Arch Daily |
- Slice House / Alhumaidhi Architects
- Inseed / SWING
- J House / Spaces Architects@ka
- Hamonic + Masson Architects Awarded Project in Imagine Angers Competition
- SCAU Architectes to Design Vegetated Stadium in Paris
- The Albany / RKD Architects
- Los Angeles Is Painting the Streets White (Again), and Your City Might Be Next
- What Makes a City Livable to You?
- Bank of Canada Headquarters Renewal / Perkins+Will
- These Balancing Boulders Are Just the Destresser You Needed
- Emil Garleanu / Ion Popusoi + Bogdan Preda
| Slice House / Alhumaidhi Architects Posted: 28 Apr 2018 10:00 PM PDT  © Nelson Garrido
 © Nelson Garrido Text description provided by the architects. The project is located in Al-Adiliyah, Kuwait with a plot area of 1000 m2. The rectangular plot has neighbors to the east and south in addition to a pedestrian alley way along its longer northern edge. The shorter street frontage on the western side benefits from a community garden across the street.  © Nelson Garrido The massing looks like a slice of cake- a triangular wedge inserted into the plot and angled to maximize privacy away from neighbors to the east and from across the pedestrian alley on its northern edge. The angled edge also subtly orients the homes views and main frontage towards the garden across the street.  Ground Floor Plan While the slice occupies a footprint covering approximately 50 percent of the plot, the rest of the area is devoted to a private garden and pool. In the north-western corner of the plot we have a detached annex facing the pool containing within it a gym and toilet/shower room. The client requested a design which can, in the future spatially and programmatically separate into to independent homes. One for the parents and another for the sons future family. Thus, the majority of the current programme (reception, office space, main kitchen, and parents living suites and bedroom) are stacked vertically above one another within the wider base of the wedge. While the sons private quarters and living space are vertically stacked within the tip of the wedge.  © Nelson Garrido  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 28 Apr 2018 07:00 PM PDT  © Yoshiyuki Hirai (1-19)
 © Yoshiyuki Hirai (1-19) Text description provided by the architects. This co-working space for our Malaysian client is aimed to be a hub in Japan for their friends and co-workers to drop by on business trips, as well as a private office for them.  Plan Taking advantage of the unique layout of the building under the given conditions, we divided it into three areas : "Reception & Library", "Meeting room" and "Co-working & Party room".  © Yoshiyuki Hirai (1-19) Balancing between relaxing and working is what we considered the most as it is supposed to be used for a long period of time in a day. By using black-and-white as its key color scheme and keeping each parts' details minimal, the arranged colors to represent each function work in their most effective way. On the gray plastered wall, the obliquely arranged brass accents give it an image corresponding to the natural lights from windows. This project has created a well-balanced office space with a sense of focus and excitement as well as a relaxing feeling as if guests are in the client's home.  © Yoshiyuki Hirai (1-19)  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| J House / Spaces Architects@ka Posted: 28 Apr 2018 01:00 PM PDT  © Bharat Aggarwal
 © Bharat Aggarwal Text description provided by the architects. J House is a weekend home, located in Delhi, with plot area of 1800 sq.ft. The house is designed in a contemporary style of architecture with a lot of open spaces to ensure visual connectivity between all the floors and allows an abundant inflow of natural light and air.  © Bharat Aggarwal The designing has been done considering client's brief who wanted a distinctive but a simple family abode. So we visualized the house as an expression of Indian modern and contemporary architecture with a minimal material palette.  © Bharat Aggarwal The residence is located in an urban context, having a strategically planned outward looking interior space with required privacy created by the usage of louvers and screens. The house responds well with internal connectivity and provides interactive spaces for the family, and aimed towards allowing maximum daylight into the interior spaces. All the walls are majorly planned in monochrome and splashes of colors have been added with bright colors in artwork and furniture.  © Bharat Aggarwal The elevation is purely driven from the functions of the interiors. A few blocks have been carved out from the elevation to accommodate multiple terraces which in turn enhance the experience in the interiors. These terraces had to be covered up in a way to create cozy semi-private zones rather than having a direct sight from the street. Wooden and metal elements are custom designed to both create the privacy needed and also create the play of light and shadows in the interiors. The major element in the left part of the elevation is a staircase which had to be treated well to make it a distinctive feature as well. The front wall uses large glass panes shaded using wooden louvers and an abstract cantilevered roof element above it. The house spans to three levels with 5000 sq.ft of built-up area.  