Arch Daily |
- Backwater / Platform 5 Architects
- AB House / Pitsou Kedem Architects
- P+R Car Park Zutphen / MoederscheimMoonen Architects
- Medicinal Herbs Garden Museum / Modaam Architects
- Occulus Staff Quarters at Jaffna Wind Power Park / Palinda Kannangara Architects
- International Photography Competition "Cities Without Architecture”
- The First House in Hyochangdong / B.U.S Architecture
- KPF's One Bayfront Plaza to Share Title of Miami's Tallest Tower
- Wembley Golf Course / Gresley Abas Architects
- WT Morumbi / Aflalo/Gasperini Arquitetos
- 15 Gallery Spaces to Open in Base of Zaha Hadid's High Line Residential Building
- Farmhouse Refurbishment in Santa Margarida de Montbui / Arquitectura -G
- Foster + Partners Wins Ipswich River Crossings Competition
- C.J. House / Andrade Morettin Arquitetos Associados
- 7 Architectural Experiments that Failed Spectacularly
- Casa Kwantes / MVRDV
- Build Your Own 3D Printed House, All in One Day
- This System of “Superhighways” Creates a More Bicycle-Friendly Berlin
- House Strunk / BBK Architekten
- Micro-Scale Modeling: How to Construct Tiny, Intricate Worlds From Ordinary Materials
| Backwater / Platform 5 Architects Posted: 13 Mar 2017 10:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects
 Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects A new detached home designed by Platform 5 Architects replaces an outdated bungalow on a promontory in a secluded lagoon in the Norfolk broads, providing practice director, Patrick Michell with a family home. Designing a new building for the plot provided the opportunity to enhance the setting by establishing a stylish counterpoint to more traditionally designed neighbouring houses, while respecting the peaceful location. A key objective was to create simple, contemporary living spaces at the centre of the house that are orientated to benefit from the views of the surroundings.  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects  Floor Plan  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects The house is arranged as three low rise bays, whose pitched roofs echo the working boat sheds typically found on the Broads. Externally the roofscape and side walls have been clad in blackened timber shingles to express the form as an abstract folded plane. To the front and rear elevations the timber shingles are left untreated to allow them to weather and create a warm textured appearance. On the underside of the roof on the waterside elevation, timber boarding has been used to create a refined aesthetic that ties in with the internal joinery.  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects Each bay has a different volume and is orientated to address different views across the wetland landscape that surrounds the house. The double height vaulted living space faces onto carr woodland and a network of drainage dykes that teem with wildlife whilst the central bay offers panoramic views across the private lagoon. The bedroom wing has smaller framed views that pick out the reedbeds and jetty.  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects The façade to the entrance is a simple expression of the three pitched bays that have been subtly faceted around the landscaped ramp, with the main architectural drama reserved for the waterside elevation. Timber shingle cladding contrasts the materiality of neighbouring houses, and is beginning to weather back to provide a sympathetic presence against the surrounding trees and water.  Section The three bays of the house splay out in a way that the waterfront elevation becomes the most hierarchical point of the house. Where the entrance facade is relatively modest, the house offers an outstanding counterpoint to its surrounds when viewed from the lagoon, providing the area an exceptional example of contemporary architecture. Glazing adorns much of this elevation to provide views over the surrounding landscape from throughout the house.  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects Deep eaves emphasise the house's bold silhouette and provide sheltered external living spaces that are useable across the seasons. The covered external space makes reference to the verandas of the neighbouring Edwardian riverside chalets along the main river that were built as holiday homes with an emphasis on leisure and relaxation. Externally, a layered timber landscape provides the house with usable external space while acting as a transition from water level up to the elevated ground floor.  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects The planting was chosen to thrive in the semi-aquatic conditions, often using ornamental versions of native Norfolk Broads species to create a garden that is harmonious with its watery environs. The west edge of the site is more heavily planted to reflect the wild vegetation on the other side of the drainage dykes whilst the east edge is given a timber quayheading to allow for the mooring of boats.  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects Inside, a simple broken plan arrangement allows for flexible living and accommodates family life by allowing different activities to take place simultaneously through the use of timber sliding doors. The central bay contains a large kitchen and dining area, and flows into the adjacent double height living space that is separated by a steel clad fireplace. The house's three bedrooms occupy the third bay and are split over two floors, connected by an impressive spiral staircase that rises from the entrance hallway.  Section Each space has a carefully designed layout with built in furniture to set the scene for family life. A considered material pallet is used throughout these spaces, where a range of colours and textures respond to each room's programme and create a cosy but varying atmosphere.  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects Located on a peninsula, construction on site was not a simple task, however designing the house out of lightweight elements provided ease of transportation down a narrow access road in a transit van. Gaining access close to the water's edge was a challenge and as the site is liable to flooding, the ground floor of the home had to be elevated to accommodate changes in water levels. As the house is built atop unstable materials, the house's foundations were piled down 10m to the chalk rock layer. The piles support a grillage of galvanised steel ground beams elevated above the high water mark. This limited the use of concrete and reduced the time on site required to form the substructure, allowing the early creation of a dry construction deck. The house itself is timber framed with a handful of steel beams to provide support around the large glazed openings.  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects The house has been designed with sustainability in mind and offers a far more energy efficient building than the outdated bungalow that was previously on site. An abundance of south facing glazing allows for a limited reliance on artificial lighting, while the deep eaves negate overheating during the summer. The insulation and vapour barrier lines are carefully maintained to achieve high levels of air tightness for the efficient use of the ventilation system with heat recovery.  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects While the home is built to be used primarily by Michell and his family, it has also been designed to be able to be leased out as a holiday rental, increasing financial viability of the project and allowing guests to visit and enjoy the secluded location. The house has therefore been designed to be considered as a prototype when others consider building holiday accommodation: a versatile home away from home whereby the design allows you to escape into the natural surroundings.  Courtesy of Platform 5 Architects  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| AB House / Pitsou Kedem Architects Posted: 13 Mar 2017 08:00 PM PDT  © Amit Geron
 © Amit Geron From the architect. The house consists of two, central boxes – one, a long rectangle constructed from exposed concrete, floats above the excavated yard and a reflection pool. The other is coated in white plaster.  © Amit Geron Both of the two, central masses are covered by a metal net, painted white. It is, if you will, a modern-day interpretation of the Middle East crises. The metal netting is constructed in a recurring, geometric pattern that allows light and air to enter the enclosed spaces as well as the interior and exterior areas that it combines.  © Amit Geron The netting meanders across the house almost as if it were marking out a series of contours. At times, it is ethereal allowing light and air to access the spaces. Sometimes it is closed, acting as an entrance whilst at other times it is inlaid with a system of pivoting doors that allow one of the facades to appear dynamic and ever changing.  © Amit Geron  Plan  © Amit Geron The same geometric pattern is repeated in different the building's interior design. For example, a metal wall that follows the floating stairs acting as a perforated balustrade.  © Amit Geron On the building's southern side the concrete mass is truncated by an 11 meter long, hanging wall which, through the use of complex engineering techniques and solutions, does not touch the ground. The wall seemingly floats above the reflecting pool  Elevation Floating above the reflecting pool, the wall emphasises the lengthy water element of the project that starts with the reflecting pool and ends with a swimming pool.  © Amit Geron  © Amit Geron During the day, the metal netting allows natural light to enter the building, creating shadow pictures on the concrete surfaces. At night, the light expanding out from the house's spaces and the garden, seeps out through the netting creating a "statue of light" on the plot.  © Amit Geron  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| P+R Car Park Zutphen / MoederscheimMoonen Architects Posted: 13 Mar 2017 07:00 PM PDT  © Harry Noback
