Arch Daily |
- Exploring Your Project in Virtual Reality: 7 Tips from the Experts Who Make It
- 11 Online Courses for Architects and Students
- Alexandra Palace / Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
- Tiny Holiday Home / i29 interior architects + Chris Collaris
- Nanjing Times Mansion Metropolitan Aesthetic Center / Nanjing Tianhua Architectural Design
- ANHS House / G+ Architects
- Cecil St House / Chan Architecture
- The Renovation of JiJiaDun Village Center / Yzscape
- The Ilma / LABOTORY
- AD Classics: Kuwait National Assembly Building / Jørn Utzon
- Cais do Sertão Museum / Brasil Arquitetura
- Brazilian Houses: 9 Examples of Residential Vernacular Architecture
- Venturi Scott Brown's Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery London Receives AIA 25 Year Award
- Library de Kimpel / Adem Architecten
- Manufactured Cities: A Case Study of the First Smart City in Brazil
| Exploring Your Project in Virtual Reality: 7 Tips from the Experts Who Make It Posted: 13 Jan 2019 09:00 PM PST  Courtesy of Enscape Virtual reality offers benefits that, just years ago, were hardly even imaginable. Projects can be walked through before being built; the interiors fully visualized before all the details are decided. It allows architects and clients the ability to work as true collaborators in the design of a project. As firms continue to develop their expertise in the new medium, these benefits can only grow. The experts behind Enscape, a revolutionary real-time rendering software, are making this happen. Indeed, in one particularly successful VR experience, a client who was for years dissatisfied with a project worked with his architects using VR to come to a satisfying new design in just a few hours. Any architect who has struggled to satisfy a client knows what a dream this can be. Enscape is a plugin that creates not just instantaneous, high-quality visualizations (no more waiting for the cloud) but also lets users continue to design and develop within a fully rendered model. This seamless process has obvious benefits, but new users may be unsure what to keep in mind as they get started. Here, the tips and insights from the experts: Make VR Visualisation Part of Everyday PracticeThe traditional visualization process is one adjacent to practice and takes time away from project development. Detailed renderings can take long to complete, while quick ones can give only the barest idea of a space. Enscape abandons this approach, allowing designers to visualise and adapt their project in real time. Even at early concept stages (when few designers would even consider rendering), a quick visualisation might offer insight into basic elements that can be difficult to change later The ease with which you can render with Enscape means that there's never a reason not to. Modify Projects While Within a Rendering Courtesy of Enscape Iteration may be the hallmark of the design process, but that doesn't mean that it's always easy to achieve. Renderings in particular have traditionally shown a frozen moment in the design process. The time they take to achieve often means designers are forced to repeatedly reference old images. Enscape upends this frustrating friction, combining modeling with visualization to allow users to change their projects - and see those changes - in real time. Lag is a thing of the past, even when rendering visually complex materials or surfaces. As items are added or removed from the model, so are they added or removed in the visualization. Quickly Spot ProblemsOne of the greatest benefits of real-time visualization is the ability to quickly spot otherwise undetectable problems. These can range from trivial (screens placed in an area that receives sun glare) to significant (outsized scale, confusing circulation). Seeing the space as it would be experienced - rather than as an array of colored masses - allows designers and clients to catch and fix problems immediately. As designers do embed visualisation in every stage of their design process, surprise design issues might also become a thing of the past.  Courtesy of Enscape Curate Your Own ExperienceMany new users imagine virtual reality to be a strictly curated experience - one that can take significant time to assemble and coordinate. It doesn't need to be. While setting up views and perspectives ahead of a presentation can cut out the stressful scramble, Enscape's lack of lag also means you can also explore the model on the fly. Unlike many programs, Enscape doesn't require time to load new views. It can also handle project adjustments in real time, allowing users to take client feedback into account instantaneously. Choose Your Level of DetailWhile rendering a project throughout the process can be a helpful way to gauge progress, it's not always necessary (or even helpful) to focus on detail. Enscape offers a range of rendering settings, allowing the user to choose their preferred level of complexity. At its simplest, it's focused on high performance and provides a simplistic image, at it's highest, it provides state-of-the-art technology to achieve photo-realistic images. All of these settings can be used in VR.  Courtesy of Enscape The Draft Mode is useful for a quick impression of the space. This mode fully models all elements, but does not add rendered details such as lighting or finishes. In the Medium Mode, there is Global Illumination in non-VR visualisation (ie, desktop visualisation) and more detailed graphics overall. When presenting to clients or doing a review with the project team, it may be useful to switch to the High and Ultra Modes, both of which present the renderings in lifelike detail. Both modes require powerful graphics cards (recommended Graphics Cards for the Ultra mode are the Nvidia Quadro P6000 or GTX 1080 or higher) and renders the project with all set details, materials, backgrounds, and illumination. Choose the Hardware that Works for YouEnscape's adaptability means that it can be used with a range of popular visualization headsets; The most popular today include Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and WMR. Each option offers different benefits, and different situations, users, and needs might call for a different setup. Enscape visualizations can be viewed seamlessly on every major type. A brief guide to the three major players: Oculus Rift: Oculus Rift is lighter and more mobile than your average headset, making it ideal for presentations out of the office. It is also comfortable and non-restrictive, so users who are less familiar with VR might find this a less disorienting experience. Additionally, its high resolution and HTC Vive: HTC Vive boasts excellent tracking (less lag than some headsets) and colors (thanks to its OLED display) - but this quality comes with less mobility. Because this hardware is more difficult to set up, it is best suited for stationary VR Rooms. As VR becomes more standard practice, VR spaces might become as (if not more) common as model shops in architecture offices. WMR: WMR has arguably the highest resolution and the easiest setup, but its stringent hardware requirements means that it is perhaps not the best option for beginners. That said, experienced users will likely prefer this option, as it is arguably the best. Talk to the ExpertsLearning a new software is often a one-way street, and new users are on their own to discover the nuances and solve specific issues. With Enscape, however, developers, are reachable through software forums meaning users can reach out for clarification at any time. Additionally, Enscape developers seek feedback from the users themselves when making updates, meaning it is truly a software for architects. Virtual Reality may sound daunting, but it doesn't need to be. Enscape is, among all available softwares, especially dedicated to making the integration of VR a seamless one. Soon enough, the tips above will be common knowledge to all. Additional Articles:
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| 11 Online Courses for Architects and Students Posted: 13 Jan 2019 08:00 PM PST  <a href="https://www.Vecteezy.com">Vecteezy!</a> Online courses have gained more and more recognition in the past couple of years. In addition to the flexibility and convenience of learning wherever and whenever you want, they provide access to content from well-respected professors and colleges. In the field of architecture and construction, online courses have grown exponentially. Last year, we compiled a list that focused mainly on constructive and material techniques. This time we selected 15 online courses covering a range of subjects. We hope this selection of courses can help you with your next project. The Art of Structural Engineering: VaultsCreated by: Princeton University Parametric Design and OptimizationCreated by: Stanford School of Engineering Architectural Construction SystemsCreated by: Michael Neatu Introduction to Kinetic FacadesCreated by: EDS Global Home Automation For Beginners: Create Your Own Smart HomeCreated by: Gerard ODriscoll Fundamentals of Structural AnalysisCreated by: Dr. Seán Carroll Introduction to Structural Steel DesignCreated by: Adam Brittan Design of bridges: Concept, Modeling, Analysis, and DesignCreated by: Ayman Kandeel Learn To Read Structural Drawings: From Zero To HeroCreated by: Gokul Saud The Art of Structures 1: Cables and ArchesCreated by: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne How a Building is Designed and Built (6 Part Series)Created by: Matthew Morris  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Alexandra Palace / Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios Posted: 13 Jan 2019 07:00 PM PST  © Keith Armstrong
 © Keith Armstrong Text description provided by the architects. Largely hidden for over 80 years, Alexandra Palace's East Court and Theatre has reopened following the completion of a hugely ambitious, three-year East Wing Restoration Project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Haringey Council.  © Lloyd Winters  Ground floor plan  © Lloyd Winters The formerly neglected spaces offer their own particular delight and historic significance. Built on a monumental scale, and the twin of the West Wing's Palm Court, the East Court was once a grand exhibition space, part of a wider experience of promenade and spectacle so beloved of the Victorian public. The 19th-century theatre, dark for over eighty years, bears a highly atmospheric patina of age. It is a true 'found space', a miraculous survivor of decades of disuse and the disastrous fire in 1980 that destroyed much of the Palace.  © Richard Batty  © Richard Batty The spaces newly opened to the public will support and broaden the Palace's eclectic cultural programme, providing new ways for the public to use and enjoy the "People's Palace". The East Court is now open all day as a welcoming communal space, with a café and Creative Learning Zone for visiting schools groups to follow in the new year. Famed for its innovations in creativity, learning and public entertainment, visitors will learn about the extraordinary history of Alexandra Palace, the colourful characters who have made their name there and will have the chance to create their own connections and memories.  Section - Theatre Matt Somerville, Associate at FCBStudios said: "When we first arrived it was clear that what makes these spaces unique, especially the theatre, was evocative legibility of its past: its use as a theatre, then a cinema, as a prop store by the BBC and its subsequent abandonment, these could all be read in the fabric of the building. This created a space with a very powerful character."  © Lloyd Winters "In bringing it back to life we've done an enormous amount of work so the Theatre can support a diversity of uses and formats it could never accommodate before – but most of this work is behind the scenes, hidden from view. Above all, it felt important not to erase the character of the space, that tangible sense of perspective across its 140-year history. We've added another distinct layer to that story, but it's one of many."  © Richard Batty  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Tiny Holiday Home / i29 interior architects + Chris Collaris Posted: 13 Jan 2019 06:00 PM PST  © Ewout Huibers
 © Ewout Huibers Text description provided by the architects. With a footprint of only 55 m2 this house still has a luxurious feel of space, and all around panoramas to the surrounding nature. This compact home is built for a family of four, including a living room, a kitchen/dining room, a patio, three bedrooms, one bathroom and two toilets. The layout is developed from the inside-out, the smart arrangement of functions make use of every cm2.  © Ewout Huibers
 © Ewout Huibers Situated on a elongated island plot close to the lake, the positioning of the building volume is related to the views on the surrounding water and the orientation on the sun. By dividing the volume into four parts, the panoramic views and the invading sunlight become very specific. On the outside the diversity in size and the interconnected positioning create a sculptural image, looking different from every angle. In order to intensify this sculptural quality, all facades have a minimal design with invisible roof endings and window frames detailled behind the wood facade. All volumes have big windows or sliding doors which can be opened completely to fully merge the inside with the outside. On the inside, the dimensions and ceiling heights of the different volumes clearly articulate the separate area's and functions in the house. Long sightlines crossing the outside patio provide a visual connection. By opening up large sliding doors of the patio the volumes of the kitchen and living are physically connected.  © Ewout Huibers  Ground floor plan  © Ewout Huibers Custom furniture and integrated cabinets accentuate the graphical quality on the inside. We made use of simple materials like natural oak wooden panels -or stained black to combine with the rough pinewood facade- and a continuing polished concrete floor.  © Ewout Huibers We strived for a design strategy in which architecture and interior come together in a model combination. Each volume has its own program. By linking interior components to the architecture and vice versa, the result is a high quality project not dependent of expensive materials or technical show. In every detail we aimed for the ultimate space efficient solution. Every aspect of the design is approached to produce a pure and unified experience to leave a strong impression. Making quality projects is, in our opinion, not always 'the bigger the better'. With simple yet smart interventions this project is of the highest standard and at the same time energy efficient, eco-friendly, and built with a small footprint. In this sense it's a model example of a tiny house; smart, comfortable but with no consessions to quality in both the interior and architectural design; small is beautiful.  © Ewout Huibers  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Nanjing Times Mansion Metropolitan Aesthetic Center / Nanjing Tianhua Architectural Design Posted: 13 Jan 2019 05:00 PM PST  The main entrance of the building hidden under the light and the "window of time" on the second floor. Image © Jianghe Zeng
 Architecture and courtyard landscape reflect each other. Image © Jianghe Zeng Text description provided by the architects. As Louis Kahn said: "All material in nature, the mountains and the streams and the air and we, are made of Light which has been spent, and this crumpled mass called material casts a shadow, and the shadow belongs to Light." We use the light as the director, shadow as the protagonist, and space narrative to guide people to experience individuality and unique light & shadow space.  Light and shadow on the building's simple and powerful carving. Image © Jianghe Zeng This project is located in a city park. The site is narrow and the surrounding environment is noisy. We designed a box, a mirror-like waterscape, and an L- shaped cloister to counter the narrowness of the site. The irregular plot is the parking lot. The reflection of the building merges with the mottled light and shadow in the corridor, which continuously carves and extends the space and endows the space with tranquility.  The real scene of the Time Mansion Metropolitan Aesthetic Center. Image © Jianghe Zeng Light & Shadow Carving  Light and shadow space 3 light spaces The Ultra-white U-shaped glass has a soft and translucent texture in daylight. The continuous horizontal of light gray stone records the flow of the time when the light changes.  U-glass after the gentle light, Zen garden landscape, dynamic light and shadow space intertwined. Image © Jianghe Zeng Light & Shadow Space  Quiet, elegant leisure space. Image © Jianghe Zeng  Overlooking the polygonal spiral staircase and lounge area. Image © Jianghe Zeng People in the upper and lower layers of the "light lobby" are connected by a linear and delicate two-story space, creating a spatial dialogue; under the light and shadow, the poetry of space and materials is inadvertently presented.  The first floor of the reception hall of Light looks at the roof linear sunroof. Image © Jianghe Zeng The skylight of the "light display area" is square, where the light passes through folded aluminum sheets to form shadows; refracted and diffused by the light grey stones, the light roams around the rhythmic short walls around, giving space the unique temperament of a museum.  An artistic display area. Image © Jianghe Zeng "Leisure area of light" interconnections with the corridor and the leisure area with the large rectangular side hall. Light filters through the roof louvers, recording the interactions between time and space.  Second floor corridor space in the afternoon. Image © Jianghe Zeng  U-glass after the gentle light, Zen garden landscape, dynamic light and shadow space intertwined. Image © Jianghe Zeng Light & Shadow Sequence  Looking back at the second floor of the reception hall of Light, the poetic expression of light and shadow space and materials. Image © Jianghe Zeng In the courtyard space, the buildings and the landscapes integrate each other, enlarging the narrow space and enriching the space experience.  Light and shadow changing reception area stone wall. Image © Jianghe Zeng Fragmented scenes in the L-shaped cloister, leave people with expectations for the venues ahead.  The reflection of the building in the mirror waterscape and the shadow of the corridor in the corridor after the light through the metal mesh curtain. Image © Jianghe Zeng The folded staircase at the end of the recreation area looks like a sculpture, suggesting an important streamline to the second floor.  A polygonal corridor extends the path of people's travel. Image © Jianghe Zeng Conclusion  Corridor reflection and mirror waters-cape. Image © Jianghe Zeng  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 13 Jan 2019 04:00 PM PST  © Quang Tran
 © Quang Tran Text description provided by the architects. ANHS House is located in the newly developed residental area in the suburb of HCM City surrounded by weeds and canal, is the place of many insects impacts on community. The same as a life of human in Mekong Delta of Viet Nam, the enviroment with a variety of insects adversely affects their daily activities, they have to live depend on mosquito net. That challenge creates an opportunity for architect to design a place adapt to the surrounding environment.  © Quang Tran  Section  © Quang Tran The house is the family of 3 generations ( grandparents live with their children and grandchildren ), in the midst of quite and fesh residental area, our design need a ventilation to take advantage of the airflow but also avoid insects.  © Quang Tran The design liberate horizontally our space on the bottom and top floors with the continuation of the living and dining, the top floor is completely released being an indoor playground and the shrine room, becomes a cuboidal element floating in the vast space.  © Quang Tran  Courtesy of G+ Architects  © Quang Tran Main façade of the house is the form of cross-cast concrete beams are shaded from the outside with the function of blocking rain and sun also being a multi-functional level to sit or place bonsai pots inside. The combination of ventilation tiles and insect-proof mesh is a membrane protection, like a huge mosquito net covering the inner family activities.  © Quang Tran  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Cecil St House / Chan Architecture Posted: 13 Jan 2019 03:00 PM PST  © Tatjana Plitt
