Arch Daily |
- The Best Architecture Documentaries
- Paul Cocksedge Designs Living Watercolor Pavilion for EXPO 2020
- Scheune Minden / Architekten Stein Hemmes Wirtz
- House TP / dmvA architects
- Toni Areal Roof Garden / Studio Vulkan Landscape Architecture
- The Conservatory / Nadine Engelbrecht
- Return Café / Atelier FANZHENG
- AD Classics: Montreal Biosphere / Buckminster Fuller
- B&B Residence / Hogg&Lamb
- Carme Pinós' Designed 2018 MPavilion Opens in Melbourne
- Terence Bay Joinery Shop / Peter Braithwaite Studio
- Storefront for Art and Architecture Appoints José Esparza Chong Cuy as Executive Director
- Bragado Building / BBC Arquitectos
- 35 Fireplaces that Spark Architectural Interest
- Stair-Case Malasaña / Mariana de Delás + Marcos Duffo
- Why is CDMX the 2018 World Design Capital?
- Architectural Intervention: Transforming Venice’s Historic Structures to Fit Contemporary Needs
- Designing for Children: How Adult Decisions Shape Young Minds
- E26 / BAST
| The Best Architecture Documentaries Posted: 07 Oct 2018 09:00 PM PDT  Culled from our annual documentaries posts, these films feature architecture and architects in more informative and intimate ways. With more and more film festivals dedicated to architecture itself, you can likely catch these on the big screen in a city near you! The Pruitt-Igoe Myth (2011) Director: Chad Freidrichs. 83 mins. In 1954, the newly constructed Pruitt-Igoe towers in St. Louis, Missouri, designed by WTC architect Minoru Yamasaki , were "radiant examples of Corbusian rationalism," symbols of the promise of Modernist architecture to renew our cities, particularly for lower class residents. A mere two decades later, the towers, hotbeds of violence and crime, were spectacularly demolished - becoming potent symbols of both social housing and Modernism's supposed failure.This fascinating documentary challenges this typical narrative, providing an expansive, poignant look at both Pruitt-Igoe's shortcomings and triumphs, showing us what they have to teach us about America itself. My Architect (2003) Director: Nathaniel Kahn. 116 mins. The director of this film, Nathaniel Kahn, is also the son of the subject at-hand: Louis Kahn. The documentary is Kahn's poignant search to understand his father, a man who, while known around the globe for his architecture, led a less-than-satisfactory personal life (fathering children by three different women and living in debt). He would eventually die bankrupt and alone in 1974, but with a tremendous architectural legacy. The film, which was nominated for an Academy Award, features interviews with Frank Gehry, I.M. Pei, and Philip Johnson as well as imagery of all of Kahn's classics, including The Yale Center for British Art and The Salk Institute. Urbanized (2011) Director: Gary Hustwit. 82 mins. 75% of the world's population is expected to live in urban centers by 2050. With this in mind Gary Hustwit, following his previous works Helvetica and Objectified, adds Urbanized to his design trilogy. Urbanized, which looks at the design of urban centers, shows Huswit city hopping to 40 different locations to talk with those in the know, including architectural heavyweights like Foster, Koolhaas and Niemeyer. Citizen Architect: Samuel Mockbee and the Spirit of the Rural Studio (2010) Director: Sam Wainwright Douglas. 60 mins. Featuring interviews with architects like Cameron Sinclair, Peter Eisenman, and Michael Rotondi, this documentary explores the life and legacy of architect and public-interest-design pioneer Samuel Mockbee, who helped found the radical design/build program, the Rural Studio at Auburn University, in one of America's most impoverished communities. Koolhaas Houselife (2013) Directors: Ila Bêka & Louise Lemoine. 58 mins "First project of the Living Architectures series, Koolhaas Houselife portrays one of the masterpieces of contemporary architecture. The film lets the viewer enter into Rem Koolhaas's house's daily intimacy through the stories and daily chores of Guadalupe Acedo, the housekeeper, and the other people who look after the building. Pungent, funny and touching." Eames: The Architect and the Painter (2011) Directors: Jason Cohn & Bill Jersey. 84 mins. Narrated by James Franco, this documentary offers a glimpse into the marriage of Charles and Ray Eames, a marriage of art and industry, and the design history that came from it. The Infinite Happiness (2015) Directors: Ila Bêka + Louise Lemoine. 85 mins. After living in the 8 House by Bjarke Ingels Group for around a month, Ila Bêka and Louise Lemoine recount their subjective experience of living inside this experiment of 'vertical village"' in the style of a diary. Just like LEGO, the film builds up a collection of life stories all interconnected by their personal relation to the building, drawing the lines of a human map which allows the viewer to discover the building through an inner and intimate point of view. How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr Foster? (2010) Directors: Carlos Carcas, Norberto López Amado. 78 mins. A documentary on the exponential rise of Sir Norman Foster and his "unending quest to improve the quality of life through design." Kochuu: Japanese Architecture (2003) Director: Jesper Wachtmeister. 53 mins. KOCHUU, which translates to "in the jar," refers to the "Japanese tradition of constructing small, enclosed physical spaces, which create the impression of a separate universe." The documentary not only explores contemporary Japanese architecture but also reveals the strong influence it's had upon Scandinavian architecture, and modern architecture in general. Philip Johnson: Diary of an Eccentric Architect (1997) Director: Barbara Wolf. 55 mins. This documentary is a treat for any architect: a guided tour of Philip Johnson's work by the bespectacled man himself, including a long, lingering look into Johnson's "diary" -- the famous "Glass House" he designed and lived in. The doc also offers a fascinating peek into this master architect's eccentric creative process. Director: Tomas Koolhaas REM, a film directed by Koolhaas' son, Tomas, has been over a decade in the making. As Tomas told us in an interview, "It took [...] ten years of shooting various projects until I felt ready to tackle this piece and bring the idea to Rem. I had to be sure I was ready because I knew I wouldn't get a free pass from him. He is not the type of man who would get behind my project merely because I am his son. I knew I had to have a concept that was very different from, and more compelling than any that had been done before." So what sets the doc apart? According to Tomas, it's not just a collection of pretty images, but "a rare insight into the reality of the hidden internal life of the buildings." Unfinished Spaces (2011) Directors: Benjamin Murray, Alysa Nahmias. 