Arch Daily |
- House in Corsier / bunq architectes
- Megalithic Museum / CVDB arquitectos + Tiago Filipe Santos
- Lozy's Pharmaceuticals Factory / GVG Estudio + Vaillo-Irigaray
- Kunming Rubber Factory Renovation / Kokaistudios
- Floor Area Ratio Game / ON Architecture
- Herschel Supply China Office / Linehouse
- Tobin Center for the Performing Arts / LMN + Marmon Mok
- Updated Displays and Graphics Processors Improve iMacs’ Capabilities for Architectural Software
- DrySuit Building / Jorge Bartolo - Arquitectura
- Cut Triplex Townhouse / SPACECUTTER
- LEGO's Latest Landmark: Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum in New York
- Groos Rotterdam / MVRDV
- 13 Buildings That Have Aged Magnificently
- La Escondida House / Nou arquitectos
- Photographed: Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines' Solar-Powered Seine Musicale
- 15 Rarely Seen Details Of The Parthenon
| House in Corsier / bunq architectes Posted: 05 Jun 2017 10:00 PM PDT  © David Gagnebin-de Bons
 © David Gagnebin-de Bons From the architect. This project is a reflection on how a villa residential area can be densified. The new house is situated in a garden beside an existing villa. No attempt was made to extend the existing building; instead, the building presents itself like a garden design, as a continuous fence that delineates a courtyard on its lower level and becomes a facade on its upper level.  © David Gagnebin-de Bons This arrangement defines a path that leads from the street to the entrance, while the bedrooms are aligned around the intimate courtyard.  Floor Plan The construction, which is sunken into the ground, consists of reinforced concrete. Its structure above ground has a wooden skeleton.  © David Gagnebin-de Bons The facade covering and the fence are made of burnt wood boards. The technique inspired by the Japanese "shou-sugi- ban" protects the wood from rotting.  © David Gagnebin-de Bons  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Megalithic Museum / CVDB arquitectos + Tiago Filipe Santos Posted: 05 Jun 2017 08:00 PM PDT  © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
 © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG From the architect. The Megalithic Museum is located at Mora's urban centre, close to a future public park. The town and region, are well known for its archaeological findings. The museum intendeds to be a local and national reference and an important asset to the cultural regeneration of the town.  © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG The old train station in Mora is an iconic building that is part of the town heritage. The building is deeply rooted in the long-lasting collective memory of Mora' inhabitants and visitors. The project clarifies and enhances the architectural value of the existing buildings, in a gesture of careful refurbishment.  © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG  Site Plan  © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG The museum complex integrates the old train station, its warehouse and two new buildings. The new buildings are the main exhibition area (West) and a cafeteria (East). The four buildings are connected through a continuous outdoor gallery that is located along the north side of the site. The gallery resembles the linearity of the old train station dock. The gallery is the element that conceptually unifies the project, solving the circulation and the relation between all the different programmes.  Section  Section The main entrance is located at the old train station building as well as the library, IT room and administration areas. The warehouse was transformed into a multipurpose open space, being mainly an education workshop area. The design, materials and techniques used in the refurbishment process respect the character of the existing constructions.  © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG  Interiors Axonometrics  © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG The Metallic white panels that rap around the gallery space and the new buildings, were cut out with a geometrical pattern that is an interpretation of Megalithic iconography - a conceptual leitmotif - that aggregates the project and bring light into the space through the day. At night, the museum glows in the dark.  © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Lozy's Pharmaceuticals Factory / GVG Estudio + Vaillo-Irigaray Posted: 05 Jun 2017 07:00 PM PDT  © Rubén Pérez Bescós
 © Rubén Pérez Bescós From the architect. A new throat lozenge factory belonging to a pharmaceutical company was set up into an idyllic landscape, the Baztán valley, at the north of Navarra. The project generated some concern in the inhabitants due to the impact that a large factory could have.  © Rubén Pérez Bescós With these conditions a smaller building than initially foreseen by the owner is designed, with better workflows (layout), counting on the singular elements of local buildings of the valley as the slopes of the roofs and also establishing a dialogue with the surrounding mountains.  © Rubén Pérez Bescós The result, despite its size, is integrated into its surroundings and the valley's population has been pleasantly surprised. Designed for optimal performance, provides a good corporate image, usually avoided due the confusion of a worst performance or a higher cost than an uninspiring industrial building.  © Rubén Pérez Bescós  Plans 01  © Rubén Pérez Bescós This was the briefing: better functioning and integration in the environment with the same economic investment.  © Rubén Pérez Bescós  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Kunming Rubber Factory Renovation / Kokaistudios Posted: 05 Jun 2017 03:00 PM PDT  © Dirk Weiblen
