Arch Daily |
- Villa Bresson / monom
- One Family House “Dr House” / minimalDEsign
- Kordsa Global - Sabancı University Composite Technology Research and Development Centre / Piramit Architects
- SPII Office / YLA
- ‘Hope’ Lavan’s Studio Apartment / MMGS ARCHITECTS
- The Barbican Launches Jewelry Line Dedicated to its Vibrant Brutalist Estate
- Division Street Residence / Emerick Architects
- The Dazzling Modernist Cinemas of Southern India, Captured by Stefanie Zoche
- Pre-Dating Writing and the Wheel: A Brief History of Dry Stone Construction
- Student Village / lenschow & pihlmann
- Sandy Hook School Architect Testifies in Front of Congress About School Safety
- A History of Concrete Molds, From Thomas Edison's Failed Cement Company to "Habitat 67"
| Posted: 25 Aug 2018 10:00 PM PDT  © Alexandra Timpau
 © Alexandra Timpau Bresson. Quiet part of the city, named after a nearby mineshaft, was built in first decades of 20.centrury. Originaly houses for labour and clerk class are placed in regular and well-arranged urban structure. Since the time of construction they have gained more layers and forms. One of them was replaced by new villa, which reflects the needs of the present family and creates a contemporary layer, while respecting the original character of the neighborhood.  © Alexandra Timpau Aim. The idea of increasing the volume and usable area of the house, while maintaining the scale of the street and the atmosphere of 30s. Emphasis is on functional floor plan and on the connection of the house with the intimate garden, which becomes a extension of the main living space in the summer.  © Alexandra Timpau Concept. The object is set in a row of houses, it doesn´t interfere with it. Due to the slight offset of the street from the road, a generous entrance to the building could be created. Through the vestibule man can go to the hall. The hall is directly connected with central living space, which spreads in simple plan libre over the entire half of the floor and flows through the large glass wall into the garden. The hall also has access to the toilet and laundry and to the staircase leading to the second floor. There are two bedrooms, bathroom, dressing room and grandmother´s studio flat. Both bedrooms have access to terrace oriented towards the garden. The link between back part of the building and the garden is the most important element of the project.  First floor plan  Second floor plan Outside. Facade of the building keeps same level as other buildings in the street and the heigh of the house does not exceed the surrounding area. Street facade of the compact block is divided into two parts. The dark color defines the living space of the studio flat on the second floor, and also thanks to it, this part of the mass seems to be suppressed. In a light coloured part there is a figure resembling the concept of the original object, which is still visible in the neighboring house. Both street and side facades are tangible, with cut out window holes, which leads mainly to the service rooms. On the other hand, the house opens completely into the garden. Thanks to the large-format frameless glass with a sliding wall, the main living space blends with garden. The original apple tree is the most significant element there. The terrace on the second floor is also roofing and shading of the outdoor sitting on the ground floor. Round shapes, railing, and glazed surfaces refer to the 30s atmosphere of the neighborhood.  © Alexandra Timpau Inside. It is simple and functional. Behind the generous glazing in the living room with a kitchen, mainly the garden creates a distinctive backdrop of the interior - an apple tree, a bush with an eatable fruit, a stacked wood for heating, a neighboring greenhouse ... The bedroom, on the contrary, provides a sense of privacy due to appropriately large windows. Even the interior is blended with curves, softening otherwise strict rationality.  © Alexandra Timpau Materials. The walls are composed of lime sand bricks and thermal insulation of mineral wool. The façade is preloaded with air gap in front of bearing structure, the surface is made up of compact FunderMax HPL boards. Its cladding is precisely tuned to achieve clean details and to support the human scale of the house. Horizontal structures are made of monolithic concrete. Exeption is the construction of the terrace and its roofing - a system of two horizontal planes with supports is made up of a sophisticated steel structure. Heating is provided by electric boiler, DHW heating by solar panels and recuperation is installed there. The windows are aluminum and plastic-aluminum, floor surfaces are frome glued laminated wood.  © Alexandra Timpau  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| One Family House “Dr House” / minimalDEsign Posted: 25 Aug 2018 07:00 PM PDT  © Przemyslaw Wawrzyniak
 © Przemyslaw Wawrzyniak Text description provided by the architects. The plot is located in the zone of the Wielkopolski National Park, Poland. Nature plays a key role here.  Plan Genius loci of the place, or its spirit, is an ancient alder trees near the shore of the lake that give shade and shelter from the sun.  © Przemyslaw Wawrzyniak The essence of the place is to cut off from the urban look of the village, from the chaotically growing architecture. Creation of an enclave of peace.  Elevation Open space for lake and trees. The entrance to the building opens with views of all parts of the world.  © Przemyslaw Wawrzyniak Elevations covered with larch boards. The high quality claddinggives the soft and natural appearance to the building.  © Przemyslaw Wawrzyniak  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 25 Aug 2018 03:00 PM PDT  © Yercekim Architectural Photography
