Arch Daily |
- London Wall Place / Make Architects
- EDUT / Dank Architectes
- Courtyard of Averbode Abbey / OMGEVING
- Printemps Haussmann Verticalité / UUfie
- AgriNesture / H&P Architects
- Taipei Nanshan Plaza / Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei
- 43 Factory Coffee Roaster / 85 Design
- Moonhori Residence / a round architects
- Under Armour Connected Fitness / Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
- See-through Building / HBA-rchitects
- Corporate Campus Parking Facility / substance
- Florian Marquet Proposes Modular Living Spaces with Full Autonomous Mobility
- Culture and Artistic Diffusion School in La Unión / Andrés Crisosto Smith
- Students Construct 7 Innovative Tiny Cabins at Hello Wood's 2018 Project Village
- Mirrorhouse / XTEN Architecture
- Studio Gang Reveals Twisting High-Rise MIRA Tower for San Francisco
- Caja de Luz / Juan Alberto Andrade
- Good Taste and the Transformation of McDonald's
- Ghost Wash House / Architecture-Infrastructure-Research
- Tips For Using Concrete in Architecture
| London Wall Place / Make Architects Posted: 21 Aug 2018 10:00 PM PDT  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects
 © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects Text description provided by the architects. Make Architects has completed work on its London Wall Place project, a new commercial scheme offering the largest set of public gardens developed in the City of London since the post-war Barbican estate on behalf of Brookfield Properties and Oxford Properties. The scheme comprises two office buildings surrounded by extensive public realm including a series of public gardens and reimagined elevated pedestrian walkways to link the neighboring Barbican with the City of London.  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects The project's concept lies in referencing the deep history of the site, from the Romans to post-war modernism. The scheme's geometry is aligned with the historical urban grain created by the section of the original Roman city wall on site and its materials reference those used to build the wall. Both the wall and the medieval St Alphage Church tower on site – hidden from public view since the 1960s – have been beautifully restored and made a central part of the public realm, while the elevated walkways of the 1960s have been reimagined and reinstated. The architecture is designed to be a backdrop to these landmarks, not competing but simply becoming the setting.  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects Sam Potter, the lead architect at Make, said: "The beauty of this project lies in recognizing it is simply the latest layer in the history of this site, the next trace to be remembered. We've designed state-of-the-art offices, but it's the combination with the public realm that has attracted the occupiers, not just the commercial spaces themselves. It is about bringing in a social, human, tactile scale to the City, and the architecture is all the more successful for the spaces around it."  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects Tim Wells, Development Director at Brookfield Properties said on behalf of the joint venture: "The scheme's ability to connect modern business with historic London and offer new perspectives from the revitalized high-level walkways sets it apart from any other development in London and further strengthens Brookfield Properties' place-making credentials. At London Wall Place, we have developed world-class office space in an exceptional and unique environment for the benefit of all the buildings occupiers, neighbors and visitors alike."  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects With half of the site dedicated to the public realm, London Wall Place has created a new destination for the City. It has also initiated plans to reduce the dominance of the London Wall dual carriageway, which was narrowed to prioritize pedestrian and cycle movement as part of the scheme. The public realm is formed of a series of pocket gardens for people to discover that, together with the adjacent Salters' Hall Garden and soon-to-be-completed St Alphage Garden, delivers more than 1.5 acres of public space and over 780m2 of green walls across multiple terraced levels. The walkways, which include four bridges that cross London Wall, Wood Street, Fore Street and Fore Street Avenue, cover 350m and house a new raised garden. The varied levels are conceived as a continuous three-dimensional landscape, providing pedestrian connection, a sanctuary from the City, or simply somewhere to lunch.  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects The two buildings enclose the new London Wall Place gardens. 1 London Wall Place delivers 310,000ft2 of new state-of-the-art office and trading facilities, and a series of nine roof terraces over 13 stories. In 2013, 1 London Wall Place was entirely pre-let to Schroders marking a significant turning point in the commercial real estate market as the largest deal signed in London since the beginning of the global recession. 2 London Wall Place is a multi-tenanted 17-story tower, with a retail and restaurant unit at Level 1 and a café at ground level. As of the end of May, it is 73 percent let with international law firm Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton taking the top four floors, for a total of 48,000ft2.  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects The two buildings share the same striking appearance, with contrasting sections of vertical rectilinear bands of glass-reinforced concrete (GRC), and dark blue ceramic ribs that form a vertically elongated grid. The materials were inspired by the Kentish ragstone found in the Roman wall, with the GRC echoing the smooth, matte appearance of the stone's chalky exterior, and the iridescent blue ceramic reminiscent of the stone's glossy interior. The verticality is a foil to the horizontal form of the neighboring Barbican.  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects The concrete sections hide the services and elevators and have defined, sharp edges whereas the ceramic bands are curved and more fluid and clad the office floorplates. The vertical banding serves to minimize heat gain and draw in more sunlight to the occupied areas. The grain and scale expressed along the facades continue to form the soffits and the roof plant enclosures and guardrails. In this way, the rhythm of the buildings' facades is extended like 'ribbons' up, along, over and down the extent of the building's mass. On 2 London Wall Place, they flow into the building to form the ribs of the reception ceiling, while on 1 London Wall Place they form the cantilevered soffit – some of the largest cantilevers in London – and their surfaces bounce light and reflections onto the walkways and landscaping below.  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects The 'Highwalk' system, a reminder of the previous 1960s site, was a requirement of the planning consent. The walkway network now has a material palette of weathering steel and Iroko timber as a backdrop to the ever-changing gardens and green walls which seamlessly link the various levels. Thousands of plants, including strawberries, lavender, and ivy, are distributed to suit various microclimates within the site, from the sun-blessed Salters' 'cascade' to the sheltered water garden and 'amphitheatre' around the St Alphage remains. These spaces will provide the welcome respite for the 5,000 occupants of the new office buildings, retail customers, Barbican residents and future Crossrail commuters.  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects The building is BREEAM 'Excellent' and designed flexibly to accommodate numerous tenancies throughout its lifespan, while the intent for the public realm is that it endures – as the Roman wall and St Alphage Church tower have – for as long as possible, as part of the historical urban fabric. There is a passive approach to energy in use, with a 50/50 solid-to-glazed ratio in the building facades, which are all heavily insulated, and with deep soffit areas to reduce solar gain. The air handling is a mixed mode to allow both buildings to be naturally ventilated if desired. The materials – GRC and ceramic – are designed to never need replacing and the weathering steel was chosen for the bridges so that minimal maintenance is required.  © Martina Ferrera – in house at Make Architects  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 21 Aug 2018 08:00 PM PDT  © Kevin Buy