86 mins. The story starts in brave new revolutionary Cuba. Castro, eager to bolster the ego of his new state, makes the grand gesture of commissioning three new schools of art. A trio of young visionary architects are called upon and soon construction starts on their radical designs. However, Soviet utilitarianism becomes popular in the fledgling communist state. The new schools, now seen as bourgeoisie and elitist, begin to lose public and political favor. The plans are abandoned, leaving the buildings incomplete. The architects, after fleeing into exile, have only recently been invited back, 40 years on, to finish the now decrepit and misused buildings. Citizen Jane: Battle for the City (2016) Directors: Sabine Krayenbühl e Zeva Oelbaum. 1h32min Launched two years ago, on the centenary of American urban activist Jane Jacobs, the film aims to present a glimpse of Jacobs' past, based on his book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, and on the confrontations with Robert Moses, stressing the legacy of this prominent figure in world urbanism. The urbanist symbol of the struggle for the improvement of urban space design. Microtopia (2013) Directors: Jesper Wachtmeister. Several successful architects, builders and artists from different parts of the world propose a radical solution to living space in which all unnecessary things are removed and seemingly old and worn-out items are utilized. How much space, 'stuff' and comfort do we really need? How would you feel about carrying your home in your pocket or having clothes to live in? On the sidewalk, on rooftops, in industrial landscapes and in nature we will see and feel how these abodes meet the dreams set up by their creators. BIG TIME (2017) Director: Kaspar Astrup Schroder. 1h33min. As one of the highlights of contemporary architectural production, ahead of the Danish BIG office, Bjarke Ingels is now considered one of the largest and most promising names in the creative industry. With an uneasy profile, always in search of new challenges - trying to overcome them, and above all creatively inspiring, in this documentary Ingels is portrayed from a professional and personal point of view. The Human Shelter (2018) Director: Boris Bertram
The Human Shelter Trailer from Creative Alliance on Vimeo. The Human Shelter, a documentary about what people value or "need" in their lives, ties into a fundamental quality that any architect would be foolish not to cultivate: the ability to listen and perceive what makes people feel at home. Bertram teamed up with IKEA to make the film and involved organizations such as the United Nations, NASA and the MoMA in New York.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Paul Cocksedge Designs Living Watercolor Pavilion for EXPO 2020 Posted: 07 Oct 2018 08:30 PM PDT  Living Watercolor UK Pavilion. Image Courtesy of Minmud British designer Paul Cocksedge's 'impossible' living watercolor design was selected as a finalist for the UK National Pavilion during Expo 2020 in Dubai. Every color in the pavilion comes from the flag of a nation exhibiting at the event, expressing unity, partnership and possibility. The overlapping shades reflect the theme of the Expo – Connecting Minds, Creating The Future. At the heart of the building, a sculptural centerpiece envelops visitors in color and light, giving the sense of an 'impossible' structure.  Living Watercolor UK Pavilion. Image Courtesy of Minmud Paul Cocksedge Studio was shortlisted as part of a competition organized by the UK government. The structure, designed in partnership with IDOM and Arup, would be made from thousands of translucent glass discs, overlaid on top of one another to create a three-dimensional chromatic experience that changes according to shifting sun and shade. "We were drawn to the idea of looking outwards for inspiration", says Paul Cocksedge. "This informed the entire architecture of the pavilion, which we designed as a sculptural watercolour that plays with the natural environment to connect with people."  Living Watercolor UK Pavilion. Image Courtesy of Minmud "The quality of design proposals we received for the UK Pavilion were testament to the UK's world leading creative talent," said Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP. "This announcement follows a competitive tender process which saw a number of leading designers and firms form consortia to bid for the multi-million-pound contract, and we are grateful for their submissions." Award-winning artist and designer Es Devlin OBE was eventually selected for the winning design of the UK Pavilion.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Scheune Minden / Architekten Stein Hemmes Wirtz Posted: 07 Oct 2018 08:00 PM PDT  © Linda Blatzek Photography
 © Linda Blatzek Photography Text description provided by the architects. The building on the edge of the forest of Minden an der Sauer stood empty for many years. Externally exposed to decay, its former use was still readable inside: a stable with a feeder on the ground floor and the large hay storage with signs of installation of a micro-apartment on the upper floor.  © Linda Blatzek Photography  Exploded Axonometric  © Linda Blatzek Photography The client's request was to revive the building and to reuse it. Both the client and the architect saw points of contact for use as a residential building but also as an exhibition and event space. It was necessary to preserve the existing generous volume of the barn and bring it to life. All serving functions are therefore hidden in a set wooden furniture element. The furniture is accessible and generates an upper-level gallery. Two stairs connect and stage the three levels.  Section In the exterior design of the building, features characterizing the location were deliberately preserved. Furniture element In the barn floor, all serving functions are housed in a wooden built-in furniture. Folded wooden staircases connect and stage the hallway and barn floor with the third level as a gallery.  © Linda Blatzek Photography  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 07 Oct 2018 07:00 PM PDT  © Bart Gosselin