 © Harry Noback From the architect. Zutphen (The Netherlands) recently gained a new, one-of-a-kind park + ride car park. The building is located adjacent to the town's train station in the Noorderhaven district. The design is made by MoederscheimMoonen Architects. Featuring 375 parking spaces and bicycle parking facilities for over 600 bikes, the P+R complex caters to the growing need for parking facilities near Zutphen Station.  © Bart van Hoek  Ground Floor  © Bart van Hoek The P+R facility near the railway station is part of the Noorderhaven district, a new residential and commercial area in the municipality of Zutphen. The former industrial estate Noorderhaven – located directly next to the town's historic centre, the railway line and the River IJssel – is currently being redeveloped. The design of the car park includes references to the historic warehouses and traditional industries that used to dominate this part of the former Hanseatic town. This character is expressed in both the building's overall design and in its choice of materials.  © Harry Noback  Facade  © Harry Noback The side walls of the elongated building border the two main underpasses that guide road traffic and pedestrians under the railway line. The design pays special attention to these corridors. At one end, one finds the car park's vertical transport, which takes the shape of two helix-shaped ramps. These eye-catchers expand as one moves upward, lending the building a markedly sculptural and dynamic appearance. The other side wall includes a clear reference to the typology of the warehouse through its characteristic silhouette design and wooden shutters.  © Bart van Hoek The building is 'raised' by playfully-positioned galvanised columns, in reference to the site's former industrial nature and the nearby steel bridge over the River IJssel. This open plinth maximises daylight insolation at street level. The facade of the other stories has been cladded with wooden slats. Thanks to the open nature of this surface, the building is assured of ample natural lighting and natural ventilation. The slats have been mounted at a variety of angles, and the longer facades have also been fitted with strips of red steel, which combine to create a dynamic and playful surface. In the evening, the slats turn out to reveal vertical LED lighting strips, which are used to light up the entire building.  Sketch  Sketch The interior of the car park satisfies the most stringent requirements set by the European Standard Parking Award (ESPA) scheme. Moreover, the car park's design allows for the simple addition of an extra storey in the event of increased demand for parking facilities.  © Harry Noback  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Medicinal Herbs Garden Museum / Modaam Architects Posted: 13 Mar 2017 03:00 PM PDT  © Alireza Behpour
 © Alireza Behpour From the architect. This museum intends to exhibit the rich historical heritage of Iranian medicine science and the capabilities of Iranian scientists of this field. These include the exhibition of Iranian herbs, historical medical objects, introducing the historical Iranian health and medicine specialists, and other related information and objects.  © Alireza Behpour Dating back to at least 2500 years, Persian Garden is an architectural concept, which has lived strongly within Persian culture for ages. In a museum, which tends to exhibit the achievements of Iranian medicine science, using this concept through another language and expression is a logical option. Everything in the museum, even the design itself, is in service of presenting the heritage of Iranian medicine history.  © Alireza Behpour The museum is designed to host several sections, such as the historical timeline of Iran Medicine and Medical History, the small-scaled objets of Iranian pharmacists and physicians, the room of Persian "scents", herbs exhibition, the hisotiry of Iranian Pharmacists and physicians, and the history of medical centers and hospitals in Iran.  Plan Kiosks were the most important and mainly the only building in Persian Gardens. They had panoramic views to the surroundings, which allowed them to bring the natural quality of the garden into the building, providing ventilation and cool breeze in the hot and dry climate of Iran, and even the water from the pools or the streams of the garden. These kiosks hosted the most important people, such as Kings or rich people, and in some cases, such as Hasht Behesht in Isfahan, they were a place to honor the invited foreign guests and merchants; and so does the Kiosk of the Museum Garden. Part of this Kiosk is designed to host important meetings with the invited guests, allowing them to enjoy their work sessions in a delightful atmosphere.  © Alireza Behpour The Safavid architectural masterpieces, such as Sheykh Lotfollah mosque or Shah Abbas Jame'h mosque, are as if they are poured in a bowl of tiles. The tiles in this era, from a viewpoint of color richness, are a high end in Iranian tiles. The tiles of the Kiosk building belong to a famous masterpiece, Sheykh Lotfollah mosque in Isfahan. They are in a harmony with the greenery of the project, and in a dialogue with the yellow, red and velvet of the flowers. They are used in the center and the entrance of the garden, in its most important building and the focused center of it, adding a pearley character to the main and the most important parts of the garden. Besides, using these tiles in the entrance wall is a contemporary approach, which –in contrast to most of historical "private" Persian gardens- invites all the public users to its inner colorful world.  © Alireza Behpour The concept of Persian garden is also represented in other cultural aspects of Iranians, even in the everyday life including the Iranian carpets and rugs and their motifs. The schematic plan and order of Persian garden, cedar, and the tree of life are some of these representations. We have used these abstract interpretations of natural elements in the exterior wall panels, so, the carpets with their grid geometry and abstract natural expressions are re-created on the floor of the museum through a poetic play of light and shadow.  © Alireza Behpour Product Description. Handmade tiles of the main kiosk belong to a very famous building in Isfahan from Safavid era named Sheykh Lotfollah mosque. With these colorful tiles, the kiosk shines like a pearl in the center of the Persian garden.  © Alireza Behpour  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Occulus Staff Quarters at Jaffna Wind Power Park / Palinda Kannangara Architects Posted: 13 Mar 2017 01:00 PM PDT  © Mahesh Mendis
 © Mahesh Mendis From the architect. This is a guest quarters that is a part of the Jaffna Wind Power Park. Located close to a lagoon and mud flat landscape. It's a part of an axis/spine of wind power plants 16, in number that begins with the staff and guest quarters at the entrance and culminates in the office building at the end. It is a simple plan with a low budget designed without harming the surrounding vegetation.  © Mahesh Mendis  Ground Floor  © Mahesh Mendis The guest quarters are for the visiting engineers and staff members. It has been built with a close connection to its context, with an open ground floor living area and finishes that reflect the colors of its surroundings.  © Mahesh Mendis The ground floor consists of an open living, dining area, kitchen, caretaker's quarters and a shallow pond with a sculptural spiral staircase leading to the upper floor. The ground floor has a height of 16' which adds to the spatial experience of a wild open landscape coming into the building.  Section A-A The shallow pond at the core of the building with varying water depths that catches the reflection of the windmill acts as the eye of the oculus. It is a constant presence against a backdrop of lush vegetation mixed with clear skies. It also catches the reflection of the windmills along with the landscape of lagoons and mudflats and windswept grasslands. The four corners are sliced through with the pond in the center offering the notion of an axis that opens out.  © Mahesh Mendis The upper floor consists of a living area, two rooms for staff and two rooms for guests. Each bedroom located has a view of the surrounding landscape and lagoon with plenty of light and ventilation providing a light, airy space. Each room comes with an attached bathroom which has an open to sky courtyard for natural ventilation. The timber screens offer filtered light and constant ventilation. Additionally inner glazed screens provided options of disappearing into the walls at the corners providing uninhibited views of the landscape. The timber screens further act as an additional layer of heat protect to the inner glazed screens. Also there is an option to condition the space in the future if necessary. The roof appears to be floating, supported by steel props.  Upper Floor The temperature can soar during the hot summer months so the additional screening aids Microclimatic modulation: through the use of timber screen walls, verandahs and balconies.  © Mahesh Mendis  © Mahesh Mendis This is a crafted guest house using locally available materials. The windows (salvaged jack timber) were crafted to create slender sections to avoid disturbing the views. Polished cement floors and matt cement finished walls (indoors and outdoors) and local rubble walls.  © Mahesh Mendis The upper verandah and balcony have been paved with specially designed pressed cement pavers that have been designed to match the scale of the timber flooring used for the interior floors at the upper level and to create a sense of lightness.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| International Photography Competition "Cities Without Architecture” Posted: 13 Mar 2017 12:30 PM PDT  Courtesy of Arquitectura Sin Fronteras The main objective of this competition is to select a photograph which will be the main image for a sensibilization campaign named "Cities Without Architecture" alerting to the need of working towards the improvement of the habitat. A -Theme Area According to the Un-Habitat (United Nations) Urban Observatory, it is estimated that fifty million people will move from rural areas to the cities in western Africa over the next ten years. In Mumbay, the population has recorded a four-fold increase. Half of the population live in slums, 700.000 spend the night on the streets, 100 million people in the world, mostly kids, have no permanent home. More than half a century has passed already since Bernanrd Rudofsky exhibited at the New York MOMA a collection of pictures he took during his trips. The exhibition would be named: Architecture Without Architect. This exhibition was shown in more than 80 cities during the following 11 years, and its catalog has become a true referent in what has been called vernacular architecture. A question arises nowadays: what have architects learned from this famous Architecture Without Architects? But these days there is an even more important question: how much aware are we in the developed countries of the existence of cities without architecture? When we say cities without architecture, we mean that they lack basic and necessary urban facilities, organization or proper public spaces, for instance. Their infrastructures are inexistent or they are threatened, and they have a vast amount of houses which were built with shapes, materials or techniques that wouldn't stand the natural phenomena. These cities are as a matter of fact in risk, yet they are cities. Are we aware that these cities are amongst the biggest cities in the world? Do we really know they are also exposed to all the social, economic, military or geographic storms possible? However, these cities, far from being an issue, are the solution for many people, those who settle with the scarce resources at their reach. The universal access to a proper city and housing, makes more urgent the need to intervene in these cities in risk in order to improve their condition. Raising awareness is a necessary first step towards the obtention of resources for the improvement of the hábitat. And this is the main reason why we launch this initiative. B - Organizer Arquitectura Sin Fronteras, demarcation Andalusia (hereinafter referred to as ASF-Andalusia) organizes the competition "Cities Without Architecture". This organization has several premises. The headquarters in Andalusia are located in Seville: 87, Jesús del Gran Poder street, postal code 41002. C - Objectives The main objective of this competition is to select a photograph which will be the main image for a sensibilization campaign named "Cities Without Architecture" alerting to the need of working towards the improvement of the habitat. D - Participation Requirements This competition is open for everyone over the age of 18 years, both amateurs and professional photographers., regardless their nationality and place of residence. ASF members, people related to ASF, any person who contributes with the organization of this competition and jury members are excluded from taking part in the competition. E - Technical Requirements Each contestant will be able to present a maximum of three photographs, independent from each other or as part of a series, meeting the technical characteristics required hereunder. The authors shall present photographs taken from 2010 and until the competition deadline. The photographs will be unpublished and will have not been previously exhibited in other events. The photographs will be delivered in digital format, in tiff files with a size of 40x30cm and 300ppp quality. Illumination, exposition, contrast, shadow, saturation and other similar adjustments are permitted. Including or deleting elements in post production is not permitted, as the aim of this contest is to show a reality. Photomontages, collages or combinations of other techniques with photography will not be accepted. The organization reserves the right to dismiss or exclude from the competition, photographs in the following cases:
F - Jury A jury of five members will be responsible for choosing a winner and other awards. The jury will be composed by experts of national and international areas, in photography, architecture, and a representative of Arquitectura Sin Fronteras Andalusia. G - Awards The name of the winner will be published on the ASF Andalusia blog (https://asfesandalucia.wordpress.com/), following the calendar specified at point I. The winner will win an trip to one of the international projects that ASF is currently developing with a cost of up to 3000€ for expenses, where they will carry out a photographic report of the situation in the area and the actions developed by ASF. Besides, all the pictures will: Besides, all the pictures will:
H - Submission of Work Only the digital submission will be accepted, to the email address: comunicacionandalucia@asfes.org within the period described on the calendar, and meeting the technical requirements mentioned on the point E of these terms and conditions. The email should specify:
ASF ensures the proper data handling, according to the Organic Law 15/1999 for Personal Data Protection (LOPD). I - Calendar
J - Contact The contact with the organization regarding this competition will be carried out using the email address comunicacionandalucia@asfes.org K - Copyright Every contestant assigns the copyright of their images to ASF, and ASF will have to credit the author every time the images are used. These images will only be used for the promotion of this competition, for exhibition or projection and for the sensibilization campaign under the same name as the competition, if the organizers consider so. ASF will be able to use the photographs in the future in activities related to the further promotion of the competition, such as exhibitions and the awareness campaign under the same title as the competition. The photographs that participate in this contest can be published and disseminated in the blog www.asfesandalucia.wordpress.com and in the profiles of the social networks of the organization, so that they are stored indefinitely. L - Data Protection While signing in the Competition, the contestants authorize ASF to send them messages related to the Competition using the personal contact data provided, according to the Organic Law 15/1999 for Personal Data Protection (LOPD). Delivering the personal data required for the inscription is mandatory in order to properly finish the inscription procedure. The contestant takes responsibility for the communication of any data modification. The contestants have recognized rights, and they will be able to exercise their right to access, cancellation, rectification and opposition regarding their personal data addressing comunicacionandalucia@asfes.org. ASF-Andalucia will have to require more data from the winner, in order to be able to develop several formalities necessary to prepare the winner's trip. M - Interpretation and Modification of the Terms and Conditions Any submission or photograph that doesn't meet these terms and conditions will automatically be dismissed by the jury. The contestant in this competition are obliged to comply with its general and specific terms and conditions, and not complying with them will mean the expulsion of the contestant from the competition and the loss of any right on it. In the event of winning, together with the acceptance of the terms and conditions, contestants expressly authorise the capture, reproduction or publication by photography, film or any other means of the winning image by the organizers, as well as the use of their name and voice with publicity ends, commercial or of analogue nature in relation with this competition. The organizers will be able to use the images publicly in any media, including the internet, social media or websites, without any limitation of geographical location or date and without monetary compensation. The contestants ensure that they are the authors or hold the necessary rights of the photographs sent to take part in this competition fully complying with these terms and conditions; taking full responsibility of the content in those photographs with full indemnity favorable to the competition organizers and its sponsors. Anyone linked to ASF members or their first-degree relatives will be unable to take part in this competition. ASF-Andalucia may modify these terms and conditions or cancel, at any time, the competition if it is considered necessary. N - Acceptance of Terms and Conditions Participation in the contest implies the acceptance of all and each one of these rules and the unreviewable decision of the jury. 0 - Exemption from Liability ASF-Andalusia disclaims any responsibility, and will not be responsible for the non-compliance of the contestants regarding intellectual, industrial or image property; as well as any responsibility which would result from the failure to comply with these terms and conditions or from its defective compliance.