 © Kevin Buy Text description provided by the architects. The owners of an atypical 3 story house contacted us with a strong intention to transform an existing small living room into a large contemporary and minimalistic space. We worked on the re-organization of the living spaces, having in mind the view from the inside and the interior light. We also wanted the terrace to become an extension of the living room.  © Kevin Buy  Ground Floor Plan  © Frenchie cristogatin Two wooden triangles define the house extension. They connect the new living rooms to the existing building. Inside, we designed an entrance with a large opening. The kitchen is minimalist. It faces the garden and is located next to a spacious dining place with a direct relation to the terrace. Ahead of the glassed windows, a large ceiling window integrated into the terrace surface brings light to an underground office.  © Kevin Buy
 © Kevin Buy Storage and kitchen partition walls are made of the wooden structure and black Valchromat panels, with an integrated Vipp kitchen. We tried to keep all the interior pure and minimalist: black custom furniture, light grey resin floor and triangle plywood panels for the ceiling.  © Kevin Buy  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Courtyard of Averbode Abbey / OMGEVING Posted: 21 Aug 2018 07:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of OMGEVING
 Courtesy of OMGEVING Text description provided by the architects. In the summer of 2012 the recently rejuvenated courtyard of Averbode Abbey has opened its doors inviting everyone to enjoy its centuries-old architecture and Baroque church standing at its heart. These impressive buildings are literally reflected in the grand water mirror calmly sitting at the centre of the square. The large film of water, which is only a few centimetres deep, not only provides an alternative view of the surrounding buildings, but also welcomes the visitor to rest beside it on a nearby bench and enjoy its tranquil character or even walk in it during those rare hot Belgian days. Averbode Abbey's historical role is thus recreated in its own courtyard by bringing together people of all ages from around the region.  Courtesy of OMGEVING Since the history of Averbode Abbey began in 1134, it has undergone many changes. When the abbey's courtyard first took shape it was in the form of three narrow cobblestone pathways upon a stretch of land covered with grass. It is only around the beginning of the 19th century that the square began to take on the configuration which is still present there today along with the surrounding buildings of the abbots' quarters, the presbytery, and the gatehouse. In its recent history, precisely in 1976, the abbey's square was transformed from a largely green courtyard into a space paved in stone. This drastic change in setting allowed the abbey's visitors to shift the function of the courtyard from a serene resting place into what is essentially a parking lot. However, after a few more decades past and with the condition of the square getting worse, a renewed desire for a peaceful public space began to emerge. In 2010 the decision was taken to reconstruct the abbey's courtyard and forecourt, amounting in approximately 5,000m² of redesigned space.  Plan The new square's design strives towards simplicity and homogeneity with its context. Rather than competing with the surrounding historical buildings, it only works to enhance their strong presence. Walking through the gatehouse of Averbode Abbey now, after the realisation of the square's new design, one is confronted with a picturesque view of the abbots' quarters and its shimmering reflection in the water. On the rainy days the water mirror is filled up with rainwater flowing down from the square which is collected in a slightly depressed surface creating this large puddle. The flexibility of the courtyard is guaranteed with the possibility to drain the water from its resting place, thus increasing the usable area of the courtyard for various events.  Courtesy of OMGEVING Along with the water mirror, the quality of this public space is improved by the integration of its ancient Tilia trees with old periphery wall and cobblestone path, as well as the integration of new parking spaces for visitors with reduced mobility, and sufficient facilities for those who choose to visit the abbey by bicycle. During the dark hours of the night, the square itself is dimmed by the light reflecting off of the church and other surrounding buildings and LED strips are used to accentuate the direction of the pathway.  Courtesy of OMGEVING Taking into consideration the rich history of Averbode Abbey, it was imperative not to bombard its visitors with historical information, but instead to subtly introduce its history in the square itself. Hence, out of respect for the context all of the information panels, bins, and bicycle racks have been custom designed and manufactured in dark rusted steel reminiscent of the ferrous iron sandstone appearing in the façades of the abbey buildings.  Courtesy of OMGEVING Passing by the church, one can also be reminded of the monastic rule which has been engraved in the curb stone: "one in heart and one in soul heading towards God."  Courtesy of OMGEVING  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Printemps Haussmann Verticalité / UUfie Posted: 21 Aug 2018 06:00 PM PDT  © Michel Denance
 © Michel Denance Text description provided by the architects. The architectural studio, UUfie, designed the new vertical circulation space in the renowned department store Printemps Haussmann in Paris, France. The project was a part of the revitalization of Printemps Haussmann to introduce a circulation from the lower ground floor up to the 9th floor. Founded in 1865, Printemps has had a long history in revolutionizing the ways of shopping. The original interior had featured an atrium with a massive spiral staircase. Sadly, much this was destroyed from disastrous fires and removed during the modernization of the building. Since then, Printemps has restored the Art Nouveau building façade and the stained glass dome, which are both recognized as historical monuments in the city of Paris. In looking forward, a new project was commenced to re-introduce a new grand atrium to equal its landmark status.  Section The space features a delicate three-dimensional form based on a concept of a vertical dome, also called a veil. It is reminiscent and an homage to the store's iconic stained glass domes seen in 1894. It weighs 24 tons but appears to float in front of the vertical circulation with a glass floor and mirror ceiling. It is 25.5 meters high and 12.5 meters wide, consisting of white-painted aluminum sheets laminated to create a floral relief. The pattern is an interpretation of images found in the original stained-glass transposed into a repetitive pattern. It respects the tradition of Art Nouveau motif found in nature. It is then randomized to form approximately 17200 petal-shaped opening. This revealing a transformative array of colors through the effect of dichroic glass. As a contemporary interpretation of stain glass, it has the similar iridescent quality to the surface and appears like a burst of fireworks or falling blossoms.  © Michel Denance Conceived as a public interior space that is read through experiencing the depth and layering. Visitors approach through a darkened vestibule leading to the newly installed escalators. Behind the one-way mirror wall that conceals the escalators, reveals the veil through the tinted glass view. As people move vertically through the space, the one-way mirror opens to give an unobstructed view of the veil. The progression up and down provides a different perspective and moments to experience the transformation of colors.  © Michel Denance  Geometry. Image Courtesy of UUfie  © Michel Denance The geometry of the veil conceived by connecting the four corners of the void with pure curves in plan and elevation. The combination of two-dimensional curved panels gives the overall three-dimensional shape. The one-way mirror, when viewed from the void creates a moment of fascination. The veil is mirrored to create the image of a bi-convex geometric space, a completed symmetry that can be seen from the side, top and below. On the retail interior, the veil is perforated to allow interior lighting to transfer. The transparent dichroic glass fills each opening and creates a surface with infinite gradation. The effect is sensitive and scenographical, and its energy is translated into the retail concepts on each floor.  © Michel Denance  © Michel Denance Started as a competition in 2013 with the team produced by Yabu Pushelberg, the project negotiated the constraints of the existing building and strict fire regulation, while exhibiting both ingenuity in architecture and engineering. The construction was completed in only eight months while the stores were able to remain in operation. The result is a space that is symbolic of Printemps, as is in the meaning of spring in French.  © Michel Denance  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 21 Aug 2018 05:00 PM PDT _Nguyen_Tien_Thanh__(2).jpg?1534796700 "© Nguyen TienThanh") © Nguyen TienThanh
