstanding view towards the cityscape, as well as the mixed function of the object, were the main motives for the architectural and spatial concept. The two different, but complementary, functions of the building are organized in the overlapping sequences of the different types of spaces and ambiances. The overall character of the building is open and inviting, aiming to include the city in the life of the school and its activities. Despite this openness, the intimate corners and the quiet common areas are also integrated into a rich, but yet very simple, spatial scheme.  Axonometric Diagram The winded and branched communication line, from the entrance point to the flat roofs or to the hidden backyard, and the series of micro-ambiences with different functions (an open classroom with the stand, a courtyard under vines at the lowest level and so on) were the goals to achieve by shaping the form divided into two volumes, gathered in a dynamic composition by virtue of rotation and elevation, and the carefully placed openings and connections.  © Relja Ivanic The school object is designed to house a private language school, known for its successful and well-visited summer courses, which gather mainly international students of the Slavic languages. Therefore, the visual contact with the local urban landscape and its surroundings acts not only as one of the visual, but also educational addition to its users' experience.  © Relja Ivanic The main structure of the building is designed as a system made of reinforced concrete wrap – the façade walls, and the full floor slabs in the same material. The interiors of the volumes are designed as open spaces, divided according to the user's actual needs by light wall partitions or glass panels. The overall selection of the materials and the construction methods, as well as the quality of the finishing works, all correspond to the lower price range of the construction and the local know-how of an average quality. The main architectural goal was to build plural ambiances and meaningful spatial impressions. Product Description: - The frontal, street façade of the building is designed as ventilated façade system using the Swisspearl fiber-cement panels, with movable elements so it gives a changeable frontal elevation to the building.  Courtesy of re:a.c.t  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Dasavatara Hotel / SJK Architects Posted: 10 Feb 2017 02:00 PM PST  © Himanshuu Sheth
 © Rajesh Vora From the architect. The most venerated, and the wealthiest temple trust in India, Tirumala – Tirupati, is considered to be the sacred abode of Lord Vishnu, one of the three supreme deities in the Hindu Trinity. The practice of religion here is devout and ritualistic with great faith being invested in the idol and the customs of the temple. The temple is visited by 20 million devout pilgrims annually requiring organised crowd management. The area is considered auspicious for wedding rituals and celebrations and caters to discerning business travellers who like to combine leisure conferences with a divine temple visit.  © Rajesh Vora The brief required us to build a 121 key boutique Hotel on a 13150 Sq.m plot of land, at the foothills of the Saptagiri Mountain range. The functions included Guests rooms & Suites, Banqueting facilities a Business center, Health center with a Spa, Gym, a Games room & Swimming pool and 2 Specialty restaurants.  © Rajesh Vora  Ground Plan  © Rajesh Vora The all pervading position of the worship of Lord Balaji (or Lord Vishnu) in this temple town pointed us towards an environment that embodies the classical elements of temple architecture - the orthogonal, introverted Hindu temple plan. The need to express both divinity and serenity after the overwhelming experience of gaining a glimpse of the Lord also guided this design. These ideas have been refined & distilled into a contemporary building with a central open courtyard and a water body, within which "floats" the all day dining space – 'The Lotus Café', envisioned as a lotus in the pond. This central water body forms the core of the hotel, both spatially & experientially. Simplicity and divinity are the core values this building stands for whereas the interiors draw on craft, mythology and symbolism to weave a story that one encounters throughout the project.  © Rajesh Vora Mythology recounts that the Lord Vishnu appeared on the earth in ten incarnations called the Dasavatara - each avatar appropriate to his position as a saviour within that era. It is said that whenever there is a decline of religion, Vishnu is said to incarnate himself to protect the good, to destroy the wicked and re-establish the balance of life on earth. These avatars also represent the evolution of humankind and each embody character, stories, colour and emotion. The interiors of all the public spaces have been designed to represent an avatar, replete with character, colour and symbolism.  © Rajesh Vora Craft & Culture are an inherent part of the Indian ethos & are embedded as tradition within rural communities. Every region has its distinct crafts that reflect its history. Andhra Pradesh the state in which Tirupati resides, is known for its varied textiles & metal crafts. Symbols associated with these ten avatars have been contemporized using the "dokra" craft and integrated into the project as door handles. Wall artworks that use the bidri form of silver in gunmetal, and the kalamkari painters of nearby Srikalahasti have been incorporated in various locations whereas,the traditional weaves of the area have been designed into the furnishings.  © Himanshuu Sheth Product Description. Black Gold Paint, Sandstone, Beige wall paint, Blue tiled water body, Imperial Beige Turkish Marble flooring & shear glass facades: Guest Block's south façade has been finished in an exterior grade black-gold paint (exterior grade paint was customised with Archital- Oikos, to arrive at a specification that is anti-fungal & breathable) Black Gold tone was customised in Metal Paint specification as well & used as final finish on all Structural steel columns (200mm dia circular columns) Exterior façade along the South & internal façade along east length of waterbody has a Teak sandstone finish, respectively used as stone on edge & cut stone in a staggered pattern (Stone supplied by Italiano Stones & Tiles ). These stones were pre-sealed and fixed using a specialised polymeric adhesive based grout from Ardex Endura ( to help reduce structural loading factors otherwise encountered while using cement mortar while cladding walls)  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Garage and Utensils’ Depository in Timau / Ceschia e Mentil Architetti Associati Posted: 10 Feb 2017 12:00 PM PST  © Alessandra Chemollo
 © Alessandra Chemollo From the architect. The building is located in a village of the Carnic Alps very close to the Austrian border; a German dialect, which goes back to the XII century, is spoken here. In the aftermath of II World War the valley has witnessed substantial migration fluxes inbound and outbound; this phenomenon has generated, in time, an heterogeneous architectural context which went to the detriment of a building identity that we are used to think when we talk about the Alpine imaginary.  © Alessandra Chemollo The architectural concept is expressed by the simple means of rural architecture which are used as primary instruments so as to try to avoid the realization of a mimetic or nostalgic operation. The building does not inherit, from the past, the form but the candor and the simplicity of its presentation.  © Alessandra Chemollo The shadows of the reinforced concrete volumes, and their wooden roof covering, emerge. The infill wood of the deposit structures, which have to be strongly ventilated, in the same way as some of the coverings of the seven structures are of this material. Wooden batons are always used although with some variation.  © Alessandra Chemollo It is used, following a logic of reducing as much as possible what is necessary, as an airing grill, to build the front doors, other doors and windows, to protect the lighting system or to allow for the utensil's deposit.  Floor Plan The building's location solves the fracture of the building fabric and produces two results: reconnecting the village main road to what is near through the stairway leading to the vegetable garden, increasing the value of what is far, with the window that frames the wood and allows a dignified collocation of the small cast iron small fountain (already there before the intervention).  © Alessandra Chemollo The presence of the water is the metaphor of its life path. As from the mountain it leaks into the rocks to become source, so it glides from the central canopy to the aluminum septum to finally disappear in the stone tank at the pose base.  Section Details  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour / architecture R/T Posted: 10 Feb 2017 11:00 AM PST  © Harshan Thomson
 © Harshan Thomson The chapel bears no resemblance to others in the locality, yet has a deep rooted connection to its location. The building with natural stone textures blends well with the surrounding vegetation and complements the hill slope on which it abuts. The natural stone backdrop provides a divine setting, bathed in natural light, to the prayer hall. Other than the flat portion of the site where the old demolished chapel was sited, the rest of the area including the hill slope and the hill top beyond was replete with wild vegetation and teak trees that has been left more or less undisturbed.  Ground Floor Plan The chapel has been built in the most environment friendly manner. For one, the entire hill slope has been conserved and the rocky hill slope integrated into the building to its advantage by using it as a key feature of its interior space. Secondly the texture of this natural edifice that forms part of the building has been left undisturbed both inside as well as outside the building.  © Harshan Thomson  © Harshan Thomson One of the key aspects is the way in which the rocky hill slope is conserved and integrated to be a characteristic part of the design and building as a whole. The use of stone as a primary element for structural support and the adoption of vernacular load bearing system of construction are exemplary of longevity and sustainable use of stone as a building material. The large existing laterite rock that forms the backdrop to the altar of the main prayer hall is the key feature of the building and this feature is further enhanced by the use of a complimenting grey basalt stone in the main triangular profiled side walls that frame this rock face.  © Harshan Thomson Product Description. Basalt stone has been used for all load bearing foundation masonry, plinth masonry and load bearing walls in the superstructure with walls reaching a height of up to 9m., also used in masonry for the entrance flight of steps and retaining wall of the adjacent building block. The colours of the basalt stone contrasts well with the laterite rock face on which the building abuts. It also blends well with the surrounding vegetation. Besides its aesthetic appeal, basalt stone is 7 times the strength of concrete and taking advantage of the fact, the entire building which scales a height to more than 9m at some places was built using this stone in load bearing system of construction.  © Harshan Thomson  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Providence Neighbourhood Centre / Ellivo Architects Posted: 10 Feb 2017 09:00 AM PST  © Scott Burrows
 © Tony Phillips From the architect. Completed in April 2016, the Providence Neighbourhood Centre is situated in the heart of the Ripley Valley, surrounded by parklands with views to mountain ranges beyond. The Providence Centre will function as the towns Community Centre – and includes generous public and private Community Rooms, Gallery Spaces, Media Room as well as Forty West café.  © Scott Burrows  Floor Plan  © Scott Burrows The building's open plan design allows spaces to be either public or private, with considered selection and placement of folding doors and walls which can be opened or closed to create a variety of room sizes. Generous shaded timber decks cantilever toward the Splash 'n' Play parklands.  © Tony Phillips The building design draws inspiration from the existing context and features a natural vs. industrial material palette. A balance of raw and modern textures such as brick, timber and exposed metal structure give the building a relatable personality. Generous roof cantilevers provide shading to the café and entertainment deck, while high level roofing and skylights allows natural lighting to flow through the building. Views toward the Ripley Valley and surrounds are maximised through the building's open plan design with full height windows where possible throughout. Design for future-use was core to the design with considered placement and selection of structural elements and materials.  © Scott Burrows  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 8 International & 178 American Architects Named to AIA College of Fellows Posted: 10 Feb 2017 08:15 AM PST  One Airport Square / Mario Cucinella Architects. Image © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has named 178 AIA members to be elevated to its prestigious College of Fellows, an honor awarded to members who have made "a significant contribution to architecture and society and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession." Out of the 90,000 members that make up the AIA, approximately 3 percent are recognized as fellows. The designation is given to architects with at least 10 years of AIA membership who have been nominated in one or more of the following categories.
The full list of this year's fellows can be found here.  Marinilla Educational Park / El Equipo de Mazzanti. Image © Rodrigo Dávila The AIA also has named 8 international architects honorary fellows for "their exceptional work and contributions to architecture and society on an international level," nominated within the same 5 categories. This year's list includes:
More information on this year's recipients can be found here. News via AIA. AIA Elevates 149 Members to College of Fellows  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Machmar Mill Art Center / PLAN Arquitectos Posted: 10 Feb 2017 07:00 AM PST  © Pablo Blanco
 © Pablo Blanco From the architect. Its a common thing that, due to social and technological changes and also because of programmatic inconsistencies for the present times, different types of projects becomes abandoned and deteriorated. Hence, and some time ago, the Amsterdam Declaration, with respect to integrated conservation, stated the importance of certain buildings, which had to be preserved by mutating their use, but rescuing the patrimonial asset to the present life.  © Pablo Blanco As it is clear the heritage building is not adapted to be an Art Center, it must be conditioned for this, combining the new program and current technologies with the heritage legacy.  © Pablo Blanco  © Pablo Blanco THE PROJECT The condition of a new program, Art Center, that was to be implemented in a building that was designed to be a a mil, built in 1940, and that also had special values and characteristics, such as a pure volumetry of dense granulometry, a special and weakened structural system, plus a series of small voids, which were the conduits through which the flour circulated, made the interior look like a machine contained in a big bucket of wood, elements that had to be considered  © Pablo Blanco  © Pablo Blanco The first intervention was to recognize externally that the heritage building was unique, and that the new square meters could not be designed that way, so, there should be a counterpoint between existence and the new parts, generating a large wood cube and a smaller reinforced concrete volume.  