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SKF Test Centre / Tchoban Voss Architekten

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© Hans-Jürgen Landes © Hans-Jürgen Landes
  • Architects: Tchoban Voss Architekten
  • Location: Sven-Wingquist-Straße 6, 97424 Schweinfurt, Germany
  • Architect In Charge: Ekkehard Voss
  • Associate Partner: Frank Focke
  • Project Leader: Stephan Müller
  • Area: 5829.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2017
  • Photographs: Hans-Jürgen Landes
  • Team: Annett Neitzel, Daniel Schnettka
  • Structural Engineering: Ingenieurbüro Dr. Binnewies, Hamburg
  • Building Equipment: RMN Ingenieure GmbH, Hamburg
  • Landscaping: Wiggenhorn & van den Hövel Landschaftsarchitekten BDLA, Hamburg
  • Light Design: a·g Licht GbR, Bonn
  • Site Management: Holger Philipp Architekturbüro, Schweinfurt
© Hans-Jürgen Landes © Hans-Jürgen Landes

From the architect. Superlative power: On the 21st June 2017 the worldwide highest-performance test centre for large scale bearings was inaugurated in Schweinfurt.

© Hans-Jürgen Landes © Hans-Jürgen Landes

The new Sven Wingquist Test Centre is located in the south of the city and completes the SKF competence centre as its final element. From now on the new facility will be testing large bearings for wind power plants as well as for shipbuilding, mining and paper industry and further for cement and steel sector.

© Hans-Jürgen Landes © Hans-Jürgen Landes

After 110 years of its successful history the company, which is still having a worldwide significance as one of the leading technology pioneers, has got a new corporate architecture: the aerodynamic appearance of the new construction and the interpretation of the SKF logotype by flowing, rounded forms embody the use while the materials represent high technological standards.

Ground Floor Plan Ground Floor Plan

Two volumes of different height, positioned parallel to each other are the basis of the new construction. They celebrate the wind and the energy by their striking inclination. This dynamic form illustrates the power, which the test centres develop while testing single bearings as well as bearing assembly units under almost real conditions: up to 10 meganewton.

© Hans-Jürgen Landes © Hans-Jürgen Landes

The both halls, which are located on a 14 hectare plot, are massive constructions with reinforced concrete columns and a base slab made of fibre and reinforced concrete on a sleeve foundation. The façades are clad with reflective white aluminium panels. On the elongated north façade an impressive double profiled glazing displays the logotype with large-scaled letters. At night the oversized window with rounded corners enlightens the nearby highway and also refers to the spotlights of the SKF-Highrise, which stands only few hundreds of meters further on the waterside. The connection of both underlines additionally the urban relevance of the company. 

© Hans-Jürgen Landes © Hans-Jürgen Landes

Each volume has its own function. Two test centres for large scale bearings as well as two smaller test centres are located in the higher one-storey hall. An overhead crane for 110 tonnes ensures the levelling of the highly sensitive mechanical components. The smaller two-storey hall comprises areas with different technical functions, storage spaces as well as workshop zones. Office areas, the Control Room, a media centre with conference spaces complete the profile of the new building. Also the interior design follows consequently the flowing wind-leitmotif as one can perceive by looking at the cladding of the acoustic walls, the ceiling, the light concept and other interior details.

© Hans-Jürgen Landes © Hans-Jürgen Landes

After its completion the striking new construction became a pioneer for renewable energies and energy-efficient technologies. Funded by two government programs with a total of Euro 3.5 million the project is seeking for a LEED Gold certificate. As a new symbol for the German environmental policies the Sven Wingquist Test Centre has already become a landmark for the city of Schweinfurt.

© Hans-Jürgen Landes © Hans-Jürgen Landes
First Floor Plan First Floor Plan
© Hans-Jürgen Landes © Hans-Jürgen Landes

Y / &' [Emmi Keskisarja & Janne Teräsvirta & Company Architects]

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© SWANG © SWANG
  • Architects: &' [Emmi Keskisarja & Janne Teräsvirta & Company Architects]
  • Location: Seurasaarentie 11, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
  • Lead Architects And Structural Design: Emmi Keskisarja, Janne Teräsvirta, Tommi Alatalo, Antrei Hartikainen
  • Y Team: Tommi Alatalo, Antrei Hartikainen, Kaleidoscope Nordic AS, Irmelin Rose Fisch Vågen
  • Area: 15.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2017
  • Photographs: SWANG
  • Assistant Architects: Silje Klepsvik, Miia-Liina Tommila
  • Project Initiation And Concept Development: Emmi Keskisarja, Silje Klepsvik, Miia-Liina Tommila, Irmelin Rose Fisch Vågen, Tone Berge, Janne Teräsvirta
  • Project Administration: Emmi Keskisarja, Miia-Liina Tommila
  • Contractor: Hienopuuseppä Heikki Paso Oy
  • Illustration: Vegard Aarseth
  • Laser Scanning: PhD Jorge Garcia Fernandez
  • Supporters: Finnish Cultural Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Alfred Kordelin Foundation, Asko Foundation, Greta and William Lehtinen Foundation, Norwegian-Finnish Cultural Foundation, Norwegian Foreign Ministry
© SWANG © SWANG

From the architect. An international team of architects and fine carpenters in collaboration with the Finnish National Museum brings modern architecture into the Seurasaari open air museum in Helsinki, Finland, for the summer of 2017. Y is erected in the historical Niemelä Tenant Farm courtyard and is open until 15.9.2017.