 © Dirk Weiblen An urban renewal project in the dense area of a post- industrial city The Kunming Rubber Factory occupies a hectare site area in the central Xishan District of Kunming, the capital city of the south-western Chinese province of Yunnan. The factory was founded in 1956, at a time when the city's modern light industry was flourishing and it continued to expand reaching its peak economic output in the 1980's and counted 2000 employees. However as China began embarking on its economic reforms in the mid 1990's the factory began to experience serious economic difficulties and stopped production and fell into bankruptcy around the turn of the century; and was eventually taken over by the Winart Group with the target of undertaking an innovative urban renewal commercial development.  © Dirk Weiblen When Kokaistudios was invited by the client at 2011, Kunming' s city appearance was undergoing radical changes; the original urban texture was constantly being erased and replaced by gigantic mixed-use projects . The end result was that the integrity of the city was broken by constructions of various scales; and the city was rapidly losing its urban texture and elements that had long made it one of China's most livable and charming cities.  Before The factory was surrounded by 5 to 6-storey brick and cement facade residence buildings, schools and other supporting facilities. The whole area is dense, vibrant and has a rich cultural heritage including the Qing dynasty East Temple Tower. Within the factory itself, we discovered in our analysis a rich texture of buildings, structures, and materials from different historical eras thus creating the basis for an innovative intervention. For instance, we found black bricks from 1950-60s, red bricks from 1970-80s and cement facade from the 1990s; the materials expressed the evolution of the history of the complex.  © Dirk Weiblen  Site Plan  © Dirk Weiblen Kokaistudios came up with a scheme that emphasized retaining the history of the site while re-qualifying its dynamic and functions. We kept as much of its originality as a way to protect the history of the site. With a comprehensive approach, looking at the environmental, socio-economic and cultural contexts, we aimed to breathe new life into this post-industrial site by reinstating public vibrancy and efficiency.  Axonometric Diagram First of all, we demolished the warehouse workshop which had little historical heritage nor re-use value to make way for public open spaces and new architectural structures; a process that was undertaken after deep study and coordination with the local authorities.  © Dirk Weiblen Secondly, we adaptively reused 5 old factory buildings and kept the signature smokestackwhich is the highest structure in the area. We retained as much of the original facade as possible, and then strenghthen it with steel, metal and glass to create a strong contrast. Restored areas includes the atrium of the new mixing building, the glass hall of the old mixing building roof, the outdoor terrace and the staircase; the connecting building bridge; the metal roof of the boiler room and the outdoor stairsetc.These new contemporary structures and components stand in clear contrast to the heritage portions of the project; thus valorizing both the old and new.  © Dirk Weiblen Then, two new curved glass bodies are embedded in the site with soft shape and appropriate scale. These new architectures are sitting on columns to invite circulation and add openness to the community and act to create framed views of the historical buildings. The combination of the buildings allows for blurred boundaries between the development and the city thus inviting the community to make the space its own.  © Dirk Weiblen Finally this enclosed site are openned up: visitors can enter the public space from either Shulin Street or Tiepi Ally. A brand new lifestyle hub is in front of people: the old mixing building has became a creative loft; the former workshop building has became a lifestyle center accomendates retail, cafes, restaurants and gym facilities; the machine parts workshop has transformed into a brewery; the boiler room is a club now and the tape workshop has evovled into a retail and office space.  © Dirk Weiblen Cities are ever-evolving systems, requiring updates and renewals to accommodate changing demands, habits and expectations. Kokaistudios believes strongly in designing for urban integrity. For the Kunming Winart project, old industrial heritage and new contemporay architecture are woven together with considerations of social values and community benefits and the project is bringing new energy into the city.  © Dirk Weiblen  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Floor Area Ratio Game / ON Architecture Posted: 05 Jun 2017 01:00 PM PDT  © Joonhwan Yoon
 © Joonhwan Yoon From the architect. The most important issue when planning the design of the house in 2014 was like "FAR Game: Constraints Sparking Creativity" ,which was the theme of the Korean Pavilion in the Venice Biennial, 2016. This land is a class 2 general residential area, so an architect can build a building with a 60% the building to-land ratio and a 200% floor area ratio. It is common to design a three-story building with a 60% building-to-land ratio and to design the fourth floor with a 20% building-to-land-ratio. However, the land area (142m2) was so small that 20% of the area was only 28.4m2. It was important to find alternatives to look for a maximum floor area ratio to meet what the building owner required without any loss.  © Joonhwan Yoon Site Analysis The land used to be an old residential area in Ulsan. The target site had been redeveloped with a new apartment complex and became a commercial area because of a new 20m wide road to the north side. Also, it was possible to secure the height by receiving the right of light from the north with the road. This made the first floor higher and allowed the architect to feel free from any height restriction on the building. In the surrounding area, the three-story buildings with the same building-to-land ratio and floor area ratio were built on the front of the 20m wide road. This resulted in the creation of a stuffy urban landscape. Therefore, the front part of the first floor, which was higher than the other floors, was made of glass, and the road side of the second floor was empty to create openness. The outdoor stairs were made of bent punched metal to create an urban scenery of day and night. We hope that this small building will bring a chance to access commercial buildings and cause a life change in the desolate urban landscape.  