utorak, 16. svibnja 2017.

Arch Daily

ArchDaily

Arch Daily


YAC Announces the Winners of Castle Resort Competition

Posted: 15 May 2017 09:00 PM PDT

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

YAC – Young Architects Competitions – and Marlegno s.r.l. announce the winners of Castle Resort, the international architectural competition launched last November in cooperation with the Italian Government. The aim of this contest of ideas was to convert a medieval fortress into an exclusive tourist facility combining architecture and nature in order to enhance the historic and landscape value of this dream location in Roccamandolfi, in Southern Italy.

The jury was made up of internationally renowned professionals in the architectural field like Eduardo Souto de Moura, Todd Saunders, Alain Laurens (co-founder of La Cabane Perchée studio), Giorgio Palmucci (President of the Italian Confindustria Association Hotels), Lamberto Mancini (Director-General of the Italian Touring Club), Edoardo Maggini (Italian Government), Giacomo Lombardi (Municipality of Roccamandolfi), Elena Mucelli (University of Bologna), Remo Capitanio (Capitanio Architects).

Winner teams were awarded € 20,000 in total; respectively € 10,000 the first prize, € 4,000 the second, € 2,000 the third prize and € 1,000 each of the four Gold Mentions. Follow up 10 Honorable Mentions and 32 Finalist Mentions.
Further information about the competition on YAC's website: www.youngarchitectscompetitions.com

1st PRIZE Team: BSoD
Members: Elias Terzitta, Eugenia Bordini
Country: Italy

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

"The purpose of the project was to propose the primitive shape of the house: open towards the landscape and concealed in the background. So, inspired by the shape of the tree, the cabin is supported by a structure that, lifting it from the ground, allows to integrate it and conceal it in the foliage of the tree. Another purpose was to operate in a non-invasive way to the pre-existings of the castle and at the same time, we wanted to make it available to the customers of the hotel and visitors. Especially, for this reason, it is expected an additional access through a ramp (provided with a panoramic view) which, ideally, recalls the design of the castle, and a pavement that makes the visit more comfortable beside a panoramic overhanging view."

2nd PRIZE Team: RGB
Members: Monica Bramanti, Stefano Gatti, Anna Rossi Country: Italy

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

"Dealing with the inaccessible nature of this site, the project aspires to design a pathway made of elements molded into this stunning landscape, so that the users can reach the castle and the hotel cabins through a path into nature. The architectural intervention was conceived as a thin thread that guides users from one amazing view to another, ending in a scenic route inside the castle's ruins. The path establishes a connection with the castle, moreover, it creates the condition to enjoy great panoramic views, it runs through viewing platform designed with a different ground and increases the number of the viewing pints towards the castle, the town, the natural scenarios all around."

3rd PRIZE Team: VITIA
Members: Marco Testi, Sergio Vedovelli Country: Italy

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

"This project tried to create a hidden time able to resist to the time of its use. Powerful basement is one of the main cores of the project strategy: now they are platforms covered by architectures, a place where guests can rest and enjoy the mountain; but time after time, like the castle lot of years ago, they will become abandoned and then ruins. Then these ruins will become the place to rest of shepherds and for all those people that want to climb the ancient Rocca. Formerly, they will become a part of the ruin's landscape together with the Castle. "

Gold Mention Team: AIDA
Members: Thibaut Etcheverry, Romain Gaillard Country: France

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

"This project is to create a structure with the purpose of attracting tourists from around the globe. It has to be in accordance with the surrounding architecture and landscape. We wanted to beautify this gorgeous historical site thanks to a contemporary architecture. We wanted to create a path along which visitors can stroll and have a view over the different aspects of the site of the incredible architecture of the Roccamandolfi castle. In order to reveal these historical remains, we have created a light contemporary structure which disappears in the landscape."

Gold Mention Team: EFESTO
Members: Gaia Cella, Gaspar Canepa, Juan Octavio Ferreyra, Aleksandra Lukianova
Country: Mexico

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

"Thought as a fragment of the archaic landscape, the project praising transhumance and the sacredness of this tradition that historically guides shepherds and their flocks towards the sun. We aim to celebrate the honest life, almost primate in the contest of an untouched natural world. The architecture dissolves into its context forming a singular, homogenous landscape. The meandering corridor reminiscent of the ancient tratturi tracks used to navigate the resort. A ramp undulates and traverses the mountain revealing glimpses of the valley and its horizon from multiple perspectives, a set of terraces offer spaces of pause, reflection and subtle meditation."

Gold Mention Team: Alessandro De Nigris
Members: Alessandro De Nigris, Marco Ansalone
Country: Italy

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

"The project aims to show a deep and strong relation between architecture and nature. New architectures are shaped as bulbs that bring new life inside them and spread it throughout the area surrounding the castle, ideally linked to the ancient architecture of the fortress."

Gold Mention Team: GREGORY DE GIACOMI
Members: Gregory De Giacomi
Country: Italy

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

"The project stands in respectful dialogue with the beautiful scenery of Roccamandolfi Castle by establishing a dialogue with its simple and pure forms that are set against the forest background. The various elements of the Castle Resort program, which are geometrically linked, vary in scale and are in harmony with the Roccamandolfi Castle and the natural surroundings. In a tension between elements in plain sight and hidden ones, between the simplicity of the form and complexity of the program, between the added artifice and the landscape that together are essential elements that defining and giving a new identity to the site".

Honorable Mention Team: STAGE architects
Members: Bogdan Rusu, Anamaria Pircu, Jozsef Balint
Country: UK

1. Image Courtesy of YAC 1. Image Courtesy of YAC

Honorable Mention Team: Know-mad
Members: Anna Puig Puig, Mireia Pla Escarrà
Country: Spain

2. Image Courtesy of YAC 2. Image Courtesy of YAC

Honorable Mention Team: Antoine Pruvost
Members: Charles Cossement, Gil Cardoso, Antoine Pruvost
Country: France

3. Image Courtesy of YAC 3. Image Courtesy of YAC

Honorable Mention Team: 2SN
Members: Nicholas Canargiu, Sara Montis, Nicola Melis, Simone Langiu
Country: Italy

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

Honorable Mention Team: MUREJIA
Members: Stefano Passamonti, Giacomo Panico, Marco Diana, Leonardo Chironi, Giorgia Colombo
Country: Italy

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

Honorable Mention Team: whyassociati
Members: Stefano Lanotte, Laura Mantegazza, Matteo Frangi, Emanuele Narducci, Camilla De Camilli
Country: Italy

4. Image Courtesy of YAC 4. Image Courtesy of YAC

Honorable Mention Team: GB2
Members: Benjamin Nicaud, Nicolas Pabion, Axel Burkhard
Country: France

5. Image Courtesy of YAC 5. Image Courtesy of YAC

Honorable Mention Team: Lapo Ruffi, Vanessa Giandonati
Members: Lapo Ruffi, Vanessa Giandonati, Nicholas Diddi, Emir Sehic, Nico Fedi
Country: Italy

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

Honorable Mention Team: orma
Members: Massimiliano Alberto Ravidà, Silvia Morucci
Country: Italy

6. Image Courtesy of YAC 6. Image Courtesy of YAC

Honorable Mention Team: DOM architects
Members: Daniele Martini, Daniele Oliva
Country: France

Courtesy of YAC Courtesy of YAC

Gallery of Finalist Mentions

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House with 11 Views / Marc Koehler Architects

Posted: 15 May 2017 08:00 PM PDT

© Filip Dujardin © Filip Dujardin
  • Contractor: Reytec Innovations
  • Project Team: Marc Koehler, Thomas Wellink, Carlos Moreira, Maarten Verhelst, Robbert Verheij
  • Client: Private
© Filip Dujardin © Filip Dujardin

From the architect. Five small artificial islands mark the border between the suburban expansion of Almere Stad -the new neighborhood 'Noorderplassen West'- and the nature area 'Noorderplassen'. House with 11 views is located on one of these islands. Although the distinction between culture and nature is palpable, both are part of the same polder landscape. A landscape that had its origin on the design table and was created out of nothing.

