Arch Daily |
- Joan Oliver – Pere Quart Civic Center Extension / Pich-Aguilera Arquitectes
- Matryoshka House / Shift Architecture Urbanism
- Parquet Patterned Pool and Spa / Claesson Koivisto Rune
- K House in Niseko / Florian Busch Architects
- Sunggwang Church / Oh Jongsang
- YKK80 / Nikken Sekkei
- C2 House / Ellivo Architects
- New Documentary to Profile the Career of Slovenian Architecture Firm Sadar + Vuga
- One Bucket at a Time / Factor Eficiencia + 5468796 Architecture
- Tesla Debuts Massive Energy-Storing Solar Farm on Hawaiian Island
- Beats / Nook architects + byn studio
- WE architecture + Erik Juul's Urban Garden and Housing to Provide Turning Point for Copenhagen's Homeless
- Casa Clara / 1:1 Arquitetura Design
- Why IM Pei’s Museum of Islamic Art is the Perfect Building to Suit Doha’s Style
- Concrete at Alserkal Avenue / OMA
- Inflatable ETFE Roofs Give This Resort its Pinecone-Like Forms
- New Book Calls for an End to Our Fetish for Conditioned Skyscrapers
- Student Housing Campus Eindhoven University of Technology / Office Winhov + Office haratori + BDG Architecten
| Joan Oliver – Pere Quart Civic Center Extension / Pich-Aguilera Arquitectes Posted: 16 Mar 2017 10:00 PM PDT  © Simon Garcia
 © Simon Garcia From the architect. The building, which takes in the Civic Centre Joan Oliver, was built in the late 90s. Their services are distributed on the ground floor and their spaces are articulated on both sides of a longitudinal corridor, where they are located, on one side, the classrooms and offices, and on the opposite side, the gym and the locker room.  © Simon Garcia The District of Les Corts promoted the expansion of the building constructing one more floor that embraces the ground floor in order to make room for new spaces and activities. Two conditions were required for the project to be started. On the one hand, the minimum invasion as possible, in time and aggravation, of the normal activity of the center and, secondly, the possibility of building a facility that would raise environmental awareness.  © Simon Garcia  Section  © Simon Garcia The aim was not only to developing an architectural project, but also to give a functional proposal with existing industrial solutions which guaranteed rapidity, quality and sustainability.  Diagram The building is designed with lightweight industrialized envelope and structural elements. They had to be systems that could be fabricated, transported and assembled on site. The decision had to assume benefits on effectivity, reduction of wastes and quality and resources control, both in the manufacturing process and installation on site. The project proposes a metallic structure covering large spans and a roof of a self-supporting curve sheet, which architecturally wants to remind the Catalan vault. The facades are made of large format laminated wood panels with integrated insulation and finishes. In the east and the west the vegetation has its presence.  © Simon Garcia  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Matryoshka House / Shift Architecture Urbanism Posted: 16 Mar 2017 08:00 PM PDT  © NoortjeKnulst
 © NoortjeKnulst Matryoskha House transforms an early 20th century townhouse into two high-end apartments by radically opening it up. Situated in the center of Rotterdam, the house was in a derelict state due the previous owner's conversion of it into a sub-standard workers' hotel. Bothered by the neglect, a neighbor acquired the property and gave Shift architecture urbanism the commission to give it an extreme makeover.  © NoortjeKnulst The house was stripped to nothing but it's envelope and flooring structure, the later partly removed in each unit to create double-height living spaces. The private spaces are suspended in these tall spaces creating the matryoshka effect: a box within a box.  Floor Plan  Floor Plan The lower apartment features double-height spaces at both the front and rear façade, isolating the volume of the bedrooms and bathroom as floating in its center. The two voids provide the living areas of this 14m deep half-basement level with plenty of daylight.  © NoortjeKnulst The upper apartment is conceived as an inversion of the mass-void relationship of the lower apartment. Here the bedrooms, rather than the voids, are placed against the façades, opening up a spectacular double-height space at the center of the apartment, brightly lit by a large skylight.  © NoortjeKnulst The historic elements of the street façade were restored. The rear façade was removed entirely and replaced by a portal frame construction in galvanized steel providing structural stability. A large sliding door and three floor-to-ceiling double doors ensure that both living rooms can be fully opened up towards the garden.  Axonometric In the center of the apartments a single galvanized steel cladded volume incorporates stairs, toilets, storage spaces and kitchen equipment. A free-floating kitchen island finished in white tiles stands at the heart of each apartment.  Section The interior of the house is a dialogue between old and new, contemporary and traditional, polished and rough, finished and unfinished. When possible original details of the old house were preserved.  © NoortjeKnulst Brickwork was left exposed and roof trusses left bare, stained glass window panes were restored and placed within new frames. Warmer materials and colors balance the use of reflective metal, concrete and black steel.  Section  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Parquet Patterned Pool and Spa / Claesson Koivisto Rune Posted: 16 Mar 2017 07:00 PM PDT  © Åke E:son Lindman
 © Åke E:son Lindman From the architect. A spa with two pools has been completed adjacent to a 1796 mansion in south Sweden. The spa has one indoor pool for wintertime and one outdoor for summer. The outdoor pool sits on a podium, which levels the slope on which the mansion sits. It thus creates a platform from which you have an elevated view over the estate towards the back. Yet, it sits discrete as seen from the approach to the main entrance.  © Åke E:son Lindman The indoor pool is hidden inside the podium so that one pool could be said to sit on top of the other. The two spa areas are each other's mirrors. The outside is protruding while the inside is hollowed out. But both share the same patterned concept.  © Åke E:son Lindman Lending inspiration from the Gustavian (Neoclassical) mansion in general and parquet floor patterns from the time in particular, the concept is built on the chevron (French parquet).  © Åke E:son Lindman Wood decking and custom precision laser cut tiles share the same chevron pattern in different scales. Two archetypically house-shaped structures stand, extrusion-like, on the podium next to the outdoor pool. The larger house makes for a roofed outdoor kitchen and dining place. The smaller and narrower house conceals the stairwell down to the indoor spa.  © Åke E:son Lindman The spa harmonises with the mansion in proportions but does not recreate the historic style. House shapes and pattern are contemporary interpretations of classic composition.  © Åke E:son Lindman  Elevation - Section  © Åke E:son Lindman The oversized (in comparison with normal parquets) tiles are white which allows them to be coloured turquoise by the depth of the water. Each step down into the pool thus is a deeper hue of turquoise. The water itself is not treated as a transparent "nothing" but as a visible element and one of the materials on the palette. A material with the added function of beautifully lifting the tile pattern from the bottom of the pool to the surface, refracted and distorted by ripples. Sauna and showers behind a dark tinted glass wall flank the indoor pool. The tint makes the glass act with more reflection that amplifies the chevron pattern. The whole spa palette is complete with only four materials: Wood, tile, water and glass – the chevron pattern from wood is superimposed on tile, amplified and modulated by water and reflected by glass.  © Åke E:son Lindman  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| K House in Niseko / Florian Busch Architects Posted: 16 Mar 2017 03:00 PM PDT  © Glen Claydon
 © Glen Claydon From the architect. The brief for this house in what is often referred to as one of the world's best winter destinations was straightforward: simple, energy-efficient, maintenance-free. By far the best piece left in a fairly large development of mostly quaint variations of the theme "mountain chalet" (and their to our brief inevitably opposed manifestations), the site added to that straightforwardness: Its asset —unhindered views of the volcano Yotei to the east— dictated the orientation; our nonchalant disinterest in (and consequential avoiding of) the neighboring houses fine-tuned placement.  Courtesy of Florian Busch Architects In a world inundated with distractions, the house becomes a simple filter: Shut out the clutter and open up focused views on the serene beauty that lies behind: untouched wilderness all the way up to Mt Yotei.  © Glen Claydon Once we step inside, this concept is more and more evident. A wide entrance extends all the way through the house and onto the terrace, as if to show that the house really is but a gate. As we walk towards the terrace, glimpses of the sky reach us through the stairwell. Main bed and bath room are to the left and right and can be joined to form a suite along the entire east façade.  © Glen Claydon The house's simplicity extends to its structure, and is felt throughout. A perfect square in plan, the space seems to open from within by a set of beams and columns. The strong definition of the axial space from the entrance towards the terrace is loosened on the upper level, where the exposed Hokkaido cedar beams and columns define a large open volume. Two small boxes, guest room and bath, are placed below the beams in the western part, the remaining space contains study, living, dining, and kitchen areas facing east.  Section From the outside, the building is a homogeneous volume clad in aluminium-zinc coated sheet steel, which subtly reflects the surroundings with their ever-changing tones. The same openings which are like live paintings in the interior reveal, from the outside, the spatial components that make up the house as a set of individual elements.  © Glen Claydon K House is a place of simplicity, where the natural surroundings become part of the house and in hourly changing nuances remind us of the essence of true luxury. Incidentally, the no-nonsense, frugal interpretation of luxury leads to a concept much closer to the original chalet: a simple cabin for herdsmen in the mountains, shelt  © Glen Claydon  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Sunggwang Church / Oh Jongsang Posted: 16 Mar 2017 01:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of Oh Jongsang
 Courtesy of Oh Jongsang From the architect. Site  Courtesy of Oh Jongsang The site for building was a long shape with a bit of slope.Such conflicting two concepts like 'blocking and communication' hit my head first. 'Blocking' not to be swept by surrounding noises and confusion, there should be 'communication' to keep the essence of church.  Sketch First, for 'blocking', the barrier was established by placing the building lengthily on the front size of the land facing the city. The inner-side of the barrier becomes a cozy yard, and also a parking space.  Courtesy of Oh Jongsang And, for 'communication', a huge gate was made on the barrier. The gate is an architectural installation to welcome and invite neighbors. Instead of a commonly-seen indifferent glass door, the huge gate showing a cozy yard will be a more active expression for communication.  Courtesy of Oh Jongsang Form and Materials  Courtesy of Oh Jongsang Simplifying materials as exposed concrete finish and red brick, the process and cost were reduced. The strong and honest feelings of exposed concrete finish were harmonized with the delicacy of bricks elaborately built up. Specially, building up bricks through straight joint, the abstract face was more emphasized than the masonry wall.  Courtesy of Oh Jongsang Chapel  Floor Plan For City  Courtesy of Oh Jongsang I hope that this church building is usefully used as a space for worship and culture. Moreover, I hope that this place is remembered as a warm red brick wall at daytime, and the night of the city is beautifully decorated with light coming from gaps of bricks at night.  Courtesy of Oh Jongsang  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Mar 2017 12:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of Nikken Sekkei
