Arch Daily |
- THE BOOKCASE / nook architects
- Cubic Houses / ADEPT
- Villa Faun / Various Architects
- TreeVilla at Forest Hills / Architecture BRIO
- Portugal SERIP Lighting Exhibition Hall / CUN Design
- Box House / Ming Architects
- Lecture: Drawn Visions
- Brick Passive Designed University / Taisei Corporation
- Moving House / Architects EAT
- Atelier Global Wins Competition to Design 'Book City' in Shenzhen
- Gateway Sculpture at Pembroke Pines / Brooks + Scarpa Architects
- Long-Awaited Grand Avenue Project by Gehry Partners to Begin Construction
- Chilsec Organic Production Center / Proyecto Cafeína
- London's Garden Bridge Project Officially Axed After £37 Million in Public Costs
- C-15 House / Ábaton Arquitectura
- Erwin Wurm's "Fat House" Is Exhibited Amid the Baroque Splendor of Vienna's Upper Belvedere
- 9 of the World's Most Intrusive Buildings
- Emiliano Zapata Building / HGR Arquitectos
- Could This Micro Dwelling in Disguise Help Solve the Housing Crisis?
- Spotlight: Sverre Fehn
| THE BOOKCASE / nook architects Posted: 14 Aug 2017 10:00 PM PDT  © Nieve I Productora Audiovisual
 © Nieve I Productora Audiovisual From the architect. The apartment, located in a building in Raval, just a few metres from La Rambla, is an achievement of space. As you walk in, it opens up from the main façade to the rear terrace, which looks over the Boqueria market. Initially, we were surprised to see that the apartment occupied the entire floor of the building, with a contrast of large and small obsolete spaces and proportionally limited connection to the enormous, uneven terrace.  © Nieve I Productora Audiovisual  Floor Plan  © Nieve I Productora Audiovisual From the very beginning, one of the most interesting premises we established with the client was that this would be her home. As a translator and writer, she wanted to get away from the typical functionality of a conventional house and was looking for a flexible use of space. This large, initially chaotic area needed to become a personal haven, a work space, as well as a place to host friends and family, without overly defining areas or assigning them exclusive functions.  © Nieve I Productora Audiovisual With this strong focus on versatility, she wanted the uses of different rooms to be interchangeable so as not to create any sort of spatial hierarchy. The kitchen would be central, as the hub of activity and a link to other areas in the apartment. Another important feature from the beginning of the project was the shelving, thanks to which the apartment would become a sizeable library, while retaining the feel of an urban refuge in the centre of Barcelona.  © Nieve I Productora Audiovisual We approached the project starting with the four corridors, which divide the apartment and run parallel to the façades. It was important to retain the considerable sense of space but, at the same time, the rooms needed to be flexible enough to allow for a variety of simultaneous uses. With this in mind, we opted for a form of room division that is light-weight, transparent and practical. As a result, areas could be isolated from one another, yet remain visible.  © Nieve I Productora Audiovisual Similarly, we decided to remove the smaller passageways in order to prioritize the work spaces, located along the central and interior corridors. The kitchen, bathrooms, laundry and storage rooms are interconnected via the central patio, which facilitates movement throughout the apartment. We set out the areas closest to the façade so that they could be separated when needed, while still letting light reach the rest of the building. The most private area next to the interior wall became a ‘flat within a flat’, complete with a master bedroom, fully equipped bathroom, dressing room and office space. It is also possible to split the space into two bedrooms, without jeopardizing accessibility from the master bedroom. We transformed the apartment into one great bookcase, using large wooden shelves to accommodate the client’s collection of more than four thousand books. We integrated the shelving with the existing wooden beams so as to give a sense of linearity and achieve continuity from one side of the room to the other. The same lineal aesthetic was applied to other elements in the apartment, such as the bathrooms, kitchen and clothes storage.  © Nieve I Productora Audiovisual Following a considerable amount of deconstruction, we were able to recover wooden beams and original roofing blocks, as well as tiles and joinery.  © Nieve I Productora Audiovisual Once the building was stripped down, new materials and finishing textures were selected in line with the existing materials. We used concrete for the worktops, the sinks and to complement the flooring; we used wood for the shelving and storage areas; and we used steel for the room dividers and the open clothes storage.  © Nieve I Productora Audiovisual In the terrace, we concentrated on restoring the original elements, such as the balustrades. We also redesigned the layout, creating overlapping sections on different levels, in order to optimise the use of the space. Just as with the building’s interior, the existing ceramic tiles were used. In this project, following an unconventional brief, we have designed and created a system of interconnecting spaces, which can be adapted to meet the needs of the client. This ensures that areas can take on a multitude of functions at any one time, while retaining the original flow of movement around the central patio.  © Nieve I Productora Audiovisual  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 14 Aug 2017 08:00 PM PDT  © Rasmus Hjortshøj
 © Rasmus Hjortshøj From the architect. ADEPTs recently completed Cubic Houses in Copenhagen, DK shows a playful residential complex that breaks down the scale of a large building volume while offering a generous variation to the in-progress development of a new neighborhood.  Site Plan The design of the Cubic Houses aims to balance the client's wish for a large amount of square meters with the envisioned character of urban life in the new development neighborhood. The result is a residential complex that breaks down the building volume into several individual 'cubes' - stacked and shifted on top of each other.  © Rasmus Hjortshøj The configuration of cubes reflects the rhythm of a human scale and works against long stretches of the street with no variation or human activity. The design adapts to the overall urban scale of the neighborhood, yet contributes to a varied and lively small-scale atmosphere along the central canal.  © Rasmus Hjortshøj  Section  © Rasmus Hjortshøj In its basic concept, Cubic Houses is a regular building slap with spacious and simple apartment layouts. Maintaining the vertical stairways, the eight brick cubes shift in relation to each other, both at the ground floor and higher up. The shifting of volumes breaks eventual turbulence and adapts the building to local microclimatic conditions.  © Rasmus Hjortshøj  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Villa Faun / Various Architects Posted: 14 Aug 2017 07:00 PM PDT  © Ibrahim Elhayawan
