Arch Daily |
- Viaticus Pavilion / Atelier JQTS
- “the CITYisEVERYWHERE”: The Kosovo Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale
- KTH Educational Building / Christensen & Co. Architects
- Sliding Chapel / Kieran Donnellan
- House DSA / MarS Architecten
- Guangxi Culture & Art Center / gmp Architects
- Z9 Resort / Dersyn Studio
- Think of it! Restaurant / Studio Lagom
- Olink Office / NINE PICK Design
- Navyas / Cadence Architects
- The Phirun Proiprai (Falling Rain) Dormitory / Rural Development Workshop University
- Boundary Street House / Chan Architecture
- Grimshaw Creates Tiny House Prototype to Address Australia's Housing Crisis
- Los Héroes Park / Francisco Pardo Arquitecto
- Stefano Boeri Architetti Begins Work on Tirana's Blloku Cube
- The Shop at CAC / Eskew+Dumez+Ripple
- Zaha Hadid Architects, Woods Bagot, and Cox Among Finalists Announced for Auckland Tower Competition
- Royal Academy of Arts Masterplan / David Chipperfield Architects
- Shaping the Future: What to Consider When Designing for Children
- Gallery House / Robert Gurney
| Viaticus Pavilion / Atelier JQTS Posted: 06 Sep 2018 10:00 PM PDT  © Diana Quintela
_bruno_lisita.jpg?1536012887 "© Diana Quintela") © Diana Quintela Text description provided by the architects. The temporary pavilion VIATICUS, arises as a response to its placement, on the western patio of the Cordoaria Nacional building, and it’s simultaneously a reaction to its cultural context, since its condition and purpose is to host ARCO visitors, one of the world’s most relevant art fairs. _diana_quintela.jpg?1536012292 "© Diana Quintela") © Diana Quintela The option considered the possibility of an architectural proposal which would enable to conceptually invert the typological character of the patio and exploring the way it relates with the city. The idea of a patio, remits us to a typology which is in essence, introspective and self-contained. On another hand, a tower expresses its verticality with the intention to be seen, to mark, an element which manifests itself simultaneously, both inside and out.  Planta A structure is proposed. Or it should be said, “A superstructure is proposed“. A unique system that is able to condense (conciliate) and integrate three distinct scales: the public scale, where people share, eat and rest; the monument scale, where the event announces itself to the city; and the domestic scale, where the backstage and the working areas ensure the event’s success. The tower, works as the element that binds and conciliates these three scales and functions: this turn out to be the moment where public and employees interact, amongst themselves and with verticality of the space, which is elongated by a bespoke art piece, a golden trim, created by Carlos Nogueira. _diana_quintela.jpg?1536012322 "© Diana Quintela") © Diana Quintela The scheme is planned with a longitudinal structure, and a proportion of 1:10 (3 metres wide by 30 metres long) which accentuates the 1:20 proportion of the existing patio. The dialect generated in-between the patio’s typology and the tower, could lead us to believe that this established relation is done through an antagonist and opposing perspective, rather provocative and unexpected. Although, the design’s basic rules come from an intimate understanding of the existing building, where the composition of these virtual cubes with 3x3x3m are given by the 1.5x1.5x1.5m metric that state a principle on the existing building’s elevation. Also, these 3 metres establish a direct dialog with the width of the existing stone masonry staircase, which is an element with a marked and strong presence in the patio.  Axonométrica  Collage The structural order arises as the setting scene of different happenings and suggests a direct relation between both bearing and spatial structures, a set of long textiles work as a binding element, which covers and creates the shaded area, creating new spatial tensions. The draping descends gradually, creating a vertical perspective effect and a mirrored relation with the existing staircase, which enhances and emphasizes the tower’s monumentality. These shadows generating elements, create informal and organic spaces, that contrast and counterbalance with the structures stiffness. _diana_quintela.jpg?1536012532 "© Diana Quintela") © Diana Quintela The golden vertical element, which emerges from the pavement level and solves the coping on the top of the tower, is the result of an intimate collaboration with the sculptor Carlos Nogueira, it accentuates the symbolic presence of the unity, as an ensemble of structures.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| “the CITYisEVERYWHERE”: The Kosovo Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale Posted: 06 Sep 2018 09:00 PM PDT  © Jetmir Idrizi As part of our 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale coverage, we present the completed Kosovo Pavilion. Below, curator Eliza Hoxha describes the exhibition in her own words. The '90s in Kosovo under the Milošević regime are known as times of repression, a time when ethnic Albanians were expelled from all state-run institutions and thereby removed from public life. Funded by the 3 percent income tax mainly from Albanian Diaspora, Albanians created a parallel system of education, culture and healthcare in their private houses, which citizens offered for free. These private houses provided space for public life for almost ten years in Pristina, the capital and other cities in Kosovo. In the '90s, life that the city center provided for everyone ended for Albanians, and all activity was dislocated to the periphery. The entire Albanian community shrank into private houses. The house became a school, a restaurant, a promotional activity space, an office, an art gallery, a hospital and a home at the same time.  © Jetmir Idrizi This merger of private and public, closed and open, inside and outside, intimacy and transparency, not only affected the housing typology and urban fabric but also forced city life into the periphery, making the city space assume a duality; the usage of space had different meanings for Albanian and Serb community. Under repression, using private space as public made the house a metaphor for the city, which in turn became a net of heterotopic spaces, neither here nor there, existing parallelly with the institutions and public spaces as delineated by the Milošević regime. Every house provided a mirror image of the city. They could be seen as places where things found their ground and stability at a time of uncertainty, violence and instability in Kosovo. It was only when Albanians took to the streets to protest government injustice that the city square became a public space for them. Deprived of media outlets and information in Albanian language, Albanian families bought satellite dishes. One could pin down with precision the apartments that belonged to Albanians, and that was simply because of the satellite dishes, the white circle looking satellites would hang in their balconies. Very soon the urban landscape turned into a garden of white mushrooms. For Albanians, the city was everywhere where these satellite dishes hanged and private houses were open to the public, but not the city in itself. This collective experience could not remain outside of the Pavilion's story. Therefore, the book became a storytelling platform for the community members who have experienced the '90s. To bring this story to the forefront in all its complexity and entirety, three generations have been invited to contribute in the making of this book. We invited the elders, middle-aged, who spent their youth in the '90s, and those who were children at the time and who have few or no recollections of the '90s, who remember by means of stories that have circulated in their families; their parents' stories of expulsion from work, siblings' experience of going to schools in private houses, and their own experience of not understanding what was going on at the time. These and other stories come together in this book. The book brings to the surface personal and collective experiences from multiple disciplinary angles. It is the first time we map out the parallel city of Pristina. The research and the process of mapping out the city was very important, because the way in which space was distributed in the parallel system was never documented. On the other hand, rapid transformations of the city of Pristina have obscured the map and these points of reference, therefore it was important to document it, not only for the new generation, but also to acknowledge citizen's contribution at the time.  © Jetmir Idrizi The Kosovo pavilion spatial concept The house The pavilion is a house always in the making; unfinished because it acquires new public functions. The house is a compensation for the public space that is lacking. The house has twofold functions, while the interior has the appearance of the room and it is used as one, it is also a public institution. The mirror The inside space is surrounded by mirrors to create an effect of extended space and openness as a metaphor of psychological freedom, but not the physical one as such, since the mirror is yet a physical barrier and juxtaposition, you're there but you're not there, you're free inside but still occupied.  The satellite The ceiling is clouded by satellites, a metaphor of gloomy days where we found light, nourishing our souls with otherworldly information coming from these dishes. Our mind was free and our heads were satellites.  The carpet The carpet has been and still is one of the central element of the Kosovo Albanian dwelling, the living room is structured and organized around the carpet. The Pavilion interiorizes exteriority and to do this it is not a matter of chance that it uses the carpet. The carpet is placed in the Pavilion to bring home—like warmth, thereby representing the gathering space of our homes. The city The house became the city and the city one big family.     This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| KTH Educational Building / Christensen & Co. Architects Posted: 06 Sep 2018 08:00 PM PDT  © Mikael Olsson
 © Mikael Olsson KTH Educational Building – A learning experience  © Mikael Olsson  Sections  © Mikael Olsson The design derives from discussions, study trips and a programming phase outlining the ambitions. The numerous spatialities create a diverse building with large, bright, small, quiet, transparent, loud, sloping, underground, light and dark spaces. The façade is respectfully in keeping with KTH's almost 100-year-old tradition of using brick, while the beaver tail brick is also a contemporary energy-efficient twist, which conveys the past into the future.  © Mikael Olsson  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Sliding Chapel / Kieran Donnellan Posted: 06 Sep 2018 07:00 PM PDT  © Conor De Burca and Kieran Donnellan
 © Conor De Burca and Kieran Donnellan Text description provided by the architects. The chapel is an elegant slender form that appears to be sliding down a hillside. The energy of the apparent movement informs the materiality of the heavily charred exterior skin.  © Conor De Burca and Kieran Donnellan The Chapel's function is to act as a non-denominational space for reflection. Upon entering the pavilion, visitors are offered a place to sit, where they are rewarded with a stunning sea-view.  Plan  Section A All of the wood used in the chapel is up-cycled. Most of it was in the form of shipping boxes that we dismantled.  © Conor De Burca and Kieran Donnellan  © Conor De Burca and Kieran Donnellan The burning technique used was the traditional Japanese shou-sugi-ban technique of tying 3 boards into a chimney and setting a fire at the base.  © Conor De Burca and Kieran Donnellan It was built as part of the international design festival, MEDS, which took place outside of Europe for the first time this year and ended a fortnight ago.  © Conor De Burca and Kieran Donnellan  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 06 Sep 2018 06:00 PM PDT  © Yannick Milpas
 © Yannick Milpas Text description provided by the architects. Making the old one last longer because of the new: for centuries, architecture has done nothing else than this exercise of reuse, until the demand for recycling stagnated by an abundance of materials. Although the development of sustainable use encourages the recycling of materials such as those of buildings, reuse is not always an obvious thing and in the first instance it conflicts with the wear and tear of the objects that one wishes to reuse. It therefore seemed difficult to give a new life to this vacant agricultural building in the rural part of the Belgian municipality of Grimbergen. But the owner - a family who lived in the city - and touched by the beauty of this mini-ruin, asked the architect to design a contemporary project. Other important requirements were the preservation of the view of the underlying agricultural land, and a long-term energy-independent home. In view of the latter, all possibilities are foreseen to invest even more in renewable energy sources. A design was proposed by the architects that would visually contrast with that of the existing home with livestock stables in decline. For this purpose a ruin shell was created that immediately formed an acoustic buffer to the street and the surrounding area.  © Yannick Milpas The house was banal and characterless and in a very bad condition. The adjacent stables and barn were much more powerful in volume. Their massiveness immediately appealed to everyone, but they did not contain any comfort, nor the technical construction to be able to rebuild correctly. Yet we wanted to get started with that distinctive and solid brick structure, and especially with the impressive double gable on the left. Furthermore, we felt it was important that this brick feeling in the home should be felt. We chose to empty the buildings completely and to keep the solid carcass as a mantle, and to build within it a maximum prefabricated and insulated volume. This allowed us to optimize a 'protected volume' even more stringently than the EPB requirements. The solid carcass is functional because it forms a first acoustic buffer against the environment.  © Yannick Milpas   © Yannick Milpas In this way the result meets our vision: modern living arises from desires, needs, requirements, the site, ... Design has a causal connection, is self-evident and not gratuitous or linked to iconic designs.  © Yannick Milpas We took this decision together with the owner during the design process. The essence of the existing building is a strong witness of the past. We wanted to preserve the created ruin and also its specific function in all, namely the mantle of the insulated living cocoon. Both complement each other and determine the end result. The zinc profile plate cladding refers to the basic material that used to be used regularly at farms as roofs for for example open air storages.  © Yannick Milpas The internal structure is simple: a thick concrete slab on the ground, a steel skeleton with steeldeck floors. Walls and roofs were covered with standard industrial insulation panels. Both were then fully insulated on the inside and finished with plasterboard. On the outside, the façades were further finished with zinc profiled sheets, and also on the flat roofs was extra insulation added. The floors of the ground floor are in polished concrete on top of a continuous sprayed Polyurethane insulation layer. This structure was needed to be able to build a perfectly thermally and acoustically isolated cocoon within the brick structure. An additional advantage of this method on top of the concrete slab, is that it is a dry method from start to finish.  © Yannick Milpas The building became more stringent than the standard air-tight norms. A heat pump, connected to depth drilling pipes, controls the heating: underfloor heating on the ground floor and low temperature radiators on the first floor. In the future, energy can be generated in other ways. For example, the boiler is already equipped to work on solar panels. The client also opted for a ventilation system C. And the orientation is very favorable. North West on the closed street side, and East South on the back.  © Yannick Milpas The long entrance is the perfect example of our philosophy that a self-evident circulation is more than a circulation zone alone. This space is also an elongated cloakroom and storage room. This does not stand out, because the separating closet wall is pushed into the building like a piece of furniture. The light from the large window at the end automatically lures the visitor up to there, and gives you a last look at the front yard before you enter the privacy of the house. The staircase stands as a slightly hinged element between the front and rear volume, emphasized by two-storey high windows. There you look through the building both inside and out. All day functions were directed to the garden side with their view. Night functions and storage facilities were placed on the street side. The desired view can be experienced at the rear in both the kitchen, the dining room and the sitting room, and is even reinforced in the mezzanine and living space. The covered terrace next to the kitchen and the garden shed are both deliberately integrated into the main volume.  © Yannick Milpas Simplicity, honesty and uniformity are the starting points. The worktop in the kitchen is in honed black granite and the cabinets in a tropical FSC veneer. The concrete floor on the ground floor was a wish of the builder and brings peace to this complete level. It is also used outside for the terraces, thus anchoring the building on the surrounding grounds. The floors of the first floor are in wood, and the bathroom walls in glass mosaic. These are the simple ingredients of the recipe: brick, polished concrete, glass, wood, all fair and pure applied.  © Yannick Milpas First and foremost the courage of the client to go along in the story of confrontation between present and past, and to show the contrast between existing massiveness and light fill-in structure. Thereafter the fixed framed view that you can experience to the maximum within the walled lines. And last but not least: since the move, this family always has a wonderful holiday feeling when they get home.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Guangxi Culture & Art Center / gmp Architects Posted: 06 Sep 2018 05:00 PM PDT  © Christian Gahl
 © Christian Gahl Text description provided by the architects. The Guangxi Culture & Art Center in Nanning has opened its doors. It is a grand theater of the kind that is very popular in China and serves as a venue for a wide range of musical and cultural programs: in addition to classical works in the European tradition of operas, events include concerts, musicals, and gala shows.  © Christian Gahl  © Christian Gahl Three concert halls have been arranged as separate volumes on a natural stone-clad plinth building that accommodates the service functions. The opera house to the south-west with its 1,600 seats and a 600 square-meter stage opens out to a newly created lake.  © Christian Gahl Following the tradition of classical opera houses, the seating has been laid out in the shape of a horseshoe. The stalls and balconies are reached via a foyer and an arrangement of stairs. Softly curved wood-paneled surfaces create a warm interior atmosphere, and the reverberation time of 1.5 to 1.8 seconds provides ideal acoustic conditions.  © Christian Gahl  Section of the opera house  © Christian Gahl The concert hall with its 1,200 seats is located on the eastern side and has been designed as an oblong hexagon with a rounded stage area. It features an organ with 64 registers and is therefore suitable for a wide repertoire of musical performances ranging from chamber music to symphony concerts by composers like Bruckner. Wide wooden stripes on walls and ceilings provide a certain rhythmic order to the visual appearance.  © Christian Gahl The smallest hall, with 550 seats, is a multi-functional hall and is located to the north. Its electronically controlled acoustics ensure that the reverberation time can be adjusted with infinite variability. Different stage scenarios for music, ballet, and theater performances as well as fashion shows can be created with the help of lift platforms.  © Christian Gahl The three venue buildings are unified by a shared, seemingly floating roof. Similar to the facades, it appears as a large structure of louvers, which has been constructed with a steel frame substructure and white folded aluminum panels as cladding. When viewed from the opposite bank of the River Yong or from the approach via Nanning Bridge, the radiant white shape of this outstanding culture center of Nanning and the Guangxi province appears confidently in contrast to its surroundings. Depending on the viewpoint, the silhouette of the building changes dynamically, evoking associations with the natural karst formations that are so typical of the Guangxi landscape.  © Christian Gahl  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 06 Sep 2018 04:00 PM PDT  © Beer Singnoi
 © Beer Singnoi  © Beer Singnoi Text description provided by the architects. Z9 Resort, awarded IDA 2018 Winner Prize "hospitality" from BCI Asia, is a floating resort which perched on Srinakarin Dam, Kanchanaburi. The resort is famous for their appropriately use of materials and its nature-oriented structure which offer private on-land accommodation and cozy raft accommodations. Each building utilizes natural ventilation, the shapes and color intimately blended in with the attractiveness of mountain and lake view. The proportion is also in line with the environment. The lines obviously represent the natural lake-side context, and the lobby is designed based on lunar direction which mean resort's guess can enjoy stunning "Sunrise and Sunset" scenic.  © Beer Singnoi Z9 owners' believe that one of the best way to enjoy natural environment is to stay and relax in the resort which adopted sustainable design concept. So, sustainable design approaches, based upon the "3R" concept which are Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, have been used in this project in many ways.  © Beer Singnoi Firstly, Reuse. Reuse concept was refer to the use of existing wood from the existing resort. The old wood were use as resort decorations. OSB Board which used as the ceiling was another aspect of the reuse concept. This is because OSB Board was created by compressing layers of wood flakes.  © Beer Singnoi Secondly, Reduce. One of the best way to build any building within the site which has rich-natural context is to create as less environmental footprint as possible. According to this way of approach, very-few site contour adjustment were applied. Light-weight structure such as steel structure was used to build this resort. Steel structure promote eco-friendly outcome in many ways for instance the wider span which means less on-ground touching and can be adjusted to suit with the existing footing, faster and cleaner construction in comparison with concrete structure.  © Beer Singnoi Thirdly, Recycle. Since some of the existing wood is quite large so, they were adjusted and used for in-door furniture. Moreover, close circuit water treatment was applied to treat the water before drainage into the lake. This mean resort's guess can enjoy their water activities with worry-free.  © Beer Singnoi Essentially, guess can absorb privacy, serenity, and be in tuned with the natural context of Kanchanaburi, one of Thailand's most famous place for enjoying hillside and lakeside scenic, during their stay.  © Beer Singnoi  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Think of it! Restaurant / Studio Lagom Posted: 06 Sep 2018 03:00 PM PDT  © Photographix | Sebastian + Ira
 © Photographix | Sebastian + Ira Text description provided by the architects. Surat may not be as space-starved as Indian metropolises of Mumbai and Delhi, but the restaurant typology sees a predominance of eateries operating within enclosed, air-conditioned environments. That's not to say that restaurants with a considerable al fresco section do not exist, but these are limited to largely utilitarian establishments that pay scant heed to 'place-making'.  © Photographix | Sebastian + Ira So when the clients approached the architect to design a cafe/restaurant, the design thoughts immediately veered to creating something that the city lacked: a well-designed garden restaurant in the true sense of the word. Given that the land was leased, further clarified this vision: a design that kept the built-form to the minimum and used economic materials to rationalise project costs.  © Photographix | Sebastian + Ira The location in a quiet by-lane was opportune: the relative serenity would further the requisite laid-back air that was crucial to this type of development. While the restaurant had to have a certain privacy, given it's location, the architect also wanted to 'respond' to the street. Ergo, a wide landscaped elevated set-back was created as a transition from the street level to the fly-ash brick masonry wall that marked the 'boundary' of the restaurant. This green band would serve as a street-side cafe, handy for a quick bite or cuppa.  