Arch Daily |
- Niczky Apartment / Béres Architects
- Delta Galil / Auerbach Halevy Architects
- An’garden Café / Le House
- Yangsan Eorinjip / Architects Group RAUM
- HEY HOUSE / nLDK Architects
- Topwin Center & InterContinental in Beijing / HOK
- Feast for the Senses / KYDO
- Drone Flyover Shows Construction Progress on Disney's Star Wars Theme Parks
- Substantial HQ / goCstudio
- Perkins + Will's Prismatic Facade Scheme Wins Competition for York University Building in Toronto
- Seis Building / SML ARQUITECTOS + MATHIAS KLOTZ
- New Rendering Shows Off the Final Design of BIG's Twisting High Line Towers as Construction Moves Forward
- Swallowfield Barn / MOTIV Architects
- Lessons From the Latest Bjarke Ingels Documentary: Don’t Let Your Next Building Be Your Last
- House SM at Calafquén Lake / Claro + Westendarp arquitectos
- Concrete Blocks in Architecture: How to Build With This Modular and Low-Cost Material
- The Intricate, Undulating Brickwork at Eladio Dieste's Cristo Obrero Church in Uruguay
- Faith Schools’ Joint Campus / BDP
| Niczky Apartment / Béres Architects Posted: 12 Mar 2018 08:00 PM PDT  © Tamás Bujnovszky
 © Tamás Bujnovszky Text description provided by the architects. Only a few years have passed by since Béres Architects designed its first realized projekt, the Hideg house in Kőszeg, Hungary. The client, Attila Hideg recently found another interesting property where he intended to create something unusual in a medieval context. As he explains „The apartment in the nearly 400-year-old building needed a thorough renovation after most of its values were damaged or hidden during the last reconstruction works in the 1980's. We had to virtually step back in time to recall and save the values of the house"  © Tamás Bujnovszky  Elevation / Section 01 The medieval oldtown of Kőszeg is unique and famous for its intergrity and charming atmosphere. The castle and fortification of the Jurisic family has an extremely interesting history. The most memorable date is 1532 when the Turkish army attacked the town. We found the latest information on the property from the years right after the battle. The house had been built right on top of the outer wall of the moat. Parts of this structure is still visible and exposed on the exterior of the building. A small wine cellar and the rooms of the upper floor were added to the house some time before 1684. In the 18th century the Niczky family bought the property and rented out the small apartment facing the castle for travelling artist and merchants.  © Tamás Bujnovszky At the renovation of the apartment the main goal was to convert the unit into a guest house again. „We intended to stay away from the rigidity of regular apartment plans and to re-create the lightness and elegance of a hotel suite or a guest house we designed a relatively open plan. By using simple solutions we aimed to create clean and worthy spaces that reflect and highlight the history of the context."  © Tamás Bujnovszky The arrangement of spaces within the apartment is somewhat unusual. Most of the basement is opened to the small private garden. It acts as a filter space between inside and outside combining various functions for all four seasons such as a wine cellar, relaxation space, sauna and storage. At arrival, visitors immediately experience the ancient walls and the heavy vaults that tell stories about the history of the house and the castle district.  © Tamás Bujnovszky The upper floor consists of 3 main spaces. Framed by the given envelope of the exterior walls, the apartment is divided into a living room-bedroom area, a kitchen-dining area and a bathroom. There are no partition walls or interior doors to separate these spaces. The visual links between the rooms and even the exterior create some sort of classical elegance.  © Tamás Bujnovszky Even though the apartment is situated on the north end of the building, it has windows to three different directions. The surrounding national monuments, churches and fortification walls reflect light into the rooms in unexpected and interesting ways.  Elevation / Section 04 „The essence of the climate of the space is given by the centuries-old restored stone walls. Everything else is secondary and helps to highlight the real values," explains architect Attila Béres the thoughts behind the architectural concept. The walls become younger as they rise. Every layer has a story about the past - the Turkish siege, the great fire and periods of resurgence. They carry marks of craftmanship quality or even necessity.  © Tamás Bujnovszky Most of the new surfaces are white, moderate and simple. The oiled larch boards of the flooring return as decorative parts of the built-in furniture. „We used small and simple signs and gestures to link the elements of the space. We defined clear but not harsh boundaries between old and new parts. Silent tones," says Attila Béres.  © Tamás Bujnovszky The architect describes the process as uplifting and special. „We knew that the worth of the building is hiding behind the layers of plaster. Together with Attila Hideg we kept updating and re-evaluating our thoughts along the phases of the design and construction to get the best result. It is almost impossible to compare this method with the evolution of the design of a newbuilt house. A tricky and interesting field for us to test how we behave outside our architectural comfort zone."  © Tamás Bujnovszky  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Delta Galil / Auerbach Halevy Architects Posted: 12 Mar 2018 07:00 PM PDT  © Uzi Porat
