Arch Daily |
- VoipVoice Headquarters / LDA.iMdA architetti associati
- Hengchuang Center / Atelier Xiang
- Melbourne Vernacular / Altereco Design
- Chaoyang Park Plaza - Office Public Area Interiors / Supercloud Studio + MADA s.p.a.m.
- Eastland Town Centre / acme
- Creekbluff Studio / Matt Fajkus Architecture
- gmp Wins Competition for Science Complex in Suzhou, China
- Renaware Office in Independecia / LLATAS
- New Images Released of Proposed Skyscraper Addition to Chicago's Thompson Center
- Goose Island Brewhouse / SuperLimão Studio + McKinley Burkart Architects
- Shortlist Announced for Competition to Redesign the Eiffel Tower Visitor Experience
- TLALPAN 590 Building / TALLER DEA + KOZ architectes
- Spotlight: Jane Jacobs
- Nepal's "Vertical University" Will Include 6 Campuses In 5 Climatic Zones to Teach About Climate Change
- Hualle House / Ampuero Yutronic
- Lemay, Perkins+Will, and Bisson Fortin to Design Montreal Light Rail System
- Topotek 1 Architektur Wins 1st Prize With Concert Hall Design in Nuremberg as "House With Four Fronts"
| VoipVoice Headquarters / LDA.iMdA architetti associati Posted: 04 May 2018 10:00 PM PDT  © MEDULLA studio
 © MEDULLA studio Text description provided by the architects. The VoipVoice project, born in the Empoli manufacturing region of the Florentine countryside, is part of a research program which aims to reactivate industrial areas that saw in 2008 a hole in the construction process due to the building industry crisis. The VoipVoice project introduces a significative element, innovative and compatible with the state of the places where the new activity is inserted.  Floor Plans  © MEDULLA studio The most relevant project points:  © MEDULLA studio 4.- To create views over the surrounding hills and landscape;  © MEDULLA studio  Sections and Elevations  © MEDULLA studio  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Hengchuang Center / Atelier Xiang Posted: 04 May 2018 07:00 PM PDT  © Pengfei Wang
 © Pengfei Wang Text description provided by the architects. Limo Space is located in the north of Beijing's most famous 798 art district, one of Beijing's hottest cultural and creative office areas. Through the remodeling of space and the way of introducing natural light, it has become the model of the most spatial experience in BOE's office renovation project.  © Pengfei Wang  Diagram  © Pengfei Wang In terms of function, this project has transformed the original single office function into a composite mode suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and Shared office workers.It also added convenience stores, cafes and other service functions to radiate to the surrounding area. It not only leads the new office environment and mode in space, but also becomes the service center of the surrounding office space.  © Pengfei Wang In space, the atrium space used in commercial buildings is used for this office area, and skylight is added in the center position. Sunlight through the skyline sprinkle on the staggered platform, people can feel the warmth of the sun. In order to have more comfortable height space in the office area, the original ground was dug under the bureau. At the same time, the original roof structure was utilized to form three layers of space, and the atrium space was formed within the tenant area. Set the three wooden "boxes", the use of framing and places in the form of a Chinese garden, a variety of scenarios is formed within the modern space transformation of visual effect, which allow customers who walk along the way will have different feelings.  1F Plan Shared space is only 30% of the total area, centralized distribution brought a greater sense of space, in order to ensure that the tenant area can get effective economic benefits, at the same time allow customers to experience the feeling of totally different from the traditional office space.  © Pengfei Wang In the face of increasingly serious air quality problems in Beijing, the project makes full use of natural light and a new wind system that can filter smog.With the advanced intelligent control system of BOE itself, the project will have innovative performance in energy saving, water saving, power saving and air quality improving. At the same time, the health, natural and comfortable theme elements of Limo are integrated into the space construction and functional layout, so that customers can experience and feel it in a subtle way.  © Pengfei Wang  Diagram  © Pengfei Wang In order to adapt to the existing environmental features and not make extensive changes in the facade reconstruction, it also reflects Limo's own low-key but meaningful personality characteristics.After redesigning the existing facade elements, only the "door" and "window" elements are retained but adjusted.The space of the door is exaggerated to form the entrance space with directions.According to the site environment, the north facade forms a small and simple volume in the first floor space, which corresponds to the internal space elements, but has a huge contrast effect in space. In the end, this project gives a personality characteristic that is compatible with Limo - "reasonable and unexpected."  © Pengfei Wang  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Melbourne Vernacular / Altereco Design Posted: 04 May 2018 03:00 PM PDT  © Nikole Ramsay