Site Plan Site Plan

Y is an equation of temporality, time and provocative use of wood in the museum milieu. Niemelä Tenant Farm is an example of traditional Finnish vernacular architecture consisting of 13 buildings, brought to the museum island in 1909 from central Finland. The temporary piece forms a new social courtyard at the tenant farm entrance, as an addition to the existing courtyards for animals and humans. The installation seeks to encourage the visitors stay longer in the Niemelä by altering the familiar and permanent museum environment. Y provides a hypnotic meditation spot from where to reflect on the changing state of time.

© SWANG © SWANG

Tradition is born out of continuation and the sharing of knowledge and skills - the conjunction of new and old. As Y is the mathematical symbol for the unknown, the installation Y points to the future and the possible outcomes of Nordic built heritage. In Niemelä, Y is a variable within the parameter of time.

© SWANG © SWANG
Section Section
© SWANG © SWANG

Y combines digital fabrication with handcraft, inspiring and revealing the possibilities of wood in modern construction. It encourages cross-border collaboration between architects and carpenters, as well as the combination of traditional working methods of fine carpenters with digital design and production. Y is built with horizontal prefabricated CLT-elements interlocked by 568 timber wedges and is itself like a large wooden joint made of CLT.

© SWANG © SWANG

Triangel / Ritter Schumacher

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© Joana Vilaça © Joana Vilaça
  • Engineering: Frick & Gattinger Engineer
© Joana Vilaça © Joana Vilaça

From the architect. High up on the quiet edge of the forest stands a monolithic triangle structure. Similar to a lean bow of a ship, the house volume cuts the air stream towards the south. At first glance, the outer contour seams surprising but both sides of the triangle fit perfectly into the special environment and relate to the hillside and the valley. The building features three sides and therefore is missing the shady backside.

© Joana Vilaça © Joana Vilaça

The clear triangular shape sets an architectural counterpoint to the surrounding existing building developments. Both wedge facades are formed with large beams creating free space below to the ground floor while supporting first floor structure. Outdoor seating areas on both levels form the spatial coronation on the building bow. The «upper deck» lounge with panorama view on roof level, as counterpart to the ground floor terrace, is no less impressive.

© Joana Vilaça © Joana Vilaça
Ground Floor Plan Ground Floor Plan
© Joana Vilaça © Joana Vilaça

The entire external envelope is realized in fair-faced concrete. Deep-hydrophobizing provides additional protection against climatic influences. The number of window openings is reduced to the minimum. A bay-like window slightly stands out on the northern wall. This is a reading and viewing niche in the sleeping area where leisure can join far-sightedness.

© Joana Vilaça © Joana Vilaça
Longitudinal Section Longitudinal Section
© Joana Vilaça © Joana Vilaça

The rooms inside are executed in subdued white in order to create an intentional differentiation between inside and outside. On the whole, clearly a project full of architectural poetry above the rooftops of Nendeln.

© Joana Vilaça © Joana Vilaça

Model-Making in Miniature: Ali Alamedy's Nostalgic and Painstakingly Precise Tiny Worlds

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Ali Alamedy's miniature worlds. Image via The New York Times Ali Alamedy's miniature worlds. Image via The New York Times

Although trained as a Control and Computer Engineer, Ali Alamedy has since turned his hand to manufacturing scaled, miniature dioramas. After being forced to leave his home in Iraq, he and his family are now based in Turkey – and it is here that he has honed a skill in constructing these tiny, intricate worlds from a broad range of ordinary materials. All scaled at 1:12, these complex and often hyper-realistic models are inspired by the environments around him, complemented by his experiences and, of course, his imagination. In this study of Alamedy's work, ArchDaily asks: how do you do it?

Making the miniatures. Image © Ali Alamedy Making the miniatures. Image © Ali Alamedy

AD: Could you take us through your modelling process?

AA: My process has many stages. Making that initial decision to select the subject is the hardest part – I spend months in order to find a suitable subject; one that I would really love to spend hundreds of hours working on. Most of my projects recreate single scenes from the past – scenes that have special stories to be told. I then conduct the necessary research, and it takes sometimes up to month or two to figure out all the elements inside a particular scene (and I mean everything)!

Making "Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy Making "Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy

After collecting all necessary details I begin to work on the surrounding environment, such as the walls, floor and roof. Following that, I start furnishing the scene. I try to construct and model every detail out of the same material that it would be in real life, so it has a realistic look. I mostly use wood, metal, plastic, etc. Each material needs it's own special treatment and its own glue, paint, tools and so on. After I have built the piece, I start the process of weathering. I then try to create an effect that connects the piece to it's environment – so a chair that used to be in a specific place and has a shadow effect on the ground, for example… these small details help us to create the spirit of the place.

A post shared by Ali Alamedy (@alamedydiorama) on

What scale do you usually work in?

I usually build in 1:12, which is the conventional scale used in most of the miniature scenes. I also build scenes in 1:18, 1:20, and 1:24.

Where does your inspiration come from?

Everything inspires me: video, photos, places I travel through one day, scenes I imagined in my mind – sometimes small details seed ideas that build into a whole scene. The most inspiring thing to me is the subject, however – often I read about a profession or a person or an era and I find myself opening my notebook and starting to sketch a scene.

A post shared by Ali Alamedy (@alamedydiorama) on

How long does each artwork take to produce? How important is creating a perfect mimic of reality?

The time it takes depends on the scale of the scene, the number of details inside the scene, and how hard the research is to complete. Sometimes I spend a month or two, sometimes up to nine months. The Photography Studio from the 19th Century, for example, took me nine months in total – two months for the research (it was very hard to find enough photographs and information about photography in that era, so I had to read so many articles about it to figure out how the studios worked). I try to make my scenes appear 100% real; in other words, I don't just want to re-scale things, but make it as real as they look in real life. Sometimes I really wish that I could shrink in size to make my work look better!

Have you ever considered becoming an architect?