_Nguyen_Tien_Thanh__(27).jpg?1534797475 "© Nguyen TienThanh") © Nguyen TienThanh Text description provided by the architects. 75% of Vietnam's population now lives mainly on agricultural production in rural areas; however, rapid industrialization and urbanization in the past 20 years has resulted in a loss of millions of hectares of agricultural land, leaving nearly three million workers unemployed. In the meantime, the country's population has increased by more than 15 million people, which results in a high housing demand. This has then entailed massive waves of construction and sprawl land encroachments in rural areas and from other vulnerable communities. As a result, the living environment and natural habitat in these areas have been seriously contaminated and impaired, thus gradually disrupting the relationship between Humans and Humans and between Humans and Nature in the context of increasingly severe climate change.  Current Condition As such, the aim of the project is to build a house which helps promote Agriculture and at the same time create jobs for local residents. _Nguyen_Tien_Thanh__(7).jpg?1534796764 "© Nguyen TienThanh") © Nguyen TienThanh SOLUTION The proposed house is like a cube of earth cut out from a field. Inside this cube are many nooks of the nest connected to a section of field at the top roof.  Master Plan  Step 1 Named as AgriNesture (Agriculture + Nesture), the house consists of two main parts: Frame and Cover which can be used in many different vulnerable areas such as rural areas, flooded areas, and resettlementor low income areas. Clusters of these houses are arranged in a variety of ways, creating a peaceful area of populations characterized with a Space for All. AgriNesture can also be used as a Home for All in the service of Education, Health, Community, etc. _Nguyen_Tien_Thanh__(15).jpg?1534796973 "© Nguyen TienThanh") © Nguyen TienThanh The reinforced two - storeyframe (including foundation, columns, floor, roof, stairs) are made of reinforced concrete which costs VND 150 million (equivalent to USD 6,500). In case of the extension of used area, available empty spaces can be used or the third storey can be built up into a three-storey house. The Cover (including walls, doors, partitions) will be completed in accordance with different regions with friendly materials available in localities such as vines, rammed earth, bricks, etc. The house roof is a place for Agriculture where a system of water rain collection and utilization as well as re-use of water is paid special attention.  Diagram Users will directly participate in the process of building the house and they will actively divide the spaces subject to their own needs. In addition, they are also the ones to produce the cover materials appropriate with their local conditions. In this sense, the building process will help create jobs and shape Homes which promote Agriculture development and bring about ecological balance as well as economic stability for the population in vulnerable areas. _Nguyen_Tien_Thanh__(6).jpg?1534796752 "© Nguyen TienThanh") © Nguyen TienThanh AgriNesture will be, therefore, a place of convergence, interaction, and adaptation of various local contrasts (natural vs. man-made, residence vs. agriculture, individuals vs. communities, etc.), thus enabling it to be not only a Physical space but also a truly Human place. _Nguyen_Tien_Thanh__(26).jpg?1534797452 "© Nguyen TienThanh") © Nguyen TienThanh  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Taipei Nanshan Plaza / Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei Posted: 21 Aug 2018 04:00 PM PDT .jpg?1534730377 "© Shinkenchiku-sha") © Shinkenchiku-sha
.jpg?1534730535 "© Hisao Suzuki") © Hisao Suzuki Text description provided by the architects. The Xinyi district of Taipei, where the building site is located, is a cosmopolitan tourism area that symbolizes the city as a whole. Based on a new urban plan drawn up by the government that encourages cityscape-conscious development, the area has grown into a business center with a range of amenities including shopping, arts facilities, and international exhibition spaces. The building stands on the former grounds of a trade center adjacent to Taipei 101, the tallest building in Taiwan, on the southern edge of Xinyi. Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei won a government-led development competition to partner on the project with Nanshan Life Insurance, which has a fifty-year lease from the government and planned to construct an office and high-end shopping complex to re-energize the district. .jpg?1534730140 "© Shinkenchiku-sha") © Shinkenchiku-sha  Floor Plan .jpg?1534730310 "© Hisao Suzuki") © Hisao Suzuki The first time our team visited the site—a long, thin, piece of land measuring 100 meters north-to-south and 270 meters east-to-west—we noticed the way the flow of people and energy from the shopping district to the north ended there. In order to attract visitors to the site and create a lively atmosphere, we proposed a new landmark tower to draw people from a distance, paired with a human-scale podium to welcome them in. The idea was for the 272-meter tower to form a set with Taipei 101, creating a new skyline for the city while harmonizing with the existing neighborhood. .jpg?1534730513 "© Shinkenchiku-sha") © Shinkenchiku-sha The tower is occupied primarily by offices, with restaurants featuring dramatic views on the top three floors. The architectural design, inspired by the image of two hands joined in a prayer of thanks and peace, expresses the insurance company's gratitude toward its customers and desire for them to enjoy health and peace. A low-rise "Retail Annex" and the "Cultural Entrance Annex," a multi-purpose cultural hall, adjoin the tower on either side, linking horizontally to the bustle of the surrounding neighborhood. .jpg?1534730447 "© Hisao Suzuki") © Hisao Suzuki The "Retail Annex" is comprised of three large cubes offset in alternating layers, like hands placed on top of one another. The entire façade is covered with an artistic, three-dimensional cast-stainless-steel motif of plum blossoms, the national flower of Taiwan. The building makes abundant use of other handmade decorative elements as well, which are intended to inspire an appreciation of craftsmanship. The "Cultural Entrance Annex" has a trussed shell whose sculptural form seems to invite people in with outstretched hands. .jpg?1534730077 "© Hisao Suzuki") © Hisao Suzuki In the evenings, Taiwan's first rooftop bar glitters at the peak of the tower, while the plantings on the retail tower terraces blend in with the adjacent park, further enhancing the attractiveness of the building from afar. The contemporary architecture may present the illusion of having been created automatically by computers and machines, but in reality, human hands come together at every stage of design and construction Taipei Nanshan Plaza fully expresses the spirit of creation symbolized by human hands. .jpg?1534730558 "© Shinkenchiku-sha") © Shinkenchiku-sha  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 43 Factory Coffee Roaster / 85 Design Posted: 21 Aug 2018 03:00 PM PDT  © To Huu Dung
 © To Huu Dung Text description provided by the architects. According to statistics, Vietnam is one of the world's leading producers and exporters of coffee. Unfortunately, Vietnam has very few coffee shops that can offer customers interesting experiences about the Vietnamese coffee industry. And more sadly, most of the coffee that we are using is bad.  © To Huu Dung 43 Factory coffee Roaster is a factory-model coffee shop showing the line of making a cup of "Bean to Cup" coffee. To help customers feel the value of making a cup of coffee, with many complicated procedures that need elaborateness, start from selecting each raw coffee bean, to putting them into the roaster with exact temperature and time, until grinding and extracting to each cup of coffee to be delivered to the customers, I have designed a completely open space, using a lot of glasses for customers to see all the "Bean to Cup" procedures.  © To Huu Dung  First floor plan  © To Huu Dung Two highlights of this project are that the whole work is located on a large lake and bird's wing-shaped roof as to express the dream to fly to the sea of the investor for the Vietnamese coffee industry on the international arena. In the center of the building, I laid out a green area and a special structure with the idea of a cup of coffee beans which are grouting and growing to the sky, symbolizing the young people newly involved in the coffee industry but having aspirations to grow, develop. The bar was arranged around that area for the purpose of directing the entire customer's vision into the Barista performing the sophisticated preparation techniques to make a fine cup of coffee.  © To Huu Dung The second floor also has a private space for teaching the preparation or training for customers who want to learn and love coffee. Here, everyone can learn and exchange their knowledge about the coffee of Vietnam and of the world.  © To Huu Dung For the outdoor area, as I said above, the water surface is very large, also used to reduce the heat for the whole building, creating a cool and comfortable feeling for customers. In addition, I designed a bridge system for the walkway to connect the sitting areas of the lake and to connect to other spaces in the building as simple as possible.  © To Huu Dung 43 Factory coffee Roaster is built with the mission of bringing people the highest quality coffees from the farms of Vietnam and many other countries in the world with the desire to increase the experience and create value and another look at Vietnamese coffee.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Moonhori Residence / a round architects Posted: 21 Aug 2018 02:00 PM PDT  © Jin Hyosook