 © Nikole Ramsay Text description provided by the architects. This hundred-year-old worker's cottage in Yarraville was renovated with a meticulous approach to sustainability. We were fortunate to be engaged by clients who aspired to leave as small a carbon footprint to their new home as possible. The clients took a mindful approach not only to the design of the building but to the building process itself, requesting to keep as much of the original structure as was feasibly possible.  © Nikole Ramsay The environmentally conscious owners painstakingly removed decayed and dilapidated parts of the house. They cleverly identified an opportunity to use the original red brick paving from the backyard as an internal feature wall and an external brick wall. Original Bluestone foundations and paving were reused for all front paving. The kitchen was made by local company Cantilever Interiors using reconstituted stone by Consentino made up of 80% recycled content with a low VOC finish.  © Nikole Ramsay  Floor Plan  © Nikole Ramsay Altereco Design employed a savvy design approach that enables passive heating and cooling inside; not only does the aforementioned red brick wall create a pleasing aesthetic, it performs as thermal mass for the building. When it came to the great outdoors, "water-wise" and native plants were used in the garden beds - all of this topped off with an insulating green roof.  © Nikole Ramsay This industrious approach to build and design reduces associated wasted energy (often synonymous with demolishing the old and building something shiny, modern and new), all the while successfully preserving and celebrating the certain charm that comes with a house of this era.  © Nikole Ramsay  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Chaoyang Park Plaza - Office Public Area Interiors / Supercloud Studio + MADA s.p.a.m. Posted: 04 May 2018 01:00 PM PDT  Relationship between the Interior and the Exterior of the Lobby. Image © Yong Zhang
 Relationship between Lobby and Major Building(A1/A2). Image © Yong Zhang Text description provided by the architects. Supercloud Studio has cooperated with MADA.s.p.a.m Architects for 3 years, and completed "Chaoyang Park Plaza" — public area interior design of A7 Building and the major building(A1/A2) of the building complex of Chaoyang Park Plaza. The project is situated in the south of Chaoyang Park, Beijing, designed by MAD Architectures. With an overall floorage of 220,000 sqm, the complex includes 10 building which unfold as a classic landscape painting on an urban scale.  Relationship between the Interior and the Exterior of the Lobby. Image © Yong Zhang  Twin towers lobby floor plan  Application of "Copper". Image © Yong Zhang The major building(A1/A2) is a mountain peak like twin-tower while the lobby represents a waterfall outline between the twin-tower which pours down with strong spacial power. "Sincerity can make metal and stone crack" is the connotation of this interior design, with copper applied as the main material to contrast with the color of the black curtain wall. "Metal" and "Stone" respectively refer to the interior and the exterior for the design that becomes the central idea. It also further explains the theme of "Chinese Ink Landscape".  Application of "Copper". Image © Yong Zhang Three-floor high lobby reaches as high as 30m which is a giant corridor connecting the twin-tower. The huge U structure hangs over, becoming a rooftop between them like a curtain which forms a constant surface under the background of the black curtain wall. People will feel as if they are lingering in the spaceship of Hollywood famous movie "Star Wars". The boundary between nature, culture and technology becomes very obscure here and they stay together. Eastern natural philosophy and high-tech urban space integrate to form a modern space of Chinese characteristics.  The major building(A1/A2) and A7 Building are both office building.. Image © Yong Zhang Multiple tests were used on "copper" during the design process. The major corridor applies a very special material: scale-type copper net attached with atomizing white glass. Atomizing glass could reveal the texture of the copper net and prevent fingerprints which to show a very exquisite and special feeling. The effect of this special material combo is realized after various of attempts. The wall and the ceiling of the elevator hall apply high purity copper plates that will darken and be oxidized as the time goes by.  Application of "Copper". Image © Yong Zhang A7 Building has the largest floorage among the building complex and stays face-to-face with the twin-tower. The design of this building centered on "Jade". Natural diagonal grain stone is applied to integrate the wall and the floor. Black and white lines are connected with each other horizontally and vertically to make the space an organic whole to show full sense of high tech.  A7 Lobby. Image © Yong Zhang  A7 floor plan  A7 Building. Image © Yong Zhang  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 04 May 2018 12:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of acme