Section  Plans This great industrial machine, once a mill and now an Art Center, becomes the analogy to the flour production machine, with all the facilities in sight, as a living production system of the building, which does not hide its imperfections but shows them as part of the design.  © Pablo Blanco The series of original voids, which characterized the interior, were synthesized in two major voids that visually connect the interior between levels and also allows to see the original structure, composed of main and secondary beams which were no longer capable to structurally respond to the new use. Therefore, a parallel structure was designed, which sustains the building as an in sight scaffold that participates in the entire network of facilities, in an industrial aesthetic.  © Pablo Blanco The volumetric relation of the patrimonial and the new was solved with the theater room in the new building and the program of expositions and offices iin the original building, and all the vertical circulations were located towards the slope, In such a way, that the larger spaces would be overlooking the lake and the volcanoes.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 8 Projects Announced as Winners of 2017 Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards Posted: 10 Feb 2017 05:05 AM PST  Courtesy of Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards 2017 After announcing its 23 finalists in November 2016, the Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards 2017 have selected 8 winning projects, which were announced on Friday, February 10 at the CEPT University Campus in Ahmedabad, India. Now in its 9th edition, Archiprix International is a biennial event which showcases the best graduation projects of students from all over the globe in Architecture, Urban Design and Landscape Architecture. Coming from Australia, Austria, Chile, the United States, New Zealand, Poland and Singapore, the winners are: Emanuel Astete, Ship Construction Museum. Celebrating the naval identity of Valdivia  Courtesy of Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards 2017 Hannah Broatch, Housing for Construction Workers in Ahmedabad. Jugaad urbanism to empower a labour colony  Courtesy of Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards 2017 Jonathon Donnelly and Jennifer McMaster, MA|UA. Museum of Architecture | Jørn Utzon Archive  Courtesy of Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards 2017 Alexander Gebetsroither, I-710/I-105. More than infrastructure  Courtesy of Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards 2017 Yuan Jin, Through Thick and Thin. A celebration of spatial experiences  Courtesy of Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards 2017 Katarzyna Pankowska, City's Thermal Bath. Balancing body, mind and soul  Courtesy of Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards 2017 Jason Tan, Badabing Badaboom. The politics of conditioned air in a Goldrush Boomtown  Courtesy of Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards 2017 Edgard Alfredo Torres Torres, Rodolfo Alejandro Cespedes Muñoz, and Jonathan Alexander Mendez Osorio, Inhabiting highest in the Andes. Three works that value Maule’s cattlemen  Courtesy of Archiprix International / Hunter Douglas Awards 2017 Find more details of the prize here. News and descriptions via Archiprix International.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Saatchi & Saatchi New York Office / M Moser Associates Posted: 10 Feb 2017 05:00 AM PST  © Eric Laignel
 © Eric Laignel From the architect. M Moser assisted Saatchi & Saatchi with evaluations of densification strategy to consolidate their business units into one floor by utilizing an open floor plan, which allowed for a series of collaborative spaces. The overall goal was to achieve a new space that was edgy, modern, and fitting of their creative brand.  © Eric Laignel  Floor Plan  © Eric Laignel Existing office fronts were removed to contain costs, thereby creating open rooms on the perimeter. The walls provided ample opportunity for the creative staff to pin up work in process and display their creative efforts with the staff.  © Eric Laignel The interior open plan has a floating linear slot wood ceiling strategically placed to create hub areas where collaborative spaces have been created. Shared conference room and meeting areas were dispersed along the perimeter to provide spaces with acoustical privacy and balance the open floor plan. The main café space has been located on the west side of the floor at the perimeter windows for sweeping views of the Hudson River.  © Eric Laignel  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Morphosis Employs Fiber-Reinforced Facade for Kolon Headquarters in Seoul Posted: 10 Feb 2017 04:30 AM PST  Exterior Perspective. Image © Morphosis Architects Morphosis Architects has revealed their designs for a new headquarters for manufacturing corporation The Kolon Gorup to be located in in emerging Magok district of Seoul, South Korea. Part of a revitalization effort fostered by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to turn the area into a new "industrial ecosystem," the four-acre project will sit adjacent to Magok's central park, becoming the district's first major completed building.  