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| The First House in Hyochangdong / B.U.S Architecture Posted: 13 Mar 2017 12:00 PM PDT  © Kyung Roh
 © Kyung Roh From the architect. There is a small land of less than 20 pyong (19. 76 square feet). Applying it to the Seoul City Building Code, its building coverage is less than 60%, meaning its building area on which to raise a building is less than 12 pyong (11.86 square feet). There is not only the coverage rate. In the residential area of Korea, Architectural Slant Line for Daylight is applied to the north of the land. The building which has been raised one floor after another is cut off by this invisible building limit line, and, to make things worse, part of the first floor has to be vacated for the parking space. Even worse, a certain amount of space inside a house should be set apart for a vertical traffic line connecting each of the floors. Building a building on a small land is like walking a tightrope trying not to be off the limit line of structure.  © Kyung Roh A floor plan drawn to max out the limit line would leave most of the client in dismay. Yet, there is no compromise when it comes to the limit line of structure. If you cannot beat a system, join it: you have no choice but to build a small house unless you own a large land.
On the while, there is something more lenient than the limit line of structure, and that is the cross-section limit line of structure. It whispers some sweet words into your ear, "Live up to some conditions, you will be able to build this high building on your small land." This is the beauty of the small land. To build a building on this small land, we brew a project, thinking a cross-section is a plane and did not think of the plane until the outline of the project came out. In this project, a cross section was a plane.  © Kyung Roh The volume of a building was set from the beginning, which is the maximum area, imposed by the limit line within which to build a building on a small land on the budget. Deploy the programs needed for your new life, keeping this volume, and try to modify the size of the space as well. Depending on how you organize them, your house will have completely different characteristics - a house for holding exhibitions , a house for a total privacy, a house whose living taking precedence over anything else, a house whose bedrooms taking precedence over anything else, a house for throwing parties, a house for economic activities. While proceeding with your project, you can get an indirect glimpse into what lives your clients have led. The project was completed through the compromises and understanding of each other's life. The first floor will become the space for the work and commercial activities they wanted to do. Since the space leads to the parking lot if you open the folding door, you can expand it weather permitting. The front door is separated from this space. It is for separating things happening on the first floor from those going on the other parts of the house.  © Kyung Roh  Section  © Kyung Roh Once you enter through the front door, you will be invited to the space for washing your hand. You will be invited to more public space before entering the room. The second floor will be dedicated to the living room and kitchen for the husband and wife to meet their guest and spend most of their time. The third floor will serve as the most private space for the bedroom, the dressing room, and the restroom, since they hoped that the bedrooms will be only for the couple. The slant wall caused by the limit line of structure makes the bedroom space taller in its height. We lowered the level of the bedroom for storage space, which caused the kitchen on the second to be separated from the living room space and turned the bedroom and the restroom/dress room into different spaces. The fourth floor is for working. The volume cut off by the limit line of structure becomes a rooftop terrace. They wanted they could get to the rooftop directly from the workroom.  © Kyung Roh  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| KPF's One Bayfront Plaza to Share Title of Miami's Tallest Tower Posted: 13 Mar 2017 10:20 AM PDT  © KPF Renderings have been revealed of KPF's One Bayfront Plaza, a 92-story mixed-use tower in downtown Miami that when completed will reach 1,049 feet tall, becoming one of 5 new buildings that will share the title of Miami's tallest tower. The project is being developed by Florida East Coast Realty, and will bring 902 apartments, 200 hotels rooms, 532,000 square feet of office space and 104,000 square feet of retail to downtown Miami. Located at 100 South Biscayne Boulevard, the project will total 3.3 million square feet.  © KPF The most recent plans were revealed after original plans for a two-tower, 4-million-plus square foot complex were scrapped. The new scheme will feature a single tower, and a higher apartment to commercial space ratio. An existing office building on the site is expected to be demolished by 2019, with construction on the tower beginning shortly after.  © KPF  © KPF Historically, building heights in Miami have been restricted due to proximity to the Miami International Airport; these restrictions were recently loosened, allowing several new towers to stake claim to the city's tallest tower, including One Bayfront Plaza and Foster + Partners' 'The Towers' at 1201 Brickell Bay Drive, which is also being developed by FECR. News via Architect's Newspaper. Foster + Partners' Residential Highrise to Become Miami's Tallest Tower Arquitectonica Designs Three-Tier Residential Tower in Miami  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Wembley Golf Course / Gresley Abas Architects Posted: 13 Mar 2017 10:00 AM PDT  © Rob Frith
 © Rob Frith From the architect. Gresley Abas were shortlisted via public tender to one of 3 architectural practices, and were then awarded the project on the basis of our Concept Design proposal.  © Rob Frith The project involved replacement of the existing facilities with a range of hospitality offerings, function spaces, new changerooms and office space. Key considerations for the design were to improve the entry sequence of the precinct and to unify the buildings on a central axis to enhance the legibility of the development.  © Rob Frith Our design embraces the fantastic views that the site affords over the course and east to the city and makes use of the topography to create an arrangement of simple architectural forms. This creates a strong identity for the development, whilst not competing with the existing facilities.  Plan The development takes the form of a central promenade between 2 buildings, which connects the carpark to the pro shop, and the driving range beyond. This central axis is sheltered by a composite resin canopy, providing weather protection and also cohesion between the different built elements of the design.  Courtesy of Austim The north building is conceived of as the 'wood' component, clad in horizontal timber battens over insulated, light weight walls. The building cantilevers over a solid off-form concrete base to the north over the course, utilising the topography to emphasise the lightness of this element. The timber soffit sweeps up at the entry to the function rooms and restaurant in a form reminiscent of the curve of a wooden club.  © Rob Frith The use of timber cladding and lining is also proposed to extend to the interior of the function spaces, function breakout, restaurant and bar to evoke a sense of warmth and sophistication befitting the history and tradition of a golf club.  © Rob Frith The southern changeroom building represents the 'iron'. It is clad in standing seam zinc  © Rob Frith cladding which has a crisp, articulated profile and sophisticated patina, teamed with off-form concrete walls and timber details. The entry blade wall of this building also houses a weathering steel and brass gate, designed by local artist Stuart Green. This building houses the changerooms, toilets and kiosk, which is located at the nexus of the bar and pro shop which serves as a hub of activity for golfers and hospitality patrons alike.  Courtesy of Austim The canopy was intended to be a simple, quiet, unifying element for both the new and existing built elements on the site. Made from Fibre Reinforced Plastic, the material is very fluid and lightweight, which gave us freedom of structural approach. The tapered timber clad columns were inspired by the design of antique clubs, with their tapered timber shaft and irons cap. The columns are all set on unique angles to give the visitor the sense that they are passing through a forest as they enter the precinct.  © Rob Frith  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| WT Morumbi / Aflalo/Gasperini Arquitetos Posted: 13 Mar 2017 09:00 AM PDT  © Leonardo Finotti