 © Micheal Gazzola Text description provided by the architects. With the recent completion of the Sage Hotel, Ringwood, QIC has finished its radical overhaul of the 1960s Eastland Shopping Centre. Located in a suburban fringe of Melbourne, Australia, the new mall is the product of an unusual partnership between three design practices in London: ACME, Universal Design Studio, and Softroom. QIC commissioned Seventh Wave to appoint these three studios and oversee the project which spanned half the globe.  © Micheal Gazzola Architects ACME designed the new hotel, as well as creating a town square, a sculptural entrance to the mall (the Shard), a library and civic center, the David Jones department store, and a number of multi-story car parks. Universal Design Studio was responsible for the interior design of the refurbished central mall, as well as the smaller link malls. Softroom designed a largely glazed rooflight that links the existing part of Eastland with the new Town Square.  © Micheal Gazzola The new town square (or piazza) inverts the original inward-facing 60s masterplan and offers the area a civic focus. Shoppers are lured outside of the interior mall into the daylight and a new sequence of spaces, forming a new public heart for Ringwood and Maroondah. Eastland is the first in a series of major transformations of shopping centers by QIC, acting as a test case to demonstrate the ways in which commercial and civic spaces can coexist happily and form real public facilities for the local community.  © Micheal Gazzola  © Micheal Gazzola  © Micheal Gazzola Rising out of the center of the square, the Shard provides access into and out of the mall, topped with an undulating roof, which soars over a transparent glass base. Next, to this, a new Library replaces the smaller facility demolished in 2015, forming a civic landmark for the entire development. Conceived as a shaded box of books and digital information, the library's more solid upper section appears to float above a glass box beneath that houses public functions including a café, art gallery, and citizen advice center.  Courtesy of acme The 120-room hotel is wrapped in a fritted glass wall that gives the impression of a pleated white curtain falling gently across the six floors contained within. At night, filtered waves of light shine out from the bedrooms, turning the entire glass box into a lantern that glows within the development. The hotel sits atop a car park that is surrounded by an ever-changing pattern of alternating concrete fins, creating a cinematic sensation of movement for drivers traveling past the building at speed.  © Micheal Gazzola Governed by the City of Maroondah, the suburb of Ringwood has been growing fast for the last few decades and it is one of the more affluent areas east of Melbourne. The Eastland Shopping center has dominated the area since 1967 when it opened with a large Myers Department store. By repositioning and extending the center, QIC was able to reimagine the way people will access the mall and use public space and transport. The redevelopment of this center is the first step in a larger regeneration programme of the entire area.  Courtesy of acme  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Creekbluff Studio / Matt Fajkus Architecture Posted: 04 May 2018 10:00 AM PDT  © Charles Davis Smith
 © Charles Davis Smith Text description provided by the architects. Despite mathematical logic, sometimes 1 + 1 = 3. The home office addition not only complements the existing house and balances the dynamic West Austin lot but also created a newly framed portal to an adjacent creek and a rich landscape beyond. As a flexible space for both working and entertaining, the addition is fit for three to five employees while accommodating gatherings and parties.  © Charles Davis Smith  Site Plan  © Charles Davis Smith The solid front facade is clad with wood and stucco, minimal and subtle yet tailored to the privacy needs of the clients who work in the financial sector. By offsetting the wood panel portion of the front wall, the office harvests daylight from the street elevation through side windows that are hidden from the street view. A glass entry connects the new to the existing, offering a clear view of and direct access to the unique natural beauty of the site.  © Charles Davis Smith Unlike its solid front, the back side of the home office opens up to the outdoors with large windows, floor to ceiling glass sliding doors and a patio tucked between tree canopies overlooking the creek. Wood ceilings extend out, further strengthening the indoor and outdoor connection. In addition to the two individual office spaces, an operable wall divides the main space when needed. The roofline of the new addition has been kept true to the existing house's midcentury modern tradition, yet with a new twist in detailing and material appropriation.  © Charles Davis Smith  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| gmp Wins Competition for Science Complex in Suzhou, China Posted: 04 May 2018 09:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of gmp Atchain By 2020, an innovation campus with offices and laboratories for young companies in the high-tech field will be developed in Suzhou, the eastern Chinese metropolis. The total of 330,000 square meters of gross floor area is provided in five building clusters of different sizes, which are arranged offset from each other around a park and lake landscape. In the spring of 2018, the design by Architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) and WES landscape architects won first prize in the competition for the project.  