Arch Daily |
- a+u 2017:03 – Herzog & de Meuron's Hamburg Elbphilharmonie
- Single family House - Tolstoi str. / Outline Architecture Office
- The Barn / ZIEGLER Antonin architecte
- CHICHI Office / Koyori + Atelier Salt
- House 24 / Park + Associates
- The Site of Last Longer Project / J.R Architects
- St. Joseph / KUD
- Family House / Ruetemple
- The US States With The Most (and Least) Number of Registered Architects
- a+u 2017:02 – Barozzi Veiga
- See the Proposed Sites of LA's 2024 Olympic Bid
- CoLAB / MZNO
- House of Switzerland Pavilion / Dellekamp Arquitectos
- Spotlight: Gert Wingårdh
- I.M. Pei’s Inspiration: A Comparison of Masterful Architecture with Minimalist Art
- Cremation Unit and Ashes Temple / Juan Felipe Uribe de Bedout + Mauricio Gaviria + Hector Mejía
- A Young Architect's Chance Encounter With Living Legend I.M. Pei
- From Superheroes To SuperMaterials: Five Super Materials With The Power To Change Our World
- Spotlight: I.M. Pei
- Photographic Studio in Warsaw / Mess Architects
| a+u 2017:03 – Herzog & de Meuron's Hamburg Elbphilharmonie Posted: 26 Apr 2017 09:00 PM PDT  From the publishers. The March 2017 issue of a+u is a special issue dedicated to the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg by Herzog & de Meuron. We invited the architects as guest editors to collaborate with us in documenting the entire process from the very beginning, in 2001, up to the opening concert in January 2017.  In addition to the main body of this issue introducing—with plenty of photos, drawings, and text by architectural journalist Gerhard Mack—from concept inception, site analysis, initial design, design development, construction and media reception, the issue features photo essays by photographers Joël Tettamanti and Armin Linke, an essay by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, an epilogue by Erwin J. S. Viray.     Contents
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| Single family House - Tolstoi str. / Outline Architecture Office Posted: 26 Apr 2017 08:00 PM PDT  © Sorin Diaconescu
 © Sorin Diaconescu From the architect. From a functional point of view the brief and the relative small area of the plot imposed a vertical development of the structure. The house is designed for a young family of four, and applies the organisation principles of a single storey residence to the vertical condition of the site.  © Sorin Diaconescu The general principle in arranging the interior spaces was to visually connect them and to keep an easy access between adjacent rooms placed on platforms half a storey vertically separated. The rooms themselves can be opened and extended into this circulation through sliding or folding partitions, adding to the overall connectivity. The brief also included an elevator that connects four levels of the house.  © Sorin Diaconescu The living spaces are organized around a central void that extends to the top of the structure (the skylight), a space that articulates all the vertical and horizontal circulations. This principle is maintained in organizing the exterior terraces as well (sun-deck and green roof half a storey above). All the roof terrace surface is planed as an extension of the exterior usable garden spaces. At the base of the void, in the "center" of the house a tree is planted, living, growing as the house and it's inhabitants evolve.  Section  3D Section The materials used for the exterior and interior are natural, vibrating with small differences and imperfections (hand pressed brick and larch wood). The detailing of the ventilated facades and the planned, gradual transitions between opaque and transparent surfaces, the repeating elements and their shade in changing daylight are all adding nuances to the simple monolithic volume of the house. All the exterior wood surfaces are untreated.  © Sorin Diaconescu Most of the interior floors, stair elements and the wall claddings are made of douglas fir planks, white oil treated. The exterior cladding materials are also present in the interior.  © Sorin Diaconescu  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Barn / ZIEGLER Antonin architecte Posted: 26 Apr 2017 07:00 PM PDT  © David Boureau
 © Antonin Ziegler From the architect. In the Regional Natural Park of Boucles de la Seine, a barn in ruins was reconverted into a place of residence. Abandoned at the edge of the river, it used to hold the fodder for the haulage horses. Its thin weatherboarding had been worn away over time – only the timber framework remained.  © Antonin Ziegler A building lost in the wheat fields facing the river... In this very simple, rural context, the Project intends to be just as rustic, without sophistication or details. The new shelter was built onto the existing one. A shell of zinc covers the roof and walls to conserve a monolithic, agricultural architecture with few openings.  © David Boureau  Exploded View The framework is the fundamental element of the new residence. From the outside, it remains partially visible, beneath the zinc envelope, thus conferring an incomplete aspect to the construction, as though eroded by the surrounding nature. The windows and doors are visually understated: the archetypal house is kept at bay to give rise to another kind of habitat, more in keeping with the surrounding wilderness. A lone crack that pierces the roof and walls thus gives the project the appearance of a contemporary ruin.  © David Boureau The patina of natural zinc that develops quickly reinforces the impression of a building that has always been there. The whole process of construction remains apparent: from the Stone foundations, to the half-timbered framework, entirely visible in the interior space. The choice of interior materials expresses the same desire for rusticity as the exterior: breezeblocks, battens, exposed concrete slabs, and so on.  © David Boureau  Transversal Section  Technical Section The half-timbered façade punctuates the view of the river and the passage of the boats, from one season to the next. The house lets in light on all sides: a single view encompasses the whole complex, from the swim spa at the northern extremity to the end of the lounge to the south against a backdrop of landscape.  © Antonin Ziegler The bedrooms nestled under the timberwork, like perches, in the place where the hay was stored, allow the ground floor level to be almost entirely liberated of any partitions. This large living área spanning the full surface of the house places the occupant in a position where they are surrounded by nature.  © Antonin Ziegler  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| CHICHI Office / Koyori + Atelier Salt Posted: 26 Apr 2017 03:00 PM PDT  © Shohei Yoshida