Section Concept The building owner wanted to demolish the existing house and build a commercial building so that he could use the building as the headquarters for his business. Among the old residential areas in Ulsan, the land was especially tiny, but the building owner wanted to include many activities in his headquarters. Therefore, he requested that a building be built with a maximum building-to-land ratio and floor area ratio as other owners did. This project was a huge challenge to meet all the requirements the owner asked for including designing a building different from the existing buildings because the owner hoped to make a lot of money from rent if he changed the building into rental property. In order to solve this problem, retail shops for rent were placed on the first floor, and room for other activities that the owner requested were built vertically with the rest of the floor area ratio. The building was supposed to be three-story building with a general floor area ratio, but the building became a five-story building with a new composed floor area ratio. To tell the truth, the hardest part was to persuade the owner about this unique floor area ratio. For example, the second floor remained empty as an outdoor space which used less of the floor area ratio. If the building were changed from a headquarters office to rental property, generally the rental income would decrease. However, we believed that this would not be true for this building. The first floor is slightly higher and this advantage will increase the rent. Also, the building, which was supposed to be a three-story building because of the building?to-land ratio and floor area ratio, is composed of five levels. Therefore, all five levels of the building are more profitable for rent. Also, the second floor and the fifth floor are more beneficial for rent because those floors have outdoor space. Frankly, the second floor was the most popular area when the building was being constructed.  © Joonhwan Yoon Identity Most people misunderstand the morphological approach of this house. However, this is wrong. The building-to-land ratio, which buildings usually have in a small area, was restructured and spaces were arranged from the first floor to the fifth floor. This resulted in a new formation of the building. The mass is not an identity, but the program by the FAR (Floor Area Ratio) Game is the identity. There is a maximum floor area ratio for the first floor, and the second and third floors meet the required floor area ratio of the building by keeping some of the front parts empty. The floor area ration, which was obtained on the second and third floor, was used for the fourth and fifth floors. This rearranged floor area ratio created the building.  © Joonhwan Yoon Material Since the area is older, it looked complex. We wanted to build a clean building which included a sense of mass. We wanted to construct the building with exposed white concrete, but it was a low budget building. For this reason, we removed the mold, ground the surface, mixed white stone powder with watery retaining agent, and built a white colored building. Since the building was small, the exterior stairs looked visually massive in the front. These open exterior stairs visually interrupted the protruding mass design of the building. Therefore, the punched metal, which provided not only openness but also closure, was used. In fact, the material at first was matte chain, which emphasized verticality and had a subtle sense of reflections of the sun. However, the building owner wanted to change the material to punched metal. In order to emphasize the verticality, the lines were bent in a vertical direction.  © Joonhwan Yoon  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Herschel Supply China Office / Linehouse Posted: 05 Jun 2017 12:00 PM PDT  © Jonathan Leijonhufvud
 © Jonathan Leijonhufvud From the architect. Canadian lifestyle brand Herschel Supply commissioned Linehouse to design their first China office, located in a Shanghai lane amongst an urban residential area. The site occupies an area where many old residential buildings are being demolished. Traces of these buildings remain, allowing glimpses of what Shanghai everyday life may have once been. Houses are stripped, revealing layers of materials, sectionally cut and voids are filled. This process of deconstruction and public vs. private was the driving narrative for the concept of the Herschel office.  © Jonathan Leijonhufvud Linehouse inserted a black metal framework into the space. Occupying this structure is a lounge seating area, pantry, meeting room, bathroom and storage. Sectionally, glass divides the different programmes, allowing transparency throughout the enclosure. The surrounding open space operates as the work area.  Floor Plan The structure is lined with perforated and solid corrugated stainless steel. Through the process of revealing and stripping the lining back, parts of the framework are exposed, voids to the ceiling opened up and concrete walls beyond expressed.  © Jonathan Leijonhufvud This utilitarian structure is operable, with corrugated sliding doors to the meeting room and pantry area, these can be closed or opened up depending on required privacy.  © Jonathan Leijonhufvud  © Jonathan Leijonhufvud Approaching the site, half of the house framework leaves a trace on the exterior façade. The surrounding void of the frame is in-filled with a combination of recycled brick. A raw metal pivoting door leads you to the interior. This operable façade opens to the laneway, blurring the exterior and interior, allowing the interior seating area to be an extension of the streetscape.  © Jonathan Leijonhufvud  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Tobin Center for the Performing Arts / LMN + Marmon Mok Posted: 05 Jun 2017 10:00 AM PDT  © Ed LaCasse
