Arch Daily |
- NUA studio / NUA Arquitectures
- Ray’s house / Chris Briffa Architects
- Tägern / Urben Seyboth AG
- Rin Wedding Studio / District 1 Architects
- Mafengwo Global Headquarters / SYN Architects
- Longshang Books Cafe / Atelier Mearc
- Silence House / First Design Studio
- Chiang Mai Residence and Studio / Neil Logan Architect
- Kyeongryunjae / mmArchitects
- Cascading Courts / HYLA Architects
- Bedford Park House / Mehdi Marzyari Architects
- Shigeru Ban Creates Temporary Shelter System for Japanese Flooding Victims
- View House / Barbara Becker Atelier de Arquitetura
- Fentress Architects Chosen to Design USA Pavilion for World Expo 2020 in Dubai
- Straight River Northbound Safety Rest Area / Snow Kreilich Architects
- OOPEAA Design Modular Floating Pool for Urban Waterfronts
- Casino Estudiantes Casa Central UC / OMN Arquitectos
- 45 Construction Terms & Concepts All Architects Should Know
- Dendrites / Studio Michel de Broin
- Jeanne Gang Cut the Wage Gap at Studio Gang and Is Challenging Others to Follow Suit
| NUA studio / NUA Arquitectures Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:00 PM PDT  Cortesía de NUA Arquitectures
 Cortesía de NUA Arquitectures  Cortesía de NUA Arquitectures Text description provided by the architects. Tarragona, strategically located on a hill, has a close relationship with the Mediterranean. This geographical duality makes it possible to find such privileged places such as this studio, one of the few workplaces of the city with a sea view.  Cortesía de NUA Arquitectures The aim of the project is to bring back the space used as storage for a long time and turn it into a wide and bright workplace.  Cortesía de NUA Arquitectures The intervention was structured in three actions.  Cortesía de NUA Arquitectures Undress.  Diagram Open.  Cortesía de NUA Arquitectures Inhabit.  Cortesía de NUA Arquitectures Undress, open and inhabit the space. Bring back the original spirit of the building encouraging new physical and visual connections.  Cortesía de NUA Arquitectures  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Ray’s house / Chris Briffa Architects Posted: 16 Jul 2018 08:00 PM PDT  © Chris Briffa
 © Chris Briffa Text description provided by the architects. A few years ago, an Englishman called Ray came to Malta and fell in love with Valletta. He scouted the entire island looking for a holiday home, but when he discovered Valletta his search was over. He found out about our studio after visiting a restaurant we had designed in town, and a few days later he came to my office and asked me to go see a property he was about to put a deposit on.  © Chris Briffa It was a unique house by Valletta standards. Not only were the rooms extremely spacious, but it also enjoyed a garden in the basement with all the main rooms overlooking it. In this sense, the house was fully introverted – an attribute that well suited Ray's desire for privacy. But apart from limestone, there was little which spoke of Valletta.  © Chris Briffa There were no windows onto the street, and nowhere inside the house could one catch a glimpse of a Maltese balcony or a Valletta streetscape; until we walked up to the roof. There, just as we walked out on the roof trough a small doorway after the garigor, was the dome of the iconic Carmelite Basilica. I told Ray we have to somehow capture this view and exploit it. He said he wanted to build a penthouse suite up here; since it was surrounded by higher party walls everywhere and his privacy issues once again came into the picture.  © Chris Briffa This became the turning point and the main design challenge of the initial design. Building an introverted penthouse suite abutting the surrounding roof walls, while still catching a glimpse of the most famous dome in Valletta. The problem was that the dome was only visible from this one particular doorframe, since as one walked out onto the roof, the dome slowly disappeared from view. So we took a site plan of the neighborhood, traced two lines from this point and projected them over to the dome. We had to convince Ray that the resultant triangular void would be left unbuilt, and the penthouse had to be designed around this void to secure the dome view, and frame it upon climbing to the penthouse via the garigor.  © Chris Briffa A few meetings later, Ray confessed that he owned a weekend house in London, designed by the world-famous minimalist, John Pawson. As much as he loved spending time in this house, he complained that it was too much of a white sculpture in its own right, and whenever he wanted to put up a work of art from his growing collection – it simply didn't feel right.  © Chris Briffa Ray's Valletta house would need to provide what his Pawson house could not – a friendly space for artworks of all sorts; paintings, sculptures, eclectic furniture and large objects … with the masterpiece sitting on top of them – the Valletta dome duly framed on top of his house-cum-art gallery.  © Chris Briffa This is one of the most beautiful houses we have built in Valletta. Ray turned out to be a tremendously insightful client. Not only did he understand the importance of framing the iconic dome, but he was also keenly responsive in dealing with the delicate balance between old and new – with the use of traditional materials such as lime and contemporary concrete.  Diagram Ray has been coming to Malta over the past four years, and he rarely left Valletta. Now that his house is complete, he visits Valletta more often than ever, and confesses that he rarely leaves the building.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Jul 2018 07:00 PM PDT  © Bruno Helbling Fotografie
 © Bruno Helbling Fotografie Text description provided by the architects. This single family house from the 60ies is a fine contemporary witness of the avant-garde at that time. The then usual mix of plastered masonry and concrete is skillfully applied and shows a lot of perfect details.  © Bruno Helbling Fotografie  Plan  © Bruno Helbling Fotografie Along the process a great deal of attention was turned to the preservation of the facade whilst completely renovating the interior of the house.  © Bruno Helbling Fotografie The floor plans were adjusted to the clients' needs and a complete energetic restoration was carried out. Bathrooms, kitchen, all surfaces and carpenter work were renewed.  © Bruno Helbling Fotografie  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Rin Wedding Studio / District 1 Architects Posted: 16 Jul 2018 06:00 PM PDT  © Quang Tran
 © Quang Tran Text description provided by the architects. The project is about a building 6 meters wide and 13 meters long located on the main street Ho Van Hue, which has a variety of choice in wedding service in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. Although the street is approximately 500 meters long, both sides of it are full of shops specializing in wedding service. Most of them use aluminum panels to decorate the façade and to hang all kinds of advertising signs. Walking on this street, people would feel as if they were walking in a lane full of heavy shapes, high blocks which look like matched boxes standing next to each other.  © Quang Tran Architectural design viewpoint:  Section Perspective Inspired by the woman's curves, the façade of the building looks like a wedding dress. Its front view is on the West side, which means very hot in the afternoon. The solution we have come up with is creating the air mattress in the front of the building in order to reduce direct sunlight exposure to the space used inside. Transparent polycarbonate sheets are stacked like manyplies, thus, the air can be flushed in and out. Furthermore, each sheet can be adjusted to the tilt angle through the supporter.  © Quang Tran The tilt angle of the poly sheets modifies the façade and creates a sense of motion when viewing the building from a great distance. As a result, the appearance of the building also contributes to the hustle and bustle of the city, makes a positive difference and creates visual appeal. In addition, reducing the cost of using air conditioning in the building.  © Quang Tran In respect of interior, in order to suit the operation of the wedding studio, the requirement is that it must have a reception area, bridal makeup area and showroom for rental wedding dress. However, the space of each floor is quite low and narrow, which accounts for the renovation of the design: only keep the fishbone stairs made of grindstone concrete, remove unnecessary partitions so as to create the widest feeling.  © Quang Tran The ceiling's design has a 3-dimensional dome and lightning system including a projection light and tiny lights creating star effect. The bride would feel like she is standing under a starry sky when trying wedding dresses With a view to displaying numerous wedding dresses, we have designed a circular hanger making it easier for customers to choose the best wedding dresses without moving too much.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Mafengwo Global Headquarters / SYN Architects Posted: 16 Jul 2018 05:00 PM PDT  1st Floor Lobby. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing
