Arch Daily |
- Casa Aleix I Mariona / SAU Taller D’Arquitectura
- Earth Observatory / LPO arketekter
- Headquarters For Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park / Aedas
- Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Glasgow School of Art Is Burning Again
- Oxley + Stirling / Elenberg Fraser
- The Walk-in Camera Obscura at Fürstenfeld Regional Hospital / balloon architekten ZT-OG
- Arturo House / Moirë arquitectos
- "Together and Apart": The Latvian Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale
- Madroños 27 / Bueso-Inchausti & Rein Arquitectos
- Michael Maltzan Architecture's Inuit Art Centre Breaks Ground in Winnipeg
- Fabbrica / GD Studio Arquitetura
- Fly Back in Time with These Brutalist Cuckoo Clocks
- AYYA House / Estudio Galera Arquitectura
- Critical Round-Up: The 2018 Venice Biennale
- Little House / mw|works architecture+design
- "Biodomes" in the UAE's Al Hajar Mountains Will Promote Ecotourism
- Nature Lovers Can Live Off-The-Grid With This Portable, Self-Powered Pod
| Casa Aleix I Mariona / SAU Taller D’Arquitectura Posted: 15 Jun 2018 10:00 PM PDT  © Adrià Goula
 © Adrià Goula Text description provided by the architects. The ceiling of concrete joists was in a poor state of repair and the roof and brick openwork supports were neither waterproof nor ensured the desired climatic performance, prompting the following intervention: The entire roof was replaced with a single element, a Pratt truss, that forms the structure and restores the entire section, gaining 19 m2 of loft space.  Diagrams  © Adrià Goula Coming to this intervention, we found the existing communal stairway, the bathroom and the kitchen against the party wall on the north side. A bedroom and dressing room/study are inserted into the loft, where they enjoy light and ventilation through the roof. The south façade houses the dining room and lounge, ensuring views and natural light throughout the day.  © Adrià Goula To further improve the sensation of spaciousness in the house, the project works with visuals, creating a new window and glazing the Pratt truss. To avoid weighing the space down, the materials used are as neutral as possible, such as timber and glass. The ultimate aim is to create an uncluttered space and allow the occupants, Aleix and Mariona, to give the place its personality.  © Adrià Goula  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Earth Observatory / LPO arketekter Posted: 15 Jun 2018 07:00 PM PDT  © Hanne Jørgensen
.jpg?1528895845 "© Elisa Grinland") © Elisa Grinland Text description provided by the architects. Ny-Ålesund is a research town on the island of West Spitsbergen of Norwegian archipelago Svalbard. This is the northernmost settlement on Earth with a permanent population of 30-35 people, which increases in the summer to 120. Ny-Ålesund was founded as a settlement of coal miners in 1917, but in the 1960s coal mining was discontinued and the town was converted into a research settlement. Currently, there are 16 research stations run by scientists from 10 countries. A new earth observation station established by the Norwegian Mapping Authority (Kartverket) and developing by NASA will be the seventeenth in this list.  Site Plan The observatory is the latest addition to a global network of space geodetic stations and satellite-based infrastructure (GNSS). The Arctic station will make high-precision time measurements, help track changes in the ice sheets, improve the efficiency of marine transportation and agriculture, measure changes in the local gravity range and accurate distance to orbiting satellites. The main tool, which should accomplish all of the above, will be a new state-of-the-art satellite laser provided by NASA. Design a shell for such a high-tech filling was entrusted to the Svalbard office of LPO arkitekter.  © Hanne Jørgensen The Earth Observatory consists of five main elements - Station building, two VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) antennas, SLR (Satelite Laser Ranging) building and Gravimeter building. The station, antennas and SRL building are connected by a built-in walkway and represent a cross in plan oriented to the north-east. Gravimeter building is located separately. The cross-shaped form looks very iconic, however, like the orientation of the building, it is not due to aesthetic considerations, but to the snowdrift analysis.  © Hanne Jørgensen "We performed a CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis, and tuned the shape and height above the ground to make sure the entrance would not be blocked by snow deposit" - told Øystein Kaul Kartvedt, who was responsible for this part of work. The buildings are secured by piling to the underlying rock. To preserve wildlife and avoid melting the ground permafrost, the buildings are raised a meter above the ground. The entrance faces southwest to avoid disturbing the vulnerable animal life in the area. The wind primarily blows from southeast, so the buildings are designed to avoid snowdrifts in front of the entrance. All buildings are asymmetric with different angles of facade slope, which improves aerodynamic properties.  Diagram 1 The station building is the "heart" of the observatory. The building contains all necessary facilities for operation. On the ground floor, there are garage and workshop, storage room, freshwater, and septic tank rooms. All rooms have direct access from the outside. On the second floor, the observation department with the control room is centrally located. From here, operators have a clear view of the two VLBI antennas and visual contact into the computer room next door. There is also allocated space for break area with mini kitchen. The plant is not scheduled for 24 hours continuous operation, however, accommodation, with a bedroom and bathroom, is suitable for emergency situations or for special needs.  © Hanne Jørgensen The SLR building is reached from Station building via a footbridge. The building consists of an operating room with storage and a laser room. In the laser room, NASA's new state-of-the-art satellite laser is put on a separate foundation on the rock, free from the structure of the building. Over the laser, a dome strong enough to open and break the ice that might accumulate on top during Svalbard's frigid winters is mounted on the roof.  Elevations 1 The Gravimeter building is located at the north end of the Observatory site. Access is via stairs from outside into a porch. From the porch, you must have visual contact into the gravimeter space through a large glass. There are three separate foundations for the gravimeter instruments. The foundations should be independent of the structure of the building. The footbridge is built to shield nature and wildlife against human activity. The footbridge connects the Station, the SLR building, and two VLBI antennas, and should be used as the lead path for cables from the aerials to the Station building. The cable race should have a stable temperature corresponding to the temperature in the adjacent room.  © Hanne Jørgensen From the footbridge, there should be direct access to the VLBI antennas. Windows on the facades of the built-in walkway from the Station to SLR building form a meander ornament, probably the only moment in this project that is more decorative than functional. The observatory is fulfilling strict Norwegian standards for low-energy buildings. All the loadbearing elements are cross-laminated timber, insulated on the outside and clad with untreated spruce paneling on walls and roofs. The buildings will turn grey with time and blend into the surrounding landscape. Despite the fact that the main construction work was completed at the end of 2015, the observatory is to open in June 2018. All the systems should work by 2022.  © Hanne Jørgensen  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Headquarters For Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park / Aedas Posted: 15 Jun 2018 03:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of Aedas
 Courtesy of Aedas Text description provided by the architects. This headquarters building is designed to be a gateway to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park in Zhuhai, China, with leasable offices, an exhibition centre, a service centre, meeting venues and commercial amenities.  Courtesy of Aedas  Section 1-1  Courtesy of Aedas Inspired by the traditional Chinese concept of 'round sky and square earth', the architectural form shows the harmonious relationship between human and nature.  Courtesy of Aedas Unlike most office buildings, it has a 15-floor atrium with access to abundant natural daylight. The project is broken up into a series of boxes from top to bottom.  Courtesy of Aedas The podium has created a loose space network, which orchestrates a perfect environment for the outdoor rooftop garden responding to the local climate.  Courtesy of Aedas  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Glasgow School of Art Is Burning Again Posted: 15 Jun 2018 02:57 PM PDT  Image <a href='https://twitter.com/81Rocco/status/1007755133336346626'>via Twitter user @81Rocco</a> For the second time in 4 years, Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art Building is ablaze. The BBC reports that the fire began at 23:00 BST and it has engulfed a large portion of the building. Thankfully no casualites have been reported, but one eye-witness said the building is "going up like a tinderbox." For more information see the BBC and The Guardian.
