Arch Daily |
- Herdade Of Freixo Winery / Frederico Valsassina Arquitectos
- Richard Rogers: Architecture Is "A Place For All People"
- Ruin Studio / Lily Jencks Studio + Nathanael Dorent Architecture
- One Angel Square / BDP
- Jaffa Art Apartment Building / Pertzov Architecture
- Fighting House / studio_suspicion
- House in Hamilton / Tato Architects + Phorm architecture
- Yoga Studio / Kostas Chatzigiannis Architecture
- Falling Masonry Kills Tourist in Florence's Deteriorating Basilica di Santa Croce
- Crisp House / Robert Nichol & sons
- Michael Maltzan Architecture and UNStudio Headline 2017 Zumtobel Group Awards
- Barton Hills Addition / Murray Legge Architecture
- 26 Firms Shortlisted to Provide Designs for US Diplomatic Buildings
- Xanc i Meli Restaurant / AMOO
- JCândido Building / Oficina Conceito Arquitetura
- Israeli Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale to Explore the Idea of "Status Quo" Within Shared Holy Places
- "Autotuned Architecture" Is Endangering the Craft of Architectural Construction
- Objective Subject Offices / GRT Architects
- Architecture Guide to Montevideo: 15 Sites That Every Architect Should Visit
- Tiny House Design Competition Winners Revealed
| Herdade Of Freixo Winery / Frederico Valsassina Arquitectos Posted: 19 Oct 2017 10:00 PM PDT  © Fernando Guerra | FG + SG
 © Fernando Guerra | FG + SG From the architect. The herdade of the Freixo, with about 300ha, and 26ha of vineyard, presents itself as a typical Alentejo landscape, undulating, diversified and with interesting points of view on the surroundings. Punctuated by clusters of wild olive trees, olive trees and holm oak, it still concentrates in one of its elevations a mount, identified by typically rural constructions that define it.  © Fernando Guerra | FG + SG The morphology of the existing ground was so decisive for the definition of the project, making it imperative to keep it unchanged although subject to an intervention with this volume of construction. Any intervention would never jeopardize the balance found on site.  © Fernando Guerra | FG + SG  Floor Plans  © Fernando Guerra | FG + SG The winery appears in the continuity of the landscape, merging with all that extension.  © Fernando Guerra | FG + SG The functional intersection, the relation between interior / exterior and natural / artificial report the existence of an inner presupposition, with which we have no immediate visual contact. It appears as an artificial accident whose anonymity is being lost as it travels allowing different circuits that cross the heart of the intervention, the central courtyard, unifying element of all circulations.  © Fernando Guerra | FG + SG  Sections  © Fernando Guerra | FG + SG It was placed on a fluid and sequential transition of spaces that are intended to physically and visually communicate. These are followed by providing, similarly to what happens in the herdade topography, overlapping views, diversified, which indicate that there is more beyond what is directly within reach. The purified language of architectural forms takes advantage of the scenic effect of the building, captivating the visitor and convincing him to go through all the spaces in order to perceive the whole and understand the functional hierarchy between them, distinguishing and individualizing each of the zones industrial and social components.  © Fernando Guerra | FG + SG In the production, the option to bury the winery, projecting it in several floors to more than 40m of depth, allowed that the gravitational force in the process of winemaking was used, respecting the wine masses and using the most advanced and innovative techniques of oenology . It was also possible for this reason to create the best thermal conditions for wine conservation given the reduction of the thermal amplitude and the low temperature values.  © Fernando Guerra | FG + SG  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Richard Rogers: Architecture Is "A Place For All People" Posted: 19 Oct 2017 09:00 PM PDT  Centre Pompidou (1970s). Image Courtesy of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners The following is an extract from A Place for All People, a new semi-autobiographical manifesto by Lord Rogers. It is a mosaic of life, projects and ideas for a better society, ranging backwards and forwards over a long and creative life, integrating relationships, projects, stories, collaborations and polemics, with case studies, drawings and photographs.  Richard Rogers. Image Courtesy of 2013 Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners A Place for All People"Are you sitting down, old man?" Renzo Piano asked, when I picked up the phone (he is four years younger than me). I reassured him that I was. "We have won the Beaubourg competition," he explained. "The announcement is in Paris this evening. We have to be there but I can't get away from Genoa; could the rest of you fly over from London?" We hardly had time to digest the news, let alone prepare for the dramatic change in our working lives that it heralded. My mother, who was gardening at her Wimbledon house, cried with joy when I told her of the news. John Young, Ruthie and I dashed around London collecting partners and passports—we had so little work on that people weren't coming into the office—and made it over to Paris just in time to join the celebration dinner on a bateau mouche on the Seine. Dressed variously in jeans, T-shirts, sneakers and miniskirts, and hardly speaking any French, we were catapulted into the cream of the French establishment where the women wore tiaras and evening dresses, and the men white ties, medals and sashes. It was July 1971; we were in our twenties and thirties. Over the past seven years, we had designed houses, pavilions and small factories, but this was a project on an entirely different scale – a major public building in the heart of Paris. We had built so little, but with the confidence that naivety allows, we believed we could change the world. The competition had been to design a cultural centre in a run-down inner city area, which would accommodate a library, an art gallery, and a centre for experimental music. We had responded with a design for a loose-fit, flexible structure, but at its heart was the public piazza, which would occupy half the site, and continue underneath the building and up it's façade, on escalators and walkways. This would not be a temple to high culture; rather, it would be what our submission called "a place for all people, the young and the old, the poor and the rich, all creeds and nationalities, a cross between the vitality of Times Square and the cultural richness of the British Museum," a place for two-way participation not passive consumption, a piece of urban infrastructure rather than a building, a project driven by social and political responsibility. These were strong political statements, but architecture is inescapably social and political. I have always believed that there is more to architecture than architecture. The first line of my practice's constitution states: "Architecture is inseparable from the social and economic values of the individuals who practise it and the society which sustains it." Our best buildings do not just arise from the requirements of the client, but seek to answer broader social questions. The Pompidou Centre brought culture into the public domain. The Lloyd's Building was designed as a flexible machine for a financial market place, but also as a carefully considered expression of those activities, designed both for the user and for the enjoyment of the passer-by. The Bordeaux Law Courts that we built in the 1990s rethought the purpose of judicial architecture; they were designed to draw the public in and explain the role of justice in society, as a school of law, not a citadel of crime and punishment. The Welsh Assembly Building, completed a few years later, does more than accommodate a legislature. The ground floor is essentially an indoor piazza for public use, with cafes, meeting spaces and a gallery that enables citizens to view the assembly chamber, where their representatives make decisions. The Leadenhall Building is a 50-storey-high skyscraper, the highest in the City of London when it was completed in 2014. The first seven storeys are given over to an open piazza with no walls, from which escalators carry you up to the reception. Architecture creates shelter and transforms the ordinary. Architects are both scientists and artists, solving problems in three dimensions,using structure and materials to create scale and humanise space, capture the play of light and shadows, and make an aesthetic impact. From the primitive hut to the Athenian Agora, from medieval palace to city hall, from the street bench to the great piazza, architecture shapes our lives. Good architecture civilises and humanises, bad architecture brutalises. But architecture also structures cities with buildings and public spaces, all the defining inventions of civilisation. Cities are where human beings first came together, where we evolved from social to political animals – from pack to polis. The first cities were refuges, offering safety in numbers in a hostile world, but they soon grew into something more complex and creative. City dwellers came together to exchange ideas and goods, for the meeting of friends and strangers, for discussion, argument, trade and collaboration. In 6,000 years (only 100 lifetimes), cities have transformed human history, providing the foundation for an astonishing burst of creativity and discovery. Nearly four billion people live in cities today—half the world's population and more people than lived on the entire planet in 1970—and the speed of urbanisation is accelerating. By 2050, cities are expected to house two-thirds of the world's population; in 1900 they housed just 13 per