 Window Ceiling. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing As one of the most popular websites providing tourism services in China, Mafengwo advocates freedom and exploration of the unknown. On the occasion of its upcoming 10th anniversary, a decision has been made to terminate the team's long-term scattered form of office works, thus improving its cohesion leapingly and eliminating the strangeness among internal teams engaged in different business sectors. The design task of its brand new global headquarters has been assigned to SYN Architects.  1st Floor Lobby. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing "When the IP Era is ushered in, brands pay more attention to their personalized performances than before, while enterprises show more care for employees' office space and their identities of, enthusiasm for and emotion cultivation related to corporate cultures. We have created a unique space for Mafengwo, which will be enjoyed by its employees as if they're working in the best office ever in the world. " —— Zou Yingxi, Principle Architect of SYN Architects  Exterior. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing Project Location Phase I of the project is located within the Universal Industrial Park, Jiuxianqiao, Chaoyang District, Beijing. Adjacent to Beijing Airport Highway and 798 Arts District, the project occupies about 2,000m2, with its construction area of over 5,000m2.  Connection Between Reception and Cafeteria. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing The Universal Industrial Park was transformed from a factory manufacturing kinescopes in the 1980s, and the office space (design area: 1,800m2) of Mafengwo's global headquarters is located in one section (width: nearly 30m) of an old two-and-a-half-story workshop (depth: 80m; length: 200m) within this Park. Seen from the architecture's historical course and context, the designer has retained large amounts of original information on the materials and times of architecture, based on which the architecture has been in coherence with Mafengwo's culture and spirits via the reinterpretation of interior space.  Stairs. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing "It is a container encouraging users themselves to give a full play to their imaginations constantly for recreating such a space, and my job is only to create this space", Zou Yingxi the Architect said for this project, stressing that designs should allow the interpretation of freedom with all might and main.  Axonometric Drawing Spatial restructuring When it comes to spatial restructuring, architect's approach was bold and imaginative. Firstly, the entire area and story height have been adjusted by digging downwards for 4m, without changing the ground level. Meanwhile, a hexagon symbolizing the honeycomb has been extracted and taken as a core element of creativity, with hexagonal lattices fully covering the whole plane space (80*30m). Then, a truss (height: 3m) previously running through the workshop (200m) has been cut off in vertical structure to form a see-through and complete space structured by the hexagonal relation.  1st Floor Lobby. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing Next, the entire structural layout of each floor has been cut along the hexagon, with a glass-roof lighting atrium formed (height: nearly 25m from the very bottom up to the roof) in the middle to ingeniously break through the architecture's interior and exterior spaces, and a steel frame has been arranged on the top to show up the hexagon, thus guaranteeing sufficient spatial capacity and also creating rich structures. In this way, both order and freedom have been gained.  View from atrium. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing Circulation Design Feature The creative traffic system of "Scissors Ladder" connecting each floor is another bold idea for this project. Interconnection among spaces and interrelation among persons can be effectuated by the high-rise grand staircase straightly leading to the roof.  Stairs. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing The building's front door heads towards the south, with its entrance arranged on the 1st Floor, and one needs to, after entering this building, pass a cafe bar on the lower half storey and go downwards for another half storey before he/she can really enter Mafengwo's interior from the employee leisure area. The said leisure area is equipped with fitness room, catering area, photo studio, sleeping pods, and nursery and so on, which also leads to the long ladder in the south. Scissors Ladder's other end starts and stretches upwards from the inner passage for logistics & employees on the 1st Floor in the building's north.  Scissor Ladder Axis Diagrams Lines have also been distributed along the honeycomb's hexagon to let such honeycomb structure stand out of the plane and show up in a vertical space. Two staircases are zigzagged by different floors and diverted by the honeycomb's multiple edges within the plane on each floor. They converge and open frequently, interlacing and intersecting in the air to produce independent, interconnected and unblocked correlations at all directions. Spatial arrangement has been adopted deliberately to break boundaries, to eliminate barriers among the user's sectors, and to facilitate communication, coordination and interaction smoothly.  Stairs. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing Design Concept What Mafengwo provides to all of its users is a kind of free choice for tourism, while the embodiment of such cultural spirit is also a key point in the architect's design. In this office area, space is thoroughly liberated, and the designer has reduced its internal arrangements to the largest extent.  Atrium. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing Newly added floor slabs and handrails have been purely whited, while the transparent fireproof coating has been applied on all the old/new steel beams for once merely; as for the meeting room, no ornaments have been provided, leaving a room for the user to give free play to his/her creativity. To endow more room for the growth of architectural imagination, the architect has specially shrunk the size of a reception desk located in the front door's entrance, and also designed a gigantic "Four Seasons" parterre defined as a device allowing interactions between the space and user.  Overall Plan Corresponding plants and layouts are totally decided by Mafengwo employees based on their ideas and emotions. Views in the parterre vary from four seasons, ranging from the seeding & harvest of crops to the flowering & reaping of lotus roots in a lotus pond. Apart from a demonstration of spatial flexibility, this also fully mobilizes the creative passion and energy of those within such space.