 © Ed LaCasse From the architect. Designed by LMN Architects in partnership with executive architects Marmon Mok Architecture, the $150 million expansion and renovation project embraces the multi-faceted cultural identity of the city with a distinctive tapestry of form, materiality, light, and landscape. The project was one of eleven real estate development projects from around the globe to have been selected as winners in the ULI 2016 Global Awards for Excellence program, widely recognized as one of the industry's most prestigious awards programs.  © Ed LaCasse  Site Plan  © Ed LaCasse The jury noted that, "The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts brings a world-class, dynamic performance venue and gathering place to San Antonio, while creating a vibrant connection between the city's main cultural venue and the famed River Walk."  © Ed LaCasse The program, established in 1979, recognizes real estate projects that achieve a high standard of excellence in design, construction, economics, planning, and management. Open to the entire industry (not just ULI members), the awards program is viewed as the centerpiece of ULI's efforts to identify and promote best practices in all types of real estate development. "Cities are about people—the way people interact, get around, and go about their daily routines. Great cities are made of great places that make the urban experience easy and enjoyable," said awards jury chairman Steve Navarro, executive vice president, CBRE l the Furman Co. in Greenville, South Carolina. "These projects reflect the highest standards of design, construction, economics, planning, and management. But most important: they are improving people's quality of life."  Diagram "The Global Awards for Excellence showcase efforts that have both succeeded in pushing ingenuity and exemplifying best practices in land use across the globe," said Patrick L. Phillips, ULI global chief executive officer. "This year's winners have demonstrated a committed contribution to responsible real estate development and a dedication to building thriving, livable communities."  © Ed LaCasse Completed in 2014, the facility offers a rich diversity of architectural experience, capable of continuous transformation in response to programmatic and environmental influences. While retaining the Municipal Auditorium's treasured historic façade, the Tobin Center weaves a new 183,000-square-foot facility into its framework of public space—including a 1,768-seat main performance hall and 231-seat flat floor studio theater. The complexity of the facility reconfiguration called for a grand, unifying design gesture to integrate new and old architectural components. The solution—a porous, shimmering metallic veil—creates a sculptural, environmentally responsive expression that celebrates the cultural life of contemporary San Antonio. The veil begins low at the River Walk, and rises through irregular sheer planes to form an unmistakable new architectural presence in the San Antonio skyline.  Main Plan  © Ed LaCasse  Section "We drew inspiration for the architectural form and detailing from the Spanish Colonial style of the original 1926 Municipal Auditorium, as well as San Antonio's rich vernacular of color, pattern, and public celebrations," said Mark Reddington, FAIA, lead designer and partner at LMN Architects.  © Ed LaCasse Goals for the expansion and renovation were threefold: to create a large, flexible, multi-use performance space with acoustics comparable to the world's finest concert halls; to restore the iconic historic building for future generations; and to create a vibrant connection between the city's main cultural venue and the River Walk. The completed project combines the historic preservation of one of San Antonio's most beloved architectural icons with the most flexible multi-purpose performance hall in the United States.  © Ed LaCasse The project is also the recipient of a 2016 Honor Award and a Mayor's Choice Award from the San Antonio Chapter of the AIA, a 2016 AIA Washington Council Civic Design Awards, Award of Merit, and a 2012 Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award.  © Ed LaCasse Exterior Metal Panel System The Exterior metal panel grill work referred to as the 'veil' functions to unify the building form while also creating a consistent back drop to the iconic historic façade. The visual expression of veil changes throughout the day as the sun changes position and interacts with the panel shapes and patterns. After sunset, color LED lights incorporated into the panels create an new interactive play of light with the veil.  Tabloid - Details  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Updated Displays and Graphics Processors Improve iMacs’ Capabilities for Architectural Software Posted: 05 Jun 2017 08:10 AM PDT At today's Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, the tech giant announced the latest slate of performance updates to their range of software and hardware products. Targeting software developers and other high-end users, the event was highlighted by the announcement of significant upgrades to their computer's graphics and processing capabilities – or in architect's terms – the components required to work on projects like creating content within a VR experience or real-time 3D rendering. Apple computers across the board will see boosted specs. The most recent line of MacBook Pros, released last fall and criticized for their below-industry-standard numbers, will be equipped with the Intel's Kaby Lake processors for increased performance – but it's the stalwart iMac that will receive the biggest upgrades this time around. In addition to the Kaby Lake processors, the iMac line (including a brand new tier, the iMac Pro) will be loaded with new graphics cards that will improve speed by up to 3 times, allowing you to work more efficiently in programs like photoshop or rendering engines.  via Apple Special Event Streaming. June 5, 2017  via Apple Special Event Streaming. June 5, 2017 Spec snapshot: iMac 21.5 inch: Intel Iris Plus 640 with 64MB eDRAM – 80% faster graphics These new GPUs, paired with updates to iOS ("High Sierra") mean that the iMac will be capable of supporting VR. A demo at the event illustrated this power by placing an Apple developer within a VR Star Wars environment, where she was able to manipulate and interact with the scene, including building and moving TIE fighters and dodging a lightsaber attack by Darth Vader – all powered by a single iMac. Other updates include iPad AR software for developers. One company confirmed to be making a new AR app is IKEA, who will use the 'ARKit' to build software that will let you place IKEA furniture into your own home (or tiny studio apartment). Apple also revealed the sequel to architect-favorite puzzle game Monument Valley, which features beautifully stylized MC Escher-type structures that players must navigate their way through. For more from the Summer 2017 WWDC event, check out coverage from the Verge.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| DrySuit Building / Jorge Bartolo - Arquitectura Posted: 05 Jun 2017 08:00 AM PDT  © José Campos