© Filip Dujardin © Filip Dujardin

With this context in mind, the villa was designed as an abstract white box, that stands on the island as an object. In the design historicizing architectural references were avoided since it would simply ignore the fact that this environment is new. A more abstract, conceptual approach was chosen, offering the freedom to experiment and to apply unconventional materials and construction plerincips.

© Filip Dujardin © Filip Dujardin

The abstract architecture also offers the direct environment the freedom to develop its own identity.

North facade and section B-B' North facade and section B-B'

White box

The client asked for a house with a industrial and loft-like appearance with a maximum floor area at a low building cost. In order to meet the clients wishes the house was built in an unconventional way: a building method which is normally seen in the construction of industrial halls.

© Filip Dujardin © Filip Dujardin

A steel frame clad with sandwich elements of corrugated steel and polyurethane insulation. This has resulted in the raw and industrial look of the design. The four floors have their own character and function. The ground floor is designed like a boathouse with a garage. From there the residents have direct access to the wooden deck and the water. The living spaces and the kitchen are located on the first floor, where the large windows on both sides of the house visually connect the front yard and the nature area the Noorderplassen at the back of the house. The second floor contains the private bedrooms and the top floor works as a multifunctional penthouse.

© Filip Dujardin © Filip Dujardin

Framing the landscape

The impressive view on the 'Noorderplassen' and the 'IJsselmeer' has inspired to create windows that frame different parts of the landscape. In the search for the right proportions of the windowframes, eleven 17th-century Dutch landscape-paintings served as a direct example. By showing the similarity between the landscape paintings and the view on the Noorderplassen, the specific qualities of the landscape such as the Dutch light are emphasized.
Because extra insulation and gypsum board was added to the innerside of the steelframe, the windowsills are extra deep. This offers the inhabitants the experience of sitting inside the view.

© Filip Dujardin © Filip Dujardin

The windows all have an integrated sunscreen with an unique print. The graphic depicts a zoom in on the original painting with a color gradient over it. Which creates a warm and atmospheric setting when the screens are down.

© Filip Dujardin © Filip Dujardin

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DEAR FARM / VIVA Architecture

Posted: 15 May 2017 07:00 PM PDT

© Koen Broos             © Koen Broos
  • Architects: VIVA Architecture
  • Location: 5111 Baarle-Nassau, The Netherlands
  • Architects In Charge: Sylvie Bruyninckx, Isabelle Verbruggen, Elvia Gonzalez Costas
  • Area: 250.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2016
  • Photographs: Koen Broos
  • Contractor : Arwo-Bouw
© Koen Broos             © Koen Broos

From the architect. Situated in a typical agricultural area, lies a large authentic 'long-facade' farmhouse, dating back from the late 19th century.The client wishes to convert it to their home, but given the limited budget and the expected comfort, it is decided, after an extensive study, to demolish the large existing farm and replace it with a contemporary interpretation of a typical 'long-facade' farmhouse, linked with the exploitation of their red deer farm 

Elevations Elevations

The new and smaller farmhouse is designed and constructed as a solid wood construction (CLT), taking into account permanent contact and monitoring of the deer. Transverse views are important to the client, in order to check up on the animals and intervene the moment a problem occurs.

© Koen Broos             © Koen Broos

The house is sequentially built up with spaces that are interconnected in the longitudinal direction. The resulting long axes make the house more spacious while at the same time they allow to view the deer at any time.

© Koen Broos             © Koen Broos

As with a classic farmhouse, the roof is covered with clay tiles. In this case, they continue as a facade material and are perforated by square windows in three different sizes. The short ends of the house are treated as a cutting plane and finished with glass and aluminum panels. This reinterpretation emphasizes the prototypical design of a house.

© Koen Broos             © Koen Broos

The choice for the CLT construction method has several reasons: as a reference to the traditional farmhouse with its exposed truss-construction, because of the cost saved by not finishing off the interior, and a shorter construction period in function of a business that could only tolerate work on site for up to six months due to the tranquility the deer need 

Section Section

The project is particular in its intent because of a limited budget of 325.000 euro for a fully finished house of 250 square meters, kitchen, bathroom and custom made furniture included.

© Koen Broos             © Koen Broos

The solid wood structure of the house was left naked on the inside, which means that the "standard" addition of a piping cavity and a finishing material is unnecessary, and the wood structure remains visible.

Ground Floor Ground Floor
1st Floor Plan 1st Floor Plan

All custom furniture (office desk, bench, high sleepers, fire place, kitchen, ...) is made out of the same material as the wood structure, creating a full wooden interior. This was supplemented with black and white details. The rough simplicity of the interior perfectly matches the farm life.

© Koen Broos             © Koen Broos

Nevertheless, the lightness of the rooms enriches its residents and is in stark contrast with that of the old dark farmhouse.

© Koen Broos             © Koen Broos

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Tropical House Urveel / Design Work Group

Posted: 15 May 2017 03:00 PM PDT

© Photographix © Photographix
  • Architects: Design Work Group
  • Location: Saniya Hemad, Gujarat 395006, India
  • Architect In Charge: Dinesh Suthar
  • Design Team: Bharat Patel, Jitendra Sabalpara, Sonakshi Berlia, Bhavika Suthar, Vishakha Jain, Chirag Katrodia
  • Area: 900.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2017
  • Photographs: Photographix
  • Structure: Angle Consultancy
  • Contractor: Praveen Patel
  • Carpenter: Sureshbhai Suthar
  • Electrician: Sakil
  • Horticulturist: Yogesh Avaiya
  • Stone Work: Dharmesh Tank
  • Paint Work: Guddubhai
  • Security System: Jayant Vyas
© Photographix © Photographix

From the architect. Urveel is a weekend residence, away from the city noises, into the woods. Located in the village of Sania Hemad in Surat district, Urveel represents the character of earth in its true sense. The 900 sq m bungalow rests on the edge of the village, in a quiet zone, and within the heart of nature. There were six mango trees and 6 to 8 huge sapodilla trees on the site.

© Photographix © Photographix

Our major concern was to keep the existing trees on the plot untouched and built the house around them. Letting the nature prosper in the 4000 sq m plot, we designed a 4 bedroom residence that preserves and merges into the green canopies of the mango and sapodilla trees. Moreover, the space are placed in such a way that it segregates private and public spaces, and creates an atmosphere where the distinction between indoor and outdoor spaces is lost, while the amalgamation leads the dweller to an unrestrained, non-abrupt and unhindered ambience.

© Photographix © Photographix
© Photographix © Photographix

The plan's network is divided using two major brick walls, one linear and another an L shaped, running throughout the house, connecting and dividing the internal spaces, thus it become the very important element of the house. The fire bricks used for these walls become a critical material, as they allow flexibility in usage. Sometimes porous like a jali, sometimes opaque and textured; and at times forming a courtyard or working as a backdrop; these walls can be seen from every corner of the house.