 © Uzi Porat Text description provided by the architects. Delta Galil complex spans about 20,000 square meters. The building resembles fabric spools, one of which spreads out and connects to the logistics warehouse. At the top center of the building, a geometric dome floods all the office floors with natural light and connects the entire structure lengthwise.  Ground Floor Plan Delta Galil, an Israeli textile company founded in 1975, started out with two small sewing factories and over the years has become a world power, and is now one of the most important global players in the field of underwear manufacturing and design. The company's vision is based on innovation, quality and comfort. These principles guided us when designing the structure.  © Uzi Porat Delta Galil compound, located in the industrial area south of Caesarea next to a grove of Eucalyptus trees, brings together workers arriving daily office, a logistics warehouse and production lines. The green campus includes the global corporate headquarters, a logistics facility, a sewing factory with advanced technology, a design center in a spacious garden.  Section The offices are placed in a circular manner along the large windows. Each floor has a kitchen and a balcony. The landscape changes from balcony to balcony, and floor to floor – overlooking the industrial area, the sea and the grove. The shading in the structure is carried out in two ways: first by overlapping the floors and the second, by oval shaped louvers that retain the open views.  © Uzi Porat The structure above the upper spool unfolds and creates a floating bridge leading into the logistics warehouse, wrapped in corrugated sheet metal. The warehouse contains thousands of crates placed by a sophisticated shelving system. Under the bridge, pathways curl around the structure and create green terraces and ponds that are connected directly to the dining room on the ground floor.  © Uzi Porat The balance between the office building and the warehouse operations resulted in a precise storage space and an impressive and iconic office building. Together they function as a single unit that defines an innovative brand.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2018 05:00 PM PDT  © Hyroyuki Oki
 © Hyroyuki Oki Text description provided by the architects. While a house full of steel frame may sound dry and heavy, the impression of An'garden café comes from impromptu hanging plant pots, conjuring up a vision of a dreamlike hanging garden. Another reason why this construction is special is the requirements of the owner – "This is a present for my wife."  © Hyroyuki Oki A strange style that makes this café shop unique .jpg?1520321419 "Section") Section  © Hyroyuki Oki Sophisticated as the appearance may seem, it did not take long to finish the construction. The design both expresses industrial style and dominates other space design principles of traditional café shops that can be found on any Vietnamese streets. Only by visiting An'garden Café can people remember a building that finds artistic expression in its industrial design language, void spaces and design principles that break from original standards. The color tone of the shop synchronizes with white-gray color from cement blended with wood color and black color from steel frames.  © Hyroyuki Oki Green elements along the space is another emphasis  © Hyroyuki Oki This building offers a special area for children. It might be a small problem when you have to bring your children with you to a café shop. However, a playground built right in this place will remove those worries. This is a special of the shop for your family! The top floor of An'garden Café gives you an overview of the entire building. Glass layers allow people to watch the sky and forget the loneliness. This floor receives the most sunlight throughout a day. The light is partly blocked by the wooden-framed curtain on the ceiling, comforting every guest. Wherever you are in this café shop, you can enjoy each and every dimension of this place and capture beautiful moments. Various styles have been used to construct this building. Nevertheless, they work perfectly with one another. This makes An'garden Café gorgeous, outstanding and worth a visit when you come to Ha Noi. Viet Nam.  © Hyroyuki Oki  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Yangsan Eorinjip / Architects Group RAUM Posted: 12 Mar 2018 03:00 PM PDT  © Yoon Joonhwan
 © Yoon Joonhwan  Diagrams Text description provided by the architects. A typical house is sized by its economic logic. In particular, houses on the land built in the new town are usually built with a designated building closure rate and a given capacity rate. But this is a small family home for young couples and young children. So, build the minimum house that family members need now. And the house was able to grow with the growth of the family.  © Yoon Joonhwan The young house was built according to the existing circumstances, and this young house was designed to provide a basis for future growth. Eorinjip is the only home that can grow up as a child. Space is not complete from the beginning. Complete space with the residence of the family. There is an indeterminate cleavage between rooms. And this space can respond to changes in life. The living room is separate from residential space, and living room can grow into daycare room, study, and guest room. The present garage is a hobby of a man, and garage can be turned into a workshop in the future.  © Yoon Joonhwan  Sections The total composition consists of the space for the smallest number of homes, the living room, and the garage. A courtyard is a space built in cooperation with the fence. A structure suspended at the top of a courtyard is a device that enables it to be used for a variety of purposes. A small pavilion made of louvres was built in the front yard. The pavilion is a touching place for the child. And pavilion filter out the light. As the tree grows, branches and pavilion are mixed together.  © Yoon Joonhwan As the child grows, the house grows slowly and responds to the future. The second floor is one residential space where the space of the child and their parents are entirely consistent. And this is a variable space that can change (expand, separate) at any time. In a young house, the living room is growing into another new house, just as a child is tall. A garage can grow into a new workshop. The yard is also an outdoor living room, a children's playing space, which is an extension of the inner life.  © Yoon Joonhwan  Axonometry  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2018 01:00 PM PDT  © Yohei Sasakura