Ground Floor Plan As per the client requirement, a bedroom, kitchen, study, drawing and dining are kept on ground floor, interconnected from within by triple height spaces allowing light to travel throughout the house. This triple height space is characterized with a rough Indian Gwalior stone, placed in different sizes adding a very subtle texture in the space.  © Bharat Aggarwal The first floor has 2 bedrooms, a family lounge and a small terrace in the front with a tree in the center. This terrace is a semi open space covered with wooden louvers scaling up to the second floor creating a double height volume.  © Bharat Aggarwal On the second floor the house opens up to a big terrace garden which experienced as an extended part of the lobby. This terrace interacts well with a visually connectivity to the interiors and the terrace below.  Second Floor Plan Usage of greenery both in the interiors as well as exteriors enhances the quality of living and also adds to the minimal palette used throughout.  © Bharat Aggarwal  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Hamonic + Masson Architects Awarded Project in Imagine Angers Competition Posted: 28 Apr 2018 09:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of Luxigon France-based Hamonic + Masson Architects has been selected as one of the winners for the Imagine Angers Competition, which asked teams to propose innovative designs to be built on one of six different sites in the town of Angers, France. The winning teams were announced by the mayor of Angers at MIPIM, a real estate conference, held in Cannes. Other participating architects include Manuelle Gautrand, Steven Holl, Duncan Lewis, XTU, Sou FUJIMOTO and OXO architects.  Courtesy of Luxigon Hamonic + Masson Architects' project, called Metamorphose, on one of the larger sites called the Quai Saint-Serge, responded to the need for a revitalization of this industrial zone which would transform the area into a dynamic and lively neighborhood.  Courtesy of Luxigon Their 24,000 square meter design contains apartments, a sports center with a rock climbing wall and gym, a restaurant, offices, and a parking area.  Courtesy of Luxigon The scheme reflects the ambition of the city and provides a sense of harmony between the public spaces. It proposes a new way of living in Angers that connects with the surrounding site by treating the interstitial spaces as different topographical levels, making the building appear to be an extrusion from the site. News via: Hamonic + Masson Architects.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| SCAU Architectes to Design Vegetated Stadium in Paris Posted: 28 Apr 2018 07:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of SCAU architecture France-based SCAU Architectes has proposed their design for a new stadium project to be built on the outskirts of Paris. The site, which is located at the edge of a forest in Clamart, France, inspired the team to create a design that extends the forest by covering the stadium in a green mass of vegetation.  Courtesy of SCAU architecture The green façade allows for skylights and light channels combined with the mirrored glass surfaces to flood light into the interior spaces. From both the interior and the exterior, visitors can see the forest, various sports matches, and the sky. At night, the space illuminates and the mirroring effect is reversed.  Courtesy of SCAU architecture In order to preserve views of the forest, SCAU placed the building in the natural slope of the site. The main programs, including a bowling alley, game room, gymnasium, athletics hall, and parking, are located underground. The design has an organic flow between each program.  Courtesy of SCAU architecture The stadium is expected to be completed by 2024, in time for the Paris Summer Olympic Games. News via: SCAU Architectes.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 28 Apr 2018 06:00 AM PDT  © Ste Murray
 © Ste Murray Text description provided by the architects. In the front lawn of a Regency villa, the new home is a modernist pavilion, re-interpreting the seaside villa. Visually distinct, utilising an eclectic mix of materials and interventions to navigate its spectacular aspect, the design is deferential to its surrogate neighbour. Recessed to one corner of the site, the existing residence retains views through the site and Howth beyond, while the new structure frames new vistas across Dublin Bay.  © Ste Murray The site has been considerably lowered, forming a garden of seclusion and privacy, accessible from all bedrooms. The upper level is transparent, open plan and sub-divisible, continually retaining a visual relationship to the sea. A reinforced concrete frame frees the façade, crafted from a seamless ribbon of glass across main upper floor elevations, floating above a ground floor plinth reminiscent of the seawall and evokes the Martello towers along the coastline.  © Ste Murray  Ground + First floor plan  © Ste Murray Our client was determined to have a home that would be modern and timeless, yet sympathetic to its context, the first new buildings along the Monkstown promenade in 150 years. The building is a seamless amalgamation of natural materials and craftsmanship, modern amenities and renewable technologies.  © Ste Murray  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Los Angeles Is Painting the Streets White (Again), and Your City Might Be Next Posted: 28 Apr 2018 05:00 AM PDT  © City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Street Services via deMilked Last spring, the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services tested a new, creative approach to combat the rising temperatures in the city center. The pilot project covered one neighborhood street in each of the LA's 15 council districts with CoolSeal, a more reflective asphalt-based coating developed by California-based company GuardTop. After seeing a difference of 11-13 degrees Fahrenheit on the coated streets, Los Angeles and other cities plan on implementing more reflective roofs and pavements to reduce the side effects of "heat islands." More on the CoolSeal coating and the fight against heat island effect after the break.  © City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Street Services via deMilked According to the Washington Post, CoolSeal was originally used by the military to conceal grounded airplanes from spy aircraft using infrared cameras. While the test application in LA's neighborhoods did yield impressive results, there is a minor drawback. The coating costs about $40,000 per mile and lasts seven years.  © City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Street Services via abc10 The Environmental Protection Agency defines a "heat island" as a place where open land and vegetation are replaced with infrastructure, buildings and roads. The substitution of more moist and permeable environments for drier and less permeable environments causes dense urban regions to become much warmer than the surrounding areas. This "island" can often be more than 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the air temperature.  © City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Street Services via deMilked According to the Los Angeles Times, the mayor's office hopes to have a 3-degree difference in temperature by 2019. Thanks to the initial testing last year, the city now knows some of the best tactics and strategies to begin working toward that goal, as well as a better idea about where to begin within the city itself.  © City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Street Services via deMilked Since the pilot program using CoolSeal last year, GuardTop has received inquiries from all over the world, including China, Israel, Australia and Saudi Arabia, according to the Washington Post. So it might be safe to say this trend in environmental design could be here to stay.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| What Makes a City Livable to You? Posted: 28 Apr 2018 02:30 AM PDT  © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/132839384@N08/17241901246'>Flickr user Hafitz Maulana</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/'>CC BY-SA 2.0</a>. ImageA music festival in Singapore Mercer released their annual list of the Most Livable Cities in the World last month. The list ranks 231 cities based on factors such as crime rates, sanitation, education and health standards, with Vienna at #1 and Baghdad at #231. There's always some furor over the results, as there ought to be when a city we love does not make the top 20, or when we see a city rank highly but remember that one time we visited and couldn't wait to leave. To be clear, Mercer is a global HR consultancy, and their rankings are meant to serve the multinational corporations that are their clients. The list helps with relocation packages and remuneration for their employees. But a company's first choice on where to send their workers is not always the same place you'd choose to send yourself to. And these rankings, calculated as they are, also vary depending on who's calculating. Monocle publishes their own list, as does The Economist, so the editors at ArchDaily decided to throw our hat in as well. Here we discuss what we think makes cities livable, and what we'd hope to see more of in the future. What do you consider the most fundamental quality/characteristic to achieve livability in urban areas?Maria Gonzalez: For me, there are two fundamental things. Firstly, cities should provide mixed programs and facilities at close distances from the inhabitants, preferably 10–15 minutes by foot. Secondly, they should have public spaces to generate encounter between the inhabitants.  The streets of Santiago, Chile. Image © Maria Gonzalez Reginato Niall Patrick Walsh: If I were to pick one thing, I would say interaction with other people. It sounds really simple, but I always find that my experience of a city is entwined with the people I meet, see, or even hear. So the fundamental characteristic is perhaps a city that is walkable, or negotiable without using a car, to maximize daily interactions. Keshia Badalge: I would put safety as my first priority. I realize a lot of things come under safety—such as political safety, streets being safe to roam, or being able to own/live in a house that is not prone to natural disasters. It gives me a sense of stability when a city is safe in all of these regards, and I can then go out and interact with people and enjoy other aspects of city life. Victor Delaqua: I agree with Niall, for me the city is a place where you are always exposed to new encounters, and it can result in a lot of positive experiences. But for this to happen, the city needs to have a nice infrastructure that allows for mobility and security, as Keshia mentioned.  © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/design_aditi/15988588224/'>Flickr user design_aditi</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a>. ImageA street festival in Singapore What is an example of a place that has these qualities?Keshia: Going back to safety, compared to the US, Singapore has very strict gun laws and drug laws ("very strict" meaning there's a death penalty attached to some of these violations). And while I've heard a lot about how authoritarian these laws are, they also make Singapore so safe. We have one of the lowest crime rates in the world. Because we're a stable economy, we can then use this as a foundation to develop better parks, public services, even housing.  © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/66944824@N05/11249849026/in/photolist-i97qbf-in4tDU-ouUUS8-ouUUNv-o468VL-22u3o-77zBQK-okzUWk-4cAvW8-jHx8Qd-3r86YN-apw4LF-boYsYa-cj8Qm5-in4oCJ-BF73uy-6C9B7f-o46oq5-fzv2rS-6uPEp7-oky56U-vG5hx-ppsZVB-XhvETP-cqV7Kb-7RVnL9-a9ENQe-fzfQSD-6f6CA7-o47kpc-pbvVQ-8Yd5V4-fzfHHn-cAKU1y-hkX2of-hEBytM-6wECzG-6CmjxH-edYxPD-6cYNCG-umAAh-fzfHng-fzfSTt-6yvsZE-YoA4wh-cuEbk-6C4hDJ-7DKHWK-2MeYUH-7xXSoW'>Flickr user Denis Bocquet</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a>. ImageA void deck in Singapore with food and community spaces 80% of Singaporeans live in public housing, and it's even mixed based on races (we have a racial quota for each block). And then the other unique thing about our public housing is a feature called a "void deck" which is an empty space at the first floor of our public estates, which can be filled with amenities like food or childcare services, and it also encourages interaction. These well-built government housing estates become enclaves for social interaction, and because they are subsidized they keep homeless rates low. Home ownership is so important to feeling stable and safe in the city you're living in Niall: Safety is an interesting aspect. I studied architecture in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which up until fifteen or twenty years ago saw a decades-long conflict between paramilitary groups. But in the post-conflict era, it has become statistically one of the safest cities in the United Kingdom, which has instilled a confidence in investors, developers, and even governments who are transforming the architecture of the city center. So yes, safety and confidence is a big driver in what makes a city attractive, both for designers and citizens.  © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/alessandrocapotondi/4005051491/in/photolist-76UWgV-3KxvAU-axpJG3-p3w1ZV-dqXUxr-332JeD-Up7GQ2-7sZSD9-anHhcu-egDRSz-9uNyFp-73qEgr-9Hi1f-Tj8YqE-4edThh-a823nT-C8VAq-br4AXA-7hXpLB-7YDTcv-a84UJW-8KaAPw-C8VxB-TmZAwg-4RkJqt-3pxtCA-6NZh7w-Tj9DBA-9uRtV7-NnyY5-3roqLV-7JAE7L-a84UDU-enqTJQ-3pxBCw-8PRnY-9uNxG4-5AhcxR-j1Dte-8P7TaB-UmoQQC-TjaHa5-7YDSW4-7YDTAP-73tB3q-73uxXh-3pLYiy-3pxuvb-VyJQk-73q5hV'>Flickr user Alessandro Capotondi</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/'>CC BY-SA 2.0</a>. ImageSpanish Steps in Rome As for a place that engages its people, I was always struck by the Spanish Steps in Rome. You see so many different characters and personalities, and the surroundings lend themselves so well to just sitting back and soaking in the atmosphere, even though it is in one of the busiest cities in Europe. Maria: What I value when I travel to European cities is being able to enjoy the human scale, where you can tell that the city has been modified for pedestrians. You can find a supermarket or a school just a few blocks from your home. You can walk or use a bike. Victor: I would say that the streets are a special space in every city, they're not only the space where people pass by, but also the space where city life derives its meaning. I remember a speech by Eduardo Souto de Moura in which he says he loves urban spaces because of the city noises and the surprises that a lot of people living together can bring. If a city has lively streets, with people eating, socializing, celebrating, it is a healthy city.  The streets of São Paulo, Brazil. Image © Victor Delaqua While nothing is ever "easy," what are the measures that could be taken in some of the cities you are familiar with that would make it more livable?Maria: In Latin American countries, there must be a greater mixture of uses in neighborhoods, so facilities are closer together. Commerce, housing, and recreation should be part of the same complex. Transport systems should also function as an integrated system, with pedestrians, bicycles, buses and the subway working as complementary parts of the network. Keshia: For me, one of the things that's always on my mind is: How are we looking out for a mature population? Sure cities can be great fun, but the world's population is growing just as fast as cities are, and so cities need to become more age-friendly, instead of being all about consumer shopping malls and coffee shops.  