 © José Campos From the architect. The Fitness Centre design explores the integration of low-cost materials and delivers alternative programmatic answers. Built with a Light steel structure and natural cork cladding, allows a quick execution and integration into the landscape.  © José Campos The mixture of textures mimics the surrounding nature generated the experience in the landscape. Slight variations on shape created by small twisting of curved surfaces, alongside with the rhythm created by the vertical elements, melt forms with context. The architects liked the fact that the fabrication process of the floor, as a sustainable approach, enhances the overall atmosphere.  © José Campos  Plan  © José Campos Melting textures from natural surrounding became the key issue to deliver inside a budget window. The excavation material became the inner pavement and was fabricated "on site".  © José Campos The Same way the waterproof suit keeps dry and safe in an hostile environment, cork panels played as a second skin and saves the project by using an economic, environmental water free construction method.  © José Campos  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Cut Triplex Townhouse / SPACECUTTER Posted: 05 Jun 2017 06:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of SPACECUTTER
 Courtesy of SPACECUTTER From the architect. In Chicago's East Village, on a lot next to a south-facing alley, the Cut Triplex townhouse balances privacy and openness, maximizing the narrow but deep property to carve out a light-filled 5,300 square foot residence.  Courtesy of SPACECUTTER  Site Plan  Courtesy of SPACECUTTER The design of the house centers around different qualities of light. The clients, a young family of four, wanted to take advantage of the open space of the alleyway while simultaneously retaining a sense of privacy. Behind the monolithic black manganese brick facade lies an inviting and light interior. From the front of the house, which is entered from a poured concrete stoop, an open strip of glass travels up to the second floor, wrapping around its 60-foot long south facade, and to the back where it flows down into the backyard terrace. This long ribbon of natural light is framed by a projecting fin of richlite, a highly durable and versatile eco-friendly paper-based fiber composite, that extends equally to the exterior and interior of the house to emphasize the insertion and provide shading.  Courtesy of SPACECUTTER Upon entering the townhouse, the space opens upwards with light wells along the front and back. Reaching from the first to the second floor, these double-height openings bring light to each end of the residence and give a sense of weightlessness to the house. On the third floor, which holds the family's four bedrooms, window sizes and their positioning vary, giving each room a unique quality of light.  Courtesy of SPACECUTTER The first floor of the house consists of rooms for entertaining—a piano room in front, which leads past a central stairwell and an office space to a cozy living room at the back of the house. This family room is anchored by black built-in bookshelves and a fireplace, and is illuminated by a large wall of windows and sliding glass doors that lead to the backyard.  Courtesy of SPACECUTTER From the living room, a back stair offers an express route to a large open kitchen on the second floor. The heart of the house, the kitchen is spacious enough for entertaining and flanked by a formal dining area at the front of the house and an informal family table in the back. With southern light streaming in through the long window, artificial light is rarely needed during the day.  Section The central stairwell, painted Yves Klein blue upon request by the client, runs as a spine through the entire height of the house, connecting the basement to the full rooftop terrace. A second pop of color in the otherwise neutral palette of the house comes in the children's bathroom, which is livened up by a wall of whimsical green tiles.  Courtesy of SPACECUTTER Along the alley, the side facade was kept largely solid, extending past the house as a wall in the backyard and connecting to the two-car garage. The strong appearance of the facade is matched by the structure of the house, which was appointed with an extremely durable mat foundation for Chicago's soft lakebed soil, and 18-inch-thick walls with multiple layers of insulation and waterproofing.  Courtesy of SPACECUTTER For the clients, who had been on an extensive search for the perfect home in Chicago for several years, the option of designing and building a new house from the ground up offered many opportunities. Throughout the house, custom details were of a higher quality and lower in cost than in any home available on the market. The kitchen features black granite slab with a leather finish, and Montauk black slate with gauge finish was selected for the first floor entrance areas and surrounding the wood burning fireplace in the living room. Red oak was used for all flooring, and the basement as well as the front and rear exterior terraces features a hydronic heated floor surface.  Ground Floor Plan  First Floor Plan  Second Floor Plan The Cut Triplex townhouse is a continuation of the design ideas explored in the Carved Duplex rooftop addition in New York City, completed by SPACECUTTER in 2011. The renovation and addition to the over 100-year old tenement building is carved away from the interior in various forms. A similar process of subtraction is visible in the three-sided cutaway window in the Cut Triplex townhouse.  Courtesy of SPACECUTTER  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| LEGO's Latest Landmark: Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum in New York Posted: 05 Jun 2017 05:15 AM PDT  via Target As the 150th Anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright's birth approaches, LEGO has released the latest kit in their architecture series: Wright's New York masterpiece, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. The 744-piece set features a new rendition of the building made from the classic plastic blocks, following a 208-piece interpretation released in 2009. The new set provides a much more realistic portrayal of the Wright's original building as well as the 10-story limestone tower added by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects in 1992 (based on Wright's original sketches). The new kit comes packaged with a special instruction manual that includes details of the real-life building's construction and the architect himself. Check out the set on LEGO's website, here, and read a review of the kit at Brick Brothers, here Via Brick Brothers, H/T Curbed.  via Target  via Target
