Arch Daily |
- Call for Entries: Italian Castle Observatory and Resort Competition
- The Smile / Alison Brooks Architects
- Inspired UM” Office / Prusta
- Wooden Box House / Moloney Architects
- Sketches of Spain: Hidden Spanish Architecture Through Ola Kolehmainen's Lenses
- 99% Invisible Recalls the Unknown Arts Awards of the Olympic Games
- Webster Terrace / TEAL
- Treepedia - MIT Maps and Analyses Tree Coverage in Major Cities
- Finding Love in the Sand: The Instinctive Architecture of the Pufferfish
- THE CLOUDS / PETITDIDIERPRIOUX Architects
- Netherlands Competition Winner Turns Parking Garage Into a "Lego Set"
- La Vinya / Studio RHE
| Call for Entries: Italian Castle Observatory and Resort Competition Posted: 23 Apr 2017 09:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of YAC YAC – Young Architects Competitions –launches Observatory Houses, an open architectural competition aiming at the design of a hotel-observatory in the area of the castle of Roccascalegna, in Central Italy. The competition is in cooperation with the Italian State Property Agency – Italian Government, Italian Exhibition Group, the Municipality of Roccascalegna, Casabella, Associazione Italiana Confindustria Alberghi. The internationally-renowned jury gathers, among others, Enrique Sobejano, Rodrigo Duque Motta, Simon Frommenwiler co-founder of HHS Architects, Nicodemos Tsolakis, Felix Perasso from Snohetta. A total of € 20.000 in prize money will be awarded and winner projects will be published on international architecture and design platforms. Brief: The nocturnal sky is eternal, sublime and inaccessible. When looking at it, the human being experiences the furthest condition and feels overwhelmed by an ancient and inviolable mystery. A mystery that not even the most modern and refined minds can understand, despite efforts and technological progress. Dazzled by the brightness of our metropolis, we often forget the extraordinary vision the vault of heaven can offer us. However, there are still places that are far from lights and cities where the beauty of the infinite appears in its entire splendor. Surrounded by forests and crags, Roccascalegna is one of the places where this magic continues to occur and where the sky keeps on telling its eternal and beautiful story. It is a unique and far place that is both incredibly beautiful and clearly fragile. In fact, the fortress deeply depends on the constant care of the human being to preserve its characteristics and remarkable appearance. For these reasons, the Rimini Fair and the Italian government launched the Observatory Houses project aiming to find a new use for Roccascalegna taking advantage of the potential of a oneiric setting with remarkable skies. The project aims at creating in Italy the first and most suggestive observatory houses. They will be a sustainable and exclusive house model aimed to ensure the protection and improvement of such inestimable heritage. How to build a complex of modern observatory houses in a picturesque medieval fortress? How to create the most refined national reference for the astronomical observation tourism through architecture? On the bases of these issues, designers will have to create a story composed by stars, silences, and landscapes. This story will have to include architectural elements designed to create a place beyond compare. It will not be a place of mere observation or accommodation; it will be a place of spirituality and meditation. Observatory Houses wishes to promote an architectural intervention that aims at becoming a symbol destination for those who wish to move away from their everyday routine and live an archaic, almost mystic experience thanks to the most ancient and beautiful sight. Under everlasting skies, the new observatory houses in the ancient fortress will provide an unforgettable stay for those who wish to experience the feral excitement to fall asleep under the stars rocked by the slow movement of planets and fascinated by a sudden shooting star. YAC thanks all the designers who will take part in this challenge. Jury:
Prizes:
Calendar:
More information on : www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com
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| The Smile / Alison Brooks Architects Posted: 23 Apr 2017 08:00 PM PDT  © Alison Brooks