 © Jin Hyosook Text description provided by the architects. The site is located on Yangpyeong North Han riverside and is seated on the field with low mountains in the back. The mountains bring about horizontality of the landscape, thus the building is designed in horizontal and straight form to emphasize the shape of mountains.  © Jin Hyosook The studio is composed of 2 floors and sits toward the sloping road which the height difference with site is about 3m. This resolved an issue of noise from the road and privacy. Parking lot and gate are arranged in parallel alongside the road forming a relationship with the street.  © Jin Hyosook  First floor plan  © Jin Hyosook Moonhori residence, which is about 130㎡, is for the couple and their young daughter. The key issue of the house was to maintain strong familyship. Therefore we proposed a space which can be divided according to the functional requirement or also can be connected in one large space considering diverse activities for the family.  © Jin Hyosook You will encounter a bright external plantings as you enter the dark northern entrance. 2.8m deep canopy adjust the size of spatial volume by extending the western view and blocks the strong daylight. A single solid wood panel act as a column when the doors are opened, and as a wall when closed.  © Jin Hyosook  Section 01  © Jin Hyosook The building is opened towards western view, as there are no surrounding buildings yet, and the southern elevation is designed to fit the function and proportion. Considering the low winter temperature due to its location in suburb of Yangpyeong, it is planned in semi-passive house. Air conditioning and heating cost is minimized due to the heat absorption through outside insulation and soil depth of upper landscape.  © Jin Hyosook  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Under Armour Connected Fitness / Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Posted: 21 Aug 2018 01:00 PM PDT  © Matthew Millman
 © Matthew Millman Text description provided by the architects. As part of the rapid expansion of Under Armour's Connected Fitness division, the global performance apparel company commissioned Bohlin Cywinski Jackson to create a new office space in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood. This new workspace serves as a hub for Connected Fitness and helps advance Under Armour's West Coast growth strategy. Flexible planning supports a phased delivery, with Under Armour planning to occupy the building's entire 50,000-square-feet over time.  © Matthew Millman  First floor plan  © Matthew Millman Integrating a highly adaptable and efficient workplace into a historic warehouse provides Under Armour's 'teammates' with an environment that reinforces the company's gritty, authentic brand. The materials palette includes raw, hot-rolled steel plates, rift-sawn white oak planks, and brand-reinforcing graphics and photos of prominent Under Armour sponsored athletes, which complement the exposed brick, polished concrete floors, and board-formed concrete exposed structure.  © Matthew Millman  © Matthew Millman Fitness and nutrition are key parts of the Connected Fitness brand—to celebrate this, a stone-hearth bread oven is located at the fifth floor break area to honor the company's tradition of sharing homemade bread as a ritual of community building. The project also features a large communal kitchen on the ground floor that is a focal point for daily group lunches and serves as a demonstration kitchen where healthy cooking can be recorded for online streaming on the brand's MyFitnessPal blog.  © Matthew Millman Significant technology upgrades enhance local and remote collaboration spaces, including a range of phone rooms and huddle and team rooms; a new all-hands space on the ground floor is designed to accommodate large scale video conferencing with remote 'teammates.' By utilizing gymnasium bleachers that work as athletic-inspired auditorium seating, which can slide away when not in use, the all-hands space provides additional floor space for fitness classes and games, such as table-tennis, floor hockey, and indoor lacrosse.  © Matthew Millman  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| See-through Building / HBA-rchitects Posted: 21 Aug 2018 12:00 PM PDT  © Junyeol Lee
 © Junyeol Lee 1. Background .jpg?1532309478 "© Junyeol Lee") © Junyeol Lee The building is an individual property but at the same time plays a public role in creating the urban environment. It is also the architect's issue to find alternatives that can satisfy both of these attributes. We needed a device to properly connect these two attributes and suggested skins to cover the building. The skin we propose is neither fully open nor fully closed. Opaque skins filter the urban space and private space obscurely and serve as mediators to create non-conflicting relationships. .jpg?1532310161 "© Junyeol Lee") © Junyeol Lee  Section 4 .jpg?1532310055 "© Junyeol Lee") © Junyeol Lee 2. See-through Building .jpg?1532309683 "© Junyeol Lee") © Junyeol Lee  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Corporate Campus Parking Facility / substance Posted: 21 Aug 2018 10:00 AM PDT  © Paul Crosby
 © Paul Crosby Text description provided by the architects. The 1,400-vehicle parking structure is sized and designed to meet the parking demand of the new office building, also designed by the architect. The structure is designed with a cast-in-place post- tensioned concrete frame and deck. The structure is built into the natural grade of the site to minimize the impact of the four level structure to not impede the view from central campus design, and provide accessible egress paths to grade from all levels.  © Paul Crosby The egress stairs emerge from the earth to provide clear access points for the pedestrians and to signify the main vehicular entrances. The expanded metal screen at the east loggia provides a visual and physical separation between the campus pedestrians and the vehicles hidden beyond. The expanded metal screen at the column locations were used to obscure the view of the structural elements in the main direction of travel along that facade and provide the required are flow for an open-parking garage.  © Paul Crosby  Plan  © Paul Crosby Pre-cast concrete is used to shield the vehicles from the exterior and also to blend the structure into the campus environment.  © Paul Crosby  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Florian Marquet Proposes Modular Living Spaces with Full Autonomous Mobility Posted: 21 Aug 2018 09:00 AM PDT  the org. Image Courtesy of Florian Marquet Florian Marquet, an architect based in Shanghai, recently released a proposal to rethink urban life through autonomous mobile living spaces. Dubbed 'the org', his project aims to reconsider the housing market's status quo and provide a more balanced model for urban living across ages. The modular system would respond to user needs with a range of programs, from green farming and kitchen units to flexible work areas and sleeping quarters. Made for easy fabrication, the units could be ordered instantly via an app.  the org. Image Courtesy of Florian Marquet Taking advantage of standardization, the org aims to be easily assembled and customized. Occupants would order the system after personalizing units to their individual needs. The community living spaces would be equipped with full autonomous mobility and personalized for flexibility and comfort. Moving freely, the modular units would give urban residents "the opportunity to live dynamically in a city." Each individual pod would serve as a sharing system connecting occupants to the urban fabric.  the org. Image Courtesy of Florian Marquet  the org. Image Courtesy of Florian Marquet Marquet envisions the systems being assembled in automated manufacturing facilities that double as center of culture and education. Shared and recyclable, the project would contain energy-efficient pods that are self sustaining. Aiming to make the user experience a sustainable loop, the org comes in different sizes depending on user needs. Marquet's vision is designed to replace homes for future generations, thus allowing new concepts on residential life to emerge.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Culture and Artistic Diffusion School in La Unión / Andrés Crisosto Smith Posted: 21 Aug 2018 08:00 AM PDT  © Pablo Blanco
