Arch Daily |
- Double Bay / SAOTA
- Kindergarten Vashavskoye Hwy 141 / Buromoscow
- The House Of Secret Gardens / Spasm Design
- Chicken House / Tropical Space
- gré Square House / suzuki architects
- Vanke Experimental Kindergarten / Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects
- Brighton House / Martin Friedrich Architects
- Televic / Tv Naert + Declerck-Daels
- Rem Koolhaas and Eurolab Call for Creative Ideas on How to Re-Brand the EU
- Catskills House / J_spy Architecture and Design
- SOM Unveils Images of Striking Mixed-Use Tower in Hangzhou, China
- estudio IGLOO Office / estudio IGLOO
- On Jørn Utzon's 100th Birthday, 11 Prominent Architects Pay Tribute to the Great Architect
- QP House / comoVER Arquitetura Urbanismo
- Agoraphobic Traveller Takes Incredible Photos Through Google Street View
- Spotlight: Jørn Utzon
- A New Roof by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos Turned This Ancient German Castle Into an Enlarged Exhibition Space
| Posted: 09 Apr 2018 08:00 PM PDT  © Adam Letch
 © Adam Letch Text description provided by the architects. Set in a north-facing cove in Sydney's vast natural harbour, the site borders a recreational park and a public pier which juts out into the bay. This element forms one axis for the site whilst a pristine beach, directly in front of the site, forms another.  © Adam Letch _L0_Ground_floor_A3_150.jpg?1523101604 "Ground Floor Plan") Ground Floor Plan  © Adam Letch From the principle park elevation that the new building appears as a collection of planes; a play on space, privacy and threshold. Graphite grey sail screens (made from "Kaynemaile," a polycarbonate chainmail developed in New Zealand for the Lord of the Rings movies) are rigged just off the house providing privacy from the road. Timber cladding, plastered mass walls, a wood-clad soffit and the exaggerated cill of a bay window punched through the sail screens, are layered into further planes. This game creates depth in an otherwise linear façade and provides privacy whilst maximising light and views to the park.  © Adam Letch Set into this façade the stairwell is fully glazed; but wrapped protectively in a cloak of timber louvres. This gently curved outline contrasts with the surrounding crystalline box and mediates between the formal entrance and bedrooms above.  © Adam Letch Entry is at 90 degrees to the Bay, off the park. A ramp, edged by water, slopes gently up to the front door; the little rise adding to the sense of arrival. Here the "U" shaped plan of the house becomes clear; the entrance is a link between two wings, separated by an internal garden which, like an internal harbour, allows views through the spaces to the bay beyond. Seen from the courtyard a massive blank wall of the upper storey seems to weigh on the glazed levity of the ground floor, amplifying the bay view beneath it.  © Adam Letch The bayside wing of the house is one open plan space. Stairs, rather than walls, delineate the raised kitchen and family dining from more formal areas. These stairs extend seawards into the garden forming a line of axis drawing the eye out to the view and providing privacy from the public road alongside. The garden is raised above the towpath to provide additional privacy from the beach and to dissolve the distinction between the garden and bay from within. This is emphasised in the pool whose orientation and extension towards the water makes a clear connection between the two.  © Adam Letch An oversailing timber roof canopy connects the street side to the garden and the beach. It permeates the interior, presenting itself at odd moments, it protects and defines the collection of internal and external spaces composed beneath. From the water it is a defining motif; expressive of lightness, reflective of the sea and the canopies of the trees.  © Adam Letch From the street and bay view, the other predominant elevation of the house, the largely glazed lower story is lost below crisp white walls, black framed window boxes and sail screens. A large Lilly-Pilly tree was preserved and frames the street side of the elevation.  © Adam Letch Materials were carefully chosen to site the house; the use of wood, white walls and travertine floors reflect the seaside setting. Off-shutter concrete is used as a playful accent which, like the rendered walls, appears almost soft and textured in contrast to crisp folds of screen and aluminium.  © Adam Letch Architects, SAOTA, displayed their South African signature in this design with its sharp lines, light forms and the lush integration of nature which all combine to make the design feel at home in this special site. A playful character, the calculated blurring of boundaries and the fresh, layered composition bring into balance the domestic needs of a young family and the wow factor that this phenomenal site deserves. SAOTA's sister company, the interior studio ARRCC, developed a refined décor palette to suit the home and complement the client's artworks.  © Adam Letch As architects in association, TKD worked closely with the client, ensuring that SAOTA's detailed design was delivered and a dream home realized. Their creativity, perseverance and commitment to design excellence was a key success factor. Lighting design by Point Of View and landscaping by Wyer & Co. combined with the dedication of main contractor, Horizon, to deliver a quality home with an exceptionally high level of finish.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Kindergarten Vashavskoye Hwy 141 / Buromoscow Posted: 09 Apr 2018 07:00 PM PDT  © Serafima Telkanova
 © Vlad Feoktistov Text description provided by the architects. Kindergarten for 220 children is located in the newly built prefab housing area in the outskirts of Moscow, also designed by Buromoscow.  Volume Exploration We have decided for a round building with rectangular interior courtyard, when faced with the irregular plot shape (more a result of existing spatial planning norms than a conscious planning choice).  © Serafima Telkanova Windows at the first and second floor are shaped as different sea creatures – fish, shrimp and jellyfish. Ground floor, where the youngest children are, is fully glazed. Glazing in the interior courtyard is partially colored to give beautiful color shadows in the corridors.  © Serafima Telkanova The interior is light and simple taking into consideration the amount of colorful toys to fill the space later. Each floor has its color accent – yellow, orange or blue.  © Serafima Telkanova  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The House Of Secret Gardens / Spasm Design Posted: 09 Apr 2018 05:00 PM PDT  © Umang Shah