Isometric Beyond the wall, the entry was orchestrated through a lobby-like enclosed space (abutted by a waterbody) that 'releases' you into the restaurant proper, with an open courtyard nestling within an L-shaped semi-enclosed area. The visual aesthetic within is organic and free-flowing, with materials, colours and forms that are grounded to the earth. The seating options range from the al fresco to ones with varying degrees of semi-openness. Immediately bordering the courtyard void are smooth cement 'benches' created in situ. While to one side of the entrance lobby is a section shielded by a slim undulating ferrocement wall with cut-outs — more screen than wall — to the other is an open section, both are roofed by corrugated GI sheets whose edges are cut such that they, collectively, reinforce the organic look and feel.  © Photographix | Sebastian + Ira The colour scheme — a predominance of an earthy red, with a dash of blue at the entrance — and materials — leftover stone arranged in a homely mosaic, smooth swells of cement and MS — are aligned to a rustic look. Overhead salvaged construction iron rods form an undulating installation, almost like a heavily contoured site manifested as a wire-frame drawing. Its shadows create a rippled effect on the floor, distorting views and adding more dynamism to the vistas.  © Photographix | Sebastian + Ira And of course, where would a garden restaurant be without plants. Curated tropical greenery — frangipani, heliconia, dracaena, bamboo, banana, bougainvillea, and many more — imbue the restaurant with natural freshness. Strategic plantings — as borders, in the centre of the courtyard, a small bed in the paving of an open section, create a lush natural look.  © Photographix | Sebastian + Ira  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Olink Office / NINE PICK Design Posted: 06 Sep 2018 02:00 PM PDT  © ALONG
 © ALONG Text description provided by the architects. The idea of design is to place different boxes in long boxes. We set a fast space relationship with different height and setting in the box such as overlapping, interleaving, correspondence, connection and so on, so as to communicate, interact, multi-function, smart and bright. Bright colors and body pleasures form the keynote of space.  © ALONG The public space emphasizes the diversity of functions, interaction and opening, the serialization streamline and the box space interdependent, light and shadow have rank, with yellow and blue color and metal texture of soft furnishings jumping among them, create vitality and simple visual impact, interactive communication creation environment.  © ALONG  Hall  © ALONG The third floor is the public area, such as the independent office room ，the reception hall, the coffee area, the interactive leisure, the gym and so on. In the hollow area, the function overlap, interaction, communication, interlacing and corresponding spatial relations are established in the hollow area.  © ALONG The staircase, bar, leisure negotiation skillfully rub, scale, function, body block feeling at one go. Forming an exchange and interaction combination is a combination of the whole settlement and the zoning.  © ALONG The fourth floor is mainly meeting room and independent office, which is more quiet than the third floor. The sandwich design of the coffee area is connected to the hollow double layer. It makes the exchange between the two layers more interesting.  © ALONG  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 06 Sep 2018 01:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of Cadence Architects
 Courtesy of Cadence Architects Text description provided by the architects. The client brief was to design a naturopathy center with a yoga hall in a tight urban site. The fact that the center was meant for therapy and wellness but had to be designed in a busy, noisy, polluted node in the city was the challenge. What struck us most when we visited the location was the presence of a huge Canon Ball tree (a sacred tree by many accounts), which defined the character of the site. The site was also flanked by a very busy road which forms an important artery in the city's road network.  Courtesy of Cadence Architects  Detailed Section  Courtesy of Cadence Architects These two characteristics helped us formulate the generative diagram for the conception of the project. We decided to conceive the plan such that the building weaves around the existing tree not just physically but also phenomenally in a way that it becomes part of the experience. The second important stand taken was to wrap most of the building with a thick layer of green along with a modern interpretation of traditional jail screen. The yoga hall was then conceived to be on the terrace with a column free space away from the noise of the streets.  Courtesy of Cadence Architects  Center Section  Courtesy of Cadence Architects Living skin – The idea of the jali with green was twofold. The jali screen would enable us to cut down the harsh sound from the street traffic and the general humdrum of the city. It would also cut the harsh light that would infiltrate the interiors. The traditional Jali was re-imagined in a contemporary pattern to form a light ephemeral veil for the interiors. We infused life into this jali buy juxtaposing it with a layer of curated medicinal plants. The plants protected by the jali not only help in therapeutic purposes but also help create a soft ambience in the interior. The jali was constructed out of ferro-concrete to enable the complex pattern desired.  Courtesy of Cadence Architects Programmatic Disposition – The ground floor has the reception along with waiting area for the patients. The consultation rooms, labs and pharmacy work around the waiting area. We also included an organic restaurant along with a kitchen at this level which encourages general well being. The floors on top are comprised of therapy rooms with various treatments along with rooms and suites for in-patients. These spaces open up to the strip of green screened by the jali. An atrium cuts through the building to connect the various floors both visually and spatially. The Yoga hall was positioned on the terrace along with the garden as spillover area.  Exploded view  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Phirun Proiprai (Falling Rain) Dormitory / Rural Development Workshop University Posted: 06 Sep 2018 12:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of Rural Development Workshop
 Courtesy of Rural Development Workshop Text description provided by the architects. In the midst of the mountains of Ta Song Yang district, Tak Province, on the Burmese-Thai border, stands a branch of the Baan Nhong Bua School. For over a decade, the branch school has been providing education for ethnic children living in the area. However, as the branch school is located nearly ten kilometers away from the surrounding villages, traveling daily to school proves to be a near impossible task for the children, so many have simply chosen to abandon their education.  Courtesy of Rural Development Workshop Today, only around 70 students - ranging from kindergarten to primary levels - attend the branch school. To offer a better access to education for these ethnic children, the school came up with a simple solution: to build a small dormitory to accommodate those who cannot make the daily commute. The Volunteers for Rural Development Camp from the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University was given the opportunity to design this 20-person dormitory for the school.  Front Elevation  Side Elevations The project, with its many limitations such as difficulty in transportation, limited budget, and lack of electricity, required a considerable amount of care and tremendous effort. Together with the villagers, who taught the volunteers practical knowledge which cannot be found within university walls, the "Phirun Proiprai" (Falling Rain) Dormitory was completed within 28 days of construction.  Courtesy of Rural Development Workshop The Phirun Proiprai Dormitory is a 3.35x9.6 meters dormitory, with two 1.2 meters cantilevered balconies. The floor is raised two meters above the ground, leaving the space underneath for extra usage. The dormitory is a combination of three structural systems that were chosen according to constructional conditions: wood, concrete, and metal. Prefabricated concrete slabs were used for flooring. Experimenting with local materials, volunteers used bamboo wood to construct the dormitory walls.  Longitudinal Section The Phirun Proiprai Dormitory was built with the hope to provide children of an ethnic minority in the area better access to education, and to serve as an arena wherein volunteers can learn invaluable lessons outside the confines of a classroom. We, the volunteers, were fortunate enough to be able to pursue our dreams of becoming future architects. We hope that, using what little skills we have, the Phirun Proiprai Dormitory can be part of a small effort to allow those living in marginal areas the opportunity to pursue theirs as well.  Courtesy of Rural Development Workshop  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Boundary Street House / Chan Architecture Posted: 06 Sep 2018 10:00 AM PDT  © Tatjana Plitt Photography