 © Pablo Blanco Text description provided by the architects. The project was the winner of a contest organized by the Directorate drafts of Architecture, Los Ríos Region, located in the southern part of Chile. This is an area of the country evergreen product of the rains and the mild climate. The commission consists of a school of artistic diffusion with a program of 5,300 m2, located on a corner plot of 100 x 100 meters, in an area of urban expansion of the city of La Unión, El Ranco Province.  © Pablo Blanco  First floor plan  © Pablo Blanco A design that strengthens the inner life of the establishment, through a single free courtyard that serves as articulator space different parts of the architectural program is proposed. In that sense volumes are arranged in two levels, for a faculty, and generate a condition of receipt of the inner life of the establishment. Circulations perimeter allow linked to outer space and allow both the bond with the community through the main entrance. In that sense the auditorium is located at the main entrance to allow use of the space in extra-curricular activities to neighbors and parents.  © Pablo Blanco A compact layout in volume "C" accompanied by volume gym that makes up the main courtyard, with leisure and recreational. The program is organized by arranging the main enclosures commonly used as the auditorium, dining and services at 1st level and special classrooms in 2nd level in eastern volume, this determines a smooth and direct for both students of Basic Education accessibility, Secondary Education, Pre and-one basic administration. 4 vertical circulations are articulated at points of intersection of the horizontal circulations.  © Pablo Blanco Access is generated in the joint areas of administration and auditorium, a Hall double height with two functions: access to school and auditorium foyer.  © Pablo Blanco The construction system is based on primary structure of pillars, beams and slabs of reinforced concrete with masonry fillings. Traditional structures are wood, reason why fiber cement used, arranged in a shed.  © Pablo Blanco  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Students Construct 7 Innovative Tiny Cabins at Hello Wood's 2018 Project Village Posted: 21 Aug 2018 07:30 AM PDT  Project Hello Wool. Image © Tamas Bujnovszky The ninth Hello Wood International Summer University and Festival has taken place at Hello Wood's campus in the Hungarian countryside. As part of the week-long Cabin Fever program, students from 65 universities around the world were given the opportunity to build seven contemporary timber cabins in a nomadic, lush countryside, mentored by international architects. As a result of the week-long effort, the rural area was transformed into a cutting-edge working village featuring cabins on wheels, cabins on stilts, and multi-story homes. The festival is dedicated to the Tiny House Movement, which "makes cabins which give urban dwellers the chance to get away from it all for a while." Central to the Hello Wood mission is for students to "gain practical experience to supplement the abstract, overwhelmingly theoretical classes they have at the university." At the 2018 camp, students gained first-hand knowledge of 2D design drawing, tin roofing, insulation, materials, and teamwork. Below, we have rounded up the seven cabins created as part of the 2018 Hello Wood festival, complete with images and a short project description. More information can be found on the official website here. Our further coverage of the festival, which also includes articles on the results of previous years, is available here. Grand Cabin Club / Hello Wood Grand Cabin Club. Image © Tamas Bujnovszky The A-shaped Grand Cabin Club seeks to evoke images of "cozy evenings playing board games with friends" with a form familiar to Czech-style mountain lodges. The cabin is built of pre-fabricated wooden panels complete with huge glass windows, complete with two bedrooms, and a large common space capable of hosting a party of 20 people, or 8 overnight guests. Team leaders: Dávid Ráday, András Huszár, Nóra Fekete, Ádám Bajtai Ziggurat Delivery / ZarCola Ziggurat Delivery. Image © Tamas Bujnovszky The ZarCola scheme is formed of two separate, portable container-sized units, combining to create a multi-story cabin. The timber cabin is lined with Airium, a mineral thermal insulation material reminiscent of foam concrete. The glazed ground floor contains an array of amenities such as a kitchen and living area, encouraging interaction with the outdoors. Upstairs, supported by wooden beams, two bedrooms offer a contrasting, closed-off, private space. Team leaders: Edoardo Giancola, Federico Zarattini Project Hello Wool (woolhouse) / AU Workshop + Marton Low Project Hello Wool. Image © Tamas Bujnovszky The Woolhouse is a single-person cabin clad and insulated with wool. Reminiscent of a psychotherapist's room, the cabin encourages occupants to ask and answer questions of themselves, whether in silence or vocally. The two layers of wool provide excellent insulation, protecting against the cold, while a tin roof allows for warm air to rise and exit the cabin in a stack-ventilated effect. Team leaders: Lukács Szederkényi, Dénes Emil Ghyczy, Marton Low Project vertical cabin / H3T architekti Project vertical cabin. Image © Tamas Bujnovszky Project vertical cabin features wheels fitted to one side of the structure, making it highly portable. Rather than being fitted to the base of the cabin, the wheels are in fact fitted to the longest vertical side, meaning the cabin is transported in a horizontal position. The structure has been made of re-used materials, with builders working with scrap material left behind by teams from previous years. Team leaders: Karel Harazim, Tomáš Madro, Marek Barjak Project Treehouse, by frundgallina Project Treehouse. Image © Tamas Bujnovszky The 12.5-meter-high Treehouse adopts a minimalist, inward-leaning triangular form, defined by an attention to detail. The wood-paneled scheme is envisaged as a lighthouse for lost travelers, with a rooftop light signaling that they are welcome to visit. The ground floor is an open plan, with the upper sections closed off to offer solitude, warmth, and relaxation in three hammock-style sleeping spaces. Team leaders: Pascal Deschenaux, Aziz Temel, Francesco Borghini Cabin modules / iR arquitectura Cabin Modules. Image © Tamas Bujnovszky The Cabin modules scheme is composed of separate portable elements, each designed for a different purpose, such as a kitchen, bedroom, communal area, or storage. The scheme is powered by solar energy for cooking, while a Trombe wall absorbs and stores heat from the sunlight and feeds it via air vents to the living area. The communal area is covered by a transparent polycarbonate roof, under which plants can be grown. Team leaders: Fermin Indavere, Tommaso Polli I am a monument / Josep Garriga + OfficeShophouse I am a monument. Image © Tamas Bujnovszky Building on a previous abandoned Hello Wood scheme, this cabin on stilts appears to hover in the landscape, extending upwards so the ground floor has as little impact on the land as possible. The ground floor is open, encouraging interaction with nature, while the upper floors are private and protected. The scheme was developed along the principle that a building is never finished, but is transformed and renovated over time. Hence, the name 'I am a monument' was chosen to honor the previous builders' efforts. This year, a roof and an upper floor with side walls have been built on to the existing stilts. Team leaders: Josep Garriga, Patxi Martin, Natalia Vera Vigaray The 2019 edition will mark the 10th anniversary of the Hello Wood program. Hence, the festival will embrace the theme of "celebrations and holidays." The Hello Wood team is sponsored by the following organizations: Main sponsors: JAF Holz, Hungarian Tourism Agency  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Mirrorhouse / XTEN Architecture Posted: 21 Aug 2018 06:00 AM PDT  © Art Gray Photography