 © Tatjana Plitt Text description provided by the architects. This project was a renovation and extension to a single fronted, double storey Victorian terrace house in South Melbourne. The existing house was long and narrow, and consisted of a series of dark, dilapidated rooms planned in a linear configuration. In addition, the site had numerous challenges, with limited access, 100‐year‐old two storey brick walls on both long boundaries and a site that sloped away to the rear.  © Tatjana Plitt The brief was to create a striking, modern extension with light filled open spaces whilst reconstructing the period house at the front.  Floor Plans We started by locating all the wet areas – bathrooms and laundries in the centre of the house, with access to internal courtyards which also allowed light into the kitchen and bedrooms via a series of skylights and light shafts. This allowed the main living spaces to open up to the rear, allowing light and natural ventilation through the house.  © Tatjana Plitt The client also wanted to create a house that had its' own identity and personality which viewed from the rear courtyard. So we custom‐designed a laser‐cut metal screening device at the rear that makes reference to the period iron lacework at the front of the house. So whilst it is made of metal and has a lace‐like appearance, it also appears very light and provides varying levels of transparency. It also provides privacy to the upstairs bedrooms and creates interesting shadows through the day.  © Tatjana Plitt Internally, the open stairs connect the three levels up to a large roof deck, which provides additional open space for the clients to enjoy. It also provides a thermal chimney effect to minimise the need for mechanical cooling.  © Tatjana Plitt  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Renovation of JiJiaDun Village Center / Yzscape Posted: 13 Jan 2019 01:00 PM PST  Entrance space. Image © FangFang Tian
 South facade. Image © FangFang Tian Confliction Between the Temperament of Original Bases  © FangFang Tian Interestingly, there is a huge difference between the majesty and closure of the village committee building and the openness and peace of the whole village. Walking along the alley, you will find the public space here organic and moving. There will be surprises from time to time along the street's interface, some active and small spaces facing pedestrians, so that the building's interface is no longer cold. However, there are tremendous conflictions between the enclosed building and open village. Public spaces alongside streets are active. Those positive spaces light up the street interface, attract pedestrians, and warm the building façade.  First floor plan There are two very subtle space treatments that are particularly impressive. Usually, the only positive side of a Chinese houses is its facades. Walls retreat to golden pillars to create an entry area and it brings positiveness to the house. The house therefore faces people and service people, while the other three sides are white walls and small windows. This impressive detail transforms the side and back of the house slightly, allowing them to respond to the environment and become positive. The first place added a less than one meter wide frame to the side and formed a entry area. The owner even moved the entrance of the house to the side to respond to the street. In the second place, the wall on the back of the house retreats to the golden column, forming a porch. Although there is no door, the underarms allow neighbors to sit there.  Southern courtyard. Image © FangFang Tian Spatial Strategies: Open the Arrogant Box  Entrance space . Image © FangFang Tian  Entrance . Image © FangFang Tian After setting the goals for the transformation, we have a strategy for space operations: 1. To break the square box that is symmetrical and symmetrical, to eliminate the original relationship of space rights, to reduce the dimensions of the building facade, and to eliminate the cold and arrogant posture.  Section 2. Let the main pedestrian road into the village pass through the building so that the interior and exterior spaces of the building can be connected to become part of the village's public space.  Atrium entrance space. Image © FangFang Tian  Atrium lighting and concrete column. Image © FangFang Tian 3. Completely subvert the internal and external divisions of the building to allow indoor and outdoor communication; the interior of the building is an indoor garden, and the exterior of the building is an outdoor living room. People's activities extend from the interior to the outside and flow from the outdoors to the interior.  Atrium. Image © FangFang Tian  Atrium. Image © FangFang Tian 4. Open all sides of the building to the periphery so that the passive, majestic and resistant interfaces around them become active spaces that are both indoor and outdoor and face and serve the outside.  2F outdoor corridor. Image © FangFang Tian  2F outdoor corridor. Image © FangFang Tian  Southern lower floor courtyard. Image © FangFang Tian 5. Emphasize the urban character of the building and turn it from a piece of sculpture that is viewed from outside into a garden that is experienced from within.  Northern gallery. Image © FangFang Tian Garden: A construction that requires physical experience  2F patio. Image © FangFang Tian A building that cannot be described may be a building that is difficult to generalize with one or a few photographs, or it may not be able to abstract it simply by a narrative or concept. The most interesting parts of the perception of scale, the order of space, and the experience of the body are all incapable of being conveyed by photographs, drawings, and words; they emphasize the physical experience of the body and resist the abstraction, generalization, and dissemination of architecture. Only when you are in a building and strolling in it can you realize those qualities that the photos can't describe - perhaps these parts are the most precious qualities of architecture in the era of excessive consumption by the media.  Roof terrace and connecting corridor. Image © FangFang Tian In our design, we intend to strengthen the interaction between this person's body and architecture and the accumulation of human experience in architecture. We designed a building that requires physical experience.  Southern building details. Image © FangFang Tian  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 13 Jan 2019 11:00 AM PST  © Choi Yong Joon
 © Choi Yong Joon Text description provided by the architects. Ilma means "weather, air" in the Finnish language.  © Choi Yong Joon The brand and space identity of the existing 'The Ilma' was based on modernism and the designer wanted to focus on the deeper origin of modernism. By interpreting a constructivist El Lissitzky's artwork which served as a foundation for modernism, the designer introduced geometric figures of the artwork into the space by using the elements of overlapping, arrangement and textural contrast with an expectation to express the identity of the space clearly.  © Choi Yong Joon  Floor Plan  © Choi Yong Joon There are three important elements in the design of 'The Ilma.'.  © Choi Yong Joon In addition, the exterior of the round mass on the outside was treated with a rough finishing made of cold stone powder while the interior was finished neatly with warm white oak in order to from a contrast between the inside and the outside. Such material contrast was presented on the wall and furniture in an overlapping way continuously and repeatedly. Four finishing materials—rough stone powder, clear white glass, warm wood and cold metal—were interconnected and overlapped to express various weather conditions with ultimate contrasts.  © Choi Yong Joon The second design element is embracing each other.  © Choi Yong Joon "Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather."  © Choi Yong Joon  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| AD Classics: Kuwait National Assembly Building / Jørn Utzon Posted: 13 Jan 2019 09:00 AM PST  Covered plaza. Image © Jeffrey van der Wees This article was originally published on November 20,2014. To read the stories behind other celebrated architecture projects, visit our AD Classics section.  © Jeffrey van der Wees Designed in 1972 by the Danish architect Jørn Utzon, best known for his design of the Sydney Opera House, the political narrative of the National Assembly Building began controversially with the commissioning of the foreign-born architect. As has been the case for other legislative buildings, including in Scotland, Dhaka, Chandigarh, and soon Albania, the decision to import non-native architectural traditions for high-profile cultural projects can be interpreted as a strong—and even anti-nationalist—political statement. (Perhaps the clearest example of this symbolic gesture's importance occurred earlier this year, when Zaha Hadid was controversially appointed to design the Iraqi Parliament Building for her native country ahead of a foreign firm that had allegedly won the competition.) In Kuwait, however, even the decision making process was delegated to foreign authorities; six entrants were chosen for the invite-only event by an international jury, overseen by the British modernist Sir Leslie Martin, from whom Utzon was selected to enact his design.  Section through the assembly hall  Late-stage plan Utzon's scheme most prominently features a public colonnade of soaring, thin piers that support a graceful, draped concrete roof over an open plaza. Its dramatic curves, composed of a series of semi-circular shells set onto steel cables, gesturally sweep down from atop the columns to the height of the building behind it in the natural form of a catenary. Utzon claimed that the cloth-like sensation of the roof references the iconic tent construction of the Arabian Bedouin people. Rising up toward the Kuwait Bay in front of it, the architecture is both inviting and forward-looking, casting its lofty gaze outward toward the sea and beyond. The most astounding aspect of the plaza is its innovative and somewhat deceptive material deployment. Much has been made of Utzon's ability to make the concrete roof appear to "billow" in the wind, conveying the delicacy of fabric despite its inert rigidity. Its texture is enriched by a dual-parabolic geometry, in which individual sections curve upward perpendicularly to the curve of the whole. The experiential reward of this complex form is unmistakable: despite the staggering mass of the 600-ton beams, the roof is sensationally weightless.  Concrete segments of the plaza roof. Image © Jeffrey van der Wees  Concrete ceiling of the main corridor. Image © Jeffrey van der Wees The bulk of the government spaces are contained in a more conventional, rectangular and flat-roofed building behind the plaza. Again appropriating a local vernacular typology, Utzon draws inspiration from the Arabian and Persian bazaars in his layout of government working spaces and hallways. Organized within a simple grid system, rooms are clustered around central courtyards, which are in turn surrounded by circulation spaces, creating modular units that are then repeated throughout the grid. Elements from this part of the building are assembled from a small selection of precast concrete forms, bringing into clear focus a juxtaposition of modern construction methods and a tenuous connection to historical identity.  Interior corridor. Image © Jeffrey van der Wees Beyond conceptual schematics, Utzon's well-intended attempt to appeal to a somewhat fantasized Kuwaiti culture at times devolves into a reductive imitation of Arab structures and ornament. Selectively abstracting and modernizing certain historical motifs such as arcades of pointed arches, he superimposes "local" language onto a modern set of forms that may actually derive more continuity from the previous work of Utzon's firm than from the traditional architecture of Kuwait. Arab ornamentation, such as palmetto detailings on the windows of the debating chamber, is used freely but often abstracted almost to the point of meaninglessness. Yet, there is an undeniably regional aspect to the building's visual presence, indicating at least a measure of success in Utzon's reconciliation of competing and somewhat incompatible design objectives.  Ceiling of the debating chamber. Image © Jeffrey van der Wees  Palmetto ornamentation of the debating chamber. Image © Jeffrey van der Wees  Interior of the assembly hall. Image © Flickr user Kuwaitelections2012 In his criticism of the project, MIT professor Lawrence Vale draws a clear distinction between the building's legitimate vernacular allusions and what may amount to little more than convenient explanations for clearly imported forms. [1] Pointing out that the chaotic character of the Arab bazaar that Utzon references is necessarily poorly quoted within the constraints of a modernist grid, he asserts that Utzon could have just has easily claimed inspiration from "ancient Roman town plans" given the ambiguous origins of the interior scheme. Furthermore, the billowy tent-like canopy possesses none of its Bedouin prototypes' crucial sense of impermanence, just as it is unable to provide the environmentally responsive protection afforded by canvas enclosures. According to Vale, the covered plaza hearkens as much to ship sails and a tradition of water-based merchant trade as it does to a nomadic desert tradition, an ironically appropriate, if unintentional, homage to the actual source of modern Kuwait's cultural and economic success.  The upside-down "dead" palmetto detailing that drew the criticism of MIT Professor Lawrence Vale. Image © Jeffrey van der Wees As a political object, the building conflates several revealing narratives. A tension between the domestic and the foreign, a constant concern in a country with a longstanding immigrant population, is present both in the historical record of the architectural process and in the sleek, modern forms of its product. A second but more subtle conflict, existing again in both architectural and political structure, lies in the apparent challenge to navigate between genuine historical tradition, a fictionalized idealization of Kuwaiti history, and an imported western philosophy of governance and design. While one could argue that this multiplicity of unresolved messages represents a weakness of the architecture, it could also be the case that the accuracy of the building's textual reading in a purely national context—deliberate or not—epitomizes the successful syncretization of architectural and political meaning in singular form.  © Flickr user Cajetan Barretto [1] Vale, Lawrence. Architecture, Power, and National Identity. Yale University Press: New Haven, 1992.