 © Tatjana Plitt Photography Text description provided by the architects. Surrounded on all sides by neighboring properties, this site was unique in that it was irregular with a particularly wide frontage, with a mixture of houses on one side of the street with commercial and industrial buildings on the other. Importantly, the existing house could be demolished and so we had the opportunity to design a new house from scratch, which is very rare for inner-city Port Melbourne.  © Tatjana Plitt Photography  Ground Floor Plan  © Tatjana Plitt Photography The brief was to design a striking, modern house that made the most of the small site and yet worked well with the existing streetscape. Our response was to start with materials that were prominent in the area – red brickwork, metal cladding and perforated sheet metal which we used in a unique manner. Strong, angular lines were used in conjunction with recycled brickwork that made reference to the warehouse aesthetic prominent in this part of Port Melbourne.  © Tatjana Plitt Photography The façade was 'peeled open' via the use of perforated mesh exposing the steel structure beneath. This created varying levels of transparency and privacy whilst allowing natural light into the entrance area. Black sheet metal cladding completed the façade which made reference to the industrial aesthetic in the area whilst also providing contrast and texture. The entrance alcove, combined with the stairs and the hallway, forms the spine of the house, connecting the main living spaces with the sleeping areas upstairs.  © Tatjana Plitt Photography This circulation area is filled with light, with the combination of the perforated mesh screening and timber balustrade creating constantly changing light effects on the interior. This circulation space then narrows down the hallway which then opens up to a playroom and dining area which has been designed around the north facing a courtyard which allows light into the living spaces throughout the year. The kitchen is characterized by clean lines and subtle angles, with the ceiling punctuated by a strip skylight above.  © Tatjana Plitt Photography In warmer months the dual stacker sliding doors open the living spaces into the courtyard area that expands the sense of space. The first floor sits above the playroom and dining area which is evidenced by the angled bulkhead, which steps up in the living room and kitchen, increasing the sense of space. In the bathrooms, we selected white subway tiles with contrasting black fixtures, shelves, and joinery to further emphasize the warehouse aesthetic throughout the house.  © Tatjana Plitt Photography  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Grimshaw Creates Tiny House Prototype to Address Australia's Housing Crisis Posted: 06 Sep 2018 09:00 AM PDT  The Peak. Image Courtesy of Grimshaw Architects Grimshaw Architects have created a prefabricated tiny house to address Australia's housing crisis. Made to raise money for the not-for-profit organization Kids Under Cover and support homeless youth, The Peak project provides an affordable option for young people priced out of the housing market in Australia's cities. Designed to go completely off grid or integrate with city infrastructure mains, the project was formed around IKEA furniture within a double-height volume. All profits from The Peak support Kids Under Cover in Melbourne and the state of Victoria.  The Peak. Image Courtesy of Grimshaw Architects The 35 square meter tiny house was built to accommodate a queen-sized bed, kitchen, bathroom and living quarters. Starting at $110,000, the design can be fully built out at $150,000. The homes are sold by Nestd, the business arm of Kids Under Cover.The project aspired to be a different offering in the tiny house movement, built to support the organization as a high quality home that's also affordable. Grimshaw first became involved with Kids Under Cover in 2017 after winning the Cubby House Competition.  The Peak. Image Courtesy of Grimshaw Architects The tiny house was created using laminated timber around the dimensions of IKEA modules. The structure features raised flooring to create room for the project's plumbing, electrical and building systems, with the option of accommodating a composting toilet as well. Crafted so that home owners can customize their space, the project keeps price low while offering a range of different living configurations. The prototype was built as both a stand alone structure, or a building that could be combined into a neighborhood of small structures. Part of a larger movement towards micro living as designers aim to address housing shortages, The Peak is the first prototype in Grimshaw's attempt to address affordability and housing density. The practice hopes to continue exploring tiny home construction to address larger issues like the housing crisis.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Los Héroes Park / Francisco Pardo Arquitecto Posted: 06 Sep 2018 08:00 AM PDT  © Jaime Navarro
 © Jaime Navarro Text description provided by the architects. Commissioned by CIDS and INFONAVIT — the main Mexican Housing Institutions reshaping Mexico’s mortgage market and promoting sustainable housing development —Los Héroes Park, is part of a wider programme rethinking public space to revert the poor conditions of social housing over the last 30 years and heal the scars of abandoned properties and social segregation that affect the urban outskirts of the country.  © Jaime Navarro  © Jaime Navarro The makeover of Parque Los Héroes, located in the Unidad Habitacional de Los Héroes Sección III in the city of Toluca de Lerdo, consisted of renovating the existing pavement using a single modulus, in order to articulate different spaces and define new activities. The unit is an hexagonal cobblestone which, like a pixel, modifies the topography and favours a flexible space layout. To complement the proposal, a tree grid of 100 new pieces — each located at a three-metre distance, has been installed. Including children's playgrounds, a football and a basketball court, and a skating ring, the park is inclusive and has been designed to improve the life quality of the adjacent housing units and primary school.  © Jaime Navarro  Playground Axonometric  © Jaime Navarro  Axonometric  © Jaime Navarro Although they have been designed according to specific natural and social conditions, both projects feature common elements, thus ensuring harmony among the built and natural environments that can be repeated or integrated into a system that is potentially applicable to any other context.  © Jaime Navarro One is the floor cement block, which can be easily adapted to any layout, be it natural or artificial. The creative combination of the blocks and in-situ poured concrete filling, generate new patterns like an urban tapestry. The second is the playground system: the various concrete walls and metal bars can be arranged in multiple configurations, thereby constituting different spaces that are suitable for all uses and users.  Playground Plan More than just oases to help citizens reconnect with nature, the parks are tools for engagement and environmentalism. Through the transformation of suburban areas into green recreational spaces embedded in the city fabric, Parque Héroes are fast becoming a beloved urban spot for residents.  © Jaime Navarro  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Stefano Boeri Architetti Begins Work on Tirana's Blloku Cube Posted: 06 Sep 2018 07:00 AM PDT  Blloku Cube. Image Courtesy of Stefano Boeri Architetti Work has started on Stefano Boeri Architetti's multifunctional building Blloku Cube, the first element of a larger masterplan in Tirana. Located at the intersection of Pjeter Bogdani and Vaso Pasha streets, the project is sited in a up-and-coming center of city life in Blloku district. Taking cues from the Albanese capital, the design combines a multifunctional program of commercial, office and rooftop garden space. The project features an anodized aluminum double-skin cladding, a pattern facade that becomes a signature piece of architecture within the surrounding post-communist developments.  Blloku Cube. Image Courtesy of Stefano Boeri Architetti  Blloku Cube. Image Courtesy of Stefano Boeri Architetti Blloku Cube's envelope is made of a triangualar pattern oriented to reflect the light. Specified to make the cladding seemingly iridescent, the envelope doubles as an efficient shading system to improve energy efficiency. Francesca Cesa Bianchi, project director for Stefano Boeri Architetti, has stated that the cladding solution "was specifically designed for our first Albanian project, plays an essential role in defining the uniqueness of the building and contributes to underlining its importance as a new landmark of this urban district. The shielding system consists of 110 centimeter square modules, which only obscure the light for half of their surface owing to the presence of three dimensional triangles welded inside." The Blloku Cube is being managed by the Tirana branch of Stefano Boeri Architetti. Already under construction, the project first began to emerge in the Blloku district during July 2018.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Shop at CAC / Eskew+Dumez+Ripple Posted: 06 Sep 2018 06:00 AM PDT  © Neil Alexander
 © Neil Alexander Text description provided by the architects. The Shop is a comprehensive co-working development that is located on the third and forth floors of the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) in downtown New Orleans, one of New Orleans' most important cultural institutions. Targeting technology, arts, and cultural-based businesses, The Shop serves as a hub of entrepreneurship in the developing Downtown innovation corridor.  © Neil Alexander  Historic Photo with Overlay Located in a historic 1920 former warehouse, the building was used as the headquarters for K&B, a local drugstore and soda fountain until the CAC acquired the building in the mid-1970s. The top two floors of the CAC have historically been underutilized, with The Shop marking the first large-scale renovation of that space in the last forty years.  © Neil Alexander The Shop features over 40,000-square-feet of co-working space for a diverse group of creative professionals across a wide range of industries. The workspace includes 69 fully-furnished offices, seven conference rooms equipped with the latest technology, and 15,000-square-feet of art-filled Commons amenity space, spanning two floors and a roof deck.  Axo 01 The Shop is connected by an open architectural staircase and featuring an extensive amenity and commons area, varied meeting and office space, and a roof deck. This renovation preserves the classic Warehouse District architecture of the existing building while incorporating modern elements. The light-filled space features high ceilings with exposed beams, large windows, a contemporary art collection, and a flowing, open floor plan.  © Neil Alexander The heart of The Shop is the commons area which is designed to facilitate conversation and connection. It boasts a full kitchen, seating options, coffee station, snacks available for purchase, and communal and recreational space. All of The Shop's amenities offer small businesses, entrepreneurs, and arts-based professionals the resources they need to grow. Vintage furniture was sourced from a variety of vendors to give the seating areas of both floors more of a living room feel. Drawing from the inspiration of the CAC itself and connecting the co-working tenants with the art community, custom murals were commissioned for the space and local and national art work was brought in to adorn the walls.  © Neil Alexander Phone booths were incorporated to create venues for private conversations and quiet work space, some have countertops while others have lounge seats. Decorative sconces and graphic wallpaper create a welcoming, intimate atmosphere. Hot desks at open tables with task lamps are intended for daily users of the space. The project incorporates multiple sizes of private offices. Windows between offices enables daylight to flow throughout the space and provides a more open plan feel while maintaining privacy and security. Existing brick was left exposed to enhance the industrial patina of the project. Windows along the south and west facades were replaced; those on the north and east facades were left in place. Building mechanics, ductwork, and electrical conduits were left exposed to celebrate the existing structure.  © Neil Alexander The connecting stair's concept emerged from the idea of merging art and handmade elements. At the base is a board-formed concrete platform, used as an informal work space or stage. The stairs flow seamlessly from a work surface on the 3rd floor, to the stair itself, to a screen connected to a 4th floor ceiling, flowing into a banquette seat.  © Neil Alexander  Stair Axon The progressive aspect of the co-working environment is also reflected in the project's approach to sustainable design. Single pane windows on the South and West facades of the Contemporary Arts Center building were replaced with insulated Low-E glass to reduce heat gain and air infiltration. The architectural lighting is LED, which cuts energy consumption by over 80% and lasts up to 25% longer when compared to conventional light bulbs. Occupancy sensors throughout the space turn lights on and off automatically. Skylights were replaced to maintain existing daylighting and insulation was added to the roof. A new high-albedo roof was installed to reflect light, allowing it to stay up to 50-60 degrees cooler than conventional materials during peak heat.  © Neil Alexander  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Zaha Hadid Architects, Woods Bagot, and Cox Among Finalists Announced for Auckland Tower Competition Posted: 06 Sep 2018 05:00 AM PDT  Auckland Tower. Image Courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects The international design competition to create a new high-rise tower in central Auckland has announced five finalists. The five teams include Warren and Mahoney, Cox Architecture, Zaha Hadid Architects, Elenberg Fraser and Woods Bagot. The landmark tower competition is run by Melbourne-based property development company ICD Property. Each of the teams were asked to complete two versions of their design, one following current city Unitary Plan rules and one version that could be built given more open planning parameters. The Auckland tower competition doubled as a forum to discuss how the city develops and the future of Auckland's skyline. ICD launched the competition between the five architecture firms in July, and the final design will be built at 65 Federal Street near the Sky Tower. Hosting a range of inspiration, the diverse tower concepts include local design inspiration from Māori cloaks to sky gardens and the city's streetscape. ICD believes that the new $200m Auckland tower will contribute to the city's future growth and development. ICD managing director Michael Mai said the designs would bring an international standard of high-rise living to Auckland. "As ICD's first international project outside of Australia, we chose Auckland because we see a strong future in continuing to work here. The city has many positive and unique aspects - from its multicultural make up through to the stunning scenery and landscape." Warren and Mahoney Auckland Tower. Image Courtesy of Warren and Mahoney Warren and Mahoney's entry is inspired by a korowai, which can be seen in the building's cascading façade. Warren and Mahoney principal architect Andrew Barclay says the Federal St project is an opportunity to reflect Auckland's unique population, cultural diversity and geography. "At present Auckland does not have a mixed-use hotel and residential building that has these qualities," he says. "The project is located in one of Auckland's most exciting locations, so it has a responsibility to contribute to Auckland's increasingly vibrant inner-city life, both during the day and by night." Cox Architecture Auckland Tower. Image Courtesy of Cox Architecture