We will continue to update as more news comes in. Read our coverage of the 2014 blaze here: Fire Breaks Out at Glasgow School of Art Cause Of Glasgow's Mackintosh School Of Art Fire Revealed  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Oxley + Stirling / Elenberg Fraser Posted: 15 Jun 2018 01:00 PM PDT  © Cieran Murphy
 © Cieran Murphy Text description provided by the architects. The proposal was to enhance the connection between the site and the spectacular views of the Brisbane River and the city center to the north. Oxley + Stirling sits on a picturesque bend between two reaches of the Brisbane River. Harnessing the unique outlooks across to the CBD and botanical gardens formed a building that would not work anywhere else. With the opportunity to create views for days, we could see that this exemplar of riverside architecture called for a touch of yesterday's grandeur. Sometimes it's best to return to the classics.  © Cieran Murphy Shared spaces echo the glamour of days gone by, with a modern twist. Pulling up to the building you're welcomed by the epic proportions of a porte cochere with large columns and dedicated drop-off zones. Inside, the lobby gleams with brass balustrades and rods. Up on the second floor is a library as well as a contemporary interpretation of a coffered ceiling. A rooftop pool area gives you the best seats in the house for soaking up the 360° views, with a decadent combination of infinity pools and landscaped areas with visible barriers removed. Exiting the lift, bluestone paving greets you and guides across the reflecting pool towards the viewing platform; the level also includes a gym and outdoor yoga space. Cinemas and private dining mean you can have a great night out with only a lift ride home.  Type Floor plan The form was shaped by the views – created to maximize every single apartment angle to give all residents the best possible access to those stunning panoramas. Each living room projects out past the next, fanning themselves out towards the view. From the moment you open the front door, you are presented with uninterrupted vistas, accentuated by bay windows and framed by fileted, curved glazing. The reflective, flowing façade mimics the sinuous turns of the adjacent river, while the warm gold green color pulls in the surrounding natural landscape. Twisted screens offer fine grain detail to the building's surface providing privacy and seclusion to each residence.  © Cieran Murphy  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Walk-in Camera Obscura at Fürstenfeld Regional Hospital / balloon architekten ZT-OG Posted: 15 Jun 2018 12:00 PM PDT  © Schreyer David
schreyerdavid.jpg?1526074868 "© Schreyer David") © Schreyer David A permanent spatial installation for the "Room of Silence" at the palliative unit schreyerdavid.jpg?1526074880 "© Schreyer David") © Schreyer David Camera obscura schreyerdavid.jpg?1526074934 "© Schreyer David") © Schreyer David Turning the world upside down  Section schreyerdavid.jpg?1526075054 "© Schreyer David") © Schreyer David  Rendering Room of silence schreyerdavid.jpg?1526075020 "© Schreyer David") © Schreyer David The focus is not on an architecture for events, for staging, but rather an architecture of the senses.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Arturo House / Moirë arquitectos Posted: 15 Jun 2018 10:00 AM PDT .jpg?1527254318 "© Ramiro Sosa") © Ramiro Sosa
.jpg?1527254768 "© Ramiro Sosa") © Ramiro Sosa Text description provided by the architects. The project is located in Mar del Plata, Argentina. This house responds to the requirements of a young family, who prioritizes the privacy and the relationship with the green areas. .jpg?1527254286 "© Ramiro Sosa") © Ramiro Sosa Bearing in mind those premises, the design tries to create a limit from the street, which results in a simple façade. As you get into the house, it opens up to the backyard and the patios in both sides of the public areas. This resource allows the access of natural light and creates all kind of visuals along the first floor.  Perspective Here you can find the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, a two-car garage which can be used as a meeting space, a bathroom and a studio. This level gets completed with a terrace space and a swimming pool. .jpg?1527254387 "© Ramiro Sosa") © Ramiro Sosa In the second floor you can find 2 bedrooms, one bath, a washing and drying room and a master bedroom with private bathroom and walk-in closet. All this rooms come together creating a single lineal volume, which sticks out from the first floor and creates an access space in the front and a recreation space in the back.  