cent. Meanwhile, the gulf between the rich and the poor is widening, threatening civilised values. Well-designed, compact and socially just, cities are fundamental to tackling inequality and climate change – the two most serious challenges our planet faces. Architecture is social in another sense too. Apart from its impact, it is an inherently sociable activity, an exercise in collaboration. As an architect, I am not an abstract artist in front of a blank canvas, seeking the blinding flash of inspiration and creativity. Quite the opposite, my drawings are notoriously bad. We develop designs in a team, by questioning briefs, analysing context and constraint, considering social, physical and cultural impacts, defining problems and testing solutions. I have always been happiest working in a group; from the first gang of friends that I gathered as a teenager, to the brilliant architects who I have worked with since. The dyslexia that made me so hopeless at school also spurred me on to find different ways of making things happen, depending on and supporting others, reflecting our human nature. Architecture is enriched by the interplay between different disciplines, from sociology and philosophy, to engineering and horticulture, and most of all by the collaborations between an enlightened client, the community and a design team. These last few make ethical principles real, and their dynamism creates the most exciting moments and unexpected results. This book is not an autobiography, though it draws on my life. I have always been more interested in ideas and dialogue than in narrative, in the visual rather than the written, in the present and the future rather than the past. But, working on the exhibition Richard Rogers – Inside Out at the Royal Academy in the summer of 2013, I started to think about how my ideas, beliefs and values had been formed and influenced, by my colleagues, my family and my friends, and by the times I have lived through. I looked back at how they have found expression in my work, in completed projects and sketches, in public speeches and private conversations, in the way my architectural language has evolved, and the ways in which my architectural practice has grown. This book goes deeper in exploring my ideas and talking about the people who have inspired my work and informed my beliefs – in people and fairness; in places and streets that are designed for people, for democracy and openness; in buildings that create beauty through the aesthetic fulfilment of needs; in cities that are compact, adaptable, sustainable and humane. It gathers together relationships, projects, collaborations and arguments, interweaving stories with case studies, drawings and photographs. It can be read in a number of ways. It is a mosaic, open-ended, more like jazz improvisation than an elegant and polished symphony. I hope this will give you something richer than a straightforward narrative; something that may inspire you to find your own ways of challenging and enhancing how we live on what remains a very small—and shrinking—planet.
 Richard Rogers: Architecture Is "A Place For All People"  Centre Pompidou, Paris, 1971-77. Courtesy of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Image © David Noble Chapters:
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| Ruin Studio / Lily Jencks Studio + Nathanael Dorent Architecture Posted: 19 Oct 2017 08:00 PM PDT  © Sergio Pirrone
 © Sergio Pirrone From the architect. This private house in Scotland is built within the existing stone ruins of an old farmhouse, with beautiful views northwards for more than 50 miles down two valleys. Located in a remote countryside area, this project was conceived to near passivhaus standards with a super insulated envelope and use of solar energy.  © Sergio Pirrone The existing ruin, originally construction in the 18th Century, was transformed several times revealing a palimpsest of occupation on the site. We wanted to highlight this historical layering by adding a sequence of counterpoint materials and geometries within the design. The first layer is the existing stone wall, within which sits a black waterproofing EPDM rubber clad pitched-roof 'envelope', and within that a curvilinear interior 'tube' wall system. This interior curved surface is made of insulating recycled polystyrene blocks within a gridded wood structure, and is covered with Glass Reinforced Plastic.  © Sergio Pirrone Emphasizing the narrative of time, these three layers also reflect different architectural expressions: the random natural erosion of stone walls, an archetypical minimalist pitched roof, and a free form double curved surface. These three layers are not designed as independent parts, rather, they take on meaning as their relationship evolves through the building's sections. They separate, come together, and intertwine, creating a series of architectural singularities, revealing simultaneous reading of time and space. .jpg?1508444514 "Axo") Axo In the 'tube'are the more public programs of kitchen, study, sitting and dining room. At both ends of the house, the 'tube' detaches from the 'envelope' to create rooms that are used for the more private functions of bedrooms, bathrooms and storage. To access these spaces, the tube's non-linear curved surface ramps up, producing a dynamic sensory experience.  © Sergio Pirrone The existing ruined walls, and views from the site, dictate the locations for large windows and doors. At these openings the tube funnels out towards the light, creating a 'poched' space, that can be used for furniture and storage. Book shelves, a sofa and seat furniture are created by 'pulling' the structural grid through the surface of the GRP walls and seem to be peeling off the tube.  © Sergio Pirrone The landscape around the house is of rolling hills with drystone walls defining cow fields. The juxtaposition between straight ancient stone walls and organic topography continues in the garden with gentle landforms bringing the distant landscape towards the house. To the North the walls of the surrounding ruins are extended to define a more formal planted garden.  © Sergio Pirrone We have preserved the ruin walls, and reinstituted the pitched roof that would have been there originally, providing an external coherence. However, the matt black rubber exterior and soft curves of the interior are a more counterpoint preservation, accentuating this palimpsest nature of occupation on the site, and pleasures of living within layers of history.  © Sergio Pirrone  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 19 Oct 2017 07:00 PM PDT  © Hufton + Crow
 © Hufton + Crow From the architect. The building regenerates this historically important quarter of the town, whilst respecting the scale and grain of its neighbors and preserving cherished longer views across the town's skyline. It never the less reflects the best of contemporary, sustainable office design.  © Hufton + Crow A new public space, Angel Square, creates an appropriate setting for the building entrance and forms part of a potential new sequence of public spaces linking All Saints Church to St John's Church and its gardens. From the entrance staff and visitors arrive into a 4-storey reception and street which leads to a courtyard in the center of the plan. Stairs and lifts are located on either side and informal meeting, working and other collaborative spaces are grouped around it creating a social hub for the building.  © Hufton + Crow The building is designed as two blocks which enclose the courtyard. A second street extends to the south, filling the building with natural light and creating a visual connection with St John's Church. The change in level across the site is taken up by an undercroft area which accommodates car parking, cycle storage, and on the St John Street façade, office space which could potentially convert to retail use. The natural light, visual connectivity between the floors and courtyard help to create a building that allows both staff and visitors to experience a sense of wellbeing and encourage collaboration.  © Hufton + Crow The predominantly glazed facades are clad with vertical copper fins. These control solar gain, create a color and texture when viewed from acute angles down the narrow streets, and connect the building to the distinctive urban fabric of the area. The patterning of the louvers is inspired by the local traditional leather cutting lines for hand-made shoes. Best practice passive design strategies combined with innovative approaches have delivered exemplary levels of user comfort and well being, whilst reducing operational energy costs and carbon emissions.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Jaffa Art Apartment Building / Pertzov Architecture Posted: 19 Oct 2017 05:00 PM PDT  © Gidon levin