 © Shohei Yoshida From the architect. A room from a western style building from early Showa period in Higobashi, Osaka city An office interior design for the CHICHI Graphic design firm It aims at differentiating itself from other offices in the area, characterized by the presence of a lot of design studios and offices.  © Shohei Yoshida Although it is an office, it is a relaxed space as a cafe, expecting that the flow of ideas is perceived in negotiation times. That is the main sense of design.  © Shohei Yoshida It avoids placing a clear partition between the workspace and meeting room with the presence of shade plants as a soft layer inside the space. As for the furniture, a peculiar olive finish with unnoticed wood grain was adopted, so that the office would show its own taste over the time.  © Shohei Yoshida  CHICHI's office Plant  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 26 Apr 2017 01:00 PM PDT  © Edward Hendricks
 © Edward Hendricks From the architect. In a usual circumstance, the front of the house is the most important - not in our case. House 24 is sited on a triangular plot, a constraint that we took on as an opportunity to really engage with the siting and planning of the house - to achieve a meaningful footprint that actualised the client's spatial, functional, and privacy requirement. Moreover, the site adjoins a lushly landscaped state land that we endeavoured to take advantage of at every available opportunity and every habitable space.  © Edward Hendricks As such, we turned the house away from the main road and neighbouring houses, and instead have the living spaces open out to the mature greenery beyond. The result is a massing comprising of two blocks which, when combined, define a V-shaped patio on the first floor that becomes the focal point of common activities and entertainment, borrowing views from the surrounding greenery.  Ground Floor Plan  Overall Plans The courtyard screen fronting the street is an exercise in rethinking the conventional entry sequence of residential dwellings, and an exploration in creating a more layered and sequential experience. It is experienced almost as a ritual space - serene and tranquil - marking the transition between the public and private.  © Edward Hendricks It was also an opportunity to explore what timber craftsmanship might mean in contemporary architecture, and we envisioned the screen to be a well-crafted element with modern aesthetic and detailing. It eventually manifested itself as a refined and rhythmic facade, drawing attention to its delicate scale even as a structure that is over 8m high. A delightful pattern of light and shadow plays out over the course of each day whilst allowing sunlight to filter in and natural air to stream in, creating a relaxing ambience that reinforces the client's desire to live in a home that reflected its tropical locality.  © Edward Hendricks  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Site of Last Longer Project / J.R Architects Posted: 26 Apr 2017 12:00 PM PDT  © Yu-Chen,Tsao
 © Yu-Chen,Tsao From the architect. This two-storey building is a renewal project. The program of the first floor is set as the client's studio and living space in the second floor. This client who treasures everything relating to this old house requested us to reserve the architectural symbols with the local memory and history in this old house. Hence, the design team repaired and re-created the architectural elements and components which are common to be seen in Taiwan. For example, the form of Chinese arch has represented as the symbol for the window. The existing terrazzo material, the steel handrail with flower patterns and the wood construction were well-reserved. Our design team attempted to present a modern style of contemporary living space, where has been installed in this conservative building.  © Yu-Chen,Tsao The site is located in the residential-commercial area of the city. In the future, the back side of this old building will turn to be the main access because of the urban renewal plan and road readjustment. How to transform the existing illegal constructions and equipment space to be an attractive entrance and facade is the essential concept in this project.  Section  © Yu-Chen,Tsao The design followed the existing construction and dismantled some parts of walls to create the simple and geometry new-facade. For the mottled concrete walls, we used eco-paint. The outside wall was painted with white color that could reflect the sunlight. Meanwhile, the gray color painted on the balcony wall would enhance the shadow effect more vividly. As a result, the form would be showed more clearly with its high contrast.  © Yu-Chen,Tsao In addition, we dismantled some area of the floors, thus, a courtyard was created and the original crowded space was released for living and air circulation as well. The green land connected to courtyard is opened for the neighbors who are able to directly walk in; meanwhile they can enjoy the green and light without any fences. Furthermore, the green and daylight in this courtyard can be shared by the studio and living space without unnecessary interruption in-between these two spaces.  Elevation  © Yu-Chen,Tsao In terms of the purpose, some parts of the concrete steel bars were kept when the floors were dismantled. This idea can help us to get the grid shadow when the sunlight goes through the steel bars onto the courtyard. Besides, we planted a tree here, so that the image would be like the house embracing the tree and courtyard. People living here will experience the changes of seasons. Finally, the new element-nature has been created onto the elevations of this old building reborn with the architectural spirit from the perspective in our project.  © Yu-Chen,Tsao  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 26 Apr 2017 10:00 AM PDT  © Peter Clarke
 © Peter Clarke  Floor Plan From the architect. The St. Joseph project is a luxury residential development situated in Abbottsford, Victoria. Due to its historical significance the site has become part of the cultural landscape within the area, demanding a highly responsive and respectful design outcome. Our primary objective was to incorporate the critical components of school's culture and history as a celebration and balance of the past and the future – creating 'future heritage' for the next generation.  © Peter Clarke  © Peter Clarke We were interested in exploring ways to interpret and represent the critical 'story' that created the culture and history of St Joseph's Technical School. The design intent was to recreate multiple simultaneous layers of history within the articulated screens that wrap around the street frontage facades. The faceted panels create a "Lenticular Image"; an optical phenomenon whereby singular segments of an image converge at specific points of view to recreate the completed image.  © Peter Clarke  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 26 Apr 2017 08:01 AM PDT  Courtesy of Ruetemple