Artistic installation - "Honeycomb Cloud" After finishing the design of this entire space, the architect also leaves a present in addition to the freedom. "I recognized the necessity to add something, not just a simple ornament or lamp. Finally, I selected a special cloud-shaped installation. Its cloud-like outline is structured by battens, in which optical fibers are inlet to glow at a core luminous source, then such glow is led to the endpoints of each batten, with a faintly luminous cloud formed.  Sunken Atrium. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing This creative idea derives from the imagination of Internet companies and cloud computing, and the cloud floating in the air can affect this space", said by Zou Yingxi. He has arranged four "Honeycomb Clouds" in this space, respectively right above the leisure area (at the southern entrance), by the honeycomb ceiling's beam and right above the northern staircase. They both enrich the spatial imagination and become a highlight within this space.  Cloud Shaped Installation Conclusion Completion of the Phase I Project of Mafengwo's headquarters not only provides the enterprise with ideal spatial experiences and boosts the employees' happiness level, but also raises brand awareness. In terms of the designer, SYN Architects and Mafengwo have built trust in mutual understanding and appreciation, endowing the project with connotations of more confidence, freedom and happiness.  Reception and Cafeteria. Image © BenMo studio / YanMing  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Longshang Books Cafe / Atelier Mearc Posted: 16 Jul 2018 04:00 PM PDT  Sociology and Science Textbooks. Image © Shan Liang
 Window. Image © Shan Liang Text description provided by the architects. Chemical Bookstore was located on Meilong Rd, Shanghai. It was a typical old-style bookstore. What you saw is just as simple as bookshelves, everywhere full of books and several aisles. Books, people reading books and purchasing behavior constituted the space.  Arch. Image © Shan Liang Regarding to the space shape and its content, it could be the most straightforward 'bookstore' that is so familiar with people. This point later is used as design method of the new bookstore, Longshang Books Café. After investigating on 'in what shape would the bookshelf be', we found that a straight, parallel arrangement of bookshelf provides most route options possible. Unlike the original Chemical Bookstore, lined aisles are naturally formed by bookshelves, they also provides flexible moving directions.  Coffee Salon. Image © Shan Liang  Plan  Coffee Salon. Image © Shan Liang The space combines bookstore, coffee and salon, these functions are differentiated but interacts with the other two. Therefore, a kind of 'arch wall' is applied. The element has been adopted in spacious salon area and bookshelf structures. Especially in the latter experience, sitting in the 'arch wall' reading, or browsing along the bookshelf backside becomes an interesting examination of these delicate correlation with people and environment.  Multi Use of Arch. Image © Shan Liang The next step is to find the proper structure to support the bookshelf. Later when everything else is ready, the 'arch' arises after connecting with the bookshelves. The arch vault fits together with the support structure into one piece. Given all the elements of an ideal bookstore: bookshelf, 'arch wall', supporting structure, arch. Located on Meilong road, how will it make contact with the environment?  Book Display. Image © Shan Liang  Section  Arch Wall. Image © Shan Liang Meilong road is an east-west street in southwest Shanghai. It runs through several old residential buildings. On Meilong road, to the east of Longshang Books Café is East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), and to the west lies 600 meter long metasequoia strip.  Façade. Image © Shan Liang For better understanding of the new bookstore, original facade is completely changed. One entry door and one large scale window helps to draw more natural light inside. This decision was made after careful and positive examination on how much light should the ideal bookstore needs being replaced. There are 3 'windows'. 'Window 1' is the entry door, from where the indoor circulation begins. 'Window 2' stands on the same exterior facade where the circulation ends. It also leads lower light in. 'Window 3' connects coffee bar and the book area, through which an Osmanthus tree and campus of ECUST could be seen.  Coffee Bar 'Window. Image © Shan Liang All bookshelves indoor are made of steel panel. Meanwhile, the curtain wall of exterior facade applies the same steel panel. Sharing the remarkable consistency, the facade acts as the corresponding point of indoor and outdoor. In consideration of using the most basic, familiar material, besides the stainless steel panel, wood is commonly used as well. In combination of familiar material and unfamiliar structure, the feeling of space scale gets vague. There are 20,000 books and 24 coffee seats In this 188 m2 space newly rebuilt  Façade. Image © Shan Liang  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Silence House / First Design Studio Posted: 16 Jul 2018 03:00 PM PDT  © Fariborz Alaghehband
 © Fariborz Alaghehband Text description provided by the architects. The simplicity of structure and form in exterior view as well as the movement of interior space, are the features that are regarded in design process. Also being in harmony with urban design and in some words its repeatable property as well as its unique character are some of other features of the project.
The connection with urban by the full and empty spaces and also making a safe green space at interior are an effort to make a communicational collaboration at inner and exterior spaces of the project. Greenery yards inside (private) and outside the project not only plays the main role in making the whole structure of the building and its pathways but also are the main factor that creates the quality of spaces in the project. Silence, greenery and light in the heart of house, inspire the whole spaces.  © Fariborz Alaghehband The transparency of the spaces at inner areas that are defined by freeness of plan designing and the confidentiality and safety at outside areas -regarded by lattice brick design- are some of the other properties of the project.  © Fariborz Alaghehband  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Chiang Mai Residence and Studio / Neil Logan Architect Posted: 16 Jul 2018 02:00 PM PDT  © Jason Schmidt
 © Jason Schmidt Text description provided by the architects. Designed in collaboration with the owners, the house consists of three separate buildings loosely organized around courtyards and an entrance structure. All of the buildings are slightly raised from the ground and linked by covered walkways. Each building houses a different function, living and eating areas in one, sleeping and washing in another and work or play in a third.  © Jason Schmidt  © Jason Schmidt Despite these separations the transparencies of each volume reconnect to form a unified spatial network. This is further enhanced by the site's existing vegetation which was left undisturbed. The structure is made of precast concrete columns, beams and deck elements with wood and steel windows. The interior and exterior finishes combine wood, ceramic, terrazzo and exposed concrete.  © Jason Schmidt  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Jul 2018 01:00 PM PDT  © Changmook, Kim