 © Photographix Text description provided by the architects. This is a private home in Ahmedabad, is an expression in Dhrangadhra stone. The stone used in many of the architectural antiquities of Ahmedabad. The stone has a mottled texture and bone coloration, available in blocks; slabs and dust from quarries nearby it became an obvious choice. It ages pretty well too. The cellular structure of this sandstone holds intermittent microscopic air gaps, acting as an insulation panel itself. This led to the idea of cladding the entire body of the house as a monolith. The organization of the plan is like a simple cross.  Site Plan This allows for one room thick arms, hence permitting easy cross ventilation and the possibility of a seamless connection with the outdoors. The stone is used in giant blocks vertically to form a periphery, a border to the gardens to frame the edges, allow breezes, and a sense of containment and scale. This frame allows the home to be immersed in the greens, considered imagery and landscape will form the surrounds of the cross-shaped construct.  © Edmund Sumner Movement  © Umang Shah  Ground Floor Plan  © Photographix Searing light  © Umang Shah Ventilation  Section Art and objects  © Umang Shah The Gardens  © Photographix The MONK  © Photographix The Client  © Photographix The plans adopt a strategy of roofed and open-air rooms…  © Photographix  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Chicken House / Tropical Space Posted: 09 Apr 2018 03:00 PM PDT  © Quang Dam
 © Quang Dam Text description provided by the architects. The idea of the Chicken's House comes from the customer request. They are an aged couple who longing to move to the countryside. They want to raise some chickens in the garden so that they can take care of them, feed them and watch them every day as a way to clear their mind. They look forward to their children and grandchildren could come and visit them often and have space for them to play around when they stay.  © Quang Dam The design team does not want to imprison the chickens in small cages. The chickens also need free space, air, a place to drink water, lay and hatch eggs. Sometimes, they dig the soil, eat some leaves or chase each other. The design team wants to give them a large and safe space to form a miniature social community for chickens and ducks.  Sketch Metal grill and cemboard are used to made this chicken's house. The size is 2mx10mx2m, which is suitable for kids to play in. The metal grill surrounding limit the safe space for the chicken but brings the unlimited view and connection between inside and outside  © Quang Dam Basing on the chickens living habit, they often go up high in the dark. To create more activities for them, the team creates additional vertical axis. The boxes are hung up and connected by lightweight stairs, the space below those boxes combined with the canopy to avoid sunlight. Around the cages, the owner will grow vegetables and luffa which can climb up and cover the roof to create the shadow for the chicken coop. In term of cleaning the coop, all water and chicken waste will drain to the sides of the garden to irrigate vegetables.  © Quang Dam Designing this chicken house actually aims to create fun and inspiration for the kids. The team thinks of the little kids in the big cities, they are growing up in a society where adults live fast and always busy. The kids only know about school, studying and games.  Section  Plan When we finished the chicken house, we realized that sometimes humans also need to relax in order to have the freedom as chickens. The simple things make life more beautiful and lovely.  © Quang Dam  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| gré Square House / suzuki architects Posted: 09 Apr 2018 01:00 PM PDT  © Kenta Hasegawa
 © Kenta Hasegawa Text description provided by the architects. This combined home and business sits on the skirts of Nihondaira, a hilly area just outside central Shizuoka City. The neighborhood is a mixture of large old farmhouses, tea fields, and new housing developments, with small shops nestled into the laid-back surroundings.The streets curve slightly as they climb gently toward the hills as if they were built on top of the old paths between fields.They lead, too, to openings where Mt. Fuji suddenly comes into view. It is in just such a spot that this house is located.  © Kenta Hasegawa  Ground Floor Axonometric Our first step toward ensuring a smooth coexistence between the house and its surroundings was to think about how walls could be used to provide a sense of separation from the neighborhood and modulate the residents' level of privacy. We next opened up the house in directions that brought in views and a feeling of depth.  © Kenta Hasegawa The first floor houses a shop where the building's owner sells clothes and miscellaneous items made from natural materials, intended to be used and loved for many years. The second floor is a light- and breeze-filled space where the owner's mother lives. Our goal was to clearly separate the shop from the residence upstairs while still allowing the users of both spaces to feel each other's reassuring presence. The resulting structure is slightly different from a typical multi-generation home; instead, a simple, compact square form contains space for two generations to work, live, and keep an eye on one another.  © Kenta Hasegawa  Upper Floor Axonometric  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Vanke Experimental Kindergarten / Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects Posted: 09 Apr 2018 12:00 PM PDT  Semi-enclosed space, outdoor stairs and sports space. Image © Siyu Zhu
 North facade covered with glass bricks and concrete coatings. Image © Siyu Zhu Text description provided by the architects. A kindergarten is the first public space that children encounter outside of their homes. Scale, flexibility, and spatial atmosphere play an important role to shape children's emotional and cognitive development. They also present challenging tasks for the architecture to inspire children to explore and learn while feeling safe and comfortable. During the initial research, the design team found that informal spaces such as corridors in front of the activity rooms often become an important place for children to inhabit, interact and play.  Surrounding environment. Image © Hao Chen In designing the Vanke Experimental Kindergarten, the precarious balancing of program, space and context were of the primary concerns. Located in a long and narrow triangular site with the elevated Middle Ring Road and a river to the south, high-density high-rise residential buildings to the north, a vehicular bridge to the east, and to the west, a regional circuit room to be housed on site. To create a full-time public kindergarten of 15 classes that matches the strict requirement of the education bureau while responding to the various constrains of the context, the unique site becomes a particular challenge. The architect is not only expected to fulfill the project brief, area requirements, planning and safety regulations, but also to create a new campus that is appropriately designed for teaching and management while encouraging children's exploratory psyche and fulfilling parents' expectations.  Surrounding environment. Image © Hao Chen  Site strategy  Four connected building volumes and curved roofs. Image © Hao Chen At the beginning, the team had tried various schemes, from compact form, to cluster of volumes, and courtyard typology. While reviewing the design, Mr. Liu asked a crucial question: "What is the best strategy for this very site?" Eventually, it went back to solving the essential problem of tackling with the site itself and the surroundings. The final scheme is a serially connected four volumes of space, each loaded with different programmatic spaces and connected by exterior platforms with views towards outside landscape. The curve-roof three-storey volume vaguely resembles the universally famous cartoon character Thomas train, passing through the site and carrying children's imagination into the future.