 © Gidon levin The Building The building is located in Jaffa city in a neighborhood full of old eclectic Arabic style houses. This area of Jaffa is in a midst of a rapid urban renewal process. We believe it is a great opportunity and honor for us to take part in this fascinating urban transformation.  © Gidon levin As the architects of the building we felt it was important to keep the special atmosphere of the existing local urban environment, while introducing simultaneously a modern design, using materials that are new for this particular area.  Section The building has 2 residential parts with 8 apartments (each one in a different size and scale – designed for a diverse population). In the middle of the building are spaces where the tenants can meet and mingle, next to an open area intended for circulation and air currents.  © Gidon levin The main façade element is the "Mashrabiya" which is typical traditional Arabic concept that was made to provide shade, air, light, and a gentle buffer between interior and exterior. One of the main goals of the plan was to design a "Mashrabiya" that preserves the typical street facades continuity whilst maintaining the privacy of the residents. While "Mashrabiya" is traditional built of concrete or clay, we designed a "steel Mashrabiya" from horizontal steel beams and fillings of perforated metal. We decided to use steel, which is not the obvious choice, because it represents the dialog between the historical and contemporary architecture.  © Gidon levin The Apartment The apartment is located in Jaffa in the part of a neighborhood with many old eclectic Arabic style houses that is experiencing a rapid urban renewal. The building that contains this apartment is part of this fascinating process. The high ceiling (5 meters high) is typical of the traditional housing in the area and was retained as the main architectonic principle of the new design.  © Gidon levin At the request of the owner, the interior was designed with the basic premise to house the art collection in his possession: High empty walls were used as a natural place for the art to be displayed, the concrete floor and ceiling and the white walls providing all together the prefect background. Thus, all the structure in the apartment can be used as art display- even the concrete floor. There are molds imprinted in various parts of the concrete floor which can be used for displaying works of art which can be replaced by other works from time to time  © Gidon levin One of the main interior design principle was to create one long space with minimal number of divisions, giving the viewer ample room to survey the work of art. A small backyard entrance paved with concrete surrounded with high walls provides a marked contrast between Pushkin Street outside, and the quite, serene privacy of the art milieu inside.  © Gidon levin  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Fighting House / studio_suspicion Posted: 19 Oct 2017 03:00 PM PDT  © Ryoo In Keun
 © Ryoo In Keun From the architect. Sageun-dong in Seoul is a topographically isolated village. The southeast side of the village is surrounded by Cheonggyecheon stream and Hanyang University, while the north side is surrounded by the adjacent hill. The Saguendong-gil road that leads to the back gate of Hanyang University serves as the access way to the village, and yet pedestrian access to the village is difficult in many ways since the uphill path is very steep. Unlike any other neighborhoods in Seoul, the unique atmosphere of Sangeun-dong resulted from such isolated topography.  © Ryoo In Keun The atmosphere of Sajeong-dong is past-oriented. The unique ambiance of this village is all the more noticeable when the village is compared to the geopolitical aspects of Seoul and metropolitan areas where the commercial areas for work are completely separated from the bedroom communities for residence. Sageun-dong is reminiscent of residential areas in the 80's where neighborhood convenience facilities were alive and active.  Exploded 3D Axonometric As elaborated in the legal definition of 'neighborhood living facilities' that refers to the living convenience and wellbeing of residents, a residential area is supposed to have daily necessities available for the residents at close range. However, residents who have lost their neighborhood living facilities are now enjoying a strange consumption pattern of going to discount superstores and managing the distribution and storage of their daily necessities on their own. Since there is nothing much to do in the neighborhood, the villages in Seoul are quiet day and night (especially ever since children started to attend several private academies after school hours).  © Ryoo In Keun However, in the case of Sageun-dong, which has gone through geopolitical isolation and the circumstances of the days have made its residents take care of all living-related consumptions in the neighborhood, the village, just like the villages in the eighties, is busy during the day and becomes quiet only when everyone goes inside to go to bed. Another reason for the unique bustling ambiance of this village can be found in its population distribution, which is mixed with the students of Hanyang University living apart from their families and the residents who have lived in the same neighborhood for several decades. In other words, this village is inhabited by a mixture of adults and youths, or settlers and nomads.  © Ryoo In Keun The reason development activities in his kind of old neighborhood clashes with preservation is because they presuppose merging of lots. Small plots of land do not guarantee sufficient development profit and are rarely developed independently because reusing existing buildings is financially advantageous in most cases. As always, people find solutions for problems: they combine the lots to pursue maximum profit within legal limits. The merging of lots changes the urban structure; takes away the alleys; makes the neighbors move; and destroys families and the society. However, when confronted with this very natural capitalist activity, a romantic outcry for the preservation of urban structure is easily defeated. And it is unclear whether this defeat is bad.  Mass Diagram The client's requirements were simple; to ensure maximum floor area ratio within the 139㎡ lot, and make the building functional and convenient. The building is composed of one owner unit for the client's household, and eight rental units for Hanyang University students. To this basic concept, we proposed and added a few items such as an elevator facility as winning elements in the competition with surrounding rental housings.  © Ryoo In Keun We were able to find our own way of solutions for the dilemma of Sageun-dong between development and preservation by securing the highest number of units at 200% FAR, providing neighborhood living facilities, securing attics, installing balconies, and squeezing in an elevator facility. If architectural practices, that were only possible in larger scale projects from merging of lots, can be realized in smaller scale projects, clients will not insist on taking the annoying course of expanding their projects. They can seek profit and preserve the urban structure. Thus, the work can be sufficiently capitalistic and romantic at the same time. We can certainly make developments while preserving our neighborhoods.  © Ryoo In Keun The building also responds to the demands of the contemporary residential environment. The strongest trend dominating the current residential culture is the spatial integration that underwent rapidly mainly in housings for a single household. This trend is prominent also in Sageun-dong, which serves as a dormitory for Hanyang University. The housing type called 'one-room,' where the living room, the bedroom, and the kitchen are all placed in one space, is now getting to the point of combining the kitchen with the bathroom relying solely on their common feature of water being used there. (The rationale seems to be that eating and excreting in the same space is as efficient as eating and sleeping in the same space.)  © Ryoo In Keun Here, we found the reason why the living environment today is so vulgar. For people to live in, a space needs to be properly partitioned. Apartments turn into chicken factory farms as balcony spaces are recklessly taken over by extended living area. This type of one-room office spaces gave birth to the circumstances of people being forced to live in a 'gosiwon' that doesn't even has a window if they are poor. Different kind of spaces, however small, need to be present in a house; spaces such as a balcony, multipurpose room, bathtub, a living room loosely separated from the kitchen, built-in cabinets or closet that fit the space, etc.  © Ryoo In Keun Even though we took into consideration various aspects of the building, it was inevitable that the absolute size of the building would be small. In order to secure the maximum number of units, small units about the same size had to be replicated. Windows were fabricated to add personality to each unit. The windows in two units with identical floor plan but on different floors were positioned differently. The smaller the room, the greater the impact of change. With this arrangement, we hope the residents will at least be able to declare their respective taste. A wistful situation might occur where a person is upset because the room that suits his/her taste has been leased already. We feel sad that even such a wistful situation is missing in the residential environment of young people nowadays.  3D Section We traced the maximum volume along the slant line for solar access and the shape of the land and ultimately found a diamond-shape slanted mass. Lifting up the mass (like a skirt) and placing in an opening that leads to the veranda on the 4th floor, we realized that it was appropriate for the owner's unit to be on the 4th floor rather than on the top 5th floor. Our client was concerned about possible interferences from the tenant households on the 5th floor, but we persuaded her to think about the usefulness of the veranda on the 4th floor and the marketability of the two units on the 5th floor respectively equipped with an attic. When the slant line for north-side solar access is applied to a building, the staircase is usually placed at the southern corner, where the slope is least likely to interfere the staircase. This means that the staircase would be placed on the sunniest side of the building.  © Ryoo In Keun We rejected this planning approach used without a doubt in the home business market and instead moved the staircase northward as far as possible allowing for the height of the last floor. As a result, we were able to secure units with southern exposure evenly throughout all floors in the building. The configuration of the staircase itself was also the outcome of studying the limits set by the building code. The somewhat complex staircase, which combines straight stairs with an effective width of 1.2m and winding stairs with an effective width of 0.9m, minimized the area of common use space and increased the area of exclusive use for each unit. The small neighborhood living facility we were able to secure on the 1st floor owes its existence entirely to our devoted study of the location and configuration of the staircase.  © Ryoo In Keun The two slopes along the slant lines for solar access meet at one corner at respective angles. In order to minimize the contamination of the slopes, we decided to use zinc standing seam finishing for the slopes and worked with the joints based on the corner where the two slopes meet. In this way, we were able to finish the corner with the standing seam alone without using additional flashing. As shown in the elevation, the finishing resultingly accentuated the slanted mass. The design process of this building is not an "invention" but is a kind of "discovery" in that its most significant design element was automatically calculated based on the Building Act prescribing slant line for solar access. Our task was to reveal the virtuality that is spread around the site through the language of architecture, and what was needed here was archaeological diligence rather than inspiration. The finishing material used for the slopes was a product called Azengar from VMZinc. It is a matte light grey product. It is not our way to finish a strong formative change with a strong material change. The finishing for the slopes was chosen among natural materials that would clash the least with the white stucco finish on the vertical face of the building. Due to cost problems, we were unsure until the last moment whether we could proceed with our plan. Fortunately, thanks to the determination of our client who trusted the initial design more than the architect himself, we were able to realize the design. As the building looked like a 3-year-old building when it was just completed, we hope that it will look like a 3-year-old building even after 30 years. _%C2%AE%C5%93STUDIO_SUSPICTION_%C2%AE%C5%93Ryoo__In_Keun.jpg?1508396429 "© Ryoo In Keun") © Ryoo In Keun This project asks the question whether local values and individual urge for development are compatible. Our answer to this question was that realizing the maximum asset value in a small plot of land is actually helpful for the preservation of local values. As a matter of fact, no one will destroy their own neighborhood if profit can be attained. At the same time, this project was our answer to promoting an alternative to the existing housing styles for young people today by pursuing diversity of space.  © Ryoo In Keun Diversity, however, was realized indirectly. It was realized through the shape and position of the windows, the variation of minimized balconies, and the delicate arrangement of built-in cabinets according to each unit space. This was also the outcome of considering first the interests of the client. Spatial diversity is not something worth pursuing at the expense of decisively compromising profits. We believe that the preservation of local community and the creation of healthy living environment ultimately lead to the overall benefit of our community, but the architectural practice today seems to be far behind from what we believe.  © Ryoo In Keun  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| House in Hamilton / Tato Architects + Phorm architecture Posted: 19 Oct 2017 01:00 PM PDT  © Christopher Frederick Jones
 © Christopher Frederick Jones From the architect. This residence is located in Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia. This region is home to the Queenslander — a traditional style of wooden stilted house complete with veranda. The characteristic veranda is an environmental interface for keeping sunlight off the buildings outer walls, and also serves to link residents to their city and community through acting as an entrance porch, and sometimes even a dining room or reception area for greeting guests. In Japan these roles used to be carried out by engawa loggias and earthen floors, but such spaces are now in the process of disappearing. People greatly value the type of lifestyle, which can take place in semi-outdoor spaces.  © Christopher Frederick Jones I saw an example of this in a housing catalogue issued in 1939, in which indoor and semi-outdoor areas were displayed in different colors and both of their floor spaces noted down for readers. Perhaps due to its short history since the nation's founding, Australia attributes great importance to historical objects, and in some of its regions the Queenslander roofline is strictly protected. What is unique about the building extension process here is that the existing house is raised to a higher level, while the extension takes place underneath. In Japan there is a sense that one must extend buildings from the top layer, but the Queenslander method has numerous benefits, including the fact that it preserves the occupants' pre-existing lifestyle, does not necessitate a remake of the waterproof layer, and does not cause any great change in the stress load of the existing structure. It is a rather surreal sight to witness a Queenslander floating high in the sky while its extension is being constructed underneath. Perhaps feeling a synchronicity with this figure of a Queenslander undergoing extensions, a client contacted me with a picture of my House in Rokko that he had found on the Internet. He was seeking a minimalistic lifestyle, and had high expectations that we could help him achieve this with our Japanese scale and sensibilities.  Section Inspired by the plentiful intelligence of the Queenslander, I redefined this intellect as one necessary for a lifestyle, which is conducted equally between indoors and in semi-outdoor spaces, and set about deliberately misinterpreting its contents and style. I made sure that each indoor space had an adjoining outdoor area with an overhead roof, and installed a dining room and kitchen in both the interior and outside. To accomplish this, I combined a house-shaped volume, or more accurately, volume with a slender hipped roof inspired by the Queenslander, at 45. This created a geometric shape in the intersecting areas of the ceiling, which remind one of pointed cross vaults. The large apertures are hidden under the eaves, shielded from the strong Brisbane sun. Due to the reflections and permeations of light from the slanted glass, the inner and outer landscapes are intricately mingled together, and merge into one when the glass doors are left wide open  © Christopher Frederick Jones Although the Queenslander was a type of colonial style, which had also been constructed in Japan, I believe it had not evolved or become established as a style here, excluding the adoption of small verandas in some cases. However, it has been wonderful to see continued experimentation in Brisbane, contributing to the accumulation of intellect surrounding the Queenslander as a developed form. This type of high-floored space under eaves used to be found widely in hot and humid Japan as well, but with the recent advent of architecture, which relies on air conditioning, it is passing out of popular memory. I wonder if it is possible for us to use a fresh outlook to reclaim the comfort inherent in interfaces between semi-outdoor spaces and the environment, and its power to connect people to their surrounding climate, cities and communities.  © Christopher Frederick Jones  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Yoga Studio / Kostas Chatzigiannis Architecture Posted: 19 Oct 2017 12:00 PM PDT  © Joshua Tintner
 © Joshua Tintner From the architect. KCA has created a Yoga Studio in Shanghai that aims to provide a serene sensory experience in contrast to the dense surrounding urban environment. More than the feeling of exercise, the experience of relaxation and well-being are deemed to match better with the practice of yoga.  © Cai Yun Pu The interior organization of the space is conceived as a cityscape, a micrograph of a city, where rooms stand in the place of buildings and the public functions occupy the negative space, the city's streets.  Floor Plan The overall design focuses on the materiality of things. The interior walls and floors are covered with pebble stones, terrazzo and cement, to emulate further the exterior feel of buildings as one walks around a city. This roughness is counter-balanced with the use of warmer materials such as wood, bamboo, woven straw and tatami mattresses  © Joshua Tintner The material and color palette of the space is in further dialog with the city as most of these materials are found in Shanghai's 20th century architecture, both local and colonial. An Asian touch is introduced in terms of materials, colors, textures and light quality, centered around the main principle of tranquility.  © Joshua Tintner In the rest and reception areas, the architect has created irregular wood and tatami platforms where people rest and lie down in between yoga classes. In those areas, the warm western light is diffused through the bamboo blinds and creates a peaceful atmosphere, in line with yoga principles  © Cai Yun Pu The classrooms balance between privacy and openness, via a large revolving door and an 8-meter folding door. Inside the rooms, clusters of lamps and woven baskets drop down from the ceiling and, together with the fly yoga fabrics, create an immersive visual experience that enhances the practice of yoga.  © Joshua Tintner  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Falling Masonry Kills Tourist in Florence's Deteriorating Basilica di Santa Croce Posted: 19 Oct 2017 10:15 AM PDT  © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/37873897@N06/5035043739'>Flickr user Flavio~</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> A Spanish tourist has been killed by a piece of falling masonry in the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, Italy. As reported by The Guardian, the 52-year old victim was hit by "a piece of decorative stone that fell from a height of 20 metres (66 ft) as he visited the religious building with his wife." Reports suggest that the fragment was around 15cm by 15cm (6 by 6 inches) in size; according to Yahoo, the fragment "had supported a beam in the right transept of the Basilica." Following the incident, the attraction has been closed to visitors indefinitely.  © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Firenze_-_Basilica_di_Santa_Croce,_laterale.jpg'>Wikimedia user Luca Aless</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> Photos shared by tourists on TripAdvisor show scaffolding inside the Basilica as recently as four years ago. As of 2016, visitors reported that areas of the Basilica were under renovation. With such a rich, relatively underfunded, and rapidly deteriorating built heritage, Italy has suffered similar incidents in recent years. In 1989, a 14th Century campanile (bell tower) collapsed in Pavia, killing 4 people. In October of 2012, a cornice detached from the wall of the Palace of Caserta near Naples; a part of the roof subsequently collapsed. The Italian Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini, has said in light of the incident that prosecutors will "conduct an investigation to determine whether faulty maintenance was to blame." News via The Guardian, Yahoo.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Crisp House / Robert Nichol & sons Posted: 19 Oct 2017 10:00 AM PDT  © Jack Lovel
 © Jack Lovel From the architect. Heritage houses are a double edged sword for an architect, especially if it's an own home. On the one hand there is the emotive almost romantic aspect of history and on the other you have the pragmatic aspects of Planning and regulations- then you mix this with the desire to fully realise the potential of a site and location.  © Jack Lovel Crisp House was certainly no exception to this.  © Jack Lovel Early concepts for the re-development tended to focus purely on Planning and meeting local guidelines - looking to maximise the potential of the site rather than consideration to the existing cottage. Using the height of the apartment block to the north as a guide, various schemes using 3 levels were explored. [Collingwood was on the up and up] and maximising the site potential seemed to be the sensible [financial] way to go.  © Jack Lovel At the same time we also started to delve into the past in preparation for Council submission, and it's then that our attitude took a turn. As we learnt more about the cottage and the Collingwood Slope district we decided that there was great value in the history, that it was important to ensure it was preserved.  © Jack Lovel The house name derives from an association with Edward Crisp, an Irish brewer who established the Burton Brewery in nearby Cambridge Street. It was a pre-fab cottage imported from England during early settlement of the 1850's. The Collingwood Slope was one of the first subdivisions outside of Melbourne and the industrialists all flocked here. They needed accommodation quickly and these timber dwellings appeared throughout the area, to be replaced later with more substantial brick dwellings. Crisp House is among the oldest remaining timber dwellings in Collingwood, and this is the reason for the high rating. Edward actually built the neighbouring brick home and moved his family into there in the late 60's, Crisp House undergoing further expansion around then into 2 small cottages which accounts for the 2 front entrances we see today.  After / Elevations The restoration works undertaken included a complete re build of the original cottage - nothing was of a redeemable quality. The beaded weatherboards were reproduced in Baltic pine using the original boards as the template, there were in fact 2 sizes as the conversion in the 1860's used a smaller sized board. The original double hung cord and weight windows were reproduced, and the smaller 6 pane configuration reintroduced after being removed during previous renovation works. The timber veranda posts were returned along with the wooden decorative details, and during the demolition of the cottage we were able to collect a bag of hand forged nails, fascinated by their existence and a great reminder of its age.  © Jack Lovel The design has opened up a small confined cottage into a free-flowing airy residence. Once past the original portion of the dwelling, the use of extensive glazing and north facing skylights flood the interiors with light. Large sliding doors open up to the outside areas with seamless floor levels. Structural elements have been left exposed adding visual interest to the interiors which emphasise and celebrate a range of natural finishes – plywood /oak /steel /bluestone /cement. Concealed behind the angled roof form is a large roof terrace which brings the primary outdoor space up to a level where solar access is guaranteed and is easily accessible from the living spaces via a sculptural external steel and wooden stair.  © Jack Lovel In a varying streetscape of heritage and industrial buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries, and in an area of continued development and change Crisp House has finally secured its place. Hemmed in by taller buildings either side of it, the original cottage was overwhelmed and neglected for decades - its identity compromised by inappropriate treatments. The new works now fill in this gap and provide a sensitive and recessive backdrop to the faithfully restored dwelling that originated some 160+ years ago in England.  © Jack Lovel  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Michael Maltzan Architecture and UNStudio Headline 2017 Zumtobel Group Awards Posted: 19 Oct 2017 09:00 AM PDT  Star Apartments / Michael Maltzan Architecture. Image © Iwan Baan Zumtobel Group has announced the 2017 winners of its Zumtobel Group Awards for architecture, which rewards the year's innovations which best promote "sustainability and humanity in the built environment." Leading the awards is Los Angeles-based firm Michael Maltzan Architecture whose Star Apartments project, which provides 102 homes for previously homeless individuals in LA, was awarded the prize in Zumtobel Group's Buildings category. Also winning prizes were UNStudio, Atelier TeamMinus, and Arturo Vittori. Read on for more details and the full list of winners and honorable mentions. WinnersAward in the Buildings category: Star Apartments / Michael Maltzan Architecture Star Apartments / Michael Maltzan Architecture. Image © Iwan Baan Award in the Urban Developments & Initiatives category: Arnhem Station Masterplan / UNStudio Arnhem Central Station Masterplan / UNStudio. Image © Siebe Swart Award in the Applied Innovations category: Warka Water / Arturo Vittori Warka Water / Arturo Vittori. Image © Arturo Vittori Special award for Young Professionals: Jianamani Visitor Center / Atelier TeamMinus Jianamani Visitor Center / Atelier TeamMinus. Image © Bu Lai En Honorable mentionsBuildings categoryFarming Kindergarten / Vo Trong Nghia Architects Urban Developments & Initiatives categoryEmpower Shack / Urban-Think Tank Applied Innovations category3for2 Beyond Efficiency / Architecture and Building Systems Research Group, ETH Zurich Special award for Young Professionals3for2 Beyond Efficiency / Architecture and Building Systems Research Group, ETH Zurich  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Barton Hills Addition / Murray Legge Architecture Posted: 19 Oct 2017 08:00 AM PDT  © Andrea Calo
 © Andrea Calo From the architect. Sited on a beautifully wooded property on the western slopes of Barton Hills, this renovation, and expansion of an existing split-level house engages the land by both carving into rising and out of the ground.  © Andrea Calo A new master suite nestles half-buried into the ground alongside a stand of oak and elm trees in the center of the property. From the interior of the master bedroom, a wall of expansive glazing frames an immersive view of the trees and landscape. Tapered parallel strand columns elegantly support custom steel window frames and blend in with the background field of dark tree trunks. From the exterior, the window wall reflects the surrounding vegetation and new pool at the opposite end of the property.  © Andrea Calo The second floor with bedrooms and an exterior porch rises up into the tree canopy. A glazing strategy similar to the ground floor window wall provides wide views towards the west, but with off-the-shelf window units in lieu of a custom system. Each bedroom receives light from multiple directions to create spaces with abundant natural illumination.  © Andrea Calo  Section 2  © Andrea Calo  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 26 Firms Shortlisted to Provide Designs for US Diplomatic Buildings Posted: 19 Oct 2017 07:00 AM PDT .jpg?1508428562 "View of Beirut overlooking Bernard Khoury Architects' B 018 . Image © Bernard Khoury Architects") View of Beirut overlooking Bernard Khoury Architects' B 018 . Image © Bernard Khoury Architects The Department of State's Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), whose mission is to provide safe, secure and functional facilities that represent the U.S. Government in U.S. foreign policy objectives, has shortlisted twenty-six design firms for the Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Worldwide Design Services solicitation. The IDIQ provides comprehensive Architecture/Engineering (A/E) services for both new construction and modernization projects at U.S. diplomatic facilities worldwide.