Floor plan Floor plan

The bedrooms are all independent separate entities, resting on the west as they catch the winds. Connected by a corridor, they are followed by covered sitting and pooja. A large swimming pool is hosted near the center, making sure the design is loyal to the concept by integrating into nature. An outdoor kitchen, changing rooms, gym and steam rooms nestle around it. The living, dining and kitchen are provided with a flush of openings on the north facade, allowing the spaces into the lush landscape.

© Photographix © Photographix

To attain our aim of designing a space close to earth, Urveel, we utilized materials such as fire bricks, granite, cobles, river pebbles, wood and other natural earthy materials. Optimum utilization of these materials, in a luxurious, yet extrovert space was the aim.

© Photographix © Photographix

The structure secures a contemporary pitched roof. The conventional light may not fit well with the sloping wooden ceiling, thus large, well fitted 4 independent pivoted lights with adjustable focus were designed to complement the roof.

© Photographix © Photographix
Sections A and B Sections A and B
© Photographix © Photographix

The tropical house offers soft landscape with lawns, integrated with the residence. A pergola rests on the landscape, where most of the space is occupied by existing trees, carefully allowed to thrive on the site. The layout and planning stays true to the idea of sustainability and requirements of volume and spaces, offering salvation from the city's abyss and calling into the paradise of the countryside, as the house and the nature blend in to become one.

© Photographix © Photographix

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Boundary / Wei Yi International Design Associates

Posted: 15 May 2017 01:00 PM PDT

© Hey! Cheese © Hey! Cheese
© Hey! Cheese © Hey! Cheese

Design concept

Since ancient time, there have been two choices for the rich and established; to flaunt wealth and fame, or to keep modest and low-profile; which partly reveals one's view of life. For the owner, an elder with great fortune and rich experience, the definition of "home" is more about a delicate balance, a tender atmosphere, and "a piece of pure land".

© Hey! Cheese © Hey! Cheese

Red, yellow and blue are the colors that win huge popularity for traditional royal favor. Instead of the more chosen red or yellow, designers deliberately set the spatial tone with blue, as its quiet elegance and deep sensibility perfectly convey the owner's state of contentment, spiritually other than materially.

© Hey! Cheese © Hey! Cheese

Widely used gray-level materials, such as exposed cement, gray-black veneer, together with colors of low-brightness and low chroma, are seen in the structural space, showing imperfect perfection and irregular order. Perfect or not, it completely depends on the standard in one's heart. So does the earthly troubles and the inmost peace!

© Hey! Cheese © Hey! Cheese

Design description

The entrance is extended to the restaurant, where a large blue wall in the shape of Chinese character "ㄇ" forms uneven changes of shadeswith irregular layers of bumps in the lacquer surface. The partition wall is thickened symmetrically, which is not only the spatial division, but also the spiritual boundary, as if earthly life and pure land are separated by a line.

Plan Plan

Technically speaking, the rationality of modernism is the main axis in the overall planning of space; while from the perspective of spiritual essence, it interprets "Zen" and "Wabi-Sabi" based on Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism; where simplicity of Song Dynasty aesthetics is integrated in the treatment of details.

© Hey! Cheese © Hey! Cheese

Habitation, should not just be the designer's arena, but the expression of habitants' deep inside.

  • Based on modernism, the division and volume are precisely proportioned.
  • With handmade touch, the blue wall presents various gradations in single color.
  • Function as boundaries.
  • The exposed concrete walls are like backgrounds of canvas, where color blocks of black (TV) and red (storage cabinet) are dotted.
  • The opening and closuring create different effects of light and shadow, thus Pandomo appears like water ripples in landscape painting.
  • The use of candlesticks enlightens thoughts on environmental protection and sustainability.

© Hey! Cheese © Hey! Cheese

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Singapore International School of Bangkok - Phase II / Plan Architect

Posted: 15 May 2017 12:00 PM PDT

© Panoramic Studio © Panoramic Studio
  • Structural Engineer: ACTEC Co.
  • Mechanical Engineer : Plan Engineer Co.
  • Construction Management: Cornerstone Co.
  • Architect Team: Sinn Phonghanyudh, Wara Jithpratuck, Jittinun Krisnangkura, Paveen Rojchannavisart, Setha Saipipatpanit
  • Interior Designer: The Beaumont Partnership Co.
  • Landscape Designer: The Beaumont Partnership Co.
  • Contractors : Thai Nakano Co.
© Panoramic Studio © Panoramic Studio

From the architect. After the accomplishment of the first phase, Singapore International School of Bangkok requires an expansion for their secondary students. The initial requirement from the school was the auditorium building, including 400-seats multi-purpose hall along with a home for creative art center. Following with the secondary building that serves up to 750 students, two dormitory buildings for students, sport complex, 8-lanes swimming pool, and a football field that sit in the middle surrounded with all facilities.

© Panoramic Studio © Panoramic Studio
Layout Layout
© Panoramic Studio © Panoramic Studio

This project is placed right next to the previous phase of the school. Each building has its own unique characteristic, like no other. The auditorium, the first building to be seen upon the main arrival, is proposed to be a new milestone of the school, catching all eyes from the outside. The design intended to be a gateway that merge together the old and new phase of the school. The long side of the auditorium is enclosed with aluminum composite façade which folded into curvy shape creating a pleasant atmosphere to the whole area. On the other hand, the front and the back side is made of various local concrete bricks pattern producing a new aspect of bricklaying. Not just the exterior, the local bricks were finely place again inside the auditorium walls, generating a mellow atmosphere inside the hall. For the secondary building, the grandstand, gigantic steps in front of the building, is designed to be a space for students to hang out and implement activities. It also creates a smooth transition between classrooms and outdoor field.

© Panoramic Studio © Panoramic Studio
Auditorium Section Auditorium Section
© Panoramic Studio © Panoramic Studio

Looking from the outside, the main stairs stand tall right in the middle of the building. Performing as the main circulation that brought life to architecture, it circulates students and teachers from the bottom up to the top.On the left of the secondary building is the 25 meters long swimming pool and the sport complex. The sport complex consists of three basketball courts, one on first floor and the other on the upper floor. The saw-tooth façade is the main featured of the building. Not just its stylish look, the additional benefit of this façade is gaining indirect light into the gym. On the right of the secondary building lies the two dormitory buildings, one for male and the other for female. With the superior terrace beside each room that connects directly with the open well inside, wind is able to flow through the building which created good natural ventilation for residence. The transparent skylight in the center court brings in the natural light into the common space and corridor inside. The canteen on first floor flows through the two building, linking the two with food and activities.The new campus provides unique design for each individual building which suit well to each particular function. Common space throughout the whole campus is the core idea to create a better living for students. The space between each building is designed and well treated to be use as a recreational area and effectively connect each building with activities.

© Panoramic Studio © Panoramic Studio

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Glass Link House / Robbie Walker

Posted: 15 May 2017 10:00 AM PDT

© Nic Granleese © Nic Granleese
  • Owner, Builder, Designer: Robbie Walker
© Nic Granleese © Nic Granleese

From the architect. We bought this house about three years ago. We were living in Richmond, feeling very cool in a converted old grocery store that I had just finished renovating. But after the birth of our second baby, the stairs, busy streets and a stupidly high mortgage (that meant we couldn't go to any of the nice coffee shops we lived next door to anyway) it started to get to us.

© Nic Granleese © Nic Granleese

We decided to move out to the burbs, find something with potential a little further out and maybe have a little less mortgage pressure. So even if the coffee shops weren't as good, at least we could go to them.