Courtesy of gmp Atchain With a sweeping lake landscape, small islands, bridges, and buildings dotted around the landscape, the design by gmp and WES was inspired by the typology of Chinese landscape parks. Suzhou is famous for its classical gardens, which are included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list as masterpieces of garden design. The set up of the buildings will generate various vistas between the green center and the buildings; gardens at the edge of the landscape park create a transition from the development to the open landscape. Between the buildings, gardens, and the open park landscape, there will be numerous smaller and larger plazas in a flowing sequence that invite employees and visitors to pause.  Courtesy of gmp Atchain  Site plan The angular building volumes form a contrast to the organic shapes of the landscape park. Offices and laboratories are housed in three building clusters; each group consists of two large buildings that are linked via a plinth and three freestanding buildings. The exhibition hall is of special importance on the campus. It is the main address and represents the complex to the outside. As a centrally located building, it can be used by the companies on the site as a reception area and for meetings and provides flexible divisible areas for temporary product presentations and exhibitions. Directly adjacent to the exhibition hall is the conference center with the adjoining "expert premises." Whilst the upper stories accommodate meeting rooms and lecture halls, the plinth structure serves as a place of communication, designed for an exchange of knowledge between companies.  Courtesy of gmp Atchain All facades feature a vertical louvre structure, which has the effect of creating a uniform ensemble of the different clusters. The views change in accordance with the spectator's location; when driving past the buildings the facade seems to change from closed to open. The vertical facade profiles are arranged such that they protect the interior from the low morning and evening sun. Opening window elements at regular intervals ensure that natural ventilation is available to the offices and laboratories. In order to underscore the importance of the exhibition hall for the campus, its facade design differs from that of the other buildings. Large openings are cut into the cube, into which a vertical louvre structure is inserted as reference to the neighboring buildings.  Office and laboratory building, section Competition 2018—1st prize News via: gmp Architekten.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Renaware Office in Independecia / LLATAS Posted: 04 May 2018 08:00 AM PDT  © Renzo Rebagliati
 © Renzo Rebagliati Text description provided by the architects. Working on existing infrastructures, is to work with time. Time and material projected to adapt to multiple functions in its interior, built and ready to transform its exterior.  © Renzo Rebagliati  Floor Plan  © Renzo Rebagliati The place to intervene, belongs to one of the commercial and business centers of the busiest districts of the city of Lima. We started the design by making many small models of reinforced concrete, which allow us to visualize the volume of each space, and at the same time work on the scale and connections that would exist between them. This led us to think of each space as a unit, and to generate a change of unevenness in the ceilings that respond to the proportion of air and human scale that each program would have.  Cortesía de LLATAS  Cortesía de LLATAS The design of this project was focused in the air, this air surrounded by matter that ages and changes as well as the functions, and that has been captured to remain in time.  © Renzo Rebagliati  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| New Images Released of Proposed Skyscraper Addition to Chicago's Thompson Center Posted: 04 May 2018 07:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of visualizedconcepts Landmarks Illinois has released new images of a proposed radical extension to the James R, Thompson Center in Chicago. The images seek to portray the building's versatility to be privately redeveloped as a mixed-use hub, featuring an eye-catching "super tower" at the southwest corner of the site, as proposed by the scheme's original architect Helmut Jahn. The new images follow on from a previous story we covered last year, detailing a 110-story tower proposed by Jahn in response to local plans to demolish the postmodern building. The latest images underlie a similar goal of demonstrating the potential for the Thompson Center to be protected and expanded, in response to its listing on the Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois in 2017 and 2018. The Postmodernist piece lies in a precarious situation, with an administrative interest in selling the building and replacing it a high-rise development.  Helmut Jahn's previous proposal for a 110 tower beside the Thompson Center. Image © JAHN. Via Crain's The updated renderings seek to demonstrate the possibility of maximizing the site's zoning and revenue potential without demolishing the Thompson Center. The existing building would act as a gateway to the new scheme, maintaining a status as one of Chicago's greatest indoor public spaces; "an open-air, urban space with shops, restaurants, and activities that would make the complex a revitalized and exciting destination." Meanwhile, the strategic separation of existing spaces could create large office floors capable of accommodating technology or corporate companies.  Courtesy of visualizedconcepts The southwest corner of the site remains the proposed location of a new tower, with minimal impact on the existing building's atrium space. At approximately 13,000 square feet, the mixed-use tower would contain a hotel on the lower floors, and residential on the upper floors. On the second level of the existing center, a connection would be formed with the tower's hotel lobby.  Courtesy of visualizedconcepts  Courtesy of visualizedconcepts The proposal argues that "repurposing, not demolishing, Thompson Center makes the most sense from an economic, environmental and architectural standpoint," avoiding the minimal $15 million demolition price tag while still redeveloping the site in a "dramatic and exciting way." News via: Landmark Illinois