Park View. Image © Morphosis Architects A diverse corporation that began its life as a nylon manufacturer, the Kolon Group now comprises 38 divisions ranging from textiles to chemicals to sustainable technologies to fashion. To support this myriad of focuses, Kolon required an expansive, yet consolidated R & D campus that could bring together researchers, leadership and designers into a single location housing flexible laboratory facilities, executive office and active social spaces to encourage interaction and the exchange of ideas throughout the company.  © Morphosis Architects To achieve these goals, Morphosis has designed a folding, high-tech building organized around a grand entry and multi-story atrium. Research laboratories are placed into three wings that extend out from the voluminous social mass, which angles down toward the park to provide shading to the lower floors. Along the street level, flagship retail and exhibition galleries will draw in visitors and communicate the brand's products to the public. A transparent ground plane at the entrance draws the landscape into the interior, with natural light directing visitors through an open pedestrian laneway into the the grand entry and social center. Movement will be on display throughout the the 30 meter tall, 100 meter long atrium, as well as a massive system of 8 meter "stretchers" that will display a range of Kolon-made fabrics.  Interior Atrium. Image © Morphosis Architects The use of Kolon products continues to the building exterior, where the distinctive brise-soleil system on the western facade utilizes a GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic) formulation containing of Kolon's high-tech Aramid fabric to create a performative and symbolic feature for the building. The system has been parametrically shaped to optimize shading and views.  © Morphosis Architects  © Morphosis Architects The design was also approached with environmental sustainability in mind, with measures including green roofs, recycled materials, and a bubble deck slab that reduces the amount of concrete used by 30%. "The performance of the building was approached as a holistic concept encompassing energy efficiency, resource conservation, and environmental stewardship, working in concert with education and employee health and wellbeing," explain the architects. "Along with goals for LEED Gold and the most rigorous sustainability certification in Korea, the project focuses on the quality of the work environment through roof terraces, courtyards, and other measures that increase access to natural light and air for employees."  Facade Model. Image © Morphosis Architects Construction on the project is already underway, with an expected completion date of March 2018. News via Morphosis.  Current Construction. Image © Morphosis Architects
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| Posted: 10 Feb 2017 03:00 AM PST  © Benjamin Benschneider
 © Benjamin Benschneider When I first visited this site, the owner and I immediately had the idea for a building that seems to be emerging out of the landscape. The east end of the house is buried, while the two projecting west-facing wings have unobstructed 270-degree views of Bald Mountain, Griffin Butte, and Adams Gulch. The house takes advantage of all the site has to offer: sweeping landscape views, balanced with a sense of being underneath, within. I'm always trying to find the yin and yang of a place. Likewise, the two main sections have windows onto a central courtyard, and the pivot wall opens to face it as well. The idea was to create more intimate moments that would balance the big views.  © Benjamin Benschneider  Floor Plan  © Benjamin Benschneider The clients wanted a modern house that would feel authentic to the high desert mountain landscape. So it is rugged; the client calls the style "mountain industrial." Everything that touches the earth is stone and board-formed concrete, and everything that projects out is steel and glass. The roof is made of corrugated weathered steel and slopes slightly. The wood finishes on the interior are intended to make the occupant feel warm and protected, in weather that can at times drop to minus 20 degrees.  © Benjamin Benschneider There are patios under the cantilevered sections; it's a two-for-one solution in which you get some shaded recreational space in the summer, and keep the building well above the snow line in the winter. The cantilevers are supported by masts that are also see-through fireplaces. The one supporting the main section is in fact two fireplaces: one indoors (in the great room above) and one outdoors (in the patio below). The wings are connected by a steel-and-glass bridge with a south-facing wall that pivots entirely open. It's twenty-five feet long and counterbalanced overhead—the first time we've done that at this scale—by a large steel weight that sits five feet above the roof. The hand-wheel crank that operates it is attached to an eight-foot-long screw.  © Benjamin Benschneider  © Benjamin Benschneider  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Top 10 Historical Architecture Sites to Visit in Iran Posted: 10 Feb 2017 01:30 AM PST  As the remnants of an empire that once covered almost the entire area from Greece to China, Iran is full of historic wonders. Due to the country's current political situation, it is not exactly a top tourist destination and as such many of these wonders are kept a secret from the rest of the world. As with any historical building, the ten sites listed below each contain a rich history within their spaces. However, Iran's history is exceptionally complex, layered with dynasties and rulers whose influence extended way beyond modern-day Iran. These sites, therefore, are physical memories of the rich culture that underpins Iranian people today, despite the radical change in the country's political sphere after the 1979 Revolution. Sacred sites for the Zoroastrians, for example, are still visited and remembered, despite the restrictions placed upon them by the Iranian government. The essences of these sites provide opportunities to learn about and empathize with the history of Iran, beyond what we hear in the news. 1. Shah Mosque, Isfahan Shah Mosque, Isfahan. Image © Ariana Zilliacus The one architectural site that shows up in the vast majority of Iran travel guides is a space covered in beautiful blue and yellow mosaics—known as Shah Mosque, but officially renamed Imam Mosque after the 1979 Revolution. It is famous for a reason of course, which is why it's starting off our list. You could spend an entire day walking around the mosque, taking in its details, finding its hidden secrets. One thing you must not miss is the experience of standing under the center of the main dome, on a small square singled out by the fact that it is made of a different kind of stone. Stand there and speak. The echoes that are created by your voice are indescribable, and that experience is worth a visit in itself. 2. Ali Qapu Palace, Isfahan Ali Qapu Palace, Isfahan. Image © Ariana Zilliacus The Ali Qapu Palace is filled with layers of architecture and time, quite literally. The building was built in stages, starting with the compact cubic entrance, then expanding with an "upper hall," adding two stories above the entrance. On top of this came the Music Hall and later the large eastern veranda opening up towards the square. Finally the veranda was adorned with 18 wooden columns supporting a wooden ceiling. Shah Abbas used the palace as a place to entertain his guests during the Safavid Dynasty, explaining the great details contained in every single room to create complex and beautiful decorative forms. 3. Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, Shiraz Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, Shiraz. Image © Ariana Zilliacus If you get up extra early for one thing in Iran, let it be the Nasir-ol-Molk (or "Pink") Mosque in Shiraz. Experiencing the quiet room as the sun rises and washes through the coloured glass is a tranquil, humbling experience. Although the room quickly fills up with tourists snapping their cameras, zipping their sweaters and coughing in the dry air, having a few moments to yourself in the early hours of the morning are what makes the Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque worth visiting. It allows one to sense the personal, inner space it was meant to create. If Shiraz seems too far out of reach, you can experience the space through a virtual 360-degree perspective here for the time being. 4. Golestan Palace, Tehran Golestan Palace, Tehran. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/lfphotos/1248435439/'>Flickr user lfphotos</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/'>CC BY-SA 2.0</a> The Golestan Palace is a collection 17 structures in the form of gardens, Iranian craftwork and old royal buildings that were once contained within the "arg" or citadel walls of Tehran. Almost all the structures were built during the Qajar Dynasty, from 1797-1834. Unfortunately, a large number of the buildings were destroyed during the rule of Reza Shah from 1925-1945, due to his belief that the old architecture of the city should not hinder its modern growth. 5. Persepolis, Shiraz Persepolis, Shiraz. Image © Ariana Zilliacus Situated 60 kilometers northeast of Shiraz, Persepolis (literally "the city of Persians" in Greek) was the ceremonial capital of Persia during the Achaemenid Empire around 550-330 BC. The archeological ruins cover a total of 1.6 square kilometers with remnants of enormous columns, two royal palaces and gardens, and what is believed to be the mausoleum of Cyrus the Great. One enters through the Gate of All Nations, where international explorers from hundreds of years ago have carved their names into the walls, now protected by glass barriers. Persepolis' history is what makes it so powerful, despite the number of tourists that can now be found there. 