 © Ibrahim Elhayawan From the architect. Villa Faun is an apartment complex located in the Northwest hill side of Oslo, Norway, with a great view over the city and to the Oslo Fjord. The neighbourhood is characterised by various types of Norwegian houses built during the last 100 years.  Section A The main intention for Villa Faun was to bring together a unifying identity to the project, while creating individual and private units. The building is placed on the site and oriented with an angle to frame views and natural daylight for indoor and outdoor spaces.  © Roger Sandvær Villa Faun has a basic pitched-roof house shape, that is developed according to the functions and surroundings. The roof, together with Northern and Southern facades create a massive wooden envelope. The other two facades contrast with the envelope in form, material and colour. These facades are characterised with playful extrusions and intrusions that give individual identity to each unit.  Facade 4 This playfulness breaks down the scale of the facades and creates a dynamic form, while the clear wooden envelope balances the overall expression. Therefor Villa Faun appears both calm and playful. The architecture has a unique character and at the same time it fits with the surrounding context in harmony with traditional neighbouring villas.  © Ibrahim Elhayawan Due to the sloping terrain, The volumes are designed with split-levels, so that both apartments on the ground floor could get straight into the garden.The split level also allows extra height for the upper apartments which provides generous spaces. The pitched-roof has an asymmetrical shape that works well the split level design and allows for additional height. Hence the possibility to create an extra mezzanine floor within building height regulations. The car parking is located in an underground garage, to maximise green areas and create more enjoyable outdoor spaces.  Section B The massive wooden envelope is visible in the interior and is integrated with various functions, including fire places, kitchen units and ventilation in addition to built-in benches and deep window frames.  © Roger Sandvær  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| TreeVilla at Forest Hills / Architecture BRIO Posted: 14 Aug 2017 05:00 PM PDT  © Photographix
 © Photographix From the architect. The Tree Villa perches on the cliff of a 160 acre hilltop 'treesort' property surrounded by a meandering river landscape. The idyllic setting in Tala on the West coast of India, is a stone's throw away from the Kuda caves. Nearly 20 centuries ago, Buddhist monks instinctively understood the qualities of this meditative landscape and made the hills their home. The Tree Villa was conceived as a celebration of this landscape by creating a series of blurred transitional spaces with different levels of transparency and openness within this forested tropical setting.  © Photographix Upon arrival, a timber bridge takes the visitor off the forest floor on to a large stilted deck that wraps around the house and culminates on a viewing platform. The constant reminder of breathtaking views enhances a reflective ambience that is mirrored throughout the house.  Exploded Diagram The architectural elements of the house have been carefully curated, each conveying a message of its own: the bathroom enclosure is crafted out of vertical timber slats filled in with mirrored panels that reflect the surrounding forest and the other forms occupying the space.  © Photographix They are abstractly reminiscent of tree branches that droop, giving nature opportunities to peek through within a constantly animated shadow play of hide and seek.  Ground Floor Plan The horizontal openness and airiness of the large voluminous space below a dominating thatched roof is emphasized by wrapping it with a layer of operable glass. The curved corners of this glazed wooden framework display a panoramic exhibit of nature. The curves create a sensual kind of luxury and bring softness to the space. A second layer of a tie dyed bordered sheer curtains filters the harsh light during the midst of the day and nestles three other enclosures as well.  © Photographix The villa accommodates 4 adults and 2 children. The functions included provide for two double beds, a loft bed for children, two bathrooms, a lounge, a place for breakfast or paying board games with an outdoor deck and a large viewing deck. Rather than compartmentalizing those activities into distinct rooms, the main space is broken up by three smaller enclosures that are positioned within it, ensuring a visual connection to the forest in multiple directions from all rooms: a pantry-cum-loft unit, a semi-outdoor bathroom and a curtained bed enclosure act as anchors and define interstitial zones such as the breakfast room and the lounge. The free flowing circulation in between creates visual permeability across the plan.  Upper Level Plan As smaller spaces within a larger space, the bathroom and pantry-cum-loft are enclosures made out of a wooden slatted framework and filled in with white plexiglass.  © Photographix The pantry unit contains all the services of the room and a small kitchenette. The top of the unit is accessed with a wooden ladder and provides an additional bed. Looking down on the surrounding forest it is almost like a 'pirates nest', a great cozy hideout for young kids.  © Photographix The enclosure of the semi-outdoor bathroom encloses an outdoor courtyard but also protrudes into the glazed interior space. An old Garuga fruit tree punctures the floor of the outdoor bathroom. One branch enters the room and exits again through the thatched roof. Other branches spread across the outdoor bathroom before exiting through multiple circular openings in the enclosure. A free standing bath tub and the indoor-outdoor feel of the space make it an ideal relaxed setting.  © Photographix A large luxurious king size bed within a soft linen fabric enclosure can be open or closed off depending on demands of privacy.  © Photographix A spiral staircase connects to a secret lower level that is suspended below the tree villa. This guest suite is on one side backed by a rock outcrop and on the other side surrounded by a thick forest. You can take a shower here with merely a curved glazed sheet separating you and the forest life around you. A timber floored outdoor deck and attached staircase invites you to take a hike in the forest.  © Photographix Elements and textures as parts of the structure are focused on coexistence. The monochrome colour scheme of the space along with an eclectic mix of partly restored and partly custom designed furniture pieces give the interior a bohemian vibe. The restraint in the colour palette highlights the surrounding greenery.  © Photographix Similarly, the crispness of geometry and the slender proportions the enclosures are a premeditated effort to amplify this untempered wilderness.  Section The volumetric compositions of partly white, partly reflective and transparent surfaces within a wooden framework animate and lighten up the space. It questions conventional definitions of exterior and interior and reinterprets notions of privacy and exposure within a hospitality environment. The spatial composition in an otherwise traditional tropical roof structure lends a sense of softness, sensuality, intimacy and complexity, making it a perfect setting for a retreat into the wilderness of Tala.  © Photographix  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Portugal SERIP Lighting Exhibition Hall / CUN Design Posted: 14 Aug 2017 03:00 PM PDT  © Wang Ting - Wang Jin