 © Changmook, Kim Text description provided by the architects. Located in downtown Sungnam-si the site is 50m long, 10m wide, and has a 5m retaining wall and 5-story apartments on the east side. It was a place where the retaining wall faced a dead end, there was no distinction between public and private transportation, and where dumping and illegal parking were popular. The client who ran the design company wanted to move his office here using the abandoned land. In terms of planning, relations with the neighbors were the focus of design. Due to the lack of a supplementary road, it caused problems in moving residents, and it was a disgusting place in the neighborhood due to garbage and parking under the retaining wall. So, with the demands of the client, there were concerns about how to turn into a good place.  Diagram This was a city center full of houses and small offices, surrounded by a fence and not a bit of permission. As a result, there was a growing conflict between the two sides. Therefore, the character of semi-public was placed as a layer. Space was needed to improve the existing appearance while utilizing the functions of the design company and to create a space where visitors can feel friendly by building while using the sidewalk. We gave part of the building to an alley and made it part of the building. It was not easy for the client to permit parts of the site on high land prices and narrow widths.  © Changmook, Kim "When the outer walls become existing retaining walls, the inside of the retaining walls is filled with alleys. And I want the alley to be a community space of this building with the locals. The outer walls of exposed concrete have a homogeneous memory of existing retaining walls and materials, and the alley between the office space and the exposed outer walls creates an alley between the private and public spaces. The alley is not only a passage but also a design board for design firm. From now on, it will be filled with paintings from design companies and people will use the alley instead of walking in the streets."  © Changmook, Kim  Elevations 02 The entrance to the basement is located at the lowest point of the earth. This is not only the entrance to the employee space but also the front of the company. The ground floor is the main entrance to the company, entering the side along the roads and alleys. The second floor, which was planned as a cafe, had the same level as the land on the side retaining wall, and was given the character of public space as a public space where neighboring residents could move to the bottom of the retaining wall.  © Changmook, Kim In view of the view and lighting, the mass is torn similar to the height of the windows in the surrounding building and serves to separate the programs. The third and fourth floors are office spaces, and the rooftop has a client's space and a garden. Kyeongryunjae, named by the client, was a considerate man who had a clear philosophy of design and was as considerate of his neighbors as possible during construction.  © Changmook, Kim  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Cascading Courts / HYLA Architects Posted: 16 Jul 2018 12:00 PM PDT  © Derek Swalwell
 © Derek Swalwell  1st Floor Plan Text description provided by the architects. A series of cascading courts between the house and the party wall forms the basis by which this semi- detached house is organized. From the outside one is scarcely able to see these courtyards due to the screeining and deep shadows. The courtyards are covered with a glass roof and timber pergola, which makes them pretty much all weather spaces. Indeed they are open at the ends and that makes it a very breezy space and house which is ideal for our hot tropical climate.  © Derek Swalwell  © Derek Swalwell The exterior elevations have an almost Japanese simplicity with the vertical timber screens and off form concrete walls. The timber screens gives the upper level bedrooms privacy from the road. At the entrance, one is greeted by a cascading water feature with an upper level planter. The main living areas on the ground level open to a bamboo garden on the side. The family room on the second level is a double volume space which fronts the main courtyard with a feature tree set in a middle of a water feature.  © Derek Swalwell  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Bedford Park House / Mehdi Marzyari Architects Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:00 AM PDT  © Sam Javanrouh, Mehdi Marzyari
 © Sam Javanrouh, Mehdi Marzyari Text description provided by the architects. An infill single-family dwelling, the project is a new addition to the Bedford Park-Nortown neighborhood in uptown Toronto. The design objective is to create a new house with maximized liveable space and natural light within the tight and narrow site for an emerging developer. Responding to the Victorian style fabric, the building is designed contextual sensitive yet distinct and bold. The conclusion is a contemporary architectural statement sitting peacefully beside the conventional counterparts.  Massing Diagram  Floor Plans Mimicking neighbors' sloped roof gesture, front and rear mass alignments with adjacent neighbors as well as exterior cladding selection are key strategies for the exterior design. Thanks to the laneway, rear detached garage replaces front integrated garage offering enhanced streetscape at the front as well as the opportunity for a vegetated roof and additional green space at the back. Front yard landscape engages the building in the context and promotes the neighborhood public realm.  © Sam Javanrouh, Mehdi Marzyari The building contains three stories and a basement. Redefining open concept, central powder room and servery separate more formal south wing from the everyday north wing on the first floor while fluid and spatial flowing interior is maintained. Large-scaled glazed walls provide connectivity to the site while level deck aligns inside with outside at the back.  © Sam Javanrouh, Mehdi Marzyari Articulated light-filled stairway along with double height celebration connects common spaces on a lower level to bedrooms on upper levels through natural light. The third floor is setback creating small balcony at the front as well as a larger terrace with a vegetated roof at the back. Oversized pocket doors provide formal separation in addition to flexibility in the use of third-floor space. Light shafts bring more natural light to lower levels via roof skylights.  © Sam Javanrouh, Mehdi Marzyari The project involves sustainability principals to reduce environmental impact and achieve well- being of its users: Green roof and substantial front and rear soft landscaping along with permeable hardscape reduce stormwater volume and heat island effect. Major north and south face glazing maximize natural daylighting as well as passive solar gain. To promote the comfort of residents, each room features exterior view without compromising privacy.  © Sam Javanrouh, Mehdi Marzyari The open concept and location of operable windows provide natural cross ventilation in most of the spaces during summertime. High efficient furnace and heat pump with heat recovery ventilation in addition to in-floor heating system for the basement is considered to reduce fossil fuel consumption. Replacing conventional insulation, polyurethanes foam-in-place and high efficient glazing accommodate a better-insulated interior and reduce the mechanical load.  © Sam Javanrouh, Mehdi Marzyari  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Shigeru Ban Creates Temporary Shelter System for Japanese Flooding Victims Posted: 16 Jul 2018 09:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of Voluntary Architects' Network Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban has mobilized his Voluntary Architects' Network (VAN) to aid victims of recent devastating floods in Southern Japan. At least 210 people have been killed by flooding and landslides which occurred last week, with a continuing heatwave further hampering recovery efforts. Ban, along with members of the VAN and student volunteers, is constructing a partition system in evacuation centers made from paper tubes and cloth curtains. The temporary structures intend to offer privacy for flooding victims, forming a modular unit of 2 meters by 2 meters.  Courtesy of Voluntary Architects' Network  Courtesy of Voluntary Architects' Network