 Courtesy of Ruetemple From the architect. A two-storied house for a young family is located in the suburbs of Moscow.  Courtesy of Ruetemple We dismantled part of the beams between the floors and totally changed the layout designed within the framework of the developer's standard project.  Axon 1 The family spends most of its time together in a common area, therefore we decided to arrange small bedrooms on the second floor, while making the first floor open and spacious in all three coordinates, including the height of the premises.  Courtesy of Ruetemple The space of the two floors is formed around a white structure including a staircase to the second floor. Under the staircase there's a children's area. A lounge area is located above the staircase.  Courtesy of Ruetemple  Courtesy of Ruetemple The first floor also includes open areas of the kitchen, dining room, living room and the children's area. Three bedrooms on the second floor are located in the overhanging structures with windows. The interior itself was made as simple as possible: only white and wood. Almost all the furniture is integrated into the interior and is made of pine and beech.  Courtesy of Ruetemple  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The US States With The Most (and Least) Number of Registered Architects Posted: 26 Apr 2017 07:40 AM PDT  © ArchDaily As architects around the country gather for the 2017 AIA Convention in Orlando, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has decided to share some initial results from their 2016 nationwide Survey of Architectural Registration, specifically, the number of architects licensed in each state. The data tracks both the number of resident licenses and reciprocal licenses (licenses for a particular state held by a resident of another state). The 2016 survey found that the number of architects working in the US has held steady, and that architects are working across state lines more than ever before. While the total number architects dropped slightly from the previous year (0.4 percent) to 109,748, the number out-of-state licenses grew a full 3 percent to 126,554. The number of emerging professionals working towards licensure has also stayed constant, with more than 41,400 candidates currently taking ARE exams or reporting AXP hours. "Our data confirms that the economy is generating strong demand for initial and reciprocal licensees," said NCARB CEO Michael J. Armstrong. "We're also seeing continued growth in the number of architects who hold an NCARB Certificate, which facilitates reciprocal licensure across the United States and in several countries." While overall trends in the state metrics tend to follow population distributions, there are several interesting variations in the set. For example, New Jersey, Virginia and New York all seem to have higher ratios than would have been predicted by population alone, while Washington, DC and South Carolina racking up the highest ratio of reciprocal to resident licenses. Check out this interactive chart below to see how each state stacks up.  Courtesy of NCARB To learn more about NCARB's data and the Survey of Architectural Registration Boards, visit www.ncarb.org. News via NCARB.
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| Posted: 26 Apr 2017 07:00 AM PDT  From the publishers. This is a special issue dedicated to Barcelona-based architects Barozzi Veiga. The issue features twenty-one works including Graubünden Museum of Fine Arts in Chur, Switzerland, the Mies-award winning Philharmonic Hall in Szczecin, Poland, and on-going works Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts Lausanne and Music School in Brunico.  The fact that Barozzi and Viega having different backgrounds—the former is from Italy and the latter from Spain—and that they both admit that they are outsiders in Barcelona, characterize their architectural activities and their expansion toward outside without being bounded to a specific location feels quite modern. No matter where they build, they refer to their previous works and find a continuous thread between the old and new. For an architect who must design in a different environment each time, it is crucial to have a spine in their creativity, but it is apparent from reading this issue that Barozzi Veiga is not the type of architect to pre-decide a prototype and force to place it in a place. Their close observation and understanding of the contexts testifies to their modesty. This monograph catches the very moment of Barozzi Veiga's expansion, both locally and globally. From here on, they will be asked to design much more complex architecture with various scales and contexts. Their thorough observation and ability to create delicate forms will be crucial in such situations.     Content
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| See the Proposed Sites of LA's 2024 Olympic Bid Posted: 26 Apr 2017 06:15 AM PDT  Main Stadium - Future home of the NFL's LA Rams. Image Courtesy of LA 2024 As the race for the 2024 Olympics bid has been narrowed down to just two cities, the LA 2024 committee has revealed the latest plans for its bid. While the central appeal of Los Angeles would be its existing sports and transportation infrastructure (a key concern following the economic struggles of many recent host cities), the city would still see a comprehensive update of venues and several new structures. As shown in the LA 2024 map, a majority of events would be distributed between 4 main sports parks: Downtown, Valley, South Bay and Long Beach. Downtown Sports Park Downtown Sports Park - LA Live Aerial. Image Courtesy of LA 2024 The largest of the proposed locations, the Downtown Sports Park would center around the existing LA Live Sports and Entertainment District. Main venues here would include the Staples Center, the LA Convention Center, LA Football Club Stadium and the LA Memorial Coliseum. Several buildings on the University of Southern California's campus would be utilized, including the transformation of a baseball stadium into the main swimming venue. The Olympic media village would be located within new USC dormitories.  Downtown Sports Park - Figueroa Corridor. Image Courtesy of LA 2024  Downtown Sports Park - Marathon Finish - City Hall. Image Courtesy of LA 2024  Downtown Sports Park - LA Football Club - Soccer. Image Courtesy of LA 2024  Media Village at USC. Image Courtesy of LA 2024 Valley Sports Park Valley Sports Park - Aerial. Image Courtesy of LA 2024 Located in the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, the Valley Sports Park would be a temporary complex that could be easily dismantled following the conclusion of the Games. Canoeing/Kayaking, Shooting, and Equestrian events would feature here.  Valley Sports Park - Equestrian. Image Courtesy of LA 2024  Valley Sports Park - Canoe & Kayaking. Image Courtesy of LA 2024 South Bay Sports Park South Bay Sports Park - Tennis Center. Image Courtesy of LA 2024 Located in Carson, the South Bay Sports Park would take advantage of the existing StubHub Center athletic complex, which contains a main stadium, a velodrome and tennis center. The Stadium would host rugby during week one, and the modern pentathlon in the second week.  South Bay Sports Park - Field Hockey & Tennis. Image Courtesy of LA 2024  South Bay Sports Park - Stubhub Velodrome - Cycling. Image Courtesy of LA 2024  South Bay Sports Park - Modern Pentathalon. Image Courtesy of LA 2024 Long Beach Sports Park Long Beach Sports Park. Image Courtesy of LA 2024 The Long Beach Sports Park would contain a mix of existing and temporary venues, including two large-scale facilities for water polo and BMX that could be disassembled and repurposed at the conclusion of the their use. Water-based events, such as open-water swimming and triathlon would be held along the waterfront, while sailing would take place at the Belmont Pier. The Long Beach Convention Center and Arena would serve as a warmup facility and as a venue for handball matches. Other VenuesThe Opening Ceremonies would be held at the new LA Stadium at Hollywood Park (slated to open in 2019). The surrounding entertainment complex would provide visitor amenities as well as host archery events. The Olympic Village would be located within dormitory buildings at UCLA. Learn more and see the full plans for LA 2024, here. News via LA 2024.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 26 Apr 2017 06:00 AM PDT  © Samuel Antonini
