Arch Daily |
- House K / Seilerlinhart
- Lycée Français Maternelle in Barcelona / b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos
- Moscow Urban Forum: Rem Koolhaas, Vladimir Putin and the Future of Moscow
- Hotel M Gallery / Ahaknap + Saaha
- Cloud, Go High / Wutopia Lab
- Minimalist House / 85 Design
- Yunmen Mountain All-Seasons Ski Resort / ATAH + MADA s.p.a.m.
- Red Hill Gallery / MOA Architects + Formzero
- Uncertain Memory / One Take Architects
- Skylit House / Downie North Architects
- Timber Ridge Sea Ranch Cabin / Framestudio
- Sea Club Punta Marqués / 128 arquitectura y diseño urbano + kontrast
- Artist Alex Chinneck Unzips Derelict 1960s Office Building to Create Mind-Bending Illusion
- Hill House / LSS
- Insight into Secretive Unbuilt NEOM Megacity ahead of Saudi Royal Visit
- Chapel for San Giorgio Maggiore / Andrew Berman Architect
- House Viejo III / Max-A Arquitectura + Arquitectura del Paisaje
- Updating Antiquity: Using Modular Concrete to Create New Compositions
- Sergey Skuratov of Sergey Skuratov Architects: "I Imagine the Building as a Living Thing"
- Ingenhoven Architects and Architectus Win Competition to Design Sydney's Tallest Residential Skyscraper
| Posted: 01 Aug 2018 08:00 PM PDT  © Rasmus Norlander
 © Rasmus Norlander Text description provided by the architects. At the southwestern tip of Lake Lucerne, at the foot of Pilatus, nestled in a wooded mountain landscape, lies the Obwaldner community Alpnach. The Küng family, which runs the third-generation local timber construction company of the same name, built their own, innovative residential building there. Consciously, the building seeks to be close to the traditional Obwalden wooden buildings on an architectural as well as a constructive level but continues to develop these in the sense of a contemporary identity. In this way, individual motifs and moods are taken out of context and condensed into a new, independent expression.  © Rasmus Norlander The plot is located in the middle of an architecturally heterogeneous residential area. In the sloping topography of the plot, the solid, concrete pedestal, reinforced with bamboo, forms the foundation of the house. Above this pedestal rises a three-story, elegant timber construction, which was created from the company's own solid wood system. The exclusive use of wood determines the architectural expression of the building. Above all, the two arbors, which differ in design and function, shape the "face" of the house. Consequently, even the shading elements of the building were developed as wooden, automated train shops.  © Rasmus Norlander All exterior and interior walls including the roof are made of untreated, untreated solid wood elements and completely dispense with additional insulation materials. The floor slabs are designed as massive board pile ceilings. A home without metal, without glue and without chemical building materials - only the pure wood.  © Rasmus Norlander Thanks to state-of-the-art processing technology and centuries-old timber construction knowledge, local houses made of local spruce/silver firs created a house made of natural and ecological building materials. In matters of heat storage, shielding of electrosmog, as well as in sound and fire protection, this system is far superior to conventional wood construction. In a consistent manner, the further interior work was also created from natural building materials.  North Elevation  © Rasmus Norlander If you enter the house from the main entrance, the interior develops as a continuum around a central access core. The option of going different ways between the individual rooms creates the impression of spatial generosity. This is further enhanced on the ground floor in the horizontal by the use of room-high sliding doors and on the upper floor in the vertical through the two-story gallery area.  © Rasmus Norlander  Section A The central development core is made of rammed earth, the material of which was extracted from its own excavation pit. It connects the four floors and marks the center of the house. The core creates an exciting, earthy contrast to the otherwise bright and spacious rooms. Thanks to its proximity to the wood-burning stove, it ensures an ideal, delayed release of heat over all floors and regulates the humidity in the entire house perfectly. Tadelakt for the walls in the wet cells and casein for the floors in the entrance area as well as in the bathroom complete the range of natural materials.  © Rasmus Norlander  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Lycée Français Maternelle in Barcelona / b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos Posted: 01 Aug 2018 07:00 PM PDT  © Simón García
 © Simón García Text description provided by the architects. The existing school was the result of additions of temporary buildings over many years around two villas of the early twentieth century. The new set brings forward a dialogue between the historical school and the new one. A visual and programmatic relationship is established between both buildings, through a porch that allows indoor communication connecting them with a space under which to shelter in case of rain.  © Simón García The formal resolution of the new building evokes the volumetric shapes of the villas through the rounding of its corners establishing a formal relationship without necessarily subordinating itself to a historicist imitation. The scheme of a large central courtyard of games and perimeter spaces is preserved.  © Simón García  Section  © Simón García The new building is developed in four levels. A semi-basement level that takes advantage of the unevenness between the garden (playground) and the street, to create a direct access which is partially covered, and an outside waiting area for families and children. From here you can access to the interior of the new school and to the garden externally by stairs and ramp. The classrooms are located in the three upper levels. Each floor of the building is intended for a school level. The project locates all the classrooms in the new building, while the common uses: media library, music room and administration areas are located in the preserved and restored villa.  © Simón García  Ground floor plan  © Simón García The image of the facade is made by an envelope of vertical slats that run along the entire perimeter of the building. The position, orientation and separation of these slats have been studied to provide optimum solar protection, and highly efficient in their environmental, thermal and durability behaviour. The chromatic and proportional game is the result of a useful and continuous dialogue with the client who have a clear will of including colour in the project.  © Simón García  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Moscow Urban Forum: Rem Koolhaas, Vladimir Putin and the Future of Moscow Posted: 01 Aug 2018 06:05 PM PDT  Vladimir Putin. Image Courtesy of MUF For the last eight years, Moscow has hosted the Moscow Urban Forum, a yearly gathering for experts to reunite to discuss pressing issues of today's metropolises. Some of the most renowned architects and urbanists, city mayors, government officials, economists, developers, academics, citizens and professionals from diverse fields and nationalities come together in the iconic Russian city and its important venues like Menage or VDNKh. But it was the presence of two of the world's most influential men in their respective areas of influence which marked the importance of this year Moscow Urban Forum: Rem Koolhaas and Vladimir Putin. The event is part of a long-term, comprehensive urban process in which a series of coordinated projects have changed the face of Moscow, putting it on par with other European capitals. Ahead of the 2018 World Cup, many of these projects reached completion, making this edition of the Moscow Urban Forum a special one. The Garden Ring, the Krymskaya Embankment, the renovated Luzhniki Stadium, the Gorky Park renovation, the Garage Museum, the My Street Program, the Moscow Central Circle, and the Velobike Public Bike System, among many other initiatives, show the commitment of the city to improving the quality of its public spaces. Upcoming projects such as the new Hermitage Museum by Asymptote, the V-A-C Foundation in Red October by Renzo Piano, the Moskva River Embankment by Project Meganom, and the renovation of the Tretyakov Gallery by OMA show that this responsibility extends beyond the World Cup. During the event, we discussed many of these initiatives with Marat Khusnullin, Deputy Mayor of Moscow in the Government of Moscow for Urban Development and Construction (video below). This year, the Forum was held at the Zaryadye Park, a new urban park located next to the iconic Red Square.The project,part of a series of public competitions held in the past years,was designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, together with Hargreaves Associates and CityMakers; it brings a piece of wild nature into the city center and opens to new views of the river through a dramatic cantilevering bridge balcony. The project has generated a lot of attraction among Muscovites and tourists, being visited by more than one million people in just one month, validating the importance of opening new public spaces in the city center. The park was awarded with the ArchDaily 2018 Building of the Year Award in the Public Architecture Category, which we presented in one of the opening sessions on a panel with Moscow City Architect Sergey Kuznetov, Charles Renfro, Mary Margaret Jones, Petr Kudryavtsev. The renowned Rem Koolhaas actively participated on panels during the first day, joining Moscow City Mayor Sergey Sobyanin and Elizabeth Diller to discuss the current state of Moscow City in the context of other metropolises; later, he joined Winny Maas, Yuri Grygoryan, Sergey Tchoban, Sergey Kuznetov, and Francine Houben, to explore how European architects are working today in Russia on a session led by Giovanna Carnevali. But at the end of the day, the main hall was packed to witness his interview with journalist Vladimir Pozner. In this interview Rem shared the strong influence Russia and its architecture had on his career, when he first visited Moscow at 22 years old while still a journalist. By working on an exhibit about Russian architecture he was exposed to something that made him turn to practice architecture. "Basically when I came to Russia I understood for the first time that architecture was not about making shapes or making buildings even, but that it was a profession that could define the content of society and could intervene in shaping society. It is an ambitious interpretation of architecture, but when I saw the work of Russian architects in the 20s and 30s, I understood that that was their escence: that architecture was a way of screenwriting, but with buildings rather than words." The conversation moved between his views of Moscow--"the only megacity in Europe" due to its scale and isolation in the vast territory unlike the urban pattern continuity found in Western Europe--and the relation of politics and architecture, housing, modernism and the aesthetics of communism.  Garage Museum of Contemporary Art by OMA, photo © ArchDaily In relation to the vast non-urbanized scale of Russia, Rem discussed his views on Countryside, his upcoming exhibit at the Guggenheim that showcases a part of the world that will see a particular kind of development in the age of large scale data centers, robotic agricultural production, and new non-centralities thanks to technology. Rem also shared more details about his plans for the renovation of the New Tretyakov Gallery. One of the most fantastic museums in Russia that hosts masterpieces by Malevich, Kandinsky, and Andronov, it is located along the Moskva river on a cultural axis that goes from Gorky Park (with OMA's New Garage Museum) to Red October, with the new V-A-C Foundation by Renzo Piano. OMA has planned to transform the existing fragmented exhibit rooms, by opening them and reveal large spaces for exhibition.  New Tretyakov Gallery by OMA But it was the highly expected visit of President Vladimir Putin that capped off day two of the forum. On his speech he focused on highlighting the urban transformation of Moscow described above, but most importantly, he included what is coming next in terms of taking these lessons to the rest of the country to replicate the success of Moscow. Other cities that have been seen complex development projects such as Kazan, Sochi and Vladivostok, emphasize a commitment to urban development as a tool for decentralized growth (and not just in this post-Winter Olympics and post-FIFA World Cup moment). "It is important that what our guests saw was not a showcase, not some artificial, short-term outer appearance, some flashy, virtual world. Everything they saw was real. The entire country is changing, and this is a consistent, long-term trend. [...] These investments are designed, first of all, to improve the quality of life of our citizens and to create a whole range of opportunities for the personal fulfillment of each one of them". With three quarters of the Russian population living in urban areas today, there is a big potential to extend these practices to the rest of the territory. With more than 30 cities that have over 500,000 residents, there is a bright future for Smart Cities, IoT, and the tech and creative industries. On the other hand, there are 900 towns with less than 100,000 residents in which tech and transport can help in a more decentralized aspect. This connects with Rem Koolhaas' views on the Russian countryside. About this Putin added: "Today, we are facing a challenge of paramount importance – we need to help these towns unleash their potential, so that they can become centres of tourism, art, science and technology; so that the quality of life there can meet the latest standards and people's needs. It is, to be sure, a serious creative and professional challenge for economists, managers, architects and urbanists." [...] "Through the development of road, transport and digital infrastructure, big towns, small towns, and historic towns, as we call them, will get an additional boost. Their residents must have full access to all modern services".  Zaryadye Park, by Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Hargreaves Associates and CityMakers. Image Courtesy of MUF This speech shows a strong commitment, and if moves accordingly it will open many opportunities for architects and urbanist to take on this, local and foreign. Moscow is a powerhouse city that showcases how strong leadership has aligned different actors--from the City Architect, academic institutions such as Strelka and MARCH, the private sector, and organizations like MUF--- to provide continuity and a strong base for the future of the city, and how this can impact the future of Russia as a whole.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Hotel M Gallery / Ahaknap + Saaha Posted: 01 Aug 2018 06:00 PM PDT  © Anida Krečo