 © Bart Gosselin Text description provided by the architects. House TP is located in the working-class area in Mechelen. A single woman with green fingers bought there a little house next to the church and asked dmvA to reconstruct it. The client had the desire to do urban farming, which is not evident in the center of the city. Moreover, the plot was fully built and the backside is oriented north, being in the shade of the house most of the time. A green spot behind the house seemed difficult due to the lack of sunlight. dmvA, therefore, decided to remove the rear of the building, except for one steel beam. The beam inspired them to add some extra beams and place a greenhouse on top. By making the greenhouse literally float, dmvA found a solution to the lack of light that ensured the patio to stay light and airy. The opening up of the parcel generates a beautiful view from the greenhouse or first floor, with the church as urban décor.  © Bart Gosselin  First Floor Plan  © Bart Gosselin  Second Floor Plan As there is less light reaching the ground floor due to the orientation of the house, dmvA placed the bedroom downstairs and the living room upstairs. Next, to the patio, there is a small living space that can also be used as a bedroom in the future. By removing all interior walls and creating open spaces, the house seems larger than it is, despite its small living area (80m2). The stairs are always placed on the side of the building so that the open spaces would not be disrupted. Recently a part was added on the second floor. dmvA removed that corner again, restored the building to its original form and built a roof terrace over there. The facades of the building are whitewashed, so the scars of the walls still come through and the history of the building is not completely covered up.  © Bart Gosselin  Section Diagram  © Bart Gosselin Where the garage door and entrance gate used to be, dmvA created an open space up to the patio. The result is a covered outdoor space underneath the house, where the car can be parked. The space is closed by a gate with steel blinds placed at an angle of 45 degrees. This kind of gate provides sufficient privacy but still gives an open, light impression. Previously, the dark corner at the gate was a problematic spot in the street, but with the intervention of dmvA, it has become a fresh corner that revives the street. dmvA not only created a house that met the wishes of the owner, but the refurbishment also led to a revival of the street.  © Bart Gosselin  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Toni Areal Roof Garden / Studio Vulkan Landscape Architecture Posted: 07 Oct 2018 06:00 PM PDT  © Roland Bernath
 © Filip Dujardin Text description provided by the architects. Density, urbanity and exciting intensity – 30 metres above ground in Zurich West. On the roof garden of the new University of the Arts on the site of the former Toni factory, the outdoor space creates a green oasis for students in an area where there has been a surge of new high-rises, technical buildings, chimneys, atriums and concert halls.  © Noemi Chow  Plan  Courtesy of Studio Vulkan Landscape Architecture Here, plants grow in wooden boxes stacked to create a pixel-like rugged landscape. It is a paradoxical garden: built in no time and ready for use on the final day of construction, it hasn't, unlike most parks, gone through a long development phase. Yet the lush garden is far from finished – its primary principle is not growth, but decay. A 2,600 m2 urban world with the appearance and radical individuality of a small private garden. The stacked boxes were pre-cultivated over two years with a colourful mix of plants suitable for the environment, including perennials, herbs and small shrubs such as willow.  © Daniela Valentini Eventually, the boxes will decay, the plant species will mix and the pixelated landscape will grow into soft mounds, forming the roof's base soil layer that will enable plant growth. This specific system and strong identity is the result of a careful study of the location and the envisaged intense level of use from the beginning, combined with the availability of water on the roof, short construction period and architectural limits on structural height. As a symbiosis of nature and artificiality, the rugged world of stacked pixels reflects the place and the environment. Here, the much-cited processuality of landscape architecture has been reversed: the process begins at the apparent end – with decay.  © Daniela Valentini  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Conservatory / Nadine Engelbrecht Posted: 07 Oct 2018 05:00 PM PDT  © Marsel Roothman
 © Marsel Roothman Text description provided by the architects. The principal requirement of the project consisted of creating a retreat for its occupants from a hectic urban lifestyle. The client obtained an underutilised 35 hectare farm outside of Pretoria with magnificent views. The house had to have a strong relationship with its immediate landscape and living spaces had to embrace the surroundings, breaking away from conventional space allocation.  © Marsel Roothman Since the main portion of the house would be inhabited by only two permanent users, they requested spacious volumes and dwelling spaces to be located on a single storey. Guest suites would be separate and not integrated into the circulation of the main house.  © Marsel Roothman Sloped natural grasslands and majestic views informed the design of a dwelling partially submerged in the hill. Veld grasses are allowed to flow continuously onto a portion of the roof and vegetation permeates the interior through a conservatory placed at the core of the building. Habitable spaces are oriented around the conservatory to make optimal use of surrounding views.  © Marsel Roothman  Sections + Elevations  © Marsel Roothman At the heart of the building, the conservatory is intentionally designed to be context specific with solid and translucent roof sheeting and sufficient insulation to optimise passive climate control. In winter the conservatory is configured to allow solar penetration while keeping cold air out. This passive heat is released into the adjoining living spaces by opening the desired partitions. In warm summer months an automated glass façade opens up the conservatory to creating an outside patio which allows natural cross ventilation to flow constantly though the house.  © Marsel Roothman Energy and water requirements are met completely "off-grid". Materials chosen for durability and low maintenance include cement washed bricks, exposed steel and concrete soffits. The industrial use of building materials continues to the interior closets, cupboards and kitchen.  © Marsel Roothman Upon entry of the conservatory a glass floor allows a glimpse into the wine cellar below, accessible only via a seamlessly integrated trap door. The main bedroom is located on the challenging western side of the house to enjoy bird watching into the tree canopy and brilliant sunset views. The large overhanging patio and timber shutters assist in eliminating unwanted afternoon sun. The remainder of spaces remain oriented north with optimal overhangs to ensure climate comfort throughout seasons. Seldom used guest suites are separately treated on the lower ground area with a private entrance and outdoor space.  © Marsel Roothman  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Return Café / Atelier FANZHENG Posted: 07 Oct 2018 04:00 PM PDT  Night View. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG
 Entrance. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG Text description provided by the architects. Kulangsu island has a superior geographical environment. The special colonial culture has brought a large number of Western architectures. However, After decades of erosion, the original building has become dilapidated. We hope to bring it renewed spirit by redesign. .jpg?1538183362 "Round Glass Curtain Wall. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG") Round Glass Curtain Wall. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG The original building is located in the courtyard of a hotel in Kulangsu island, where there is a difference in elevation. The fomer building is sprinkled with grey bricks and weeds spring up at will. The original wall structure and wood ceiling are seriously damaged, which cannot be used safely anymore. .jpg?1538183852 "Night View. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG") Night View. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG Surrounded by lush greenery, we want to make it a multi-functional, public party space for both catering and exhibitions. .jpg?1538183681 "Interior. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG") Interior. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG Design Concept
2. we design a cylindrical space in the middle of the building axis, the lower part forms a circular static pool, and the upper part forms a roof rest platform. People can ramble around the still water pool. .jpg?1538183408 "Round Glass Curtain Wall. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG") Round Glass Curtain Wall. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG  1st Floor Plan .jpg?1538183292 "Round Glass Curtain Wall. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG") Round Glass Curtain Wall. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG 3. Insert the steel structure girders into the wooden rafters of the original truss, and strengthen the original building by adding steel columns to ensure the safety of the building.  Round Glass Curtain Wall. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG 4. The pool not only connect the three functional areas of catering, exhibition and roof terrace to be connected but also maintain the independence of each other, forming a rich and interesting activity space.  6 Architectural Reality  Water Pool. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG Entering the cafe, you will see the water pool at first sight. the sky and the surrounding environment reflected on the pool. The symmetrical pattern and the wooden grille of the compartment also express a strong sense of order. .jpg?1538183335 "Round Glass Curtain Wall. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG") Round Glass Curtain Wall. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG Along the circular glass curtain wall, The exhibition space divides people flows into two sides , the left side is exhibition space and the right side is landscape space , forming a circular flow route.  Night View. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG When people approach the central still pool, they can see the curved sky when they look up. This place introduces the natural changes of the outside world into the interior, creating a diverse space atmosphere. .jpg?1538183539 "Entrance. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG") Entrance. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG The combination of light and wooden furniture and rammed earth walls creates a warm and comfortable feeling. We also preserved the rafters, tiles, and brick walls of the original building, which are part of the architectural texture, revealing the traces of time, allowing people to feel the memory of the building.  Mezzanine. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG Outside the cafe,the courtyard is open to the public. Surrounded by green plants , the courtyard connected to the open roof terrace. In the future, art salons, parties and creative markets will be held here , and private event venues will also be accepted. .jpg?1538183775 "Rooftop. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG") Rooftop. Image Courtesy of Atelier FANZHENG  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| AD Classics: Montreal Biosphere / Buckminster Fuller Posted: 07 Oct 2018 03:00 PM PDT  © Flickr user abdallahh This article was originally published on November 25, 2014. To read the stories behind other celebrated architecture projects, visit our AD Classics section. It was from this social and philosophical context that Fuller conceived his design for the Montreal Biosphere, the United States' pavilion for the 1967 World Exposition. For almost twenty years, Fuller had been perfecting his designs of geodesic domes, dotting the country with experimental golf ball-looking buildings and steadily cultivating his professional and popular notoriety. His obsession with this particular type of structure emerged from his interests in material efficiency, structural integrity, and modularity, the key ingredients of what he hoped would become a sustainable, easily replicable design intervention. Deploying these domes everywhere from restaurants to military facilities, the versatile structure became singularly associated with Fuller, as was humorously illustrated by a January 1964 cover of Time Magazine.  Time Magazine, January 10, 1964. Image © Time Inc. Of all of Fuller's domes, the Biosphere is perhaps the most spectacular. At a diameter of seventy-six meters, the expansive sphere reaches an astounding sixty-two meters into the sky and thoroughly dominates the island on which it is located. The volume contained within it is so spacious that it comfortably fits a seven-story exhibition building featuring the various programmatic elements of the exhibit. Even amidst the Exposition's other impressive attractions—including Frei Otto's steel cabled German Pavilion and Moshe Safdie's iconic Habitat 67—the Biosphere reigned supreme, attracting an event-high 5.3 million visitors within six months of its opening. [1]  © Flickr user Rodrigo Maia Geometrically, the dome is an icosahedron, a 20-sided shape formed by the interspersion of pentagons into a hexagonal grid. However, the clarity of this form is obfuscated by the fragmentation of its faces, which are subdivided into a series of equilateral triangles with minor distortions that bow the individual planar sections into shells. As a result, the aggregate composition of the dome is substantially more spherical than simple icosahedra, while the smaller units create dazzling visual complexity through sheer repetitiousness. This lattice-type structure is created entirely of three-inch steel tubes, welded at the joints and thinning gently toward the top of the structure so as to optimally distribute forces throughout the system.  © Flickr user Ehsan Originally sheathed in a thin acrylic membrane that was destroyed by fire in 1976, the dome as originally built was more opaque and visually solid than the version experienced today. However, its present structural nakedness, though unintended by the architect, creates a beautifully legible transparency that fully reveals the ingenuity of Fuller's design. Standing outside the building, sightlines through the sphere penetrate the shell on two surfaces without material differentiation, resulting in a continuous reading of interior and exterior surfaces as facets of a single structural fabric curving in on itself. With the acrylic infill removed, the experiential emphasis of the dome shifts from spatial enclosure to the sensorial wonder of the structure itself. The unchoreographed visibility of the exhibition building within, however, is forgivably less appealing, at times resembling a disquietingly modern take on snowglobe kitsch at the grandest of scales.  The 1976 fire. Image from Reddit.  © Flickr user Dan Sorensen As an architectural achievement, the Biosphere epitomizes Fuller's idealization of the promise of technology. Through holistic consideration, systemization and mass-production, he saw this project as an example of how architects could wield and deploy the instruments of innovation to create new species of hyper-efficient machines for the good of mankind. The beauty of the Biosphere's pure geometries was an aesthetic bonus, the intentional but subordinate success of a functionalist and ethical pursuit. However, the capacity of the structure to communicate this message of optimism-through-optimization may have been lost on those who sought and struggled to find practical applications for Fuller's invention. Although shell structures have endured as standard devices in the international architectural repertoire, geodesic domes in particular never achieved the mass-adoption Fuller hoped for, and his idealistic labors translated into few tangible gains for the human condition he sought to improve.  © Flickr user Richard Winchell Unfortunately, Fuller's uniquely hopeful philosophy about the power of the architect and the potential of technology was met with the same reception of intrigued skepticism that befell his dome. In response to the social upheavals of the late 1960s and the increasingly apparent failures of modernism, theorists in particular began to turn away from ethical positivism and humanism in general in their search for deeper meaning in architecture. Soon, with the widespread arrival of post-structural theory and its devolutions, the belief Fuller held in the primacy of an architectural moral imperative was all but abandoned by his peers. After the fire of 1976, the scarred Biosphere was abandoned and sealed off from the public, a tragic monument to a bygone era of hope and idealism.  © Flickr user Ehsan In 1990, after nearly fifteen years of disuse, the Biosphere was purchased by the Canadian government and re-purposed as an environmental exhibition space, dedicated to promoting an understanding of the St. Lawrence River and the ecosystem of the Great Lakes. It was a fitting tribute to Fuller, who has been widely recognized as one of the first architects to bring the concept of sustainability into widespread use. The rebirth of the Biosphere also heralded the emergence of sustainability theory as a realignment of architectural thought with the worldly concerns that the academe had since discounted, validating Fuller's tireless advocacy of an architectural profession grounded in service to nature and humanity.  © Flickr user Dan Sorensen [1] "Richard Buckminster Fuller: A Visionary Architect." Environment Canada. Retrieved 18 November 2014 from http://www.ec.gc.ca/biosphere/default.asp?lang=En&n=30956246-1 [2] Mallgrave, Harry Francis and David Goodman. An Introduction to Architectural Theory: 1968 to the Present. Wiley-Blackwell, United Kingdom: 2011. [3] Martin, Reinhold. "Crystal Balls." ANY: Architecture New York, No. 17, Forget Fuller? Everything you always wanted to know about Fuller but were afraid to ask (1997), pp. 35-39. [4] Section Drawing: Kalin, Survey of Building Materials, Systems, and Techniques. From Massey, Jonathan. "Buckminster Fuller's Cybernetic Pastoral: The United States Pavilion at Expo 67." Journal of architecture 11.4 (2006): 463-83.
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| Posted: 07 Oct 2018 01:00 PM PDT  © Christopher Frederick Jones
 © Christopher Frederick Jones Text description provided by the architects. Recently awarded a Commendation at the 2018 Houses Magazine Awards in the Alterations and Additions over 200m2 category, this project re-invigorates the life of an existing Queenslander cottage in inner-city Paddington. A new extension is carefully considered to mitigate the issues of a steep site and overlooking neighbors, creating platforms and private courtyards that extend the functioning ground plane.  © Christopher Frederick Jones  Sketch 1  © Christopher Frederick Jones Internal and external volumes interlock, expand and compress in a delightful sense of play, with geometric barrel vaults defining the significance of rooms. Views are edited while portions of the sky, trees, and mountains are carefully framed through a series of openings, peepholes and voids.  © Christopher Frederick Jones The crisp aesthetic of the new exterior amplifies the character of Brisbane's subtropical setting; - sharp light and shadow, bright blue skies and lush green landscapes, in deference to vernacular exemplars. Interior surfaces subtly reflect and play with natural light, while the restrained palette of materials and finishes highlight the essential qualities of what remains in a serene heightened atmosphere of calm.  © Christopher Frederick Jones  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Carme Pinós' Designed 2018 MPavilion Opens in Melbourne Posted: 07 Oct 2018 12:30 PM PDT  MPavilion 2018 / Carme Pinos. Image © John Gollings After a season packed with significant architecture news, Melbourne has announced the opening of the 2018 MPavilion designed by Carme Pinós. The pavilion is widely considered to be the southern hemisphere's answer to the Serpentine Pavilion, and has featured designers such as Rem Koolhaas, Bijoy Jain, and Amanda Levete. This year's design, from Spanish architect Carme Pinós, takes its inspiration from origami, with wings opening out to welcome the city into the pavilion itself. The roof, made of two distinct halves, is perched upon three mounds incorporating public seating.  