 © Wang Ting - Wang Jin A. Feel SERIP When I first saw the Portuguese brand SERIP lamps, their round, spiral and irregular shapes rooted from the nature remind me of the fantasy world in the movie Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Getting rid of traditional rules, the lamp design perfectly integrates styles such as minimalism, modern and classical. I love SERIP, it gives me a kind of fantastic, romantic and stunning colorful feeling. It is a big surprise for me that I had the chance to design its Beijing exhibition hall in March 2017.  © Wang Ting - Wang Jin B. Space Temperament In my opinion, a good design should be a customized one rather than a copy. Each space has its own temperament, the designer must enter the space to feel it, and then design accordingly. Exhibition hall design is a sort of display design, which combines the best space relation between people, exhibits and space. When I was commissioned by SERIP to do the design, all I wanted to do is creating a very different form of exhibition hall. This "difference" should have its own temperament, so we went to the space to feel it.  © Wang Ting - Wang Jin  Arrangement Plan  © Wang Ting - Wang Jin C. Encounter a beam of light When we came to the project location in Maquanying Beijing, it was around 3 pm in April. The house stands in a spacious plant area. It is in color steel tile structure with low cost and rough construction, and integrates with surrounding buildings as a whole. All in all, it lacks conditions of being an independent brand store. Although this first impression disappoints us, when we walked into this space, a beam of light shone into the space through the only skylight, it was like a very clean line drawn in the air dividing the space into two parts. At that moment I found the temperament of this space! It is this beam of sunshine that divides the space. Likewise, lamp can bring different display effects in daytime and at night. So we use this beam of light cutting the space into black and white spaces, where the two extreme colors are both contradictory and united. After some combination, the borders of the two colors align with the border of that beam of light, thus a perfect state was achieved which enables SERIP lamps show their lighting effect and charm both in daytime and at night.  © Wang Ting - Wang Jin D. Methodology Black and White In the black area and white area, we created some artificial light according to SERIP products. In the black area, a number of crystal lamps were displayed to show the value and light of lamp to the most extent; while in the white area, lamps with good-looking shapes were displayed and these unique handblown glass lamps is shown perfectly.  © Wang Ting - Wang Jin Building with Hidden "Door" As to the facade, we used the form of slices in the facade to hide the whole building, instead of strengthening the building itself. The white slices formed the main point of view of the hall. Under sun light, the shadows of slices change with time. What's more, as no obvious entrance is design, so the independence of the whole exhibition hall is formed.  © Wang Ting - Wang Jin Transition Wall We have added some gray walls in the space, which helps to form separate independent areas in black and white spaces. These areas are used to show the lamps, acting as the background of the display.  © Wang Ting - Wang Jin Let dream shine into reality SERIP lamps are so beautiful and romantic that they should appeared in fairy tale world. Thus, we found animal images with matching temperament and put them inside the gray wall to create a fantastic field.  © Wang Ting - Wang Jin E. Value When the SERIP fixture is finished, the space looks very unique. In my opinion, a good commercial design is to cater for business, not for the eyes, nor the expression desire of designer. So I think, only when lamps and lanterns in this space are bought by customers, the space design was proved to be a good one.  © Wang Ting - Wang Jin F. Conclusion Good design creates a good space, good space creates good value. Let's meet next year in March, when the beam of light returns to this space and once again divides the space into two parts, we will hold a party in this fantastic forest.  © Wang Ting - Wang Jin  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 14 Aug 2017 01:00 PM PDT  Facade. Image Courtesy of Ming Architects
 Main Door. Image Courtesy of Ming Architects From the architect. The whitewashed boxy architecture stands out conspicuously along a street of nondescript houses, differentiating itself from the neighbors with its clean white façade with precise edges. Home to a floriculture enthusiast and her family, this house sets out to fulfill the brief of amalgamating both quality living spaces and ample outdoor areas all around the house.  Kitchen. Image Courtesy of Ming Architects Inspired by the fundamentals of block building, the architecture is conceived by the thoughtful placement of volumes stacking upon one another. Besides creating bold spatial depth to the façade, the dynamic composition of such volumes also resulted in pockets of lush greenery intertwining with various living spaces. This deliberate planning bridges nature and living, and blurs the indoors and the outdoors.  Ground Floor Plan Three elements – whitewashed walls, timber and greenery, are present throughout the house, tying them closely to the given brief by the client – minimal, earthy yet impactful. The balance of material establishes a cohesive outlook - with the greens softening the robust edges of the stacked volumes and timber complementing both elements overall. Tropical chengal hardwood cladded steel canopies were placed strategically at various openings to frame the intended views of the lush surroundings, while chengal screens were deployed to filter the harsh sunlight as well as to provide privacy for the family.  Staircase. Image Courtesy of Ming Architects With gardens and terraces peppered throughout the house on all levels, each indoor space overlooks onto an accompanying green area that brings tranquility and nature right into the house.  Roof Garden. Image Courtesy of Ming Architects  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 14 Aug 2017 12:30 PM PDT  Old and new street facade, Berlin Johannisviertel, connected through glassed bridges I "How does a thought evolve into a freehand sketch? What is the importance of the interaction between the mind, eyes and hand?" In his lecture, Sergei Tchoban will discuss the collection of his architectural drawings on view in the exhibition and in his book. He will speak to the poetic essence of his craft, and the value, more broadly, for hand drawing in architecture. At a time of intense computational representation, Mr. Tchoban's approach to hand drawing is one that can be associated to ideas about the generation of thought itself. His works and words are powerful tools for a searing journey into the values of sight, hand and mind in the human experience.