 © Yohei Sasakura  Ground Floor Plan Text description provided by the architects. The site is in Hibarigaoka-harnayashiki where there used be many big mansions. After worldwide war, those sites were split and now there are small new houses and big old mansions.  © Yohei Sasakura Those small house's footprints were maximized and they have small gardens as alley. Those gardens are not useful and those houses do not have enough privacy.  © Yohei Sasakura The clients wanted enough privacy and well lighted rooms.  © Yohei Sasakura We minimalized the house's footprint and maximized garden. And we designed taller wall as big mansion's. Taller wall can keep the privacy and become familiar with surrounding big mansions. The house open to the garden, the garden can be used as interior.  © Yohei Sasakura  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Topwin Center & InterContinental in Beijing / HOK Posted: 12 Mar 2018 12:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of HOK
 Courtesy of HOK Text description provided by the architects. Situated in the Sanlitun district, a trendy cultural and creative hub of Beijing, the InterContinental Sanlitun distinguishes itself as a landmark building in the district. As a refreshing contrast to the contemporary buildings in the area, the hotel's facade features a hexagon-patterned steel structure integrated with LED lights to give the tower an interesting texture by day and a compelling light show by night. The project includes a 305-key InterContinental Hotel, 48 luxury apartments and a 40,000-sq.-m. boutique retail mall.  Courtesy of HOK A narrow site challenged the design team's creativity. The resulting form features adramatic exterior while offering uninterrupted panoramic views for the hotel guests inside. To achieve this, the designers envisioned a curved silhouette at the two ends of the building for bigger suites while using a linear silhouette in the center where the typical guestrooms are located.  Roof Plan With the building's linear massing, most of the hotel's guestrooms face either stunning skyline views of the Forbidden City and Beijing's energetic financial district to the west,or its vibrant local cultural district in the east. Guestrooms on both north and south ends were given a triangular floor arrangement to enjoy 270 degree views. The hotel restaurant's patio on the lower floor allows diners to experience the hustle and bustle of the trendy Beijing city.  Courtesy of HOK  Section Entrances for the retail, hotel and residential components are separated to keep traffic flows distinct. The dramatic hotel entrance features one of the largest revolving doors in Beijing as a grand and impressive entrance into the lobby.  Courtesy of HOK The building's four basement floors are used for guest parking, storage, mechanical systems, staff training rooms and other operational functions to avoid disrupting guests. Lifts for servicing the kitchen and other staff needs were designed for separate use to ensure efficient service. With the careful planning of public areas, operational spaces and user flows, the design creates a building that is artistic, efficient and cost effective.  Courtesy of HOK The building materials were carefully chosen to reduce energy consumption through minimizing solar heat gain and glare.  Courtesy of HOK  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2018 10:00 AM PDT  © Te-Fan Wang
 © Te-Fan Wang Text description provided by the architects. Situated in the heart of downtown Taipei, Lao Wang Hot Pot seems to have inherited the streaming lights of the city. Like a torch sparkling with seduction, the restaurant's spectral pattern creates a stage as much a visual feast as it is a culinary one. Inspired by the symbols of salt and light found in the gospel of Matthews, the design seeks to solidify and make central the most ephemeral of elements—billowing steam that signifies the coming together of people for hot pot.  © Te-Fan Wang In the stage lit space, light and steam intersect in infinite planes, accentuated by the blurred, translucent boundaries of glass partitions. Like so many pieces of cut crystal, these extend the space visually while partitioning it, refracting a universe of scintillating lights.  Plan A monochromatic palette gives center stage to the muted, layered depths of light itself. Low seating maintains the permeability of the space, while copper pendant lights—equal parts torch, guide, and beacon—situate the space.  © Te-Fan Wang Between the speckled gray of the granite tabletop, the crisscrossing of the wooden floor, and the brown fabric of the seating, the space unfolds in shades of light and shadow, at once majestic yet solemn. As visual anchor, the designers installed a wood-grain stonewall and driftwood installation on the far side of the restaurant, injecting an element of tranquility in the hubbub heart of the restaurant.  © Te-Fan Wang The kitchen area is visible through an elongated ribbon window, a mirror reflection of the horizontal partition of the dining area. Together, the two frame and transform the space into a stage, constantly in motion. Smoked onyx glass extend the sightline vertically, while the speckled stone floor—like so many pointillist dots—blur the sense of space and depth. In the flickering interplay of light and steam, one walks, as if entranced, into a space at once sensorial and sacred, a feast guided by not one, but all five senses.  © Te-Fan Wang  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Drone Flyover Shows Construction Progress on Disney's Star Wars Theme Parks Posted: 12 Mar 2018 09:20 AM PDT  via Disney Parks Construction is well underway on Disney's much anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge theme parks planned for both Disney World in Florida and Disneyland, California. A new drone video released by Disney Parks shows that many of the California park's landscape and architectural elements – including mountains spires, towers and domes – are already in place. Inspired by the real-world land- and cityscapes of Istanbul and Morocco, the park will evoke the Outer Rim planet of Batuu, a remote trade outpost located along old sub-lightspeed trade routes. Attractions will include a simulation that allows you to pilot a mission on the Millenium Falcon, an immersive adventure into a battle between the First Order and the Resistance, and a version of the famous Cantina found in the city of Mos Eisley. Check out the video below:
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| Posted: 12 Mar 2018 08:00 AM PDT  © Kevin Scott
 © Kevin Scott Text description provided by the architects. Substantial's new open work space maximizes the existing character of the building  © Kevin Scott Substantial is a digital product studio that was founded in 2006 and moved into the 100-year-old building in 2013. goCstudio was brought on board to redesign the entire 14,000-square-foot upper floor of the building to create an open plan office that would accommodate the growing needs of the company.  Main Plan  Section The upper floor at the corner of Pine and Broadway was the home of two office spaces of very different character. Substantial inhabited the smaller of the two and readily took the opportunity to expand into the rest of the floor when the previous tenant moved. The challenge was to create a cohesive open plan work space which retained the feel of the original Substantial space and would maximize the existing character of the building; exposed brick walls, old growth Douglas Fir beams and roof decking, and warehouse style window walls.  © Kevin Scott A strong programmatic concept was required to transform the space. Working closely with the owners to understand how the office operates on a day to day basis, as well as the needs of the ever growing number of events and social programs that Substantial hosts, goCstudio proposed the concept of 'The Forum.' The idea of The Forum as a place of assembly for both social and business activities drove the design of the expansion. By creating a focal point for a large office, employees and visitors alike would have a place to congregate and exchange ideas in an informal space.  © Kevin Scott Architecturally, The Forum became an open space below a new large scale skylight adjacent to the entry staircase. Not only is the skylight used as means to allow natural light into the deep plan of the building, but it also naturally draws people into the heart of the building. This space became the programmatic organizer of the new insertions which were laid out around it. A strong material palette of ebony stained plywood defines the new insertions which are organized around The Forum and tie the open plan office together. Two existing conference rooms were retained from the previous tenant in the expansion and treated with the same material palette to tie them into the new design. New dedicated spaces were required for conference rooms, quiet rooms, and phone rooms. It was these spaces which were organized around the central forum. The rooms all have large steel and glass doors in the style of the industrial warehouses of the same era as the original building. These openings to the forum allow enclosed spaces to engage with common space, especially when not in use.  © Kevin Scott For the first time in many years, views are opened up through the building, from east to west. Natural light is able to pour into the space from three sides and from above through the skylight. The new architectural insertions allow a clear understanding of the space and circulation while allowing employees flexibility in the way they work and interact with each other.  © Kevin Scott A large aspect of Substantial's working practice is the hosting of public and private events. Creating a large social space that could be multifunctional was an important factor in the design of the expansion. By day the large kitchen/dining area is used as transient work spaces for the employees who often enjoy a change of scene throughout the day. These 25-foot kitchen island and 16-foot bar island allow for an easy transformation into a busy full service event space. These were created with large CLT (cross laminated timbers) planks that were craned into the space from the alley by temporarily removing one window unit. Similarly on the north side of the office, work cubbies were created for flexible work space, providing a variety of areas for small teams or individuals. Music and creative expression have always been a thread that ties together the owners of Substantial and an important aspect within the office. The floating DJ booth that lived in the original office space was retained as a focal point on the east side of the space to be used during events.  © Kevin Scott A 20-foot-long custom reception desk which reuses Substantial's former steel entry door, was designed to greet visitors as they ascend the staircase from the street. Dedicated project rooms for team work are stacked to the north of the space, separated with simple white walls which sit in high contrast to the original exposed concrete north wall. Almost half of the office can be used as social gathering space with ease. The existing hardwood roof decking, exposed beams and brick are highlighted through the simple and clear palette of materials that are applied to the new spaces in the center of the plan. A large new skylight effectively drops natural light into the deep plan and provides a focal point for interaction between employees, clients and visitors alike.  