 © Anida Krečo Text description provided by the architects. M Gallery Hotel is set on 60.000,00 sqm of land at the foothills of Bjelasnica mountain in the heart of Bosnia.  © Anida Krečo The hotel is placed at the very edge of the forest, whereupon the ground becomes so steep that is no longer suitable for construction. This position enabled the upper floors of the hotel to hover above a steep hill and to act as an extension of a forest. Shapes and materials match the surrounding natural environment of mountains, forest and rocks and blend with a landscape.  © Anida Krečo  Basement floor plan  © Anida Krečo The hotel has 55 rooms and 17 villas. It includes two restaurants, hotel bar, luxury spa and wellness area with a modern fitness center with organic food and unique selection of conference and banqueting facilities.  Cross Section  Longitudinal Section  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 01 Aug 2018 05:00 PM PDT  © CreatAR Images
 © CreatAR Images Text description provided by the architects. Wutopia Lab was invited by Go High Fund to transform a 9-story office building into a new office community that blends life and sociality. Located in the northeast corner of Shanghai, the old building is a typical product during the transition from a typical industrial economy to service economy. In this project, Wutopia Lab rethought the way to transform old building, by simply draping it with a new overcoat.  © CreatAR Images Wutopia Lab has identified three key moments in the office, a multifunction lobby, a co-working place and a rooftop garden. The first floor is designed as a flexible event space, operated by DNA Café&More, a customizable community service, operated by Lobby Hobby's shared lobby, which integrates social, office, conference, short break, recreation, retail, six formats together based on a traditional lobby.  © CreatAR Images The second floor integrates shared book, shared meeting rooms and shared gyms to enhance the scene application on the first floor. Go High Fund launched HIWORK in the office area, a new co-working mode that can flexibly change the office scene by hanging the movable furniture to meet the needs of the office. The top floor terrace features a light bar, lounge area and stage show. The public functions at the top and bottom also ensure a multidimensional experience for the various users of the building.  © CreatAR Images Wutopia Lab uses perforated aluminum plates as pen and ink to connect the facade, landscape, lobby, office and roof in a way that creates a three-dimensional, continuous stream of clouds.  1F Plan The landscape installation is supported by the smallest components, like a layer of veil floating on the old building, as if the landscape is alive. Limited budgets, urban planning rules, and interference from neighbors have cut this obvious narrative into fragments.  © CreatAR Images Compared with the the frontal hard resistance, we chose to show a philosophical attitude of detachment through the design method in dealing with the new and old façade. We kept a fragment at the entrance, it's a short mountain-shaped aluminum panel integrated the doorway and greenery, like an abstract bonsai, as an introduction to this design.  © CreatAR Images Comprising a sequence of different layers of cloud, developed around the lobby, reading room and rooftop garden, Wutopia Lab created a three-dimensional green landscape with perforated aluminum panels in the old industrial area of Shanghai.  © CreatAR Images  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 01 Aug 2018 04:00 PM PDT  © To Huu Dung
 © To Huu Dung Text description provided by the architects. On the morning of the end of 2017, I suddenly received a phone call from a Vietnamese girl in Australia. She is a landscape architect and is currently working for a large Australian landscape design company. She shared that her parents in Vietnam were planning to build a new house for them and her brother to live. Since her parents have been building the house many times but they have never felt satisfactory, this time she wanted to find a good design consultant to design a new home that suits the needs to use and is aesthetically pleasing. Through careful study, she came to us, she liked the way we did through our projects posted on ArchDaily. We exchanged a lot of ideas and had many common points: Everything is really simple, clean, with more areas for green space.  Elevation In Vietnam, the planning of the residential area is mostly divided into 5mx20m. Because of the relatively small area, most investors rarely sacrifice the space used for trees and light. But for us, those green spaces are almost mandatory to put on design in all projects. We understand that: Light and trees are extremely important to each of us. Despite the small area, we always try to persuade the investors to apply to their project. In this project, we designed quite simple.  © To Huu Dung 1st floor: The first space before entering the house is a welcoming hall and also a small motorbike garage, after the door is the living room, and then the kitchen and dining room. One bedroom is located at the end and is separated from the kitchen and dining room by a small garden. This garden has created the wind and light for all space of the 1st floor and is also the space for reading books and relaxing of the family.  © To Huu Dung 2nd floor: We spend most of the space on the 2nd floor as the common living area, reading room, and worship room. In Vietnamese culture, these spaces are extremely important. The remaining area is one bedroom and toilet. All these spaces are directed towards the green space of the small garden between the house.  Section 1 In the design and construction process, the most difficult for us and her is to convince her father. Her father is quite conservative with views of old building thinking, while our ideas are quite new to him. We had to work together to persuade him many issues during the construction process. Many times, he was very upset because, in his view, we were designers but interfered so much in the house he would later be staying with. However, we remained persistent in persuading and calming his stress. And as far as the end of the project, when the house began to show, as he shared: he gradually got a different view of the project as well as about us. He said there were some things he was not satisfied but if he continued to build another house later, he would still find us.  © To Huu Dung When completing this project, she was from Australia to Vietnam to be able to, by herself, choose the furniture as well as build the indoor plants. Because her expertise is the landscape architect, so it can say that: She is also an important contributor to this project. We feel very pleased about the cooperation as well as the results of this project.  © To Huu Dung  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Yunmen Mountain All-Seasons Ski Resort / ATAH + MADA s.p.a.m. Posted: 01 Aug 2018 03:00 PM PDT  © Feng Shao
 © Feng Shao Text description provided by the architects. After Beijing won the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, the National Sports Bureau gave great support to the folk promotion of the ice and snow sports, and the people also showed great enthusiasm. In this context, two new all-seasons dry snow ski resorts have been built in Beijing and Qingzhou, Shandong recently. In the snow-free season, they will provide training grounds for the national single-board Olympic team. At the same time, they will be open to the public and become a new sports entertainment attraction.  © Feng Shao  Section  © Feng Shao The Yunmen Mountain all-seasons Resort is located at the Qilu Mountain Region. Although the local city of Qingzhou is famous for its history and vernacular architecture, visitors can immediately feel the presence of the vast nature when immersed in the mountains. Hence, the design generator is based on integration into the mountains and nature, rather than cultural expression or history.  © Feng Shao Our design strategies:
 © Feng Shao On a macro scale, the site is located at the southern ridge of Yunmen Mountain. The piste is the only artificial feature visible against the naturally dark mountain backdrop, while most of the architectural bulk is tucked below the piste itself, which terminates 12 meters above the access road. Within this 12 meters, the Ski Resort Service Center opens out to the same access road, welcoming visitors, and keeping support spaces out of the skiers' viewpoint. Skiers can thus focus on the piste itself, while enjoying views out to nature.  © Feng Shao  Section  © Feng Shao Like wind blowing against strips of paper, the piste hugs closely to the mountain ridge like a wave of white moving downwards. The south side of the wave corresponds to the large indoor space below, while the north side serves as the resort entrance, and other circulation. Where the wave curls slightly upwards at the second and third floors, an open terrace space is defined for visitors to relax at the bottom of the piste. Observation stands on top of the third floor offers visitors the best possible spectator positions to watch the field.  © Feng Shao The planning of the piste had been closely collaborated with Slope Specialist JianFeng, to craft slopes of varying difficulties and functions.In order to meet the needs of different programs, there are 10 degrees lane at the primary level; 15 degrees at the intermediate level for snowboarding run; and the tubing slopes are set at 6, 15, and 20 degrees respectively. It is necessary to apply the longest slope to meet the trend of the ridge and the scenery, as well as six slopes are aligned with the width of the service area below.  © Feng Shao  1F Plan  © Feng Shao All indoor spaces are connected by a service corridor along the mountain terrace, while three large elevators cater to the need of skiers and their gear. There is also an indoor ski facility provided for kids for their fun and exploration, which can be used as a shelter for all during sudden changes in the weather.  © Feng Shao  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Red Hill Gallery / MOA Architects + Formzero Posted: 01 Aug 2018 02:00 PM PDT  © Ronson Lee from Twins Photography
-w.jpg?1533130462 "© Ronson Lee from Twins Photography") © Ronson Lee from Twins Photography Text description provided by the architects. The journey to site began in an arduous adventure on foot at the edge of a small tropical town. In a bewildered quest to locate the site boundary within a hinterland, the lead architect Cherng Yih Lee trekked through acres of abandoned oil palm plantations and on what seemed to be one of the few remaining grasslands for a dairy farm in the locality. The exact location of site remained unidentified on the first day as the crew felt disoriented amidst large, undulating hills within an agricultural landscape that will soon disappear as development plans for urban housing in the area has been set in motion. -w.jpg?1533131166 "© Ronson Lee from Twins Photography") © Ronson Lee from Twins Photography Whilst studying the site, an unusual landscape pattern emerged. The prevailing palm oil trees had formed a border around an area of what was later known to be a cluster of rubber trees preserved during the land-clearing works. This incident inspired the ensuing design process.  Section The design of a human experience preceded designing the actual building. This is a journey in which one discovers a forgotten place. The path to the gallery is found at one end of the preserved rubber forest as visitors are encouraged to find their way through the trees on a winding and elevated metal platform. Due to the building's striking red facade, one can always vaguely see it behind the forest. However, its image is never certain nor fully revealed. Entering the forest path is akin to a entering a dark cave. Conversely, one sees a huge white cave when walking into the building's gallery. -w.jpg?1533131917 "© Ronson Lee from Twins Photography") © Ronson Lee from Twins Photography Across different functional areas, the scale of space changes dramatically from one end of the building to the other as ceilings rise and fall above the head, and as walls fold in and out at various places, framing fragmented views of the outside at angles. A zig-zag corridor leading to an internal courtyard garden that serves as a central point to the office space is all part of a designed journey that mimics the experience of searching for a destination in a forest. -w.jpg?1533131836 "© Ronson Lee from Twins Photography") © Ronson Lee from Twins Photography  Ground floor plan -w.jpg?1533131671 "© Ronson Lee from Twins Photography") © Ronson Lee from Twins Photography As one leaves the site southward, the building is fully revealed with the forest behind it. Its form is a reminiscence of compressed, undulating hills that slope towards the ground, disregarding any sense of scale. -w.jpg?1533131297 "© Ronson Lee from Twins Photography") © Ronson Lee from Twins Photography  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Uncertain Memory / One Take Architects Posted: 01 Aug 2018 01:00 PM PDT  Installation. Image © Wei Kang
 Installation. Image © Wei Kang Text description provided by the architects. Created by architect Li Hao and artist Zhu Jianfei, Uncertain Memory is an ephemeral architecture that was put on display in B.I.G. Carnival (Banana IP Galaxy Carnival). It was set up on the former grounds of Expo 2010—the Shanghai Expo Park. Because the team only had seven days to get the structure ready, and because it was to be taken apart and shipped to its next stop in a display tour, architects adopted a steel framework that is widely used to hang pipework. To assemble the steelwork, one simply needs to join pre-made structural steel components with screws. And it could be dismantled in no time after the carnival.  Bird eye view. Image © Wei Kang When designing the project, the architects tried to explore something emotional in a regular, normal rectangular box. It relied on, among others, light-filament interaction to disrupt the unvaried space of the Park and attract more people to linger at and explore the small square where the ephemeral architecture stood.  Diagram During daytime, the polycarbonate sheets that formed the surface stressed their presence by throwing back dazzling sunlight, alluring visitors to look no further than on the walls. The sheets became something to be looked at rather than looked through. The filaments used inside, measuring over 12 km in total, would waver in the wind and shimmered in the sun with four evolving colors. Having been properly spaced, they appeared to constitute a translucent curtain that filtered rays of light, stopping one from immediately seeing the inside.  Exhibition. Image © Wei Kang The structure's elevations were made up of two polycarbonate sheets put together, with one rotated by 90-degree. They softened sunlight at different times of the day, adding to a checkered pattern of light and shade. Steel components graced the installation's inner space with completely straight lines. Two more layers of twin sheets were erected inside the installation, away from the external walls. These inner layers and the walls formed a two-tiered mechanism that lost the uniform clearness of polycarbonate sheet, but still preserved a shred of the material's transparent quality.  