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| Brick Passive Designed University / Taisei Corporation Posted: 14 Aug 2017 12:00 PM PDT  © Hiroyuki Oki
 © Hiroyuki Oki From the architect. Located in a recently developed area at about 30 minutes driving from Hanoi (Vietnam), the Japanese nursing university created a learning environment where Japanese and Vietnamese culture blend together. The client (who is a University based in Japan) is aiming to expand abroad and introducing their knowledge (Nursing, Physical Therapy, Prosthetics & Orthotics) to Vietnamese students.  © Hiroyuki Oki Our main focus was to make use of design techniques and materials found in the local area. This gave us the opportunity to create a more sustainable and economic structure with a visually daring design reaching out to Vietnam's local architecture. Large canopies provide shade against the hot summer sun and heavy rainfall, both common in Vietnam's tropical climate. These canopies created a semi-outdoor terrace where students can get together and enjoy their time between classes.  © Hiroyuki Oki The porous brick screens in front of the glass façade allow an appropriate amount of natural light while maintaining the beautiful view of rich greenery which is surrounding the building. The small openings in the brick screen shatters sunlight, constantly changing throughout the day.  © Hiroyuki Oki In addition, mechanical shafts on the façade are not purely functional but also put an accent to a normally mortar with paint finish which is typical in Vietnam. The shaft conceals piping and downspout and itself doubles as a solar chimney, taking in air from the small openings at the porous brick area and exhaust at the roof.  First Floor Plan  Second Floor Plan  Third Floor Plan Porous Materials and methods have been carefully selected depending on each location (screen, handrail, ventilation etc.) and purpose (view and filtering light and air to appropriate levels).  © Hiroyuki Oki Traces of craftsman who made each brick screen by hand are visible on the brick texture. The perforated patterns form a contrast with heaviness of a brick wall.  Brick Diagram The clearly expressed passive design technologies have created a unified façade and dramatic interior space of unusual refinement. Although the building features Vietnamese typical materials and low-tech construction methods, our aim is not to reproduce the vernacular but to bring together Vietnamese traditional and intelligent practice creating sustainable architecture suitable for the present.  © Hiroyuki Oki  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 14 Aug 2017 10:00 AM PDT  © Derek Swallwell
 © Derek Swallwell From the architect. Moving House is a new residence in Kew, Victoria. The external white aluminium screen forms a singular mass in the outline of a suburban gable roof, subtly referencing the immediate neighbours in both form and colour, while the internal spatial volume is defined by the 3 repetitive in-situ concrete vaults.  Section The external screen holds in suspension the visitors' first experience of the house - as one passes along the façade towards the entry, it deconstructs to reveal the concrete bodies in a journey of discovery and surprise. The entry sequence finishes in a recess, with raw concrete beams cantilevering out to provide partial shades and refuge, hanging plants from the gutter and grasscrete paving below – all in an Arcadian setting before reaching the Corbusian green door and a finely turned timber handle.  © Derek Swallwell There is no interior narrative sequence but rather a cavernous volume that receives direct northern daylight that changes by the hour and season, or nuanced indirect ambience light on the curve of the textured north facing vaults. These repetitive roof geometries are supported by in-situ off form blade columns, articulating structural clarity and compositional method.  Ground Floor Plan The interior is fully glazed to the east with bi-fold doors and windows with in-situ concrete seats, so that in fine weather it can be fully opened up to the garden, allowing exposure and interaction with the outdoor space. Cross ventilation is also aided by these openings together with the glass louvres at the height of clerestory in the vaults.  © Derek Swallwell This project further represents our continuous interest in phenomenology and experiential journey in architecture and design. Don Norman talks about design experiences: Visceral experience stands for immediate experience, rather than use or consideration; Behavioural experience stands for experience of the product's functionality based on use; Reflective experience stands for experience based on close consideration.  Model In this project, we've orchestrated the above 3 experiences from the very moment one first take notice by their eyes of the blue front gate, treading through grasscrete with morning dews wetting their shoes, touching the smooth timber entry handle by their hands, bathing in light shafts from the vault windows on their skin, and gentle breezes from the cross ventilation through their hair…  © Derek Swallwell This project exemplifies what can be achieved by careful orchestration of spaces, manipulation of lights, choreography of materials and tactility.  First Floor Plan If the white metal grille defines the visual character of the house from the outside, inside it is the tone and texture of concrete that captures the imagination. On the ceiling, the concrete has been left raw and unpolished, inviting the eye to explore its variations in pattern and colour; on the floor, it is polished and sealed. The effect of so much concrete is anything but heavy or oppressive – the way it has been shaped is delicate, nonlinear and playful; it all adds up to a structure that appears sculptural and light.  © Derek Swallwell  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Atelier Global Wins Competition to Design 'Book City' in Shenzhen Posted: 14 Aug 2017 09:20 AM PDT  Main entrance from the park. Image Courtesy of Atelier Global Atelier Global has been announced as the winners of a competition for the architectural and interior design of 'Shenzhen Book City,' a library and public gathering space located at the heart of the Long Hua arts district, becoming a part of the greater contemporary and historic fabric of art centers, public parks and urban typologies.  Urban Foyer. Image Courtesy of Atelier Global Description from the architects We propose to convert 20% of the designated area into flexible cultural space. Such space is ready to cater new typology of book-related events and exhibitions in the future.  Concept development As the new cultural anchor in the Longhua district, the architecture should be open to the city. Flexible cultural space intercross in vertical dimension and create dialogues with the surrounding context. Different cultural activities and functions happen at different corners of the building. With such spatial arrangement, the book program and flexible cultural space can interact with each other without the restriction of time and space.  