The systems are being constructed in evacuation centers across the affected area, including 100 units in the market town of Sonogashi, and 300 units in Hiroshima. Assembled in a matter of hours, the process involves drilling holes in the paper tube supports to create an interlocking frame, from which a cloth canvas is hung to create private 4-square-meter volumes.  Courtesy of Voluntary Architects' Network  Courtesy of Voluntary Architects' Network The effort by Shigeru Ban Architects and VAN to offer support to victims follows on from similar acts in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake in Japan, where 1800 units were installed in 50 evacuation shelters, and the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, where 2000 units were provided in 37 evacuation centers.  Courtesy of Voluntary Architects' Network  Courtesy of Voluntary Architects' Network Ban has also taken his humanitarian cause further afield, traveling to Mexico following its devastating 2017 earthquake, where he visited affected areas and engaged with officials, architects, and students on potential collaborative relief projects. In the same year, he signed an agreement with UN-Habitat to design up to 20,000 homes for refugees in Kenya. In 2016, he traveled to Ecuador to aid disaster relief following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake which killed 650 people. News via: Shigeru Ban Architects, Voluntary Architects' Network  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| View House / Barbara Becker Atelier de Arquitetura Posted: 16 Jul 2018 08:00 AM PDT  © Estudiograma
 © Estudiograma Text description provided by the architects. The house allowed certain flexibility in the project because it had clients that are entering a new fase in life, with a different focus then families that are just starting. With their children already grown up, their priorities are meeting with friends and pleasures in life that many search just after a mature age.  © Estudiograma The house reflects this contemplative and social active life style, therefore the focus is in the social area, the kitchen and dinner, where more resources were applied.  © Estudiograma Two distinctive volumes, one social and one private, merge to generate the hole. The entrance hall articulates the circulation to the 3 main areas: the intimate with the bedrooms, the social with the living and dinning room and kitchen, and the exterior space for parties.  Collage  Plan The terrain of accentuated topography, that descends from the street towards the back, allowed an aperture of the living room overseeing the city. The sun set washes the meeting area, inviting the residents and theirs guests to contemplation. The view to the city expands the room to the horizon. The material investigation was made in the cast in place concrete that reviews the wood texture of the form and the tiles in the floor that highlight the artesanal way of building in Brasil.  © Estudiograma The house volume is suspended, revealing the backyard garden from the street. This garden serves as background to the social area and is essencial to the house dynamics, working as a connection point between the inhabitants and the exterior space.  © Estudiograma The furniture was chosen for its real use, not just decorative, like the hardwood table done by a local artisan and the wood fire stove, that became the central point where the meetings take place.  © Estudiograma  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Fentress Architects Chosen to Design USA Pavilion for World Expo 2020 in Dubai Posted: 16 Jul 2018 07:00 AM PDT  Pictured here, the masterplan for the World Expo 2020 Dubai designed by HOK. Image via HOK Fentress Architects has been chosen to design the USA Pavilion for the World Expo 2020 in Dubai. The Pavilion USA 2020 will sit within the 438-hectare masterplan designed by HOK, pictured above. The U.S. Department of State selected the consortium containing Fentress Architects, led by Big Things Group, to deliver a pavilion based on the theme "What Moves You," featuring highlights of American culture and technology. The team will seek to use the program as "a showcase of the innovation, creativity, and diversity that defines the United States."  <a href='https://www.archdaily.com/805990/denver-art-museum-receives-12-dollars-million-to-revitalize-ponti-north-building'>Denver Art Museum Ponti North Building by Fentress and Machado Silvetti</a>. Image Courtesy of Fentress and Machado Silvetti  <a href='https://www.archdaily.com/561131/fentress-releases-final-design-for-miami-beach-convention-center'>Miami Beach Convention Center by Fentress Architects</a>. Image Courtesy of Fentress Architects While images of the proposed pavilion are yet to be revealed, the design team describe their role as to "create a powerful metaphor for the dynamism of American culture and values of ingenuity, progress, and innovation through form and color." The scheme is set to build on Fentress' experience in Dubai, where their "Dancing Sisters" mixed-use towers opened in 2012. Founded by Curtis Fentress, the firm has amassed a portfolio spanning airports, museums, convention centers, laboratories, and government buildings, and holds a Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture. .jpg?1531761753 "<a href='https://www.archdaily.com/189545/sanford-consortium-for-regenerative-medicina-fentress-architects'>Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine by Fentress Architects</a>. Image © Jason A. Knowles") <a href='https://www.archdaily.com/189545/sanford-consortium-for-regenerative-medicina-fentress-architects'>Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine by Fentress Architects</a>. Image © Jason A. Knowles
.jpg?1531761732 "<a href='https://www.archdaily.com/242174/semper-fidelis-memorial-chapel-fentress-architects'>Semper Fidelis Memorial Chapel by Fentress Architects</a>. Image © Jason A. Knowles") <a href='https://www.archdaily.com/242174/semper-fidelis-memorial-chapel-fentress-architects'>Semper Fidelis Memorial Chapel by Fentress Architects</a>. Image © Jason A. Knowles  <a href='https://www.archdaily.com/144570/national-museum-of-the-marine-corps-fentress-architects'>National Museum of the Marine Corps by Fentress Architects</a>. Image © James P. Scholz Dubai will be the first Middle Eastern city to host a World Fair in the exhibition's 160-year history, with more than 25 million people expected to attend the Expo throughout its six-month duration from October 2020 to April 2021. The World Fair is the third largest global event after the Olympics and FIFA World Cup. The Expo 2020 will also feature a UAE Pavilion designed by Santiago Calatrava, a Luxembourg Pavilion by Metaform and The Space Factory, a Sustainability Pavilion by Grimshaw, and themed pavilions by Foster + Partners and Bjarke Ingels Group. News via: Pavilion USA 2020  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Straight River Northbound Safety Rest Area / Snow Kreilich Architects Posted: 16 Jul 2018 06:00 AM PDT -Corey-Gaffer.jpg?1531275041 "© Corey Gaffer") © Corey Gaffer
-Corey-Gaffer.jpg?1531275086 "© Corey Gaffer") © Corey Gaffer Text description provided by the architects. Located between the agricultural fields of southern Minnesota and the Straight River Valley along the I-35 corridor, the design team was initially struck by the transformative quality of the site. The site allows weary travelers the ability to stretch their legs and submerse themselves in a serene wooded river setting. The building, pavilions and site are structured to enhance one's experience of this place.  Circulation -Corey-Gaffer.jpg?1531275317 "© Corey Gaffer") © Corey Gaffer Straight River Northbound Safety Rest Area is a complete replacement of an existing facility at the end of its useful life, along with a substantial expansion of truck parking capacity. The main building houses restrooms, vending and information, while two free-standing pavilions create quiet seating areas. Durability and low maintenance were client driven requirements due to a remote area and the heavy use facilities of this type need to endure. -Corey-Gaffer.jpg?1531275379 "© Corey Gaffer") © Corey Gaffer The main rest area building plays with the duality and contrast of the large commercial and POV parking areas against the serene wooded site. As one approaches the facility from the parking area, large canted stainless-steel panels reflect the commercial trailers parked in the background while directing the visitor to a portal with direct views to the wooded river valley beyond. -Corey-Gaffer.jpg?1531275107 "© Corey Gaffer") © Corey Gaffer Beyond the facility, a large elevated terrace offers panoramic views to the river valley. The terrace is wrapped in the same stainless-steel panels as the entry, though this time they reflect the surrounding site, immersing the visitor within the wooded river valley. -Corey-Gaffer.jpg?1531275339 "© Corey Gaffer") © Corey Gaffer The new landscape is composed of native meadow plantings, short- and tall-grass prairies and low-mow fescue recreational areas. New walking paths connect from the parking lot to existing trails which wind their way deeper into the woods. In addition to the main building and pavilions, the project includes a playground, a pet exercise area and maintenance storage building.  