6. Earth City of Yazd Badgir Wind Towers, Yazd. Image © Ariana Zilliacus Yazd is filled with old single-storey mud-brick buildings that are hidden around narrow alleys, creating a maze-like city structure that was initially meant to confuse potential attackers. Most homes contain an inner courtyard, often with a small pond, in order to cool down the buildings and improve air circulation. Some more fortunate residents could afford to build "badgir" or "wind-catchers" that drag fresh air down into the rooms and courtyards, maximizing airflow. Climbing up to a rooftop will open up another world; the earthen landscape that is created by the organic domes and magnificent "badgir" will give you an entirely different perspective on the old architecture of Yazd. 7. Naqsh-e Rustam Necropolis, Shiraz Naqsh-e Rustam Necropolis, Shiraz. Image © Ariana Zilliacus Located around 12 kilometers northwest of Persepolis are enormous monuments carved into the mountains, housing the final resting places of the Achaemenid kings. Unfortunately the tombs were raided by Alexander the Great, however this does not affect the majestic appearance of their exteriors in any way. The sheer size of the the stone carvings are difficult to grasp, let alone the thought of people laboring under the hot sun to produce them. 8. Qavam House, Shiraz Qavam House, Shiraz. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/blondinrikard/18870163966/'>Flickr user blondinrikard</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> When the Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque begins to get too crowded, you can take a walk to the Qavam House just a short distance away. It was constructed between 1879-1886, and contains a spectacular display of mirrors and reflective mosaics. 9. Tower of Silence, Yazd Tower of Silence, Yazd. Image © Ariana Zilliacus Zoroastrians believed that the dead body would "pollute" the earth if buried in it; in order to combat this problem, they built the Towers of Silence close to the sky, where special caretakers would carry up the dead. In these large and exposed circular spaces, the sun and birds left behind nothing but bones, that were later collected and finally disintegrated by lime and water. The Towers haven't been used since the 1960s, as the Iranian government has banned this practice. At the bottom of the Towers lie the ruins of a small village, almost entirely camouflaged by the desert. 10. Khaju Bridge, Isfahan Khaju Bridge, Isfahan. Image © Ariana Zilliacus Built by the Persian Shah Abbas during the Safavid Dynasty around 1650, Khaju is not only a bridge, but also served as a dam and a popular public meeting space. It boasts 23 arches spanning over 133 meters, though unfortunately little water runs under them today; the Zayanderud is dried out for most of the year, due to the Chadegan Reservoir dam built in 1972 for a large hydroelectric project. Unfortunately, this has dampened much of the life that was once at the center of the city.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Casa 40 / Sergio Reyes Rodríguez Posted: 10 Feb 2017 01:00 AM PST  © Santiago Pinyol
 © Santiago Pinyol Casa 40 sits on a site on the outskirts of Bogotá in the neighbouring city of La Calera. Anchored in a gated countryside development with a low number of single family residences, this particular plot of land offers unique scenic elements that help place, shape and constrain the Architecture.  © Santiago Pinyol  Floor Plan  © Santiago Pinyol The client requires a single level home that can potentially have as many visual connections to the surrounding landscape as possible, but keeping a high level of privacy from future neighbours. This demands a strategic placement of the house that allows permeability and privacy to coexist.  © Santiago Pinyol In order to achieve this, the project assembles three elongated modules that seclude the residence from the adjacent lots on the north and south. At the same time, the modules open themselves towards the scenic views and the morning to afternoon sun path on the east and west. Courtyards (patios) break the modules and bring light, natural ventilation and landscape features inside the residence.  Diagram The structure enhances the spatial concept of the house. Load bearing walls (fins), in addition to floor and roof slabs, complete a simple and pragmatic structural principle that performs well in high seismic risk areas such as this one. It also builds upon the spatial intentions as it allows for the different spaces to relate visually and physically without the obstruction of columns.  © Santiago Pinyol The façade is reduced to a palette of three materials that respond efficiently to the temperature and climate conditions of its context. They are also materials easily found and adequately built with little or no maintenance issues. White exposed concrete on external slabs and textured stucco on external walls clad the main body of the house, while a teak wood cladding device softens the surfaces and acts as an ideal insulating material.  © Santiago Pinyol  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Apprentice School in Brétigny-sur-Orge / archi5 Posted: 10 Feb 2017 01:00 AM PST  © Sergio Grazia