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| Cais do Sertão Museum / Brasil Arquitetura Posted: 13 Jan 2019 05:00 AM PST  © Nelson Kon
 © Nelson Kon Text description provided by the architects. For the construction of the museum, the Government of the State of Pernambuco destined one of the warehouses of the old Port of Recife and also a large free area contiguous to this warehouse. This set, located on the seafront on the island where the city of Recife was born - next to the Marco Zero - is inserted in the list of buildings and spaces listed as national historical patrimony.  © Nelson Kon  Site Plan  © Nelson Kon Aligned with the urban and state planning of the city to keep the old port warehouses giving them new functions, the architectural project was developed with the use of one of them (2,500m2) and the creation of a new building (5,000m2 ) connected to the shed, reinforcing the long line of buildings of the port, to house all the program of the museum.  © Nelson Kon Due to the importance of its location and its sociocultural program, the museum as a whole - with its open areas - creates a new urban landmark in the landscape of Recife. It should also function as an agent for urban renewal of the entire historic center, reinforcing the city's ties with its waters - canals, rivers and the sea. And in this specific case of the museum, bring the vast world of the Northeastern Sertão to the seaside of the metropolis: its landscape, climate, biodiversity, human occupation, traditions, arts, beliefs, migrations and its powerful music.  © Nelson Kon  Floor Plans  © Nelson Kon In addition to paying a fair tribute to one of the greatest icons of Brazilian culture - Luiz Gonzaga -, this project presents the universe of the sertão in its multiple strands forming a Brazilian way of being. The fusion between architecture and museography creates unity from the theme: Sertão. The ocher yellow pigmented concrete represents the warm color of the soil. With a sophisticated structure of prestressed concrete, we designed a large span of approximately 65 meters of light, creating a large covered plaza, a veritable urban balcony - sheltered from the strong sun and rainfall of the city. This covered square can have a multitude of uses, from parties open to fairs, from shows to nothing to do in the enjoyment of a good shade or view of the reefs.  © Nelson Kon But the most symbolic element of architecture is the giant cobogó, created especially for the project. Nothing is fairer than the use of the cobogó in the constructions of Recife, city where he was born, for its characteristics to soften the relation of the interior / exterior spaces, creating a filter of light for those of inside that look at the landscape through "branches" , and a "sweet and softened" vision for outsiders, the passers-by who covet the inside. Our cobogó executed in concrete geopolimérico should work like a great white income very well on the yellow structural concrete, remembering the caatinga antler, or the cracks of dry soil. This strong element is the Cais do Sertão logo.  © Nelson Kon Open to the most diverse public and schools, the museum has been a success for its architectonic and museographic proposal to combine high-tech constructive and expository, varied objects researched with anthropological rigor, works of art in different supports specially created for the museum, documents, movies and photos. All this is based on a strong concept and content developed by experts from various areas of knowledge, as well as an architecture with a strong urban insertion.  © Nelson Kon In presenting the 'sertaneja' life in a modern equipment at the seaside of the metropolis of Pernambuco, the museum tries to open the eyes of all Brazilians to the fantastic universe, at the same time rich and poor, tragic and festive, violent and poetic of great part of the population which inhabits this territorial expanse called Sertão.  © Nelson Kon  Sketch  © Nelson Kon The result is a building that reveals, metaphorically, in several ways - sometimes subtle, sometimes blunt - the main thematic axes of museography. Cais do Sertão has provided its visitors with a welcoming, unique experience, both intellectual and affective.  © Nelson Kon To sum up in a nutshell what is Cais do Sertão, we can say that it is the encounter of technique with poetics, of hi-tech with low-tech, of the rigorous and rich content with the possibility of free interpretation and enjoyment; finally, a place for "aesthetic enjoyment", where emotion, surprise and discovery go hand in hand. A place of urban gentleness.  © Nelson Kon  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Brazilian Houses: 9 Examples of Residential Vernacular Architecture Posted: 13 Jan 2019 04:00 AM PST  Wattle and daub house. Image © Pedro Levorin The regional expressions of a country's culture are vital in helping us understand the relation between context and specific conditions of social manifestations. These nuances and singularities inside the realm of construction are translated into what can be called vernacular architecture. Although it has always existed, this universe of local exemplars of architecture with their particular materials, techniques and regional constructive solutions came to be well studied in the second half of the twentieth century in Brazil, in a project that traced national architecture history, headed by Lucio Costa. It is a type of architecture that, besides being an undeniable knowledge that is passed down through generations, it is usually highly sustainable as it incorporates low energy materials and local techniques with solutions made to be passively adapted to the local climate and conditions. Just as in most countries, vernacular architecture in Brazil is predominantly residential. Learn more about the different residential typologies, from North to South, that have contributed to forming regional identities in the country. Oca (or Oga) Oca Kamaiurá. Image via Wimimedia, user Photographer. License CC BY-SA 4.0 A well-known indigenous residential typology, the oca (in Tupi) or oga (in Guarani) is one of the forming units of villages. Usually built with straw and timber, without interior separations, it is a collective living space and also used for daily activities