Ground Floor  Section - View  First Floor The strong materials chosen for the project emphasizes it aesthetic: the concrete walls, ceilings and floors or the black windows and doors ensure its atemporality. .jpg?1527254781 "© Ramiro Sosa") © Ramiro Sosa  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| "Together and Apart": The Latvian Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale Posted: 15 Jun 2018 09:00 AM PDT .jpg?1528069797 "© Ansis Starks") © Ansis Starks As part of our 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale coverage, we present the completed Latvian Pavilion. To read the initial proposal, refer to our previously published post, "Latvian Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale to Highlight Turning Points in 20th Century Apartment Block Design." Black walls and an exposed concrete floor create a mysterious and eerie backdrop for Together and Apart: 100 Years of Living—the Latvian Pavilion curated by urbanist Evelīna Ozola, architect Matīss Groskaufmanis, scenographer Anda Skrējānem and director Gundega Laiviņa. .jpg?1528069731 "© Ansis Starks") © Ansis Starks  © Francesco Galli A series of large conceptual models; accompanied by writing, photos and diagrams on the adjacent walls; aim to represent the development of the apartment typology, making reference to Latvia's surprisingly high ratio of apartment dwellers. .jpg?1528069782 "© Ansis Starks") © Ansis Starks Separated by downlit, mesh curtains that are hung from the exposed roof structure, each section of the exhibition has its own space while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic, using the themes of distance, promise, warmth and self to highlight "the ambiguity between being an architectural, but also a social, political, economic, and an ecological project".  © Francesco Galli .jpg?1528069746 "© Ansis Starks") © Ansis Starks  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Madroños 27 / Bueso-Inchausti & Rein Arquitectos Posted: 15 Jun 2018 08:00 AM PDT  © Alfonso Quiroga
 © Alfonso Quiroga Text description provided by the architects. The construction of the building in the “Parque Conde de Orgaz” area, required the previous processing of a planning figure, a detailed study, as well as the formal and functional adaptation of the building to its surroundings.  © Alfonso Quiroga  1st and 2nd floor  © Alfonso Quiroga The convergence of orientation and views at noon on the front access of the plot, the existence to the north of a degraded urban environment and the adjoining buildings of a certain entity in both side boundaries, led us to positioning the façades rotated 45º with respect to the orthogonal limits of the plot. With this decision, we avoided the views facing the adjacent buildings and we made all the houses participate in the magnificent views that unfold towards the south.  © Alfonso Quiroga The family profile of the inhabitants of the park area, made us opt for a homogeneous typology for all homes, both in size and program. Three different types were created: ground floor houses with private gardens and individual pools, dwellings on intermediate floors overlooking their terraces and duplex penthouses with private gardens and pools spatially connected to the interior space through large glass panels.  © Alfonso Quiroga The architecture of the building enhances the privacy of homes and defines the volume without compromising its functionality. The common areas, the gym, gardens and pool, enriches the access areas, being part of it but without giving up privacy. The use of the vehicle entrance to the building is dominant, so the entrances have been treated from the parking lot with the same nobility as the rest of the building.  © Alfonso Quiroga The detail solves the landscaping of the perimeter of the terraces in the plane of the ground in order not to interfere with the views. For this, a vessel housing the soil and landscaping, is built on profiles and laminated steel plates which cantilever from the edge of the concrete slab. In this edge profile, glass parapets are anchored to enclose the terraces.  © Alfonso Quiroga The choice of materials and the design of the construction details have been developed to make their integration and understand the whole as a unit at the same time of guaranteeing their noble aging.  © Alfonso Quiroga  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Michael Maltzan Architecture's Inuit Art Centre Breaks Ground in Winnipeg Posted: 15 Jun 2018 07:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of Michael Maltzan Architecture The Winnipeg Art Gallery's Inuit Art Centre has broken ground in Winnipeg Manitoba. Designed by Michael Maltzan Architecture in collaboration with Cibinel Architecture, the 40,000-square-foot scheme is set to become the largest gallery space in the world devoted to Inuit art, culture, and history. Arranged over four stories, the scheme is an addition to the 1971 museum designed by Gustavo Da Roza, and seeks to form a new cultural landmark for downtown Winnipeg.  Courtesy of Michael Maltzan Architecture The scheme centers on a transparent, double-height Inuit Vault, with curved glass walls reaching from floor to ceiling with shelving to follow the curvature of the enclosure. The vault will also contain a stairwell to additional collections storage at the level below.  Courtesy of Michael Maltzan Architecture  Courtesy of Michael Maltzan Architecture A light-filled, 8,500 square foot Inuit Gallery on the third level is dedicated to the display of Inuit art. Reflecting the natural environments where the art was created. the monumental, sculptural walls evoke the "immense, geographical features that form the background of many Inuit towns and inlets."  Courtesy of Michael Maltzan Architecture The new building will also contain a state-of-the-art conservation facility, art studios, an interactive theatre, classrooms, reading room, and a new café. At all levels, the building will be linked to the original 1971 museum by walkways. The $65 million project is due to open in 2020. News via: Michael Maltzan Architecture  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Fabbrica / GD Studio Arquitetura Posted: 15 Jun 2018 06:00 AM PDT  © Marcelo Donadussi