 © Guy Bell From the architect. Alison Brooks Architects has collaborated with The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), Arup and the London Design Festival to present a cross-laminated tulipwood structure, 'The Smile' at the Chelsea College of Art Rootstein Hopkins Parade Ground from 17 September until 12 October.  Site Elevations The Smile is one of the Festival's Landmark Projects, which can be inhabited and explored by the public. The spectacular, curved, tubular timber structure measures 3.5m high, 4.5m wide and 34m long and is effectively a beam curving up at both ends. Showcasing the structural and spatial potential of cross-laminated American tulipwood, Alison Brooks' concept is the first ever 'mega-tube' made with construction-sized panels of hardwood CLT.  © Alison Brooks ABOUT CROSS LAMINATED TULIPWOOD Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is an engineered timber that can be used to make the walls and floors of entire buildings. It has a layered construction with the wood fibres turned at right angles in each successive layer, creating a panel with equal strength in both directions, just like plywood. Weight for weight, CLT is stronger than concrete and it can also be machined to incredibly high tolerances. This makes it ideal for prefabrication and rapid assembly, reducing construction times by up to 30%. CLT is usually made of a softwood called spruce, better known as the Christmas tree. Together with Arup, AHEC has started a process of experimenting with CLT made from fast-grown North American tulipwood. Testing has shown that the tulipwood is considerably stronger than spruce; it also has a superior appearance.  © Alison Brooks The Smile is the first project in the world to use large hardwood CLT panels, in fact the entire structure is made from just 12 huge tulipwood panels, each up to 14m long and 4.5m wide. Fabricating these panels in a real CLT production plant has been an important step forward, showcasing how the material can be used for commercial projects.  Sections  © Alison Brooks  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 23 Apr 2017 07:00 PM PDT  © Leonas Garbaciauskas
 © Leonas Garbaciauskas From the architect. In the new office of "Inspired UM" agency works approximately fifty human brains that develop and strategy innovative market communication solutions. The main concept was to create a space in which everything, beginning with the principles of work and ending with the drawings on the walls of respective personalities, inspired to create, surprise, generate ideas, and even relax. The portraits of Jonas Mekas and George Maciunas were also chosen not by chance: they are - impressive Lithuanian personalities, who had inspired new artistic movements in the global context years ago, and this is the same purpose of this office team today.  © Leonas Garbaciauskas Galvanized metal filigree partitions have been chosen as the graphical details and also as the constructional elements for this interior, even more they have become ideological and aesthetic starting point for further decisions.  © Leonas Garbaciauskas We tried just to enrich the current spirit of the old house with the modern elements: the multicolored old bricks were combined with the laconic metal and warm wood inlays. Even engineering systems has got a decorative role here – they are very harmoniously "chatting" with galvanized metal partitions. Wooden ceilings on the first floor provides comfort and warmth, and the specific gaps between the ceiling boards were designed to absorb sound.  © Leonas Garbaciauskas Another accent - rich in patterns oriental carpets in the recreation area and walkways. More wooden details, which confer softness and a feeling of comfort are in the cuisine space. Here we designed a natural cork table, and solid wood sills, bar and kitchen furniture.  © Leonas Garbaciauskas A non-binding mood is used to infect also the customers - as the the philosophy of this office says: any serious solution must keep at least a fraction of playfulness.  1st Floor Plan  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Wooden Box House / Moloney Architects Posted: 23 Apr 2017 01:00 PM PDT  © Christine Francis
 © Christine Francis From the architect. Wooden Box House is a turn-of-the-century weatherboard home that merges Victorian heritage with a contemporary extension to house a growing family. The project, located in the regional Victorian town of Ballarat, saw Mick and Jules Moloney, co-founders of Moloney Architects renovate and extend the century-old residence to meet the changing needs of their family of five.  © Christine Francis Looking to open up the cramped living quarters, the architects added an open 'wooden box' to the rear of the existing house. This new space is joined to the original structure via a connection space with dropped ceiling that acts as a shadow line between the two structures.  © Christine Francis The shadow line not only blends the old and new forms so they might sit comfortably side-by-side, but allows the original roof structure to remain unchanged. The result is an open and contemporary living space that respects its heritage context.  Plan - Section The Wooden Box addition also takes advantage of the north-facing block with a large window seat. "This group of vertical windows captures long shafts of sunlight that reach right to the very back of our central living space. The space receives plenty of natural light and also has a positive psychological effect of feeling warm and cheery. It makes those chilly Ballarat winters much more bearable," said Moloney Architects Principal, Mick Moloney.  © Christine Francis "The window seat is also a lovely space to read and the integration of drawers into the undercavity offers essential storage for children's toys."  © Christine Francis The heart of the family home, the architects designed the kitchen with a social central island bench. "We incorporated the cooktop into the island with stools opposite to encourage conversation while cooking", said Moloney Architects co-founder, Jules Moloney. "We love how open it feels, and with the north face of the kitchen space almost all glass, we can open the wide multi-fold doors and connect to the outdoors," she said.  © Christine Francis Mick and Jules have been economical in their use of raw, honest building materials. Formply is used across the kitchen drawer fronts, island bench and skirting boards. Windows and exposed beams are constructed from Tasmanian Oak. Complementing this is flooring in Blackbutt and cladding in Cedar.  © Christine Francis "As designers, we are particularly interested in the grain and warmth that natural materials like timber can bring to a space. In this project we've employed raw and unadorned materials like plywood and formply to create a relaxed and informal atmosphere. This really encapsulates the way we like to live," said Mick and Jules Moloney.  © Christine Francis  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Sketches of Spain: Hidden Spanish Architecture Through Ola Kolehmainen's Lenses Posted: 23 Apr 2017 09:00 AM PDT  House of Spiritual Retreat. Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA The exhibition 'Sketches of Spain' by photographer Ola Kolehmainen has been recently shown in Barcelona at the SENDA Gallery. The exhibition summarized the last ten years of Kolehmainen’s work. In 2015, the artist was awarded the RIBA Honorary Fellowship for his contribution in promoting the architecture of his generation. With his particular vision, Ola Kolehmainen seeks to show the constant abstractions that are partially hidden in modern architecture. His photography is dramatic and inspiring, we can find pieces of European avant-garde mixed with the crudeness of the materials and their uses. With minimal format, he shows us details we normally miss completely from well-known works such as the Barcelona Pavilion by Mies Van der Rohe (key architect in Kolehmainen's work), or the Niemeyer Center in Avilés, by Oscar Niemeyer.  Less Less is is more more. Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA This retrospective shows a photographer with the soul of an architect who is able to find those wise, true, and magnificent games spoken of by Le Corbusier and twist them to give them a new meaning. His exhaustive study of light and architectural plans amazes and astonishes, his language is equally baffling and satisfying. Thanks to the SENDA Gallery we have the opportunity to enjoy a completely different point of view of details that we've surely forgotten. Enjoy!  Red Staircase 2. Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA  La Caixa I. Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA  Ein Hauch II. Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA  Ein Hauch III. Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA  Walden7 (ping-pong). Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA  Archetype I. Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA  Archetype II. Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA  Archetype III. Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA  Archetype V. Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA  Archetype VII. Image © Ola Kolehmainen. Cortesía de Galería SENDA  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 99% Invisible Recalls the Unknown Arts Awards of the Olympic Games Posted: 23 Apr 2017 07:00 AM PDT  London Olympic Stadium by Populous. Image © Morley von Sternberg We've all heard of the record-breaking times, longest distances and of course, winners of those coveted medals, but according to 99% Invisible there is a lesser-known Olympic Games honor participants have received: awards in architecture. In an article tracing the history of this bizarre tradition, Kurt Kohlstedt explores how medals were awarded to five categories of the arts during the Olympic Games, presented to participants alongside their sporting competitors. An initiative initially proposed in 1906 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) under Pierre de Coubertin, the arts competitions sought to reclaim the former glory of the ancient Games, which themselves recognized singing and music. Coubertin's modern iteration included five categories of the arts: architecture, literature, music, painting and sculpture. For architecture, entries included conceptual and built projects ranging from stadiums to ski jumps, all to be original athletics-inspired work submitted by amateurs, as was the case with the other categories. First featuring in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, the awards were discontinued after the London Games of 1948. Learn more about the "Pentathlon of the Muses" in the 99% Invisible article, here. News via: 99% Invisible.