When we bought this place it was rough, Alice hadn't even seen it. We kept missing out at auctions so she had stoped coming. It had a fake tile roof, nasty aluminium windows and a really dodgy little add on. And, during a lovely 70's renovations the ceiling height had been dropped. I think everyone we were bidding against wanted to knock it down. Although that might have been more sensible I fall in love too easily. I do this thing where I "tilt my head and squint my eyes just the right way" to make things seem a little nicer.

© Nic Granleese © Nic Granleese

When we pushed the little add on over and pulled down the dropped ceilings, we were left with a small 80sqm house with two bedrooms and one bath. With the ceiling down the tall roof space made the house feel really cool. It also left a really usable attic space above the bedrooms. With a third baby on the way and Alice screaming this will never work, I would give my best "we are all too greedy… less is more" speech, we decided to neaten it up and move in.

Site plan Site plan

We spent about a year and half using the attic as our bedroom. I felt like I was back in Richmond in a cool loft, and loved it. Meanwhile, Alice hated it… going up and down a ladder five times a night to a newborn baby. So, I called my friends, Danius Malunis and Ben Willick, to help me design a master bedroom pod for a very, very deserving mum.

© Nic Granleese © Nic Granleese

I know it is nothing new but after pushing over the funny add on it just reinforced the idea of an honest contemporary extension, separate from the old building, was the way to go. It was a simple build and with the help of my brothers, was up in about 8 weeks. We built the whole thing and then just before it was time to paint we cut the hole in what then was our little girls room and added the glass link. The link works so well, not just showing the difference between old and new, but it gives the hall and bedroom lots of nice light and also just makes it a little more fun and exciting to walk though.

© Nic Granleese © Nic Granleese

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Indonesian Village Receives Technicolor Makeover with Just $22,000 of Paint

Posted: 15 May 2017 09:45 AM PDT

Image by Instagram user arieprakhman Image by Instagram user arieprakhman

Seeking to liven up their town and make a splash in the realm of tourism, the small village of Kampung Pelangi, Indonesia, has undergone a vivid, multicolored transformation. The brainchild of 54-year-old junior high principal Slamet Widodo and inspired by similar efforts in other Indonesian towns, the entire repainting was done for just 300 million Indonesia Rupiah (about $22,500 USD).

Each house has been painted with at least three colors; roofs, benches and bridges were all used as canvas for a world of patterns, textures and motifs, all portrayed in the brightest hued pigments the town could find. In total, more than 230 houses were made over.

The town before the repainting. Image by flickr user anomharya The town before the repainting. Image by flickr user anomharya

According to the Indonesian Builders Association, the attraction is already paying off, with local shop and restaurants owners seeing a significant rise in sales since the project was completed.

Check out some shots of the rainbow wonderland:

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H/T Bored Panda.

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Authoral Restaurant / BLOCO Arquitetos

Posted: 15 May 2017 08:00 AM PDT

©  Haruo Mikami © Haruo Mikami
  • Architects: BLOCO Arquitetos
  • Localization: Brasília, Federal District, Brazil
  • Arquitetos Responsáveis: Daniel Mangabeira, Henrique Coutinho, Matheus Seco
  • Area: 262.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2016
  • Photographs: Haruo Mikami
  • Collaborators: Guilherme Mahana, Tatiana Lopes
  • Installations: Grid Engenharia
  • Landscape: Sérgio Borges
  • Artists: Toys+Omik e Pomb
  • Locksmith: William Resende Vasconcelos
©  Haruo Mikami © Haruo Mikami

From the architect. The “South Wing” (Asa Sul) was the first residential zone to be built in Brasília´s original plan. The local commerce typology in that zone is defined by two stories buildings connected to each other side by side along the commercial streets between the “superquadras” (superblocks). They face the street in one side and the residential superblocks on the other side. Lucio Costa´s idea was to connect both sides through the buildings. However, over the years the most of the owners shut themselves away from the residential area, closing their “backsides” with fences or blind walls, turning their facades exclusively to the street. 

©  Haruo Mikami © Haruo Mikami

The main goal of this project is to recconect both sides. The idea was to extend the street into the restaurant itself and to bring inside some elements of the surrounding urban environment. Therefore we explored the idea of using simple, low cost materials normally found in the streets around. Our intention is aligned with the chef´s: To cook interesting and unexpected meals using mostly local ingredients.

©  Haruo Mikami © Haruo Mikami
Axonométrica Axonométrica
©  Haruo Mikami © Haruo Mikami

A new pedestrial axe connects both facades and organizes the tables and services on the ground floor. On the second floor we perforated “views to the sky” on the roof, which allow the space to be open to the sky during Brasilia´s long dry season. The kitchen is located underground. All the walls were built using exposed ceramic bricks. They act as “white canvases” on which local street artists were invited to work. All the floors and ceilings were built in exposed concrete.  The main feature of the project is a “second skin” that we created used elements of pre-fabricated steel mesh that is normally used as fences. In this case we used different patterns of the same mesh to create a multipurpose element that covers the facades and part of the ceiling. On the internal and external facades it is double layered, providing support for vegetation to grow, marking the passage of time and protecting the interior from excessive sunlight, while keeping much of its transparency. On the ground floor it works as a ventilated suspended ceiling,providing access to most of the restaurant installations.   

©  Haruo Mikami © Haruo Mikami

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Aga Khan Awarded The 2017 Architectural League President's Medal

Posted: 15 May 2017 07:20 AM PDT

Bait Ur Rouf Mosque / Marina Tabassum, winner of a 2016 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Image © Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Rajesh Vora Bait Ur Rouf Mosque / Marina Tabassum, winner of a 2016 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Image © Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Rajesh Vora

The Architectural League of New York has announced the recipient of its 2017 President's Medal: His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th hereditary Imam (Spiritual Leader) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Aga Khan Award in Architecture – an annual award established to celebrate building concepts that have successfully addressed the needs of Muslim communities from around the world.

The Architectural League's highest honor, the President's Medal is awarded annually to recognize individuals for an extraordinary body of work in architecture, urbanism, art, or design. The medal will be presented by League President Billie Tsien at a May 18 dinner in New York.

In a press release, The Architectural League explained the values championed by the Aga Khan in his work promoting issues of sustainability, quality of life, local craft and building traditions:

A commitment to pluralism suffuses the work of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, along with other programs of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and Aga Khan Development Network, of which it is a part. "Pluralism," the Aga Khan has said, "results when people decide to value and understand human differences through mutual respect and civic inclusion." He has written that "In the troubled times in which we live, it is important to remember, and honor, a vision of a pluralistic society. Tolerance, openness and understanding towards other peoples' cultures, social structures, values and faiths are now essential to the very survival of an interdependent world. Pluralism is no longer simply an asset or a prerequisite for progress and development, it is vital to our existence."

At the ceremony on May 18th, humanities scholar Homi K. Bhabha, city planner Amanda M. Burden, architects Diébédo Francis Kéré and Billie Tsien, and League executive director Rosalie Genevro will remark on the achievements of the Aga Khan, while presenting him with the award.

Past recipients of The Architectural League's President's Medal have included Michael Bloomberg, Henry N. Cobb, Richard Serra, Renzo Piano, Amanda Burden, Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Hugh Hardy, Richard Meier, Ada Louise Huxtable, Robert A.M. Stern, Kenneth Frampton, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, and Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown.

News via The Architectural League.