 © Marcelo Donadussi Text description provided by the architects. A landmark of Caxias do Sul´s past, the Luiz Michielon Winery, resurfaced in the panorama of the city after years of forgetfulness. The wine-growing company that boosted the caxiense economy, between 1920 and 1970, had its activities closed in 1977, victim of a crisis that culminated in its bankruptcy. The recovery of one of the buildings, in Manchester style, dated November 1943, today receives the Fabbrica Complex, name that refers to the previous use of the building.  © Marcelo Donadussi The building was the subject, in 2002, of a preservation request, however, the responsible organ of the city considered the building worthless of significance for preservation matters and the process was closed in 2004. The preservation of part of the set gave back to the community a material property, but directly connected with immaterial relations and dissident memories with space, avoiding the rupture between present and past relations.  © Marcelo Donadussi The revitalization proposes a new relation of the set with the city, recovering the symbolic existence in the collective memory. The project aimed to keep as much as possible of the original construction, affirming its historical character. Built annexes which had no relevance or clarity in the architectural form, were then removed.  First Floor Plan  © Marcelo Donadussi  Section AA The open space and access to the Complex configures a green semipublic area that enables cultural and social exchanges. With the intention of consolidating the use of this site, an intervention was necessary, altering the level of the ground in relation to the street, in order to avoid floods caused by rain. Due to that, a work of rain drainage and elevation of the subfloor was executed.  © Marcelo Donadussi The verticality of the chimney is a visual landmark for the city, which maintains the perception of the past and the industrial period. During the abandonment time, in order to avoid the preservation process, part of it was demolished, decreasing its height. With the intention of maintaining the historical continuity of this element, a new metallic structure was added analogous to the portion of its previous height. There were processes of cleaning and filling in the damaged or gap points, where the bricks from the demolition of other buildings that did not belong to the original, were relocated.  © Marcelo Donadussi The built space consists of three commercial rooms on the ground floor - to give place to a pizzeria, a sushi house and an artisan brewery - added to the foyer that gives access to the second floor, where the original characteristics of free floor associated with the high right foot holds parties and cultural events, thus configuring the cultural and gastronomic complex. The building also includes support areas, stairs and an elevator, in order to supply the new demands of the place.  © Marcelo Donadussi The materiality of the building is marked by the apparent brick structure and reaffirmed after the removal of the inner and outer coating that compose the glazed openings contained in a frame. The original clay tiles, French type, with slopes of 30 ° and 45 °, were individually washed, replaced and waterproofed. The ceiling that hid the roof structure was removed, leaving the timber apparent, which was cleaned and treated with termite.  © Marcelo Donadussi  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Fly Back in Time with These Brutalist Cuckoo Clocks Posted: 15 Jun 2018 05:00 AM PDT  © Guido Zimmermann Coffee machines and garden gnomes aside, Brutalist fanatics have a new means of expressing their love for the controversial modernist style, with credit to Frankfurt-based artist Guido Zimmermann. His beautifully-crafted "Cuckoo Blocks" reinvent the traditional Black Forest cuckoo clock with a modernist Brutalism inspired by the architecture of the late 1960s. More than an aesthetic centerpiece for Brutalist fanatics, the clocks are in fact a response to a decline in the middle class caused by increasing rent prices in modern metropolises.  © Guido Zimmermann  © Guido Zimmermann The cuckoo clocks are inspired by two brutalist landmarks. The La Flaine hotel by Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer can be considered either as a piece of expressive constructed art for the modern age, or a grey eyesore sitting awkwardly in an untouched natural Alpine setting. Meanwhile, the Glenkerry House in London by Erno Goldfinger, which once housed the average city dweller, offers a lifestyle which is barely affordable to the Londoner of today.  © Guido Zimmermann  © Guido Zimmermann
 © Guido Zimmermann  © Guido Zimmermann Zimmermann's "Cuckoo Blocks" series now also includes nest boxes for local songbirds, for the Brutalist garden fanatics not fully content with NINO the gnome. A prototype modeled on a social housing building in Sicily has already been given a seal of approval by a pair of local titmice. Rejecting the three "conventional" nest boxes next door, seemingly none flew over the cuckoo's nest.  © Guido Zimmermann  © Guido Zimmermann Zimmermann's works can be followed via Facebook and Instagram, or on his official website here. Sadly, cuckoos don't tweet.  © Guido Zimmermann News via: Guido Zimmermann  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| AYYA House / Estudio Galera Arquitectura Posted: 15 Jun 2018 04:00 AM PDT  © Diego Medina