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| Posted: 05 Jun 2017 04:00 AM PDT  © Ossip van Duivenbode
 © Ossip van Duivenbode From the architect. From The Wall Street Journal to Elle, and Architectural Digest to The Lonely Planet city guide; Groos has been named as a leading example for promoting contemporary goings-on in the world of design, art, food and culture in Rotterdam. The one-of-a-kind 300m2 concept store is also heading in a different direction focusing more on high-end design, art, and collaborations with a range of creatives, yet still staying true to its original concept: to promote local talent from Rotterdam to a wide audience. The store's distinct bright pink wall displays original artworks, and its custom-made mint green candy counter is designed by Sabine Marcelis.  © Ossip van Duivenbode  © Ossip van Duivenbode MVRDV's design proposal restores the space to its original form and makes the shop compact by creating a custom-built cabinet of Rotterdam products which allows maximum floor space for a changing events and gallery program.  © Ossip van Duivenbode  © Ossip van Duivenbode Het Industriegebouw was an obvious choice for Groos' new home as an icon of the reconstruction of Rotterdam designed by the legendary architect Hugh Maaskant in collaboration with Willem van Tijen. Its original function as a communal building is now being restored as it continues to return to its former glory. From growing tech start-ups to creative entrepreneurs, artists, architects, designers and from fine dining to high-end retail, Het Industriegebouw is Rotterdam's urban place to work, eat, shop and relax and now, also the new home of Groos.  © Ossip van Duivenbode  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 13 Buildings That Have Aged Magnificently Posted: 05 Jun 2017 02:30 AM PDT  Humanity always cherishes great works of art that stand the test of time. This June, for example, marks the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' psychedelic Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and the 20th anniversary of Radiohead's dystopian Ok Computer. These psychologically satisfying birthdays have generated serious appreciation and nostalgia. Similarly, we also love to praise the longevity of innovative architecture. The AIA bestows an annual "Twenty-five Year Award" to acknowledge projects that have "stood the test of time" and "exemplify design of enduring significance." But one project a year seems stingy. Below are 15 modern classics which, though not always given the easiest start in life, we've come to adore: 1. Pyramide du Louvre, / I.M. Pei © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/leandrociuffo/3665886505'>Flickr user Leandro Neumann Ciuffo</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY 2.0</a> 2017's AIA Twenty-five Year Award winner is I.M. Pei's striking steel and glass pyramid. Built to replace the overcrowded traditional entrance of Paris's Louvre Museum in 1989, the transparent structure marked the museum's new subterranean egress channel. The project's early years were marred in controversy as many thought the modernist addition to be inconsistent with the Louvre's ornate French Renaissance architecture. But, since the project effectively eased the circulation woes as intended, the pyramid worked its way into Parisian hearts. 2. Transamerica Pyramid / William Pereira © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Transamerica_Pyramid_2.JPG'>Wikimedia user Superchilum</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> What's now widely considered one of the most handsome brutalist buildings of all time was initially loathed. Midcentury master William Pereira was commissioned in 1969 to design San Francisco's tallest skyscraper. The 260-meter-tall project was seen as egotistical by much of the city's residents, who would go on to refer to the skyscraper as "Pereira's Prick." Fortunately, the name didn't stick, and the building now anchors one of America's most distinct skylines. In 2009, the San Francisco Chronicle confessed its adoration for the tower: "an architectural icon of the best sort--one that fits its location and gets better with age." 3. Citigroup Center / Hugh Stubbins + William Le Messurier © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/andryn2006/22221696243'>Flickr user Andrew Moore</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/'>CC BY-SA 2.0</a> With a roof sloped at 45 degrees that was intended for solar panels, cantilevering corners, and the first tuned mass damper in the United States, Hugh Stubbins and William LeMessurier's Citigroup Center (1977) is one of the more bizarre buildings to come out of 1970's New York City. By placing the tower on stilts, engineers conveniently avoided a church at the corner of the site, and created a small street level plaza in the process. However, the building's unusual features didn't come easily: after its completion in 1977, undergraduate architecture student Diane Hartley calculated that the building could easily collapse under relatively common wind conditions. What followed was a top-secret operation to strengthen the building's connections which was completely unknown to the public until 1995. 