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| Posted: 23 Apr 2017 06:00 AM PDT  © Riley Smith Photographer
 © Riley Smith Photographer From the architect. Webster Terrace was a distinguished modern movement house built in three stages. It had an open plan living/dining/kitchen with a distinctive sloped ceiling extending into a mono slope cantilevered roof.  © Riley Smith Photographer The Client wished to open the main floor as much as possible and build a second storey with two bedrooms, each with a bathroom. The main challenges were to: · add a second storey while keeping the house weather proof · ive even more presence to the spatial qualities of the large sloped ceiling plane  © Riley Smith Photographer · insert new heating, cooling, power, plumbing, communications and entertainment systems · improve the energy performance of the envelope and systems · use contemporary, high performance materials with zero edge details  © Riley Smith Photographer TEAL's response to the first challenge was to devise an 'eye of the needle' structural strategy that threaded the new steel structure through minimal openings in the roof, immediately sealing them the same day. The new floor is suspended over the existing sloped roof plane, creating a useful storage space underneath. The new upper deck is also structured to hover over the old roof  Level 1  © Riley Smith Photographer The second challenge was met by removing most of the walls on the main level, exposing the diagonally sloping ceiling plane even more than before and creating a set of wide stairs that serve as a gathering seats for entertainment.  Level 2  © Riley Smith Photographer The envelope of the existing house was stripped internally and both the old and new walls were insulated with high-performance spray foam. All windows are new, aluminum-framed with thermal breaks. Zero-edge glass detailing on the corners at both levels reveals stunning southern views of Halifax's North-West Arm ocean inlet. The exterior cladding is a combination of zero-maintenance thermal wood and fiber cement panels with no exposed fasteners on the entire house.  Section The landscape is zero maintenance river pebbles, allowing maximum permeability for the site. The house was a daring and contemporary form in its younger days and it has been rejuvenated with expanded spaces with improved access to views, a sleek twenty-first-century form and materials detailed in the most minimal manner  © Riley Smith Photographer  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Treepedia - MIT Maps and Analyses Tree Coverage in Major Cities Posted: 23 Apr 2017 05:00 AM PDT  Users can compare their green canopy to cities across the world. Image Courtesy of MIT Senseable City Lab Researchers at the MIT Senseable City Lab have launched a new platform using Google Street View data to measure and compare the green canopies of major cities across the world. Treepedia, created in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, is an interactive website which allows users to view the location and size of their city's trees, submit information to help tag them, and advocate for more trees in their area. In the development of Treepedia, the Senseable City Lab recognizes the role of green canopies in urban life, and asks how citizens can be more integral to the process of greening their neighborhoods.  Treepedia Boston. Image Courtesy of MIT Senseable City Lab The green canopy plays an important role in urban life, with trees helping to mitigate extreme temperatures, provide natural respite from traffic, noise, and congestion, and improve the quality of our urban environment. Despite this, the average citizen is often removed from the understanding and development of their environmental habitat.  Treepedia New York City. Image Courtesy of MIT Senseable City Lab In response, the Senseable City Lab have developed an innovative metric called the 'Green View Index', using Google Street View panoramas to evaluate and compare green canopy coverage in major cities. Through monitoring the urban tree coverage, citizens and planners can see which areas in their city are green and not green, compare their green canopy with other cities, and play a more active role in enhancing their local environment.  Treepedia Toronto. Image Courtesy of MIT Senseable City Lab