 © Ana Mello From the architect. Two identical towers but in inverted positions, connected on the ground floor and on four standard upper floors by bridge-like structures between the towers thus characterizing a single building.  © Ana Mello The building's east-west placement along its major axis favors the more extensive facades with minimal heat gain, pointing the smaller facades towards the sunrise and sunset.  Site Plan Each tower has an independent access and two sets of elevators which thus define both lobbies. The standard floors have the layout of the vertical circulation nucleus in the center of the plan, freeing up the areas at the floor's periphery and openings.  © Leonardo Finotti  Section  © Ana Mello On the ground floor there is also a theater and restaurant, accessed through the atrium between the towers.  © Leonardo Finotti The facades' covering is mainly glass, laid in two different tones with the intention of highlighting the volumetric elements. The balconies protruding from the facades punctuate both the inside and external sides of the building.  © Leonardo Finotti  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 15 Gallery Spaces to Open in Base of Zaha Hadid's High Line Residential Building Posted: 13 Mar 2017 07:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of Related Companies Real Estate firm Related Companies has announced the development of 15 new art gallery spaces to be located in and around the base of Zaha Hadid's 520 West 28th Street residential building, located along the High Line in the New York neighborhood of Chelsea. The acclaimed Paul Kasmin Gallery, currently located in three West Chelsea locations, will serve as the anchor tenant with a 5,000 square-foot gallery in the base of the Hadid-designed building and additional space in the 'High Line Nine,' a collection of full service boutique exhibition spaces located adjacent to the building beneath the High Line.  Courtesy of Related Companies New galleries integrated into the building design will accommodate a range of gallery types featuring both domestic and international art, and will measure between 1,000 and 5,400 square feet. These spaces, along with new stand-alone galleries ranging between 1,200 and 5,400 square feet, are anticipated to open in late 2017. Two of the new buildings have been designed by Markus Dochantschi of studioMDA, which specializes in gallery design. The 'High Line Nine' galleria, a subset of the new gallery collection, draws from the tradition of European gallery spaces, but takes the concept to a new level with the addition of onsite amenities including a centralized wine bar/cafe and catering kitchen, a concierge, and event space, as well as cleaning and security services. These nine boutique galleries will feature 13 to 22 foot tall ceilings range in size from 650 to 1800 square feet.  Courtesy of Related Companies Paul Kasmin, founder of Paul Kasmin Gallery said, "West Chelsea and Manhattan's west side have long defined the future of fine arts in New York. I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting project and to bring two new gallery locations to the area. The creation of the High Line and the evolution of Hudson Yards have made this one of the most dynamic parts of the city. This collection of new galleries in this location is an ideal fit for us."  Courtesy of Related Companies "This project was inspired by Zaha Hadid's sculptural building at 520 West 28th Street, which is one of the finest residential buildings in the City and a monumental piece of art," added Greg Gushee, Related Executive Vice President who is spearheading the project. "We saw the unique opportunity to create a vibrant, diverse gallery offering to expand and further enhance the West Chelsea art district. Not only creating world class gallery spaces, but also a completely new-to-market concept—a collection of highly amenitized, full service exhibition spaces that allow domestic and international galleries to showcase their collections while we take care of all of the mundane details. We also believe the new galleries will be a great amenity for the residents of 520 West 28th, many of whom are art collectors already."  Courtesy of Related Companies The project will be the latest to feature along the High Line, which is set to receive high-profile buildings and installations, including Diller, Scofidio + Renfro's Shed, and Heatherwick Studios' Vessel at Hudson Yards, among many others. Learn more about the new gallery spaces, here. Zaha Hadid Releases New Image of New York Condominium Project Near High Line Heatherwick Studio's "Vessel" Will Take the Form of an Endless Stairway at New York's Hudson Yards  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Farmhouse Refurbishment in Santa Margarida de Montbui / Arquitectura -G Posted: 13 Mar 2017 06:00 AM PDT  © José Hevia
 © José Hevia From the architect. The land where we intervene is a flat and elongated plot of 7.000m2 in the outskirts of Santa Margarida de Montbui. The plot initially had a building for agricultural use in a state of ruin that we were asked to transform into a single-family housing. The building regulations, according to which the pre-existing construction was considered as a farmhouse despite of being just a hut with fibrocement rooftop, didn´t allow any modification in terms of volumetrics and façade openings.  © José Hevia The volume had a direct relationship with the environment, without preamble in the transition from the field to the interior. The change of the functional program required to define the immediate environment of the house as a more limited and protected area in relation to the totally open plain. This is the reason why it was excavated 1m until reaching the height of the terrace which gives the main access to the house and facilitates the communication with the rest of the urbanization . In this way, the proposal defines a new artificial landscape, that is conceived as the main platform of interaction between the exterior and the interior.  Model  Plan The functional program is developed by staggered platforms that are arranged around a central load-bearing core. This core, which performs as a large pillar, contains all kind of facilities and staircases, and interconnects the living spaces. The centrality of this pillar allows that the steel slabs overcome smaller spans and therefore they could have a smaller thickness, emphasizing the contrast between the massiveness of what supports and the lightness of what is supported.  © José Hevia  © José Hevia The materiality of the house enhances this idea about contrasts and contrapostions, so that the main load-bearing elements are rough, heavy and coarse, while the secondary elements and the interior partitions have smoother and lighter finishings and are built with light structure techniques. The intervention has a chromatic palette of earthy tones that tends to relate to the environment.  © José Hevia The house is developed in its height as a succession of mezzanines of varying height that rises up from the common areas to the bedrooms and concludes on a balcony that strikes out to the cereal fields.  © José Hevia  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Foster + Partners Wins Ipswich River Crossings Competition Posted: 13 Mar 2017 05:00 AM PDT  © Foster + Partners The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Competitions has announced that Foster + Partners has been selected as the winners of the Ipswich River Crossings competition, beating out proposals from a shortlist including Adamson Associates, Knight Architects, Marc Mimram and Wilkinson Eyre. The competition sought designs for three bridges crossing the Upper Orwell River that could reinvigorate and increase connectivity within Ipswich's waterfront district. The five proposals were considered based on their potential to "enhance Ipswich's thriving waterfront, as well as [act] as a catalyst for regeneration of the wider harbour area." Foster + Partners' scheme impressed the panel for the quality of its overall approach and thinking, as well as the design concepts presented for the three crossings. "The competition has been extremely worthwhile, generating a wide range of strategies for the Upper Orwell Crossings," Said Jury Chair Sir Michael Hopkins CBE, Founding Partner, Hopkins Architects. "Apart from the economical elegance of Foster + Partners' engineering solution, we particularly admired the integration of the pedestrian routes with the principal vehicle crossing which, taken together, will naturally encourage further development of the island."  © Foster + Partners  © Foster + Partners The winning scheme incorporates the refurbishment of an existing lock as one of the river crossings, and two new bridges, the longer of which featuring a series of sculptural, branching bridge piers. "The project also offers the opportunity to revitalise the central urban quarter by introducing new public spaces and routes along the River Orwell, with pedestrian and cycle links between the island site, inner harbour and waterfront," explain the architects in a press release. "The new bridges will be part of a holistic vision for all traffic – vehicular, pedestrian and cyclists. In particular, the main crossing will split vehicles and cycles/pedestrians to create a civilised shared public realm for all."  © Foster + Partners  © Foster + Partners "Ipswich holds a special place in our hearts. The Willis Faber Building was a landmark project for the practice, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to the town once more," remarked Spencer de Grey, Head of Design, Foster + Partners. "The design of the bridges focusses on enhancing the experience of crossing the Orwell River, increasing interconnectivity and reducing congestion in the town centre. The project also offers the opportunity to consider the design of the bridges in a wider urban context, creating new promenades and public spaces between the riverfront, inner harbour and island. We look forward to working with the Suffolk County Council to develop and refine our proposals over the coming months to help realise a new urban vision for Ipswich."  © Foster + Partners Foster + Partners will now work the wider project team and in consultation with stakeholders, local businesses and residents to develop the project further over the coming months. Additional details about the project can be found here. News via RIBA Competitions, Foster + Partners. Foster + Partners, Knight Architects Among 5 Firms Shortlisted for Ipswich Crossings Competition  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| C.J. House / Andrade Morettin Arquitetos Associados Posted: 13 Mar 2017 04:00 AM PDT  © Nelson Kon
 © Nelson Kon From the architect. This pavilion, located in a garden city neighborhood of São Paulo, was conceived as a living and gathering space to entertain guests and friends, therefore preserving the privacy of the main house.  © Nelson Kon Due to this unusual program, we had the freedom to treat the main volume of the new construction as a transparent horizontal pavilion, located in a beautiful garden which acts as an extension of the pavilion´s internal spaces. Two wooden decks make the transition between exterior and interior. The first works as the entrance platform. The second as a continuation of the main wing of the house, extending its space towards the garden, creating a more quiet and protected patio.  © Nelson Kon  Floor Plan  © Nelson Kon The inflection made in volume, which bends it towards the garden, transforms the usual linear pavilion typology. The space is then perceived in a circular movement, which makes the two wings visible for each other through the garden, enhancing even more its inside-outside relation.  © Nelson Kon  Section Detail  © Nelson Kon The construction, in wood, steel and glass, strengthens the lightness of the volume, creating two light and thin planes, lifted from the ground. To complement the program of this extension, a technical basement was conceived as a series of service spaces such as a kitchen, a bathroom, and a storage. With this solution we were able to give more space to the garden and preserve the lightness and integrity of the pavilion.  © Nelson Kon  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 7 Architectural Experiments that Failed Spectacularly Posted: 13 Mar 2017 02:30 AM PDT  Experimentation in architecture is what propels the discipline forward. In an ideal scenario, once a project gets as far as the planning stage, large amounts of careful research and collaboration between the architect, contractor, and client contribute to a smooth execution of an exploratory idea, and ultimately a successful end product. But it's not uncommon for even the most skilled architects to design work that has a misstep somewhere along the line, whether it has to do with shrinking budget, unforeseen contextual changes, lack of oversight, or anything in between. In some way, the projects here all fall into the second category of failed experiments, but some have also become potential models for revitalization of existing buildings, rather than (less sustainable) demolition and reconstruction. Read on to discover what went wrong in these notable disasters. 20 Fenchurch Street, Rafael Viñoly (opened 2014) © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/locosteve/15490495484/'>Flickr user Loco Steve</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/'>CC BY-SA 2.0</a> Also known as the "Walkie Talkie," the unique top-heavy shape of this bulbous building is meant to maximize floor space on the upper stories, which draw in higher rents. It was originally designed to be even larger, but was shortened by a few meters to preserve the views of older buildings in the London skyline. However, after construction, Londoners quickly realized that the project could damage a lot more than the skyline. The building's slightly curved glass facade reflected light in concentrated beams so strong that they melted cars and started fires. After wreaking its havoc on the city, 20 Fenchurch Street is now partially covered with sun shades to prevent light from reflecting off of the glass, but it is still being blamed for directing powerful gusts of wind downward towards street level. Ponte City, Manfred Hermer (opened 1975) © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/97472108@N06/9034863455/'>Flickr user Spach Los</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> Still holding its title as the continent's tallest residential tower, Ponte City was built in 1975, in apartheid-era Johannesburg, designed as luxury living that refused to rent to any non-white patrons. The novel cylindrical building holds 55 stories of residential units with retail space at the base, all wrapped around a large central courtyard. The plan for opulence and racist exclusivity backfired when the neighborhood became rife with crime in the 80s and 90s and the original residents moved out, turning Ponte City into a "vertical slum," and its courtyard into a trash heap that at one point reached a height of five stories. Despite its horrific reputation, the tower came under new ownership in 2001, and has since recovered some of its hopeful comfortable lifestyle. The building now has 24-hour tight security to combat safety concerns and has restored its plumbing and electricity after decades of decay. But the racist legacy it was founded on has not completely disappeared, with the more expensive upper units being most frequently occupied by white tenants. Pruitt-Igoe, Minoru Yamasaki (opened 1954) © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/renatosaboya/7472167004/'>Flickr user Renato Saboya</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> The public housing development of Pruitt-Igoe was built to provide affordable homes for St. Louis's growing low income population. 33 cost-effective 11 story towers were built according to the modernist principles of Le Corbusier's Ville Radieuse, where cars and pedestrians were separated by large, slab-like buildings and stretches of green space. Pruitt-Igoe opened to ecstatic residents who were thrilled with the amenities and sense of community it offered—a welcome change from the overcrowded tenement housing that until that point may have been their only housing option. A combination of political and economic factors resulted in a challenging construction budget for Yamasaki's design, and cheap construction methods soon revealed themselves in structural failings that ranged from inconvenient to dangerous. A complex combination of white flight (caused in part by desegregation of the city's public schools), increased crime, and the general economic decline of St. Louis were all part of Pruitt-Igoe's short timeline, and contributed to its abrupt demolition in 1972. A recent documentary details the full, complicated history of Pruitt-Igoe within its urban context as the "death of modernism" in the United States. KOMTAR Tower, Architects Team 3 (opened 1986) © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/phalinn/5615739232/'>Flickr user Phalinn Ooi</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> In the 1960s, a masterplan for George Town, Malaysia was developed to create a new urban center that it was hoped would revitalize the area. KOMTAR was slated as the central skyscraper that would combine restaurants, shops, and administrative offices for the Penang government with an elevated pedestrian walkway. But revitalization didn't happen: the construction process displaced entire neighborhoods of George Town residents, and preexisting local restaurants and shops were demolished to make room for the skyscraper. The pedestrian walkway was never installed. Many of the original retailers moved out of an unmaintained KOMTAR, and the empty building fell into disrepair. The project had destroyed the very thing it had intended to help generate. In the past few years, KOMTAR has been slowly resuscitated with the installation of Malaysia's highest skywalk and the world's tallest mural, and it is slowly transitioning from white elephant to lively landmark. The Farnsworth House, Mies Van der Rohe (completed 