Plan  Section  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| OOPEAA Design Modular Floating Pool for Urban Waterfronts Posted: 16 Jul 2018 05:00 AM PDT  Visualization. Image Courtesy of OOPEAA OOPEAA (Office for Peripheral Architecture) has won an invited competition for the design of the Allas Sea Pool Family in Helsinki, Finland. Constructed on floating platforms, and designed as a modular, flexible, adjustable system, the Allas Sea Pool Family is intended to be a new global typology for coastal sites, where building on land is not feasible. The invited competition asked entrants to submit proposals which responded to varying environmental and seasonal conditions, with OOPEAA ultimately chosen for their "strong concept that places the floating spa in a central location in the city."  Visualization. Image Courtesy of OOPEAA The OOPEAA proposal centers on "New Nordic Urban," a concept which brings together Nordic sensibility and contemplation of nature with a proactive attitude to physical activity and social interaction. The Sea Pool Family captures this notion through the choreography of movement, with visitors transitioning from open to closed spaces, from the relaxation of the spa and sauna to an engagement with sports and physical activity. The scheme seeks to integrate seamlessly with varying global urban conditions by offering a flexible, mixed-use program. Activities are arranged in two separate structures, connected by an open space. One structure contains activities relating to the spa and sauna, and areas rentable for private events, while the other contains a restaurant and café.  Visualization. Image Courtesy of OOPEAA Public spaces included in both structures include a large open stair for informal gathering, and sheltered spaces to enjoy open views and surrounding scenery. Meanwhile, outdoor swimming pools with warm water sit at a crossroads between the scheme's relaxation and physical activity programs. The Allas Sea Pool Family is intended as a scalable and applicable typology for any coastal site. Indoor spaces can vary between 8500 to 37,500 square feet (800 and 3500 square meters), constructed on floating platforms varying between 20,000 and 100,000 square feet (2000 and 10,000 square meters).  Outdoor Function. Image Courtesy of OOPEAA  Indoor Function. Image Courtesy of OOPEAA The scheme is constructed of cross-laminated timber, in-keeping with the ecological, sustainable, and adaptable ethos. During the construction process, modular elements for the floating structure can be transported via waterways. For the scheme's development, OOPEAA collaborated with Töölö Urban Ltd, Bluet Ltd, and Marinetek Ltd. News via: OOPEAA  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Casino Estudiantes Casa Central UC / OMN Arquitectos Posted: 16 Jul 2018 04:00 AM PDT  © Felipe Díaz Contardo
 © Felipe Díaz Contardo Text description provided by the architects. The UC Student Casino located in the Law courtyard of the Casa Central Campus of the Pontificia Universidad Católica is a 2-story glazed pavilion, with a terrace on its roof that acts in contrast to the heritage building to which it is attached, welcoming the casino dining sector. A double interior height gives space continuity to the corridor that comes from the north.  © Felipe Díaz Contardo  First Floor Plan  © Felipe Díaz Contardo The transparency of the volume allows the generation of a direct relationship between the interior and the exterior on the first floor, trying to reinforce the spatial qualities of an open space.  © Felipe Díaz Contardo From the second and third floors, important visual relationships with the foliage of the trees are established, allowing the students to take full advantage of the benefits that these species provide in terms of thermal, visual comfort and their undeniable contribution to the views.  © Felipe Díaz Contardo  Section AA  Third Floor Plan The pavilion is made of light materials, mainly steel and glass, pursuing a concept of transparency and lightness so as not to compete with the existing heritage building, but with the objective of joining in a respectful and subtle way.  © Felipe Díaz Contardo Around it, prefabricated planters and benches were designed with an active perimeter use in mind considering the intensity of use of the courtyard. On the south facade there is an external staircase through which you can access the roof terrace.  © Felipe Díaz Contardo  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 45 Construction Terms & Concepts All Architects Should Know Posted: 16 Jul 2018 02:30 AM PDT  Dune Art Museum. Image Courtesy of Open Architecture For most recent graduates, it quickly becomes evident that what you learn in architecture school is not necessarily enough to become a confident architect. Some things can't be taught in classrooms at all; instead, they're acquired through years of work on site and solving construction problems first-hand. Among the many things you learn on site are the terminologies used by construction workers that can sound like absolute nonsense to architects at first. An architecture dictionary might seem like a superb idea, but in practice wouldn't be convenient on a construction site—unless you can memorize the useful entries out of the 25,000 terms in Cyril M Harris' Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Alternatively, here's a more manageable list of 45 construction terms and concepts every architect should know. 1. All-in Rate: In Construction, the term means the total expenses for an item, which include all the direct and indirect costs. The term is also used in the financial sector. 2. Architect of Record: This term signifies the name of the architecture firm, or architect, whose name has been listed on the issued construction permits. However, "architects of record" are not necessarily the people behind the design. There are times when high-profile architects who don't have an office near to their construction site hire "architects of record," handing them the responsibility of working on-site or using their expertise in a specific field. 3. Batter (Walls): No, not cake batter, sadly. In architecture, batter means an inward inclination or slope of a wall or structure. Some architects choose this design to provide structural strength while others choose it for decorative purposes. 4. Blocking (Construction): Evidently, the term is derived from "blocks," and means the use of short pieces or off-cuts of lumber in wooden-framed construction. Construction workers use the blocking technique for filling, spacing, joining, or reinforcing structures.  Box Crib. Image © <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Railway-support.jpg'>Wikimedia user billbeee</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> 5. Box Crib: Think of this as the final steps of a game of Jenga, but without the anxiety of a collapse. Instead, box cribs are temporary elements used to reinforce and add additional support to heavy objects during construction.The material used to create box cribs are often wooden bars. Due to their practicality, box crib forms are also used in film productions for stabilizing platforms and dolly tracks. 6. Building Engineer: The MVPs of construction. They know it all, and are responsible for most of what goes on during construction. Building engineers differ from one country to another, but are mainly the experts of construction, technology, design, assessment, and maintenance, all at once. 7. Cant (Architecture): Or canted, is an oblique or angled line of a surface. Think of it as chamfering the edges of a building's plan. This design was heavily used in Baroque architecture to create a continuous feel to the composition. 