Intellectual forum space. Image Courtesy of Atelier Global Breathing architecture The substantial amount of greenery in the existing site inspires to bring nature and fuse seamlessly with the interiors. Large and green terraces in different perimeter of the building form dialogues with the openings on the façade. This gives visitors an opportunity to experience the sense of nature even inside the building.  Sunken Garden. Image Courtesy of Atelier Global Inter-discipline platforms The urban cultural-living room promotes connectivity not only inside the building, also with the city. The perimeter of the building embraces people and nature from different corners of the city. The idea of cultural street along the site perimeter grows into the building and escalates vertically through terraces and atrium. This vertical form of cultural space brings an unprecedented experience to the readers.  Concept collage  Multi-functional exhibition space. Image Courtesy of Atelier Global Spiritual fulfillment to the people The new Book City is a dynamic and responsive architecture. Through its unique and bespoke spatial arrangement, it creates identity and provides a brand new interactive environment for their experience by the public.  Interactive platform. Image Courtesy of Atelier Global Architects: Atelier Global Ltd. News via Atelier Global.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Gateway Sculpture at Pembroke Pines / Brooks + Scarpa Architects Posted: 14 Aug 2017 08:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa Architects
 Courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa Architects From the architect. Public art should not be merely decoration or after thought, it should enhance user experience and celebrate a place. As part of the new Pembroke Pines City Center that includes a public plaza, a 3,500 seat performing arts hall, the city hall and The Frank art gallery for the City of Pembroke Pines, the architect designed the Gateway Sculpture and attending landscape features to complement these activities and programs.  Site Plan  Courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa Architects  Axonometric Essentially Pembroke Pines was a city, without a city (no downtown or community space) and the new City Center and Gateway Sculpture provide a community anchor that did not exist prior. With a limited budget, the architect worked with The Gateway Sculpture and landscape elements frame a pedestrian gateway into a new public plaza, providing way-finding and anchoring a sense of arrival  Courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa Architects  Elevation A  Courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa Architects Designed as public art, the stainless steel sculpture emerges as tree columns that lead up to an array of perforated plates that appear to spin in the continuous breeze of south Florida. The experience under the sculpture creates a dappled light effect as you walk between bromeliad mounds—an experience like that of a subtropical hardwood forest.  Assembly Diagram The sculpture provides a shaded area for seating, as well as programmable up lighting that enhances user experience day or night. During performance and art events the Gateway will be a meeting ground for pre and post-show activities, and a gathering place for the community.  Courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa Architects SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVES - While the Pembroke Pines Gateway Sculpture has no mechanical systems or other components that require continued resources from the utility grid the structure is designed and constructed to last well into the future and remain maintenance free from the harsh coastal conditions of south Florida.  Concept Detail A triple-bottom-line approach was conceived of that worked within the client's abilities and budget. This is achieved through material durability where stainless steel was used over mild steel to ensure the longevity of the structure. A durable paint that is environmentally sensitive was also employed.  Courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa Architects Understanding the location is within a heavily used pedestrian path and gathering space, traditional powder coating could not be used simply for the ease of maintenance where scratches or other issues may arise. This allows for city staff to easily maintain the structure under normal maintenance regimes and was key to the economic sustainability of the structure.  Linework View Another primary objective was to provide shade in the hot-humid climate of south Florida. The public plaza has a tremendous amount of hardscape and the Gateway Sculpture provides essential shade in order to maintain environmental comfort.  Courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa Architects Lastly, large planting areas surround the structure collecting stormwater from the entire building and impervious hardscape of the plaza. Essentially rain gardens, these planters include native facultative landscape material with vibrant color to enhance user experience and provide critical refuge and habitat to native wildlife.  Elevation, Plan and Details  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Long-Awaited Grand Avenue Project by Gehry Partners to Begin Construction Posted: 14 Aug 2017 07:15 AM PDT  via Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors More than three years after receiving approval from Los Angeles County, the stop-and-start Grand Avenue development project designed by Gehry Partners is finally showing signs that construction may be soon beginning, as developer Related Companies has filed building permits for the project. The Grand Avenue Project, located at 100 South Grand Avenue across from the Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, has been in the works for more than a decade, with an original ground breaking date having been anticipated as far back as 2007. In that time, high profile projects have been completed on all sides of the site, including The Broad museum, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and the SOM-designed Los Angeles Federal Courthouse.  via Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors The development will take the form of two stacked-box towers flanking a canyon containing 200,000 square feet retail and restaurant spaces. The taller of the towers, which will house primarily residential units, tops out at 39 stories, while the shorter, 20-story tower would hold a 350-room hotel operated by Equinox. Construction on the project is now expected to begin in 2018, with completion targeted for 2022. See more images in the complete planning document, here. News via Urbanize LA. H/T Curbed.