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| Perkins + Will's Prismatic Facade Scheme Wins Competition for York University Building in Toronto Posted: 12 Mar 2018 07:10 AM PDT  The School of Continuing Studies will frame an architectural gateway at the South edge of the Campus. Image Courtesy of Perkins + Will Perkins+Will's triangulated facade scheme has won an international competition for the design of the new School of Continuing Studies at York University's Keele campus outside of Toronto, Canada. Beating out proposals from top firms, including finalists HOK andGow Hastings Architects with Henning Larsen, Perkins+Will's design twists as it rises, both reacting to solar optimization studies and opening up the building to create a new gateway at the campus' southeast entrance.  The School of Continuing Studies is exploring the use of mass timber to create durable, healthy, and inviting environments for students. Image Courtesy of Perkins + Will The new building will house the School of Continuing Studies, established three years ago to support international students, new Canadians and professionals looking to meet the "rapidly evolving demands of the workplaces of tomorrow." The design will cater to these user through the creation of "warm and inviting spaces that inspire student communities to form," and by increasing connections between spaces to encourage interaction and a culture of familiarity. But the standout feature of the design is the high performance prismatic facade, composed of photovoltaic panels and glazed openings to bring natural light into the building.  The School of Continuing Studies will feature interconnected lounge spaces that support communities of learning. Image Courtesy of Perkins + Will  The School of Continuing Studies will include a new pedestrian plaza along Pond Road. Image Courtesy of Perkins + Will The design is aiming for a range of sustainable metrics, including targeting a minimum of LEED Gold certification and a Passive House standard building envelope. To achieve this, the building will include heat recovery ventilation systems and the aformentioned integrated photovoltaic panels that will allow electricity to be generated on site. In addition, the architects and school are collaborating to explore the possibility of introducing mass timber as the building's main structure. "The creation of a new, stand-alone home for our School of Continuing Studies is another important step forward in improving access to post-secondary education at York," said York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton. "This new building will enable us to create even more lifelong learning opportunities, build connections with local and international communities, and help students of all ages and backgrounds to achieve their fullest potential." News via Perkins + Will  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Seis Building / SML ARQUITECTOS + MATHIAS KLOTZ Posted: 12 Mar 2018 06:00 AM PDT  © Nico Saieh
 © Nico Saieh Text description provided by the architects. The assignment consisted in projecting six luxury apartments in a terrain with a steep slope on the southern slope of Cerro San Luis located in Santiago de Chile. This hill, which is a kind of island within the "El Golf" neighborhood, a district that has mutated into a predominantly commercial and office area, still has a residential scale, with houses, some of them with interesting architectural quality, low rise and terraced buildings.  Section The building is created by placing four duplex units with the same characteristics in the first levels towards the "El Golf" neighborhood, while the last two are located on the upper level, deliberately settling the façade level of the lower units in order to reduce the presence of the building towards the public space and take advantage of the slope of the site. These last apartments are located on a platform built over the lower units and connecting with the upper level of the property, so that, unlike the first departments, have their four facades open to the exterior.  Section  © Nico Saieh Large terraces are proposed with a system of Aluzinc brise-soleil that cover the entire height of the duplexes in the end. This not only allows to create corners of greater privacy among these terraces but also allows the four lower units to appear clearly identified as four prismatic wooden volumes on which the upper units are supported.  © Nico Saieh The interiors are structured as an open plan with few structural elements, so that it allows different configuration alternatives and evolutions over time. Only the bathrooms and kitchens have been considered as permanent enclosures, which were designed to adequately serve all the proposed program alternatives, given the future difficulty of intervening the facilities of said enclosures.  © Nico Saieh The two upper units have a terrace and patio on all sides as well as an observation point with a glazed pool on the deck, from which you get a privileged view of the city.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2018 05:20 AM PDT  © DBOX Construction is moving along quickly on The Eleventh, BIG's twisting residential towers located near Chelsea Piers on New York City's High Line park. A new rendering released of the project shows the design in its final form (developed through a series of iterations), standing out even amongst notable neighbors including Frank Gehry's IAC Building, Jean Nouvel's 100 11th Avenue and Foster + Partners' 551 West 21st Street. Comprised of a podium and two twisting bronze and travertine-clad towers, connected by a skybridge, The Eleventh will span the entire block between 17th and 18th streets and 10th and 11th avenues. The towers will house a total of 236 residences as well as the "Six Senses New York" Spa Hotel. Learn more about the building in our previous coverage, here, and the official building website.