 © Diego Medina Music invents silence, architecture invents space.  © Diego Medina  Ground floor plan  © Diego Medina Two apparently monolithic containers are overlapped, crossed and rested on a platform to materialize the house. Lifted over the average lot level, AYYA dominates the environment and accentuates its observatory nature. The crossed boxes guarantee different views from the two plans: down to the west and up to the north and ensure good sunlight in all the rooms.  © Diego Medina The project promotes and understands the need for social gatherings. AYYA is consequently arranged around a patio, a terrace and a pool which, like a water mirror, multiplies the effects of the sunlight.  Sections On the ground floor, the residence closes to the front so as to keep the residents’ privacy, silencing the distinctive noises of the neighborhood and reinforcing the decision of opening it to the west. The boundaries of the house disappear through the full opening of the fenestrations which generates large mixed spaces where ‘the inside’ and ‘the outside’ melt away and increases the apparent size of the house. The slab breaks away over the living-dining room and constrains -as a funnel- the transition between the inside and the outside. As in a game of opposites, the containers, roof slab and walls also act as a boundary for the residence as it is appreciated from the distant field. Over the kitchen and on its exit, the space ‘carves’ the concrete box.  © Diego Medina The beam frees the living room from any vertical elements (columns) at the time that expands the terrace. The cantilevered beam crowns in a hammock which hangs from it. The empowerment of this element –apart from the play on compositions- highlights the vacation spirit: the gratification found in playing and contemplating the environment.  © Diego Medina On the upper floor, a wagon which nestles the playroom and the bedrooms overhangs the platform to the rear façade offering shadow for outdoor activities. The wagon stretches to the front as if trying to blend with the neighborhood –which does not happen on the ground floor- while it seems to fly over the access plan due to the lack of supports. This solid cantilever produces strangeness and melts with the trees, extending the house into the landscape. Slightly down, another cantilever takes the shape of a pergola and connects with the first one while giving scale to the outside: a sublime carved plan that ‘stretches’ to the street projecting shadows. From a functional stance, it works as a solar shield for the vehicles.  First Floor plan  © Diego Medina The passage of time and the course of the sun enrich the space and the sensory experience. The pergolas and the carved concrete filter the sunlight and cast shadows which horizontally and vertically travel along the surfaces. The rooms are identified by their size; they are neutral and are not coated. These spaces were not ‘labeled’ in order to give the owner flexibility of use. The marks of the formwork and its supervised imperfection are taken as accomplishments: structure, color and texture fuse, highlighting AYYA’s character.  © Diego Medina All the materials were selected to keep the house maintenance to the minimum and bearing in mind that the effects that the climate has on them are a continuation of the building process. The interior of the concrete walls were fully filled with expanded polystyrene sheets –which were placed and adjusted during the formwork process since the concrete is all poured at once.  © Diego Medina The materials show what they are as they do not have surface finishes. They remain –as well as the building process- directly and permanently present in the construction. The non-artifice reinforced concrete overhangs the terrain and rests upon a platform, contrasting with the typical house of the neighborhood and portraying itself as strong and radical as the countryside. The residence is transformed into an auditorium where to contemplate each sunset. This might be its biggest virtue: to capture the spirit of the countryside where every afternoon the sun goes down.  © Diego Medina  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Critical Round-Up: The 2018 Venice Biennale Posted: 15 Jun 2018 02:30 AM PDT  Vatican Chapel by Javier Corvalán. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu The Venice Biennale, one of the most talked about events on the architectural calendar, has opened its doors to architects, designers, and visitors from all around the globe to witness the pavilions and installations that tackle this year's theme: "Freespace." The curators, Irish architects Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara of Grafton Architects, described the theme as "a focus on architecture's ability to provide free and additional spatial gifts to those who use it and on its ability to address the unspoken wishes of strangers, providing the opportunity to emphasize nature's free gifts of light—sunlight and moonlight, air, gravity, materials—natural and man-made resources." As the exhibition launched at the end of May, the architecture world rushed to Venice to be immersed in what the Biennale has to offer. But while the 2018 Biennale undoubtedly had its admirers, not everyone was impressed. Read on to find out what the critics had to say on this year's Venice Biennale.  Philip Yuan's "Cloud Village" installation at the Chinese Pavilion. Image © Lim Zhang  Swiss Pavilion. Image © Christian Buetler "Officially titled Freespace, the 2018 edition could equally be the biennale of benches." – Oliver Wainwright, The Guardian A veteran in architecture critique, Wainwright praised the welcoming atmosphere present in this year's Venice Biennale. The writer saluted the "additional and unexpected generosity" provided by the pavilions and the venue itself, in terms of public use and appreciation of nature:
Wainwright believes that among the most "tangible embodiment" of this year's theme, are not only the projects exhibited, but the work and respect the curators have paid to the city in terms of historic presence. Regardless of all the contemporary elements, the Irish duo managed to work around the existing plans and allow history and modern art to coexist:
Although Wainwright feels as though the resources "have been spread too thin" with the work of over 100 architects scattered across two venues, he had several honorable mentions of countries who were able to create impressive projects. Countries such as Greece, China, Bahrain, Switzerland, and Scotland, to name a few, caught Wainwright's attention in what they have to offer for the visitors, even in their simplest forms:
 Swiss Pavilion. Image © Italo Rondinella  Vatican Chapel by Foster + Partners. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu "There are years when this celebration of architecture ends up producing some of the least architecturally enjoyable spaces in the entire city of Venice, but not this time." – Rowan Moore, The Observer Like his colleague at sister paper The Guardian, Moore celebrated this year's Biennale, commenting on how the curators were able to make use of the site and provide the visitors with an experience that exceeds the visual experience. He explains that it is an architect's job to make use and draw attention to what is already existing, which is a notion the curators/architects successfully accomplished this year:
Moore describes "Freespace" as being fluid, by allowing events to happen in unexpected places and create openness with the architecture and its surroundings. This is a theme which the majority of pavilions, he says, were able to portray—except for the British pavilion, which in his opinion, had the plainest expression of the "Freespace" theme. Their suspended structure, which was an architectural translation of Brexit, along with the brutalist Robin Hood Gardens exhibited by the Victoria and Albert Museum, was deemed negative by Moore, contrary to the optimistic message portrayed by the Biennale:
 British Pavilion. Image © Italo Rondinella  British Pavilion. Image © Italo Rondinella "The main exhibition's incoherence proves that brilliant architects do not necessarily make good curators." – Tom Wilkinson, the Architectural Review Wilkinson's criticism begins with the selected theme, which in his opinion, contradicts the identity of the selected curators. The term "Freespace," he believes, is something "wafty and unfocused," unlike Grafton's architecture portfolio. He believes that this contrast led to a series of incoherent and conceptually inconsistent exhibitions:
Wilkinson also highlights other political and socio-cultural problems which were left unaddressed in the exhibition:
 Rozana Montiel's contribution to the Freespace exhibition. Image © Rozana Montiel  Vatican Chapel by Teronobu Fujimori. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu "This is not an exhibition" – Alessandro Bava, e-flux architecture Alessandro Bava presents perhaps the most adamant opinion regarding this year's Biennale. Among the many apparent problems he highlighted, one of his biggest concerns was the "disconnect" found between experienced architects, younger practitioners, and their ignorance in of the practice of making exhibitions:
Bava blames this year's inconsistent and "disappointing" biennale on the identity and credibility of the curators and their theme. He insists that future exhibitions hire experienced curators for the job, so that more focus is given to the "technicality of reshaping the way the planet is inhabited":
 Spanish Pavilion. Image © Ana Matos  Argentinian Pavilion. Image © Federico Cairoli
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| Little House / mw|works architecture+design Posted: 15 Jun 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © Andrew Pogue
 © Andrew Pogue Text description provided by the architects. The Little House is nestled into a lush second growth forest on a north facing bluff overlooking Hood Canal with distant views to Dabob Bay. Designed to repurpose an existing foundation, the new building is just over 20 ft square. The simple form is abstracted against the forest - a stark exterior contrasting a warm bright interior.  © Andrew Pogue The owners live full time in Houston, Texas but have shared many summers with family at a nearby property outside Seabeck. They loved the wildness of the southern Canal and imagined a small retreat here of their own. Early design discussions focused on creating a compact, modern structure that was both simple and inexpensive to build. Intentionally restrained on an existing footprint, the concept grew from this premise – a simple box with large carved openings in both the roof and walls that selectively embrace the views and natural light.  