 Courtesy of Nikken Sekkei YKK80, the new headquarters for YKK Group, was built on the expanded site of where the original headquarters was built in 1963. The site is located in a busy area next to Akihabara along Showadori-Street and the elevated Metropolitan Expressway.  Courtesy of Nikken Sekkei The design of the building was developed based on the following themes: a design that would have a suitable presence in the neighborhood for the new headquarters of the global YKK Group; an office building designed with functionality / reliability / comfort that would provide a safe and pleasant working environment; and a place that would encourage interacting with and contributing to the neighborhood, which has a rich history in manufacturing.  Courtesy of Nikken Sekkei The main façade, the west façade along Showadori-Street, is comprised of a screen of extruded aluminum and a double-skin façade system with built-in climber blinds. The combination protects the interior from the strong west sun and exterior noise while providing a controlled view of the busy urban neighborhood from the interior of the building. Since the façade along the street would be quite significant in size, approximately 60m x 40m, the intent was to create a varied expression while maintaining uniformity through a screen with two layers of delicate extruded aluminum with a Y-section.  Courtesy of Nikken Sekkei At the office floors, the elevator bank is located in the center of the L-shaped floor plate to achieve a continuous work space, to ease moving between floors, and to achieve a large work space along Showadori-Street on the west. Copy areas, meeting areas, restrooms, relaxation areas are located around the open staircase that link 4F to the Roof Floor to encourage communication among employees between floors.  Detail The work space is air-conditioned with a comfortable yet energy conscious system, utilizing radiant ceiling heating and cooling system with desiccant based humidification-dehumidification.  Courtesy of Nikken Sekkei A gentle breeze is also provided for further comfort at the occupied zone. Ambient and task lighting illuminate the space efficiently and effectively. LED linear ceiling fixtures are designed for light to reflect off the slightly tilted ceiling panels to enhance the overall illumination of the work space. Task lights are provided at each desk. Occupancy and daylighting sensors are installed for further energy conservation of lighting. Numerous other energy conservation measures were incorporated, such as use of geo-thermal heat, rain water reuse, installation of efficient plumbing fixtures, to achieve reduction of total energy consumption by 60% compared to typical Japanese office buildings. In addition, materials were carefully selected and aggressive measures were taken to enhance the indoor air quality to become the first office building in Japan to be awarded Platinum level certification for LEED Core & Shell.  Courtesy of Nikken Sekkei  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Mar 2017 10:00 AM PDT  © Scott Burrows Photography
 © Scott Burrows Photography What is the appropriate response when designing a contemporary and private home, along an active street on a flood-prone setting? C2 House occupies a unique oxbow in the Brisbane River that provides for uninterrupted river views. The design response has been to imagine the home as a procession of 5 distinct spaces, each with their own function yet highly connected with flowing transitions between inside and outside.  © Scott Burrows Photography The spaces begin with a sequential entry up floating steps to the intimate outdoor pavilion which is open to the sky – a private space to sit by the fire or gaze at the stars. This space flows through to a spacious light-filled volume for living and dining – the heart and hub of the home. Glass sliding doors which extend to the full width of the building open out the elevated rear deck, pool, and stunning river views.  © Scott Burrows Photography Hidden from these active living spaces are the gallery and sleeping rooms, which hug the central outdoor pavilion on the side boundaries. These private spaces are designed to be flexible for accommodating guests and grand kids. Privacy above all else drives this house. Unlike many of its neighbour's it was important that its outside "skin" could close down through the use of its many operable screens. At night, while the exterior skin is closed, the core of the home is illuminated – a glowing light hinting to an activated use inside.  © Scott Burrows Photography  Floor Plan  © Scott Burrows Photography The materials are restrained but used in a playful manner. Stone provides a common language that is spoken through the internal and external spaces. Rooms are captured by timber and zinc that defines their edges and Blackbutt timber soffits provide a sense of warmth and familiarity to contrast the dark zinc sheeting.  © Scott Burrows Photography This home was deliberately large, but also deliberately simple in its construction. With minimal transfers a post-tensioned floor allowed for large cantilevers and flat soffits. The house itself was built from blockwork and conventional timber trussed roofs that although cover a large footprint were deliberately simply articulated to allow for quick construction.  © Scott Burrows Photography The greatest strength of this project was the project team. The success of the project is owed to the harmonious working relationship between ourselves and the client, as well as our passionate and hard-working builder who were long-time friends of our client.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| New Documentary to Profile the Career of Slovenian Architecture Firm Sadar + Vuga Posted: 16 Mar 2017 09:20 AM PDT
Since its founding in 1996, Slovenia architecture firm Sadar+Vuga has grown to become one of their country's most influential architectural forces, with a range of projects covering interior design, to stadiums, to city master plans. In a new documentary by director Damjan Kozole, the firm's history is being archived for the first time.  left to right (above): Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ljubljana, 1999), Central part of National Gallery (Ljubljana, 2001), Condominium Trnovski pristan (Ljubljana, 2004), Sports park Stožice (Ljubljana, 2010) / (below): Air Traffic Control Centre (Brnik, 2013), New Building for the Study of Social Work (Ghent, 2012 - under construction), Apartment HSV (Ljubljana, 2012), Reconstruction and adaptation of Dom revolucije (Nikšić, 2016 - in progress) . Image Courtesy of Sadar + Vuga The film leads viewers chronologically through the firm's four distinct periods, beginning with the founding of Sadar+Vuga in the "transitional" mid 1990's, through a time of growth and economic crisis, and culminating with the grand plans for the Stožice Sports park that was never fully realized. A grand premier of the film will take place on April 4th in Ljubljana. See more of Sadar+Vuga's work, here, and continue reading to learn about the history of the firm as presented by the architects. From the architects. Jurij Sadar and Boštjan Vuga established Sadar+Vuga in 1996, following wins at architectural competitions for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia and the Central part of the National Gallery. The office has since created memorable architecture with great influence on their contemporaries as well as on younger generation of architects and has thus significally contributed to Slovenian culture.