The shortlisted firms are:
In Stage 2, the shortlisted firms will assemble their technical team; submit detailed information regarding their past performance, team management, and quality control plans; and interview with OBO. Courtesy of the U.S. Department of State.
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| Posted: 19 Oct 2017 06:00 AM PDT .jpg?1508386766 "© José Hevia") © José Hevia
.jpg?1508386784 "© José Hevia") © José Hevia From the architect. The establishment is located on the ground floor of Francolí street number 53, Barcelona. Physically, it has a tube-like structure of 17x3,80m. The first decision, bearing in mind it had closed its doors more than 10 years ago and the state of conservation was quite precarious, was to rehabilitate the most damaged elements and to preserve the premise's original structure, without intervening in it.  Axonometric Conceptually, the owners bet on a Catalan traditional cuisine restaurant, which offers classic dishes such as escabetxos, ofegats, and suquets, but trying to give them a contemporary touch. Likewise, it is also a place where you can have the typical vermouth during the weekend. This implies, at the establishment's distribution level, having a bar but also tables. Because of the initial load-bearing walls, we decided to maintain them, dividing the space into three sectors: .jpg?1508386730 "© José Hevia") © José Hevia LOUNGE: The entrance area is kept clear, without invading it with the bar. Instead, gathering tables with lateral bars are included. The height is preserved. .jpg?1508386820 "© José Hevia") © José Hevia BAR: It is placed behind the first load-bearing wall, respecting and making the most out of its openings. It disposes of a direct vision to the lounge, and in this space, you can also find the kitchen. The main bar is assisted by lateral support bars. The height is variable, gathering up the working zone for the installations. .jpg?1508386863 "© José Hevia") © José Hevia HALL: Having already passed through the bar and the access to the restrooms, there is a collected space of reduced height which is used for the most intimate and relaxed meals with tables and chairs in front of a bench. This area, initially dark, rests on a patio that has been coated and, as for the light, it has been treated in order to provide the client with a feeling of open and fresh air.  Original Floor Plan  Modified Floor Plan By means of the materials, the geometries and the way in which they are arranged, there is a wish to establish a conceptual dialogue with the proposed establishment: Catalan traditional elements of construction but disposed of in a way that breaks with the preconceived idea, contributing with the necessary modernity. All of this intervention is made from level 0 to 2.20: as from this height, it is plastered and everything is painted with the same color. .jpg?1508386799 "© José Hevia") © José Hevia WALLS: It is decided to peal the existing walls, and different works of masonry and factory work are found, either with a solid brick bond disposed to a rope or a partition wall. Those new wall hangings or those which are considered of little interest, are covered and painted or are covered with milled and painted DM. .jpg?1508386934 "© José Hevia") © José Hevia PAVEMENT: A conventional slab floor is placed, the most humble base material of the traditional Catalan masonry, but it is arranged at an angle and with a joint of 1cm in the longitudinal sense and with a closed joint in the transversal, remarking the direction of the pavement. At the entrance, for every 3 strings, strips of white marble are placed which emphasize even more the directionality and add depth. In the intermediate zone, linked to the bar, a pavement of 60x40cm marble tiles is disposed of. The pavement is the grid that will mark the geometry of the unique elements. .jpg?1508386830 "© José Hevia") © José Hevia UNIQUE ELEMENTS: Around the pre-existence, creoles and walls are created, and they help to finish giving shape to space and serve as a support to the main bar and the auxiliary. These elements are covered with white marble, a material traditionally used for bar's and cellar's bars. .jpg?1508386750 "© José Hevia") © José Hevia FURNITURE: Stools and tables are designed and unified with the chairs and other metallic elements by glazing them with the same color. As a highlight, there is the lamp situated in the main space, also designed ad-hoc, of 3m of diameter and suspended and inclined towards the entrance.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| JCândido Building / Oficina Conceito Arquitetura Posted: 19 Oct 2017 04:00 AM PDT
 © Rodolpho Reis From the architect. The JCândido Building is situated at Zamenhoff Street, a peaceful street and predominant residential in the capital of south of Brazil. The project began to show up in 2015, 20 months before to be absolutely given to the residents.  © Rodolpho Reis The program was created from the front land limitations. A really small dimension, of just 13,5 meters, considering that the idea was a construction with retreat sideways. That would allow openings all over the lateral façade, impacting considerably the cross-ventilations and natural light gains in the units.
The type plan is composed of two units and a vertical circulation between them. Also, on the last floor, there are two duplex with penthouse, which complete the proposed program of 10 units. A front garden, with no grid protection, is kind of a gift to the city. By the way, as soon as you get in front of the building or walking on the street, you run into a graphite art which was developed by Paxart. On the ground floor, there is the main entrance and some parking lots at the back of the ground, and a parking underground enough space providing greater comfort.  © Rodolpho Reis The common areas are an important transition zone from the urban chaos to our sweet home. To respect and prize these places, we decided to create a sensorial identity treatment present on the façade, all common areas, garage and at the apartments access circulation as well. So, the intimate energy and cosiness arise from natural materiality, warm colors and artistic intervention. Creating this energy, the intention is make the residents feel at home as soon they get in the garage, not only inside the apartment. The proximity of the apartaments next to the street offer a sense of secure and an enjoyable ambience for who walk on this street.  © Rodolpho Reis A flexible apartment layout for was the solution for the diversity of residents. That allowed to decide how many bedrooms they would like, from one to three. On the back façade, next to the bedroom there is a balcony to get a better solar incidence on the east side. Also, the same balcony on the frontal façade makes the connection with the living room and outside area. In the afternoon, the high incidence is protected by a sliding panel's as brise soleil. Looking for an identity with the Jerivá preserved in the frontal garden, was establish that this brise system should be a natural color like jeriva's elements. In addition, to the daily handling and maintenance future we decided on aluminum with electrostatic painting woody pattern, which will ensure the aesthetic of the façade for many centuries. Actually, an easy maintenance was the main point talking about the materials definition.  Plan Type 4  Plan Type 7 Greater durability, impacts resistance and storms guided us to choose to use in the common area polished granite, porcelain tile and glass mosaic and on the façade perforated plate, ceramic pellets and aluminum.  © Rodolpho Reis  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 19 Oct 2017 03:15 AM PDT  Israeli Curatorial Team (2018 Venice Architecture Biennale). Image © Daniel Sheriff The Israeli Ministry of Culture have revealed In Statu Quo: Architecture of Negotiation as the theme of the Israeli Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale. In the exhibition architects Ifat Finkelman, Deborah Pinto Fdeda, Oren Sagiv, and curator Tania Coen-Uzzielli, will examine "the complex mechanism of the 'Status Quo' within shared holy places in Israel-Palestine, which functions as an informal—if controversial and fragile—system of coexistence between rivals." "In the geopolitical context of the Holy Land," the curatorial team argue, "the combination of historical events, myths, and traditions has created a multiplicity of places, sacred to competing groups of religions, communities and affiliations. These in turn," they argue, "have led to the formation of an extraordinary concentration of intricate spaces, fragmented and stratified both historically and physically." As a result, and through "a delicate web of political negotiations and agreements, [...] each place preserves its own 'modus vivendi' while maintaining a meticulously performed protocol of daily activities, arrangements and rituals."