1951) © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathanrieke/5334924554'>Flickr user Jonathan Rieke</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/'>CC BY-NC 2.0</a> Whether the Farnsworth House could be considered a failure might depend heavily on who—or more crucially, when—you ask. After leaving Germany at the closing of the Bauhaus, then designing several buildings for the Illinois Institute of Technology, Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House was the modernist architect's first home commission in the United States. The project was commissioned by Dr. Edith Farnsworth, a prominent nephrologist in Chicago, as a weekend retreat in Plano, Illinois. The home is now a respected member of the modernist canon, but at the time of its completion in 1951, it was a disappointment to Farnsworth and a publicity nightmare for Mies. Responding to Farnsworth's undeveloped 64-acre property, the architect's concept aimed to minimize the separation between human and nature. Completely transparent glass walls are sandwiched between flat, white planes, covered only by minimal steel beams. Unfortunately, Farnsworth felt extremely uncomfortable in the resulting home, and has described feeling "like a sentinel on guard day and night." The project came in significantly over budget, and Farnsworth refused to pay the difference for a home she described as "almost nothing." Mies sued for lack of payment, and Farnsworth sued back for fraud and deceit. Mies won the case, but the client was never satisfied with her home and sold it to collector Lord Peter Palumbo in 1975. Sports City, Santiago Calatrava (began 2007) © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/asa-nisi-masa/4907992754/in/photolist-8tGKfJ-8tGHyo-8tFQRL>Flickr user Simone Artibani</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> Just after completing his iconic Ciudad de las Ciencias in Valencia, Calatrava masterminded Rome's Sports City: a collection of athletic facilities for the University of Rome Tor Vergata. The first building, a swimming stadium, was meant to host the 2009 World Swimming Championships, but rapidly increasing cost estimates caused the project to come to a halt before it was even close to completion. The stadium is estimated to have cost the public around €200 million, and its steel skeleton still sits off the highway as a cruel reminder of the project's failure. Interestingly, the seemingly abandoned Sports City was included in Rome's bid for the 2024 Olympics—at least, before the bid was withdrawn. Ebenezer Howard's Garden Cities © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Garden_City_Concept_by_Howard.jpg'>Garden Cities of To-morrow</a> licensed under <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:PD-US'>PD-US</a> At the end of the 19th century, Sir Ebenezer Howard published Garden Cities of To-morrow, which detailed a utopian vision for "slumless, smokeless" cities. The Garden City was characterized by a collection of interrelated centers, each with individual programs, that radiated out from a central cultural district. The cities had dedicated sections for agriculture and industry that were separate from residential and park belts, allowing for self-sufficiency and plenty of natural space. Once the city reached a population of 32,000, a new development was to begin, preventing the first from growing too large for short commutes. The Garden City model was used all over the world throughout the 19th century, including the Americas and former British colonies around Asia. The model has been largely criticized for facilitating many of the problems Howard wanted to plan against: rather than self-sustained mini-cities, many garden cities have in practice become suburbs on the outskirts of larger, more industrial urban centers with long commuting distances. They also necessitate a density that some urbanists have argued is incompatible with modern concerns for environmentalism and booming population. Today, the concept of the garden city is most frequently employed as a rhetorical device, used by politicians to gain support for new housing policy without following the actual principles of Howard's original idea.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 13 Mar 2017 02:00 AM PDT  © Ossip van Duivenbode
From the architect. Casa Kwantes bases itself around the clients' desire for seclusion and privacy, whilst having a maximum of daylight and open living spaces. From the road, the bare brick wall offers only a partial glimpse into the property and family life through an opening of the white brickwork façade - a subtle indented entrance leading into an initially dark and enclosed entrance hall. In contrast, the reverse of the property completely opens up to the south with curved windows following the entire winding façade wrapped around a central olive tree.  © Ossip van Duivenbode  © Ossip van Duivenbode The 480m2 private home designed by MVRDV has a distinct night-daytime separation. It is located in the west of Rotterdam area on a corner plot of the site of an old hospital. On entering through a curved indent in an otherwise flat and mysterious façade with Celosia brickwork detail, visitors are led into the entrance hall. Stepping into the property, it suddenly opens into the well-lit living spaces of its curved and fluid interior. This continuous wall also serves as an entrance to the garage and staircase. The living room and library take up the rest of the space, wrapped around a curvaceous and carved out courtyard that frames the focal point of the house, the tree. The living room's backbone is a long fitted closet of wood hiding all domestic functions including the basement, entrance, guest toilet, kitchen cabinets and pantry. The flooring from inside continues outside and essentially turns the courtyard into an extension of the house i.e. as an exterior room. There is a small basement for extra storage, and in addition, a sun trap patio at the bottom of the garden which provides an extra paved barbeque space for Dutch summer days.  © Ossip van Duivenbode  © Ossip van Duivenbode In order to maintain a responsible environmental footprint, the house has discreetly installed a ground source heat pump, heat exchange system and a roof with solar panels. The solar panels compensate for energy lost from the house's glazing producing enough energy for it to run entirely on electricity. Casa Kwantes has the potential to become entirely self-sufficient and these installations will be tested in the course of the next year. The living spaces absorb the most sunlight yet for summer months, they have sun shading due to floors cantilevering out slightly. The design process of the home closely followed MVRDV's commitment to working closely with clients throughout. With almost daily communications, the end result comes as close to a tailor-made home as possible.  © Ossip van Duivenbode  © Ossip van Duivenbode When balancing municipality requirements for a retro style architecture, the home became a contemporary take on 1930s modernism with its long, cream, shallow brickwork, full-height glazing, and the contrasting integration of the flat and fluid, open and enclosed, flexible and defined. As the newly built homes in the vicinity are more vernacular in their modernist approach, this variation on a more avant-garde architecture has the been subject of discussions with the municipality.  © Ossip van Duivenbode  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Build Your Own 3D Printed House, All in One Day Posted: 13 Mar 2017 01:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of Apis Cor In recent times, 3D printing technology has made some great strides in its production content and quality, and now it has successfully printed the world's first liveable house in Stupino, Russia. Responsible for this feat are San Francisco 3D printing startup Apis Cor, and Russian real estate developer PIK, who began the project in December of last year. "Now we can say with confidence that with Apis Cor solution, the construction 3D printing has leaped to a new evolutionary stage," said the project team. "The company and its partners are confident that the house in Stupino was the first step that can convince the world that 3D technology in the construction market is a reality."  Courtesy of Apis Cor The house was constructed using a combined mobile 3D printer and automatic mix and supply unit, developed specifically by Apis Cor. With a form similar to that of a tower crane, the printer was able to construct the building from both the inside and outside, incredibly completing the entirety of the load-bearing walls, partitions and building envelope in a single day. According to the team, the unique design of the residential structure "was selected specifically, as one of the main purposes of this construction is to demonstrate the flexibility of equipment and diversity of available forms."  