such as cooking and making artisanal objects. Maloca Maloca building in the Xinguano Kuikuro community. Image © CC BY-SA 4.0 Another example of indigenous living spaces are the malocas, mainly found in the Brazilian and Colombian Amazon. They are also known as “big houses” and are larger than the ocas, besides having interior partings in which different family groups live. Each tribe bestows specific features to the architecture and space organization. Quilombo Quilombo house in Kaonge, Cachoeira, Bahia. Image © Pedro Levorin The quilombos emerged as resistance settlements for African slaves and descendants through all American territories. Having occurred in all Brazilian states, quilombos are a consolidated form of settlements in Brazil, from North to South. Stilt Houses Stilt Houses in Manaus. Image © Giovana Tozzi Stilt houses are houses raised on piles over swampy soil or bodies of water, recurring in areas of high rainfall. It is common to find exemplars of this typology in Brazil, particularly in the North region. Shack Shacks in Paraisópolis, São Paulo. Image © Fernando Stankuns via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-SA The constructions present in slums all around the world are commonly known as “shacks.” In Brazil, they are typically built in masonry without plaster. This type of building represents the reality of a significant part of the Brazilian urban population as, according to an IBGE survey (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), the country had more than 6300 slums in 2010. Bandeirista House Main house in Sítio Ressaca. Image courtesy of Shieh Arquitetos Associados Commonly present in the 17th and 18th centuries, the Bandeirista House is an exemplar of colonial architecture in the hinterland of São Paulo. Although it was built in rammed earth, like many other typologies in that time, it is mainly characterized by its floor plan, almost always rectangular or square, and a simple distribution of rooms and typical windows. Wattle and Daub Wattle and daub house in Maranguape, Ceará, Brasil. © Image CC BY-SA 3.0 This vernacular architecture typology was highly employed in the colonial era. It is a wall building technique based on interwoven vines with wood or bamboo sticks which are fixed to the floor, and then manually filled into the empty spaces with clay. Rammed Earth House Beco Alto House, Cuiabá - MT. At the bottom right corner we can see the compacted layers of clay. Image by Paulisson Miura, via Flickr. License CC BY 2.0 Just like the wattle and daub technique, rammed earth was introduced in the colonial era due to its durability and constructive ease, compared to masonry and stone building. In the rammed earth case, the wood frame is removed after the mixture of clay, lime and gravel, which fills it, is mechanically compacted. Timber Framing (Fachwerk) Fachwerk House Erwin Rux, in Conjunto Rural de Rio da Luz, in Jaraguá do Sul (SC). Courtesy of Iphan The technique came to Brazil with German immigrants in the South during Dom Pedro II of Brazil's rule in the 19th century. The exemplars are limited to that region, with some occurrences in the Southeast. This technique consists of fitted and joined timbers, making a framework comprised of horizontal, vertical and diagonal elements. The empty spaces are then filled with masonry, stones or, in some cases, clay.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Venturi Scott Brown's Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery London Receives AIA 25 Year Award Posted: 13 Jan 2019 03:00 AM PST  © Valentino Danilo Matteis The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected Venturi Scott Brown's Sainsbury Wing at the National Gallery of London as the recipient of the 2019 AIA Twenty-five Year Award. Designed by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown in an international competition, AIA commended the project for its ability to "...make its context better than it found it" - a citation borrowed from Venturi himself. The award is presented annually to a project that has "stood the test of time by embodying architectural excellence for 25 to 35 years."  © Valentino Danilo Matteis The Sainsbury Wing may appear conservative, but was both itself contentious and a part of a raging debate about public architecture when it was introduced. The addition to the National Gallery was initially planned in the 1980s, and was at the time to be designed by Ahrends Burton Koralek, a British practice known for their large public works across the UK and Ireland. Their scheme however, an example of the British Hi-Tech movement (popularized by Norman Foster), ignited a massive public debate regarding the state of British architecture. In an ad-libbed speech at the 150th anniversary of RIBA, Prince Charles derided the state of the profession, calling out ABK's proposal in particular as "a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much loved and elegant friend." The ABK scheme was scrapped, and a competition for the addition was subsequently held to appease the warring factions. Venturi Scott Brown, delivered and ultimately built, in the words of architect and postmodernist expert Adam Nathaniel Furman, "one of the most—if not the most—sophisticated pieces of public architecture to have been built in the Postmodern idiom."  © Valentino Danilo Matteis The facade of the VSB addition echoes the architectural rhythm of the main Gallery building, slowly breaking down the historic geometries until the dissolve entirely around a corner. Inside, domestically-scaled galleries create an atypically comfortable gallery experience.  © Valentino Danilo Matteis In the citation, the AIA jury noted that: "...Dr. Barnabas Calder wrote that the wing's presence on the square was 'politely low key and even more so on Pall Mall East.' Many others have noted that visitors may be as unaware of the building as they are of the contentious competition that spawned it, proving that, indeed, Venturi and Scott Brown successfully designed a building that does not outshine its context." For a building in a physical context so packed with masterpieces - and in a historic context fraught with controversy - this is high praise indeed.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Library de Kimpel / Adem Architecten Posted: 13 Jan 2019 01:00 AM PST  © Adem Architecten