4. The Flatiron Building / Daniel Burnham © <a href='https://pixabay.com/p-801758/?no_redirect'>via Pixabay</a>. Photo by Pixabay user Unsplash in public domain Architect Daniel Burnham's turn-of-the-century masterpiece proved that steel construction was the future of design. When presented with an asymmetrical triangular plot of land in midtown Manhattan, Burnham knew that he couldn't use traditional masonry construction. Stone's material strength was so low that the walls on the bottom floors would be thick enough to render the space unusable. Burnham concocted a steel framed design with a nonstructural stone facade. Despite the widespread concern that a steel skyscraper would simply blow over in the wind, the Flatiron Building (1902) emerged a triumph, and has become an icon of the Big Apple. 5. Marina City Towers / Bertrand Goldberg © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marina_City--Chicago_Illinois_Aug_2006.jpg'>Wikimedia user Ashley Crum</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> Bertrand Goldberg's ultra-efficient utopian-brutalist towers of Marina City on the Chicago riverfront remain one of the highest-density housing projects in the western world. The concrete towers were intended to serve as a "city within a city" and are often credited with spurring a wave of post-war residential high-rise development in American cities. The innovative project was the first in the United States to employ the use of a tower crane and include an open-air spiral parking garage. Chicago rock band Wilco immortalized Marina City through the album artwork of their acclaimed 2002 release Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, which featured the Loop's "corn cobs" on its cover. 6. The Glass House / Philip Johnson © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glasshouse-philip-johnson.jpg'>Wikimedia user Staib</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> The winner of the AIA's 1975 Twenty-Five Year Award, Philip Johnson's Glass House is a marvel of modernist design. Along with Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House, the 1949 residence proved a major boost for the international style as a housing genre. Due to its extensive use of glass and reliance on nearby foliage as privacy, the residence still looks chic. 7. Salk Institute for Biological Studies / Louis Kahn © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/dreamsjung/3040455466'>Flickr user Jason Taellious</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/'>CC BY-SA 2.0</a> Louis Kahn's 1965 Biological research facility is also an AIA Twenty-Five Year Award winner, taking the prize in 1992. Kahn was commissioned to design an "intellectual research retreat" in 1959 by Dr. Jonas Salk himself, the inventor of the polio vaccine. Kahn's picturesque final design is still a preeminent research facility flanked by the Pacific on one side and UC San Diego on the other. 8. Bank of China Tower / I.M. Pei © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bank-of-china_clean-img-sma.jpg'>Wikimedia user LERA Engineering</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> I.M. Pei's Bank of China Tower was the first of a slew of 1990s Hong Kong skyscrapers to transform the city. The building's black and white LED lighting scheme combined with its nifty tetrahedral extrusion logic give the project a unique look, and still stands out, towering over most of the city's 21st-century buildings. 9. John Hancock Tower / I.M. Pei © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boston2006.jpg'>via Wikimedia</a>. Photo by Wikimedia user Dong L. Zou in public domain I.M. Pei's Twenty-five Year Awardwinning 1976 Boston skyscraper did not debut smoothy. Due to the unfamiliarity of its unprecedented glass facade, high winds, and questionable installation practices, some of the early windows were blown off of the high-rise and onto surrounding buildings and cars. In the chaos of this failure, temporary wooden panels were tacked onto the structure to fill the gaps, gaining the building the nickname the "plywood palace." But four decades later, and after a total replacement of the building's glass facade, the project stands as Boston's tallest building and an incredible milestone in glass curtainwall facades. 10. Petronas Towers / César Pelli © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/g_firkser/6233067891'>Flickr user Gavin Firkser</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY 2.0</a> Cesar Pelli's twin tower skyscrapers were the tallest buildings in the world when they were erected in 1996. The daring design featured a skybridge, double stacked elevators, and slender spires. Even though the towers only held the title of world's tallest for half a decade, they are still the tallest two "twin" buildings ever constructed. 11. Sheats Goldstein Residence / John Lautner © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/aseles/6149740236'>Flickr user Andrew Seles</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/'>CC BY-ND 2.0</a> This South-Californian John Lautner design makes the perfect abode for motion picture antagonists: in 1998's The Big Lebowski, the Beverly Hills Sheats Goldstein house plays the Malibu mansion of a pornography kingpin that goes by the name of Jackie Treehorn. Often considered his most striking design, the Sheats Goldstein residence has since been refurbished with an additional nightclub, office, infinity tennis court, and James Turrell light room. The 1963 residence was recently acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which plans to refurbish, document, and give tours of the unique space. 12. Villa Savoye / Le Corbusier © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/37987879@N00/3242622226'>Flickr user lawrence_baulch</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY 2.0</a> Located on the outskirts of Paris, Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye was rundown and slated for demolition for much of its existence. Erected in the height of art deco, the 1931 structure stands defiantly as one of the field's first forays into the international style, and a proof of concept for Le Corbusier's "five points" architecture manifesto. An extensive series of restorations in 1963 and 1985 returned the building to its original glory. Currently, Villa Savoye stands as one of Lego Architecture's best selling design kits. 13. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building / Kenzō Tange © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TokyoMetropolitanGovernmentOffice.jpg'>Wikimedia user Markus Leupold-Löwenthal</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> Kenzō Tange's 1990 skyscraper still stands as one of Tokyo's most imposing buildings, its intricate footprint resolving into two symmetrical peaks of identical height. The Japanese architect envisioned the project as a balance between modernity and tradition. While the massive building pushed the bounds steel and glass construction, the finished structure was intended to resemble the two divided towers of a Gothic cathedral. The facade patterns were used to mimic screen paneling in typical Japanese residences.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| La Escondida House / Nou arquitectos Posted: 05 Jun 2017 02:00 AM PDT  © Federico Cairoli