MPavilion 2018 / Carme Pinos. Image © John Gollings Pinós explained: "In designing this year's MPavilion, I wanted firstly to make a space for the people of Melbourne to feel connected to each other, to the city they live in, and to nature. We are all part of the world, and architecture can tell that story and provide a place for us to experience life together. I hope the MPavilion becomes a flow of knowledge and creativity this summer." "Working with Carme to bring her inspiring MPavilion design to life has been an absolute pleasure," said Naomi Milgrom, chair of the Naomi Milgrom foundation and commissioner for the MPavilion 2018. "Carme's vision opens Australia to conversation about how to make our cities more inclusive through design. It's a privilege to commission a work with such international and future thinking insight." MPavilion 2018 is the fifth edition of the annual summer program, and is supported by the City of Melbourne, Victorian State Government through Creative Victoria and ANZ. Previous pavilions were design by Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten of OMA (2017), Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai (2016) and Amanda Levete (2015.)  MPavilion 2018 / Carme Pinos. Image © John Gollings  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Terence Bay Joinery Shop / Peter Braithwaite Studio Posted: 07 Oct 2018 11:00 AM PDT  © Peter Braithwaite
 © Julian Parkinson Text description provided by the architects. The Back Bay Joinery Shops are located in the culturally rich community of Terence Bay, Nova Scotia. The shops provide a creative space for our firm to test, develop and construct design ideas. In collaboration with our design team, our skilled carpenters and cabinet makers use these shops to develop architecture models, scale design detail mock-ups, and fabricate much of the furniture and millwork that can be found in the buildings we create. The programmatic goal of the project was to create spaces that enable a fluid and efficient workflow between design, fabrication, and finishing.  © Jason Petersson By locating the buildings adjacent to the property road, the workshops respect and minimize the footprint on the sensitive coastal environment as well as strategically restricting the movement of larger vehicles on the property. The central location of the shops on the property also aims to minimize the noise emitted to maintain strong relationships with the local community.  © Peter Braithwaite The larger workshop provides a dynamic space for carpentry, design and fabrication while the smaller workshop is primarily used for finishing work and storage. The compositional relationship between the two shops and the courtyard creates an interconnected space that handles a diverse range of projects and fabrication techniques. As a result, both structures are formally connected by large garage doors and a spacious gravel courtyard. The intermediary space is a multi-use area used as exterior shop space in the summer months as well as a space for loading and unloading finished projects. The strong formal axial relationship between the shops allows a productive assembly system as well as minimizing unnecessary efficiencies between materials and carpenters.  © Julian Parkinson  Floor Plan - Elevations  © Peter Braithwaite A simple gable form and a humble material palette reflects our firm's dedication to honouring the vernacular forms and material culture of the place in which buildings reside. The shops were entirely built by our firm's carpenters and local tradesmen from the Terence Bay area with the intent to support local businesses and forge strong personal relationships in the surrounding community. The compact and carefully considered design allowed both structures to be built efficiently by a small carpentry team, which in turn drastically reduced the overall cost of construction.  Joinery Shops Axo The Back Bay Joinery Shops exhibit all the core values of our firm: a deep appreciation for design, dedication to craftsmanship, and commitment to build projects that fully integrate with the local community. The shops have been instrumental in helping our firm take on a wider range of projects and has created a deeper connection between our design and our construction teams.  © Peter Braithwaite  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Storefront for Art and Architecture Appoints José Esparza Chong Cuy as Executive Director Posted: 07 Oct 2018 07:00 AM PDT  Courtesy of Storefront for Art and Architecture José Esparza Chong Cuy has been appointed as the new Executive Director and Chief Curator at Storefront for Art and Architecture. Following the departure of former director Eva Franch i Gilabert to London as the new Director of the Architectural Association, the extensive international search to fill her shoes began. An architect, curator, and writer, originally from Mexico, Esparza Chong Cuy was named and will assume the position starting November 1st. Storefront, a non-profit organization based in New York City, engages in the advancement of design and architecture with interdisciplinary dialogue through exhibitions and projects that aim to transcend geographic and ideological boundaries. Charles Renfro, President of Storefront's Board of Directors, remarks, "We are thrilled to welcome José to the helm of Storefront, the very institution where he began his curatorial career over a decade ago."  Courtesy of Storefront for Art and Architecture After starting his young career as a Curatorial Associate at Storefront, Esparza Chong Cuy went on to serve as a Research Fellow at the New Museum, Contributing Editor at Domus magazine, Co-Curator of the Lisbon Architecture Triennale, Associate Curator at Museo Jumex in Mexico City, and the Pamela Alper Associate Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA), before returning to the institution.  Courtesy of Storefront for Art and Architecture From his prior term at MCA, Esparza Chong Cuy will continue to oversee the curation of a solo exhibition of Jonathas de Andrade featuring a major retrospective of the work of Lina Bo Bardi, in collaboration with Museu de Arte de São Paulo and Museo Jumex. His other curations highlighting the works of international artists reflect his global background, an aspect critical to the principles and ideologies of Storefront.  Courtesy of Storefront for Art and Architecture
In addition to his impressive work experience, Esparza Chong Cuy holds a Master of Science in Critical, Curatorial, and Conceptual Practices in Architecture from Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, as well as a Bachelor of Architecture from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente in Guadalajara, Mexico. News via: Storefront for Art and Architecture  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Bragado Building / BBC Arquitectos Posted: 07 Oct 2018 06:00 AM PDT  © Manuel Ciarlotti Bidinost