I have loved architecture since childhood, but didn't have the chance to study it. Instead I studied Control & Computer Engineering, but I have read so much about architecture through history and nothing is closer to my heart than the Victorian era.

A post shared by Ali Alamedy (@alamedydiorama) on

"Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy "Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy "Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy "Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy "Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy "Photography Studio". Image © Ali Alamedy
"New York City". Image © Ali Alamedy "New York City". Image © Ali Alamedy
"New York City". Image © Ali Alamedy "New York City". Image © Ali Alamedy
"New York City". Image © Ali Alamedy "New York City". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Kid's Room". Image © Ali Alamedy "Kid's Room". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Kid's Room". Image © Ali Alamedy "Kid's Room". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Cuban Scene". Image © Ali Alamedy "Cuban Scene". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Cuban Scene". Image © Ali Alamedy "Cuban Scene". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Cuban Scene". Image © Ali Alamedy "Cuban Scene". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Pipes Warehouse". Image © Ali Alamedy "Pipes Warehouse". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Pipes Warehouse". Image © Ali Alamedy "Pipes Warehouse". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Pipes Warehouse". Image © Ali Alamedy "Pipes Warehouse". Image © Ali Alamedy
"Italian Façade". Image © Ali Alamedy "Italian Façade". Image © Ali Alamedy

West Yard Farm / van Ellen + Sheryn

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© Richard Downer Photography © Richard Downer Photography
© Richard Downer Photography © Richard Downer Photography

From the architect. The clients brief was to refurbish and extend an 18th century Dartmoor farmstead to provide a large, contemporary family home that makes the most of the 60 acre wooded valley setting. An important wish was for as self-sufficient a dwelling as possible, with a carefully considered environmental approach.

© Richard Downer Photography © Richard Downer Photography
Ground Floor Plans Ground Floor Plans
© Richard Downer Photography © Richard Downer Photography

Although the buildings were not listed, as they were located within the conservation area of North Bovey and the National Park, so a key consideration was their respectful refurbishment and extension. The modern interventions were well received by the local planning authority, who praised the clarity and separation between old and new.

© Richard Downer Photography © Richard Downer Photography

After stripping away the sprawl of incoherent 1950’s extensions between the farmhouse and barn, the qualities of the original building cluster could be appreciated and subsequently added to. To provide the level of accommodation required by the family, a single storey steel framed glass structure was inserted between the farmhouse and barn. This served a number of purposes; it created a new heart to the building housing a contemporary kitchen and sitting room with direct access to the outside gardens, and acted as the main circulation route between the farmhouse, the barn, and the garden. The original buildings provided the more intimate living spaces and sleeping quarters.

© Richard Downer Photography © Richard Downer Photography

The milking parlour to the west of the farmhouse and barn would provide the annex accommodation required. Half of the brick and stone building was demolished, and a glass and green-oak framed structure replaced the southern part facing onto the garden. This provided a double height entertaining space, whilst sleeping accommodation was located within the original section. The building was tied through with a new standing seam zinc roof that references the agricultural heritage of the plot.

© Richard Downer Photography © Richard Downer Photography

The extensive surrounding woodland provides a renewable supply of fuel for the four wood burning stoves located throughout the property which would act as the main heat source. A 500sqm ground source heat pump array supplies under-floor heating throughout as secondary all-year-round heating. Electrical usage is offset by a PV array on an adjacent Dutch barn’s roof, and solar thermal panels provide much of the hot water requirement of the household.

© Richard Downer Photography © Richard Downer Photography

The drainage design combines a package treatment plant with natural reed beds to process foul sewage, which enters the existing stream and pond system on-site. Surface water is similarly discharged into the existing water course, and buffered through a series of ponds and weirs to ease and additional run-off created.

© Richard Downer Photography © Richard Downer Photography

The finished project has brought a dilapidated farmstead back into the 21st century whilst reinstating its historical character and the home will adapt to the changing family lifestyle of the family whilst fulfilling the strong self-sufficient ethic of the client.

© Richard Downer Photography © Richard Downer Photography

Oskar Zieta Inflates Steel Arches With Air to Create This Lightweight Pavillion

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Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta

Polish architect, designer, and sculptor Oskar Zieta has unveiled his latest project: the arched NAWA pavilion on an island in Wroclaw, Poland. The pavilion forms part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations following the theme of “Metamorphoses of Culture” and was unveiled in June. The lightweight steel elements that make up the parametrically designed sculpture are made in a unique method called FiDU, a metal-inflating process created by Zieta during his PhD studies in ETH Zurich. Though Zieta has used FiDU successfully for various products (many exhibited in the Salone del Mobile in Milan), the NAWA Pavillion is the first project of this size to use the technology entirely, and is thus coined as “a manifesto of FiDU."

Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta

The sculptural pavilion is designed with the revitalization of Wroclaw’s Dailowa Island in mind, “returning it to the dwellers of Wroclaw.”  The sculpture, along with an additional 7500 new plants to be planted on the island will create “a consistent organic unity, emerging naturally from the river.” (Zieta)

Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta

How to stabilize something as thin as a sheet of paper? We puncture. We bend. We corrugate. We inflate. We research and consult innovative production processes - Zieta.

FiDU has three main steps: metal elements are lasercut forming a 2D template, their edges are welded together and finally compressed air is pumped through the object, inflating it into its final 3D form. The result? A lightweight, durable metal component that is also stable through the compressed air expanding it. Metal objects made using FiDU can be used as a piece of furniture to an architectural element in construction. Zieta describes the possibilities of FiDU extending beyond the architecture and design realm, stating the car industry or even applications in space as examples of FiDU’s potential.

Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta

The “imperfect” nature of the hollow forms generated through inflating the metal is intentional. Inspired by curving forms in nature, Zieta deliberately allowed for natural dents and creases to appear on the final product instead of a perfectly inflated shape, which would not occur in nature.

Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta

A few kilobytes of memory are used in the production files that generate the inflation through digital fabrication processes, whereas achieving a “perfect” shape each time would consume gigabytes of processing capacity. The efficiency is a “controlled loss of control” described by Zieta – as the metal “decides” its final form.

Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta

Working with FiDU technology is similar to carving clay – internal pressure causes the metal to change shape on its own and exhibit the natural result of the distortion – Oskar Zieta.

Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta

Parametric software Grasshopper was used to model each arched element according to its optimal size, weight and adaptation to the terrain of the ground. The templates were then cut and welded with up to 2km of steel weld to connect the 2D faces together.

Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta

A team of 23 people including Zieta were tasked with the construction and assembly of the pavillion, which took approximately 700 hours of work to create from start to finish. 52 tons of steel was used to create the 35 arches forming the NAWA pavillion, with the largest beam weighing up to 450kg and rising to a height of 7m. Though the weight seems immense, all the steel beams are hollow and lightweight as can be, with a mere thickness of 2mm. In total it took approximately 1 million cubic meters of compressed air to fill the arches and transform the 2D template into a 3D structure of polished steel.

NAWA's Journey: Episode II http://zieta.pl/nawa #zieta #zietaprozessdesign #nawa #design #art #barge #river #journey

A post shared by Zieta Prozessdesign (@zieta_prozessdesign) on

In order to minimize assembly time on site the majority of the production was done in a shipyard, allowing for a large space and access to the Odra River. The arches were carried towards the site on barges, where passers by and locals could witness their journey. They were then assembled on site atop Dailowa Island, where the pavillion now stands.

Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta

The sculpture does not alter the wild character of the island. Quite the contrary: it amplifies the nature’s presence. Polished steel surface is reflecting its green surroundings, the river and historic architecture. Depending on the weather and time of the day, the sculpture looks differently each time – Oskar Zieta.

Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta
Courtesy of Oskar Zieta Courtesy of Oskar Zieta

News via: Zieta.

Beyond Food: 10 Exquisite Restaurant Interiors

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Like architecture, food has a way of making us feel a sense of time and place. The act of eating together is ingrained in our human rituals surrounding spaces and how we inhabit them. The space that shelters us during our meal can be bustling or intimate, but nevertheless contributes our memories there, and the experience of eating at a good restaurant goes far beyond the food served in it. For it to be truly immersive, everything is thought of - from the shade of timber to the shape of your knife when you sit down to eat. 

We’ve gathered 10 examples from our archive of beautiful restaurants worth a visit – check them out below: 

Mestizo Restaurant / Smiljan Radic

© Gonzalo Puga © Gonzalo Puga

Son La Restaurant / VTN Architects

© Hiroyuki Oki © Hiroyuki Oki

Cella Bar / FCC Arquitectura + Paulo Lobo

© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

RAW / Weijenberg Architects

© mwphotoinc © mwphotoinc

Gurumê / Bernardes Arquitetura

© Leonardo Finotti © Leonardo Finotti

Yue Restaurant / PANORAMA

© Ng Siu Fung © Ng Siu Fung

Toro Gastrobar / Studio Arthur Casas

© Leonardo Finotti © Leonardo Finotti

Disfrutar Restaurant / El Equipo Creativo

© Adrià Goula © Adrià Goula

Campobaja / Estudio Atemporal

© LGM Studio - Luis Gallardo © LGM Studio - Luis Gallardo

Tuju Restaurant / vapor324 + Garupa Estúdio

© Pedro Napolitano Prata © Pedro Napolitano Prata

Can Xomeu Rita / Marià Castelló Martínez

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© Marià Castelló © Marià Castelló
  • Structure: Ferran Juan
  • Technical Architect: José Luís Velilla Lon
  • Archaelogical Monitoring: Glenda Graziani Echávarri
  • Collaborators: Marga Ferrer, Natàlia Castellà
  • Constructor : Motas Proyectos e Interiorismo S.L.
© Marià Castelló © Marià Castelló

From the architect. Can Xomeu Rita is a small dwelling that takes the name of the traditional place name of the interior of the island of Formentera where it is located. Its location in the territory responds to a space free of vegetation close to the field of wheat and oats existing in the plot, where the alignment with the existing dry stone walls coincides with the good orientation towards the South as well as with an area adequate to recover the rain water in a cistern.

© Marià Castelló © Marià Castelló
Plan Plan
© Marià Castelló © Marià Castelló

The simplicity of the program is reflected in the floor plan through three strips that go from the most public facing the South with the access and the best visuals from the light porch to the night area in the North where the bedrooms are towards East and West. In the central strip there is a diaphanous space of relationship, kitchen and dining room.

© Marià Castelló © Marià Castelló

The bioclimatic design of the house is based on the fact of taking advantage of the cross ventilation in the interior to guarantee a cool environment during the summer months, thanks to having analyzed the prevailing winds. In the same way the depth of the porch has been dimensioned to allow the contributions of solar radiation in the interior during the winter and, instead, generate shade and freshness in the summer season

© Marià Castelló © Marià Castelló
Interior Elevation Interior Elevation
© Marià Castelló © Marià Castelló

The low budget of the intervention is also manifested in the tectonics of the building, which shows sincerely how it was built. Honeycomb clay block, pine wood, limestone and lime mortars are left seen as finishing forming breathable constructive solutions that bring more warmth, comfort and health to the home.

© Marià Castelló © Marià Castelló

How Sustainable Is Apple Park's Tree-Covered Landscape, Really?

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Courtesy of Duncan Sinfield Courtesy of Duncan Sinfield

This article was originally published by The Architect's Newspaper as "How green are Apple’s carbon-sequestering trees really?"