.jpg?1532410183 "© Yercekim Architectural Photography") © Yercekim Architectural Photography Text description provided by the architects. Piramit Architects had designed the research and development center for Kordsa Global's composite Technologies, which is located within the Teknopark Istanbul area. It is a mixed-use building consisting of laboratories and offices where research and development projects can be carried on. Considering its technical functions, the prismatic massive form of the structure can be thought of as a heavy piece of machine placed on the ground. The selection of dark-colored reflective glass and coated metal claddings and the hefty mass also enhances this perception. .jpg?1532410117 "© Yercekim Architectural Photography") © Yercekim Architectural Photography The building has a closed area of 17.000 m2 on a rectangular plot of 6.200 m2. It houses production, research laboratory and office functions. The center is used by production engineers, technicians, students, lecturers and employees of incubator offices and thus special spatial arrangements are shaped by the needs of different groups, that eventually affects the massing. The elevations are divided by two horizontal flight lines and the areas directly behind it were kept a distance from the facade to create the perception of a low-rise building structure despite its actual height. .jpg?1532409891 "© Yercekim Architectural Photography") © Yercekim Architectural Photography The first floor and the entrance floors with service and production volumes are covered with reflective glass to obtain an opaque facade. On the other hand, in the floors where the offices are located above, transparent glass facades are preferred to move away from a dull form and to exhibit the movements of people inside the building. The oblique eave on the corner of the building is considered a contradictory three-dimensional element that attracts users and visitors to the main entrance lobby. .jpg?1532409914 "© Yercekim Architectural Photography") © Yercekim Architectural Photography  Section 2 .jpg?1532410049 "© Yercekim Architectural Photography") © Yercekim Architectural Photography Due to the special mechanical and electrical requirements, the building is divided vertically into two separate zones. The mechanical and electrical equipment were placed in the first basement and the roof terrace. Expanded metal grids are used around the entire structure to hide the mechanical installation on the roof. While the first two floors are reserved for production-focused activities; laboratories, incubation rooms, meeting rooms, and classes are located on the 3rd and 4th floors. The 5th floor houses the office spaces and a lounge as a socializing area. Service and cargo entrances are placed in the first basement on the south to separate the pedestrian and vehicle entrances.  © Yercekim Architectural Photography  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 25 Aug 2018 01:00 PM PDT  Exterior View. Image © Chunfeng Li
.jpg?1534867351 "1F Reception Hall. Image © Chunfeng Li") 1F Reception Hall. Image © Chunfeng Li Text description provided by the architects. The old things can always be kept only in memories with nostalgic feelings when the new age rolls in, but for designers, it's a permanent pursuit to keep them up to date. .jpg?1534867479 "1F Reception Hall. Image © Chunfeng Li") 1F Reception Hall. Image © Chunfeng Li Shanghai Penta Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute is a shared working space renovated from an old plant. With its own courtyard, the building itself endured vicissitudes of history, embodying the enterprising spirit of "starting over the impregnable pass, though it's full of bumps", and embracing the innovative office model with a inclusive posture. The city develops and changes as tides, but buildings should be preserved for their duration, just like the classical music full of precious memory and historical value. .jpg?1534867306 "1F Reception Hall Detail. Image © Chunfeng Li") 1F Reception Hall Detail. Image © Chunfeng Li To combine the client's requirements for functions and the shared office features, designers set up offices, conference rooms, exhibitions, road show, gym, and leisure spaces in different floors with a crossing style, which make the spaces relatively separated but also connected to each other to meet different usage requirements of various groups.  