2016 Aga Khan Award for Architecture Winners Announced

Six exemplary projects have been announced as winners of the 2016 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Presented once every three years, the award was established by the Aga Khan in 1977 to "identify and encourage building concepts that successfully addressed the needs and aspirations of communities in which Muslims have a significant presence."

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Bamboo House / VTN Architects

Posted: 15 May 2017 07:00 AM PDT

© Hiroyuki Oki © Hiroyuki Oki
  • Architects: VTN Architects
  • Location: District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
  • Principal Architect: Vo Trong Nghia
  • Associate Architect: Kuniko Onishi
  • Area: 217.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2015
  • Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki
  • Contractor: Wind And Water House JSC
  • Site Area: 60.72m2
© Hiroyuki Oki © Hiroyuki Oki

From the architect. Under the rapid urbanization, cities in Vietnam have diverged far from their origins of being low density tropical green spaces. Newly developed urban areas are losing their connection with nature. "Bamboo House" is a small residential project in a narrow alley called "Hem" in Ho-Chi-Minh City. This project aims at developing the concept of "House for Trees", a series of a prototypical housing design that targets to provide green space within high density neighborhood. 

© Hiroyuki Oki © Hiroyuki Oki

 In Vietnam, there are countless narrow alleys called "Hem". They are 2-3m wide, with similar, narrow, and long buildings running along both it's sides, resembling a ravine. The lanes are lined with imposing forms, and their cold facades give the street a dense and weighty aura. The windows are mostly kept closed to ensure their privacy. 

With this in mind, 'Bamboo house', has been designed to create a comfortable living space in spite of the limited area available. The site is dense and narrow, with only 2 sides to allow natural ventilation and light into the building. The front facade is playful with planter boxes located at random points, creating interest and a more welcoming entrance.

Section Section

The client's love for bamboo and its' high relevance to Asian context resulted in a facade covered with bamboo plantations. In addition, the planter boxes that pop out from the front facade form deep eaves that allow the windows to be kept open even during the rainy season. 

© Hiroyuki Oki © Hiroyuki Oki

Towards the back end of the house, the design incorporates a semi-open staircase which is enveloped by creepers, allowing the branches and the leaves to function as a buffer layer that cut out direct flow of sunlight. Moreover, it also creates a comfortable distance between the neighborhoods. This is evidently visible in the bedroom that is close to the open bathroom and staircase.

© Hiroyuki Oki © Hiroyuki Oki

The front and the back facade are mostly open, wrapped with greenery, allowing cool wind to pass through the house. As a result, the use of air con in the house has considerably reduced. 

© Hiroyuki Oki © Hiroyuki Oki

 In addition to growing bamboo on the front facade, the concrete formwork is also made by using bamboo to allow a consistent design language. The bamboo texture also helps to reduce the intense and heavy appearance of conventional concrete wall and thus, improves the overall aesthetic quality of the house.

© Hiroyuki Oki © Hiroyuki Oki

The client expresses, 'I wake up to the sound of birds chirruping every morning, as the plantations attract them. My home feels like a jungle in the middle of a bustling city. The green spaces also keeps the house cool at all times, reducing the usage of air conditioner. The space also feels larger because of the large openings on 2 sides.'

Ground Floor Plan Ground Floor Plan
Level 1 Plan Level 1 Plan
Level 2 Plan Level 2 Plan
Level 3 Plan Level 3 Plan
Level 4 Plan Level 4 Plan

 This project provides a solution to create a comfortable and open living space that is surrounded by green in a highly dense and small site. It not only meets the functional and aesthetic needs but also connects the people with one another and more importantly, with nature. 

© Hiroyuki Oki © Hiroyuki Oki

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Thorvald Ellegaard Arena / Mikkelsen Arkitekter

Posted: 15 May 2017 06:00 AM PDT

© Søren Aagaard © Søren Aagaard
  • Architects: Mikkelsen Arkitekter
  • Location: Odense, Denmark
  • Collaborators: Populous, Buro Happold / Rambøll
  • Area: 7200.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2014
  • Photographs: Søren Aagaard
© Søren Aagaard © Søren Aagaard

From the architect. The new Cycling and Athletics Arena is located in a diversely built area in Odense, Denmark's third largest city. The building is sunken into the topography of the site, keeping its visual impact on the immediate surroundings to a minimum. Within this context, the new 7,200 square meter velodrome asserts its presence with clear geometric form.

© Søren Aagaard © Søren Aagaard

An initial desire to create a public facility for the bigger number as well as the elite, led to the creation of accessible racing tracks designed to high international standards.

© Søren Aagaard © Søren Aagaard

The arena interprets the configuration of Roman Amphitheatres, built as oval open-air venues and used for large public events. A lightweight membrane tops the inclusive design spanning across its entire length and width. Inspired by the idea of the simple shelter as a place to meet while protected from the outdoors, the semi-transparent featherweight roof creates an informal open space, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside.

Plan Plan

The structure was made possible by basing its geometry on the section of a torus, a revolving three-dimensional doughnut-like surface. Steel trusses located up to 15 meters apart the long of this curvature allow for a uniform frame, thus simplifying the construction process. A 250m long timber track runs along the perimeter of the building, encompassing the running tracks and other amenities.

© Søren Aagaard © Søren Aagaard
Diagram Diagram
© Søren Aagaard © Søren Aagaard

The roof membrane provides an aesthetic yet affordable solution. Radiant heating systems installed directly above the banked oval track ensure an even distribution of warmth as well as efficient energy use throughout.

Sections A-A  and B-B Sections A-A and B-B

Using a cost-effective low-energy approach, the Arena stands out as a state-of- the-art multifunctional public space.

© Søren Aagaard © Søren Aagaard

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Diller Scofidio + Renfro Releases New Design for University of Chicago's Rubenstein Forum

Posted: 15 May 2017 05:00 AM PDT

Courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro Courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro

The University of Chicago has unveiled new renderings of its planned David M. Rubenstein Forum that show major changes to the buildings' form and relationship to the site. Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the new scheme shows a more homogeneous structure featuring a uniform zinc and glass facade that will help to better signify the distinct "neighborhoods" located within the 8-story tower.

Courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro Courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro

UChicago News explains:

As before, the building is composed of a two-story base and an eight-story tower. The exterior has evolved over the last year to become a more uniform composition of zinc and glass, expressing the separate meeting "neighborhoods" that compose the tower. Those "neighborhoods" pair meeting rooms with informal shared spaces, and they can be configured according to users' needs.

The new design (left) features a more uniform design. Image Courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro The new design (left) features a more uniform design. Image Courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro

The ground floor of the building will contain a lobby and restaurant, with stairs leading to a 600-person-capacity multipurpose event space. On the floor above the base, a 285-seat auditorium and informal meeting space will provide additional space for school events. The top level will contain another multipurpose area capable of accommodating 75 people, and offering views of Midway Plaisance, the city skyline and Lake Michigan.

News via UChicago News. H/T Curbed.

DS+R Reveals Design for the University of Chicago's Rubenstein Forum

Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) has unveiled its design for the David M. Rubenstein Forum at the southeast corner of Woodlawn Avenue and 60th Street on the University of Chicago's campus. The 90,000 square foot (8,500 square meter) facility has been devised as a place of intellectual, institutional, and educational exchange, fulfilling a variety of campus needs for meeting spaces.