 © Art Gray Photography Text description provided by the architects. The Mirrorhouse is perched in the hills of LA, located in the Trousdale Estates of Beverly Hills with an incredible view extending from Downtown LA to the Pacific Ocean.  © Art Gray Photography The project is an exercise in restraint with a very straightforward goal: to create a simple, rational house that accentuates and amplifies the connection to the exterior – celebrating the unique lifestyle that Los Angeles provides.  © Art Gray Photography The floor plan is developed around five offset volumes, enclosing the private spaces of the house. The negative space created by these volumes becomes the main living spaces and circulation, providing a free-flowing indoor-outdoor living area that opens to the landscape and views in every direction - the entry garden and fountain to the east, a courtyard and reflecting pool to the west, an outdoor garden to the north, and an infinity edge pool reflecting the views of the city grid to the south. A high roof rests gently upon the five volumes, which are separated by floor to ceiling glazing and sliding glass doors that pocket away to provide an uninterrupted connection between the interior and exterior.  Plan A very limited material palette was developed for its chameleon like qualities. The white plaster exterior and interior creates a neutral background emphasizing the colors of the sky and garden, changing dramatically between dusk and dawn. The polished Black Marble operates similar to the various pools, reflecting the views and bringing the exterior deeper into the house. The light stone floor mimics the walls and ceiling, establishing a continuous frame to the view beyond.  © Art Gray Photography Due to the specific qualities of the site, the house is never experienced in its totality; instead it is experienced as a series of vignettes – compositions of solid and void, interior and exterior. In some instances, symmetry and reflection are used to emphasize these contrasting elements, while in others they are used to blur them. In each instance the architecture becomes secondary to the incredible skyline of LA.  © Art Gray Photography  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Studio Gang Reveals Twisting High-Rise MIRA Tower for San Francisco Posted: 21 Aug 2018 05:00 AM PDT  © Studio Gang and Binyan Studio Gang has released images of their proposed high-rise MIRA residential scheme in the heart of San Francisco. Currently under construction, the 400-foot-tall tower will contain almost 400 residential units when completed, 40% of which will be below market rate. The scheme's design is centered on the evolution of the bay window element, a feature common to San Francisco's early houses. The bay window is reimagined in a high-rise context, twisting across the full height of the tower to offer views across the city.  © Studio Gang The dynamic twisting form of the MIRA tower is created thanks to a sophisticated curtain wall facade system, which allows the bays to be attached to a repeatable structural slab from inside the building, hence reducing energy consumption and neighborhood disruption during construction. Although the façade is 55% opaque, the bay-inspired design means every unit has an outlook of almost 180 degrees.  © Studio Gang and Binyan
 © Studio Gang Environmental performance has been central to the design, with integrated features such as a state-of-the-art greywater harvesting system, green roofs, and high-efficiency fixtures. Combined with the high-performance façade and VRF cooling system, the scheme is on target for a LEED Gold certification.  © Studio Gang and Binyan Although primarily designed to address the need for dense housing in San Francisco, the scheme also meets the ground at a "pleasant human scale" with retail space and pedestrian amenities fronting Folsom and Main Streets.  © Studio Gang and Binyan News of the scheme follows on from Studio Gang's unveiling of its first Los Angeles project in April, a 26-story mixed-use tower featuring 300 apartments and a hotel. News via: Studio Gang  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Caja de Luz / Juan Alberto Andrade Posted: 21 Aug 2018 04:00 AM PDT  © Jag Studio
 © Jag Studio There are two ways of spreading light: being the source that irradiates it or the mirror that reflects it The Caja de luz turns on as a small-scale housing solution, a flexible one-person proposal in the center of Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuadorian coast, the highest seismic risk zone in Ecuador.  © Jag Studio The traditional architecture of the Ecuadorian coast meets the implicit demands in itself, which have been forgotten by current practices, it’s presented through this contemporary social dwelling, under a simple expression: vernacular architecture that respects the traditional logics of the area with lines of contemporaneity.  © Jag Studio Background:  © Jag Studio In a 17 year period, Bahía de Caráquez registered two earthquakes of magnitude higher than 7 degrees; cataclysms that ended up demolishing more than 60% of the city. After the natural phenomenon of April 16th, 2016, hundreds of people were affected by the 7.8 earthquake that struck the north coast of Ecuador, including Cristina López de Guillem. Cristina was already 79 years old and faced, perhaps, the most tough situation known to man: the problem of housing, the right of the few.  Axonometric Cristina lost her home and everything that it represented: this house was the center of her housing and commercial activities. Her economic income was based from the rent and the profits from the sale of clothing (house-commerce). She spent two years in Guayaquil, waiting to capitalize to start the adventure that awaited the process, an adventure that began with a very highlighted social-family problem. Her house-commerce property was a shared asset with his nephew. Both owners had different demands regarding the new interventions. After a long process of negotiation proposals, it was resolved to divide the irregular terrain into two portions of the same footage in the Ground Floor, and equal dimension in the façade, sharing a common staircase.  © Jag Studio Housing morphology:
Cristina has 46m2 per floor (two floors), which forces us to make decisions. The project was divided into two independent housing units, being the Ground Floor for the primary user and the Upper Floor to supplant the economic income for rent, lost in the earthquake. Both proposals are unipersonal, spaces to provide housing for a single person.  © Jag Studio  Lower Plan Program:  © Jag Studio  Second Floor Plan Interest in the materials that make up the built environment: The resulting project is the integration of many overlapping variables as a starting point; an economically viable construction, accessible to those who, at almost 80 years old, try to build, from 0, their home.  © Jag Studio The initiative started from a process of physical and social development through the It becomes a means of local social transformation. To this purpose, a light and flexible arrangement of structural wood was implemented, combining Moral, Mangle, Asta and Maria, under metal plates used as a fastening system, and wooden slab with laurel planks and chopped cane - plastered as masonry. Being a construction proposed in wood, we seek to explore this material from its structural aspect, insulating, light and easy to build.  © Jag Studio In tropical areas such as Manabí, wood and guadua are synonyms of freshness, ecology and savings. The guadua in its natural state exceeds 12 meters in height. It’s found in large numbers in the mountainous areas of the province.  Longitudinal Section The construction process involved a high percentage of materials from the area and 100% of local labor. The construction lasted almost 4 months, months in which new words had to be added to the dictionary and, above all, contrast the knowledge acquired with the local academicism to speed up the processes and their communication. We discovered that Columns are Struts, Beams are Bars, Joists are Strings, Deck Beams are Keys, and walls are Linings: A whole new alphabet.  © Jag Studio Explore implications: Architectural object as molding and adaptation of its environment. The opening of its single façade, fragmented by an exterior gallery, facing a wide street, allows us to incorporate the natural and built environment to the houses. To this end, it was worked to be used as a buffer zone that promotes, under safety regulations, the relationship between the interior and the exterior with the main street of the city.  © Jag Studio It was created then, in its single facade, a dynamic and permeable, which promotes the entry of wind and light into its interior spaces; through an ornamental wall with traditional blocks on the ground floor, which works as a barrier and separates the interior with the exterior gallery, and re-interprets a new architectural form. And with the intention of promoting lightness, in the upper floor we worked with polycarbonate, a lightweight, non-sharp plastic material, divided into modulated panels. A screen was created that allows the diffusion of light in both directions. The polycarbonate, structure and wooden floors carry a message much deeper than the lightness and light permeability, they constitute a plastic reference that represents a form of relationship with its urban environment through an invitation embodied in the material itself, a way to generate community.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Good Taste and the Transformation of McDonald's Posted: 21 Aug 2018 02:30 AM PDT  Courtesy of McDonald's, via Metropolis Magazine This article was originally published on Metropolis Magazine as "Will the Culture of Good Taste Devour McDonald's?"