 Space strategy The triangular site is wider to the west and narrower to the east. The playground is set on the east side which faces the noisy intersection and acts as a transition between the street and kindergarten. The building volume accommodates the linear layout of the site, and adopts a central corridor for a more compact layout. The rooms are distributed on both north and south sides, and in the middle there are three triangular atriums gradually expanding from west to east. The activity rooms, bedrooms and offices are located in the south side with better sunlight and views. Other supporting functional spaces, including the foyer, special activity rooms, stairways, toilets, etc., are arranged on the north side adjacent to the main road. The north and south volumes are divided into four sections, and each section makes a little different twist to respond to the urban and landscape contexts.  Friendly north facade street view. Image © Hao Chen  Sectional perspective  Triangle atrium skylight. Image © Hao Chen The north elevation facing the street respects the urban context while maintaining a sense of playfulness. The external fence wall recedes back at multiple locations from the site boundary and leaves residual spaces for passer-bys as well as parents waiting for picking up, while sharing the green spaces with the city. The fence wall is not only designed as safety measure but also as a buffer between building and street, creating pleasurable views for pedestrians and forming a positively continuous interface.  Inward main entrance. Image © Hao Chen For the higher view of the architecture, the stairwells which are frequently used by everyone as a utility space but easily neglected as a design feature, are articulated here as a distinct visual form. The curving wall of the multifunctional hall terminates the north elevation and acts as a transition to the outdoor playground. In the coherence of heights and materials, the north side interface regulates the rhythm of the street and avoids the tension caused by the continuous volume in the narrow space. With the high-rise residential buildings at the front, the kindergarten creates a friendly scale for the pedestrians and children alike, extending the approachable interface and appropriate scale of the interior space onto the street.  Main entrance courtyard. Image © Hao Chen  1F plan  Hallway and atrium space in front of the activity room. Image © Hao Chen The design places one office cluster and three teaching clusters on the south side towards the river. And despite the narrow site, a linear green space is set aside between the building and the fence wall. The volume on the east turns an angle to get the best natural sunlight and the pleasant view, forming a half closed triangular space connected to the playground with a dynamic outdoor staircase in between, connecting all three floors with the outdoor playground. The south side of the volumes are connected by outdoor corridors and platforms, allowing the surrounding landscape to penetrate into the buildings. Part of the ground floor and of the second floor and third floor were designed as covered outdoor play spaces.  The hallway in front of the activity room is children's social place. Image © Siyu Zhu Three triangular atriums are formed in the middle and the sizes gradually increase from the west to the east. Respectively, the small triangle for the office zone, the two middle for the activities zones and the large outdoor activities place in a row become the core spaces in this project. The atrium presented the children with a uniquely shaped and lit gathering spaces. The triangular skylights are set above the atriums. Sunlight penetrates through the brightly-colored openings and touches the ground floor. Walking through the corridor with changing widths, the gradual interplay of light and darkness, the faint glimpses of the exterior views and the soft light filtered by the translucent glass block wall, a unique spatial atmosphere is created. In addition to the atriums, the huge circular skylights are also presented in the multi-function hall as well as all of the activity rooms on the top floor, with natural light raining down the walls and floors.  The main stairwell is emphasized on the ground floor, enlarging activity and communication space. Image © Siyu Zhu  Circular large skylight in the multi-function hall. Image © Hao Chen In order to create playful interiors, various sizes and types of openings are created. The window modules relate to the dimension of both grown-ups and kids. The combination of different openings' bring diverse observation experience for children and adults alike.