Fresh wind in the established profession Sadar+Vuga enthusiastically approached the transtitional 1990s, when times in the young republic were favourable to changes in architecture. The inspiration for the office's work came from all forms of contemporary culture, skillfully translated into architectural language and spatial experiences. Realisations in different scales, programs and materialities, ranging from the forementioned Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ljubljana, 1999) and Central part of the National Gallery (Ljubljana, 2001) to the exhibition building for Arcadia Lightwear (Ljubljana, 2000) and a smaller, but formally complex fountain in Solkan (2001), established the young office on the map of European architecture. Simoultaneously with rich and multilayered production Sadar+Vuga established a contemporary approach towards the architectural profession, which was - unlike the hermetically closed ateliers of Plečnik's tradition - based on three postulates: open, integral, innovative. The office established a certain transparency in ther communication with the public and investors, it was favourable to the interdepartmental collaboration and systematically searched for 'new' in their own architecture.
Plurality of architectural expression Sadar+Vuga acted on the international level since its inception, but nevertheless designed the majority of their projects for Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana. Wanting to experiment with different architectural concepts and their effects on larger urban changes they consciously renounced having a style, a 'signature'. However, they have - through studies and realisations - developed certain architectural themes, categorised them and slowly formed their own architectural vocabulary - a creative catalog - which they presented at 2006 Venice Architectural Biennale as Slovenian representatives with an exhibition titled Formula New Ljubljana. With the introduction of formulas they systematically developed a coherent methodology which compared architectural products and their effects, and presented them with a common denominator - formulas - on a single experimental testing ground - Ljubljana. Two buildings that describe Sadar+Vuga's plurality of expression best are the apartment complexes Condominium Trnovski pristan (Ljubljana, 2004) and Gradaška (Ljubljana, 2007), which are built only a couple hundred meters apart but embody their specific contexts in formally and expressively distinct ways.
Sports park Stožice - the largest public project in independent Slovenia During the period of economic growth the office received several large public commisions: Maribor Cultural Center (Maribor, 2010, not realised), Air Traffic Control Centre (Brnik, 2013) and the large programmatic hybrid - Sports park Stožice (Ljubljana, 2010, unfinished). Three formally completely different projects share their engineering complexity and the desire to creatively reinterpret rigid and technologically determined programs (concert hall, stadium, control room). The Sports park Stožice, for example, combines three completely different programs - professional sports, commercial center and public park - in one condensed area with the potential to become a lively urban center of activities, a complete opposite to the modern, isolated sports buildings, visited only during the events. Re-use, complex interiors and collaboration with Slovenian and foreign offices Uncompleted projects (Maribor Cultural Center, Sports park Stožice) and the new reality of the economic crisis forced the office to switch to smaller projects, find commissions abroad and rethink the role of architecture today. The focus of the office's production and communication thus became the re-use of the abandoned construction sites and buildings, materialised through the international student workshop Sports park Stožice: Possible Futures (Ljubljana, 2015) and the winning proposal for the reconstruction and adaptation of Dom revolucije (Nikšić, 2016 - in progress, together with HHF Architects and Dijana Vučinić). In these years the office also tackled several complex interior projects, designed for private clients. Sadar+Vuga collaborated with foreign offices and participated at international competitions, seeking larger commissions abroad. The first building of the larger masterplan for a new school campus in Ghent, the Faculty for the Study of Social Works (2012, together with LENS°ASS), is currently under construction; the office also received first prize at the international competition for the Supreme Court and School of magistrates in Tirana (2015, together with PRG*BR). Simultaneously, the office collaborated at designing several professionally acclaimed realisations at home, such as the Cultural Center of EU Space Technologies (Vitanje, 2012, together with Bevk Perović, Dekleva Gregorič and OFIS arhitekti) and the renovation of Slovenska boulevard (Ljubljana, 2015, together with Dekleva Gregorič, Katušič Kockbek arhitekti, Scapelab and Studio Krištof).