 © Adem Architecten Text description provided by the architects. The new Bilzen library is part of an integral renovationprogram for the recreation site De Kimpel in Bilzen.  © Adem Architecten The designed masterplan for this site provides for the strategic development of a new library, a reallocation of the existing library into offices and exhibitionspace, a refurbishment of the lobby and the KimpelKaffee as well as the construction of a new youthcenter.  © Adem Architecten The design of the library is the pilot project on this site and finally changes the face of the recreation center. In contrast to the existing architecture, it was decided to have a strong interaction with the environment, transparent spaces and a clear architecture.  Plan 1  Plan 2 Not only the rich literarycollection has found a new place here. The library is primarily an experience center where space has been created for education, meeting and experience in the broadest sensory sense.  © Adem Architecten The interior of the library is designed and organized for its users around 5 themed islands. Jazz Bilzen was one of the first major festivals in Belgium and is still part of the collective-DNA of the people off Bilzen. It is therefore not surprising that the first theme island has become music. This is followed by literature & poetry in a readingsalon, lifestyle and sport in and around a zenspace, art and architecture in the studio of designclassics and finally traveling with windows to the world.  © Adem Architecten "Tesi samanunga was edele unde scona" is one of the oldest preserved sentences in Dutch and is kept in the abbey of (Munster)Bilzen. "This collection is noble and beautiful" could not be a more appropriate slogan for this library. As a tribute and to update the past in the present, a literary museum has been integrated into the library. Experience says so much more than words. We invite you to come and discover the library and the De Kimpel site.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Manufactured Cities: A Case Study of the First Smart City in Brazil Posted: 12 Jan 2019 11:00 PM PST  Aerial view of Smart City Laguna. Image by TecMundo In 2017, ArchDaily Brazil reported that Smart City Laguna would become the first "smart city" in Brazil. With its inauguration scheduled for that same year, the venture opened with 1,800 units in its first phase, and in its final phase, 7,065 units divided between residential, commercial and technological uses. Located in the Croatá district of São Gonçalo do Amarante, the first Brazilian smart city occupies 815 acres directly connected to the federal highway BR-22, which crosses the states of Ceará, Piauí, and Maranhão, starting in Fortaleza towards Marabá, in Pará. Its location has economic reasons: the proximity to Pecém Harbor, in Fortaleza, the Pecém Steel Company (CSP) and the Transnordestina Railroad make Croatá a strategic hub that has been recently occupied by technological companies, becoming a "digital belt" a little over 50 kilometers from the state's capital. The self-proclaimed first social-smart city in the world is a development by the Italian group Planet. It offers plots for all income brackets, including units for the Minha Casa Minha Vida program (a social housing program in Brazil for low-income families). Also, the project is within the same framework of other smart cities around the world. It is based on technological, sustainable and mobility principles. Put on the market in 2015, already 2,000 commercial and residential units have been sold. Another 1,500 units have been marketed, according to Diário do Nordeste. Its success isn’t associated to the amenities of living in a smart city, however, as tempting as the idea of living in a city where many things can be controlled by a phone app, it seems that the most convincing explanation for the numbers is in the land valuation. From August 2015 to November 2017, the residential square meter went up 140.9% whereas the commercial went up 218.2%. People who bought in 2015 seemed to have made a smart investment.  The lots that have undergone tremendous valorization are single-family homes of one or two floors. Would they have undergone such valuation if they were aiming for high density? Probably less than the current numbers, as the Laguna doesn’t exist as a city yet. Therefore, before creating value through density, it needs to be minimally occupied.  Aerial view of Smart City Laguna. Image by Engenharia E To densify areas that are provided with infrastructure is, however, necessary in cities that aim to make good use of its resources – or to use them smartly – which makes one question the low-density choice in a self-proclaimed “smart” city. This is not the only point of issue in Laguna. On its website, Planet argues that "the goal is to reach sustainability, safety, and a high quality of life." Also, that people's lives in smart cities or neighborhoods are "more economic compared to traditional neighborhoods, as well as more sustainable and inclusive." There are no indicators, however, that explain how making a new city from scratch alongside a highway can be more sustainable and inclusive than occupying spaces in a preexistent city which already has the infrastructure and presents the social dynamics of a consolidated urban agglomeration. The website explains, a little further down, why they chose Croatá, telling the reader the main founding principle of Laguna: investments. It is not at all wrong for a city to seek investments; all of them do with more or less voracity. The problem is for Laguna to call itself smart when in reality it is a traditional neighborhood – designed, but – surrounded by the advertising rhetoric of a smart city which turns devices and technological innovations into the solutions for urban problems. In an era where ideas such as urban acupuncture or small-scale projects offer effective means to turn our cities' problems into environmental solutions, building a city from scratch - from infrastructure to application - can be anything but smart. News via Diário do Nordeste, Tecmundo and Smart City Laguna  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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