At a new corporate headquarters in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood, there's a double-height lobby filled with green walls and massive art installations. Travel to its top floor roof deck and you'll find a cozy fire pit next to a fitness center and bar (happy hours are on Thursday). Elsewhere, stair-seating terraces face floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Chicago skyline. This vertical campus settles in peaceably among its tony Randolph Street neighbors—Michelin stars, tech giants, and boutique hotels. At first glance, it's refined and tasteful enough to be any one of these. But this gleaming new building, designed by the Chicago offices of Gensler, Interior Architects, and Studio O+A, is home to one of the most recognizable and ubiquitous brands in the world—McDonald's. And you will be hard-pressed to spy its iconic golden arches in the public lobby or anywhere else. This sense of subtlety is echoed less than two miles away in McDonald's just-opened River North flagship restaurant, designed by Ross Barney Architects. In place of typical Formica and beige swaths of paint are natural, unfinished materials, ample natural light, and open-plan floor plates. Both Chicago buildings mark the beginning of a new chapter at the corporation, and the company is betting big on design's ability to redefine their customers' experience. In fact, over the coming years, McDonald's plans to renovate 1,000 restaurants across the country each fiscal quarter. "We don't need to be loud anymore," says David Vilkama, McDonald's global creative director. "We're trying to move away from the old, cheap, plasticky, in-your-face fast food culture." McDonald's is a brand that's been wildly successful at tracking the preferences of the American consumer, and it has survived the cultural fragmentation brought on by economic, political, and informational trends. The company's done this, largely, using the same design template for much of its history, with the exception of a refresh in the mid-aughts focused on customer experience and regional design accents.  Courtesy of McDonald's, via Metropolis Magazine Today, restaurants from fast-casual to fine dining are all offering a laconic set of visual signifiers that indicate quality and authenticity: raw wood, Edison bulbs, wall art, Modern furniture. And now, McDonald's is no different; it is increasing its design sophistication while muting its iconic identity. In the name of prevailing "good taste," McDonald's is becoming more like everywhere else. For most people, this sea change will be more obvious at the River North restaurant, which replaces the kitschy and memorabilia-laden Rock 'n Roll McDonald's. With Wi-Fi service and expanded café offerings, the new store feels more like a coworking space. (The restaurant installed in the West Loop headquarters even has a conference room that the public can rent.) It's a testing ground for what McDonald's executives call the "experience of the future." Ross Barney's design is unabashedly cosmopolitan, yet welcoming. Conceived as a series of interlocking Miesian pavilions, it comprises a glass cube containing the dining room and a smaller opaque volume, which holds the kitchen. The glass envelope shows off the restaurant's burly cross-laminated timber beams, the first time this ultra-strong, low-carbon structural system has been used in Chicago. The exterior pergola is clad with solar panels and provides shade across an entire city block while also generating most of the restaurant's energy. With a landscaped plaza and outdoor seating, there's a strong focus on attracting pedestrians to this green-starved section of the city, with a landscaped plaza and outdoor seating. Inside, a series of self-ordering kiosks are partially separated from the dining room by metal scrims, forming another sort of pavilion. A floating glass volume hems in a garden planted with river birches, while hanging green walls offer pleasing shifts in texture. (Landini Associates designed the restaurant's interiors and Omni Ecosystems handled its interwoven greenery.) Ross Barney says it's "one big shade structure with two boxes in it. We really want people to read this box."  Courtesy of McDonald's, via Metropolis Magazine The notion of pavilion architecture has a particular salience to design audiences that may not resonate with the average Chicago resident or tourist. But Ross Barney's approach makes different layers of interlocking materials visible and gives clues as to how their connections come together to create space—as common a definition of architecture as you'll find anywhere. For the Wisconsin day-tripper who has just stepped off a gangland tour bus for a quick and otherwise thoughtless lunch, the shock of this jewel box might unexpectedly bring architecture to the fore of their fast-food experience. The telltale golden arches, however, won't be, as they're given only modest play, hanging from one corner of the pergola, and barely seen at all from inside. For McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook, that speaks to the new restaurant's "understated confidence." The same sentiment predominates back in the West Loop headquarters, where the corporation moved after nearly a half-century in the leafy suburb of Oak Brook. In the lobby is a massive art installation by the artist Jessica Stockholder, who fused kitchen equipment (much of it invented by McDonald's or their suppliers) into a monumental ring. Other nods to the brand's legacy—courtesy of the award-winning design firm Studio O+A—pervade the building: The curve of the McDonald's arch can be divined in the aperture of a coffee nook, and the steel mesh that hugs the concrete columns samples the materiality of fry baskets. Here and there, the outline of the traditional red mansard roof makes an appearance. But apart from a Happy Meal toy display, nothing signals warm nostalgia. "It's such an iconic brand, but do we want to use that yellow? Probably not," says Primo Orpilla of Studio O+A, who describes the project as being "museum-quality" and "hospitality-driven." "What they really wanted was it to not look like McDonald's," he adds.  Courtesy of McDonald's, via Metropolis Magazine McDonald's core customer base may come from suburbia, but, judging by the design of the new headquarters, that isn't where the company is drawing its corporate labor force from. At first glance, the young-ish, casually dressed staff fits right in with the West Loop. Current workplace trends insist that this demographic desires a more open, collaborative workplace, with a bustling city block's worth of amenities installed in-house. Just as expected is a collegial lack of spatial hierarchy, provided here by the Chicago office of Interior Architects. Each office floor has an encyclopedic array of public-to-private work spaces, for solitary concentration to raucous brainstorming sessions. The design's most formally daring feature is a multi-story atrium crisscrossed by staircases that visually connects one floor to another; a social concentrator for new enthusiasm the company hopes takes root. It's Deconstructivist-lite—sharp enough to stand out, but still a cohesive element in this slick corporate package. There's a space for every interaction imaginable, and only five executives have their own offices. Unlike its restaurants, the McDonald's office is vying for a much more targeted demographic. This reality brings into focus a disconnect between McDonald's populist appeal and its trendily revamped corporate image. Is the McDonald's experience now meant for the upwardly mobile corporate staffers in the West Loop? And is the West Loop meant for the suburban and exurban populace who make McDonald's a regular part of their life? Creative director Vilkama says the headquarters' restaurant does a brisk business here in Chicago's premier foodie destination, but its most consistent customers are builders toiling in the West Loop's many construction sites. "They love us because they can't get a meal anywhere under $20," he says. "They come here all day long."  Courtesy of McDonald's, via Metropolis Magazine If the Ross Barney restaurant is any indicator, this disconnect may be closing, though that depends on the scope of renovations for many thousands of franchisee-owned restaurants. What's clear is that McDonald's sees its broad working-class customer base and elite corporate technocracy meeting in the same place. The McDonald's of old looked cheap, kitschy, and disposable, but they did look like a McDonald's, seemingly immune to trends. There's a tendency in late capitalism to take basic goods and resources and aggressively rebrand them as luxury items, with the appropriate price hike. The "raw water" scam—paying $60.99 for 2.5 gallons of untreated and unfiltered water—is the gold standard here. Straight-razor shaving kits and any bread pegged as "artisanal" are much less predatory examples. If these trends don't remain cautionary tales and go on to infect a wider segment of the economy, it's likely a sign that corporations don't feel that the middle and lower classes can support their business, and are taking it elsewhere while they still can. The McDonald's refresh is taking the first few steps down this path, yet the company's menu remains a source of cheap calories, accessible to all. And if that ever changes, watch out: It means the average American can't afford to pay for a hamburger—or no longer exists.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Ghost Wash House / Architecture-Infrastructure-Research Posted: 21 Aug 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © Bill Timmerman