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| Swallowfield Barn / MOTIV Architects Posted: 12 Mar 2018 04:00 AM PDT  © Ema Peter
 © Ema Peter Text description provided by the architects. The goal of the Swallowfield barn was to use the very process of design and construction to strengthen the bond amongst a tight-knit family and to build community within their rural neighbourhood. Designed by the architect for his parents on their farm in rural Langley, BC, Canada, known affectionately as Swallowfield, it was conceived of in two parts. It is first a humble barn designed for simple inhabitants - resident cattle, swine, sheep, fowl, cats, and barn owls, with workshops and storage for a modest hobby farm. It is secondly an homage to the vernacular building forms of our nation's agricultural landscape and the community building processes that shaped them.  Site Plan The hayloft was conceived as a vibrant community gathering space, suitable for hosting concerts, weddings, art shows, poetry readings, fundraisers and long-table dinners serving an abundance of food from the small farm.  © Ema Peter The free spanning cathedral roof structure was conceived of in collaboration with world renowned wood engineer Eric Karsh. The expressive structure consists of closely spaced LVL moment frames with a unique flush ridge connection, achieved with a pair of glued-in threaded rods run through to clamp the intersecting rafter. The structure achieves a high level of economy and refined expression of traditional framing techniques. It showcases the potential for engineered wood to be celebrated in an exposed application and elevates mundane wood materials to a new level, expressing the beauty of their strength and visual simplicity.  © Ema Peter As one climbs the stairs the repetitive roof structure immediately draws the eye upward to the long linear skylight at the ridge, which infuses the space with warmth and a calming diffuse light, evoking a reverent calm in all who enter. The space requires no daytime lighting and is naturally heated during the shoulder seasons. At night it is clear this space was built to bring a community together, its glowing skylight drawing visitors from the road to the homely hustle and bustle of a local hall.  Detail Section Below the loft, the ground floor is spacious and functional with multiple entries and generous alleys to move larger equipment and animals, while integrating with the existing barn directly to the south. Large sliding doors create a generous indoor-outdoor work area- protected by the roof overhang above.  © Ema Peter The building is clad entirely in vertical Douglas fir siding, reclaimed from prior use as boardform concrete formwork. Here, the marks and stains of the boards's previous use as concrete formwork are left visible, maintaining the patina and memory as the material ages and weathers.  © Ema Peter  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Lessons From the Latest Bjarke Ingels Documentary: Don’t Let Your Next Building Be Your Last Posted: 12 Mar 2018 02:30 AM PDT
What if the one thing that makes BIG "BIG" was suddenly stripped away right at the apex of its potential? That's the question posed by the trailer for Kaspar Astrup Schrøder's documentary BIG TIME, which ominously illustrated a possible problem with Bjarke Ingels' health. Schrøder's documentary highlights the intense journey of Bjarke Ingels, the founder of Bjarke Ingels Group, through the past few years of his life. This unique insight into what exactly it's like to be an architect on top of the world ultimately poses a question that needs to be answered by anyone seeking to reshape the world through design. How do you handle the responsibility of forming the future you want to live in?  Courtesy of BIG. Image © DBOX Architects spend their lives crafting spaces for people to inhabit. We celebrate these spaces for their intricate details and carefully authored experiences, but there's a certain irony in the fact that we see little of the spaces that the architects themselves inhabit daily—their homes. Ingels' home is clean and elegant, while naturally maintaining a sense of playfulness. It is clear that his move to New York City is not quite complete, but even there we see Ingels taking advantage of the opportunity to improve the space around him.
Ingels speaks in the film about continually designing for the framework of the future that you want to see. This responsibility is not taken lightly by Ingels and his team, and it is clear that he and his partners are under immense pressure to perform. With BIG's designs (and especially its founder) consistently in the spotlight, any client wanting to work with BIG is expecting to get one thing—Bjarke. But it is revealed in the film that the growing need for Ingels' presence in the states to manage landmark projects has led to a decrease in production for BIG's Copenhagen office. BIG's business model thrives off edgy and innovative competition commissions, but it's clear that without Ingels, BIG is different.
The culture at BIG is young. The firm's oldest partner is in his early 50s, while we witness Ingels' own 40th birthday celebration in the film (he is now 43). The youthful spirit of BIG's studio is visible in the remote celebration of their founder's birthday via webcam between the NYC and Copenhagen offices. But during the festivities, something is off with Ingels. We are left to wonder, are the stresses of running one of the world's most high-profile architecture firms catching up to the 40-year-old visionary?
The formalities and stresses of opening a new office on a different continent are not the only things that threaten to take away BIG's fearless leader. Due to lingering complications from a concussion he sustained during a party (something about being hit in the head by a baseball bat—never really a good thing), he is in evident and severe pain for quite some time. He admits that rest is essential when you have a concussion, "but it is difficult to turn off your brain. To not exercise is quite simple, but to not think is nearly impossible." A doctor recommends an MRI and tells him that the chances of discovering something are slim, but Ingels' stress is evident. "I would rather lose my arm than not be able to use my head," he says. Spoiler alert: Bjarke finds out that there is nothing seriously wrong, but the scare causes him to fear that he may have come to the end of his time to make meaningful contributions to the world through design.