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| Chilsec Organic Production Center / Proyecto Cafeína Posted: 14 Aug 2017 06:00 AM PDT  © Patrick Lopez
 © Patrick Lopez From the architect. Located in one of the counties with highest levels of marginality in Mexico, this project responds to the need of the Xasastli Yoliztli Indigenous Women Peasants Association of having a space where they can generate added value to the existing products from the region, such as the serrano hot pepper and blackberries. The proposal was to create this production center for the making of gourmet salsas in order to be sold to the end buyer  Site Plan The cornerstone for the development of this project was the client’s clarity of ideas. From the beginning they wanted a space that reflected their personality in a cooperative setting, while at the same time becoming a development magnet and a source of employment in the region.  © Patrick Lopez The development’s guidelines were sustainability in all of its aspects, functionality, connection to the environment, low cost and community participation in the development. The center currently conforms a model for other cooperatives, as an example that through organization and participation in the community great results can be achieved.  Bambu Structure Plan  Group Section Komoni architects is an extense of caffeine project in its approach to social and sustainable projects.  © Patrick Lopez  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| London's Garden Bridge Project Officially Axed After £37 Million in Public Costs Posted: 14 Aug 2017 04:20 AM PDT  Courtesy of Garden Bridge Trust The saga of London's controversial Thames Garden Bridge project has finally come to end, as the Garden Bridge Trust has announced the official "closure of the project" after losing the support of the public and London Mayor Sadiq Khan. "It is with great regret that Trustees have concluded that without Mayoral support the project cannot be delivered," said Lord Mervyn Davies, Chairman of the Garden Bridge Trust in a statement released today. "We are incredibly sad that we have not been able to make the dream of the Garden Bridge a reality and that the Mayor does not feel able to continue with the support he initially gave us."  Courtesy of Garden Bridge Trust Khan officially withdrew support for the project earlier this year, citing soaring construction costs and potential maintenance issues outlined in an April report conducted by Labour MP Margaret Hodge. A reported £37 million of public funds had already been spent on the project, money that will not be able to be recovered. "It's my duty to ensure taxpayers' money is spent responsibly," Khan said. "I have been clear since before I became mayor that no more London taxpayers' money should be spent on this project and when I took office, I gave the Garden Bridge Trust time to try to address the multiple serious issues with it."  Courtesy of Garden Bridge Trust  Courtesy of Garden Bridge Trust The ambitious project, designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick, was first unveiled in 2013 as the result of a competition held by Transport for London. Early proponents believed the bridge would generate tourism and serve as useful pedestrian infrastructure, while critics saw it as a "vanity project" in an area of the city already well connected by a number of bridges.. Despite receiving planning approval in 2014, skyrocketing costs and questions about the legitimacy of the procurement process led to further loss of public and official support. "The Garden Bridge would have been a unique place; a beautiful new green space in the heart of London, free to use and open to all, showcasing the best of British talent and innovation," continued Davies. "It is all the more disappointing because the Trust was set up at the request of TfL, the organisation headed up by the Mayor, to deliver the project. It is a sad day for London because it is sending out a message to the world that we can no longer deliver such exciting projects."
Read the Trust's full statement, here. News via The Guardian, BBC.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| C-15 House / Ábaton Arquitectura Posted: 14 Aug 2017 04:00 AM PDT  Cortesía de Abaton Arquitectura
 Cortesía de Abaton Arquitectura From the architect. This property is located in the midst of an oak tree forest and therefore it wasn't possible to free some of the land for landscaping which determined the site of the house and how it related with the exterior.  Cortesía de Abaton Arquitectura Big windows resembling picture frames connect the interior to the exterior and viewing terraces were built on the upper floor.  Floor Plans The staircase distributes the areas and exaggerates the level difference typical of this plot of land.  Cortesía de Abaton Arquitectura  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Erwin Wurm's "Fat House" Is Exhibited Amid the Baroque Splendor of Vienna's Upper Belvedere Posted: 14 Aug 2017 03:30 AM PDT  © Johannes Stoll In a new solo exhibition of the work of Erwin Wurm in the artist's home city of Vienna, the "Fat House"—created in 2003—is being publicly displayed for the first time amid the baroque splendor of the Austrian capital's historic Upper Belvedere. The central exhibition of Wurm's work at 21er Haus comprises over forty "performative sculptures" and statues, examining "extraordinary examples of architecture and objects of daily use."  © Johannes Stoll
 © Johannes Stoll The "obese" house accommodates a video projection in which "the very same swollen building argues with itself." According to the curators, it "poses existential questions to the incoming visitor, such as: 'When does a house become art and who determines that?'"  © Johannes Stoll  © Johannes Stoll  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 9 of the World's Most Intrusive Buildings Posted: 14 Aug 2017 02:30 AM PDT  © EMP|SFM <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aerial_view_of_EMPSFM.jpg'>via Wikimedia</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> In 2017, many of the world's cities have become potpourri time capsules of architecture. We live in an eclectic era in which a 19th-century industrial loft, post-war townhouse, and brand new high rise condominium are all comparably desirable properties. This increasingly varied urban landscape—and the appetite for variety of the people who live there—makes it more difficult than ever for new architecture to grab the public's attention. To combat this, architects often attempt to produce an "iconic" work: a building whose design is so so striking that it attracts even a layperson's focus. Sometimes this ambition pays off as timeless, and sometimes it irreversibly pock-marks the skyline. What follows is a collection of attention grabbing structures. Will they be remembered as eccentric landmarks or glaring eyesores? You decide. Tour Montparnasse, Paris © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paris-tours.jpg'>Wikimedia user Thbz</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> In and of itself, the Tour Montparnasse isn't a shocking structure. The 689-foot (210-meter)-tall modernist skyscraper is a dignified volume with attractive cladding and a tastefully curved facade. The problem, in the eyes of many Parisians, is that in the tower's neighborhood sits some of the world's most delicate baroque and classical architecture. In juxtaposition, the Tour Montparnasse resembles an obsidian monolith that dwarfs every structure remotely close to it. The tower's impact was so jarring that the city passed a ban on new construction over seven stories tall in Paris' city center. 