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| Goose Island Brewhouse / SuperLimão Studio + McKinley Burkart Architects Posted: 04 May 2018 06:00 AM PDT  © Maíra Acayaba
 © Maíra Acayaba Text description provided by the architects. The American brewery, originally from Chicago (USA), Goose Island Brewhouse brought to Brazil its concept of 'brewpub', a bar where beer is produced and consumed. SuperLimão Studio and the Canadian office McKinley Burkart were responsible for the development of the project. The place chosen for the project was the Largo da Batata, in Sao Paulo (Brazil), in line with the brand's position of seeking to insert its brewpubs in places under intense urban transformation. The first Chicago brewhouse occupied a space in an old industrial area in transmutation to a young and artistic region. The house picked was the last remaining part of the expropriation process of the subway, with 10m of front and 40m of the bottom and a side that turned the facade of the project, facing the Largo.  © Maíra Acayaba Although Largo da Batata presented itself as a great option, due to numerous transformations over time, the property did not appear to have the industrial aspect present in the guideline of the brand. After the removal of these interventions, what remained was the original structure of the property: a deposit of coconut from the beginning of the century. The choice of materials such as original bricks intends to offer the visitors access to the transformations through which the site passed. Concrete and the wood burned Shou Sugi Ban allied to the new apparent metallic structure arrived the intended language. The project sought to deal with the nature of Goose Island Brewhouse: joining brewery and bar, two distinct programs from sanitary to flow issues. The project sought to integrate the two parties and took advantage of the presence of machinery: the brewery is in the middle of the bar, and it is possible to see it from everywhere, even on the way to the bathroom.  Axonometric The layout has been configured in steps: when you arrive, first you see a reception that works as a store and tells you a bit about the history of the brand. Entering is possible to see a large hall, which has as background the brewery, and an outside area divided by large metal doors. When opened, those doors become a cover and the space is integrated into the hall. On the opposite side were created spans that allow the entrance of natural light. Parallel to this wall was made a large gutter containing plants called jibóias (Epipremnum pinnatum) that over time will take over the apparent installations. On the way to the second floor, there is a room with special beers aging in barrels, which creates another category of beer and forms of consumption.  © Maíra Acayaba On the second floor is the Biergarten, an area protected by a pergola made of wood with retractable cover, which has a unique view of Largo da Batata. The space has a second bar, a barbecue grill integrated to that area and an orchard. The rest of this floor is occupied by technical areas and the kitchen. The building has two facades with different aspects. The first, where the front door is, has a more vertical aspect and refers to the original construction. The face turned to Largo da Batata is quite horizontal where it is possible to have a reading of the transformation of the old shed allied to the brewery with visible white tanks on it. Graffiti artist Nove (Digital Organico Studio) was invited to develop a panel that makes a present reading of the region, printing many colors and bringing "Brasilidade" to the project.  © Maíra Acayaba  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Shortlist Announced for Competition to Redesign the Eiffel Tower Visitor Experience Posted: 04 May 2018 05:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of AL_A Amanda Levete is among one of four teams to be shortlisted for a competition to reimagine the visitor experience for the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris. The four teams, chosen from 42 entries, will be tasked with rethinking the ways in which people discover and interact with the tower, working in collaboration with the City of Paris government. Titled "Discover, Approach, Visit," the competition site covers 54 hectares of land on both sides of the River Seine, with the Eiffel Tower site located at the center. In preparation for Paris' hosting of the 2024 Olympic Games, the competition asks teams to spend 10 months exploring how to enhance the visitor experience at the base of the tower, strengthen existing connections across the site, reconfigure public transport routes. The shortlisted teams comprise Amanda Levete with GROSS.MAX, Gustafson Porter + Bowman, Agence Ter with Carlo Ratti Associati, and Koz Architectes with Atelier Roberta.