 © Samuel Antonini From the architect. The place chosen to house the CoLAB was an old townhouse, in a residential area away from the buzz of Botafogo, on Rua Fernandes Guimarães. Originally a motorcycle workshop was in place, with a large front opening, metal roller door and cement floor. We decided to take advantage of this, since at the client's briefing the idea was to have a space that was an extension of the street, a transparent environment that enables and encourages artisanal production, referring to the idea of a laboratory of experiments in the "garage of home".  © Samuel Antonini The house has three floors, which add up to 140m², distributed as follows: on the ground floor, the public service, with lounge and bar; On the first floor, the most private activities, such as collaborative kitchen, storage/logistics and offices; And finally, on the second floor, the handcrafted microbrewery.  © Samuel Antonini The internal space is deep and narrow so we decided to maintain the main entrance and demolish the side portholes, allowing a better integration with the external area, which also gives access to the restroom and the staircase that connects the other floors. The existing side entrance gave way to a wall of concrete blocks, increasing the external / internal visual communication and allowing a better arrangement of the furniture. On the façade, the royal blue painting gained new dress, now half gray, half white.  Axonometric Ground Floor  Axonometric First Floor On the ground floor, the ceiling liner was removed, leaving the exposed wooden beams. However, its small original cutting has been maintained, giving rise to a manual forklift, which, through a pulley, rope and hook system, moves the products to the first floor quickly and practically. In this place, the wall was peeled, leaving the bricks apparent, and also installed a series of tubular lamps that allude to a staircase that connects the two floors - and their respective functions - production and storage.  © Samuel Antonini The furniture was designed to suit the layout of the space and its various uses. The tables have their iron structure and top with white and green ceramics, which in a small mosaic, draw the visual identity of the CoLAB. In the center of the hall, three units combine to form a large collective table, encouraging social integration of the public. To complement, high bar-style counters and retractable tables, which can have variable heights, making their usage more flexible. Racks in the bar to hold bottles, coffee and utensils, and also in the hall, as a showcase of local handmade products.  We translate the Scandinavian approach of the menu (fika menu) into a casual occupation through minimalist materials such as tile, pinus and cement. Cactus and succulents are also part of the concept of space, which in addition to requiring little maintenance, rescues the Nordic climate. The industrial language of production is also present, either by exposing the beer casks to the selection of light fixtures and their apparent pipes and installations.  © Samuel Antonini  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| House of Switzerland Pavilion / Dellekamp Arquitectos Posted: 26 Apr 2017 04:00 AM PDT  © Sandra Pereznieto
 © Sandra Pereznieto From the architect. House of Switzerland Pavilion emerges with the celebration of the seventy years of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Mexico, Dellekamp Arquitectos began to work on the project without a defined program and site, so a modular system was designed based on a triangular grid that allows adaptation to different locations and changing needs of the program, which allowed transformations during the design process. This adaptability feature allows it to be itinerant and a location to multiple sites without damaging the environment.  Diagram For the above, we placed a fragment of the pavilion in the Alameda Central within the framework of the International Festival Mextrópoli.  © Sandra Pereznieto The use of wood attached to the materiality of House of Switzerland as a common way of building in Switzerland. The pavilion is designed in modules conformed by laminated wood of certified pine and metallic unions, promoting the use of the wood like structural material in Mexico. These modules are derived from the triangular grid, thus ensuring an efficient assembly and dismantling of the structure at the site. Its prefabrication and assembly are in charge of the company "Metal y Madera”.  Floor Plan  © Sandra Pereznieto The pavilion had two levels; its maximum height was 6 m, with an extension of 18.30 m front, by 11.50 m depth. The total of built meters is 171 m2, unlike the first pavilion this will be an open space without internal divisions, has an open forum for cultural events and on its upper floor a circulation that works as a viewpoint.  © Sandra Pereznieto  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 26 Apr 2017 03:30 AM PDT  Aula Medica. Image © Tord-Rikard Soderstrom One of Sweden's most esteemed living architects, Gert Wingårdh (born 26 April 1951) brought Swedish architecture out of the tradition of the International Style and into contemporary times with his playful design spirit and love of eye-catching materials. With his use of bright colors and geometric motifs, his recent buildings have been described as "Maximalist" or "Modern Baroque."  © Jesper Ray <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gert_Wingardh_photo.jpg'>via Wikimedia</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> Wingårdh was born in Skövde, Sweden as the only child of owners of a cement factory. At age 10, the family moved to Gothenburg, Sweden's second-largest city, where Wingårdh took an interest in art and cinema, eventually enrolling at Gothenburg University to study art history. While in the program, Wingårdh traveled to Rome and was captivated by the city and its classical buildings, in particular the Pantheon. Returning home, Wingårdh enrolled at Chalmers University, where he received his masters of architecture.  