432 Park Avenue, New York © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:432_Park_Avenue_on_April_1,_2016.jpg'>Wikimedia user Alexander Caravitis</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 4.0</a> 432 Park Avenue's proportions alone are enough to earn it a place on this list. In what can be aptly described as a 1,400-foot (425-meter) toothpick resides a group of New York's wealthiest residents. Along with much of "Billionaires Row" south of Central Park, the occupancy of this Vinoly supertall is depressingly low. The penthouse of the jaw-dropping tower was recently listed for $95 million and includes a climate-controlled wine "cellar" that is actually higher than the roof of the Empire State Building. The Louvre Pyramid, Paris © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louvre-Bannenhaff-mat-Pyramid--w.jpg'>Wikimedia user Benh</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> Though IM Pei's striking Louvre Museum entrance was initially detested for its use of hyper-modern steel and glass in the face of what is arguably the most classically handsome art museum on the planet, Parisians eventually came around to the symmetrical structure. The pyramid is admittedly out of place in the center of the Louvre Courtyard, but its form and lighting tend to compliment the museum instead of fighting it. At night the structure resembles an illuminated fountain more than a modernist lantern. EMP Museum, Seattle © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EMPPano11.jpg'>Wikimedia user Cacophony</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> Built in the shadow of the famous Space Needle on the grounds of the 1962 World's Fair, the Experience Music Project Museum (now renamed the Museum of Pop Culture) is generally considered Frank Gehry's most garish design. The hot pink, gold, and cream-colored metallic panels are designed to resemble a smashed electric guitar, and even envelope a monorail track that passes through the structure. This tantrum of a design was described by New York Times architecture critic Herbert Muschamp as "something that crawled out of the sea, rolled over, and died." Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles Courtesy of Gehry Partners LLC Gehry appears twice on this list for good reason. Even though the Walt Disney Concert Hall is viewed as an elegant venue that has played a significant role in the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles, its facade couldn't have been more intrusive. Many of the swooping stainless steel panels on the western side of the building were left as highly reflective polished plates upon the structure's original completion. This created concave reflective areas that would shoot light towards nearby apartment buildings. After roasting some condos, workers were ordered to dull the glare from many of the panels. The Portland Building, Portland © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portland_Building_1982.jpg'>Wikimedia user Steve Morgan</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> This Postmodern Michael Graves concoction is one of the most striking buildings in the Pacific Northwest. Seen as the first major construction of the Postmodern style in the United States, the building is used by both proponents and detractors as an archetypal structure of postmodernism. The brown, cream, and blue symmetrical face of the building are more engaging than the drab modernist towers that surround it—but the building has remained relatively hated since its opening. Empire State Plaza, Albany <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EmpirePlaza17.jpg'>via Wikimedia user Jer21999</a> (public domain) Monolithic brutalist government skyscrapers line this large square in the capital of New York State. Often criticized for being lifeless, anemic, and gray (due to their extensive use of prefabrication and exposed concrete) the government complex contains the tallest building in the state outside of New York City. Altare Della Patria, Rome © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palais_Victor_Emmanuel_II_Rome.JPG'>Wikimedia user LPLT</a> licensed under <ahref='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 4.0</a> Completed in 1925, this war monument overlooking the Palazzo Venezia is one of the most recently built monumental structures in the city. At not even a century old, the building is seen by many Italians as inauthentic—especially given the inclusion of a glass elevator overlooking the Roman Forum that's asymmetrically tacked on to the rear of the structure. Many Romans refer to the stark white building as "the wedding cake." Taipei 101, Taipei © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taipei_101_from_afar.jpg'> Wikimedia user peellden</a> licensed under <ahref='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> Westerners often describe this "pagoda skyscraper" as resembling "stacked Chinese takeout boxes." The Taiwanese tower briefly held the title of tallest building on Earth, and is far and away the tallest building in Taipei, needing a huge tuned mass damper in its upper floors to prevent the structure from moving too much in a seismic event. While many other supertall buildings let their height speak for itself with a relatively muted design, Taipei 101 has not been shy in going for something... different.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Emiliano Zapata Building / HGR Arquitectos Posted: 14 Aug 2017 02:00 AM PDT  © Diana Arnau
 © Diana Arnau From the architect. EMILIANO ZAPATA is a six floor Housing Project with 25 units located in Eje 7 “A” Sur General Emiliano Zapata, on a central neighborhood of Mexico City.  © Diana Arnau The project proposes 25 apartments between 82 and 91sqm, which are divided internally through 5 central patios. Each patio separates the common area from the private area in each apartment. These areas are connected by bridges confined by a brick lattice that helps to give privacy and ventilation to each unit.  © Diana Arnau  Longitudinal Section  © Diana Arnau The building functions as a single tower, having a single elevator core and an emergency staircase that flies along the entire eastern facade. Each level accommodates five apartments, which are accessed through an open corridor. The building has a lobby on the ground floor located at level +/- 0.00m, which is directly connected to the vertical circulation core. All living spaces have ventilation and natural lighting. The roof is equipped with 10 private roofgardens for the apartments of the fourth and fifth level.  © Diana Arnau To comply the 20% of free area that the city requires, five patios are accommodated at the center of the building. In each patio, a liquidambar tree was planted helping give privacy and better views to each apartment. On the other hand, on the east side, the building is separated from the surrounding houses, creating a long access courtyard.  © Diana Arnau  Type Plan  © Diana Arnau The whole building was designed with natural and durable materials such as brick, volcanic stone and wood. The proposed vegetation is endemic and requires little maintenance.  © Diana Arnau With this project we achieve that all the units have good privacy, lighting and acoustic insulation, even being next to a very busy avenue in Mexico City.  © Diana Arnau  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Could This Micro Dwelling in Disguise Help Solve the Housing Crisis? Posted: 14 Aug 2017 01:00 AM PDT  © Jim Stephenson London's first Antepavillion officially opened to the public last weekend, kicking off an annual series of experimental structures set to explore alternative ways of living in the city. Designed and built by emerging studio PUP Architects, the proposal beat out 128 other entries as the winner of a competition held by the Architecture Foundation. Calling for proposals that engaged with issues of sustainability and recycling, PUP's design, dubbed H-VAC is built using prefab elements made in-house by a team of volunteers. The pavilion's tongue-in-cheek appearance resembling an air duct is a playful subversion of planning legislation, exploiting loopholes for mechanical rooftop equipment to be built without planning permission.  © Jim Stephenson  © Jim Stephenson
 © Jim Stephenson  © Jim Stephenson The pavilion is built over the Hoxton Docks, a complex of artists' studios on the Regent's Canal in East London. The ex-coal storage facility is popular as a creative workspace for and boasts several studio spaces that can be rented. However, in recent news, the Docks are currently threatened with demolition to make way for redevelopment, making their choice a pertinent one for the H-VAC to set foot on.  © PUP Architects
With the assistance of carpenters, PUP's architects and a team of volunteers also received technical support from structural engineers, AKTii. Timber beams were bent into shape to form the "covertly extrovert" snaking frame. The result is a functional yet surprisingly sculptural structure. The H-VAC cladding keeps with the prefab and sustainable agenda: silver shingles cut from reject Tetra-Pak printed roll.