Floor Plan Visitors approach the site from the south. A thin canopy marks the entry and frames views of the Canal below. The more transparent north and west elevations pull the landscape and distant view into the space. With primary views toward the water, the south and east elevations remain mostly solid, shielding views from the driveway and neighboring properties. Skylights carve into the roof, bringing light and views of the stars over the bed and into the shower.  © Andrew Pogue Taut oxidized black cedar and blackened cement infill panels clad the exterior while lightly painted MDF panels and soft pine plywood warm and brighten the interior. On a sunny western corner of the house a large patio reaches out into the landscape and connects the building to the larger site while serving as a jumping off point to the trail system wandering down to the water's edge.  © Andrew Pogue The small footprint ultimately served as an effective tool to govern the design process. Focus was placed on the essentials and extras were edited out by both desire and a very humble budget. The resulting project hopes to capture the essence of the modern cabin – small in size but much larger than its boundaries.  © Andrew Pogue  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| "Biodomes" in the UAE's Al Hajar Mountains Will Promote Ecotourism Posted: 15 Jun 2018 01:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of Baharash Architecture The world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, towers at 828 meters in the heart of Dubai's ever-growing urban core. But just a few hours east of the metropolis, a different kind of monument is garnering tourism to the United Arab Emirates: the Al Hajar Mountains. With its peak at 3,008 meters, the mountain range's natural elegance rivals the country's architectural achievements. The Biodomes Wildlife Conservation Centre, a project from Baharash Architecture for the UAE's Eco Resort Group, seeks to celebrate the mountain range through an ecotourism paradigm.  Courtesy of Baharash Architecture  Courtesy of Baharash Architecture As tourism to natural areas increases worldwide, and as the UAE prepares to welcome an estimated 45 million visitors to the country by 2021, the Al Hajar mountains will likely see increased tourism over the coming years. And with tourism can come pollution, soil erosion, and loss of natural habitats and endangered species. Baharash's Biodome project hopes to mitigate the effects of tourism on the natural environment through low-impact design and promotion of environmentally responsible tourism.  Courtesy of Baharash Architecture  Courtesy of Baharash Architecture Evocative of Buckminster Fuller's Montreal Biosphere and the more recent Seattle Spheres—home to Amazon's headquarters— Baharash's biodomes use an iconic form with a new purpose. The three self-sustaining domes will be made from "prefabricated components to minimize disruption and allow fast assembly on site." From the inside of the domes, visitors will be able to view the landscape almost unencumbered. But with passive cooling, the subterranean domes will ensure more comfortable temperatures inside than out. Housing "educational programs to promote sustainable tourism" and a "Conservation Centre to protect various wildlife species," Baharash and The Eco Resort Group hope to encourage a new kind of tourism that will allow visitors to enjoy the natural environment without adversely affecting it. News via: Baharash Architecture  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Nature Lovers Can Live Off-The-Grid With This Portable, Self-Powered Pod Posted: 14 Jun 2018 11:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of IO House The uncontrollable roar of construction sites, the chaotic city streets, the monotony of spending more than 8 hours a day in a cubicle… All these daily grinds can take a toll on the human body and mind. Retreating into nature sounds liberating, however, our dependence on technology makes living off-the-grid almost impossible. Well, what if you could keep your modern lifestyle and sleep in a house hidden in the forest? IO Houses created The SPACE, a versatile and innovative housing project for people who love nature and want to preserve it, just as much as they love contemporary, luxurious living.  Courtesy of IO House  Courtesy of IO House The SPACE is a housing project, developed with the utmost respect for nature. These unimposing structures have "environmentally-sensitive" living spaces made out of premium materials. Wood, wool, glass, and metal were used to create each house, disregarding any use of harmful synthetic materials. Thanks to its all-inclusive design, the SPACE does not bind you to any location. The house can be placed by a lake, on a hill, or even in the middle of a forest, without corrupting the utility networks or the surrounding plantation.
 Courtesy of IO House  Courtesy of IO House The project is a "perfect blend of technology and art." With its modern designs and fine details, it has been developed by some of the world's leading housing technology specialists, creating electronic solutions for modern housing structures. Its innovations provide every homeowner full access and control of the house, even if the owner is out of town. Whether it's controlling the heating settings, energy consumption, or viewing the weather reports, managing the house is just a click of a button away.
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