Installation. Image © Wei Kang  Installation. Image © Wei Kang At night, an interactive light control program written by artist Zhu Jianfei changed the lighting on filaments and allowed them to appear in various colors as people walked through this ephemeral architecture. These changes, though subtle, created a rich visual and physical experience. Within the structure, lamplight reflected by the two-tiered system over and over staged a surreal drama of color. The sheets captured light and activities from inside and out, hinting yet blurring the relation of images.  Installation. Image © Wei Kang Now that the use of digital technology and elaborate processes are increasing the norm in construction, even large scale urban buildings are often constructed by directly copying a standard approach. However, once it becomes commonplace, any poetic form of technology may gradually lose its ability to construct any meaning. With Indefinite Memory, the architects hope to, by employing some of the basic building tools and materials, challenge the ubiquitous, excessive reliance on technology.  Installation. Image © Wei Kang Over 60,000 people visited Uncertain Memory while it was on display, making it one of the most interesting places to take a photo.  Installation. Image © Wei Kang  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Skylit House / Downie North Architects Posted: 01 Aug 2018 12:00 PM PDT  © Felipe Neves
 © Felipe Neves Text description provided by the architects. A discreet, robust and light-filled renovation of an existing 1950s bungalow for an active family of five, Skylit House is a simple and deft alteration to a mid-century suburban bungalow in the bushy lower north shore suburb of Castlecrag.  © Felipe Neves Developer driven suburban sprawl throughout Australia has generally given rise to houses that have little or no relationship to their site and are a product of market driven forces, built to sell, objects that have landed indifferently on terrain. The result is a housing stock that is insular and claustrophobic, referring only to their own internal mechanisms, ignorant of family relationships. Landscape, natural light, cross ventilation and site specific conditions are secondary, arbitrary or irrelevant.  Proposed Plan Skylit House offers a strategy to remedy this standard housing stock by simple gestures of internal reconfiguration without requiring enormous expense or increased building fabric. By a process of removing, rather than adding, Skylit House brings natural daylight deep inside shared living spaces that open out to the surrounding landscape. Conceptually it is simply a 'coming together' space- both of people and site. The program is open and robust, offering space for families to share, enjoy a good meal and discuss the day.  © Felipe Neves Having previously lived in a large family home, our clients were apprehensive about 'downsizing'. We believed with some minimal but adept modifications all brief requirements could be accommodated within the existing building footprint. Building less, not more. The design focused on removing what was unnecessary in order to determine a natural place for each space, whilst elevating those functions and creating an awareness and connection to place.  © Felipe Neves The alteration focused on creating one large open plan space, housing kitchen, living and dining, which employs key pieces of joinery to create distinct zones and implied thresholds defining foyer, kitchen, dining and living, butler's pantry and study. New north facing skylights simultaneously illuminate and connect the interiors to its bushy context. With a three storey shopping centre and carpark to the north, this required strategic placement of skylights and openings to the north which careful curates the view and links these views to the settings within.  © Felipe Neves The material palette draws from the natural and built environment of Castlecrag: a clean palette of white, grey and spotted gum veneer references the various species of gum dotted throughout the headland, the irregular glaze of the ceramic tiles create reflections reminiscent of Middle Harbour and the reclaimed red brick edging the deck references the house and its neighbours.  © Felipe Neves The new architectural composition is highly efficient, dynamic yet serene. It has transformed the occupants' everyday experience, yet sits lightly within the site, demonstrating the value of simplicity.  © Felipe Neves  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Timber Ridge Sea Ranch Cabin / Framestudio Posted: 01 Aug 2018 10:00 AM PDT  © Drew Kelly
 © Drew Kelly Text description provided by the architects. Sited in lush redwoods forest of The Sea Ranch, this cabin is one of a series of Demonstration Homes commissioned by the original developer, Oceanic. Designed by San Francisco Bay Area architect Joseph Esherick in 1968, the 684-square-foot home was intended to exemplify how the Sea Ranch design guidelines could be used to build a well-designed, low-cost weekend cabin. The cabin's 20' x 20' footprint consists of three levels, which open onto one another forming a loft-like space. Because of their elemental layout and small size, few of these homes remain in their original state.  © Drew Kelly  Lower Floor Plan  © Drew Kelly Framestudio's team recognized the cabin's historic importance and sought to balance preserving the historic fabric while making alterations and updates to meet the practical needs of the new owners. A fully functional kitchen, the capacity to sleep six, and securable storage areas were among the priorities. Framestudio developed a scheme which restored many of the original details, hallmarks of Esherick's design, using wood which had been reclaimed from alterations not original to the design. New interventions were conceived to contrast in color from the historical framework of the home but constructed from materials suitable for the age of the home.  © Drew Kelly In the kitchen, the lower cabinets were replaced with a more functional design fabricated from baltic birch plywood clad in an ultra-matte black laminate. Appliances, including a dishwasher, were incorporated along with extra storage drawers in the toe kicks. The original upper cabinets were restored, and the exhaust system was rebuilt to the original design using an exhaust fan from the era. The two adjoining bedrooms on the upper level were intentionally spare in their design. The original closets were only alcoves that contained a shelf and bar for hanging clothes. Framestudio designed fitted blue laminate cupboards for these alcoves, which include a secured storage, as well as areas for clothing, linens, and cleaning supplies.  Upper Floor Plan The open plan nature of the home was preserved, specifically on the bedroom level, which lacked doors in the original design. Framestudio designed a full-height partition that provides privacy between the two rooms. When not in use, it folds into the wall, seamlessly disappearing into the rough sawn douglas fir paneling. The bunk beds in the second bedroom cantilever off the side of the main volume, adding a sense of playfulness to the simple geometry of the design. In the living room, Framestudio designed a built-in sofa, which houses additional storage and a pullout queen sized bed, bringing the sleeping capacity of the home to six.  © Drew Kelly  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Sea Club Punta Marqués / 128 arquitectura y diseño urbano + kontrast Posted: 01 Aug 2018 08:00 AM PDT  © Alejandro Gutiérrez