8. Catastrophic Failure: If the term wasn't obvious enough, "catastrophic failures" are abrupt, irrecoverable construction mishaps. The term has been extended to other domains, and is now used for chemical engineering, firearms, and cascading system failures. 9. Concrete Cover: The term is linked to reinforced concrete and is the least distance between the installed reinforcement and the outer surface of the concrete. The concrete cover has several vital purposes, including protecting the reinforced steel bars from corrosion, providing thermal insulation, and providing sufficient embedding for the steel bars to function as reinforcement. 10. Concrete Slab: One of the few construction elements that is used in the vast majority of all structures, a concrete slab is the thick (average of 10-40 cm) horizontal concrete platform which is created to construct the floor or ceiling. There are several slab designs (corrugated, ribbed, waffle, one-way) and each one corresponds to the design or endurance required.  The Silent House by Takao Shiotsuka Atelier, clearly showing its courses of masonry. Image © Takao Shiotsuka Atelier 11. Course (Architecture): Other than the class you take in architecture school, a course is the term used to describe a continuous row of masonry. Whether it's stones, bricks, or concrete blocks, a course can have several orientations and types.  Cross Bracing. Image <a href='https://pxhere.com/en/photo/970928'>via pxhere</a> (public domain) 12. Cross Bracing: Cross bracing is a structural component used to improve the endurance of a structure. The X-shaped reinforcement can prevent a building from collapsing completely in case of earthquakes, or a wooden chair from falling apart. 13. Cut and Fill: While creating railways and canals, construction workers would create cut slopes (like a mini valley) to install the railways. The soil that's been moved, the fills, would subsequently create adjacent embankments, minimizing the labor. The approach is now frequently used on construction sites of any size. 14. Damp Proofing: since dampness is among the most common construction problems, damp proofing is a procedure done to the structure to prevent potential moisture from being absorbed by walls and entering the interior. Depending on the nature of the structure and the damp problems it might face, a wide variety of materials can be applied onto the slab, under the final finishing, or even as a surface to act as damp proofing and prevent any spoilage. 15. Design-build: In most projects, construction is frequently delayed due to time conflicts between two (or more) teams involved. The idea behind design-build is that the same team who designs the project constructs it as well. It is a project delivery system in which the design and the construction are considered "single-point-responsibility," reducing costs and delivering the project on time.  Diagrid. Image <a href='https://unsplash.com/photos/VIrwcwdr2Bc'>via Unsplash</a> (public domain) 16. Diagrid: The idea behind "diagrid" is pretty simple: diagonal + grid. Diagrids are diagonally intersecting steel beams (occasionally wooden or concrete), which help reduce the amount of steel used in traditional steel framing. 17. Encasement: On a construction site, encasement might refer to one of two things: in some situations, sewers and other underground pipes may need to be enclosed in a concrete encasement for structural reasons; or, the term might be applied to the process of encasing hazardous materials already installed in a structure such as asbestos. 18. Falsework: Mostly used for large arch structures and bridges, falsework is a temporary structure constructed to support and hold the span during construction or repairs. 19. Formwork: Formwork is falsework's best friend. It is the construction of a temporary structure into which concrete is poured for it to be settled and set in the desired form. 20. Joint (building): Joints are inserted between two distinct materials in a structure which do not have any physical connection to one another but are either aligned next to each other or overlap.  Joist. Image by Pearson Scott Foresman <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joist_(PSF).png'>via Wikimedia</a> (public domain) 21. Joist: Joists are crucial components of a wide-span structure, as they help transfer the load from the beams to the vertical columns and studs. These horizontal elements are connected perpendicularly to the beams (horizontally) and joined (vertically) to the columns. 22. Lean Construction: A newly developed delivery system in which a study is conducted to minimize the waste of material, time, and effort, resulting in an efficient project. 23. Lift Slab Construction: Also known as the Youtz-Slick method, the lift slab method ensures time efficiency and safety. Basically, the concrete slabs are cast on ground level, and are then lifted through hydraulic jacks into the designated placement. This methods not only saves time, but also does not require workers to be creating and working with formwork on high ground levels. 24. Lookout (architecture): Lookouts are wooden joists that extend beyond the exterior wall in a cantilever-like manner, to support the roof sheathing phase in construction. 25. Moling: This is the use of a 60-centimeter-long, 6-centimeter wide steel "mole," a pneumatically-driven device which is inserted into the ground to create holes for pipes, heating coils, and heat pump systems without using any trenches. 26. Monocrete Construction: The monocrete construction method is the sole use of precast concrete panels, bolted together, to create concrete structures. 27. Performance Gap: Similar to when you expect to have three design proposals delivered by the end of the week, but you end up with only one because you're just too tired, performance gap is when the expected work progress does not meet with the result on site. This could be due to environmental, workmanship, or occupant reasons.  Precast Concrete blocks used in Frank Lloyd Wright's Tonkens House. Image © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Example_of_precast_concrete_blocks_in_the_Tonkens_House._Photo_courtesy_of_Toby_Oliver..jpg'>Wikimedia user Factfile8</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 4.0</a> 28. Precast Concrete: One of the most commonly used forms of concrete, precast concrete is concrete elements are created off-site to be transferred or lifted to the site later on. Designs could range from blocks to panels, and create solid but maneuverable elements. 29. Purlin: A purlin is any longitudinal element implemented on the roof structure horizontally for additional structural or material support. 30. Quantity Take-off: Before beginning with the construction phase, a study is held by estimators to acquire the detailed measurements of material and labor force needed to complete the project. This process is called quantity take-off and helps the project developers have full knowledge of what to expect during the construction phase.  Rafter. Image <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coyaux.png'>via Wkimedia</a> (public domain) 31. Rafter: Rafters are a series of inclined wooden elements that form a roof, which attach to the edge of the wall plate and often overhang to form the eave. 32. Rim Joist: In flooring systems, rim joists are attached to the ends of the floor's main joists, providing lateral support to the ends of the decking system. However, they are not the end joists, which are usually the first and last row, parallel to the other joists. 33. Rubblization: In order to save time and extra cost, unwanted existing concrete is broken down to pieces of rubbles, and left in its place to become the base layer for new surfaces, instead of transferring the material to another site.  Shiplap used in the 33rd Street House by Meridian 105 Architecture. Image © Raul J. Garcia 34. Shiplap: You've probably seen shiplaps everywhere, but may have referred to them as wood panels. Shiplaps are a type of inexpensive wooden board or panels fixed onto the sides of barns, sheds, and homes. 35. Shoring: Temporarily installed on site, shoring is the method in which metal or timber props are assembled to support the structure during construction. Shores can be installed vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, depending on the support needed. 