Phil Rowe of Cox Architecture says the challenge posed by ICD's Auckland project was to address how architects and designers can improve and inspire the future of Auckland. "It has to be done in a very Auckland way, rather than importing what is perceived by fashion to be 'best practice'. The building will be a visual icon for what Auckland can and will look like in the future." Zaha Hadid Architects Auckland Tower. Image Courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects Zaha Hadid Architects design was inspired by bringing the city's streetscape into the very heart of the tower with a Sky Garden. "Auckland's ambition and vision for the future must cater for everyone in the city, and in that respect mixed-use projects and plenty of publicly accessible spaces will be the most successful," says associate director Michele Pasca di Magliano. Elenberg Fraser Auckland Tower. Image Courtesy of Elenberg Fraser For Callum Fraser of Elenberg Fraser, the most exciting aspect of the Federal St project is delivering to Auckland an environment worthy of the city's position as a leading global tourism destination. "This is a real opportunity to see what the future looks like. The world looks to New Zealand for its freedom, ingenuity and independence of thought," he said. "The spotlight on Auckland is to see what that means for the physical construction of the city, which is only a by-product of that culture." Woods Bagot Auckland Tower. Image Courtesy of Woods Bagot Pete Miglis, principal architect at Woods Bagot, says the project will transform Federal St and its surrounds, especially at street level with a focus on giving the streets back to the people. "It will also enhance the city's skyline and importantly it's all about a building that will reinforce Auckland as a global city." The competition winner will be announced in October by ICD Property, and ICD will take ownership of the site from Sky City in April 2019. Construction is expected to finish in 2022  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Royal Academy of Arts Masterplan / David Chipperfield Architects Posted: 06 Sep 2018 03:00 AM PDT  © Simon Menges
 © Simon Menges Text description provided by the architects. Founded in 1768, the Royal Academy of Arts is the oldest arts institution in Britain. Since 1868 it has been based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, in central London. In 1998 the RA acquired 6 Burlington Gardens, an Italianate building of comparable size located immediately to the north of Burlington House and oriented in the opposite direction. Originally designed in the 1860s as the Senate House for the University of London, 6 Burlington Gardens had been modified over the years. The master plan involved connecting the Burlington House and Burlington Gardens sites in both physical and ideological terms.  Sketch  Interior A new programme had to be developed for 6 Burlington Gardens and coherence gave to the entire complex. Promoting the refurbishment of the two Grade II* listed buildings, the master plan drew on the existing building structures, opening previously closed off areas while introducing a series of punctual interventions that range from repair and restoration to the introduction of contemporary elements. A new route through the center of the buildings provides a public link between Piccadilly and Burlington Gardens, connecting the main entrances of both buildings.  © Simon Menges  © Simon Menges This new route leads from the brick-vaulted corridor, previously used for storage, through to a new in-situ concrete bridge, while bisecting the RA Schools. The bridge, housing a lift and staircase, negotiates the change of level and the differing axis of both buildings. It also overlooks a new sculpture garden for the RA Schools both exposing and integrating their activity into the campus. The transformation of 6 Burlington Gardens includes the reinstatement of a lecture theatre at the west end of the building. This required the removal of a floor that had been added and the relocation of the historic British Academy room.  Ground Floor Plan The new auditorium, seating 250, is semi-circular and modeled on a classical amphitheater or scientific theatre. It is entered from the top and the large clerestory windows have been fully reinstated. The former Senate Room has been restored and serves as a new cafeteria with one of the smaller committee rooms now an architecture gallery. The historic laboratory rooms have been re-aligned as an enfilade of contemporary, day-lit gallery spaces. The large room on the east side of the building, originally a library, now serves as the Collections gallery housing Michelangelo's Taddei Tondo, formerly located in the Sackler rooms.  © Simon Menges The aforementioned British Academy room is now enclosed in a new fair-faced concrete building which faces the sculpture garden and features the original windows. Small interventions have been made in Burlington House, improving the operational running of both buildings. These range from art handling to new cloakrooms, toilets and ticket offices. The entire project coincides with the Royal Academy's 250th anniversary, significantly expanding its space while connecting Piccadilly to Burlington Gardens on an urban level, with a cultural programme.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Shaping the Future: What to Consider When Designing for Children Posted: 06 Sep 2018 02:30 AM PDT  © Kyungsub Shin Le Corbusier stated in his seminal text, Towards a New Architecture, that "...man looks at the creation of architecture with his eyes, which are 5 feet 6 inches from the ground." Logical and rational codes such as this form the standard for much of architectural production - but of course, these "norms" are as constructed as architecture itself. This particular standard is especially irrelevant when designing for children, for whom the adult-centric assumptions of architecture do not and should not apply. As of 2018, children (i.e., people aged 15 years or younger) make up 26% of our global population; a statistic we should all appreciate given that a whopping 100% have, in fact, been children at some point ourselves. While there are a multitude of factors that shape the kind of adults we become, the architecture we encounter as children - be it the stacks in the library where you played hide-and-seek or the door handle you had to stand on tiptoes to reach - can have a great impact on your perspective of the world. When designing architecture for specifically for children, we are in a way molding these future perspectives, and it is therefore vital we treat the process with both rigor and empathy.
It is perhaps practical to first consider this from a literal standpoint: a young child's eyes are, on average, about 3 feet 6 inches from the ground. Bad design for children is relatively simple to pick out as it typically ignores this fact (and often continues to fail from there.) _arch-exist1.jpg?1535707953 "© arch-exist") © arch-exist As many architectural governing bodies (such as the AIA and RIBA) push for more localized standards for school design, particularly those aiming to promote safety and healthy learning environments, architects must still consider things such as. What spaces will encourage learning? What plans will promote play? How can we create the right level of social interaction between ages? Generally speaking, there are no universal laws for good design. But thanks to decades of research regarding the sociological and psychological development of children at universities across the world, there is data to at least suggest a number of key principles: the encouragement of social interaction, the promotion of playful learning, and the involvement of nature. How these things principles are realized can vary immensely. In his speech to congress, the new Sandy Hook School architect Jay Brotman referenced how design for children, in particular schools, depends heavily on the individual community and the context. This, with the added individuality of the architect, creates a bespoke and organic design process from the off. Certain schemes promote certain characteristics, and some projects lean heavily on certain techniques, all doing so to achieve a successful child-friendly space that suits the function best. Through delving into what makes a successful, child-centric design, we can begin to make note of the binding attributes that great schemes share.