Apple is planting a forest in Cupertino, California. When the company’s new headquarters is completed later this year, 8,000 trees, transplanted from nurseries around the state of California, will surround the donut-shaped building by Foster + Partners. The trees are meant to beautify Apple’s 176 acres (dubbed Apple Park). But they will also absorb atmospheric carbon.

That’s a good thing. Carbon, in greenhouse gases, is a major cause of global warming. Almost everything humans do, including breathing, releases carbon into the atmosphere. Plants, on the other hand, absorb carbon, turning it into foliage, branches, and roots—a process known as sequestration.

That’s why, when architects, landscape designers, and urban planners concerned about climate change talk about their work, they often mention sequestration. These days, seemingly every project that includes greenery is touted as reducing atmospheric carbon.

But how much carbon can one tree, or even 8,000 trees, sequester?

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to find the answer. Among my sources is a 2016 article from the journal Landscape and Urban Planning titled “Does urban vegetation enhance carbon sequestration?” Its authors, several from the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, examine efforts to quantify the sequestration capacity of urban flora. For example, a study of a Vancouver neighborhood found that its trees sequestered about 1.7 percent as much carbon as human activities produced, while in Mexico City the figure was 1.4 percent. The results were worse in Singapore. Overall, the authors write, “The impact of urban vegetation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions directly through carbon sequestration is very limited or null.”

Very limited or null.

© Foster + Partners, ARUP, Kier + Wright, Apple © Foster + Partners, ARUP, Kier + Wright, Apple

Another study seemed especially applicable to Apple. In 2009, researchers at California State University Northridge studied carbon sequestration on the university’s 350-acre campus. Students inventoried all 3,900 trees by type and size. Using data from the Center for Urban Forest Research, a branch of the U.S. Forest Service, they estimated the amount each tree was likely to sequester. The average was 88 pounds per tree per year. (By contrast, the average American is responsible for emitting about 44,000 pounds of carbon annually.) Then they compared total sequestration to the amount of carbon emitted by campus sources. (Those sources included the production of electricity to power campus buildings—but not transportation to and from campus.) The result: The trees sequestered less than one percent of the amount of carbon released during the same period. Put another way, the amount of carbon sequestered, at a school with 41,000 students, equaled the carbon output of eight average Americans.

Are things better at Apple Park? On the emissions side, there is good news: The new building will rely largely on natural ventilation, reducing the need for air conditioning. (Note, though, that promises a building will perform a certain way often prove overly optimistic.) On the other hand, the campus is being designed with more than 10,000 parking spaces for some 12,000 employees, suggesting that the vast majority of employees will be driving to and from work. And those spaces are in garages that require lights and elevators.

And the news gets worse. At Northridge, researchers looked at the trees as if they had always been there. But a reasonable approach to measuring the benefits of Apple’s trees would consider the carbon emitted in growing them off-site, bringing them to Cupertino, and planting them. Driving a flatbed truck 100 miles can release 100 pounds of carbon into the atmosphere—and Apple trees’ require thousands of such trips. And, since it wants the campus to be picture-perfect, Apple is using mature specimens. These are no seedlings; some are so large they have to be lowered into place by crane. And mature trees, because they aren’t growing much, hardly sequester any carbon. (Worse, when trees die, their carbon is returned to the atmosphere.)

And keep in mind that many of Apple’s trees were already growing in other locations, meaning the carbon sequestered on the Apple campus would have been sequestered anyway. That suggests that any estimate of carbon sequestration at Apple Park should be reduced by at least half. In the plus column, grass and shrubs also sequester carbon, though not merely as much as trees, with their thick trunks and extensive root systems.

So how much carbon will Apple’s trees sequester? The figures used in the Northridge study suggest that Apple’s 8,000 trees will remove some 700,000 pounds of carbon from the atmosphere each year. According to Apple’s submissions to the city of Cupertino, the new campus can be expected to produce 82 million pounds of carbon annually. That means that the carbon sequestered will be less than 1 percent of the carbon emitted.

In short, Apple’s decision to plant 8,000 trees, whatever its other benefits, won’t have a significant effect on the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. The campus, even with a very green building at its heart, will emit more than one hundred times as much carbon as its trees absorb.

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep planting trees. But it does mean that, as with so many issues related to global warming, there is no quick fix. Thinking there is could keep us from making the tough decisions climate change demands.

Spotlight: Moshe Safdie

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Habitat 67. Image © Canadian Architecture Collection, McGill University Habitat 67. Image © Canadian Architecture Collection, McGill University

Theorist, architect, and educator Moshe Safdie (born July 14, 1938), made his first mark on architecture with his master's thesis, where the idea for Habitat 67 originated. Catapulted to attention, Safdie has used his ground-breaking first project to develop a reputation as a prolific creator of cultural buildings, translating his radicalism into a dramatic yet sensitive style that has become popular across the world. Increasingly working in Asia and the Middle East, Safdie puts an emphasis on integrating green and public spaces into his modernist designs.