Facts Tåkern Visitor Centre. Image © Åke E:son Lindman Upon graduation in 1975, Wingårdh began working for Olivegrens Arkitektkontor AB. This was his only job at a firm before opening his own practice, Wingårdh Arkitektkontor, in 1977. The next 10 years saw Wingårdh take on small commissions before his critical breakthrough in 1988 with his design for the Öijared Executive Country Club outside Gothenburg. Inspired by the earth-sheltered structures of Emilio Ambasz, the country club was placed into a hillside and entirely covered in earth, allowing the roof of the building to act as the golf course's first tee. The project earned Wingårdh the first of his record 5 Kasper Salin prizes, the highest award in Sweden for excellence in architecture.  VillAnn. Image © James Silverman The next 20 years saw more prize-winning architecture, including the Astra Zeneca complex in Mölndal (1993), the Chalmers Student Union Building (2001), VillAnn (2005), City Pool in Landskrona (2006) and the Aranäs High School (2006). In the late 90's, Wingårdh began working internationally, receiving the commissions for the Swedish Embassies in Berlin (1999) and in Washington, D.C. (2006), known as the House of Sweden.  Kuggen. Image © Tord-Rikard Soderstrom In the last decade, Wingårdh began to develop a more stylistic aesthetic, often implementing bold colors, geometric patterns and dramatically tilting walls in his designs for large-scale shopping centers and university buildings. Projects in this period include Muritzeum (2008), K:Fem Department Store (2008), Facts Tåkern Visitor Centre (2008), Spira Performing Arts Center (2011) Emporia Shopping Center (2012), Quality Hotel Friends (2013), and Aula Medica at Karolinska (2013). His 2011 design for Kuggen ("The Cog") at Chalmers features a rotating screen shielding the top floors from harsh sun.  Victoria Tower. Image © Åke E:son Lindman He has attracted some controversy in his home country for his embrace of skyscrapers. His Victoria Tower (2011) is one of the tallest buildings in Stockholm, and a recent design for a 237-meter, 75-story tower in south Stockholm has been put on hold due to outcry that it may not meet zoning requirements.  Facts Emporia. Image © Tord-Rikard Soderstrom In 2015, Wingårdh released "What is Architecture? And 100 Other Questions," a popular book that provides both a long and short answer for what he believes are the most pressing questions in architecture today. Wingårdh answers the titular question by responding that architecture is "the built image of ourselves." Looking at his work through this lens, it is clear that Wingårdh now believes the greatest human attribute is our capacity for playfulness.  Quality Hotel Friends / Karolina Keyzer + Wingårdhs. Image © Tord-Rikard Soderstrom See all of Gert Wingårdh's work featured on ArchDaily via the thumbnails below, and more coverage via the links below those:
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| I.M. Pei’s Inspiration: A Comparison of Masterful Architecture with Minimalist Art Posted: 26 Apr 2017 02:30 AM PDT  I.M. Pei's JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Massachusetts. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/masstravel/8568079947'>Flickr user masstravel</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/'>CC BY-ND 2.0</a> Today, April 26th 2017, marks I.M. Pei's 100th birthday. The occasion offers a wonderful opportunity to take a retrospective look at one of the most significant and productive architects of the past 100 years, with many organizations hosting events, celebrations, and symposiums to talk about Master Pei and his notable projects. However at these events, just as throughout I.M. Pei's career, there is unlikely to be much intellectual conversation about Pei's architectural legacy. The main discussion around I.M. Pei is still focused on his design talent and intriguing narratives about the charisma he used to convince clients to continue through tough projects. Though I.M. Pei himself has never talked at length about his design theory or the intellectual basis of his projects, these simple narratives leave certain questions unanswered: Where does I.M. Pei's inspiration for architectural form come from? How did his architectural design affect his peer group of architects and artists, and contribute intellectually to the contemporary art world? To discuss I.M.'s work, we start from two art projects. The first one is Walter de Maria's famous installation of aluminum channels, "Triangle, Circle, Square" of 1972, and the second one is Sol LeWitt's drawing, "All Double Combinations of Six Geometric Figures" from 1977.  Walter De Maria, Channel Series: Circle, Square, Triangle, 1972. Image via <a href='http://2011-2014.pastelegram.org/reviews/59'>pastelgram.org</a> used under fair use  Sol LeWitt, All Double Combinations (Superimposed) of Six Geometric Figures (Circle, Square, Triangle, Rectangle, Trapezoid and Parallelogram), 1977. Image via <a href='http://www.artnet.com/artists/sol-lewitt/all-double-combinations-superimposed-of-six-vImvdYvL8SPmcHPzOBj1bA2'>artnet.com</a> used under fair use Both of these two works are composed of primitive shapes, especially the most basic, the triangle, circle and square. These shapes are also the most powerful formal elements applied in the significant I.M. Pei buildings. Each classic Pei building has a clear gestalt which can be perceived whole, as a powerful icon, or easily disintegrated into a set of simple geometries. If Walter de Maria's Triangle, Circle, Square is the most straightforward example of Minimalist art's obsession with the individual primitive shapes, the Sol LeWitt painting takes a further step, examining the basic rules of the visual world by exposing the power of these elemental shapes. In these two renowned minimalist artists, we see an artistic approach that echoes the architectural approach of I.M. Pei, one that explores the boundaries of spatial composition while still retaining the formal clarity of the primitive shapes and the legibility of their compositional rules.  Six elemental geometry figures in Sol LeWitt's painting, 'All Double Combinations'. Image Courtesy of Tianci Han Like other Sol LeWitt line drawings, All Double Combinations can be simply deconstructed into separate images according to each elemental figure. The superimpositions of these figures resemble I.M. Pei's diagrams showing the basic spatial logic of his architectural plans or sections, and thus I.M. Pei's buildings can similarly be disintegrated or decomposed into a group of primitive geometric figures. The clearest example which demonstrates a bold combination of all of these three shapes is the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Massachusetts. Like the power we can feel from Walter de Maria's aluminum installation, each of the most elemental geometries isolated from I.M. Pei's masterpieces shows its spatial energy with a strong statement of the primitive and perfect form.  