Apart from their work at the office Boštjan and Jurij both teach at architecture schools (at TU Graz and the Faculty of architecture in Ljubljana, respectively), lecture at conferences and symposia and act as menthors to undergraduate and postgraduate students. The architecture of Sadar+Vuga was published in four monographies (3D-2D: The Designers Republic's: Adventures In and Out of Architecture (L. King Publishing, 2001), Tendencies (Design Document Series 17, DAMDI, 2006), Formula New Ljubljana (Actar, 2006), Sadar+Vuga: A Review (Hatje Cantz, 2012)), and now their opus is presented in the documentary by Damjan Kozole. News via Sadar + Vuga.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| One Bucket at a Time / Factor Eficiencia + 5468796 Architecture Posted: 16 Mar 2017 08:00 AM PDT  © Jaime Navarro
 © Jaime Navarro This collaborative project, developed within the 2017th Mextropoli, highlights the liberal enjoyment of public space in Mexico City’s unique yet contentious urban environment. In Mexico City’s metropolitan area, with a population of more than 23 million people, 4.5 million daily commuters navigate complex road networks, frequent traffic jams, public protests and parking shortages. The street—the prime public space—is the setting for all such friction. There, “viene viene”—entrepreneurs who function outside of government oversight, bribe the local police, use common painter’s buckets to claim a piece of the street, and will charge hopeful drivers looking for a parking spot with an additional fee in exchange for access to their illegal stall. Each viene viene can control one or several city blocks with their buckets, and will threaten anyone who parks without agreeing to pay them.  © Jaime Navarro One Bucket at a Time, was inspired by this hijacking of public (parking) space, and uses common painter’s buckets as the building blocks for an interactive pavilion. Connecting the buckets via a grid of ropes, the installation is a malleable ‘surface’ that the public are encouraged to freely explore. The surface functions like a giant carpet, and can be rolled, pulled together or up to a point or along a line taking on different forms. People can sit, run, play, stand, lounge, and participate in the act of taking over the public realm. In situ for a three-day period, the installation will come down gradually, released from the ropes and absorbed by the city.  © Jaime Navarro By using buckets—a symbol of holding the public space hostage—we are highlighting and questioning this pervasive condition, and also empowering people of Mexico City to reclaim ownership of their public space, one bucket at a time, even if only for a few days.  © Jaime Navarro  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Tesla Debuts Massive Energy-Storing Solar Farm on Hawaiian Island Posted: 16 Mar 2017 07:30 AM PDT  via Tesla Tesla has completed a massive, 55,000-panel solar farm on the Hawaiian island of Kauai that will allow them to experiment with medium-term energy storage at a utility scale. Hooked up to the farm are 272 of the company's lithium Powerpacks, which are capable of storing of combined 52 megawatt-hours of power. The project is the largest of its kind installed by Tesla since its $2 billion acquisition of panel installer SolarCity Corp last November, and its location in Hawaii is not a coincidence; the state has the highest electric rates in the United States, and has set goals of eliminating all non-renewable power sources by 2045. The Tesla facility is estimated to cut the Kauai's diesel and petroleum consumption by about 1.6 million gallons per year. As a result, approximately 44 percent of the island's energy will now come from renewable sources. The Powerpack system will also be the first solar operation to reliably supply power 24/7.  via Tesla The system is similar to an even larger, 396-battery storage system installed by the company in Southern California this January. Tesla founder Elon Musk has claimed that the entire United States could potentially be powered by anothe 160 or so of these plants. News via Bloomberg.
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| Beats / Nook architects + byn studio Posted: 16 Mar 2017 06:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual
 Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual From the architect. The architectural refurbishment of this commercial ground floor space was conditioned for the needs of its new use, a design studio and concept store in what had been for the past few decades an archive and educational space.  Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual  Plan  Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual The commercial space is located on the ground floor of a residential building built in the year 1900 in Barcelona's Ciutat Vella, the Old Quarter. The building's entry and central staircase, which is ventilated through an adjacent patio, is accessed directly from a square. This results in a U-shaped ground floor that wraps around the patio and central staircase.  Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual The building's structure is heterogeneous; the upper floors have wooden beams held by load-bearing walls, the ground floor has metallic beams supported by forged iron columns and the basement has stone and masonry load-bearing walls that transition into wide vaults.  Plan When we first visited the space we were surprised to see that 3 of its large openings to the street had been bricked up, limiting the amount of natural light. The ground floor and basement were both heavily partitioned, mostly be wood and frosted glass dividers and some thin masonry walls. The result was a sequence of small, dark spaces that had been created as they were needed.  Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual The main staircase that gave access to the basement was located by the entry at one of the tips of the U. A second staircase had been installed to create a fire exit to the central patio. The two openings oriented to the square were both the entry and fire exit.  Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual With the objective of converting the ground floor into a concept store and showroom and the basement into the design studio, the spatial intervention consisted of catching as much natural light as possible by reopening windows and the suppression of interior partitions. This made the structural typology more evident and brought attention to the building's structure while improving the relationship between the interior and exterior, benefiting not only the building but also the street, which was previously flanked by a large opaque wall and now has three very large openings that allow the passer-by to look across the interior all the way to the square. Opaque walls have been transformed in large openings of wood and completely transparent security glass.  Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual The new functional scheme has modified the position of the staircase to a more central location on the posterior side of the patio. The connection between floors has been simplified with the construction of a single, reinforced concrete staircase fitted into a new opening that was created by cutting out a quadrant of vault. The opening of the original staircase has been sealed with weight-bearing glass, converting it into a skylight that illuminates the basement. By liberating the patio of the fire exit staircase, the central zone is converted into a double height space that becomes the project's lung.  Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual The store's access was decentralized, maintaining the main entry from the square, placing the concept store on the most public side of the commercial space. The secondary access is placed on the side street at the opposite end of the floor plan, linked to the design studio and showroom.  Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual The project also contemplated reducing the area occupied by mezzanines that fragmented the space. A smaller surface is maintained in the showroom's area, which is accessed by a new concrete stair with the same constructive language as the main staircase.  Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual The intervention of Beates recuperates the connection between the store and the street, pulling in as much natural light as possible into a space that marries noble and comfortable materials with the early 20th century's constructive tradition, in line with the philosophy of the brand that will occupy the space.  Courtesy of nieve / Productora Audiovisual  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Mar 2017 05:20 AM PDT  Courtesy of WE Architecture WE Architecture + Erik Juul have been awarded a commission to transform a vacant lot at Jagtvej 69 in Copenhagen into a urban garden and housing structure that could provided temporary accommodation for homeless people, helping them to turn their lives around. The architects describe the project as a place "where housing and green gardens [create] a platform for the meeting between locals and homeless, and a path for a new beginning." To facilitate this interaction between the community and its homeless members, the design takes the form of an armature housing a series of modular containers, each designated for its own specific activities. In addition to bedrooms, the containers would provide a wide range of activities such as kitchens, dining spaces, offices, living rooms, and even a yoga studio.  Courtesy of WE Architecture  Courtesy of WE Architecture The architects believe surrounding the temporary community members with these activities will help to them to improve their professional and social standing by improving communication with authorities and allowing them to take care of their physical and mental health. With the addition of community gardens and semi-public event spaces, the proposal provides the neighborhood with a new social meeting place that everyone can use.  Courtesy of WE Architecture  Courtesy of WE Architecture Based on a simple scaffolding system, the concept is for the structure to be flexible, with the ability to add new features and change according to new needs. In the future, the project could be completed dismantled, and moved to a new site that needs help. "The project will have a positive visual contribution to the neighborhood – a landmark people can relate to with social and environmental sustainable initiatives," explain the architects. "The visibility aims to raise awareness of the initiative, in terms of attracting new users to the neighborhood, but also volunteers and current residents." News via WE Architecture.
WE Architecture's Winning Proposal Combines Green Space with Social Housing in Aarhus  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Casa Clara / 1:1 Arquitetura Design Posted: 16 Mar 2017 04:00 AM PDT  © Edgard Cesar
 © Edgard Cesar From the architect. This house; Casa Clara, is mainly a small house, strong personality and clear solution (clear means Clara in Portuguese). The entire house is delicately supported on the downhill terrain. The landscape have a free view from the interior, even the layout is clear, simple solution with elegant design, in some ways this house is very minimal.  © Edgard Cesar The family that lives inside is also small; a couple, a child and 2 cats. The program demands are the same of most private houses; bedrooms, bathroom, open kitchen and etc. But the most important demand is the need of a very fast construction in the minimum size as possible. The result is 89 square meters in Steel Frame.  Sketch Casa Clara also privileges the thermal control (that is very important in Brazil, as a tropical country) the natural illumination and cross ventilation are also important, identified in the formal volume solution. Some facades are entire solids, some others are totally opened in glass and some other have both demands.  © Edgard Cesar The 'Cobogó" (Brazilian void concrete block) have an important role, guaranteeing the privacy of the occupants, this material also have some control of the afternoon insolation, as a void material this block allows the occupants to appreciate the wonderful sunset in Brasilia.  © Edgard Cesar This house also have two facades exposed to the local street, as a solution the architects have created a wall that expand the house perimeter. And the other exposed facade is also totally made in Cobogo, that plays a role of Arabic Muxarabi.  © Edgard Cesar This house is also a resume of Brazilian interior design, the furniture is authorial, having the big Brazilian names as Sergio Rodrigues on the chairs, Zanine Caldas have design the armchairs, the bench is created by Leo Romano, sofa and principal armchair is created by Studio Bola, the sideboard, bookcase and cabinets are designed by Studio Virgula Zero.  Axonometric The 70's memories are all around the house, materials, colors, perfumes are some of the visitor sensation experience, this entire house have a clear solution. Is properly named "Casa Clara"  © Edgard Cesar  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Why IM Pei’s Museum of Islamic Art is the Perfect Building to Suit Doha’s Style Posted: 16 Mar 2017 02:30 AM PDT #donotsettle is an online video project created by Wahyu Pratomo and Kris Provoost about architecture and the way it is perceived by its users. Having published a number of videos on ArchDaily over the past two years, Pramoto and Provoost are now launching an exclusive column, "#donotsettle extra," which will accompany some of their #donotsettle videos with in-depth textual analysis of the buildings they visit. In our first installment we are taking you to Doha, the capital of Qatar, where we visited the Museum of Islamic Art. For some years, this museum was the only architecture fix you could find in Doha, but recently this has changed, with projects almost completed by Jean Nouvel and Rem Koolhaas, and will continue to change leading up to the 2022 World Cup. The building was designed by IM Pei who, when the building was constructed in the mid-2000s, was retired but was persuaded to commit his time to design this prominent museum. And prominent it for sure is. Mister Pei, you know how to make your building stand out. Standing off the mainland, a solid natural stone structure rises out of the water.  © Wahyu Pratomo and Kris Provoost  © Wahyu Pratomo and Kris Provoost Standing off the Doha corniche, the approach towards the museum is, as always, an important part of how a building is perceived. During that approach, we noticed some similarities with another building: last summer, we visited Suzhou where we observed another museum IM Pei had designed. The Suzhou Museum isn't just any museum--as Suzhou was IM Pei's hometown as a child, it must have had some special importance to him. The design clearly played a significant role in the later work he did on the Museum of Islamic Art. While the latter is larger in scale, we notice a comparable language of orthogonal and diagonal lines. The floor plans of both buildings have strong similarities. However, a different exterior material distinguishes the two designs from each other, so that even though they are similar in shape, both truly feel in place in their respective cultures and surroundings.  © Wahyu Pratomo and Kris Provoost While our video hopefully makes it easier to understand the key features of the design, let this text be a roundup of 4 topics we found interesting. Orientation is the key driver of this building. From the moment you enter the premises, you only feel like going forward, and that movement forward eventually leads you to the image Qatar wants you to remember: the rising skyline of Doha, an image every visitor is bound to take a snapshot of, architecture junkie or not.  © Wahyu Pratomo and Kris Provoost The circulation is simple, a large atrium with walkways around. Not that ingenious right? However, no matter where you stand, your eyes go to that humongous window giving you that image they want you to see. Yes indeed, the rising Doha Skyline.  © Wahyu Pratomo and Kris Provoost From outside, the shape of the building is monolithic, introverted, strong yet complex. However from the interior it is hollow, and this brings your eyes up to that geometric skylight--another angle everybody will surely take a photo of or at least get lost in.  © Wahyu Pratomo and Kris Provoost The building's materiality is one of blending in and of contrast. Is it even possible to combine these two opposites? Doha will always have that sandy color, no matter how many glazed skyscrapers they build. The natural stone color will blend right into that. Then, however, the contrast starts when you look closer: the strong, lively blue of the Arabian Gulf makes this museum stand out.  © Wahyu Pratomo and Kris Provoost While writing this, I can't help but feel a bit contradictory. One sentence speaks about how this masterpiece blends in, while the next sentence explains how this building stands out. These are complete opposites, and yet the design was undoubtedly planned this way. We have always considered Doha as being a version of the Middle East which doesn't try so hard to stand out. But thinking deeply about it, they do try to stand out, just in a much more refined and intellectual way. That window, the view from anywhere in the museum, the lightweight bridges floating in space. These are their way of saying "we welcome you, and we want you to see what we have been doing the past decade putting our city on the map."  © Wahyu Pratomo and Kris Provoost Doha, you revealed yourself during our 24-hour layover. Qatar, we will be flying to your capital again once your Jean Nouvel museum opens. We would love to step foot in what is guaranteed to be another amazing architectural experience. See you then! #donotsettle is a project about Architecture and Experience. Watch 100+ more videos related to Architecture on our YouTube Channel, or see what we are up to on Instagram and Facebook.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Concrete at Alserkal Avenue / OMA Posted: 16 Mar 2017 02:20 AM PDT  © Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue
 © Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue From the architect. Located in Dubai's Al Qouz industrial area, Alserkal Avenue was founded in 2007 with the aim of promoting cultural initiatives in the region. Since then, it has become Dubai's most important art hub with twenty-five galleries and art spaces. Concrete, a new venue, addresses the districts growing need for a centrally located public space which can host a diverse program.  Exploded Axonometric. Image © OMA The 1,250 m2 former warehouse provides a multi-purpose venue to accommodate a series of public events, including exhibitions, performances, lectures, and fashion shows. The planning strategy focused on maximizing the event area. All the services were consolidated on one end of the building, allowing the entrance and event spaces to be situated closer to The Yard, the district's main outdoor public square.  © Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue  Model. Image © OMA  © Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue Interior design The design for the interior introduces a flexible floor plan to accommodate the required program diversity. Four 8.10 m pivoting and sliding walls can create multiple space configurations depending on the type of event. To maintain a fluid space, all the major interior equipment has been integrated into the ceiling, leaving the walls and floors free of any components.  Space Configurations. Image © OMA Two linear skylights have been positioned above the movable walls to allow either thin blades of light or full daylight depending on the configuration.  © Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue Exterior design The original front façade of the ware-house has been replaced with poly-carbonate cladding and full height operable doors. When the doors are open, the exterior and interior space can merge, activating the courtyard. The connection to the exterior is reinforced by the translucent poly-carbonate, which brings the view, daylight and outdoor activities into the interior space.  © Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue The rest of the original façade has been maintained and sprayed in a customized mix of concrete with glass and mirror aggregates. The rough texture of the spayed concrete and reflections from the glass and mirror aggregates will make the venue stand out in the context of Alserkal Avenue.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Inflatable ETFE Roofs Give This Resort its Pinecone-Like Forms Posted: 16 Mar 2017 01:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of 3GATTI Focussing on prefabricated and sustainable means of construction, Italian practices 3GATTI Architecture Studio and OFL Architecture have envisioned an airy forest resort and spa in the historical region of Kurzeme, Latvia. The Pinecones Resort does its name justice by the spiky cone-like units that inhabit the site, made possible through the use of an inflatable roof constructed from ETFE, a lightweight polymer film. ETFE, or Ethylene Tetra Fluoro Ethylene, is the most extensively used material for inflatable roofing. Being 100% recyclable and having a minimal carbon footprint in terms of transportation and installation, the material is highly sustainable and in the case of this particular project, offers flexible and dynamic building forms.  