 © Jim Stephenson Shiva Ltd, who helped formulate the Antepavillion project with the Architecture Foundation, sponsored the competition. Said Russell Gray, Director of Shiva Ltd: "We are delighted to sponsor an initiative to encourage young and emerging architects, designers, and artists with an appetite for hands-on construction, freed of the oppressive web of aesthetic, regulatory and commercial constraints that govern most urban construction projects."  © Jim Stephenson  © Jim Stephenson  © PUP Architects Perched on a roof of a mixed-use building, the pavilion invites discussion about the occupation of the city's rooftops by highlighting relaxed permitted development rights. If dwellings could be disguised as air conditioning equipment, could thousands of micro-houses be built across the city to provide new homes?  © Jim Stephenson  © Jim Stephenson
The Antepavilion will be open again to the public on the 16th and 17th of September during London's Open House weekend. Visitors should ring the buzzers at Hoxton Docks for access. News via: The Architecture Foundation and PUP Architects.
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| Posted: 13 Aug 2017 11:00 PM PDT  Nordic Pavilion in Venice. Image © Åke E:son Lindman 1997 Pritzker Prize laureate Sverre Fehn (August 14th 1924 – February 23rd 2009) was a leader in Post World War II Scandinavian architecture. "His work has an intuitive confidence in how to use the Nordic landscape and its particular light conditions within the built culture, and yet throughout his career each period has reflected a refined sensitivity to international changes and attitudes in architecture," said his close collaborator Per Olaf Fjeld. "It can be compared to a poetic work conceived on an isolated mountain by a writer with an uncanny, intuitive sense of what is going on in the towns below." [1]  Sverre Fehn. Image via <a href='http://www.pritzkerprize.com/laureates/1997'>Pritzker Prize</a>  Nordic Pavilion in Venice. Image © Åke E:son Lindman Along with other alumni from the Architectural School of Oslo, Fehn was involved in international architectural discussions, notably through CIAM (International Congress of Modern Architecture) and its Scandinavian branch PAGON (Progressive Architects' Group, Oslo, Norway). However, it was through his Norwegian pavilion at the 1958 World Exhibition in Brussels and his Nordic pavilion for the Venice Biennale in 1962 that he first gained international recognition.  Norwegian National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/iammadforit/5619178375'>Flickr user iammadforit</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a>  Norwegian National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/iammadforit/5619179701'>Flickr user iammadforit</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> The Nordic Pavilion exemplifies how Fehn reinterpreted elements of traditional Norwegian architecture when assessing a project site, and the nature of its materials and light. Instead of creating views out, the architect focused on catching light and giving it a spatial presence. The roof, made of two grids of thin concrete lamellae, brings in the homogeneous light typical of Nordic landscapes. Openings within the grid also allowed the preservation of existing trees as distinctive elements of the project; in Fehn's work, heavy and ascetic materials like concrete or bricks were often juxtaposed with wood to recall the natural elements of his country. Alongside numerous residential projects, Fehn spent his later career designing museums. Notable projects include the Glacier Museum, the Aukrust Museum, and the Hedmark Museum, where he continued to explore the relationship of buildings not only to their natural context but to their specific sites. For Fehn, there is an inevitable confrontation between nature and man-made structures. When considering how to ground his project to earth on a delimited base, Fehn's work seeks to negotiate this conflict between the building and its untouched surroundings.  Norwegian Glacier Museum. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/boscdanjou/6040530144'>Flickr user boscdanjou</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a>  Norwegian Glacier Museum. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/boscdanjou/6043529367/'>Flickr user boscdanjou</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> Check out the thumbnails below to see Sverre Fehn's work featured on ArchDaily. Fehn's complete bibliography can also be found at the Pritzker Prize website. Correction update: An earlier version of this article included images of the ruins at Hamar, with the glass covering added in 1998. While the ruins are located at the Hedmark Museum, which includes the Medieval Museum designed by Sverre Fehn, the glass covering was in fact designed by Lund and Slaatto Arkitekter. These images have therefore been removed from the article. References:
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