Reception Hall Colorized Elevation For the large space treatment, the designers hope to keep its existing traces and fabric, including the cracks on terrazzo floors and holes on concrete columns, all these flaws are part of the space, presenting the clash of the new and the old, they form a newborn space by firstly breaking and then establishing. The plain cement and terrazzo offer an industrial feeling through their cold and hard nature, while the wood finish and the wood-wool panel bring a sense of warm. Proper collocation of several materials neutralize with each other to form a warm united office of creativity. .jpg?1534867383 "1F Reception Hall. Image © Chunfeng Li") 1F Reception Hall. Image © Chunfeng Li  1F Plan The designers are passionate for hierarchical but concise space feeling, so they divide then combine the space horizontally and vertically. the 2 cantilevered platforms and the partial void design on ceiling of the lobby offer a rich sense of layering, also enhance the interaction among each area; the incorporation of bar counter and column, together with the subtle cantilever symbolize the creativity of breaking the traditional constraints; the timber grating on both sides filter the day lighting, which separate the space but also create the open and transparent atmosphere in it; the original staircase walls are all demolished, from closed to open style, the cantilevered stair steps and metal mesh balustrades make it looks more light and graceful. the peacock blue wraps the whole elevator wall up to top floor and become the highlight of the whole space. .jpg?1534868049 "3F Meeting Area Entrance. Image © Chunfeng Li") 3F Meeting Area Entrance. Image © Chunfeng Li The office area is comprised of black iron plates, plain cements, terrazzo and white emulsion paint, the low saturation create a peaceful feel, several discussion areas appear as cases of various colors inserting in it, which make the space more vivid, the people's activity in and the relationship with it become closer and fun, meanwhile, an experience of indulging is generated, make the discussing more relaxing and concentrated. A stable space with the sense of belonging can keep people lingering, making them think more clearly to get more insights.  1F Reception Hall Corridor. Image © Chunfeng Li .jpg?1534868201 "3F Meeting Area. Image © Chunfeng Li") 3F Meeting Area. Image © Chunfeng Li Everything begins and ends. With the theme of "breaking before establishing", the project maintains the building's unique historical flavor at the same time of endowing it new face of contemporary art. The design with the sense of age offers not only the delicacy, but also a familiar heart touch and everlasting exclaiming in motion. .jpg?1534867506 "1F Reception Hall. Image © Chunfeng Li") 1F Reception Hall. Image © Chunfeng Li  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| ‘Hope’ Lavan’s Studio Apartment / MMGS ARCHITECTS Posted: 25 Aug 2018 11:00 AM PDT  © Ramitha Watareka
 © Ramitha Watareka Text description provided by the architects. This elegant and refined studio apartment conceals quite a ramshackle past. Located in the rundown nook of a chaotic looking housing scheme near Beira Lake in Sri Lanka's commercial capital Colombo, the original flat was found in utter disrepair with oozing sewers, water clogs, broken down doors and blackened walls. The 'salvation' of this flat signifies Hope to the deteriorating settlement. The previous dwelling was itself blocking natural light and ventilation from its interiors. The pantry and toilet was right smack in the middle of the 10' x 40' space and an unauthorized bedroom was built in the rear space. The living room opened to the main pathway of the housing scheme, compromising privacy and security. The suite appeared compressed and congested, and was itself its own culprit against basic habitability.  After - Axonometric view The revamped flat is a cozy and comfortable studio apartment with one space for sleeping, cooking and dining. The play of levels separates the space, and the less voluminous sleeping area offers coziness and sense of security. The rear space was cleared and converted into a serendipitous courtyard adorned by a 'Dan' tree (Syzygium caryophyllatum). During evening get-togethers, the courtyard becomes the effective living room of the apartment.  © Ramitha Watareka Having realized the spaces with clarity and meaning, constraints imposed by existing duct shafts and sewage lines of the original flat are not evident. In reality, the simple and elegant spaces were achieved with sophisticated planning of functions and building services. The elaborate vintage heavy iron manhole cover in the shower area floor appears to be a decorative element, but actually has a man hole underneath! Restoring the flat also involved fixing leaking pipes, replacing old drain lines and paving the main pathway of the housing scheme, benefitting the whole neighborhood.  © Ramitha Watareka  Section Deteriorating tenements in the City of Colombo such as this are marked to be bull – dozed to make way for gentrification. What's forgotten is that slums do have a beauty of its own, with forces such as lack of space driving the dwellers towards intense personalization of their habitat. An old door here, a new window there, a balcony projecting overhead, winding stairs, and plant pots and shrubs, lends a diverse aesthetic. This renovation project thrives on the aesthetic of 'slum dwellings' with multifaceted elevations and interesting sections, and add to the morphology of the neighborhood with its teal blue door, artistic grill gate and swirling number plate. By achieving the seemingly impossible, the renovation has inspired the neighbors to develop their own little corners in the scheme, causing a ripple effect towards 'self-gentrification'.