Courtesy of Apis Cor  Courtesy of Apis Cor With an area of 38 square meters, the sstory storey house comes complete with a hall, a bathroom, a living room and a small kitchen. In addition to this, the rooms are equipped with modern appliances courtesy of Samsung, one of five collaborators on the project. While the roof is built flat, it is able to endure snow load requirements with the use of polymer membrane patches, joined using hot air. Complicating the process was the project's timing; it was undertaken during the peak Russian winter, despite the fact that the printer's concrete mix is only able to form at temperatures above 5°C. However, the equipment itself can function to temperatures of -35°C, allowing the house to be printed within the confines of an insulated tent. With geopolymers, however, houses will soon be able to be printed all year round.  Courtesy of Apis Cor  Courtesy of Apis Cor Finishes, windows and insulation were installed and applied after the printing of the core structure, provided by third party suppliers. The printing process is flexible enough to allow for the various installations and fittings, adapting to required shapes. One of the most notable aspects of the project is its cost-effectiveness, with construction costs totalling $10,134 or approximately $275 per square metre. These numbers account for the entire scope of work and materials required to erect a house, including the foundation, roof, exterior and interior finishes, and insulation.  Courtesy of Apis Cor  Courtesy of Apis Cor According to the company, the 3D printing process results in savings of up to 70%, in comparison with traditional building techniques, such as the block method. "As you can see, with the advent of new technology, construction 3D printing is changing the view and approach to the construction of low-rise buildings and provides new opportunities to implement custom architectural solutions," said Apis Cor. See here for more on the specific materials and products used in the construction of the house, and all the partners involved in the project. News via: Apis Cor. World's First 3D Printed Bridge Opens in Spain  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| This System of “Superhighways” Creates a More Bicycle-Friendly Berlin Posted: 12 Mar 2017 11:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of Flicker User Andreas Levers, Creative Commons Amongst many things, Europe is known for some of the world's most bicycle-friendly cities, offering safe and convenient travel routes for its two-wheeled commuters. Berlin, however, does not sit high on this list, but in an effort to address this, a new plan for a system of bicycle "superhighways" is undergoing implementation, incentivising cycling as an efficient means of transport. Studies commissioned by Berlin's Senate Department for the Environment, Transport, and Climate Protection looked into 30 possible bike paths, covering stretches of at least 5km. Of these, 12 have been selected as future superhighways, intended to be completely separated from other vehicles on the road.  Courtesy of Berlin Senate Department for the Environment, Transport and Climate Protection Many of these routes will occupy vacant post-war railway corridors and superfluous areas of the city infrastructure, such as the corridor of the Postdamer Stambahn, which has already been evaluated and approved for future bicycle use. These links provide key connections between Berlin's outskirts and the city center while offering green space as a result of their abandonment. Specific criteria for the 13 highways include a minimum lane width of 4 meters (13 feet), and one-way routes of 3 meters. Intersections and traffic lights should also cause no more than 30 seconds of stopping time per kilometer, to prevent congestion and the build-up of commuters on the corridors.  Courtesy of Flickr User Bobo Boom, Creative Commons The bike-friendly initiative is one of Berlin's recent efforts to create a more inclusive and risk-free commuting environment, with a goal of increasing the number of bicycles on the roads to 2.4 million, by 2025. Construction of two of these planned superhighways is set for the end of 2017, and feasibility studies of other main railway arteries should be completed by the end of March. News via: Berlin Senate Department for the Environment, Transport and Climate Protection. How Driverless Cars Could, Should - and Shouldn't - Reshape Our Cities Video: The Bicycle Snake / Dissing+Weitling  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| House Strunk / BBK Architekten Posted: 12 Mar 2017 10:00 PM PDT  © Walter Mair
 © Walter Mair Over a protruding base rises a slender and elongated concrete structure; with a shallow pitched roof, the building falls precisely into the sloping terrain. Located outside the city of Vaduz, in a mixed-use-residential and commercial quarter, the project is designed to reference elements of classical architecture as well as maintaining a vernacular form.  © Walter Mair  Floor Plan  © Walter Mair These ambivalent identities are symbolized through the malleable intricacies of the columns formed by using Cast-in-place concrete. This construction method is a deliberate and essential part of the building's identity, and it gives an illusion of being molded onto the site. The distinguished look of the exposed concrete facades allows for the remnants of the formwork to appear.  © Walter Mair  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Micro-Scale Modeling: How to Construct Tiny, Intricate Worlds From Ordinary Materials Posted: 12 Mar 2017 09:00 PM PDT  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram Joshua Smith, a miniaturist and former stencil artist based in South Australia, constructs tiny, intricate worlds for a living. His work, which exhibits astonishing observational and representational skills, focuses on the "overlooked aspects of the urban environment – such as grime, rust and decay to discarded cigarettes and graffiti," all recreated at a scale of 1:20. Smith, who has been making model kits for around a decade, only recently chose to move away from a 16-year-long career creating stencil art. With his creative talents now focused on model-making, and all those skills which accompany the craft, ArchDaily asks: how do you do it?  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram AD: Take us through your modeling process! JS: First of all I find the building I want to replicate, either in person or using Google Maps Street View. From there I start to reverse engineer the building and break it down into components (i.e. the doors, windows, street, electrical boxes and so on). I then start working out which materials I will be using to create each component from scratch. Corrugated card, for example, for roller doors; MDF for the base of the building. Once I have the base built I lay down a base coat of paint and start weathering it using brushes and chalk pastels. It's during this stage that the building starts to look real and from here I start adding the wiring and the electrics for interior and exterior lighting and, in some cases, sensor activated lighting. What scale do you work in? I almost only work in 1:20 as I find it easier to do the calculations to create the scale version of the builds. I usually go off one small aspect, such as a door or a brick, and using Adobe Photoshop I work out the scale for the rest of the building. In terms of the main materials I use: MDF for the base, 1mm-thick cardboard for window frames, black card for more detailed areas, and 0.25mm-thick plastic card for windows. I use spray paint, acrylic paint and chalk pastels for painting and weathering the building to create the realism. How long does each artwork take to produce? How important is creating a perfect mimic of reality? It depends on the build. The smallest and less complex ones can take from a day to a few days to complete. The longest build, which was my Kowloon Miniature, took three solid months working on average six to seven days a week and eight to sixteen hour-long days. I strive to create a reality. I take as many reference photos as possible to mimic every single streak of rust, grime and chipping of stonework. I want viewers to be fooled, if I take a photo of the completed work in sunlight, to think it is the real thing. Have you ever considered becoming an Architect? It was something I considered when I was thinking of going to University but, back then, I was mistakenly under the impression that as an Architect I would have to design buildings which didn't fall down (I didn't realise that was more the role of engineers!). So instead I chose to study Graphic Design. My miniatures are mainly for artworks to be exhibited but I am now looking to create architectural models for firms.  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram  © Andrew Beveridge / ASB Creative Instagram Miniature Spaces Carved From Stone Stone Sculptures Reveal Monumental Architecture at a Micro Scale  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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