An elderly man at Ópera, one of the busiest intersections in Paris. Image © Keshia Badalge I read an article that the elderly in Japan are committing petty crimes, repeatedly, to end up in jail, in order to have a home and a community. Things like that cannot continue to happen; we have to look out for people outside of our own demographic, and think of better aging-in-place programs and ways to create communities for elders within the city. I'd like to add a nod to the Dutch here for their housing programs like Dementia Village, and Humanitas Retirement Home where students can live rent-free with seniors. There's also this funky Milan residential home called Casa Verdi, where 60 mature musicians live with 16 music students. I hope we can encourage more interaction across age demographics.  © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/luca_volpi/7349601514/in/album-72157630076290206/'>Flickr user Luca Volip</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a>. ImageCasa Verdi in Milan Niall: That issue of community and age becomes more prevalent when we look at how technology will impact cities. If smart objects become more necessary to negotiate cities in the future, there is actually a danger we can further alienate groups such as the elderly, who find it difficult to keep pace with technological advances.  V&A Museum along Exhibition Road. Image © Keshia Badalge I think moving away from traditional road/sidewalk streets can have a big impact. London has some interesting shared surface streets which make the city seem more breathable, and less cramped. Exhibition Road outside the Victoria and Albert Museum is a good example. Of course, when we propose these initiatives, we have to be mindful of the knock-on effects, and not just create a situation where we move all buses and cars to the next street! Victor: As someone who lives in São Paulo, a big city in a developing country, I believe the step to becoming a more livable city is to become more democratic. São Paulo is a city that has grown tremendously in recent decades and much of it was not planned. The poorest people live on the outskirts, and they spend approximately four hours of their day on public transport. This cannot be healthy for anyone.  Streets and flags. Image © Victor Delaqua The richer people in the city not only gain more time in their day (since they live closer to the city), they also enjoy a better climate because of more trees and parks. All this makes me wonder: For whom are we planning our cities? I would say that "decentralizing" the city into several places would make it more sustainable. Also, if we have mixed areas that combine living, working, health, education, and leisure, people will not have to waste hours of their daily life moving around. We posted this article earlier this month. What do you think of the results?Keshia: I am surprised by the proportion of European cities. I wonder if the metrics that Mercer used were skewed towards identifying and awarding merits to the features of a Western city. Have European cities become the de-facto standard other cities should strive for? It might be helpful to point out that even though these are the most livable cities in the world, they sure aren't the cities that everyone's moving to, so there's some sort of division between cities that are ranking-wise "livable" and then cities that people choose to live in. Niall: Because Europe has been a center of wealth for centuries, its cities have seen long sustained growth and maintenance. I wonder if this makes them more appealing for lists such as this. Perhaps it is easier to understand cities with such longstanding cultural (and architectural) roots?  Celebrating the Euro Cup on Champ de Mars, Paris. Image © Keshia Badalge And perhaps having so many cities on one continent with so many variations in culture and style, many of which can be reached within an hour or two of each other, makes them more attractive still? If you live in Berlin or Paris, and decide you want a weekend city break, you have dozens of options just two hours away, all with unique attractions. I wonder if there is any other part of the world where so many cultures and histories can be experienced in such a short time? Given your professional lens, what's your favorite city and why?Victor: [laughs] I'm thinking here Maria: Me too, es dificil! Niall: I love Amsterdam. Because of the tranport portoflio, to get from A to B, you can either walk, cycle, take an underground train, tram, bus, or canal boat. It makes the city so easy to travel around, definitely as a tourist, and probably as a local too. And it creates beautiful sounds and sights, such as canal bridges with vintage bicycles resting on them, or bicycle bells ringing if someone needs to speed up!  