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Barbican Launches Jewelry Line Dedicated to its Vibrant Brutalist Estate Posted: 25 Aug 2018 07:00 AM PDT  via Creative Boom The Barbican, London's iconic Brutalist estate designed by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon Architects, has launched a range of jewelry and homeware designed by creative studio Tom Pigeon, paying tribute to the vibrant aesthetic which put the scheme on London's architectural map. As reported by Creative Boom, the Surface collection draws inspiration from the geography of the Barbican estate, communicating its color, pattern, and shape in a range including earrings, mugs, and greeting cards. Available exclusively to purchase online or in-store at the Barbican Shop, the range has been designed by Tom Pigeon, a Scotland-based creative studio founded by Pete and Kirsty Thomas. Throughout the design process, the studio sought to playfully explore the forms and layers of the Barbican estate, interpreting its shapes, colors, and textures, and how they intersect to create interesting planes and angles. Below, we have rounded up the highlights of their collection, with the full range found at the Barbican Shop's official website here. Find out more about the Barbican Estate from our AD Classics coverage here.  via Creative Boom  via Creative Boom  via Creative Boom  via Creative Boom  via Creative Boom  via Creative Boom  via Creative Boom  via Creative Boom  via Creative Boom  via Creative Boom News via: Creative Boom  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Division Street Residence / Emerick Architects Posted: 25 Aug 2018 06:00 AM PDT  © Lincoln Barbour
 © Lincoln Barbour Text description provided by the architects. This unique home is the poster child of adaptive reuse. Starting with a property that intermingled three buildings from different periods over the last century, Emerick Architects crafted a strategy to reuse the structure, adding a penthouse and a roof garden to create an urban oasis and a highly energy-efficient home. Marrying practicality with craftsmanship, almost everything for the project was handmade locally by Portland artisans including cabinetry, steel work, railings, doors, stairs, light fixtures, and plaster.  © Lincoln Barbour Relocated from New York, the clients wanted a dwelling inspired by the authenticity and rawness of commercial buildings combined with the warmth and beauty of an elegantly crafted custom home. The context of their chosen neighborhood—mixed-income and use, small-scale streets, and an existing blend of commercial and residential—was the perfect backdrop for this building and a city planner's goal of denser living.  © Lincoln Barbour  Plan  © Lincoln Barbour The project started with a dilapidated 1920's warehouse occupying a quarter block. The concept that emerged was to recycle this base building into a fortress-like box supporting an airy and contemporary penthouse above. While this allowed for privacy, garden space, and expansive views for the residents, it also introduced a fascinating tension to the project through contrast. This became an organizing element in the design and is central to every part of the experience. Outside this is expressed through the creamy mass set over the charcoal bearing wall base. Inside, the entry is a carefully choreographed experience that starts by penetrating the street wall and traveling through relative darkness deep into the building and concludes with a vertical light filled stair wrapping around a primitive factory elevator shaft. This openness is balanced by the careful interplay of inserted elements. Key among these is the massive concrete hearth, placed just off center of the major square volume, anchoring and shaping the sense of interior space.  © Lincoln Barbour Sustainability was instilled in the design from the ground up. Starting with the adaptive reuse of an existing building—formerly once a corner grocery, printing press, mechanic's shop—and ending with an expansive solar array mounted on the roof of the penthouse which enables the owners to receive money back from the electric company every month despite the luxury of modern conveniences like radiant floor heat. Befitting an industrial structure, the second-story loft is lined with period appropriate 12-foot-high windows, custom-made to replicate 1930s steel-framed factory windows—albeit in more environmentally sound, insulated glass and wood system. A wraparound terrace was created in response to a city setback requirement, providing outdoor space for the client and managing water runoff.  © Lincoln Barbour Equally surprising on a finer scale is the warmth and attention to detail conveyed through the industrial craftsmanship and choice of materials. The original tarred wood roof deck was salvaged for the finished ceilings; raw steel was crafted for shelving; and exposed wiring became custom designed black iron lights. Found fixtures and objects of the past punctuate the space—melding old with new, rough with elegant—and provide the final finishing touches for this warehouse-turned-home.  © Lincoln Barbour  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Dazzling Modernist Cinemas of Southern India, Captured by Stefanie Zoche Posted: 25 Aug 2018 05:00 AM PDT  © Stefanie Zoche Photographer Stefanie Zoche of Haubitz-Zoche has captured a series of vibrant images showcasing the "hybrid modernist" movie theaters of Southern India. The images below, also available on the artist's website, capture the large number of cinemas built in both rural and urban areas of South India in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, all conveying an "unconventional mix of local building styles and Western influences." As Zoche describes, the colorful facades, "suggestive of theatrical sets, provide a foretaste of the cinematic experience in the hall itself, in which extravagant shapes and ornamentation are continued and put the viewer in the right mood for the cinematic world before the screening itself." Zoche's works, which you can explore on her official website here, are currently on show at the Zephyr, Reiss-Engelhorn-Museum Mannheim in Germany. Below, we have laid out some of the "Hybrid Modernism, Movie Theatres in South India" series, highlighting some of the cinematic delights of one of the world's largest nations. Zoche's other works include a gallery of the equally-flamboyant hybrid-modernist churches of Kerala in Southern India, which you can explore in our previous coverage here.  © Stefanie Zoche  © Stefanie Zoche  © Stefanie Zoche  © Stefanie Zoche  © Stefanie Zoche  © Stefanie Zoche  © Stefanie Zoche  © Stefanie Zoche  Zoche's work at Zephyr Mannheim. Image © Stefanie Zoche  Zoche's work at Zephyr Mannheim. Image © Stefanie Zoche  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Pre-Dating Writing and the Wheel: A Brief History of Dry Stone Construction Posted: 25 Aug 2018 02:30 AM PDT  © Fabricio Guzmán A collection of stones piled one on top of the other, dry stone is an iconic building method found just about anywhere across the world. Relying solely on an age-old craft to create sturdy, reliable structures and characterised by its rustic, interlocking shapes, the technique has deep routes that stretch back to ancient times. Its principles are simple: stack the stones in a certain way, as to create a unified, load-bearing wall. But the efficient, long-lasting results—coupled with the technique's cultural significance—have lead to continued use and interpretation throughout today's architecture. Pre-dating the wheel, pottery, metallurgy and writing, dry stone as a structural concept has been around since at least the 10th millennium BC. Prominent in north-west Europe, the historic walls that are left are normally dated between 7000-1600BC, whereas in Southern Europe early examples are traced back to the first Bronze Age settlements - around 1350BC. Latin America and Africa's dry stone heritage is slightly more recent, dating back to roughly 800AD. And as the Northern European nations colonised the Americas and Australasia they brought with them the storied tradition. Although on first glance you may dismiss dry stone as a simple, quick building solution, once you attempt to build something similar you are left with a deep, burning question: how do you make it stand up? .jpg?1533508284 "© <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:3.-Pedra_en_sec_(26051155523).jpg'>Museu Valencià d'Etnologia</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 2.0</a>") © <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:3.-Pedra_en_sec_(26051155523).jpg'>Museu Valencià d'Etnologia</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 2.0</a> The core idea is to interlock the stones in such a way that they cease to act independently; creating the effect of one large stone acting under gravity. Achieving this takes a lot of skill, with many dry stone wallers investing years to perfect their craft. Covering each joint with a stone on top—similar to a standard Flemish brick bond—is key, while the bottom is always wider and contains larger stones to provide support. This secure base sits upon the subsoil in a shallow channel, transferring the weight directly into the compact earth below. Templates are often used to maintain a consistent layering and batter (the gradual thinning towards the walls top), and in more complex projects molds can be utilised to ensure a secure, safe structure.  © <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dry_Stone_wall_building.JPG'>TR001</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> Popular in specific areas, its surge to prominence is usually dependant on an abundance of rocky outcrops, alongside a high proportion of large stones readily found in the topsoil. Harsh conditions—whether too hot or too bleak—also encourage the use of dry stone, where the context calls for a more steadfast solution than hedges or wooden fencing. This direct relationship between what is found and what is built creates regionally specific dry stone aesthetics. The construction technique is extremely emotive as a result, showcasing an intense sense of historic and environmental place.  © <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Galloway_Dyke_on_Fetlar.jpg'>RobertSimons</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> In the British Isles, where dry stone walling is common for denoting land boundaries for farmers, herders and churchyards alike, the walls are jagged, lateral and grey. Most of Britain's 125,000 miles worth of dry stone wall were built in the early 1800s, a response to the Enclosure Acts. They are often capped with a run of vertical, thinner stone. Other building types used the construction method, too—in particular the mysterious brochs of Scotland, hollow round structures with an unknown, much-debated function. Regional heritage groups ensure the craft remains an essential part of the vernacular.  © <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Broch_of_Mousa_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2800.jpg'>Anne Burgess</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 2.0</a> The Greeks, in their ancient cities of Mycenae and Tiryns, used dry stone as the primary load-bearing structure. Due to the rounded stones available in the area, a cyclopean aesthetic was created, differing to its Northern European counterparts.  © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mycenae_lion_gate_dsc06382.jpg'>David Monniaux</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> Building double leaf walls to compensate for the chance of earthquakes, the Incans used dry stone walling in their settlements, as seen in the famous Machu Pichu. Their technique is carefully decorative,each stone being perfectly chipped to assure as little gap as possible, which leaves a jigsaw-like facade. More prolifically, however, was their use of dry stone retaining walls, used to help flatten the mountainous landscape of Peru into usable, farmable land.  © <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Inka_mauern_cuzco.jpg'>Alexander Fiebrandt</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> In Zimbabwe, a key historic settlement in the south-eastern hills showed an extremely skilled use of dry stone. Spanning an area of 7.3 square kilometres, the stone structures of Great Zimbabwe date as far back as the 11th Century AD. Their prowess remains today in the circular walls and conical towers of the Great Enclosure, one of Southern Africa's most significant ancient courts.  © Jan Derk Modern examples of dry stone walling, other than as a cultural practice and general maintenance of existing feature, are hard to come by. Landscape architecture skilfully uses dry stone for terracing, where nowadays more manufactured, decorative motifs are found, lacking the original, organic sense of place. However, there are still some examples where the principles are applied to delicate, sense driven projects. The Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre by Peter Rich Architects also uses dry stone walls (which have historical relevance in the area) in a showcase of local material and craft, creating a project deeply ingrained within its context.  © Iwan Baan Eduardo Souto de Moura's pavilion at this years Venice Biennale uses dry stone to create a sunken sanctuary space, where the scars and tactility of the stone are exhibited and celebrated.  © Laurian Ghinitoiu An alternative manner of utilising the concept, the Tate Modern Switch House by Herzog + de Meuron has a mortarless brick facade that creates the effect of a free-standing structure supported under its own weight. While not technically dry stone, it maintains its essence, showing how the technique has a place in the future of modern architecture. The mesmerising close ups seen throughout the building leave you with the same head-scratching notion of when you see the ancient, seemingly loose walls: just how do you make it stand up?  © Iwan Baan  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Student Village / lenschow & pihlmann Posted: 25 Aug 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © Hampus Berndtson
 © Hampus Berndtson Text description provided by the architects. Student Village is a small urban community built in and around a 17th century timber farm, just outside of central Aarhus, Denmark. The project consists of 56 single and double room apartments for students, as well as common rooms and shared facilities. The new buildings follow and mimic the old farms' layout, creating a series of intimate spaces and streets around it. A small village surrounded by the city.  © Hampus Berndtson Student Village which now houses appox. 60 university students symbolize a transformation of both residents, architecture and context. The place, as well as the house, has undergone a gradual transformation from the time when the timbered farmhouse "Søgaard" served as a house for a family and their cattle, to a modern age where the "neighboring" city, Aarhus, has expanded and left Søgaard as a small oasis of rural idyl nestled between the city's highways and shopping malls.  © Hampus Berndtson Structurally Student Village consists of Søgaards original four-fold structure, 7 new surrounding buildings, and outdoor areas. The new buildings and the old farm create a small settlement, inspired by traditional Danish roadside villages, with a series of intimate streets and public spaces where the old farm and the new buildings meet, such as enclosed courtyards with paving stones and streets leading towards the forest.  © Hampus Berndtson  Site plan  © Hampus Berndtson Each apartment has an open facade facing the surrounding landscape and a more closed facade facing the Village streets. This ensures that each home has direct access to nature, while each resident can easily participate in the community that unfolds outside in the area's streets or in the large common room in the old barn. The biggest outdoor space in Student Village is the old courtyard, which is in direct connection with the large barn. The barn, together with the large courtyard, serves as a Communal space for the residents and as a center of the village.  © Hampus Berndtson Like the rest of the Danish timbered farms, Søgaard is characterized by the robustness of its construction and materials. The restoration process was guided by the inherent architectural values of the farm, meaning that all technical challenges have been solved by a rational approach similar to the one used when Søgaard was originally built.  © Hampus Berndtson The farmhouse has been insulated and given a new roof, the timber has been restored and new foundations have been established. Great emphasis has been put on honest restoration, where new materials appear on equal terms with the farm's original design and materials. For instance, the new roof in alu-zinc panels creates a bridge between the old farm and the new buildings as the attic in the old barn does with its visible pinewood structure and new plasterboards. In the same line of thought, the new insulation of the old farm is seen as an inner lining that provides room for the original windows of the farm and highlights the timber structure from within.  © Hampus Berndtson The new buildings are built on the same principles as the renovation, and materials were carefully picked in the same way. The houses are constructed as modern module houses, which is expressed several places both in the façade and the interior. In the old farm and the new addition ceilings and lofts are covered in plywood of pine, floors are cast in concrete and stairs, handrails and fittings is made out of black steel.  © Hampus Berndtson Student Village blends old and new, rural and urban, as well as the progressive and nostalgic in order to highlight the areas diversity and adapt Søgaard to a new context in a modern age.  © Hampus Berndtson  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Sandy Hook School Architect Testifies in Front of Congress About School Safety Posted: 25 Aug 2018 01:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of BROOKS + SCARPA Following up on the AIA's recent update of guidelines regarding school safety, architect Jay Brotman, designer of the new Sandy Hook Elementary School, testified in front of the US Department of Education this week to urge the government to adopt safer standards for design. While not unheard of, it is not typical for architects to stand in front of Congress. In his address to congress on behalf of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Brotman, and partner at Svigals + Partners, spoke about prioritising the creation of an "inspiring, healthy environment that promotes learning", highlighting the necessity of well designed, discrete responses to the ongoing conversations surrounding school shootings. This testimony runs contrary to some of the discussions that have been taking place in politics and the media about safety in schools. Rather than advocating for agressive precautions such as arming teachers, Brotman emphasized that "..security features, while vital and necessary, should be as invisible as possible and incorporated into the school's design. Failing to do so puts children's education, emotional development and pro-social behaviour at risk."  © Benjamin Benschneider Pushing for legislation that promotes "open learning environments that enhance safety and security", Brotman's testimony built upon a prior statement by the AIA, focusing on two main goals. The first was to allow for architectural and design service eligibility with regard to the use of funds within existing federal funding and grants. The second was to establish an organization that would both collect and distribute "resources on school design best practices for school officials, architects and other design professionals." While these two main goals do address recurring problems within the profession as it stands - "a lack of access to quality school-design information and the ability to fund them" - it can be argued that the request don't go far enough.  Courtesy of BROOKS + SCARPA With years of experience designing schools in the Portland area Karina Ruiz, the AIA's Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE) 2019 Chair, says a layered, strategic approach is most effective. Recognizing not only security strategies but also space for support and mental health services is crucial. Riaz suggests simple things such as "moving a counseling wing and putting those where students are located—near commons, near libraries—and then making them transparent," can make a difference, going on to say that "...design can be an engager in prophecies that allow us to build softer schools—places where kids don't feel disenfranchised and lost in the first place." Yet even guidelines established with the best intentions can have their downsides. Talking about bespoke design on a school-by-school basis, Brotman was clear in saying that there is no one-stop legislative solution. "Whether it's a retrofit or new school," he states, "each school must be designed for its unique student population, for its unique location, and to meet the needs of its unique community."  Courtesy of Svigals + Partners In front of Congress, Brotman used the new Sandy Hook Elementary School as an example of what a modern, safer school typology could look like.