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| "Autotuned Architecture" Is Endangering the Craft of Architectural Construction Posted: 19 Oct 2017 02:30 AM PDT  The construction site for a house (designed by the author), located on one of the Thimble Islands, off the coast of Connecticut, circa 1990. Image © Duo Dickinson This article was originally published by Common Edge as "Separating Architecture From the Building Arts Produces Soulless Structures." Truth be told, many architects I know are a little uneasy about their lack of building knowledge. Since architecture without construction is largely a graphic arts exercise, this is either deeply ironic or grimly paradoxical. To bridge this yawning gap, architects today typically hire a slew of consultants—roof, skin, curtain wall, interior, sustainability, preservation—who join the growing influence of software-driven structural and mechanical engineers to absorb much of what architects once assumed they could handle.
Back in the day, architects knew just enough about construction to be a little dangerous. The balconies at Fallingwater are still in a slow sag. It took two renovations to fix the leaky glazed roof in Kahn's Yale Center for British Art. It's pretty easy to look back at a masterwork and presume the architect was in full control of how the project was built—a dangerous assumption. In the early 1960s Yale Architecture Dean Paul Rudolph was on the construction site of his Temple Street Parking Garage in New Haven. In his entourage was Dave Sellers, a young Yale grad student. Sellers remembers Rudolph gesticulating a sweeping instruction to the assembled crew, while behind his back, a construction worker openly mocked the Great Architect's errant, uninformed "corrections." The resulting building was a reinforced concrete masterpiece. But Sellers vowed to never let that happen to him: he devoted himself to understanding construction by participating in the realization of his designs. He went on to design/build scores of structures, starting with a gaggle of crazy spaceship homes on Prickly Mountain near Warren, Vermont. Among those helping him build the houses was another Yale grad student, Louis Mackall. In July 1978 I took the bus from Philadelphia to New Haven, to visit the man who would become my mentor. Mackall was one of four architects I wrote to, offering myself as their slave. (The others were Antoine Predock, Barton Myers and Turner Brooks.) Nice notes of "sorry" were returned from all but Mackall. He had just published an exquisite house in Record Houses. It was sweet in its soft shape, edgy in its cut voids into that shape, but what got to me, deeply, was that Mackall had made every door, window, railing, cabinet, and piece of hardware for that tiny beach house. Louis was the classic hybrid: an authentic craftsman-architect. Every detail in the home was exquisitely thought out; each piece of assembly had presence; each connection was expressed; and the materials mattered: teak, brass, ash, steel. The other architects I wrote to also cared passionately about how their work was built. Like any good architect they knew that a building's shape mattered in relationship to its site. However, unlike so many of their peers, then and now, these architects also expressed each design's functions and structure through the nature of the materials and the connections they employed: their joinery and the surfaces and shapes they created were rich tapestries woven together by the art of building. After my schooling—five years at Cornell, in the belly of MidCentury White Architecture's beast—something in me knew that I could only learn from those who had a deeper knowledge. And precious few of my teachers, up to that point, had more than a passing acquaintance with one crucial aspect of architecture: construction. (Building, in other words, as a verb.) Yes, we had built fabric stress-skin structures and polyhedron 3D trusses of electric conduit. But it was clear that this was simply checking off a box, like acoustics and materials, garnishes to a 5-year academic feast of design-uber-alles. So I traveled to Connecticut to audition for an internship with the architect-craftsman. Upon entering I was completely blown away by his house, which he wrought as a three-story wall between rocks, completely clad in concrete bits and pieces. Each piece had a wooden "boss" made by Louis, which allowed a fiberglass mold to be made from it, where Louis, inspired by Bernard Maybeck's "Bubble Crete," poured fiber-reinforced concrete into them to make shingles, windows, trim and stairs. Inside those cast openings were wood and plexiglass doors and windows. All, of course, fabricated by the architect. My drafting board was set next to a giant bandsaw and, as Louis and two woodworkers ground away, I drew, getting sunburned in the Plexiglas window that my drawing board faced. After toiling for a week amid the screech of power tools and the stench of Muscovy Duck poop in the walk-out basement, I passed the audition.  The home of architect and craftsman Louis Mackall, 1974, Guilford, Connecticut. Image © Duo Dickinson Six months later, I joined Louis at a new shop location with a drafting spot away from power tools, but I was never away from building. In my nine years working with Louis, ultimately as his junior partner, I was the "shop drawing guy" for his shop, Breakfast Woodworks. In that role I redrew drawings from some of the highest profile architecture offices in the northeast. I was initially shocked, then amused, at the lack of understanding of how basic material properties, connection technologies, and simple dimensioning, compromised so many clever, even inspiring, designs. Eventually I realized that was the ethic. How a building was assembled, its build-ability, was seldom at the top of most architects' agendas. I was effectively a 1980s version of Millwork Revit. I answered the questions that the design architects did not know were there to be asked. It was just easier that way: out of sight, out of mind. Today that wave of white shape that floods our screens is blissfully mute when it comes to conveying how these shapes get built, seldom expressing what materials other than "white" and "void" are at the heart of their forms. Metal, stone and wood are astringently applied spices in a decidedly non-crafty cuisine. Aesthetics are subjective. The human factors of bias and belief are neither "right" nor "wrong," but our choices do have consequences. For example, I don't like seafood. I don't have a food allergy, and I'm not taking an ethical position, it just tastes bad to me. So I miss out on cracking open a lobster tail, extracting the contents, dipping it in butter, and devouring the meat. The architects who cannot taste the beauty in the act of building, the joy in each joint, the thrill of openly expressing a set of materials, are just not hungry for them. I am not a bad person because I get queasy over shrimp, and the new flood of software technologies are a terrific appetite suppressant for those who might hunger for a richer cuisine. There are very few role models of the architect-craftsmen celebrated in awards and publication. This lack of exposure distances young architects from the joy of knowing how things are made. Distance can make the heart go wander. Once lost, the taste for diving into the beauty of detail expression can leave an architect uneasy about asserting its value. Many architects are fine with giving up control of how their designs are built, just hitting "send," and whisking their drawings off to the software jockeys. But something is lost when the design/build process is based more on hands-off two-dimensional design than three-dimensional building. Buildings are increasingly losing their humanity as software answers questions that used to give architects new avenues for creativity. Once lost, the artisanal aspects of any creative act are gone forever. Like architecture, technology is processing music into a place where there is less evidence of the human hand in the final product, as more of it is Autotuned and "digitally enhanced" to become predictably "perfect." If architecture is, as Goethe noted, frozen music, then Autotuned Architecture loses the potential for spontaneity and idiosyncrasy. When architects lose contact with the building arts, the human touch is lost. Duo Dickinson has been an architect for more than 30 years. His eighth book, A Home Called New England, will be released later this year. He is the architecture critic for the New Haven Register and writes on design and culture for the Hartford Courant, and is on the Faculty at The Building Beauty Program at UniSOB University in Naples, Italy.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Objective Subject Offices / GRT Architects Posted: 19 Oct 2017 02:00 AM PDT  © Nicole Franzen