The four teams will now work in coordination with the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo for 10 months, with the winning design implemented by 2023. News via: Amanda Levete Architects, Gustafson Porter + Bowman
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| TLALPAN 590 Building / TALLER DEA + KOZ architectes Posted: 04 May 2018 04:00 AM PDT  © Onnis Luque
 © Onnis Luque Text description provided by the architects. TRANSCONTINENTAL DESIGN  © Onnis Luque VERTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD  © Onnis Luque Contrasting with the massive, unappetizing mid-rise blocks popping up along the main streets of México City, TLALPAN 590 consists of two ultra thin towers, one constructed with bricks and the other wrapped in a hazy white metal mesh. On the side façade of the building the metal mesh loses its uniformity. Its playful forms reflect the diverse layouts of each apartment - a vertical transposition of the barrio’s inventive configuration - generating 12 different possibilities for the 52 units of TLALPAN 590.  © Onnis Luque The very rationalist structure allows this free mixing of single and two level apartments. Despite being small areas (60 and 70 m2), each 2 or 3 bedroom unit incorporates a large living room extending to a balcony, creating open-plan living and a house-like feel with spectacular long distance views of the cityscape.  Longitudinal Section The ground level is raised from the street level in order to provide privacy to inhabitants and generate a commercial space extending to a sunken courtyard below street level, further buffering the surrounding activity. Access to the building is located on the quieter side street. Ramps lead down to the parking and oversized bicycle space and a staircase leads up towards the large courtyard bordered by the main staircase and corridors inspired by vernacular settings. It also provides natural light and ventilation to the building while creating a communal space for the inhabitants, encouraging collective use of the courtyard.  © Onnis Luque  Level 1  © Onnis Luque TECHNO-RUSTIC  © Onnis Luque This carefully considered combination makes TLALPAN 590 settle naturally in its surrounding, both paying tribute to existing conditions and paving the road to new qualitative developments outside the hype « colonias » of the city.  © Onnis Luque  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 04 May 2018 03:30 AM PDT  Jane Jacobs, then chairperson of a civic group in Greenwich Village, at a press conference in 1961. Image <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jane_Jacobs.jpg'>via Wikimedia</a>, photograph by Phil Stanziola (Public Domain) Throughout her career, social activist and urban writer Jane Jacobs (May 4, 1916 – April 25, 2006) fought against corporate globalization and urged post-war urban planners and developers to remember the importance of community and the human scale. Despite having no formal training, she radically changed urban planning policy through the power of observation and personal experience. Her theories on how design can affect community and creativity continue to hold relevance today—influencing everything from the design of mega-cities to tiny office spaces. In The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961), her most well-known publication, Jacobs critiqued the short-sightedness of urban planners in the 1950s and argued that their assumptions about what makes a good city are actually detrimental to the human experience. For example, she contended that the creation of automobile infrastructure results in the unnatural division of pre-existing neighborhoods, creating unsafe environments and thereby severing community connections. In the years leading up to her death, she discussed ways in which communities could recover what they lost as a result of poor foresight in earlier city planning efforts. Besides her written works, Jacobs is known for her urban activism, in particular her criticisms of New York's masterplanner Robert Moses, who at the time was engaged in a wholesale modernization of the city with car-led infrastructure, slum clearances and Le Corbusier-inspired housing blocks. The feud between these two arch-rivals is dramatic enough that there is now an opera based on the story.  Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, which Jacobs saved from Robert Moses' plans for the Lower Manhattan Expressway. Image © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NYC_-_Washington_Square_Park.JPG'>Wikimedia user Jean-Christophe BENOIST</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY 3.0</a> Perhaps the most high-profile part of this battle was Jacobs' campaign to save her own neighborhood of Greenwich Village, which was designated by Moses for slum clearance and a new expressway. After a popular campaign of social activism—which included Jacobs' arrest—Moses' plans were largely abandoned, signaling a victory for Jacobs' ideals, if not exactly a personal victory; following her arrest, she left Greenwich Village and moved to Toronto. Greenwich village is in many ways an effective case study not just of Jacobs' ideals at the time, but of the results of her theories. Many have criticized her ideas for apparently ignoring—even incubating—the processes of gentrification which in the intervening years have become one of the central challenges for cities. However, others have countered that when she made her arguments, in the era of modernization and suburban expansion, it was inconceivable that preservation of old neighborhoods would eventually lead to an increase in desirability and value. After her first book, Jacobs broadened her scope and began to look at topics such as economics, morals, and social relations to create an oeuvre that approached a complete theory of what makes a city. Here is a complete list of her publications:
Read more about Jane Jacobs via the ArchDaily articles below:
New Documentary to Explore the Life and Legacy of Jane Jacobs