36. Soil Stockpile: The grown-up version of the sand pyramids we used to do as kids, soil stockpiles are created when bulldozers excavate the soil on site and stack them in piles.The piles never go to waste because they are used later on for level grading (see "Cut and fill"). 37. Wall Stud: Wall studs are crucial members of wooden or steel wall frames, as they are the vertical elements that help support and transfer loads of bearing and nonbearing walls. 38. Superstructure: In general terms, superstructure simply means a structure built on top of another structure. Typically, this term is used to describe any part of a building that is above ground, with the parts of the building below ground conversely referred to as the substructure.  Thin-Shell Structure. Image © Flickr user Felipe Gabaldón <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:L%27Oceanografic_(Valencia,_Spain)_01.jpg'>via Wikimedia</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY 2.0</a> 39. Thin-Shell Structure: Frequently used in modern-day architecture, thin-shell structures are lightweight concrete elements, typically used on roofs. These large elements are usually curved, making use of the structural performance of certain forms to allow reduced material thickness. 40. Tie (Cavity Wall): There are times when two elements of a building can not be merged together, and this is when ties come to the rescue. Ties in cavity walls are typically made of metal or plastic wires, and are placed in between the two materials, "tying" them together to create a homogenous body. 41. Topping Out: A ceremonial practice that traces back to ancient Scandinavia, topping out originally referred to when the builder installs a wooden beam on top of the structure to indicate its completion. These days, it is simply the moment when the uppermost structural element is installed and is often heralded as a major construction milestone. 42. Trombe Wall: Developed by French engineer Felix Trombe and architect Jacques Michel in the 1960s, a trombe wall is a solar building element that is designed for cold countries. Similar to the greenhouse principle, it is when a glass external layer is built outside walls with openings, absorbing the heat during sunlit hours of winter. The heat is then slowly released overnight to provide warmth through the openings. 43. Underpinning: Underpinning is the act of strengthening an existing structural foundation. If the project is being done on a previously built structure, the foundation might not be strong enough or new enough to carry the new building. Underpinning can be mass concrete, beams and base pinning, or mini-piled pinning, depending on the suitable solution to each structure.  Virtual Design & Construction. Image <a href='https://pxhere.com/en/photo/547880'>via pxhere</a> (public domain) 44. Virtual Design & Construction: or VDC, includes all the multi-disciplinary models of a project. The list includes, but is not limited to, engineering modeling (product, process), analysis methods, model-based designs, scheduling, costs, and visualizations. 45. Voided Biaxial Slab: To be able to reduce the cost and weight of large-spanned reinforced concrete slabs, Joseph-Louis Lambot decided to create voids inside the concrete blocks, reducing the amount of concrete used but maintaining the overall endurance and external appearance of the slabs. These slabs are called voided biaxial slabs and are heavily used in construction nowadays.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Dendrites / Studio Michel de Broin Posted: 16 Jul 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © Jules Deauchamp-Desbiens
 © Michel de Broin Text description provided by the architects. Commissioned by the City of Montréal Situated at the core of the recently developed International Civil Aviation Organization Plaza (ICAO), Dendrites is the newest monumental public work by the artist Michel de Broin.  Render 01  Render 05 The word dendrite refers to the branched projections of a neuron, which propagate cerebral stimulation; the term is derived from the Greek Dendron, also the word for tree. Extending across both sides of Notre-Dame Street in the downtown core, the work is comprised of two sculptural stairways directly modeled on the neuron structure. Simultaneously evocative of massive tree trunks with their network of branches spreading out towards the surrounding cityscape, the trunk-like elements are distinguished both by their respective sizes and unique sinuosities. Constructed of weathering steel, the piece takes on the ochre color of the tree trunks it references, while simultaneously alluding to the industrial past of the central urban site and its iron infrastructure. Through the natural process of oxidation, the sculpture's steel surface undergoes a microscopic crystallization of iron particles recalling the formation of dendrites. This dynamic process creates a nuanced parallel between the form of the stairway and its underlying material, and can also be read as analogous to the ever changing form of the networked city surrounding it.  © Jules Deauchamp-Desbiens Recontextualized in this new sculptural configuration, the underlying stairways still function as circulatory structures allowing for the movement of people while also beckoning towards an innate human desire for vertical ascension; the urge to reach the highest branch of a tree or peak a mountain in order to contemplate a new horizon. Dendrites offers such an experience, allowing the public the opportunity to climb its branches and glimpse an alternative view.  © Jules Deauchamp-Desbiens Dendrites encourages climbing through a network of alternate possible routes. When a passer-by ascends the stairs they consistently face a bifurcation, and a decision must ensue. An apt metaphor is found in the way thoughts are formed in the human brain through the transmission of electrical impulses within a larger network of neuronal dendrites; much like the climber in the sculpture discovering the structures of his surrounding environment. From one end of the work to the other — like a neural impulse traveling across the brain — the walker climbs the stairs and ventures into the sculpture, emerging on the other side with a new perspective.  Stair detail  © Michel de Broin The redevelopment of this originally heavy trafficked site displaced the car as its central focus through the creation of a new path, green space, and meeting point designed to be frequented by pedestrians and cyclists alike. Dendrites directly responds to this integrated urban vision - offering passersby the opportunity for active participation. By climbing in the branches, they animate the sculpture much like the foliage of a tree  © Jules Deauchamp-Desbiens  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Jeanne Gang Cut the Wage Gap at Studio Gang and Is Challenging Others to Follow Suit Posted: 16 Jul 2018 01:00 AM PDT  © <a href='https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_Gang#/media/File:Jeanne_Gang.jpg'>Wikimedia user Kramesarah</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/'>CC BY-SA 4.0</a> Studio Gang founder Jeanne Gang has long been an advocate for change within the architecture field. Her studio's designs push boundaries all over the world, but Gang has recently used her firm to transform architectural practice in a different way—attacking the gender wage gap. In a recent article from Fast Company, Gang writes about "discrimination and prejudice" throughout the US, but more specifically in the field of architecture. Read on for more about how she closed the gender wage gap at her firm and is calling on other architecture firms to do the same.
In her Op-Ed, Jeanne Gang provides an analysis on how the architecture profession ranks in the subject of diversity—both race and gender—while also presenting actionable insight into how she is making a difference in her own firm. She writes, "What can we do, immediately, to promote gender equality? It's obvious: We can start by looking to the fundamental issue of respect in the workplace—pay." You can read the full article from Jeanne Gang on Fast Company here. News via: Studio Gang  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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