 © Manuel Ciarlotti Bidinost Text description provided by the architects. The research is based on the articulation of the different scales and project natures, making coexist one of the first irruptions of the fabric of low density with the indeterminate domestic scale.  © Manuel Ciarlotti Bidinost A typical tissue of the "town" of Buenos Aires is a site for the construction of a building that combines a commercial space with housing units. It is inserted on the most developed commercial corridor of the city near the main Plaza, the Church, the Municipality, and the Cultural Center.  © Manuel Ciarlotti Bidinost The building is projected in two regular blocks, composed of generous interior spaces which are hierarchized through two voids, one central: the contemplative patio, and one perimeter: of extensive visuals.  © Manuel Ciarlotti Bidinost The central patio receives and distributes the users between the two blocks, at the same time that it provides and ensures an intimate atmosphere of crossed visuals between the different units.  Longitudinal section The facade as well as the counterfaced are worked in two planes, one glazed that allows a great light and complete visuals and another textile that works as a screen that regulates the climate and the interior privacy, filters the visuals of the street and average the entrance of natural light.  © Manuel Ciarlotti Bidinost The units can be easily transformed by the users, the indeterminate interior spaces will be able to change according to the use and the will of the inhabitant. They are made up of generous open spaces that offer a freedom of occupation and adaptation to the lifestyle of each inhabitant. All the houses incorporate exterior spaces.  © Manuel Ciarlotti Bidinost  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 35 Fireplaces that Spark Architectural Interest Posted: 07 Oct 2018 05:00 AM PDT  © Weiqi Jin From the beginning of time, human beings have gathered around the fire. The first settlements and huts included in their interior a small bonfire to cook and maintain the heat of its inhabitants. This tradition has continued to the present, and chimneys and fireplaces have developed into the most varied designs and forms, providing possibilities both inside and outside a home. To give you ideas for materials, structures, and spatial configurations, we present 35 remarkable meeting places around the fire. Refugi Lieptgas / Georg Nickisch + Selina Walder © Ralph Feiner krakani lumi / Taylor and Hinds Architects © Adam Gibson Lake Cottage / UUfie © Naho Kubota LANDHAUS / Thomas Kröger Architekt © Thomas Heimann Squish Studio / Saunders Architecture © Bent René Synnevåg Atrium House / Tham & Videgård Arkitekter © Åke E- son Lindman The Hill House / David Coleman © Lara Swimmer House in Brissago / Wespi de Meuron Romeo architects © Hannes Henz One Column House / NE-AR © Mike Mercau Kettukallio / Playa Architects © Tuomas Uusheimo EDUT / Dank Architectes © Kevin Buy Back Country House / LTD Architectural Design Studio © Jo Smith Villa Ensemble / AFGH © Valentin Jeck Timber House / KÜHNLEIN Architektu Cortesía de KÜHNLEIN Architektur Shokan House / Jay Bargmann © Brad Feinknopf House W / HPSA © Dietmar Hammerschmid Alto San Francisco House / CAW Arquitectos © Nico Saieh Cabin Norderhov / Atelier Oslo © Lars Petter Pettersen 100 Norfolk Street / ODA Cortesía de ODA Park Lane House / Kennedy Nolan Architects © Derek Swalwell The Chimney House / Onix Cortesía de onix The Midden Garden Pavilion / Metropolis Design © Wieland Gleich Mountain House / Studio Razavi architecture © Olivier Martin Gambier Island Houses / Tham & Videgård Arkitekter Cortesía de Tham & Videgård Arkitekter Union Wharf / Nicholas Szczepaniak Architects © Nicholas Worley House ACP / Candida Tabet Arquitetura © Fran Parente Walker + Simunic Residence / JaK Studio © Francesco Russo BVLE House / Live Incorporadora © Marcelo Donadussi Casa Alta / AS/D Asociacion de Diseño © Rafael Gamo House W / 01Arq © Mauricio Fuertes Around Fireplace / Ruetemple Cortesía de Ruetemple House CM / Además arquitectura © Gonzalo Viramonte House in Akashi / arbol © Yasunori Shimomura L'And Vineyards Hotel / PROMONTORIO + Studio MK27 - Marcio Kogan © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG B Garden / 3andwich Design / He Wei Studio © Weiqi Jin  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Stair-Case Malasaña / Mariana de Delás + Marcos Duffo Posted: 07 Oct 2018 02:00 AM PDT  © Imagen Subliminal
 © Imagen Subliminal Text description provided by the architects. Stair-Case Malasaña is the result of an exploration on how to grow up in altitude using the minimum plan space whilst using the staircase as the generator for complementary activities. The client owned a 46sq meter apartment with a small ladder up to the attic which was unventilated and humid and only used for insulation and storage. The proposal was to enhance this area by opening it to the main room and use it as an extra bedroom for guests.  © Imagen Subliminal  Refurbished Layout Plan  © Imagen Subliminal Creating a new connection between the main area and the lofted top space becomes the central issue of the project as it helps solve different issues on a single stroke. The resulting staircase is at the same time an extensión of the minuscule bathroom, a low TV stand, a high table, an elevated studio for a desk and a small exhibition space. The large steel pieces were welded in the shop and brought in to be assembled on site, thus allowing for a level of precisión more akin to a giant piece of furniture than a stair.
White lackered 3cm steel bars give the ensemble a lightweight feel, while thin pink steel landings and steps seem to float on their way up. The door to the bathroom is partly concealed by a perforated steel plate that separates it from the main living area. All the apartment windows being on the same wall, it was important to reduce solid partitions in order to preserve a good ventilation and an optimal reach of sunlight.
Reclaimed free-standing wooden doors with translucid glass and a wooden sliding door allow for a great flexibility of use and different plan configurations, thus bringing in natural light to the bedroom and kitchen. To counter the small scale of the apartment and avoid a confined feel, all walls and floors are painted white. A large steel planter hung on the outside of the main window extends the interior space beyond the facade and masks the view from the very near neighbors. In the kitchen space, the splashboard is replaced with a mirror so as to be able to see the window when cooking.