Safety While often not the most appealing of design influences, safety is by far the most important characteristic of any scheme for children. This need not, however, refer to the "bubble" approach to safety; an approach which lazily often results in soft edges with soft materials in soft designs. A more basic understanding of safety for children is the notion that, as an adult, you are able to see the child anywhere in the space.  Courtesy of VERSTAS Architects _Andreas_Meichsner.jpg?1535707420 "© Andreas Meichsner") © Andreas Meichsner Schools and kindergartens are key proponents of using plan to protect their children. VERSTAS Architects demonstrate this in their Saunalahti School scheme, where a dominating, linear brick facade creates a border to the public, and the enclosed area uses the typology of the site to 'herd in' the students, without the feeling of complete enclosure. Play Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child states that "every child has the right to relax, play and take part in a wide range of cultural and artistic activities." Architects have a responsibility to design spaces that enable the essential natural creativity and freedom of play, and nurture it. This can be achieved in several ways, but can be boiled down to structured play and abstracted play. _John_Donat_RIBA_Library_Photographs_Collection.jpg?1535707315 "© John Donat RIBA Library Photographs Collection") © John Donat RIBA Library Photographs Collection _arch-exist2.jpg?1535707963 "© arch-exist") © arch-exist U.K. based Turner Prize winning design collective Assemble created an exhibition that summarized the themes of abstract play in 2015. 'Brutalist Playground' used the play areas of the 1950s and 1960s social estate architecture, promoting the ability of their solid and non-descript forms to create a space that encourages children to fill in the blanks with their imaginations. According to the research, these spaces gave the children the autonomy to do as they pleased, learning and growing along the way. ASPECT Studio applied many of the same principles into its colorful Wantou & Vanke Paradise Art Wonderland park in Heifei, China. _Antoine_Espinasseau.jpg?1535707293 "© Antoine Espinasseau") © Antoine Espinasseau Contrasting this open-ended approach, the work of French architects NP2F demonstrates equal success from a more structured approach. Utilizing the traditional methods associated with urban sport spaces and play areas, NP2F guided the development of their Evolution Ground Alfortville project in such a way as to "promote a decompartmentalization of sport spaces," maintaining a known method of interaction for the children. The project, with its areas of "urban gentleness" creating an adaptable, highlights this approach in a multi-use space. "The importance given to detail (ground, morphology, folds and boundaries) allows us to offer to the young people of the ZAC, beyond a simple football ground, a "configured" space, space of encounters and exchanges," the architects explain in the description of the project. Liberation In a world designed for adults, sometimes one of the most important features of child-centric architecture is child-only features. Enabling children to interact or navigate with the architecture in a way that is unique to their circumstance can be essential to the idea of play, letting the children truly be independent and self supporting through the nature of the design.  Courtesy of Matter Design + FR|SCH  Courtesy of Matter Design + FR|SCH Five Fields Play Structure by Matter Design + FR|SCH shows how multiple levels of space can be juxtaposed into a fun, condensed setting, that allows adults to access each part but at a hindered pace and freedom to the children. "Dedicated to imagination" and "resisting literal and singular readings", the structure is designed with the nimble nature of its client in mind. Sitting on a green, sloping context, Five Fields uses a carefully imagined plan to create several areas where children can interact with the architecture on their own terms, "liberating the kids to fly through the spaces". Adaptability/Openness _Katsuhisa_Kida.jpg?1535707441 "© Katsuhisa Kida") © Katsuhisa Kida The one thing universal about children it is that no child is the same. By extension, no one interaction with a child is the same, and the day-to-day ways in which a child uses space may differ significantly. This is partly the reason why your traditional square, isolated classroom has been proven inefficient in the teaching and developing of young people. Spaces must be malleable, and must be able to adapt to any given situation. They must also be open, and have access to nature, as children are not meant to be restricted to the confines of our adult preconceptions of space. One of the greatest examples of this adaptability and openness is the award winning Fuji Kindergarten by Tezuka Architects. The distinctive oval shaped plan, which features a large green space in the center and a generous, wooden roof terrace all around promotes the natural movement of children through the space. The kindergarten, as a consequence of this plan, has one of the highest athletic abilities in the area, as children who go there move on average 4km per day. The classrooms themselves have no walls, as the continuous plan means the children can never get lost or wander far away, and this open architecture is summed up by Takaharu Tezuka when he says: _Katsuhisa_Kida_2.jpg?1535707378 "© Katsuhisa Kida") © Katsuhisa Kida _Katsuhisa_Kida_3.jpg?1535707387 "© Katsuhisa Kida") © Katsuhisa Kida
_Dorte_Mandrup.jpg?1535707286 "© Dorte Mandrup") © Dorte Mandrup _Adam_M%C3%B8rk_2.jpg?1535707656 "© Adam Mørk") © Adam Mørk This openness and involvement of nature is something that Danish office Dorte Mandrup consistently shows within their work, from the hillside-like Råå Day Care Center to the more urban Kanderborggade Day Care Centre. Understanding _Sean_Ahlquist__University_of_Michigan.jpg?1535707355 "© Sean Ahlquist, University of Michigan") © Sean Ahlquist, University of Michigan  Courtesy of Luckey Climbers In many recent projects, research and design are fused together in order to create specialized spaces for certain groups of younger people. The research project Social Sensory Architectures use their work to create spaces that are both comforting and helpful to children with autism, while Spencer Luckey's abstract, undulating platforms "form a blank canvas for the children to establish their own narrative" in a gender-neutral playground. Catalytic Action create design play structures within refugee communities, letting the children take ownership of the design to provide relief and independence to a community of children that often has to grow up faster than others.  Courtesy of CatalyticAction Providing spaces for counseling and support within schools is a key issue, as the mental pressure of being a child has arguably never been more of an issue. Architect Karina Ruiz emphasizes the importance of locating these spaces in key areas, in order to avoid disenfranchisement or the feeling of isolation. "Simple things like moving a counseling wing and putting those where students are located—near commons, near libraries—and then making them transparent."  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 06 Sep 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © Anice Hoachlander
 © Anice Hoachlander  © Anice Hoachlander Text description provided by the architects. The small city of Lewes, Delaware, extends northeast into the mouth of the Delaware Bay. Lewes is popularly known as an eighteenth-century coastal town commemorated for being the site of the earliest European settlement in Delaware. In addition to abundant waterfront property, Lewes is made up of prevalent farmland, woodlands, marshland, and estuaries. The site for this new house is a woodland area nestled between an open field and an expanse of marshland.  © Anice Hoachlander It was very important to the clients that the program contain an abundance of gallery space to display their expansive art collection. The house was designed to accommodate large gatherings focused around the gallery collections but also to provide a comfortable environment when only the couple occupied the house. The house is positioned to take advantage of the wooded environment, providing marshland views through the trees, and framing views of the adjacent open meadow. In addition to the 6000 square foot house and gallery, the project encompasses 3000 square feet of elevated deck and terrace space and 900 square feet of screened porch space. All the interior spaces have direct access to a deck or screened porch. Sited to minimally disrupt the landscape, the house is located where a minimum amount of trees were removed to construct the project. The house is conceived with the goal of pulling nature into the spaces. Circulation and movement through the project are designed as a vehicle to experience the changing scenery as you move through the spaces.  © Anice Hoachlander The art gallery is located on the lowest level, while the primary living spaces are located on the second level. This strategy affords enhanced views form the elevated living spaces. Secondary bedrooms and access to a 1500 square foot rooftop deck occupy a third floor. The composition is intended to provide a carefully conceived balance of expanses of glass toward the natural views and wall space to display art throughout all floors.  © Anice Hoachlander  First floor plan  © Anice Hoachlander  Second floor plan Ultimately this project is designed to provide spaces for a couple to enjoy and share an expansive art collection that was collected over decades. Equally important, the house is designed to enhance the occupant's participation in an ever-changing landscape where birds fly, the mist rolls in, leaves change color and tides in the marshland ebb and flow.  © Anice Hoachlander  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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