Plan of JFK Library in Massachusetts as a Combination of Primitive Shapes: Triangle, Circle and Square. Image Courtesy of Tianci Han  Triangle Elements in Classic Pei Buildings Shown in the Same Scale. Image Courtesy of Tianci Han  Circle Elements in Classic Pei Buildings Shown in the Same Scale. Image Courtesy of Tianci Han  Squares/Rectangles/Grids in Classic Pei Buildings Shown in the Same Scale. Image Courtesy of Tianci Han It is intriguing that Sol LeWitt, working as a graphic designer, spent a brief period at I.M. Pei and Associates in the 1950s, but it seems neither ever talked much about each other, and a comprehensive comparative study of these two artistic masters is still missing. Also, the obsession with primitive shapes of Walter de Maria and many other notable minimalist artists shows that the common language they share with I.M. Pei was formed in the same larger artistic context. In the past 100 years, the ascendance and apex of I.M. Pei's career overlap significantly with the active period of minimalist art. Although Pei never associated himself to any specific school, as a successful architect who is interested in, and maintains a connection with, the contemporary art world, the influence of minimalist art upon him is obvious.  Timeline of I.M. Pei, Sol LeWitt and Walter de Maria's life and work. Image Courtesy of Tianci Han Geographically, this mutual influence is even more evident when we think about what happened in the past century to the capital city of the contemporary art world, New York, specifically the borough of Manhattan. As shown below, New York City made a huge contribution to the promotion of the most significant movements in the history of American contemporary art. Abstract Expressionism, Conceptualism, and Minimalism consecutively took NYC as their main stage. Most of these movements' renowned artists had studios or major exhibitions in NYC. It is the city where I.M. Pei lived and worked for most of his life, and also the same place in which Sol LeWitt and Walter de Maria spent decades exerting their artistic talent. At the same time as American contemporary art was reaching its climax in NYC, simple but powerful formal languages relying on primitive shapes became one of the prominent styles for both architects and artists. The fact that the formal clarity of I.M. Pei's buildings is also the defining characteristic of minimalist art is not just a coincidence, but a consequence of mutual inspiration created by both chronological and geographical overlaps.  New York City as the Capital of Art World and Pei, LeWitt, de Maria's Careers. Image Courtesy of Tianci Han The relationship between I.M. Pei and Minimalist Art doesn't rest merely on a superficial resemblance; rather, a deeper similarity in the ideas behind their fascination with primitive shapes shows an intellectual common ground established by one of the mainstream philosophies active in the visual art world during the period from the 1950s to the 1980s. Distancing themselves from the era's advancing technological development and complicated political reality, these simple, pure and prime geometries brought people back to a meditation on the basic rules of our material world. However, the eventual result of I.M. Pei's architectural work is nevertheless hugely different in nature compared to minimalist artwork. Minimalist art aims to abandon the specific description of objects and pursue a "de-objectified" abstraction, conception and perception of the visual world. Objects are gone in minimalist art. For I.M. Pei, though the basic elements of formal composition remain the same, the final result turns out to be clearly defined architectural objects. Without a doubt, each iconic Pei building gives a powerful and vocal statement as an independent object. This shows that I.M. Pei's architectural practice, though sharing its conceptual beginnings with minimalist art, grows into a different result. It is probably due to the nature of architectural work that, after being realized through specific construction materials and details, the "objectification" of the prime geometries is strengthened by explicit characteristics, far from the abstraction and infinite logical thinking the minimalists wanted to explore.  Le Grand Louvre in Paris. Image © Greg Kristo Recent architectural exploration—on ambiguity, duality, and uncertainty—is in sharp contrast with the strong, non-hesitant formal clarity of I.M. Pei's iconic buildings. Present-day geometries used by popular architectural practices often try to blur the line between the legibility of an independent architectural object and the surrounding context both physically and conceptually. In this sense, Pei's masterpieces are more like unrepeatable and irreplaceable "monuments" such as classical Roman or Renaissance structures. They are wonderful buildings, but belong to a past age. Even though I.M. Pei always hesitates to talk about the ideas or theories behind his works, his productive work in his now-100-year lifespan, and his status as one of the most significant architects in modern history, leaves us an abundant legacy, in which we can still explore intellectual values not only in the architectural field, but in the wider context of the visual art world. Tianci Han holds Master's Degrees in Architecture from Harvard Graduate School of Design (2014) and Tsinghua School of Architecture (2012). He worked as an Architectural Designer at Pei Cobb Freed & Partners from 2014 until April 2017.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Cremation Unit and Ashes Temple / Juan Felipe Uribe de Bedout + Mauricio Gaviria + Hector Mejía Posted: 26 Apr 2017 02:00 AM PDT  © Federico Cairoli
 © Federico Cairoli From the architect. The Project, in addition to solving the required brief, pretends to give order to the existing buildings through a circulation system and external pedestrians paths, with terraces and walkways which begin from the same Access to the Cemetery Park Campos de Paz.  Site Plan  © Federico Cairoli The Project consists of two components, which are clearly identified: the Cremation Unit set in front of the existent chapel's atrium, and the Ashes Temple, lineal building, which crosses the site longitudinally.  Ground Floor Plan The building's floor plan responds to the particular conditions: The Chapel and atrium's geometry, the site's edge with its marked topography and row of trees, and to the existing mourning chambers.  © Federico Cairoli The volumes assume a scultoric posture where the mass predominates, achieving the image of a great sculpted block, where there is no space for ornamentation.  Section  © Federico Cairoli In its interior, the basic component of the space is light, which almost totally enters the building zenithally. To highlight the light effects opaque materials and natural texture materials where used such as yellow rock, wood and oxidized steel.  © Federico Cairoli  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| A Young Architect's Chance Encounter With Living Legend I.M. Pei Posted: 26 Apr 2017 01:30 AM PDT  Villa Punto de Vista, the resort designed by David Konwiser at which I.M. Pei was the first guest. Image © Sergio Pucci Imagine having a world famous architect be the first inhabitant of your debut solo architecture project - and not just any architect, but I.M. Pei, who turns an incredible 100 years today. This unlikely turn of events actually happened to Costa Rican architect David Konwiser 7 years ago when Pei rented out Konwiser's Villa Punto de Vista for New Years, although the unbelievable chance encounter almost didn't become a reality. Just two and a half months prior to Pei's arrival, the villa was more construction site than materialized building. Understandably, those two and a half months were, in Konwiser's own words, "the most difficult... of my career - and likely my life," as the architect writes in an article for the Architectural Digest. Despite that immense pressure, or perhaps because of it, the villa was ready for its first, and arguably its most important, visitor.  David Konwiser and I.M. Pei. Image © Sergio Pucci So what would one ask, or say to a person who has become such an icon in the field of architecture? "It all went too fast. In the heat of the moment, I neglected to ask him the sort of questions that any architect might ask such a legend," writes Konwiser. Fortunately, their common appreciation for classical music brought about a deeper understanding between the two than could be resolved with the usual architectural questions. As Konwiser explains the source of inspiration for his cantilevered terraces protruding off the villa, he writes that Pei "looked at me and nodded in a way that implied could not only envision my design process, but that he could relate to it." If that's not enough to fuel one's architectural drive for years to come, then we don't know what is. You can read Konwiser's full article on the Architectural Digest here.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| From Superheroes To SuperMaterials: Five Super Materials With The Power To Change Our World Posted: 26 Apr 2017 01:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of The Built Environment Trust. Image © Chris Tubbs What's behind our current obsession with all things Superheroes, from the Marvel and DC comics spinoffs for TV and Film, to the more eccentric offerings on Netflix from the Wachowski's Sens8 to the cosmic supernature of The OA? Critics see the classic superhero expressing the desire to re-establish order in the face of chaos (Batman/Joker) but some of our more recent superheroes are about the power of change, of remaking the world through a kind of 'superempathy'. The power of the superhero depicted as an eccentric group of people reskilling with new forces and energies – think the aerobics-physics of The OA which invents and designs a new collective body and superpower and the transcultural/transtemporal superempathy of Sens8. Something of this otherworldly capability of the new wave of superheroes is tangible at SuperMaterial exhibition at The Building Centre in London. It's about materials and the built environment, how these SuperMaterials will radically transform our relationship to the world around us through the superpower of material empathy, either adapting and changing to the environment, or being so efficient to produce and upcycle that they diminish the need to lay waste to the environment in the extraction of resources. As SuperMaterial exhibition curator Lewis Blackwell says, "we are entering an era of rapid change in how buildings work. These new materials and processes can give us buildings with living skins, cleaning the environment and even generating food and power for themselves and us." These new materials amplify the flow of life, create rather than destroy, operate within a wider ecological and economic vision of the planet rather than providing limited short-term solutions. We are increasingly seeing the impact of the 'Anthropocene'- the name given to the period of time in which human beings have had an impact on the earth's geology and ecosystem (see my interview with Jan Zalasiewicz and Mark Williams, Professors of Palaeobiology at the University of Leicester). We will need SuperMaterials as well as Superheroes to help make the ecology and of the planet sustainable for all living things. There are some spectacular examples of materials in the show of very old materials being reconfigured in ways beyond traditional human capabilities – such as the grottos by Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger, an example of what they call the 'Digital Grotesque', an incredibly ornate forms of 3D printed sandstone, that really has to be seen to appreciate its staggeringly delicate composition of brute mass. And the stone table created by Webb Yates Engineers and Interrobang (with The Stonemasonry Company and Artisteel Ltd) which looks to be floating. Sophisticated engineering means the stone slabs are simply clipped together, resulting in thin structures that uses less than half the embodied energy, and less than a quarter of the carbon, of reinforced concrete (see the table in the foreground of the image below). So here are five SuperMaterials from the extensive exhibition at The Building Centre with superpowers that deserve their own TV show… 1. Bio-receptive concreteWe know how badly polluted our cities are – but actually do we really? In 2017 it took only five days for London to exceed its annual air pollution limit. Created by BiotA Lab, at The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, their concrete enables the hosting of microorganisms and nurtures bio-colonisation. Superpower: The organisms growing in the concrete produce oxygen and absorb CO2 and pollution.  Courtesy of The Built Environment Trust. Image © Chris Tubbs 2. Coconut Husk BoarThe great thing about the SuperMaterial exhibition is that it demonstrates that superpowers can emerge like the tortoise who wins the race. Take the humble coconut husk, 60 billion of them are discarded by the food industry each year – what an environmentally expensive waste. Not any more. Superpower: The husk's high lignin content means it can be bound into incredibly strong hard board (made by GoodHout, Delft) without the damaging glue. The lack of glue means it can be fully recycled and less demand for wood and destruction of forests.  Courtesy of The Built Environment Trust. Image © Chris Tubbs 3. Cellulose NanofibresThat step-counter on your phone? In the not-too distant future you could be step-counting the electricity generated round the house. Superpower: Invented by Xudong Wang and Chunhua Yao at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, this floorboard made from cellulose layers generates electricity from footsteps.  Courtesy of The Built Environment Trust. Image © Chris Tubbs 4. Aluminium Foam"Is it a sponge? Is it foam? No it's aluminium made by injecting air into molten metal!" The process means it has a high weight to strength ratio and has been used as external and internal cladding in major projects such as Fondazione Prada Museum/Gallery in Milan. Superpower: Made by Cymat Technologies, the metal is fully recyclable and is itself made from 50% recycled materials.  