 Floor Plan  © Sergio Grazia From the architect. The new apprentice school is dedicated to the learning of construction jobs (masonry, woodworking, steelworking, electricity, painting...) We wanted the school to be a pride reason for the students. We designed it as a rational, human and generous building.  © Sergio Grazia  © Sergio Grazia It is conceived as a small scale campus. Connected to public space through a large parvis, it's a welcoming and reassuring public facility. The facades evoke the knowledge about building jobs teached inside the school. The courtyard is the heart of the school, thinked as an Agora. It's a metaphor of a cloister with its central garden surrounded by a covered path. This walkway is animated by the reflects on inox cladding and leads to two larges sheltered spaces. The Agora as a central point allows a simple use of the school, an easy indentification of different spaces and optimized movements for teachers and students to their classes and workshops. Each main area of the school is designated by its own color.  © Sergio Grazia Architectural choices are made to mix use comfort, raw and robust materials and economic building conception. This school is here to create foundations of the apprentices future carreers. The school shows in its form the knowledge teached inside. It's symbolic of its function and offers comfortable spaces, both for living and learning.  Section  Elevation  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Humanity and Art Entwined - How NADAAA's Exhibit Became Blankets for Syrian Refugees Posted: 10 Feb 2017 12:00 AM PST  The exhibit was hung from the roof of the Electric Hanger exhibition hall. Image © Roland Halbe Jordanian artist Raya Kassisieh, with the support of American firm NADAAA, has repurposed her exhibit from the Amman Design Week in Jordan to create blankets for Syrian refugees and Jordanian families. The Entrelac exhibit, created by Kassisieh and NADAAA, consists of 300kg of hand-knit, un-dyed wool which was later cut and stitched to create blankets for those fleeing the Syrian Civil War, now approaching its sixth year.  The exhibit was displayed at the Amman Design Festival in September 2016. Image © Roland Halbe During the inaugural Amman Design Week in September 2016, the Entrelac garment was hung from the roof of the Electric Hanger exhibition hall. The installation sought to create a dialogue between digital design and traditional craft. Although designed using computer-simulated physics, Entrelac was realized by hand, with twenty Jordanian women hand-knitting the twenty-eight large strands forming the exhibit.  The exhibit was hand-knit by Jordanian women. Image Courtesy of NADAAA The craftswomen from all regions of Jordan carefully and skillfully knitted each strand in their homes and workshops, a production network which permitted easy installation of the final exhibit. When the design festival concluded, both Kassisieh and the Amman Design Week team committed to cutting and stitching wool from Entrelac into blankets, which were later distributed to Syrian refugees and Jordanian families.  Twenty Jordanian women knit the exhibit by hand from their homes. Image Courtesy of NADAAA
 The exhibit was stitched into blankets to aid Syrian refugees. Image Courtesy of NADAAA In a brutal war which has seen hundreds of thousands of deaths, millions of displacements, and the destruction of priceless pieces of architecture, this subtle gesture of solidarity from the design community is both humbling and inspiring. News via: NADAAA.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Watch How JAJA Co-Founders of Park ‘n’ Play are Redefining Public Space Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:00 PM PST
In this video aired by the Louisiana Channel, Kathrin Susanna Gimmel and Jan Yoshiyuki Tanaka, both co-founders of Copenhagen-based firm JAJA Architects, explain the ideology behind the "Park 'n' Play" parking garage. Bright red, atop the 24-meter high car park, sits a playground which, in combination with a rooftop garden, provides a unique public setting offering sought after views of the Copenhagen harbor. Watch the video for more insight into JAJA's design methodology and how the playground helps redefine roles of public space and usage while integrating into a historical urban identity. Via: Louisiana Channel. JAJA Designs "Park 'N' Play" Parking Garage in Copenhagen  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Morris Law / Bornstein Lyckefors arkitekter Posted: 09 Feb 2017 09:00 PM PST  © Kalle Sanner
 © Kalle Sanner From the architect. Lawyer's Office Morris Law has the stated ambition to reformulate what business law might mean. The guiding principles of the company's values are concepts such as "transparency", "efficiency", "excellence" and "mindfulness". Our interpretation of this was to create an open and social workspace without clear hierarchies. One example is the entrance lobby, which is surrounded by a wooden structure made of maple with shelves, mirrors, cork and brass net, acts both as a workspace for the employees, as well as a place to meet customers. Another example is the absence of cellular offices; designing all workplaces the same size and instead divide them with the help of wooden frames, which are also made of maple. Felt, mirrors and cork inside these frames create privacy and noise reduction.  © Kalle Sanner The office of Morris Law is today a work environment without clear hierarchies, where the meetings between the employees and the customers are in focus.  Exploded Axonometric Product Description. Maple wood has been used to frame the entrance lobby of Morris Law. A spatially fragmentary room was made cohesive by a grid of maple wood, defining both walls and ceiling. The grid was given further detail by adding materials such as brown toned mirrors, brass mesh, cork and shelving.  © Kalle Sanner  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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