 © Federico Cairoli From the architect. The concept is based on creating fluid spaces, using prefabricated elements, optimizing time and resources. Through the honesty of the materials are achieved warm and contemporary environments.  © Federico Cairoli There are two masonry volumes with transparent covers for wet areas. There is also Metal structure with cement board drywall panels and glass enclosures.  Ground Floor Plan The cover is a large horizontal plane which materializes with thermal panels in sight.  © Federico Cairoli The fusion between architecture and environment and at the same time is a protection for all kind of pollution. It's a haven to enjoy the interior without any limits.  © Federico Cairoli  Sections  © Federico Cairoli  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Photographed: Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines' Solar-Powered Seine Musicale Posted: 05 Jun 2017 01:00 AM PDT  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia Photographer duo Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia have released a new photo series capturing the Seine Musicale, which recently opened its doors. Designed as a partnership itself between architects Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines, the mixed-use music and cultural center is located in Paris' western Boulogne-Billancourt suburb. The project is the latest feature in the site's Island Master Plan designed by Jean Nouvel. Features include a multi-purpose concert hall seating 4,000, a classical music call seating 1,150, rehearsal and recording rooms and an outdoor park area for visitors and practicing musicians. At first glance, the Seine Musicale's glass-clad form is a marked departure from Shigeru Ban's wood-dominated style. However, the role of timber-led innovation remains firmly rooted in the hall's shell-like hexagonal globe structure, and undulating beehive-like ceiling (photographed below). Surrounding the grid shell structure is a large triangular solar panel mobile sail. The sail's ability to follow the path of the sun, allows for increased efficiency of the solar panels as well as providing a solar shield for the lobby behind. Check out the images below:  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia
 © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia  © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia Information via: Shigeru Ban Architects.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 15 Rarely Seen Details Of The Parthenon Posted: 04 Jun 2017 11:00 PM PDT  Metopes. Corner of the western frieze of the Parthenon. Image © Wikipedia User: Thermos. Licensed Under CC BY-SA 2.5 The Parthenon, unquestionably the most iconic of the Ancient Greeks' Doric temples, was built between 447 and 432 BC. Located on the Acropolis in Athens, for many architects, it is one of the first buildings we analyzed when beginning our studies. Designed by Ictino and Calícrates, it displays a unique repertoire of architectural elements that can be fully appreciated individually, or for the role they play in forming a complete and magnificent whole. Simply described, the 69.5 x 30.9-meter building is erected on a stylobate of three steps, with a gabled roof raised upon a post and lintel structure formed by Doric columns—17 on its sides and 8 on each end—which support an entablature composed of an architrave, a frieze, and a cornice. On each gable were triangular pediments with sculptures that represent the "Birth of Athena" on the East and the "Contest Between Athena and Poseidon" on the West. Western Entablature and Columns Western Entablature and Columns. Image © Wikipedia User: MM. Licensed Under Public Domain Eastern Pediment Eastern pediment. Image © Wikipedia User: Dorieo. Licensed Under Public Domain Capital Chapiteau. Image © Wikipedia User: Codex. Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 Sculptures of the Northwest Corner of the Pediment Sculptures of the Northwest Corner of the Pediment. Image © Wikipedia User: Ken Russell Salvador. Licensed Under CC BY-SA 2.0 South Metope. Lapith Fighting a Centaur Lapith fighting a centaur. South Metope. Image © Wikipedia User: Jastrow. Licensed Under Public Domain Eastern Pediment. Horse Head Sculptured Horse Head. Eastern Pediment. Image © Wikipedia User: Rabe!. Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 Eastern Pediment. Horse Head Sculptured Horse Head. Eastern Pediment. Image © Wikipedia User: Guillaume Piolle. Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 North edge. Head of Lion North edge. Head of Lion. Image © Wikipedia User: Jebulon. Licensed Under Public Domain Eastern Pediment Eastern pediment. Image © Wikipedia User: Fingalo. Licensed Under CC BY-SA 2.0 Germany Eastern Pediment Eastern pediment. Image © Wikipedia User: Dimitris Kamaras. Licensed Under CC BY-SA 2.0 Ionic Frieze behind the Outer Peristyle Ionic Frieze behind the Outer Peristyle. Image © Wikipedia User: Marcus Cyron. Licensed Under CC BY-SA 2.0 Ionic Frieze Ionic Frieze. Image © Wikipedia User: Marcus Cyron. Licensed Under CC BY-SA 2.0 Internal View Internal View. Image © Wikipedia User: Mstyslav Chernov. Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 Western Side West Side. Image © Wikipedia User: Yair Haklai. Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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