 © Alejandro Gutiérrez Text description provided by the architects. Acapulco is one of the first’s ports and shipyard during the colonial era, form where naval expeditions departed to new territories like the Philippines, Baja California or Peru. With this historical background and its nearness to Mexico City, Acapulco became one of the tourist world meccas during the second half of the XX century.  © Alejandro Gutiérrez  Complex  © Alejandro Gutiérrez Two bays structures the seafront to the Pacific Ocean, Acapulco Bay and Puerto Marqués, in memory of the Valley Marquis, the conqueror Hernán Cortés. The building is located in the convergence of both bays, a cape called Punta Marqués.  © Alejandro Gutiérrez The cape provides two frontages, one heading the Pacific Ocean and the other side the bay which access the sea just like an ancient fortification. The new building becomes an Open Balouart.  Section A y B The gross built area is 2800 square meters distributed in three general areas, the restaurant and bar building, the pool terrace area with the sea deck on the lowest level, and the service areas.  © Alejandro Gutiérrez The multiple platform distributes the activities with different spatial characteristics; on the access level the juice bar and lounge with a decked terrace, on the first level the dinner restaurant and a roof terrace; on the second level the main terrace bar with swimming pool. The color of the concrete is similar to the natural stone, and the juxtaposed materials are part of the commitment with the natural setting.  Ground Floor Derived from its location a lighting strategy was addressed to avoid the disturbance of the local ecosystem.  © Alejandro Gutiérrez  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Artist Alex Chinneck Unzips Derelict 1960s Office Building to Create Mind-Bending Illusion Posted: 01 Aug 2018 07:00 AM PDT UK-based artist Alex Chinneck has unveiled his latest architectural installation, transforming the walls of a soon-to-be-demolished 1960s office building on the former Kent Wool Growers site in Ashford, England. "Open to the Public" features an eight-meter-high double zip running down the side of the building, revealing the forlorn interior. The double zip descending the short elevation is joined by a long single zip running the full length of the building, peeling back the walls and windows in a move inspired by the area's history of textiles and fabric. Having begun work on the intervention earlier this year, Chinneck installed the artwork over the course of a single Sunday night. Playing on a surreal difference in scales and properties, Chinneck aimed to create a playful artwork which draws public attention to the soon-to-be-demolished structure.
The secret project was commissioned by London-based regeneration specialists U&I, who hope to build 250 homes on the site, contained in four apartment blocks ranging from six to fifteen floors.  Six Pins and Half a Dozen Needles. Image © Faruk Pinjo Chinneck has a history of creating playful installations with architecture as his canvas. In 2017, he installed a ripped brick façade on a London building titled "Six Pins and Half a Dozen Needles." In 2013, his installation "From the Knees of my Nose to the Belly of my Toes" featured the brick façade of a seaside terrace in Margate sliding down into the front garden. Open to the Public will be officially unveiled on August 2nd. News via: Alex Chinneck / Kent Online  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 01 Aug 2018 06:00 AM PDT  © Scott Frances
 © Scott Frances Text description provided by the architects. The Hill House is a modern year-round refuge located on a wooded hillside. The house, acting as a threshold, marks the transition from trees to rolling fields that extend to the distant waterfront. Because it is situated on a nature preserve and protected wetlands, great care was taken to design a home reverential to its location. The client, a trustee of the Shelter Island Nature Conservancy, requested a home that was sensitively knit into the site with intimate spaces for the family and a large outdoor event space for entertaining.  © Scott Frances  Ground Floor Plan  © Scott Frances A series of stone retaining walls form stepped terraces in the landscape. Two hovering cedar-clad boxes linked by a multi-purpose roof deck, shelter the interior and exterior public spaces below, and house the private components of the program. These two "pavilions" float over a dematerialized first floor made of glass that allows the site to remain uninterrupted. The house is a mediator between forest and meadow.  Elevation  © Scott Frances  Upper Floor Plan The homeowners, are actively involved with the Island's land trust and enjoy spending time outdoors. The couple requested space for beekeeping, a chicken coop, and greenhouse. The house includes a green roof and xeriscape landscaping with native plants that do not require irrigation due to restrictions on Shelter Island. The House has an inherent duality between private living and active, outdoor living. The design team was inspired by the extensive woodland site, which became a constantly reoccurring element seen in the house's design, material, program, and form.  © Scott Frances  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Insight into Secretive Unbuilt NEOM Megacity ahead of Saudi Royal Visit Posted: 01 Aug 2018 05:00 AM PDT Following the October 2017 unveiling of NEOM, Saudi Arabia's $500-billion futuristic city billed as a "startup the size of a country," details of the project's progression have been scarce. Situated close to the border with Jordan and the Red Sea, the remote area has been sealed off to visitors, leaving onlookers to speculate with minimal details, such as the announcement by Japan's Softbank that they were investing in the megacity. However, news carried by Reuters suggests that the project may be far more advanced than originally expected, reporting that Saudi Arabia's King Salman has arrived in NEOM for a holiday. The news marks a break in tradition from the King's holiday choices, typically a villa in Morocco or the South of France. Reuters also detail a design document revealed to them offering the first descriptions of what the architecture of NEOM may contain.  via NEOM NEOM is envisioned as a 10,200-square-mile (26,500-square-kilometer) center for technology and business, fully powered by renewable energy. While serving as a hub for innovation in biotechnology, food, and advanced manufacturing, the megacity is also intended to be a luxury lifestyle community with "glittering marinas," "record-breaking theme parks," "endless parkland," and "the world's largest garden."  via NEOM Following the October 2017 announcement, no concrete business ventures or design concepts have been revealed. However, news of King Salman's holiday adds credence to information provided to Reuters in February that local construction companies had been asked by the Saudi government to build five royal palaces on the site.  The King Abdullah Economic City. Image via The Times A design document also seen by Reuters is reported to showcase "opulent buildings with modern and traditional Moroccan-style architecture featuring Islamic designs and colorful ceramic tiles" with amenities such as helipads, a marina, and a golf course. NEOM is one of a number of projects undertaken by the Saudi government to diversify its oil-dependent economy, including the King Abdullah Economic City, pictured above, which has been in development for over ten years. The first stage of NEOM is expected to be completed in 2025. News via: Reuters  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Chapel for San Giorgio Maggiore / Andrew Berman Architect Posted: 01 Aug 2018 04:00 AM PDT  © Adria Goula