 Greenland & Building volume strung on the corridor. Image © Hao Chen By applying a few simple material combination, the design of the kindergarten reaches a humanistic, modesty and modern ambiance and conveys the various programs in a clear manner. Interplay of materials presents a diverse and vivid impression: the sense of Chinese ink painting on the concrete wall, the dim light from the translucent glass blocks, the oxidized effect from the titanium zinc panels, the tactile impression from the stone washed slabs. Along with the indoor color felt, wooden floors and wood veneer panels, graphic patterns for the playground, a dynamic learning environment is created to encourage creativity from the children.  Inward main entrance, leaving space for picking up children. Image © Siyu Zhu  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Brighton House / Martin Friedrich Architects Posted: 09 Apr 2018 10:00 AM PDT .jpg?1522960010 "© Derek Swalwell") © Derek Swalwell
.jpg?1522960280 "© Derek Swalwell") © Derek Swalwell Text description provided by the architects. A young couple with 3 children approached Martin Friedrich Architects after seeing our Brighton town house project. They loved the clean modern lines, look and feel of this project, however wanted a more playful and fun house. This was to reflect their personality, active lifestyle and love of entertaining. .jpg?1522959696 "© Derek Swalwell") © Derek Swalwell The brief was to highly renovate their existing house largely from the 1980's albeit was actually a renovation of a 1930's house. They wanted to open up the small tight passages with low ceilings, create large spaces in the living zones and bring in light into this dark house. Planning regulations also allowed for reduced side setbacks based on the precedence set by an existing building. However after all of this, the existing house was of such poor construction that it was largely unusable albeit we still followed much of the existing side envelope. .jpg?1522959788 "© Derek Swalwell") © Derek Swalwell The bold new façade, greets visitors with strong sweeping forms of 2 storey curved cast in situ concrete. These envelop and frame the existing outline of the building and projecting balcony and entry canopy below. The façade is further broken up by double storey full height glazing. A 2-storey band of black Japanese oak sharply contrasts against the minimalist pallet of white render. .jpg?1522959819 "© Derek Swalwell") © Derek Swalwell  Ground Floor Plan A .jpg?1522960504 "© Derek Swalwell") © Derek Swalwell  First Floor Plan A Upon entering through the extended entry curve, broken up by steps and planter box, eyes are drawn to the expansive free flowing stair beyond. The curves of this serve to direct you to the 2-storey atrium space that literally cuts through the building forming a formal lounge and piano room. On the first floor above sweeping bridges serve to connect the parents, children and guest wings all of which have walk in robes and ensuites. .jpg?1522959723 "© Derek Swalwell") © Derek Swalwell In the piano room, a bronzed mirror wall with inlaid circles stretches right up to the ceiling of the first floor continuing the strong curved language of the building. The mirror reflects the antique grand piano giving a strong contrast between old and new. .jpg?1522960342 "© Derek Swalwell") © Derek Swalwell The substantial lounge, dining and kitchen space is light filled from a full height window that wraps and forms the skylight above, which literally slices right across this space. The polished concrete floor flows seamlessly out onto timber decking with balcony above. This decking serves to breakup matching concrete paving albeit with a sawn cut finish. Outside one can enjoy the basketball, cricket, in-ground trampoline and netball areas. These are surrounded by an infinity edge spa and pool, adjoining a wave style pool house. .jpg?1522959880 "© Derek Swalwell") © Derek Swalwell  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Televic / Tv Naert + Declerck-Daels Posted: 09 Apr 2018 08:00 AM PDT  © Filip Dujardin
 © Filip Dujardin Text description provided by the architects. Televic develops, manufactures and installs top end high-tech communication systems for specific niche markets. The consortium of architects Naert & Declerck-Daels designed their HQ, confirming Televic 's global position. The new building consists of 4.500m² of offices and laboratories and it has an underground car park of 2.200 m². The existing production building was integrated into the new constructions.  © Filip Dujardin The outer shell is a closed landmark. A solid box that hides its secrets. This is in contrast with the translucent inner facades, focusing on the main square. This central spot is a crossroad of knowledge, forming the heart of the site. The square is extended into the reception. Also inside you can find multiple meeting points allowing the staff to share ideas in a welcoming environment.  Underground and Ground Floor Plan The volumes are strategically planned according to the orientation and insolation, creating an alternation of transparency and solidity. It is both closed and attractive. The new volumes are dialoguing with the existent buildings. The architects opted for a sober combination of gray and white concrete, black window frames, oak furniture, plantations and Televic green.  © Filip Dujardin The columns accentuate the rhythm of the pure construction. The technical installations are very basic and efficient. Above all, this building is an optimal workplace where highly qualified staff can fully exploit their creativity. Pragmatism, spaciousness, durability, light, versatility, comfort and experience are keywords for this project.  © Filip Dujardin  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Rem Koolhaas and Eurolab Call for Creative Ideas on How to Re-Brand the EU Posted: 09 Apr 2018 07:00 AM PDT  AMO's 2001 redesign of the EU flag takes colors from the banners of all member states. Image © OMA OMA founder Rem Koolhaas has joined his colleague Stephan Petermann and artist Wolfgang Tillmans in calling for ideas on re-branding the European Union, at a time when the EU is experiencing increased pressure from the rising tide of far-right nationalism. Working with a group of artists, creatives, and communications experts from across Europe, the "Eurolab" team will present the outcomes of their initiative at the Forum on European Culture on June 3rd, 2018. Eurolab argues that, although the EU is a project aimed at peace, cooperation, and solidarity, it has failed to present itself as a progressive, positive organization to European citizens. As support for nationalism and the far-right grows across Europe, Eurolab will embark on a 4-day fact-finding mission to investigate why the voices of European unity are been drowned out by the voices of European division. Going beyond the identification of issues surrounding disdain for the EU, Eurolab seeks to help re-brand the organization, asking "how can cooperation and solidarity be communicated to a large audience in a fresh and compelling way?"  AMO's "The Image of Europe" exhibition, which began in 2004. Image © OMA As part of this mission, Eurolab is calling for creative ideas on how to re-brand the EU, be it through design, photos, poems, words, or short film scripts. The call for ideas for the Eurolab presentation will end on April 18th.