Courtesy of The Built Environment Trust. Image © Chris Tubbs 5. MicroalgaeAll that microalgae in our canals and waterways were waiting for and the Urban Morphogenesis Lab, at The Bartlett, UCL. The algae is harvested and grown, the microbial cellulose derived from the algae can be spun in a fermentation process which metabolises organic waste and air pollutants, into layered structures. The harvested alga can also be used to grow bioplastic. Superpower: Imagine you care about the environment and didn't have to wait, tapping your fingers on the desk for 200 years while your conventional petroleum-based plastic biodegrades. This bioplastic degrades speedily in six months.  Courtesy of The Built Environment Trust. Image © Chris Tubbs SuperMaterial is currently running at The Building Centre in Store Street London. See the online exhibition here.  Courtesy of The Built Environment Trust. Image © Chris Tubbs  Courtesy of The Built Environment Trust. Image © Chris Tubbs * John O'Reilly is Executive Editor of BE: journal of The Built Environment Trust, available online and in bookshops. Additional material provided by Harriet Jennings, Assistant Editor, BE: journal of The Built Environment Trust, from her feature An Incomplete Primer on SuperMaterial in the new issue of BE, available now.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 25 Apr 2017 11:00 PM PDT  Le Grande Louvre. Image © Greg Kristo Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei (born April 26, 1917), is arguably the greatest living member of the modernist generation of architects. When he received his Pritzker Prize in 1983, the jury citation stated that he "has given this century some of its most beautiful interior spaces and exterior forms."  © RIBA <a href='http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/architecture/7206598/Lifetime-achievement-award-for-architect-I.-M.-Pei.html?image=9'>via The Telegraph</a> Born in Suzhou, China, I.M. Pei grew up in Hong Kong and Shanghai before deciding to move to the United States to study architecture. Though he was uninspired by the Beaux-Arts traditions at both the University of Pennsylvania and MIT, a professor convinced him to persevere. He received his Bachelor's degree in 1940, when the second Sino-Japanese War forced him to abandon his plans to return to his home country - in the end, a fortuitous event for the young architect, as it allowed him to discover the Graduate School of Design at Harvard, where Pei worked with Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer.  Bank of China Tower. Image © <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HK_Bank_of_China_Tower_View.jpg'>Wikimedia user WiNG</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY 3.0</a> Pei founded his own practice in 1955, then known as I.M. Pei & Associates (but later changing its name to Pei & Partners in 1966 and finally to Pei Cobb Freed & Partners in 1989). In its six-decade history, the firm's most well-known work is likely his crystalline extension to the Louvre in Paris; other highly influential works include the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC and the JFK Presidential Library in Boston. In 1990, Pei retired from full-time practice, progressively reducing his workload over the following decades. However, he still takes on some work as an architectural consultant, often for Pei Partnership Architects, the firm founded by his sons Chien Chung Pei and Li Chung Pei.  JFK Presidential Library. Image © Daniel Cooper Though known as a modernist, and notable for his forms based upon arrangements of simple geometric shapes such as triangles, circles, and squares, Pei has rejected the implications of globalism inherent in the "International Style," instead advocating contextual development and variation in style. He has commented that "the important distinction is between a stylistic approach to the design; and an analytical approach giving the process of due consideration to time, place, and purpose." On a trip to China in 1974, he even urged Chinese architects to look more to their architectural tradition, rather than designing in a Western style.  Everson Museum. Image © Jesse Ganes Check out some of Pei's greatest works featured on ArchDaily via the thumbnails below, and more coverage below those: I.M. Pei awarded with the RIBA Royal Gold Medal 2010 IM Pei Wins UIA Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement I.M. Pei's Le Grande Louvre Wins AIA 25 Year Award Why IM Pei's Museum of Islamic Art is the Perfect Building to Suit Doha's Style Texas Society of Architects' 25-Year Award Presented to I. M. Pei & Partners' Fountain Place  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Photographic Studio in Warsaw / Mess Architects Posted: 25 Apr 2017 10:00 PM PDT  © Szymon Swietochowski
 © Szymon Swietochowski From the architect. The interior of this photographic studio is situated in a former factory surrounded by buildings of a similar form and nature. For many years, the building housed a welding workshop. As time went by, its industrial interior required adjustments to make it more suited to the conditions needed for production processes. Welding machinery and metal presses filled up the interior from the floor up to the ceiling. It is clear that throughout the years, the interior of the building has undergone thorough changes in comparison to its initial condition, and the specific type of industrial processes has contributed to its degradation. The east-facing wall of the building, which had been stripped off of practically all windows, was its most damaged part. When the remaining layers of plaster were removed, clear evidence of intervention into the structure of the original wall appeared around the windows. This had doubtlessly been prompted by the technological requirements for the type of machinery used inside.  © Szymon Swietochowski This interior design project was commissioned by a photographic studio that organizes photo shoots and other events generally associated with photography and filming. Decisions about materials used for this project were mainly determined by the physical context related to the industrial activity that was once carried out there. Having considered the post-industrial character of the building, we decided that steel was an obvious building material. It was not only the chief factor to determine the main parts of the structure that was erected inside, but it also strongly influenced the character of the finishing touches that were used.  © Szymon Swietochowski The distinct passage linking individual areas of the interior, door and window frames, and custom-made furniture are all based on steel components that are supposed to create a time bridge between the modern character of the interior and the industrial soul of this old building. The entire area of 180 sq. m. has been divided into an open space with an annex, entrance hall under a mezzanine, cyclorama spanning the entire height of the interior, and backrooms with storage areas and toilets. The mezzanine has the form of a glazed gallery whose main purpose is to serve as a lounge for the customer.  © Szymon Swietochowski  Ground Floor Plan  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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