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Storehouse / Bennetts Associates Architects

Posted: 15 May 2017 04:00 AM PDT

© Peter Cook © Peter Cook
  • Main Contractor: Kier
  • Theatre Consultant: Charcoalblue
  • Structural Engineer: WSP
  • M&E Services: Foreman Roberts
  • Acoustics: Sandy Brown Associates
  • Planning Consultant: WYG
  • Heritage Consultant: Tweed Nuttall Warburton / Peter de Figueiredo
  • Delivery Architect: Ellis Williams
  • Client: Cheshire West and Chester Council
© Peter Cook © Peter Cook

From the architect. Storyhouse includes a large main theatre space with a 20m high flytower and up to 800 seats, a 150-seat studio with a dedicated bar, a 100-seat boutique cinema and a city library with over 700m of shelving throughout the building. These functions are supported by a large foyer and café, and large backstage with dressing rooms and company facilities.

Location Location

When the team first visited the site in 2012 it was clear that externally the 1936 Odeon was well-preserved. The largely blank volume of the main cinema space is articulated with a composition of horizontal and vertical brick patterning emphasizing corner-towers and a rusticated base. A further brick tower and cantilevered canopy mark the entrance and the whole composition is grounded to street-scale by a matching row of shop units. Inside, the main cinema volume had been crudely sub-divided into ve screens and many original features had been removed. Stripping out these sub-divisions and the redundant balcony structure revealed an enormous internal volume which retains much of its original streamlined art deco plasterwork. The plasterwork ceiling and wall features form a series of curving planes and pro les which trace the complex geometry of the room and lead the eye down to the screen itself.

© Peter Cook © Peter Cook

With the seats removed and floor leveled, the main Odeon volume has become the focal point of the new cultural centre, containing the main café and bar at ground level and at its centre the new 100-seat cinema screen. The cinema is a distinct object clad in back-lit cast glass and accessed from a new mezzanine level which also provides book-lined library study space and foyer circulation. The curved shape of the mezzanine edge follows that of the former cinema balcony, revealing the full scale of the proscenium plasterwork which once surrounded the former Odeon's screen. With the screen removed, the foyer space now continues right through the old proscenium opening to reveal the brick-clad main auditorium of the new-build theatre. Red-painted steel stairs and walkways giving access to the theatre and the studio theatre above are suspended like theatre scenery in the glazed gap between the old and new buildings.

© Peter Cook © Peter Cook
Ground Floor Plan Ground Floor Plan
© Peter Cook © Peter Cook

The new extension containing the theatre and studio has a similar footprint to the existing Odeon, but the main theatre's tower, and the elevated volume of the studio theatre result in greater overall height. The extension is conceived as a companion-piece to the Odeon, the main auditorium and flytower volume which form the armature of the extension are clad in brick, diagonally bonded and textured to express its non-loadbearing status, and created from a brick blend selected to complement the existing Odeon's facades. Steel-framed audience circulation walkways flank the brick auditorium enclosed by glazed cladding which wraps the entire extension building to the height of the existing Odeon, punctured only by the brick flytower and copper-clad studio volume which appears to sit on the theatre's roof as a separate block. 

© Peter Cook © Peter Cook

The main theatre itself is designed to operate as an 800- seat theatre with a programme of touring productions for some of the year, but is recon figurable to a 500- seat thrust-stage for locally produced work during the festival season. Acoustically isolated from the main theatre, the 150-seat studio sits on a series of steel transfer beams and columns which visibly extend down to the ground on either side of the brick auditorium volume. The studio has a dedicated bar with a fully- glazed façade to the south giving panoramic views over the city of Chester.

Section Section

The city's new public library is completely integrated into the scheme. Books will be accessible in all the key spaces within the historic Odeon, including the café/ restaurant and circulation areas. The row of shop units which were part of the original Odeon development now house a dedicated children's library with a story- telling space, and quiet study spaces for adult readers.

© Peter Cook © Peter Cook

With its day-long programme of events and activities the building presents the opportunity to attract the broadest possible audience from Chester and beyond, helping to revitalise the city and at the same time to re- invent the role of civic cultural buildings in the twenty- first century.

© Peter Cook © Peter Cook

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The 13 Most Important Non-Architecture Skills You Learn in Architecture School

Posted: 15 May 2017 02:30 AM PDT

© Megan Fowler © Megan Fowler

Architecture school is a long haul and we all know it. Whether you get a 5-year professional degree or choose to take on a few years of graduate school (or both), it's a grueling process. However, most would hopefully agree, it's worth it for the knowledge you gain throughout those years (not to mention the friendships you form in the close quarters of the studio). Architectural education is about more than learning to design great spaces and whether or not you realize it at the time, architecture school is also a great teacher of other life lessons. All the skills below are those you'll likely attain incidentally during your tenure in architecture school, but which will be an asset outside of academia as well.

1. Making Mistakes Quickly

In the spirit of doing things quickly, we might as well cover this one first. You may have heard the advice to not hang on to a bad decision just because you spent a lot of time making it. The bottom line is, you will make mistakes, both in design and in life. However, the important thing you learn in architecture school is to try things out, realize mistakes or unproductive ideas as quickly as possible, get rid of them, and then move on to a viable solution. It's a version of "killing your darlings" that can be utilized in schematic design ideas as well as other tricky life decisions. If you master the art of making and realizing your mistakes quickly, you can cover all your options efficiently and you shouldn't have to worry about spending too much time on something that's fruitless.

2. Design Thinking/Problem Solving

Speaking of solving problems, one of the overarching threads through a design education is what instructors refer to as "design thinking" and what you can think of as a fancy term for problem-solving. An education in, and knowledge of, design thinking can be applied to any field where people need to solve problems. Architects are taught from the beginning to look at a problem from all angles (often literally), to gather information, study precedents, and then to make thoughtful choices when determining a solution and to analyze the effects of the moves they make. This process and these skills can be applied to any type of problem to make you more efficient and effective at solving it.

3. Learning, Reading, Researching

© Megan Fowler © Megan Fowler

Another widely applicable skill set is simply learning how to learn. No one is born with an innate knowledge of design motifs in Art Deco mosaics, but if you had to write a paper about them for an architectural history class you probably also learned a bit about the process of conducting research. When your professor assigned chapters of reading to be completed overnight, hopefully you also learned how to actually absorb what you read so that you didn't waste your nights staring blankly at the same paragraph for half an hour. Having a skill set that allows you to accumulate new knowledge efficiently will always be beneficial, so ideally you'll be able to hang on to some of your old study habits even once you're out of school.

4. Time Management (Hopefully)

Full disclosure: many fully functioning adults, and architects in particular it seems, are just awful at time management. However, if you can gain some solid time management skills while you're in school, your future professional-self will thank your past student-self endlessly. Of course good time management is incredibly handy while you're in school to avoid as many late nights in studio as you can, but needless to say, it doesn't stop being useful after you've graduated. Due to the often intense time pressure involved in architecture school, architecture students have a good opportunity to learn to prioritize tasks and manage their time wisely. Basically, if you succeed in having good time management while you're an architecture student, whatever time crunch life throws your way in the future should be a breeze in comparison.

5. Not Taking Yourself Too Seriously

© Megan Fowler © Megan Fowler

If architecture school acclimates you to anything, it is comfort in being conspicuous. Whether they're drawing in public, measuring ceiling heights in a crowded classroom building, or carrying a 4-foot by 4-foot piece of cardboard across campus, the architecture student is sure to encounter more than their fair share of staring from those in less hands-on majors. Architecture school can force you to look more than a little ridiculous at times and the earlier in your education you come to terms with this, the easier it will be for you to do what you need to do to finish your work. Of course, this applies to any job or even social situation in which you may find yourself in the future. Focus on what you need to do, don't worry about how absurd you'll look or feel while doing it, and it can lead to greater confidence, better presentations, and less general awkwardness and anxiety.