 © Nicole Franzen From the architect. When adapting nineteenth century buildings to new functions we more often than not find ourselves removing walls to accommodate new users' needs. In this case we found that radically accentuating the differences between existing rooms and playing up the separation uniquely suited our client's desire for an intimate work space designed more like a home than an office.  Axonometric At the top of a 19th century building near the Flatiron Building, GRT created an office for a small UX design firm. As found, the space was divided into three rooms, each with a similarly dramatic north-facing 'sawtooth' skylight reaching sixteen feet at its peak. Into this triptych we decanted the functions of a creative office.  © Nicole Franzen One enters through a working kitchen with generous counters at standing height, designed for editing large format printed materials but usable also for informal dining and events. Visible through an old textured glass door is an entirely black-blue room with wall-to-wall carpet. Poured over with light from the room-sized skylight above, the space envelopes you with an absorbing depth, texture, and acoustic isolation. Despite appearances as the nap-room, it mainly functions as an internal and client meeting space. Adjacent is the office where the milk-grey seen on the painted floors extends up to the color of the custom workstation, pin-up board, and shelving which wraps three walls continuously allowing the firm to experiment with different modes of work and collaboration.  Floor Plan The result is a collection of distinct spaces that compliment but do not imitate each other. Openings between rooms were left deliberately modest to accentuate the sense of departure when passing from one to the next. Throughout, custom plywood millwork is scribed to the irregular geometry of the existing walls. Modest materials were selected for economy and ease of replacement as much as aesthetics.  © Nicole Franzen  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Architecture Guide to Montevideo: 15 Sites That Every Architect Should Visit Posted: 19 Oct 2017 01:00 AM PDT  via Flickr User: Marcelo Campi Licensed Under CC BY-SA 2.0 There are a number of reasons to visit the architecture of Montevideo: the coastal city is the result of a complex interaction of historical factors that provided multiple trends and architectural styles, currently coexisting at par. Its streets and buildings tell the story of its past. The city´s architectural sites are easily found walking around Ciudad Vieja (Old Town) or in the renowned Rambla. Below is a list of 15 sites that every architect should know of and visit.
01. Salvo Palace/ Mario PalantiAddress: Avenida 18 de Julio y Plaza Independencia  via Wikipedia User: Rarrillaga86 Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 02. Solís Theatre / Carlo ZucchiAddress: Reconquista s/n esquina Bartolomé Mitre .jpg?1506112767 "via Wikipedia User: Mverocai Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0") via Wikipedia User: Mverocai Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 03. Municipal Theatre and Museum of Art History / Mauricio CravottoAddress: Avenida 18 de Julio y Ejido  via Wikipedia User: Edmundo Rodríguez Prati Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 04. Port MarketAddress: Piedras y Calle Perez Castellano  via Flickr User: mertxe iturrioz Licensed Under CC BY-SA 2.0 05. National Auditorium, Sodre Dra. Adela RetaAddress: Andes y Mercedes  via Wikipedia User: Estudiante1969 Licensed Under CC BY-SA 4.0 06. Ciudadela Building / Raúl Sichero y Ernesto CalvoAddress: Juncal 1301  via Wikipedia User: Christian Córdova Licensed Under CC BY 2.0 07. Verano Ramón Collazo TheatreAddress: Rambla Pte. Wilson s/n  via Wikipedia User: NaBUru38 Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 08. Architecture Faculty, Universidad de la RepúblicaAddress: Bulevar General Artigas 1031  via Wikipedia User: EveDirectioner Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 09. National Museum of Visual Arts / Clorindo Testa.jpg?1506109730 "via Wikipedia User: Fcr Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0") via Wikipedia User: Fcr Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 Address: Avenida Tomas Giribaldi 2283 10. Engineering Faculty, Universidad de la RepúblicaAddress: Ave Julio Herrera y Reissig 565  via Wikipedia User: Pedro Felipe Licensed Under CC BY-SA 4.0 11. El Indio Building/ Jorge CaprarioAddress: Leyenda Patria 2866  via Flickr User: Jimmy Baikovicius Licensed Under CC BY-SA 2.0 12. Pittamiglio CastleAddress: Rambla Mahatma Gandhi 633  via Wikipedia User: Andrea Mazza Licensed Under CC BY-SA 3.0 13. Friendship Park / Marcelo Roux + Gastón CuñaAddress: Avenida Gral. Rivera 3254  Cortesía de Marcelo Roux 14. Panamerican building / Raúl SicheroAddress: Avenida Dr. Luis Alberto de Herrera 1042 .jpg?1506112891 "via Wikipedia User: Babels Licensed Under CC BY-SA 4.0") via Wikipedia User: Babels Licensed Under CC BY-SA 4.0 15. Urban Environment, Montevideo´s RamblaAddress: A lo largo de la Rambla de Montevideo  via Flickr User: todo tiempo pasado fue mejor Licensed Under CC BY 2.0  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Tiny House Design Competition Winners Revealed Posted: 18 Oct 2017 11:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of Volume Zero A design for a portable, sustainable 250 square foot house is no tall order. But back in June, online design magazine, Volzero, put $3200 USD on the line for designers to honor this request through their Tiny House Design Competition. Interior program requirements included: Living Area | Sleeping Area for 2 | Cooking and Dining Area | Toilet | Workspace. Around the world, creatives worked to conquer the puzzle of maximum usable space with a minimum footprint. Tiny houses were born. The jury consisted of five principals of different design firms: Abraham Cota Parades, Andrew Patterson, Didier Ryan, Md.Rafiq Azam and Sameep Padora. In addition to filling the basic needs of the competition, winning projects display a strong concept, and unique personality. These are the winners of the Tiny House Design Competition: First PlaceHome.rar / Chan Ting Leung Henry, Lau Yuan Lei Flora, Yuen Tung Hing  Courtesy of Volume Zero  Courtesy of Volume Zero The room people occupy within a house is constantly changing. One minute you're in the kitchen cooking dinner, the next you're reading a book in the bedroom. Home.rar applies the principle of spatial hierarchy to whatever room the homeowner is currently using. Any unused space is compressed, and the space being used at the moment is maximized. The result is similar to that of a transformer. Through moving parts laundry and bedroom changes into kitchen and workspace which then becomes a courtyard and closet. Second PlaceAutonomous / Mattias Nilsson, David Fjällström  Courtesy of Volume Zero  Courtesy of Volume Zero Second place is awarded to a rotating house with a Scandinavian flavor. Similar to a circular Rubik's Cube, Autonomous has four spatial "solutions" for differing daily functions: cooking, working, living, and sleeping. This spatial rotating function is independent from Autonomous' mobile function which works like a bi-wheel vehicle. Third PlaceGolpo Baksho / Debaditya Maity, Anwesh das, Soumyajit Bagchi 0001.jpg?1507812421 "Courtesy of Volume Zero") Courtesy of Volume Zero  Courtesy of Volume Zero The third place project pays close attention to the clients' needs and sustainable materials. Similar to an ancient Indian temple, stories are engraved on the walls of Golpo Baksho - as an important nod to history and culture. Materials include plywood, solar panel, aluminum sheet, vinyl roof, PVC flooring, and polycarbonate. Honorable mentions can be viewed here. News via: Volzero.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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