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| Posted: 04 May 2018 02:30 AM PDT  Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio KTK-BELT Studio, a not-for-profit organization based in rural Nepal, is currently working with local communities to create a fascinating "Vertical University," which will teach students about biodiversity and environmental conservation in 6 "living classrooms" positioned along a vertical forest corridor that stretches almost from sea level to the top of an 8-kilometer peak. These 6 stops encapsulate the 5 climatic zones of Eastern Nepal: tropical, subtropical, temperate, subarctic and arctic. The project explores the specific impacts of climate change in each climatic zone, creating "classrooms" where students can walk from Koshi Tappu to Mt. Kanchenjunga, the third tallest peak in the world, and learn onsite from indigenous farmers about the biological diversity of each area. By teaching place-based skills in these micro-conservation hubs, the project aims to conserve and activate local knowledge. Each of these "classrooms" responds to the visual and cultural cues of its unique landscape, with one campus focusing on a flood-proof design in a heavy monsoon area, and another mimicking the semi-nomadic lifestyle of local yak-herders.  Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio Nepal is a global diversity hotspot, harboring 9.5% of all bird species and 8.9% of all bryophyte species (mosses and similar plants) in the world. This mega-diversity of species is currently severely threatened by the effects of climate change, which include landslides, flooding, glacier lake outburst floods (GLOF), invasive and alien species, and the degradation of wetlands, which threaten both the unique landscapes and the livelihood of 19 million smallholder farmers.  Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio The Vertical University focuses on the biodiversity and the effects of climate change in each specific zone, with classrooms, eco-guest houses, a training hall, library spaces and workspaces in each campus. These programs are not only for the students, but also accessible by the local communities surrounding the campuses through the BELT farmers program and the BELT schools program. The community is provided with educational and training opportunities to learn about their local ecosystem, as well as techniques to adapt to a changing climate. Campus 1: Koshi Tappu Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio At 67 meters, the first campus is situated next to the Koshi-Tappu Wildlife Reserve, recognized as one of the 27 important bird areas of Nepal. With around 485 bird species sighted in the area, including watercock, Indian Nightjar, dusky eagle owl and black-headed cuckoo shrike, as well as over 200 fish species and 514 plant species, the area is rich with critically important flora and fauna. As a highly accessible and flat region, it is experiencing major urbanization pressure. During the monsoon, this region also undergoes major floods, with a flood in 2008 displacing over 60,000 people. Adopting a flood-proof design, the architecture combines a lightweight bamboo structure resting on a stone gabion wall base. The triangular plinth rises above the ground, acting like a prow of a ship to protect it from flooding. The landscape intervention around the building also acts as a biodiversity hotspot.  Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio Campus 2: Yangshila Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio Churia, or the Siwalik hills, are one of the most threatened regions of the country, with 15% of the population residing there. The land consists of sand and gravel, playing a critical role in recharging the groundwater system of the entire Terai region. However, dangerous sand mining and increasing deforestation are leading to an increase in flash flooding disasters, as well as landslides downstream. In this second campus, building techniques such as geotextiles and gabion walls are used to ensure control of soil erosion. The master plan focuses on the stabilization of the nearby stream bank as well as proper water management. It has been developed to leave room for the planting of endangered trees and plant species.  Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio Campus 3: Kurule-Tenupa Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio Between 2010 and 2015, more than 150 natural springs partially or completely dried up in this area due to climate change in the Eastern Himalayas. This has resulted in out-migration, with a loss of more than 25 species of fish which previously provided the main livelihood source to local fisherfolk, as well as other agricultural and health challenges. The campus is envisioned as a large water-harvesting infrastructure, where every roof and courtyard contribute to the collection of water which will be stored in underground tanks for the dry season. It will consist of an info point or meeting/exhibition space, flexible classrooms for training, research spaces, office spaces, and artist residencies.  Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio Campus 4: Khandbari Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio Situated on the eastern edge of Makalu-Barun National Park, this area is one of the most important—and most threatened—biodiversity hotspots in the eastern Himalayas. Due to its remoteness, it has been a critical center of evolutionary novelty and species unique to the area. The region is increasingly threatened by road construction and rural land grabs, poorly conceived hydropower projects, and a lack of institutional frameworks for mitigating negative impacts of land use charge. The Khandbari campus is located in the urban hub, and works to demonstrate alternative urbanism approaches, from the use of green roofs to climber walls and rain-harvesting techniques.  Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio Campus 5: Thudam Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio Thudam is a village located at the intersection of three trekking routes to Upper Arun, Kanchenjunga, and Tinjure Milke Jhaljhale regions. It is home to a number of culturally important products, such as a type of radish called Bhote Mula, hard cheese, butter, and dried yak meat. Located in a subalpine region, the campus will consist of a monitoring station at a 3600-meter elevation. Mimicking the semi-nomadic nature of the yak herders of this region, the architecture of the campus consists of a yurt-like structure made of bamboo and canvas. It will also include a greenhouse to demonstrate how to grow food at such a high altitude with scarce water resources.  Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio Campus 6: Mt Kanchenjunga Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio The final stop in the Vertical University is at Mt Kanchenjunga, in the "roof of the world," the Himalayas. With the region containing one of the largest freshwater reserves in the world in the form of glaciers, it is directly threatened today by global warming, increasing urbanization, and geopolitical conflicts. If the temperature continues to rise, the glaciers will melt by 35% by 2050, causing huge changes in the lives of the 1.3 billion people living within its catchment area. In Nepal, a landlocked country between India and China, the threat of the melting glaciers is immediate, impacting the country's only source of freshwater as well as increasing the risk of glacial lake outburst floods. The focus of this campus will be on the research of the impact of climate change on glaciers. A climate monitoring station will be housed in the research facility, along with research residencies, greenhouse, and other classroom facilities.  Courtesy of KTK-BELT Studio The Vertical University project has won the What Design Can Do (WDCD) Climate Action Challenge, the SEED Public Interest Design Award 2017, and the Energy Globe Award for Nepal 2017. KTK-BELT was also named a finalist for the prestigious Buckminster Fuller Award, Echoing Green, and Katerva Award for the Environment.  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| Hualle House / Ampuero Yutronic Posted: 04 May 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © Felipe Fontecilla
 © Felipe Fontecilla Text description provided by the architects. Hualle House is a 230m2 family home located in the southern Araucania region of Chile, renowned for its natural beauty.  © Felipe Fontecilla Place Response  Cortesía de Ampuero Yutronic Sitting on a gently sloping site in the rural foothills of the Villarrica volcano and the lake below, the house embraces this natural environment and the outstanding views afforded by its privileged setting. The two-storey building form and orientation is a response to this sloping terrain of the land and the microclimate of the area.  © Felipe Fontecilla Building Form  Cross Section  Volumetric Diagram  Longitudinal Section Material and Construction Elements  © Felipe Fontecilla In contrast to the dark exterior, the interior walls are lined in pale, almost white, stained plywood. The warmer color of the natural wood surrounds of the windows, which line the entire depth of the wall, punctuate this interior blank canvas acting as picture frames to the outside views. Emulating the folding geometry of the roof structure, the ceiling flows sinuously for the entire length of the interior. Exposed concrete floors, incorporating black volcanic aggregate, contrast with the pale walls and ceiling.  © Felipe Fontecilla Interior Arrangement  © Felipe Fontecilla  Ground Floor Plan  © Felipe Fontecilla  First Floor Plan  © Felipe Fontecilla Sustainability/Energy Strategy  © Felipe Fontecilla  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Lemay, Perkins+Will, and Bisson Fortin to Design Montreal Light Rail System Posted: 04 May 2018 01:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of Réseau express métropolitain (REM) Three award-winning architecture firms, Lemay, Perkins+Will, and Bisson Fortin, will design a new 67-km sustainable system of light-rail train stations for one of North America's largest public transportation projects, the Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) in Montreal. This system of train stations will be designed as part of NouvLR General Partnership's recently won contract and will connect Montréal-Trudeau International Airport with the city's downtown area, as well as the north and south shores of the region.  Courtesy of Réseau express métropolitain (REM) The concept for the design is based on the combination of the themes of movement, transparency, and identity. The station's facades and landscape features reflect the experience of moving as seen through the window of a moving train. The design also contains urban features, with moments of stillness and vertical movement.  Courtesy of Réseau express métropolitain (REM) The stations also feature large amounts of glazing to both allow for daylight, and to give passengers better wayfinding opportunities. The immediate areas surrounding each REM station will become sustainable, biodiverse ecosystems, which will make the network a "green urban continuum." Additionally, the network will also support access for pedestrians, cyclists, busses, and in three locations, metro access.  Courtesy of Réseau express métropolitain (REM) Jeff Doble, Principal at Perkins+Will, commented on the project saying, "The REM is a reflection of the same innovation and ingenuity that has made Montreal one of the world's leading cultural and economic centers. It's an honor to be involved in a design that approaches infrastructure as a cultural and influential amenity, with the goal of improving the quality of life for citizens, enhancing experiences for visitors, and ensuring long-term economic value for the entire region." Construction is scheduled to begin in April of 2018. News via: Perkins+Will.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 03 May 2018 11:00 PM PDT .jpg?1525046162 "Courtesy of Topotek 1") Courtesy of Topotek 1 German architecture and landscape firm Topotek 1 Architektur has released images of a competition-winning design for a new Concert Hall in Nuremberg. Designed as an addition to the ensemble of the Meistersingerhalle, the hall engages the existing infrastructure and context to create a connection between the present landscape and public space. The combination of the existing building and the new translucent exterior envelope provide "a house with four fronts" that engages the surrounding landscape on all sides.
 Courtesy of Topotek 1  Courtesy of Topotek 1 _1.jpg?1525048146 "Courtesy of Topotek 1") Courtesy of Topotek 1 The design for the hall, which seats over 1,500 people, is an ideal "shoebox" style space with proportions following a ratio of 2:1:1. The hall also boasts the ability to reach a reverberation time near 2 seconds, which is on par with the most world-class performance halls. With the largest distance from a seat to the stage being no more than 35 meters, minimal sound quality is lost even from the farthest seat in the audience.  Courtesy of Topotek 1  Courtesy of Topotek 1 News via: Topotek 1 Architektur.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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