The outcomes of the research will be presented at the Eurolab presentation on June 3rd, 2018 at De Balie, Amsterdam. The presentation will form part of the Forum on European Culture, a biennial which explores the impact of art and culture in Europe, taking place in the Dutch capital between May 31st and June 3rd. Further details on the Eurolab initiative, including information and directions for submitting ideas, can be found via the official website here. Information via: The Forum on European Culture
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| Catskills House / J_spy Architecture and Design Posted: 09 Apr 2018 06:00 AM PDT  © Amanda Kirkpatrick
 © Amanda Kirkpatrick Text description provided by the architects. This small house located in the Catskills, NY is designed as a weekend getaway for a family living near New York City. The house sits on 6 acres of land, but is only a little more than 1,000 sq. ft., which is enough to provide a comfortable setting for the family to enjoy the nature of the site. What makes this house unique is the simplicity of the form which is essentially 4 volumes. The three base volumes are all clad in ground faced concrete block inside and outside, and contain the support spaces of the house. The fourth volume is clad in metal and sits on top of the 3 concrete block volumes to enclose the main living space of the house. The oversized mahogany wood windows complete the enclosure between the concrete block volumes.  © Amanda Kirkpatrick  Section  © Amanda Kirkpatrick On the inside, the white metal volume is a raised ceiling in the main space which is finished in plywood with operable skylights at the top. A portion of the plywood is cut into slats with a felt fabric behind to soften the acoustics in an otherwise hard surfaced space. The metal volume also overhangs the large openings providing weather protection and solar shading in the summer. The only utility at the site is electricity, so to provide energy efficient heating, a geothermal heat pump is connected to a 400 ft. well that provides the heat to hydronic radiant tubes cast into the polished concrete floor. In the summer, the geothermal system switches to a ducted system for cooling. The energy efficient mechanical system, along with the roof overhangs that provide shading in the summer and allow solar heat gain in the winter, help make this house very energy efficient. The house is the perfect outpost to explore the site and the natural setting of the Catskills.  © Amanda Kirkpatrick  Plan  © Amanda Kirkpatrick  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| SOM Unveils Images of Striking Mixed-Use Tower in Hangzhou, China Posted: 09 Apr 2018 05:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of SOM / Brick Visual Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has unveiled images of its proposed 54-story mixed-use tower in Hangzhou, China. Standing at a height of 945 feet (288 meters), the "Hangzhou Wangchao Center" seeks to act as a gateway to the eastern Chinese city's newly-planned Qianjang Century Town district. With 1.3 million square feet (125,000 square meters) of office, hotel, and retail space, the scheme represents the ambitions of Hangzhou to become a global destination, spurred by its hosting of the Asian Games in 2022.  Courtesy of SOM / MIYSIS  Courtesy of SOM / ATCHAIN The form of the SOM scheme is driven by a balance of architectural vision and structural clarity. A primary structure of eight outward-sloping mega-columns lends fluidity to the glazed façade while creating large, flexible floorplates within. As the primary columns diverge, secondary perimeter columns branch out to maintain equal column bays. Above the lobby, a Vierendeel transfer truss links the primary and secondary columns, creating an open lobby space below.  Courtesy of SOM / Brick Visual  Courtesy of SOM / Brick Visual
 Courtesy of SOM / Brick Visual  Courtesy of SOM The Hangzhou Wangchao Center is due for completion in 2021. News via: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| estudio IGLOO Office / estudio IGLOO Posted: 09 Apr 2018 04:00 AM PDT  © David Frutos
 © David Frutos Text description provided by the architects. The studio is located on the ground floor, with only one facade facing the street. Its spatial structure is radically longitudinal, four meters wide by twenty meters deep and four meters high. We had to give form to a workspace flexible enough to be able to contain both a small or a large workgroup, and could also englobe several simultaneous uses.  Floor Plan  © David Frutos  Panels Longitudinal Section On the longitudinal sides, we place the storage: the right side will contain the secondary spaces - bathroom, kitchen, archive and reprography - and the left, the library. The back part of the space contains a three by two fifty meters wall we will use as a projection screen.  © David Frutos  © David Frutos The main facade is the only element in contact with the street and therefore capable of interacting with it. Studying the configuration of the public space of the neighborhood -the sidewalks-, we detected that they are extremely fluid circulation elements, in which there are NO spaces where you can rest or talk -benches- and the few we can find are paid -cafeterias-.  © David Frutos We propose an intermediate space - an activity condenser - that has a double function: first, to serve as a flying goal, a place to stop to talk, and second as an energy transformer. For this, we have two stools and a static bike. The first encourages social encounters, and the second encourages healthy living and responsible consumption. By pedaling, the user can generate enough energy to charge a mobile phone and, at the same time, it makes you consume your own, practicing sports.  © David Frutos The interior -the work area- is designed as a unique space where the furniture is available as needed, initially containing a domestic space next to the street, a large work area, another group meeting, a leisure space and the last projection zone.  © David Frutos  Axonometric  © David Frutos The cork roof describes a changing profile. Through the succession of large blocks of white cork -which act as beams in transverse position- we can modify the section according to the interior space and the use that it requires. Through this operation, space will change, not only its quality and form but also the perception of it.  © David Frutos  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| On Jørn Utzon's 100th Birthday, 11 Prominent Architects Pay Tribute to the Great Architect Posted: 09 Apr 2018 02:30 AM PDT  © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/seier/5958688179/'>Flickr user seier</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> Today marks what would have been the 100th birthday of the leading Danish architect, Jørn Utzon. Notably responsible for what could be argued to be the most prominent building in the world, the Sydney Opera House, Utzon accomplished what many architects can only dream of: a global icon. To celebrate this special occasion, Louisiana Channel has collaborated with the Utzon Center in Aalborg, Denmark to put together a video series to hear prominent architects and designers talk, including Bjarke Ingels and Renzo Piano, about their experiences with Utzon and his work—from his unrivalled visual awareness of the world, to his uncompromising attitude that led him to create such strong architectural statements. Unlike many architects around at the time of Jørn Utzon, who as modernists rejected tradition in favour of new technologies and orthogonal plans, Utzon combined these usually contradictory qualities in an exceptional manner. As the architects recount, he was a globalist with a Nordic base, that has inspired the next generation to travel the world and challenge their concepts. Many of them compare his work to Alvar Aalto's, as both shared an organic approach to architecture, looking at growth patterns in nature for inspiration. Utzon even coined this approach "Additive Architecture," whereby both natural and cultural forms are united to form buildings that are designed more freely. Bjarke IngelsFellow Danish architect Bjarke Ingels illustrates how the Sydney Opera House has come to be a landmark synonymous with an entire continent. In its unapologetically modern style, Ingels explains that "the Sydney Opera House is probably the ultimate building," due to Utzon's influences from across the world, including archaic gothic vaults, Chinese pagodas and Aztec temples. As a great admirer of Sydney Opera House and Utzon, Ingels acknowledges the great hardship that he went through to achieve the momentous building: "It was born out of incredible misery," he says, adding that "everything was a disaster, but the final result was somehow worth all of the sacrifice and all of the hardship in order to get there." Oktay NaymanAs Jørn Utzon's senior assistant for seven years, Oktay Nayman has many stories to tell about his time working with him on the Sydney Opera House and the Kuwait National Assembly Building. One of his fondest memories of Utzon was how he unconventionally educated him as a young assistant by sending him off on a month of summer holidays to visit Alvar Aalto with a book and a bottle of brandy. The Turkish architect says he owes much of what he knows about architecture to Utzon, as his colorful imagination and ability to "see more than other people" acted as a source of inspiration to how he perceives the world. Hans Munk HansenHans Munk Hansen was a dear friend and collegue of Jørn Utzon, who often accompanied him on his trips around the world. The two of them shared a joint passion for the Middle East and usually found themselves not talking about architecture but the cultures surrounding them. In this video, Hansen explains the many places that Utzon was influenced from as he was often late to work after stumbling upon something in the forest. Hansen also touches upon the fixed ideas that Utzon developed throughout his career. He took a similar approach to many of his buildings, although how they adapted to the landscape and the function of the house made them all very different. Renzo Piano"Architecture is a funny combination of precision and fantasy. Fantasy is interesting but it is not enough." Fellow Pritzker Prize winner Renzo Piano talks about Jørn Utzon's ability to connect the ideas of precision and the ephemeral in a poetic form: "I always admired everything about him: stubbornness—the famous stubbornness—but also the desire to find rational things, geometrical constructions. And at the same time the fantasy of understanding vision." Rafael MoneoSpanish architect Rafael Moneo is also Pritzker Prize winner who in his early career worked with Utzon for a year whilst he was working on the Sydney Opera House. Despite the difficulties Utzon incurred concerning the Sydney Opera House, Moneo recalls how he was always secure in himself: "He always kept his calm. He had this condition of an almost heroic figure." In the video, Moneo explains how he felt his work was an extension of his personality, that there was a continuity between the two as he ensured his projects had real substance. Hiroshi SambuichiBoth Hiroshi Sambuichi and Jørn Utzon share a mutual interest in their natural surroundings that can be seen translated into their architecture, although Sambuichi feels that their approaches were very different. In the video he says how he would be interested to hear what Utzon would have to say if they had the opportunity to talk in the 21st century. In the video he compares experiencing the same overwhelming feeling for both the Sydney Opera House and the Miyajima Itsukushima Shrine from his childhood: "If I were to choose two places, it would be this old and this modern one." Sambuichi further recounts his stay at Utzon's house in Mallorca, Can Lis, where he was fortunate to stay for three nights and experience the full moon. Louis BeckerLouis Becker was first introduced to Jørn Utzon when he was working for an electrician as a youth. He was lucky enough to be working on Utzon and his wife's home and instantly noticed that the house was special. From then on and during his architecture career, Becker has admired Utzon's mystical qualities as the buildings he produces appear effortless. Becker talks about the private process Utzon went through with each project that led him to appear uncompromising and perhaps distant, although as he explains: "but we don't know, because if you're a mystic, we wouldn't know if there are compromises in what's produced. I think sometimes we assign things to Utzon, which aren't there." Juhani PallasmaaJuhani Pallasmaa has been following Jørn Utzon's work ever since he first won the Sydney Opera House in 1957. Comparing his architecture to that of the present which he describes as "visual one-liners," Pallasmaa feels Utzon's work echoes history and has developed a depth that only a few other architects, such as Aalto, have achieved. Behind him, Utzon has left a legacy that puts the importance back onto tradition and a cultural continuum. Jan GehlJan Gehl met Jørn Utzon only indirectly in the 1950s when he was still attending architecture school, but the impression he left was far from meagre. Later on in his life, Gehl had the opportunity to work closely with Sydney town planning where he experienced