© <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/12936716@N04/2696214720/'>Flickr user Norma Gòmez</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a> © <a href='https://www.flickr.com/photos/12936716@N04/2696214720/'>Flickr user Norma Gòmez</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/'>CC BY 2.0</a>
Habitat 67. Image © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Montreal_-_QC_-_Habitat67.jpg'>Wikimedia user Wladyslaw (taxiarchos228)</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a> Habitat 67. Image © <a href='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Montreal_-_QC_-_Habitat67.jpg'>Wikimedia user Wladyslaw (taxiarchos228)</a> licensed under <a href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en'>CC BY-SA 3.0</a>

Born and raised in Haifa, Safdie moved with his parents to Canada in 1953 and later graduated from Montreal's McGill University in 1961. His thesis project, the complex that would later become Habitat 67, made waves from the very beginning, attracting attention and becoming highly recognized, although controversially failing to win the Pilkington Prize for architectural theses. Apprenticing with Louis Khan in Philadelphia for a time, Safdie was asked by his former thesis advisor to return to Montreal to develop the master plan for the 1967 World's Fair in Montreal. Using the opportunity to propose his own thesis as a pavilion, Safdie's incredible plans were given the green light and he left to work on them independently, despite being only 29 at the time.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City. Image © Tim Hursley Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City. Image © Tim Hursley
National Medal of Honor Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Image Courtesy of Safdie Architects National Medal of Honor Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Image Courtesy of Safdie Architects

Habitat 67, despite being dramatically scaled down from 1000 housing units to 158 and failing in its goal to spark a revolution of cheap, prefabricated housing, immediately caught the world's attention and was proclaimed as an architectural wonder. Demonstrating his ideas to integrate modernism with green space and the benefits of suburban living, Safdie successfully built on the wave of attention it brought to construct a successful career as a designer of cultural and public buildings, working on Israel's Holocaust Memorial, the National Gallery of Canada, La Musée de la Civilisation in Quebec and, more recently, the Kauffman Centre for the Performing Arts.

Singpore's Marina Bay Resort. Image © MBS Digital Media Singpore's Marina Bay Resort. Image © MBS Digital Media
Plan for Singapore's new "Air Hub". Image Courtesy of Safdie Architects Plan for Singapore's new "Air Hub". Image Courtesy of Safdie Architects

Safdie's style has also translated well to the new booming economies in Asia and the Middle East, where he has designed projects that blend his philosophy of humanized modern with local traditions and context. Singapore's tradition of Feng Shui, for example, has inspired his more recent designs for the Marina Bay Hotel and the new "Air Hub" for Singapore's Changi Airport.

See all of Moshe Safdie's works featured on ArchDaily via the thumbnails below, and read more of our coverage via the links below those.

Moshe Safdie Wins 2015 AIA Gold Medal

Moshe Safdie to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2016 National Design Awards

AD Interviews: Moshe Safdie / Safdie Architects

TED Talk: How to Reinvent the Apartment Building / Moshe Safdie

Moshe Safdie: Architects "Have a Deep Social Responsibility"

Canada Post Commemorates Canada's 150th Anniversary with Habitat 67 Stamp

Illinois Creek Ranch / El Dorado

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© Mike Sinclair © Mike Sinclair
  • Architects: El Dorado
  • Location: Alma, KS 66401, United States
  • Principal In Charge: David Dowell
  • Project Manager: Sean Slattery
  • Area: 5600.0 ft2
  • Project Year: 2015
  • Photographs: Mike Sinclair
  • Design Staff: Gavin Snider,
  • Contractor: Gene Fritzel Construction
  • Interior Design: George Terbovich
  • Structural Engineer: Genesis Structures
  • Masonry: Luke Koch
© Mike Sinclair © Mike Sinclair

From the architect. Located on an historic farmstead in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, Illinois Creek Ranch was designed for a family of five and their summer guests. The goal was to forge an emotional bond between people and a unique landscape.  Structures were purposefully straightforward in their vernacular appearance with a focus on innovative, nuanced detailing and contemporary material selection.

© Mike Sinclair © Mike Sinclair
Floor plan Floor plan
© Mike Sinclair © Mike Sinclair

The design team began by studying the site – the topography, soil and hydrological conditions, wind and sun patterns.  To the north sits the crest of a hill, gently sloping towards the south side of the ranch in curving waves. At the south end of the site, a man-made pond, barn and cattle pastures. Embracing the house typology of the area was just a starting point for the structure; the house was positioned just to the south of the crest of the hill, and designed as part of a broader ranch compound, the only contemporary addition since the early 20th century. Site conditions and family function dictated the design of four, separate wings, each a simple rectangular volume with a pitched roof. The house runs parallel to topography to accommodate single story program, and turns perpendicular to topography for multiple story program. Each wing strategically blocks constant wind to allow for comfortable outdoor areas, while windows were positioned to allow passive cooling inside the home.  Buildings were positioned to take full advantage of seasonal solar heat gain.

© Mike Sinclair © Mike Sinclair

The residence is not unlike the rest of the buildings on the farm, wood structures with limestone bases and corrugated metal roofs that spread out in long horizontal lines across the country’s last remaining tall grass prairie. Nearby Alma is known as the “City of Native Stone;” the chimney and landscape walls are built out of limestone from a nearby quarry by local stone mason Luke Koch. Clad in a 1×4 cedar rain with wood windows and corrugated metal roofs, the four wings are linked by two glass-enclosed atriums with flat, planted roofs that emphasize the surrounding landscape. Movement throughout the home was carefully choreographed to engage a range of landscape experiences.  Skylights were positioned to shift emphasis from horizontal to vertical, offering views of the Midwestern sky and ample daylighting.

© Mike Sinclair © Mike Sinclair

The program called for kitchen / living / dining / patio area in the more ‘public’ central portion of the house.  This area was supported by a mudroom, powder room, and pantry. An entry atrium connects the public area to the garage.  The garage has a bed / bath above it as a separate guest area. The family bedrooms are in two, separate ‘private’ structures which are connected to the public area thru the second glass atrium. The master suite fills one of the structures, and the children’s rooms fill a second.

© Mike Sinclair © Mike Sinclair

The final result of Illinois Creek Ranch is a residence that defers to it’s surroundings and strikes the right balance between honoring the integrity of the site and designing a boldly contemporary project.