 © Adria Goula Text description provided by the architects. This chapel was commissioned to be part of the Holy See Pavilion by the Vatican for the Venice 2018 Architecture Biennale. The project was curated and organized by Professor Francesco Dal Co, who was inspired by a large overgrown wooded site on the south side of the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, and a visit to Erik Gunnar Asplund's Woodland Chapel in Stockholm. Professor Dal Co invited ten architects from around the world to design chapels for this unique site.  © Adria Goula Our chapel for San Giorgio Maggiore is a simple structure. Its kin are sheds, buildings assembled of readily available materials for basic shelter or use.  © Adria Goula It is framed of wood studs and rafters, painted white. All exterior surfaces are clad in translucent polycarbonate. The interior is lined in black painted plywood. The plywood lining is folded down from the apex of the volume, allowing daylight to enter from above into the interior.  © Adria Goula  Plan  © Adria Goula The structure is a precise form of anonymous origin. It is an indeterminate presence in the landscape, created with a modesty of means. The covered porch is a place for all to gather, aplace from which to look out and survey one's surroundings; the wooded site overlooking the lagoon of Venice. The bench within proposes a place to sit. It is a space for looking inward, under light amidst darkness.  Section  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| House Viejo III / Max-A Arquitectura + Arquitectura del Paisaje Posted: 01 Aug 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © Nico Saieh
 © Nico Saieh Text description provided by the architects. The commission – to alter + expand an existing house, updating its standards while working with a reduced budget and constrained site. The project responds to the existing use of brick in an abstraction of straight lines, transparencies and levitating volumes.  © Nico Saieh The main entryway and public programs are in the lower level. In the upper level, the original aggregation of roof shapes is replaced by a light-filled volume that houses the master bedroom, gaining views of the lush garden and Santiago’s surrounding hills.  © Nico Saieh  Floor Plan 1  © Nico Saieh The resulting brick structure spans the length of the site, the southern façade playing with brick solids and semitransparency’s to create a sense of security and privacy from within; the northern façade with floor to ceiling windows, creating luminous and uninterrupted living space with the garden as a backdrop.  © Nico Saieh  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Updating Antiquity: Using Modular Concrete to Create New Compositions Posted: 01 Aug 2018 01:00 AM PDT  © Madhava Kalmar Inspired by two of the oldest techniques in architecture, fluting, and reeding, Brooklyn-based GRT Architects have developed a series of modular concrete pieces that update the Greek tradition, varying its classic composition.  Application Possibilities Flutes & Reeds is composed of cast concrete and rethinks the proportions and fixed rules that governed Greek columns of antiquity. This new material consists of modules that can be adjusted and accommodated to form interesting relief surfaces.  © Madhava Kalmar  © Madhava Kalmar A triangular mosaic was then generated to provide the possibility of joining other modules at 120-degree angles, producing grids and varied compositions.  Application Possibilities  Triangular Modules "Each triangle is, in effect, a slice of a conventional fluted or reeded column. When arranged in a well-behaved fashion they form a surface that would look familiar to the Greeks, overlaid with a subtle, triangular matrix. However, a number of unique patterns emerge when tiles are rotated," ensure GRT Architects.  © Madhava Kalmar  © Madhava Kalmar The family of grooves and carvings is composed of four designs: Single Flute, Triple Flute, Single Reed, and Triple Reed. While 'Single' refers to convex and wide ornaments, the 'Triple' offers denser repeats of the same effect.  © Madhava Kalmar  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Sergey Skuratov of Sergey Skuratov Architects: "I Imagine the Building as a Living Thing" Posted: 01 Aug 2018 12:00 AM PDT  Copper House / Sergey Skuratov Architects. Image Courtesy of Sergey Skuratov Architects Sergey Skuratov, founder of Sergey Skuratov Architects, an award-winning Russian practice (2008 Architect of the Year), is known for his sleek and well-composed portfolio. Projects such as Copper House, Art House, and House on Mosfilmovskaya Street demonstrate his sensitivity to materiality and ability to retain his vision from concept to reality. Over the last two decades Skuratov has succeeded in producing a whole strata of world-class architecture in Moscow, far more than any other local practitioner. His projects, predominantly residential and office complexes, have remained attractive and versatile without ever veering into conservatism. Vladimir Belogolovsky: Speaking of a site that you were given for one of your projects you said, "How chaotic, repulsive were the surrounding structures. It was unclear if it was possible to bring any order there, to do anything sensible compositionally or stylistically." Do you think bringing order to a particular environment is the purpose of architecture? Sergey Skuratov: Of course not. What is order? It is something quite relative. Order is a total myth, it can only exist on paper. There can be no order in a real city. There are so many traces of whatever people do, so many layers of numerous contradictory functions. To find certain existing logic or to propose a new one in these many traces is an incredibly complex problem for an architect. Any city is very complex and even chaotic. The aim of any architect is to realize his own legends, myths, and worlds that he dreams about. Perhaps the most important thing for me is to contaminate my client with my interest, passion, and conviction. And not just the client but the city government, contractor, and so many others to realize that one particular world that I conceived.  House on Mosfilmovskaya Street / Sergey Skuratov Architects. Image Courtesy of Sergey Skuratov Architects VB: Perhaps your most distinctive realization to date is your House on Mosfilmovskaya Street, a highly visible dual skyscraper here in Moscow. I know that your client challenged you to build a kind of building that no one has ever built before. Not just in Russia but anywhere in the world. Is this something that you encounter often, and do you strive to invent such architecture that hasn't existed before? SS: What I can say is that during this project my client, Maksim Blazhko, the founder of Don Stroi development company, and I resembled two kids playing with the future. We were both enthused by this project and most of what was planned came true. The same level of creative challenge and excitement I experienced while working on the Copper House and Art House. It was the time when I was rethinking the use of brick and ways it could interplay with metal. I was fascinated by how earth and clay transform into brick and the use of brick cladding on all kinds of surfaces, including along a curved wall. I like the idea of giving a whole building a sculptural form. These contemplations were initiated by my visits to the ancient Russian monasteries in such regions as Solovki or Pskov. And also, Kensington in London and Boronia in Italy. It was a new direction after a more decorative approach in my earlier Copper House. The Art House became a new point of reference for me, there was more substance. I would even compare it to an organism, something alive, a living creature. Every time I pass by I imagine the building as a living thing.  