Courtesy of 3GATTI  Courtesy of 3GATTI Each of the units' roofs will be inflated by an SPF sprayed Eco Foam, which is also recyclable itself and offers insulation and structural rigidity. Since the resort is primarily intended for Blue Clay treatments, an organic and naturally abundant substance in the area, the ETFE membranes will also be printed to mimic the color of the clay and surrounding forest, while invoking a softness reminiscent of the substance.  Courtesy of 3GATTI  Courtesy of 3GATTI Constructed from local wood, a laminated lightweight frame will support the pneumatic roof membrane, allowing it to withstand snow loads as well. In the winter, the snow will also add to the foam's thickness and homogeneity, by collecting on the gripped spikes, thus insulating the unit further.  Courtesy of 3GATTI  Courtesy of 3GATTI The spa itself is elevated off the ground and programs are dispersed throughout the site, connected by a wooden footbridge. Winter tubs, saunas, therapy rooms and dining areas will be housed in the pinecone-inspired structures. Other green initiatives include a water filtration system, geothermal loops, and solar window technologies that all contribute to the resort's limited environmental impact. News via: 3GATTI. ETFE: The Rise of Architecture's Favorite Polymer  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| New Book Calls for an End to Our Fetish for Conditioned Skyscrapers Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:00 PM PDT  Cambridge research seeks to end the architectural fetish of glass and steel skyscrapers © Flickr user tomhilton. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 Professor Alan Short of the University of Cambridge has published a book advocating for the revival of 19th-century architectural ideas to address the crippling energy use of modern skyscrapers. The Recovery of Natural Environments in Architecture proposes an end to the architectural fetish for glass, steel, and air conditioning, instead drawing inspiration from forgotten techniques in naturally ventilated buildings of the 1800s. The book is a culmination of 30 years' research and design by Prof. Short and his colleagues at the University of Cambridge.  Professor Alan Short calls for an overhaul of artificial ventilation in skyscrapers. Image Courtesy of University of Cambridge
In his book, Prof. Short highlights a developed, sophisticated science of natural ventilation used in the 19th-century, exemplified by the first Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. After three years digitally modeling the hospital, Prof. Short and his team noted that ventilation performance in the building was equivalent to a modern-day computer-controlled operating theater. During the 19th-century, public anxiety over toxic air led to the development of public buildings devoted to exceptional air quality, a mindset which Prof. Short argues has been lost in the computer-controlled ventilation of modern skyscrapers.  Professor Short argues that skyscraper design must depart from its current reliance on glass and steel, and begin to harness natural ventilation. Boeri Studio's Bosco Verticale. Image Courtesy of Paolo Rosselli
Prof. Short argues that our current model of glass and steel skyscraper will ultimately become an economic and environmental liability, citing the skyscraper boom in China where energy demands deprive 550 million inhabitants of central heating. Pointing to naturally ventilated public buildings such as the award-winning Queen's Building at De Monfort University in Leicester, Prof. Short is convinced that naturally ventilated skyscrapers of the future will be produced in any climate.  The Queen's Building at Leicester's De Montfort University is fully naturally lit and ventilated © Flickr user stevecadman. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
 Energy demands from a recent skyscraper boom in China has led to energy controls on millions of inhabitants © Flickr user obscurepixels. Licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 The Recovery of Natural Environments in Architecture can be purchased from the RIBA Bookshop here. News via: University of Cambridge.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 15 Mar 2017 10:00 PM PDT  © Stefan Müller
 © Stefan Müller From the architect. Work began on building the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in 1957 based on the urban development plan of S.J. van Embden. His design aimed at creating an idealised factory environment for technical research and study consisting of tall, modern buildings on stilts that were connected with one another and with the laboratories and workshops located in between them by means of aerial walkways. The plan followed the modern ideal of self-contained buildings in a continuous landscape. The rational structure in which the buildings followed a fixed grid pattern was expressed in the curtain walls of the first generation of buildings on the campus. A master plan for the re organisation and expansion of the campus has been drawn up following the original design. It envisages the introduction of accommodation for students and researchers on the north side of the campus on the edge of the green brook valley of the Dommel.  © Stefan Müller  Axonometric  Axonometric  © Stefan Müller The position and orientation of the wedge-shaped building are aligned with the series of taller buildings on the campus. The building is entirely prefabricated. The load-bearing façade is made of concrete sandwich elements whose continuous grid reflects the façades of the old buildings on the campus. The front side of the wall panel bands are polished, providing a stronger contrast with the closed sections of the wall and giving the grid an autonomous position in the façade composition. Besides the outer walls, the floors, bathrooms and installations are also prefabricated to enable the building to be constructed within a very short time. The wedge-shaped building has been staggered around the central corridor, creating a triple articulation in the end facades. This division into three facilitates a logical distribution of the rooms and group flats. It also gives the building an elegant appearance and a dynamic, asymmetrical look, both on the side facing the campus and on that facing the Dommel.  © Stefan Müller  Plans  © Stefan Müller The building is aligned with the top end of the campus but is otherwise entirely freestanding in the green brook valley of the Dommel. Upon arrival, residents pass through the cycle shed and the collective space, which share the same visual axis with one another and with the surrounding landscape, to reach the lifts on the north side.  © Stefan Müller  © Stefan Müller The lifts convey them via the two-storey lift lobbies to their rooms on the different floors. There is a collective outdoor area on each floor facing south with a view over the campus. The over-dimensioning of the collective areas makes them suitable for meeting and activities. This creates a series of spaces extending through the building from the university terrain to the individual rooms, giving an explicit added value and liveliness to living on a campus.  © Stefan Müller  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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