In the big picture, the buildings that BIG builds are only a very small fraction of the entire built environment. It is this realization that causes Bjarke to question his legacy. Has he done everything he can to make a positive impact on the world through the work he has completed? What then would have been said for the work he never completed if the result of his apparent illness had ended his career?  © Iwan Baan It has been well documented that architecture as a profession does not manage work-life balance well. Many are under the impression that as architects, it is necessary to work 60+ hour weeks in order to be successful. As students, it is seen as necessary to stay in studio until the wee hours of the morning in order to finish a project. It is in this work-life balance that many sacrifice perhaps the most important thing to maintain if you desire to be successful—your health. Ingels is an extreme example due to the complication of his growing fame, but at the same time, he is a perfect example of the importance of making an effort to make health a priority. We shouldn't wait until we are inside an MRI machine to recognize the importance of a balanced lifestyle. The truth is, we never know which building could be our last, but that does not mean we should accelerate the process by neglecting our own well-being.  Screenshot from trailer The question therefore becomes: how do you handle the responsibility of shaping the future while prioritizing your life so that you don't neglect the importance of self-preservation? BIG TIME should ultimately serve as a source of motivation. We should be inspired by the opportunity afforded to us as architects and designers to shape the world around us according to how we see it. But we should also recognize the immense pressure that comes with that. The ability to offset that pressure with a conscious effort toward a healthy life is what will make the difference if we truly want to make a positive impact on the world.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| House SM at Calafquén Lake / Claro + Westendarp arquitectos Posted: 12 Mar 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © Francisco Boetsch T.
 © Francisco Boetsch T. Text description provided by the architects. On a hill, with a particular view towards the lake and the Villarrica volcano on one side and towards a rocky cliff between the dense vegetation typical of the area, towards the other side, this house is located practically as a transverse transparent bridge that allows the user to experience both geographical situations in an attractive and contrasting way.  Site Plan  © Francisco Boetsch T. The volume takes a turn in a V-shape, in a gesture that places the volume very organically on the ground and accentuating it's virtues. The building is accessed from below, where the secondary enclosures are, through a very light and transparent staircase until it reaches the second floor where the views are highlighted in a double height space, also featuring the beam structure of the house.  © Francisco Boetsch T. The interior space is simple, open, and always accentuating the external geographic duality, leaving the most public spaces towards the south east and the bedrooms towards the northeast. The terrace deck enclosures the spaces and gives movement to a rather straight volume, allowing the spatial experience from the outside. The materiality of the construction is in wood with a dark impregnant that resembles the color of the tree trunks of the area, resulting in perfect harmony with the place that finally, is the main protagonist of the project.  © Francisco Boetsch T.  Section A  © Francisco Boetsch T.  © Francisco Boetsch T.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Concrete Blocks in Architecture: How to Build With This Modular and Low-Cost Material Posted: 12 Mar 2018 01:00 AM PDT  Mipibu House / Terra e Tuma Arquitetos Associados. Image © Nelson Kon Concrete blocks are a prefabricated material mainly used to build walls. Like bricks, the blocks are stacked together and joined with a mortar, usually consisting of cement, sand, and water. The blocks are hollow inside to allow for steel bars and mortar filling. These blocks come in a variety of dimensions and textures, from traditional smooth surfaces to fluted or rough finishes, as well as special units for corners or for beams with longitudinal reinforcements. The dimensions of these blocks range from the classic 8x8x16 inches (approx 19x19x39 cm) which is meant for structural use, to a size of 8x3.5x39 inches (approx 19x9x39 cm) for partitioning walls. How can we incorporate them creatively into our designs?  via Wikimedia, User: katorisi licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 Although the first blocks were manufactured by hand, nowadays they are produced in an automated way and thousands of blocks can be made per hour. However, by not requiring firing, each unit can be manufactured on site by unskilled masons.  Mipibu House / Terra e Tuma Arquitetos Associados. Image © Nelson Kon In terms of its thermal behavior, a block wall can work well if the appropriate measures are taken. For example, it is essential to ensure the correct placement of the mixture in all the joints to avoid thermal bridges. In addition, insulators –such as EPS or Glass Wool and Polyethylene as a vapor barrier– can be incorporated into the interior of the blocks to use as an exterior insulating plaster.  Casa entre Bloques / Natura Futura Arquitectura. Image © JAG Studio Broadly speaking, its manufacture consists of 4 processes:
.jpg?1519415724 "Silent house / Takao Shiotsuka Atelier. Image © Takao Shiotsuka Atelier") Silent house / Takao Shiotsuka Atelier. Image © Takao Shiotsuka Atelier "The concrete commonly used to make concrete blocks is a mixture of powdered portland cement, water, sand, and gravel.This produces a light gray block with a fine surface texture and a high compressive strength," say the creators of the site How Products Are Made . Thus, the blocks have a good mechanical capacity, incombustibility, and acoustic insulation.  Mipibu House / Terra e Tuma Arquitetos Associados. Image © Nelson Kon The basic block has been changing to provide more complete solutions, such as waterproofing. Some current models include additives added to the mixture that composes them in order to increase the surface tension of the block and hindering the passage of water. There are also blocks with different edges to deflect the water away from its surface.  Mipibu House / Terra e Tuma Arquitetos Associados. Image © Nelson Kon Basic ConstructionBefore starting, you should consult local building codes and standards. 1. If we use a strip footing, it must have twice the width of the block. Reference lines are placed with thread or chalk and a test is performed without mortar. 2. Mix the mortar and spread it onto the strip footing (which has been previously moistened) over the width of a block. The initial layer should be 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. 3. The blocks are placed from the corners and mortar is applied to their vertical joints.  © José Tomás Franco 4. At the end of each row, check that they are aligned, vertically and horizontally, and hit them to adjust them if necessary. Repeat the process for all the designed walls. 5. The connection of the holes in each unit begins to generate a continuous vertical cavity where metallic reinforcements can be inserted. 6. When verifying that the mortar is hard enough to mark a footprint, you must finish and equalize the joints and clean the excess. Architectural DesignDespite being a widely used material in the world, its design possibilities have not been exploited. Concrete blocks are usually associated with self-construction and low-cost housing, situations that provide a few spaces to explore beyond functional design.  Casa + Estudio / Terra e Tuma Arquitetos Associados. Image © Pedro Kok Through impeccable work, the projects of some architects such as Terra e Tuma , Natura Futura or Takao Shiotsuka Atelier, invites us to think of new ways to use this material. In their work, the blocks appear as the protagonists of the spaces, totally exposed and showing their original color, giving a texture and appearance different from brick; more brutal but very adaptable to other materials and elements such as vegetation and water. By using this material, these architects have managed to reduce the costs of their projects without sacrificing spatial and architectural quality.  Silent house / Takao Shiotsuka Atelier. Image © Takao Shiotsuka Atelier What other design options seem to arise? Its standard dimensions and its modular nature allow us to design easily, like a "lego", generating topographies that can form furniture or unevenness. By rotating its original position, its perforations can create permeable walls. These are some simple ideas that can deliver good solutions without being unaffordable.  Casa entre Bloques / Natura Futura Arquitectura. Image © JAG Studio If you have worked with this material, we invite you to share your experience in the comments section below.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Intricate, Undulating Brickwork at Eladio Dieste's Cristo Obrero Church in Uruguay Posted: 11 Mar 2018 11:00 PM PDT  © Gonzalo Viramonte Gonzalo Viramonte has released a series of photographs that focus in on the use of bricks by engineer Eladio Dieste in his Atlántida Cristo Obrero church. Viramonte shows us the essence of the project with an artful register that places the serial yet simple material element (the brick) at the forefront. This gallery also celebrates the potential and versatility of bricks by highlighting the artfully geometric interior and exterior spaces and the apertures that allow natural light to cast upon the walls, floors, and other surfaces.  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte  © Gonzalo Viramonte
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| Faith Schools’ Joint Campus / BDP Posted: 11 Mar 2018 10:00 PM PDT  © David Barbour
 © David Barbour Text description provided by the architects. Located to the Southwest of Glasgow the Faith Schools' Joint Campus is the first known shared Catholic and Jewish faith campus in Europe with an associated non-denominational nursery. The given brief asked the Architect to create a primary school which respects and nurtures young people's individual religious faiths whilst delivering inspiring spaces for learning, teaching, and social integration. A series of extensive consultation and interactive engagement with Pupils, Staff, Parents, Education and Faith Leaders was paramount in understanding concerns, challenging convention and establishing a shared vision. This resulted in an innovative shared hub at the heart of the new campus - strategically located between denominational zones.  © David Barbour This 'heartspace' contains a wealth of interactive activity including performance, drama, music, science, technology, library, art and importantly storytelling. Moreover, it features the artwork created by pupils and art teacher during the collaborative workshop sessions to establish togetherness and promote further collaborations between schools. Each classroom has a dedicated space for flexible learning and group work and is enriched by long views of the countryside. The teaching space extends outside the classrooms and is designed to avoid a sense of enclosure whilst being filled with natural light. Mood lighting is vital and varied from the diminutive "wall-pocket" snugs to the dramatic halo of natural light and the surprise "sky of tiny stars"- created by the fibre optic lights in the feature timber ceiling of the central atrium.  © David Barbour  © David Barbour Located on an urban edge with expansive views over the southerly Scottish countryside the landscape strategy intertwines the site's geological and cultural history. An archaeological dig uncovered an 18th Century farmstead and the stone was salvaged to create a meeting place in the entrance plaza with pottery shards and reclaimed artefacts incorporated into low walls representing the historical buildings. The stone from the quarry adjacent to the site was used to create an igneous wall which incorporates bouldering, seating, chalkboards and plays spaces. The building has an overcoat of weathered zinc, glass, western red cedar and copper coloured portals, whilst the white interiors are bathed in natural light with the selective use of glass and timber.  © David Barbour  Section  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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