 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Why is CDMX the 2018 World Design Capital? Posted: 07 Oct 2018 01:00 AM PDT  Cortesía de Danae Santibáñez At first sight, when approaching CDMX from the sky, is overwhelming. A sea of buildings indicates an arrival to the fifth most populated capital in the world. The size of the city, makes it difficult to recognize its limits, so it is inevitable to use urban and suburban landmarks such as the Zócalo square (downtown), Tamayo Museum in Chapultepec Park (West), University City, the Frida Kahlo Museum (Coyoacán), and Ciudad Satélite (north exit), to orient yourself. Located in a strategic geographical position within the traditional routes of design, the city benefits from the connections and close interactions with North America and Europe. Fortunately, these external tendencies are refined within the "local" filter; the vast history and tradition of indigenous Mexican cultures permeate foreign influences making them unique creations, with a marked interest in native materials and working techniques.  Cortesía de Danae Santibáñez Architecture, design, cooking, art, music, among other creative expressions, are exhibited in museums and galleries, as well as in the city itself. Fundación UNAM's records indicate that Mexico City has 170 museums and 43 galleries, offering a wide range of opportunities to exhibit and experience design in the city. Meanwhile, rising gentrification in colonies, such as Doctores, Obrera, Tabacalera, among others, has generated changes in land uses impacting them in both positive and negative ways. Within the good, the architectural rehabilitation of industrial buildings has flourished, introducing mixed programs: housing, services and culture.  Cortesía de Danae Santibáñez  Cortesía de Danae Santibáñez The Design Week Mexico team, which has been promoting local design since 2009, asked for government support to apply for the World Design Organization (WDO)'s World Design Capital 2018. CDMX became the sixth city, the first in the Americas, to receive that recognition.  © Jaime Navarro The World Design Capital program promotes and encourages the use of design to enhance the economic, social, cultural and environmental development of the cities of the world. They define themselves as an organization "focused on deepening the experience of inhabiting and transforming the city through exhibitions and cultural events." For which, they guided the call in six thematic axes; inhabitant, public space, environment, mobility, identity, and creative economy.  Cortesía de Design Week Mexico The next activities occur between October 10-14th highlighting Tamayo Project, Unpublished, and Vision & Tradition. For more information, you can review World Design Capital and Design Week Mexico's online programming.  Cortesía de Design Week Mexico  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Architectural Intervention: Transforming Venice’s Historic Structures to Fit Contemporary Needs Posted: 07 Oct 2018 12:00 AM PDT  via OMA The history of Venice's architecture, as seen today, is a semblance of styles centuries old. A destination rich in culture, many of Venice's existing buildings, from homes alongside the thin interior canals to the grand domed churches of Palladio, have remained stagnant in their overall design and layout since the 16th century. Once a hub of Byzantine and European trade, the city now thrives on a steady stream of tourism and a foundational group of local residents. The structures that make up the city's compact matrix, once integral to its function as a commercial empire, have come to take on new functions through architectural intervention; notably, architects such as Carlo Scarpa, OMA, and Tadao Ando have had a large hand in this process.  via OMA The Fondaco dei Tedeschi at the foot of the Rialto has served many functions since its initial construction in 1228. As referenced in its name, it was once the main trading post for German merchants. During the reign of Napoleon, the building served as a customs house, while under Mussolini it was transformed into the fascist regime's central post office. In 1506, the building, as seen today, was constructed. In 2009, OMA devised an extensive architectural and programming scheme that preserved the historic nature of the building. The OMA design team emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the interior courtyard as a public gathering space while expanding the limitations of the structure to create new vantage points of the city. The interior rooms, preserved in their original sequence, now house designer retail displays. The rooftop viewing deck was one of the firm's largest interventions.
 © Luca Girardini For many traveling by ship, Punta della Dogana, the customs house at the western tip of Dorsoduro, marked the maritime entrance into the city. Originally designed by Giuseppe Benoni, the building maintained this function until the 1980s. Abandoned for twenty years, at the turn of the 21st century the city of Venice began the restoration and revitalization of the structure and transformed it into a contemporary exhibition space. Architect Tadao Ando preserved the integrity of the structure, revitalizing the history of the building by designing a space in which the old and the new coexist in equilibrium.  © Bruno Vanbesien Bridges in the city of Venice are almost as important as the buildings themselves. Santiago Calatrava's Ponte della Constituzione was commissioned to connect Piazzale Roma, the main vehicle parking and passenger drop-off area, to the Venice's central train station. In an entirely pedestrian-centric city, these terminals are bustling hubs that allow people to feed in and out of the city daily.  © Alessandro Spadavecchia Beginning the process in 1999, Calatrava was commissioned to design a 94-meter long bridge that spanned the canal. It was seamlessly integrated, with careful consideration of pedestrian traffic routes, into the aesthetics of the surrounding buildings. At either end, the light hue of the Venetian pavement meets blocks of embedded Istria and Trachite stone. The tempered glass of the bridge's main curvature is lit to expose the central backbone of shallow steps, allowing persons with limited mobility to utilize the main pedestrian path into Venice – a novel feature for the ancient city.  via OMA  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Designing for Children: How Adult Decisions Shape Young Minds Posted: 06 Oct 2018 11:00 PM PDT  Courtesy MAD Architects. Image The tale began with a simple idea - a toy that every child, regardless of age and ability, can play, dream, and learn with. But things turned out less than simple. Fights, lawsuits, and even a death all mark the road it took to make a now-ubiquitous toy a reality. The object in question? Lego. It's tales such as this one that Alexandra Lange explores in her new book, The Design of Childhood: How the Material World Shapes Independent Kids. Some may scoff at the seemingly trivial subject matter. Surely children, with their boundless imaginations and appetite for play, can discover ways to find fun in anything.
 Bri-Plax Interlocking Building Cubes, a Hilary Page design. Made in England. 1939.. ImagePhotograph by Chas Saunter, hilarypagetoys.com But it's how those toys play a role in shaping the minds of those children - and ultimately those adults - that interests Lange. A renowned design journalist and critic, Lange's book chases the histories and tales of childhood and its objects to tell us what makes these objects are so important. But it's the book's primary perspective - that objects for children should be appreciated thusly, and not as training wheels for adulthood - that is most notable. A full review of the book (and the story behind the history of Lego) can be read in Metropolis Magazine. .jpg?1538910360 "Getty Images for RIBA. ImageAssemble's Brutalist Playground") Getty Images for RIBA. ImageAssemble's Brutalist Playground  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 06 Oct 2018 10:00 PM PDT  Courtesy of BAST
 Courtesy of BAST Text description provided by the architects. The new refectory building lands on a new forecourt and is limited by the road. The ground floor level of the existing school becomes the reference 0.00 level for the forecourt and the refectory so that all the buildings are at the same height.  Courtesy of BAST  Floor Plan  Courtesy of BAST The refectory is entirely made of wood: CLT wood panels, structural CLT roof panels. Isolated from the outside, the exterior cladding is also larch wood panels. The new project gives the opportunity to restore the same level of operation to buildings, generates a step that can benefit new educational activities and uses a rational and very fast construction system on site allowing to release a maximum of glazed volumes to keep the buildings. through views and benefit from maximum natural light indoors.  Courtesy of BAST  Sections  Courtesy of BAST  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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