 Courtesy of Svigals + Partners  Courtesy of Svigals + Partners Moving forward, there is no doubt that the landscape of school-design is going to change. In the light of the seemingly more frequent school shootings, the "participatory design process" will become more complex, and architects must work to avoid the "unintentional adverse effects" caused with increased security measures. Jenine Kotob, an active member of CAE and school designer for Quinn Evans Architects in Washington, states how this type of poor design "really impacts the students and how they feel about themselves, and it kind of perpetuates the school-to-prison pipeline issue." In no way is anyone saying architecture is the solution to the problem. As Kotob says: "There is a pie, and the pie is comprised of legislation, policy, education, awareness, and technology—and then architecture is one small piece of it." However, if the first steps Brotman and the AIA outlined to Congress are efficiently and successfully implemented, it will act as a strong tool to help combat the issue, and give America's students a better chance of growing up in a safe and open school community.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| A History of Concrete Molds, From Thomas Edison's Failed Cement Company to "Habitat 67" Posted: 24 Aug 2018 11:00 PM PDT  Denis Tremblay <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/parcoursriverain/36163062996'>Via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)</a>. Image Habitat 67 The use of concrete in construction is probably one of the main trademarks of 20th century architecture. Concrete is composed of a combination of materials which when mixed with water solidify into the shape of the container where it is poured in. In this sense, it is the container or the 'moulds' who rule the outcome. The reuse of molds for casting concrete is a technique used to replicate and control the production of concrete elements or buildings. Architects and designers have used/created diverse types of molds and casting techniques to explore the limits of the material. In 1899, Thomas Alva Edison founded a concrete company that produced high-quality Portland cement. Drunk with ambition, he looked for ways to utilize concrete to produce full objects: refrigerators, pianos, and particularly, entire houses. In the 1910s, he successfully cast house prototypes by pouring the concrete in a single shot. However, the casting molds were very complicated to assemble as they were composed of more than 2,300 pieces; consequently, only a few houses were built. Edison was searching for a construction process that could be easily replicated to achieve ‘mass’ production and, thus, sell more concrete. His “failure” was not the use of the material, but of misunderstanding the constructive system.  Thomas Alva Edison and a model of concrete house (left). Concrete houses cast around 1919 (right). Photo: National Park Service (public domain) During the 60s, 70s, and 80s, the Soviet Union was under radical urban development. Entire buildings and cities were designed in central offices and constructed in Soviet territory. They decided to develop standardized concrete panels that could be arranged to consolidate multi-story buildings. Examples can be spotted throughout Europe (Karl Marx Straße in Magdeburg and Berlin) and Russia. The city of Tashkent is representative of the different types and possible arrangements of these concrete panels, including decorative, and stylistic patterns.  Magdeburg, Karl-Marx-Straße, Fußgängerzone, Photo: Ritter, Steffen. Creative Commons / Attribution: Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-D0524-0010-001 / CC-BY-SA 3.0 (left). Apartment Houses in Tashkent, built in Soviet times, Photo: Sigismund von Dobschütz, Creative Commons License (right) Also during the 1960s, Cuban architects Mercedes Álvarez and Hugo D’Acosta designed prototypes of shell-type detached house units, where furniture and window shutters were integrated into the concrete structure and shell. The prototypes had issues controlling pluvial water and its shape did not merge with the urban contexts. As a response, the Cuban government opted for the utilization of other concrete panel construction systems, like the ‘Multiflex’ system, which was similar to the Soviet approach. The concrete panels were considered the most practicable construction system. It wasn't until 1967 when Israeli/Canadian architect Moshe Safdie successfully conceive tridimensional concrete modules. 'Habitat' is one of the most acclaimed works in architecture due to its grey aesthetics and messy arrangement. Its design is based on a logic conception of modularity, which is by itself an architectural manifesto. Safdie opened the door to concrete modular design. Denis Tremblay <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/parcoursriverain/36163062996'>Via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)</a>. Image Habitat 67 Nowadays, SUMMARY has embraced the virtues of ordinary construction systems of urban infrastructure (sewer pipes) to develop buildings that respond to contemporary social and economic needs solved by an architectural perspective. Their concrete modules — Gomos System — are simple concrete shells with integrated insulation, electrical and hydraulic installations. The modules are cast off-site by a multinational company focused in urban infrastructure and then easily assembled in-situ.  Gomos System, presented at the 15th Venice Architecture Biennale by SUMMARY studio (left). Gomos #1 project, from SUMMARY studio (right). Photos © Tiago Casanova Traditionally, concrete has been cast with wood and/or other solid materials. Students of the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, guided by Mark West and Remo Pedreschi, are exploring casting processes using flexible materials as molds or casts. They use fabrics and elastic plastics to allow the concrete to mold to the cast and, this way, conceive unpredictable forms. They play with the concept of ‘control’ and the loss of it. Casting with flexible materials results in organic and slightly unexpected forms; each piece might differ from each other despite the production process remaining mechanically homogeneous. This casting technique can still be considered a prefabrication system, but one capable of producing flexible outcomes emphasizing the physical characteristics of the casting.  Concrete columns at the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Photo © Pablo Jimenez-Moreno (left). Concrete sculptures 'Reach' by Pablo Jimenez-Moreno and Eleni-Ira Panaurgia, Photo © Brenda Rosete (right). Concrete is, and will remain, an elemental construction element; and even as its materiality remains consistent over time, its limits (in form and use) are far from being fully explored. History has demonstrated that concrete construction is mainly determined by the mold used and not in the material itself. Therefore, the casting techniques have to be considered as relevant in an integral part of a concrete element. Pablo Jimenez-Moreno is a researcher and editor at Zero Energy Mass Custom Homes (ZEMCH) and a PhD candidate at ESALA – Edinburgh School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture.  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