A music performance in the Paris metro station. Image © Keshia Badalge Keshia: I'm going to risk sounding like a snooze, and go with Paris. I've lived in various arrondissements at various points in my life. To be fair I fell in love with Lyon first, and Paris felt a lot grittier in comparison. It took a few months of living in Paris to fall in love with evening walks along the Seine, and the chance to pass by the Louvre in the morning on the way to service my computer at the Apple store (it broke down many times), and underground (sometimes literally underground) literature events and performances. My daily errands become quite magnificent when I look around and see these grand buildings with so much history and a community of people who love and appreciate the same things I do, which goes back to what Victor said, about belonging. Maria: I would say Berlin. Even though it has big streets and sometimes you feel like you have to walk a little longer than other European cities, it has history and you can feel it through its architecture. The buildings give away a lot about what they have been through and what they've become. Also, it has a lot of great public spaces, diverse architecture and cultural activities, and is affordable. Victor: One of my favorites is Medellin, Colombia. It is a city that demonstrates the role that architecture and urbanism can play in people's quality of life when you invest in excellent cultural buildings in poorer areas, design public spaces around the whole city, and have a strong urban network. To top it off the city has great access to nature, cultural and gastronomic offerings, a good climate and an extremely friendly population! About the editors -------------------- Keshia Badalge is an editor and Content Manager at ArchDaily. She oversees the publication of ArchDaily and co-ordinates content across the global sites in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese. She grew up in Singapore and moved to the U.S. to attend Dartmouth College. She later studied architecture and urban design as a Postgraduate research fellow and has worked as a freelance journalist before coming to ArchDaily. She has also lived in Lyon and Vermont but it's Paris that calls out to her, time and time again. María González is a project editor at ArchDaily. She is in charge of curating projects from North America, Africa, Europe and Oceania. She is an architect from Universidad de Chile, and was an exchange student at Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Paris-Belleville. She has a post-graduate degree in architectural photography from Catholic University of Chile. She worked as an architect for 3 years before becoming an ArchDaily editor. Apart from this, she also works as an independent photographer. She has lived in Santiago and Paris, and visited various Latin American, European and North American cities. Niall Patrick Walsh is an Assistant Editor at ArchDaily, having joined in 2017 as an editorial intern. Originally from Ireland, he is currently studying a Masters of Architecture at Queen's University Belfast, where he previously graduated with a BSc Arch(Hons). He has lived cities across the UK and Ireland, including London and Belfast, and is a keen traveler, exploring cities throughout Europe, the United States, and Latin America. Victor Delaqua is an editor at ArchDaily Brazil. He is architect and urbanist from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (2014) and did exchange programs in FAUUSP and Universitat Politècnica de València. Apart from ArchDaily, he also works as architect. He has lived in Campinas, Valinhos, Florianópolis, São Paulo (Brazil) and Valencia (Spain), and visited various Latin American, European and North American cities. Currently he is designing the 33rd Bienal de São Paulo.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Bank of Canada Headquarters Renewal / Perkins+Will Posted: 28 Apr 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © doublespace photography
 © doublespace photography Text description provided by the architects. In the heart of Canada's capital, the iconic Bank of Canada stands boldly in Ottawa's Parliamentary District. In January 2012, Perkins+Will was awarded the commission to transform the operations, space and working culture of one of Canada's finest institutions. Perkins+Will revitalized a proud piece of Arthur Erikson's architectural heritage by creating a re-energized workplace and world-class headquarters for the Bank. The revitalization thoughtfully injects a new era of sustainability, energy efficiency, data and seismic technology inside the workplace, bank building, and mirrored twin towers.  © doublespace photography Introducing a contemporary architectural vocabulary, the new civic plaza vividly animates the intersection at Wellington and Bank Street. Dark bronze metal and angled glass inspired by Erikson's chamfered glass towers and green-black granite sourced from Quebec are a nod to Erickson's original design. Juxtaposing architecture and skyline, dramatic crystalline triangles rise from below, proudly animating the parliamentary district. As a gift to Ottawa, the Bank of Canada Currency Museum was moved from inside the Bank to an accessible public space below the landscaped plaza, drawing pedestrians in.  © doublespace photography  © doublespace photography Perkins+Will thoughtfully restored Erikson's original vision for the Winter Garden atrium, while bringing currency to the Bank's workplace. The renewal project transforms the atrium's underutilized real estate into a secure, collaborative nucleus for the Bank. Interior foliage references both Erickson's love of the Canadian landscape and enhances a workplace culture that promotes wellness. Original architecture remains largely untouched. The new active work hub is further animated by an exterior pathway that creates a visual connection between the Bank, civic plaza, and the city beyond.  © doublespace photography Within the workplace, the design solution confidently moves away from private workspaces to an open environment. Access to a variety of flexible, technology-enabled workspaces not only liberate staff from their desks but also signifies an employer responding to the needs of a new generation of talent. Designing spaces that encourage face-to-face connections and knowledge exchange are central to both increased productivity and a more engaged workforce.  © doublespace photography Interconnected spaces on the main floor and the level below allow the Bank to create a new destination for conferences and events in Canada's capital city. The latest technology, together with adjacent lounges and integrated food and beverage service, provides support to a wide variety of meeting spaces.  © doublespace photography Inside the iconic towers, Perkins+Will executed system-wide upgrades targeting LEED Gold to align the facility with modern sustainability mandates. Maintaining the visual integrity of the historic façade, a dynamic buffer zone was installed by laying the second skin of glass 18" inside the building envelope. Increasing occupant comfort, this solution supports modern technology, while downsizing mechanical ductwork, leaving the original architecture intact.  © doublespace photography New energy-efficient and cost-saving systems were invisibly layered into Erickson's signature exposed concrete structure, resulting in a more efficient building and increasing overall energy performance by 40 percent. The renewal invisibly integrates power and data for 21st-century digital technologies, as well as a seismic strengthening of the original structure.  © doublespace photography  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| These Balancing Boulders Are Just the Destresser You Needed Posted: 28 Apr 2018 01:00 AM PDT Architecture requires patience. Seeing a building through from initial sketches to the first occupant is a process that in most cases takes years, sometimes decades. The various details required throughout the building process at times can be stressful, but the end result is nearly always worth the struggle. The finished form reflects the decisions made throughout the process, and thus becomes a contributing member to the surrounding environment. If you are at the point in the process where you need a quick destresser, take a moment and watch land artist Pontus Jansson work his magic. The Swedish artist uses boulders and the surrounding nature to create balancing works of art. Jansson's art form emulates a divine connection between patience, nature and stillness. While the images and videos of the "balances" from Jansson's Instagram (@pj.85) easily provide a useful distraction from any menial task, there is also something to be said about the relationship between the "balances" and architecture. Buildings in a way are a frozen piece of art. Much like Jansson's sculptures, balance is required in architecture between the built form and its environment. But when done correctly, architecture emanates harmony between art and nature. The same can be said for these incredible pieces of art. You can see more of Jannson's videos and stills on his Facebook page here.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Emil Garleanu / Ion Popusoi + Bogdan Preda Posted: 27 Apr 2018 10:00 PM PDT  © Radu Malasnicu
 © Radu Malasnicu Text description provided by the architects. For a better relationship with the sloping site (26 degrees), the building retracts dynamically in steps on each level, asymmetrically, offering each apartment a spacious terrace in front. From the site, there is a panoramic view of the old city and mountains behind. The volume is decomposed through a series of horizontal and vertical joints, in relation to topography, panorama, and optimal orientation. while maintaining the unitary character of the composition.  © Radu Malasnicu  Floor Plans  © Radu Malasnicu The facade of the city skyline is completely glazed, while the side and back facades cut fragments from the landscape. The base of the building, contains technical space and parking, remaining opaque in contrast to higher volumes, large city-oriented screens. Floors 1 and 2 comprise two apartments per level with main access from the lowest level. Upper levels accommodate two duplex apartments with separate access on the opposite side.  © Radu Malasnicu The inner spaces are fluid, interconnected, flooded by light and fully opened to the valley's view. The interior offers a continuation of space along the entire length of the building from the upper garden to the front terrace, in this way the immediate or distant neighborhoods, are included in everyday life. Wood finishes cross the glass screen to enhance this continuity.  © Radu Malasnicu  Axonometry 1  © Radu Malasnicu  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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