© Mike Sinclair © Mike Sinclair

How the World's Largest Building Materials Manufacturer Used Its Own Products to Create a World-Class Headquarters for Its Employees

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Courtesy of Saint-Gobain Courtesy of Saint-Gobain

Saint-Gobain’s new corporate headquarters campus in Malvern, PA—the North American home to the world’s largest building materials company—is not a typical corporate campus. As the company approached its 350th anniversary, they set out to build a headquarters that would offer a dynamic showcase for its products.

The company assembled a team of designers from two firms—Bernardon and Jacobs—to transform a long-dormant site consisting of two office buildings into an integrated, world-class headquarters located in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

Courtesy of Saint-Gobain Courtesy of Saint-Gobain

The renovation involved a pair of existing four-story buildings joined by a four-story connecting bridge, which the project team approached as two projects: the core and shell and the interior fit-out. The core and shell project combined a major renovation of the existing building with a 40,000-square-foot (3,700-square-meter) addition to expand the existing connecting bridge. The existing structural system was maintained and reused in the new design. After 18 months of renovations, the 277,000-square-foot (25,700-square-meter) building opened on October 15, 2015—exactly 350 years after the company was founded by King Louis XIV of France to manufacture glass for the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in Paris.

The design of the headquarters has reinvented how the company operates and has signaled a new era for the company and its employees. It includes 116 collaborative meeting spaces; over 800 workstations all with views of the outdoors (including those of the company’s executives, who opted out of corner offices); an acoustically sound cafeteria that is as intimate as your home’s kitchen; a fitness facility that outperforms many neighborhood gyms; a calming natural pond; a scenic outdoor amphitheater that includes a water feature; and 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) of walking trails.

Using more than 50 interior and exterior building materials from its own product portfolio, the company sought to set a new standard for the modern workplace—improving air quality, moisture management, daylighting, acoustics, energy efficiency, thermal management and ergonomics. The company’s products can be seen throughout the entire headquarters in glazing, interior glass, roofing, insulation, gypsum drywall, acoustical ceilings and wall coverings. The company’s own building scientists collaborated with the design team on the selection of the right combination of products to achieve goals set out for the project, such as earning the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Platinum certification for both commercial interiors and core and shell. Here’s a look at some of the key strategies the building incorporates to achieve a work environment that pays major dividends when it comes to the well-being of employees and the environment.

Exterior Highlights

Courtesy of Saint-Gobain Courtesy of Saint-Gobain

1) The designer for the exterior and lobby, Bernardon, installed 17,000 square feet (1,580 square meters) of SageGlass on the western and southern elevations of the façade. SageGlass was selected for its ability to dynamically control sunlight, optimize daylight, maintain outdoor views and enhance comfort by preventing glare and solar heat gain. By controlling sunlight, SageGlass dramatically reduces energy demand and the need for HVAC, while increasing employees’ comfort and well-being. The electrochromic glass incorporates SageGlass LightZone™ technology so it can have three different zones of tinting within one pane of glass to maximize daylight and allow employees to comfortably enjoy unobstructed views of the natural environment, which has been shown to boost productivity and satisfaction in the workplace.

Courtesy of Saint-Gobain Courtesy of Saint-Gobain

2) The entrance way features Sheerfill® Fiberglass Architectural Membrane coated with Teflon® to create a stunning architectural profile that can be appreciated day or night. The design team selected Sheerfill because it lets through natural light while still protecting employees and visitors from the elements. At night, LED lights are directed up toward the canopy, and the membrane’s highly reflective white surface makes the most of the effect, lighting the expansive pathway to the building.

3) CertainTeed Low-slope CoolStar Solar Reflective Roofing was installed to help minimize the building’s environmental impact, maximize occupant comfort by insulating the structure and provide the highest degree of weather protection possible.

Courtesy of Saint-Gobain Courtesy of Saint-Gobain

4) The irrigation system and water feature utilize harvested rainwater, eliminating potable water use. Rainwater is collected from a 7,000-square-foot (650-square-meter) roof area and stored in a 25,000-gallon (95,000-liter) cistern on-site. A stormwater management plan was implemented on-site, including an underground detention system, infiltration trench, and four rain gardens, all to infiltrate stormwater on-site and inhibit impact to local waterways.

Interior Highlights

Courtesy of Saint-Gobain Courtesy of Saint-Gobain

1) Designed by Jacobs, the interior of the headquarters boasts an open-concept design that provides views of the outdoors from virtually every one of the 800+ workstations. The interior design minimizes barriers between groups, with flexible configurations ranging from smaller quiet rooms to large conference spaces to encourage collaboration and inspire creativity.

Courtesy of Saint-Gobain Courtesy of Saint-Gobain

2) By leveraging products from the company’s portfolio, the company has created an environment that is open, yet still quiet and conducive to concentration. For example, an employee can have a conversation on the phone at their desk without worrying about disturbing the employee next to them. Rooms designed to accommodate training sessions are designed to allow sound to roll across the room, so people in the back can hear just as well as those in front. This is made possible through the use of sound absorbing materials from CertainTeed, such as Gyptone Quattro perforated ceiling panels. In addition, Ecophon® Focus™ Ds and Solo Hexagon combine style and performance in the headquarters for a quieter, more productive workplace.

Courtesy of Saint-Gobain Courtesy of Saint-Gobain

3) In the interior of the headquarters, several different products were chosen to help the company achieve the building’s indoor environmental quality goals and to create a positive impact on the health of employees. Novelio® CleanAir Wallcovering is used in conjunction with Novelio® Mold-X Wallcovering. Novelio® CleanAir Wallcovering has the ability to trap and neutralize 70 percent of harmful aldehydes and sanitize the air, whereas Novelio® Mold-X Wallcovering features an antimicrobial coating that actively repels and kills fungus and black mold. CertainTeed AirRenew® gypsum drywall was also used to absorb VOCs, providing additional indoor air quality enhancement.