Garden Blocks / Sergey Skuratov Architects. Image Courtesy of Sergey Skuratov Architects VB: This theme of a living thing is also expressed in your House on Mosfilmovskaya. It is exactly the reason for its slight turn that recalls a living creature moving while turning back. SS: Absolutely. At the time, I was preoccupied with the idea of creating a fresh composition for high-rise buildings that would differ from the established typology. I didn't want simply to place another tower. I came up with a composition of two buildings of different heights coming out of a base carried by multiple legs that would seem as if they were moving. It was important to create a sensation of a sort of inner life, orthomorphism, movement, tension, relaxation, and so on. During the design stage I was trying to feel this building and literally was communicating with it as if it were alive. I like the idea of humanizing architecture quite literally, meaning forging an image, originating of strange metamorphoses. It is important to me. The plasticity of a façade and silhouette are key tools of architecture. This is the language that I used while working on such of my projects as Danilovsky Fort and Burdenko Street complexes. I can say that I achieved a certain satisfaction in this direction and now I am searching for new ways of expressing my ideas, something I haven't done before.  Minsk Hills / Sergey Skuratov Architects. Image Courtesy of Sergey Skuratov Architects Today, I am attracted to simplicity and wholeness. I want to realize something quite clean and elegant. I am currently working on such project, three towers on Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment near Moscow City. All towers reach different heights, but they are tied together by common simplicity of their forms, texture, and unifying compositional rhythm. They are airy, transparent, and each tower features 100-foot ceiling at the ground floor hallways. VB: Where do you derive your ideas? I read that you look through many publications. SS: I think the process of acquiring architectural mastery can be compared to learning of a foreign language. To speak fluently in any language, you must have an extensive vocabulary and understand how these words interact with each other. The same is true in architecture. VB: What words would you say describe your architecture most accurately? SS: Reason and feeling. But can words describe architecture?  Ego House / Sergey Skuratov Architects. Image Courtesy of Sergey Skuratov Architects VB: Your choice of words tells me how you think about your work and what are your priorities. Do you have doubts? Do you have a fear that something may not be achieved? SS: No. Never. I am not afraid. I know that everything will work out. Sometimes, it may take many tries, but I am completely sure about myself from the outset. I will find a good solution. I treat every project very personally, sincerely, and I immerse very deeply into the design process. I must find my own solution. Once I find it I don't hesitate. From this moment it will be precisely as I want it to be. I know, I want to, and I can. I think it is this harmonic feeling that brings professional satisfaction. Most of what I do is dictated by this phrase – "I want to." VB: But that's not what you would tell your client, right? SS: Of course, I will! Sure, we may argue. But I always try to convince my client, city officials, contractor, even my own staff. If I am not convincing I fight without any fear of losing the commission. I care about the result. VLADIMIR BELOGOLOVSKY is the founder of the New York-based non-profit Curatorial Project. Trained as an architect at Cooper Union in New York, he has written five books, including Conversations with Architects in the Age of Celebrity (DOM, 2015), Harry Seidler: LIFEWORK (Rizzoli, 2014), and Soviet Modernism: 1955-1985 (TATLIN, 2010). Among his numerous exhibitions: Anthony Ames: Object-Type Landscapes at Casa Curutchet, La Plata, Argentina (2015); Colombia: Transformed (American Tour, 2013-15); Harry Seidler: Painting Toward Architecture (world tour since 2012); and Chess Game for Russian Pavilion at the 11th Venice Architecture Biennale (2008). Belogolovsky is the American correspondent for Berlin-based architectural journal SPEECH and he has lectured at universities and museums in more than 20 countries. Belogolovsky's column, City of Ideas, introduces ArchDaily's readers to his latest and ongoing conversations with the most innovative architects from around the world. These intimate discussions are a part of the curator's upcoming exhibition with the same title which originally premiered at the University of Sydney in June 2016. The City of Ideas exhibition will travel to venues around the world to explore ever-evolving content and design.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 31 Jul 2018 11:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of Doug and Wolf A beautifully delicate design by ingenhoven architects, in cooperation with architectus, has bested series of internationally acclaimed architects to design Sydney's tallest residential tower at 505-523 George Street. The 79-storey skyscraper will reach 270m, and include several uses, ranging from high-quality living and retail to hotel and leisure. The designers hope the tower will be "a profoundly visible landmark standing for an economical, environmental and socially sustainable, future-oriented development".  Courtesy of Doug and Wolf Location plays a significant role in the project's design; its site in Sydney's central business districtdictated the need for an "undisturbed view to the outside." The single skin facade enables these views while shading devices maximize the daylighting effects and generate interest along the building's profile. The balconies utilize glass windshields and are naturally ventilated, creating the perfect conditions for a winter garden.  Courtesy of Doug and Wolf Pure materials are the focus of the designer's material palette, using regional architecture as a touchstone. Consequently, the building features sand-colored fair-faced concrete, sand-colored precast concrete elements, low-iron glazing and anodized aluminium for the façade, mirror-finished stainless-steel cladding, recycled timber for terrace decks and venetian blinds.  Courtesy of Doug and Wolf Ingenhoven and architectus pay special attention to the environmental impact and energy usage, leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit for an environmentally conscious product. Using sustainable and durable local materials will lead to a "drastically shorter" transport time, reduced energy usage and minimal maintenance, while the facade itself is designed to maximize the effects of daylighting within the tower. Sections of the facade are angled, acting as hybrid solar collector on the sunny north facade, while the south facade operates in tandem with "intelligent cooling systems".  Courtesy of Doug and Wolf While ingenhoven architects have extensive experience with regards large scale projects and sustainable schemes, they also have an existing relationship with their Australian collaboators architectus, with whom they built Australia's first 'green' high-rise. "We are looking forward to working with the team at ingenhoven again on another significant Sydney project" said Ray Brown, Managing Director at architectus. "Our collaboration on 1 Bligh Street was very successful and we aim to emulate the same quality and success with 505 George Street."
 Courtesy of Doug and Wolf  Courtesy of Doug and Wolf Other similar projects by ingenhoven architects include Toranomon Hills Project in Tokyo, the Breeze Tower in Osaka, and the Marina One in Singapore. News via ingenhoven architects.
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