 Treepedia Geneva. Image Courtesy of MIT Senseable City Lab Initially launched in ten global cities, Treepedia will continue to expand in more municipalities across the globe. In the future, users will be able to add unique tree information on an open-source street map, and engage with officials to advocate for further planting in particular areas.  Treepedia Tel Aviv. Image Courtesy of MIT Senseable City Lab Treepedia's interactive website can be accessed here. News via: MIT Senseable City Lab.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Finding Love in the Sand: The Instinctive Architecture of the Pufferfish Posted: 23 Apr 2017 02:30 AM PDT How much effort are you willing to put in to attract that special someone? The humble Japanese pufferfish, just twelve centimeters long when un-puffed, almost certainly has you beat. To attract the best fish in the sea, male pufferfish spend at least seven 24-hour days completing an intricate mating ritual that involves swimming their bodies into and through the seafloor to form ridges and trenches in the sand. If they pause too early, the entire ordeal gets washed away by currents. The finished construction is a set of concentric circles that span up to two meters in diameter, with peaks and valleys radiating from the center. For the finishing touch, the puffers move bits of coral and shell to decorate the periphery of the mandala-like design in the sand. Potential mates swim by and judge the males based on their construction technique and, after making a decision, lay their eggs at the center. The reason behind the decision? It's not exactly known. One theory, as reported by National Geographic, purports "a larger nest could indicate a stronger or more fit male—both desirable traits to females." To see the male puffer "architects" in action, check out the above video from the BBC. Any fin is possible for these little guys! Story via BBC, National Geographic  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| THE CLOUDS / PETITDIDIERPRIOUX Architects Posted: 23 Apr 2017 02:00 AM PDT  © Sergio GRAZIA
 © Sergio GRAZIA From the architect. Entirely clad in bricks, THE CLOUDS marks the completion of the surrounding ecodristrict, offering a reinterpretation of Paris courtyards that connects Rue des Cévennes with the park that lies in the centre of the district. The two architects imagined this walkway to favour gentle circulation on the lot, which was envisioned from the very beginning as a pedestrian oasis and a pioneer biodiversity program. The design of the project offering 109 apartments within the Boucicaut ZAC relies on two solutions to lessen the impact of the project's high density: 1-Stretching across the project is a courtyard, surrounded by four facades (windows open mainly onto kitchens, bedrooms and a few bathrooms), much like traditional Paris courtyards. This space is as much a public space for pedestrians by day as a garden serving each entrance on the lot. Its dimensions and proportions provide excellent ventilation and allow sunlight to flood the courtyard all day long.  Diagram  Axonometric 2-The bulk of the programme is contained within the boundaries set by two strips running perpendicular to Rue des Cévennes and materialised by two solid brick buildings, consistent with the area's architectural vocabulary. The two strips are linked together at both ends by two suspended buildings, one facing the street, the other facing the park, creating clusters of interlocking blocks: the clouds.  © Sergio GRAZIA By designing the exteriors based on each apartment's location within the building and by favouring dual-aspect floor plans, the project demonstrates that it is possible to reconcile access to views with orientation and space planning concerns in a highly populated urban context. Strategically placed in proximity to the four inside corners of the courtyard, the vertical accesses deliver simple circulation, and receive natural light on the higher floors.  © Sergio GRAZIA  Section  © Sergio GRAZIA Urbanists and architects alike wanted to echo the old hospital's entrance that still stands behind the programme. The walls were clad with ochre and yellow bricks, framed by cornerstones and stone elements and underlined by darker, red brick cornices, giving it a more institutional look. In order to echo the old hospital without imitating it, the shade of the façade was rendered by the use of several different-coloured bricks: sand (40%) and flamed sand (40%) for the bulk of the façade – bringing a slightly golden hue that changes with light –, 10% brown and the rest in red.  © Sergio GRAZIA During construction, the four shades of bricks were laid with regularity and harmony, according to a pattern where the darker bricks highlight the general shade of the façade.  © Sergio GRAZIA  Detail  © Sergio GRAZIA  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Netherlands Competition Winner Turns Parking Garage Into a "Lego Set" Posted: 23 Apr 2017 01:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of Studio Komma / The Men of Foam Dutch architectural firm, Studio Komma, in collaboration with concept-developer The Men of Foam, have won the Lot 2 Urban Lab Challenge, with their proposal, ZIP2516. Located in The Hague, The Netherlands, in an upcoming living and working district, the project "seeks to create an iconic building that is an accelerator for the transformation of an industrial area into a new energetic urban district." ZIP2516 will house a variety of programs, including social and commercial entrepreneurship and public space. The ground floor of the building will accommodate the flagship store of social entrepreneur, Happy Tosti. The first floor of the building will feature a public square and "urban playground," with office and start-up space on the floors above, and a "gin bar with roof terrace" on top.  Courtesy of Studio Komma / The Men of Foam Designed to reuse an old parking garage almost completely, the project makes use of existing components like floors, beams, and railings for its ground floor and urban playground. Furthermore, these "donor parts" are additionally made to be removable, and reusable on other sites.  Courtesy of Studio Komma / The Men of Foam  Courtesy of Studio Komma / The Men of Foam Because the competition for the site called for a 10-year temporary design that could potentially become permanent, the ZIP2516 team was "challenged to think about temporary structures that have a permanent high quality." With this in mind, the design concept is based on the idea of Legos, preservation, and adaptability.  Courtesy of Studio Komma / The Men of Foam  Courtesy of Studio Komma / The Men of Foam
 Courtesy of Studio Komma / The Men of Foam  Courtesy of Studio Komma / The Men of Foam  Courtesy of Studio Komma / The Men of Foam  Courtesy of Studio Komma / The Men of Foam Lead Architects: Maarten Thewissen, Joost van Rooijen News via: Studio Komma.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 22 Apr 2017 10:00 PM PDT 
 From the architect. Studio RHE has completed a unique four bedroom villa, La Vinya, at the edge of the world famous PGA Catalunya golf resort. Located in the foothills of the Pyrenees in northeast Spain, the PGA Catalunya Resort incorporates two open championship standard golf courses with a recently curated collection of architectural villas.  Site Plan Studio RHE took the unique features of the site to design a one-off residence that both exploits its location overlooking the famous Spanish Open course, and blends seamlessly with the hillside landscape. The architects used the unique features that characterise the hillside site, including the natural forest, undulating topography and historic agricultural walls, as defining features of the villa.  Living spaces are broken into separate components and arranged along a robust stone wall. All accommodation is orientated to provide both complete privacy and carefully framed mountain views.  The 80 m2 open space living area is built into the hillside, and leads out onto a raised plateau that overlooks a solarium terrace and infinity pool, with an outdoor barbecue kitchen and in-pool daybed. A large double-sided fireplace breaks the living area into two light, open spaces with panoramic views.  The master bedroom is designed to feel like an entirely discreet space, despite standing just a few metres apart from the main residence. Modelled on a tree house, it uses floor-to-ceiling glass panels to take full advantage of the rich tree canopy surrounding it.  Section To integrate La Vinya into its natural surroundings, Studio RHE have created a pergola and vine-covered private courtyard with green-planted groves. Sustainable, local materials that develop a patina, including zinc, timber and ceramics have been selected so that the villa will become an increasingly established feature of the landscape over time.  To make the villa as sustainable and energy efficient as possible it is fitted with LED lights, high performance double-glazing and solar panels.  Richard Hywel Evans, Director at Studio RHE comments on the design: "The surrounding hillside agricultural walls that have been built through centuries of farming are objects of real beauty, and an integral part of the Catalunya landscape. Our structural spine wall has become the defining feature of La Vinya, shaping the architecture and providing carefully chosen framed views and great privacy. The villa is a very unique structure and a real joy to spend time in."  The villa is close to the picturesque city of Girona, the hills of Olot, and is near Barcelona making it an attractive location for golfers, cyclists, architecture hunters and food and wine lovers. La Vinya is the second in the collection at PGA Catalunya Villas to be designed by London architectural practice Studio RHE.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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