6. Taking Criticism

Unless you're the second coming of Frank Lloyd Wright, every architecture student has faced a bad critique. Hopefully, if you've learned the previous skill of not taking yourself too seriously, you won't take the criticism personally, but it's always hard to listen to an outside observer tear apart a project you've put your heart and soul into. Tough reviews can often feel like a personal attack and we all know the students who will blindly defend their work to the death without absorbing any of the reviewers' feedback (most of which is hopefully constructive). This is not who you want to be in architecture school and it's likely not who you want to be in life. There is a difference between correcting a misunderstanding about your work and just being argumentative. Because architecture school is full of opportunities for critiques and feedback, over time you will be able to thicken your skin and also to understand and integrate constructive criticism into your work.

7. Defending Your Work and Your Opinions

© Megan Fowler © Megan Fowler

With the above in mind, what you should not do is sell yourself short on review day. It's a delicate balance, but you've put a lot of work into this project and are literally the chief expert on the topic of your design. If a reviewer questions your choices or motives, you should be able to answer the questions and explain your work clearly. Have a strong argument and hold to your opinions, but listen to feedback. This can be done without getting defensive. After spending time in architecture school, you should know how to have a constructive dialogue and debate about your work as well as someone else's.

8. Marketing Yourself and Your Work

If you have a clear understanding of your work and your opinions, you will be able to market yourself and your skills to potential employers and/or clients with a cohesive argument. Through the process of making a design portfolio, architects and designers spend a lot of time with their work and therefore learn how best to describe it to others. In fact, by the time you get to a job interview, you've essentially practiced the same pitch more than once during studio reviews. Taking pride in your work and speaking confidently and intelligently about it can get you far in life and in your profession.

9. Public Speaking/Presentation Skills

© Megan Fowler © Megan Fowler

It's been alluded to more than once already in the list, but they say practice makes perfect and in architecture school you get a LOT of practice presenting your work. Whether you're explaining your ideas to skeptical group members, trying to convince your professor that you know what you're talking about, or defending your design in your final review, architecture school is full of presentations of all shapes and sizes. Once you become comfortable speaking or presenting in front of different-sized groups of people, that's something you can take with you into your post-school life and the more often you're forced to do it, the easier it will become.

10. Working With a Team

By this point, we've all been disillusioned by the architect-as-solitary-genius stereotype and the reality is that if you work in an architecture firm, you will be working with a team. Thankfully, architecture school allows you to practice this with group projects galore. Though it may be a process full of frustration, you are learning valuable lessons about how to work with (deal with) other people, and possibly how not to. It may sound like a cliché, but good teamwork skills are truly invaluable to employers. In a pragmatic sense, they likely aren't interested in hiring you for your unique genius and flawless taste, but because they want someone who can work with the rest of the office to get things done. If you can't do that, your design ideas are not worth much to them, whereas if you can work well with (and eventually lead) a team, all your other skills are just a fabulous bonus.

11. Working With People from Other Disciplines

Speaking of teams, getting a building actually built requires a lot more than just a designer, and in fact a lot more than just a design team. Hopefully in your architecture education you have the opportunity to branch out and possibly take an interdisciplinary studio or some classes in another field, because if you do you'll be preparing yourself for life outside of the cloistered architecture bubble. In the practice of architecture, communicating and cooperating with contractors, subcontractors, engineers, and clients (to name a few) is vital to completing a project and also to building relationships. If all the structural engineers in town refuse to work with you, that's going to be a problem. Beyond practicing architecture, learning to think outside of your box of experience and to really be willing to listen to and learn from others will make your entire life run more smoothly.

12. Following Instructions

It sounds terribly boring, but designing buildings (and life) often comes with rules. Many an architect has been discouraged by code requirements or a client's program demands, but the bottom line is that your design has to function and meet the needs (and life safety requirements) of your client. While architecture school is often free of many of the constraints of the real world, architecture students nonetheless learn to work within a set of given parameters. This applies directly as a general life skill because in a variety of life scenarios, you will be working or functioning under someone else's rules. The sooner you come to accept this, the sooner you can move on to the last skill on the list...

13. Breaking the Rules When Necessary

Once you have a full understanding of the intent of the rules, you can begin to bend and possibly even break them while still meeting the needs to solve the problem. Clients and bosses won't always agree, just like architecture professors won't always agree, but the undeniable fact is that if you only view rules as a strict barrier instead of trying to understand their greater purpose, you will suffocate as a designer. Not all risks pay off in design or in life, but if you understand the full extent and implications of the risk before you take the leap, you have a better chance of surviving the fall and you may just find your way to true innovation.

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OS House / Jacobsen Arquitetura

Posted: 15 May 2017 02:00 AM PDT

© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG   © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
  • Architect: Jacobsen Arquitetura
  • Location: Bragança Paulista, SP, Brazil
  • Team: Paulo Jacobsen, Bernardo Jacobsen, Edgar Murata, Marcelo Vessoni, Francisco Rugeroni, Tatiana Kamogawa, Thauan Miquelin, Maya Nobrega, Mariana Ferretti
  • Area: 1200.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2016
  • Photographs: Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
  • Interiors: Marina Linhares
  • Landscaping: Isabel Duprat
  • Lightning: Lightworks
  • Hydraulic And Electric Installations: Zamaro
  • Air Conditioner: Logitec
  • Steel Structure: Ycon
  • Wood Structure: Ita Construtora
  • Construction : MFC Engenharia
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG   © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

From the architect. We chose the most elevated part of the property to create a large plant on which we would have a greater visual amplitude and lower interference from neighboring constructions. This way we could freely expose the architecture, the garden and the swimming pool. On the lower level, due to the sloped terrain, we inserted a large kids room, service area with direct access to the inferior garden in the terrain setback and all the technical infrastructure of the house.

© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG   © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

The social and private areas were divided into two parallel cores with the same width each but are disposed and unaligned. The connection between these areas is made through a circulation area on top of a water mirror, which also functions as the entry hall.

© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG   © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG   © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

The core located close to the access, consists of an integrated living room with dinner room, kitchen, television room and SPA. These spaces open up towards a continuous terrace, which provides the best view and is protected from the afternoon sun. The pool and solarium are also directly connected to the terrace and also act as a visual obstacle between the house and the street.

© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG   © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
Floor Plan Floor Plan
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG   © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

The second core is located on the backside of the allotment and is occupied by the family and visitors suites. These accomodations face the rising sun and have a generous covered terrace, which also acts as an eave to the openings. The laminated wooden structure that we developed for this project was actually an evolution of the structural concept applied on the JN House, which presents a succession of laminated wooden porticos separated by a space of 40cm between each other. This time we also used a succession of laminated wooden pieces but eliminated the one piece that touches the floor, supporting the horizontal part on a indented metallic part. We therefore created terraces, which are protected and open toward the main views.

© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG   © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

On the opposite side, where the circulation takes place, the structural system in form of porticos makes the construction closing.

© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG   © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

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ELEMENTAL Selected to Design One of Qatar's Largest Cultural Centers – Doha's "Art Mill"

Posted: 15 May 2017 01:45 AM PDT

ELEMENTAL's "Art Mill" concept design. Image © ELEMENTAL / Malcolm Reading Consultants ELEMENTAL's "Art Mill" concept design. Image © ELEMENTAL / Malcolm Reading Consultants

ELEMENTAL, led by Pritzker Prize laureate Alejandro Aravena, has been selected as the design team for the Art Mill project in Doha, Qatar. Following a 26-strong longlist and a shortlist of eight internationally renowned practices, including Atelier Bow-Wow and the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the Chilean practice have been lauded by the jury for developing "a serene artwork, [in which] the structure is the architecture." Once complete, the project will join two other nearby cultural heavyweights: the Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M. Pei, and the National Museum of Qatar designed by Jean Nouvel.

ELEMENTAL's "Art Mill" concept design. Image © ELEMENTAL / Malcolm Reading Consultants ELEMENTAL's "Art Mill" concept design. Image © ELEMENTAL / Malcolm Reading Consultants

ELEMENTAL's concept design for the historic waterfront site "took as its inspiration the rhythmic monumental grain silos that are the industrial legacy of the original Flour Mills on the site, which have produced bread for the state since the 1980s." According to the competition organizers, the design concedes to the "strict geometry of retained silos" while contributing "a looser grouping of new silos that will act as cooling chimneys circulating air through the site that extends spectacularly on three sides into Doha Bay."

The practice will now work with Qatar Museums to develop the initial concept design. A gallery of all eight shortlisted designs, including the runner-up Adam Khan Architects, will be published.

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Runaway – A Temporary Splash of Color for the Santa Barbara Waterfront

Posted: 15 May 2017 01:00 AM PDT

Courtesy of SPORTS Courtesy of SPORTS

A vibrant pavilion has arrived to grace the boardwalks of California's Santa Barbara waterfront. The pavilion entitled Runaway has been designed by SPORTS, an architecture and design collaboration of Greg Corso and Molly Hunker, recently selected as one of the Architectural League of New York's emerging young practices for 2017. Blending a bright, colorful character with functional modernity, Runaway was installed on the Waterfront of Santa Barbara in March 2017, one of several locations the pavilion will travel to throughout the year.

Runaway was selected as the winning design for the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB) International Pavilion Competition, inspired by similar initiatives such as the Serpentine Pavilions in London and the MoMA PS1's Young Architects Program in New York. Runaway represents the first element of 'takepart I makeart: taking art outdoors', an initiative launched by the MCASB in 2017. For winning the competition, SPORTS received a $5000 reward and an additional $45,000 to support the project. 

Courtesy of SPORTS Courtesy of SPORTS
Courtesy of SPORTS Courtesy of SPORTS

A matrix of thin steel rods, Runaway features three vibrant, modular objects which can be freely orientated to adapt to different locations and uses. The pavilion invites communities to view and interact with their surroundings in a new light – encouraging residents and artists alike to consider how contemporary art can activate public space. In reference to the ever-changing light and fog of Santa Barbara, Hunker explains how Runaway "emphasizes a vibrantly saturated visual environment that aims at architecturalizing the blurry or hazy aesthetic qualities of the air of Santa Barbara."

Courtesy of SPORTS Courtesy of SPORTS
Courtesy of SPORTS Courtesy of SPORTS

SPORTS' design is emblematic of bold, innovative thinking that can both challenge and produce rich dialogue with the traditional, California Mission style aesthetic that typically characterizes Santa Barbara. I love the way that Runaway's design draws upon the history of California's Light & Space movement to call into question current issues of visibility within Santa Barbara's communities - Miki Garcia, MCASB Executive Director.

Courtesy of SPORTS Courtesy of SPORTS
Courtesy of SPORTS Courtesy of SPORTS

You can learn more about Runaway from the architect's website here.

News via: SPORTS.

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Urban Rural - Hybrid Habitation in the Heart of Istanbul

Posted: 14 May 2017 11:00 PM PDT

Urban Rural is set to become a landmark for Istanbul. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo Urban Rural is set to become a landmark for Istanbul. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo

The American/Turkish architecture firm Eray Carbajo has unveiled Urban Rural, a new typology of urban living set to become a benchmark for future development in Istanbul, Turkey. The vision behind Urban Rural is for a hybrid model of living, combining close proximity to urban centers with the lush landscape of rural life. Challenging the status quo of typical residential typologies, the scheme will consist of modular hexagonal units with triangular gardens, forming an active façade designed to become a future landmark for the city.

Urban Rural aims to challenge the status quo of urban living. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo Urban Rural aims to challenge the status quo of urban living. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo
Modular hexagonal units with triangular gardens dominate the facade. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo Modular hexagonal units with triangular gardens dominate the facade. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo

The architectural form of Urban Rural is dominated by its unique, hexagonal, modular residential units. Each hexagon unit consists of a polygonal area for living, and a triangular cavity to be used as an irrigable garden. When units are combined, the triangular cavities act as a truss structure, creating an interdependency between building systems, structure, landscape, and aesthetic. Sustainability is central to the scheme, with a combination of locally sourced materials and an efficient component-based modular design enhancing the scheme's environmental and economic viability.

Modular hexagonal units with triangular gardens dominate the facade. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo Modular hexagonal units with triangular gardens dominate the facade. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo
Urban Rural seeks to bring the lush landscape of rural living to an urban environment. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo Urban Rural seeks to bring the lush landscape of rural living to an urban environment. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo

Urban Rural seeks to become a city landmark following its 2019 completion. A vertical urban village in the heart of Istanbul will reduce dependency on cars and transport, instead of promoting walking and cycling. The scheme features social and recreational spaces on the lower floors, creating a vibrant hub for people to live, work, and meet.

Urban Rural is set to become a landmark for Istanbul. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo Urban Rural is set to become a landmark for Istanbul. Image Courtesy of Eray Carbajo

News via: Eray Carbajo.

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2 Houses in 1 / SBSA

Posted: 14 May 2017 10:00 PM PDT

© Renato Gianturco © Renato Gianturco
© Renato Gianturco © Renato Gianturco

From the architect. CONCEPT: The project fits into a small plot in a highly inclined terrain overlooking the Geneva Lake. It is a urban plot where it is allowed a building of 4 levels above the floor of the garage. The shape of the building comes from the need to rework an existing project according to the Swiss town planning regulations: the result was an irregular and faceted prism.

© Renato Gianturco © Renato Gianturco

TYPOLOGY: the building consists in two apartments that are developed on the entire height of the building so that each unit can benefit of the best views. The strategy is very simple: one large room facing south and another one smaller towards north for each of the 4 levels, served by a leonardesque staircase. There are no service spaces such as corridors or lobbies; each volume corresponds to a living space.

Section Section

In the first two levels have been placed the rooms, whereas in the upper floors have been placed the living areas, kitchen and living room. The two units overlap and alternate in each floor. An internal elevator serves the two apartments with direct access to house on alternated levels; on the outside each house has a private entrance from the footpath de la Maresche that links the avenue de Florimont with the avenue du Midi.

© Renato Gianturco © Renato Gianturco

The building gives a richness of spatial variety in a small volume and the quality of a single house in a building with two apartments.

© Renato Gianturco © Renato Gianturco

MATERIALS

the building is a solid volume pierced by windows that offer views to the lake. The facade facing west has three small windows that illuminate the staircase.

© Renato Gianturco © Renato Gianturco

The concrete coating takes the shade of the basement stones, almost like a settled rock on the slope.

Inside the color of the resin of the floor differentiates the two apartments.

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