the strong Danish heritage Utzon had left behind in the city and always found himself moved by the Sydney Opera House: "I've particularly taken pleasure in that Opera House and in seeing how now, 60 years later, it's still so beautiful. It's a building that's patinated in a wonderful way. Every time it rains, it's cleaned and shines anew." Lene TranbergLene Tranberg believes that Jørn Utzon has had an impact on her entire generation. After studying his contemporaries, she explains that she always finds herself coming back to him for his fundamental and interesting approach to architecture: "he understands how to work with metaphors so that each building is embedded with fantastic narratives," she says. Tranberg talks not only about Utzon's magnificent Sydney Opera House but his lesser known, and equally intriguing, Can Lis in Mallorca that she recently visited. At the house, she ended up laying on the floor to discover the building from a completely different aspect as she explains that "it's never the same thing that catches your eye," following that "he totally disregarded the architectural norms. He just did what he thought was right, and it's so convincing." Johansen Skovsted ArkitekterThe Danish architect duo of Soren Johansen and Sebastian Skovsted study the places Jørn Utzon traveled around the world in search of architecture that shared Utzon's existential desire to explore our position in the universe: "it's admirable that it's not just about the location in relation to its surroundings, but also the location in a larger context. We're on Earth underneath the sun, the moon and the stars." Necessity and survival were also a common theme the pair found, as he visited vernacular structures that hadn't required an architect after being developed over hundreds of years such as mill wheel or the Bedouin way of camping. Through this, Johansen and Skovsted explain that Utzon viewed architecture on a broader scale across many civilizations rather than taking the naïve Eurocentric view.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| QP House / comoVER Arquitetura Urbanismo Posted: 09 Apr 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © Manuel Sá
 © Manuel Sá Text description provided by the architects. In a 358 m² lot, the QP House design aims at the harmonic relation with its terrain: the ground floor plan allows a full longitudinal area to be free, accommodating the garage, balcony, swimming pool, and garden, with an unusual and fantastic free space, when compared to the same site typology, common in similar dwellings. The built floor plan offers natural light, ventilation and visuals of the entire terrain through sliding glass panels, which, when totally opened, integrates internal and external spaces in a singular manner, only possible in warm and sunny Brazilian weather.  Ground Floor Plan In the QP House, the living room has variable ceiling heights, allowing for its horizontal boundaries, internal comfort, intertwined with the external balcony, protected by the cantilevered second floor.  © Manuel Sá The kitchen also benefits from the transparency and natural ventilation, guaranteed by the large sliding glass doors. The space destined to housekeeping rooms have an ideal area to attend the functionality and fluid free lifestyle that the house demonstrates. The steel "waterfall" style shaped staircase, connecting the two floors, shares the same concept of the house: light, transparency, and elegance.  © Manuel Sá The second floor, a prismatic volume that seems to float beneath the ground floor pavilion, accommodates three large master bedrooms and a home office. Besides the large bedroom windows, protected by sliding wooden brise-soleil, another highlight is the bathroom’s skylight domus that illuminate and ventilate the rooms, contrasting with the grandiosity of the ceiling height. The terrace positioned strategically in the back of the terrain, offers incredible views, ensuring moments of joy and relaxation.  © Manuel Sá  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Agoraphobic Traveller Takes Incredible Photos Through Google Street View Posted: 09 Apr 2018 01:00 AM PDT The Instagram account @streetview.portraits presents stunning images of people and architecture from Arizona to Kyrgyzstan. At first glance, it seems to be the work of a professional photographer gallivanting across the globe, but the owner of the account is actually Jacqui Kenny, a woman who suffers from agoraphobia and anxiety, capturing these beautiful images through Google Street View. Through her alternative method of travel, Kenny discovered incredible scenes that displayed the magic of the ordinary: "I found a surprising and unique refuge in the creative possibilities of Google Street View. I began clicking through Google Maps to navigate to faraway countries like Mongolia, Senegal, and Chile. I found remote towns and dusty landscapes, vibrant architectural gems, and anonymous people, all frozen in time. I was intrigued by the strange and expansive parallel universe of Street View, and took screenshots to capture and preserve its hidden, magical realms." She currently displays her work on her Instagram account, as well selling a series of limited edition prints on her website, with the profits going towards the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation to improve the understanding and treatment of mental illness.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 09 Apr 2018 12:40 AM PDT  Sydney Opera House. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/lutherankorean/2652730156'>Flickr user lutherankorean<a/> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/'>CC BY-ND 2.0</a> Pritzker Prize winning architect Jørn Utzon (9 April 1918 – 29 November 2008) was the relatively unknown Dane who, on the 29th January 1957, was announced as the winner of the "International competition for a national opera house at Bennelong Point, Sydney'." When speaking about this iconic building, Louis Kahn stated that "The sun did not know how beautiful its light was, until it was reflected off this building." Unfortunately, Utzon never saw the Sydney Opera House, his most popular work, completed.  Jørn Utzon in front of the Sydney Opera House during construction, 1965. Image Courtesy of Keystone/Getty Images Born in Copenhagen in 1918, Utzon studied architecture at the city's Royal Academy of Fine Arts. After World War II, he joined Alvar Aalto's Helsinki office and won traveling scholarships to Morocco and the US whilst also designing ranges of furniture and glassware.  Sydney Opera House. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyharris/114537716/'>Flickr user jimmyharris</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> Utzon's ambition as a young designer was seemingly boundless. Ten years before he submitted his winning entry for the opera house in Sydney, Utzon had entered a competition in London to design a replacement for the Crystal Palace, which he did not win. As noted in The Guardian's obituary of Utzon, the submission demonstrated that the UK's capital once had the chance to "build something just as extraordinary as the opera house" with a design that was "personal, sculptural and quite outside the mainstream of architectural development at the time." Some argue that Utzon's architectural style correlated with that of Eero Saarinen (who was also a judge for the opera house competition), architect of the TWA terminal at New York's Kennedy airport.  Sydney Opera House: perspective from staircase between the two halls looking towards the north. Image © Jørn Utzon In 1966, nine years after his winning entry was accepted by the opera house competition jury, Utzon was driven to resign his position and leave Australia. Those in power had deliberately underestimated costs in order to get the project started; when costs soared, Utzon, it appears, took the majority of the blame, leading to a number of arguments with local and national politicians. His strong, collaborative friendship with Ove Arup—another Dane—also turned sour over the Opera House project.  Bagsværd Church. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/seier/5958688179/'>Flickr user seier</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> Back in Denmark, Utzon embarked on two other key architectural projects: the Bagsværd Church (Denmark) built between 1968 and 1976, and the Kuwait National Assembly, designed and built from 1971 onwards and rebuilt in 1993 after being destroyed by Iraqi forces during the Gulf War. Utzon's obituary in The Guardian notes that they "have a sculptural purity that makes them compelling works of architecture" and that they "seem to stand outside the mainstream of 20th-century modernism." Alongside these projects, Utzon also built a house for himself overlooking the sea in Mallorca, Spain. Once described as "a domestically scaled summation of Utzon's architectural ideas," it symbolizes what became a quiet but profound architectural career.  Utzon's Home on Mallorca. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/drzimage/475618855/'>Flickr user drzimage</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/'>CC BY-SA 2.0</a> Utzon's architectural career was one of pure, ambitious ideas and subsequent broken collaborations and unlucky circumstances. For an architect of Utzon's talent, his output was relatively modest. Most of his key buildings, such as the Sydney Opera House and the Kuwait National Assembly are often seen as "fatally compromised" projects, often through factors that Utzon could not have controlled.  Kuwait National Assembly. Image © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/xiquinho/3447464666/'>Flickr user xiquinho</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/'>CC BY-SA 2.0</a> Utzon missed the opening of Sydney's iconic building in 1973, and did not attend the ceremony awarding him the Royal Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal in the same year. When he was offered the Freedom of the City of Sydney in 1998, the Lord Mayor had to take the keys to him in Denmark. He told the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1978, when he was awarded the Royal Gold Medal, "if you like an architect's work, you give him something to build, not a medal." Check out Utzon's major works featured on ArchDaily via the thumbnails below, and further coverage of him and Sydney's most iconic building below those. You can also see some of Utzon's original drawings for the Sydney Opera House on the New South Wales Government's website. The Opera House Project: Telling the Story of an Australian Icon On Jørn Utzon's 100th Birthday, 11 Prominent Architects Pay Tribute to the Great Architect Video: Jørn Utzon's Nature-Inspired Sydney Opera House Sydney Opera House to Undergo $202 Million Renovation Le Corbusier Tapestry Intended for the Sydney Opera House Will Finally be Installed LEGO® Unveils 3,000 Brick Sydney Opera House References: Guardian, denmark.dk, Sydney Opera House  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 08 Apr 2018 11:00 PM PDT  © Laurian Ghinitoiu The Moritzburg castle in the city of Halle is exemplary of the Gothic military architecture in 15th century Germany. Despite the partial destruction of the north and west wings during the Thirty Years War, the site has managed to retain most of its original features: a surrounding wall, three of the four round towers at the corners, and a central courtyard. But more importantly, the castle has been home to an art museum since 1904. The challenge arose when this exhibition space needed to be expanded, without modifying or adding onto the original columns. With some genius and creativity, Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos created a new exhibition space based on a single, clear architectural idea: a new roof.  © Laurian Ghinitoiu The Moritzburg castle was already host to a notable collection of modern art, mostly German Expressionism paintings, for over a century. So when the museum received a large donation by one of the most valuable private collections of the Die Brücke Expressionist group, they knew they would need more space to accommodate these incoming works.  © Laurian Ghinitoiu Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos' solution was to design a new roof as a large platform, and fold it so that it rises and breaks to allow natural light to enter. In doing so, the original floor was left untouched, and no columns needed to be inserted into the main gallery.  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu Two new vertical communication cores were also built to further enlarge the space. The first, located in the North wing, connects different levels together. The second is a new 25-meter high tower that provides access to new exhibition areas as well as views over the city.  © Laurian Ghinitoiu The visual geometry of an angular metal tower built along the castle's existing irregular shape and high roofs creates an interesting new aspect to the castle. The architects believe that these new developments will only to add to the interesting history of the Moritzburg Castle over time, and enhance the image of the romantic ruin.  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  © Laurian Ghinitoiu  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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