 © Bill Timmerman Text description provided by the architects. The Ghost Wash House is located along the lower hillside on the north side of Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, Arizona. The site is flanked by two desert washes that move storm water from the top of this urban mountain into the valley below. Two long, thin tumbled brick bars run parallel to the east and west natural washes framing a third topographic condition or "Ghost Wash" that runs down the center of the site.  © Bill Timmerman  Drawing  Upper floor plan  © Bill Timmerman The east bar protects this architectural wash from the low desert sun that streams across the mountain in the morning. This bar houses the public 'support' programs of the house: garages, kitchen, office, and family dining room. The west bar shields the occupants from the intense hot low west sun as it sets in the valley. It houses the private programs of the home: bedrooms, family room, and recreation space. The living and dining room make up the interior of long sequence of courtyards, gardens, and play areas that unfold along the Ghost Wash from the south entry to the north pool house. This linear amenity is punctuated by a massive floating roof that provides the infrastructure of storm water collection and solar power to the 8,500 sq.ft. house and landscape. As the primary organizing device for the house this central amenity infrastructure takes its cues from the nature of the Sonoran Desert. Similar to the nurse tree that shields a young cactus from the extreme heat and sun, the large roof protects the primary living spaces of the house (kitchen, dining room, living room, and family room). Its shade, power, and water both physically and symbolically nurture the life of the house.  © Bill Timmerman  © Bill Timmerman In much the same way that desert washes provide a habitat and an ecosystem that facilitates desert life and connectivity, the Ghost Wash protects, connects, and facilitates the indoor and outdoor life of the residence. The Ghost Wash House is not a house in the desert, but a house of the desert.  © Bill Timmerman  © Bill Timmerman  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Tips For Using Concrete in Architecture Posted: 21 Aug 2018 01:00 AM PDT  <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/stankuns/4941477191'>© via Flickr Fernando Stankuns </a> Licença CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. ImageFAUUSP / Vilanova Artigas In the eyes of an architect, concrete is practically a fetish. Currently, it's used in a wide range of projects and buildings, from infrastructure to residential, and offers an architect a great deal of freedom in generating eye-catching results. To start, we will show you how to pre-dimension concrete structures and understand what cracks in concrete structures mean. Continue reading to get our tips on how to use concrete and get the best result possible.  Casa Concreto / Grupo MM. Image © Iván Casillas Consider its Level of Exposure to the ElementsIt's true that concrete is synonymous with "economic" since the structure doesn't require any additional lining. However, a certain degree of care is essential in undergoing the process, especially since your concrete will be directly exposed to all kinds of weather. It's fundamental that you consider these weather factors from the very beginning and the impact that they will have on your finished product. Furthermore, it's necessary to specify the composition of the mix that you will use, allowing for optimal workability and minimal pores and crevices in the structure.  Centro Roberto Garza Sada / Tadao Ando. Image Cortesia de Agencia EFE In the case of possible leakage and/or mold infestations and other pathogens, the preemptive use of fungicides, anti-bacterials, and sealants are indispensable. The design details will also play a part in the structure's defense against the elements. For example, the use of eaves prevents humidity and the various problems that it causes. Specify the Resin and VarnishBecause concrete is a porous material, it's important to be specific about the resin, varnish, and water-proofing that you will use to protect your work against the wear of time and harsh bactericides. There are many different products available for your specific needs, and enlisting the help of a technical consultant can be invaluable for an optimal result. Some products have little to no effect on concrete once they are applied while others can add brightness or intensify its tonality. Certain varnishes and resins only protect against water damage, while other sealants protect against acid rain, other corrosive agents in the air, and mold.  MUBE / Paulo Mendes da Rocha. Image © FLAGRANTE Protect the MetalworkNever allow the structure's metal and ironwork to be exposed as contact with water and other outside elements can cause seriously compromise the structure. It is recommended that, along with the dimensions predetermined by the structural calculations, you consider an additional layer of concrete over the structure to prevent water and mold from reaching the metalwork.  Casa Xieira II / A2 + Arquitectos. Image © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG Choose the Adequate Framework for Your ProjectThe framework supports the mixture of cement, sand, and water up until it dries. Once dry, the concrete will take the shape of the mold according to the desired look by the architect and the client. The framework can consist of a variety of materials, yielding a diverse array of textures and appearances. Wooden frameworks are widely used and are made up of individual boards or planks. In the case of the former, you can take advantage of the natural knots found in the wood or go for a smoother finish. The boards can be resined for optimal adaptability or laminated for a smoother and more uniform appearance. If adequate precautions are taken, wood can be reused (an easy way to save money on a project).  Galeria Leme / METRO Arquitetos + Paulo Mendes da Rocha. Image © Leonardo Finotti Metal frameworks provide optimal benefits when compared to wood since they allow for complete reutilization, better resistance, and a faster set up time. Metal also provides a smoother texture, recommended for bigger projects as it allows for optimal productivity in a shorter amount of time.  Lamas House / moarqs + OTTOLENGHI architects. Image © Albano Garcia Keep in Mind the Frameworks That Match the Qualities of Your ProjectAs you build with concrete, always keep in mind the end product's quality and how the framework will impact it. This means thinking not only in the technical aspects of the work, but the visual as well. In the majority of projects, it's common to find molds arranged in the horizontal direction of the wood, but nothing can stop the architect from deciding on different patterns. However, as stated before, don't forget to consider your work's exposure to the elements, especially since water tends to drip in through the cracks of a mold's design. In Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, Souto de Moura arranged the forms diagonally in the upper part of the pyramidal volumes, so that with the passage of time, a pattern was formed in the shape of a tree.  Casa das Histórias Paula Rego / Eduardo Souto de Moura. Image © Pedro Kok Grey or Pigmented Concrete?Even though concrete gives off grey tones in its natural state, the use of pigment for coloration is becoming increasingly common. With a variety of reds, yellows, greens, blacks, and cobalt blue tones, water-resistant coloring is becoming increasingly popular on the market. Thanks to this, it's easier than ever to make your work stand out. Without impacting the physical characteristics of the concrete, these new color additives maintain their quality when incorporated into the dry concrete mix. It is best to use 2-5% pigment per kilo of mix.  Casa Terra / Bernardes Arquitetura. Image © Leonardo Finotti Correcting ImperfectionsFinally, special precautions you should take to assure the final quality of the concrete. In the event of defects in the concrete, it's necessary to undergo a stuccoing process that will fill in the pores and create a smooth surface using a mixture of cement, acrylic additive, water, and a metal trowel. This will correct any imperfections.  Lamas House / moarqs + OTTOLENGHI architects. Image © Albano Garcia Specify Every Detail of the ProjectDuring the technical planning stage of the project, it's important that your team reviews every detail of the construction process: the ironwork, measuring the contents of the concrete mixture, pre-dimensioning the structure along with its eaves, gutters, expansion joints, as well as other aspects that will allow you to avoid future problems with the proposed design.  Casa Reduz / Studio MK27. Image © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG Bet on VersatilityAlong with being used for facades or interior walls, concrete can be used for other systems, such as furniture.  Pavilhão / METRO Arquitetos. Image © Leonardo Finotti References  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| You are subscribed to email updates from ArchDaily. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
Nema komentara:
Objavi komentar