Courtesy of Saint-Gobain Courtesy of Saint-Gobain

Setting the Stage for Future Innovation

Saint-Gobain’s headquarters is designed to set the stage for future innovation. For the first time, the company’s largest subsidiary in North America, CertainTeed, has its entire research team integrated with the company’s operations team in one location. The company believes that by bringing together the long-term insights of marketing with the deep customer experience of sales and combining them with the expertise of its scientists in one central location will yield better products and solutions for customers and consumers.

The research and development facility—The Malvern Innovation Center—is adjacent to the administrative office building. Here, the research team benefits from working in a “living laboratory” environment where it can directly measure the impact its technologies have on workplace environments. This includes experiencing the comfort and enhanced productivity of a conference room that is acoustically sound or breathing easier thanks to air-purifying and mold-resistant gypsum.

Courtesy of Saint-Gobain Courtesy of Saint-Gobain

In fact, the company is collaborating with Associate Professor Ihab Elzeyadi at the University of Oregon’s School of Architecture and Allied Arts to study how the materials enhance the wellbeing of employees. In late 2017, the company will be sharing the results of several studies being completed, but has already received some positive data that shows the headquarters is paying off. In the first three weeks of occupancy, the Call Center increased productivity 140% in the new building, with no changes in hours or staff. These employees have demonstrated higher energy levels (attributed to air quality and lighting); shown increased collaboration, peer support, accountability, and even heightened competitive spirit (attributed to the open floor plan); and shown greater focus with less distraction (attributed to the exceptional acoustics). In the first five weeks of occupancy, the Sales Support Group increased lead-generation performance over 150%, compared to same period in 2014.

The headquarters stands for what the future of workplace design can be. To follow this project and get insights on the future of workplace design visit Saint-Gobain’s North American headquarters’ website: www.livinglaboratory.com.

Soar Through BIG's Twisting Miami Towers, the Grove at Grand Bay, in This Drone Video

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In this video, drone Videographer Azeez Bakare takes us through BIG's recently-completed Grove at Grand Bay, a residential complex in South Miami featuring two twisting 20-story towers and a lush tropical landscape terrace designed by landscape architect Raymond Jungles.

Commissioned for the project by BIG, the video shows how the building transforms throughout the day: standing out as stark white sculptures during the day before turning an orange glow as the glass balconies reflect back the setting sun, and finally, lit up at night against the Miami skyline.

See more of Bakare's work, here and learn more about the building below: 

BIG's Grove at Grand Bay Ready for Grand Opening

The BIG-designed Grove at Grand Bay is now complete, becoming an new architectural icon for South Miami. Residents will now put the finishing touches on the units before a grand opening and move-in next month. The two twisting 20-story towers have been completely sold out, and mark BIG's first completed condominium building in the United States.

The Grove at Grand Bay / BIG

59 Architects Bjarke Ingels, Thomas Christoffersen Tiago Barros, Jitendra Jain, Brian Foster, Ed Yung, Terrence Chew, Ji-Young Joon, Kasper Hansen, Chris Malcolm, Alana Goldweit, Martin Voelkle, Greg Knobloch, Ho Kyung Lee, Mina Rafiee, Cat Huang, Maureen McGee, Chris Falla, Valerie Lechene Project Leaders Project Year Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates, Inc.

Fortaleza Photography Museum / Marcus Novais Arquitetura

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© Celso Oliveira © Celso Oliveira
  • Architects: Marcus Novais Arquitetura
  • Location: R. Frederico Borges, 545 - Varjota, Fortaleza, Brazil
  • Authors: Marcus Novais, Lucas Novais
  • Architects In Charge: Yuri Praça, Thiago Baêtas
  • Project Team: Fernando Araújo, Daphny Xavier, Renato Oliveira, Andrinne Araújo, Marcela Craveiro
  • Area: 1940.0 sqm
  • Project Year: 2017
  • Photographs: Celso Oliveira, Igor Ribeiro
  • Curatorship: Ivo Mesquita
  • Installations : Prediais UTP engenharia
  • Air Conditioning: Pedro Cumaru
  • Lighting: Studio IX
  • Constructor: Simpex
© Igor Ribeiro © Igor Ribeiro

From the architect. The challenge of designing a new home for one of the largest collections of photography in Brazil, until then kept away from public knowledge, was accepted with great sense of responsibility to display this historical record. The art collection consists of more than 2,000 pieces including historical names such as Steve McCurry, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Marcel Gautherot, who share space with other leading artists in contemporary production - among them are André Liohn, Claudia Andujar, Rosângela Rennó , and others.

© Igor Ribeiro © Igor Ribeiro

The subject of the work was an existing building with approximately 2,000 square metres of floor area, located in the Varjota neighborhood, in the capital city of Fortaleza, state of Ceará, Brazil. With a very active social life, the neighborhood is considered a gastronomic pole, and an important meeting point for part of the city's public.

Section Section
Section Section

As the former headquarters of an English school, the Brazil - United States Institute (IBEU), the building had a structure with various spans, low ceilings, inadequately sized openings, poor accessibility and an inexpressive facade that had little interaction with the street. Already in the first stage of the retrofit, the building was reduced to its structural frame and external walls.

© Igor Ribeiro © Igor Ribeiro

The building has a total of five floors. In the main access, there is a generous staircase that marks the entrance axis of the Museum. Associated with it, there is a ramp for people with disabilities, treated in a sculptural manner in the composition of the façade and highlighted by an empty space that works as a small square, which holds a typical tree from the northeastern semi-arid region that brings the regional element to the sober volumetry of the building. The ground floor comprises the Lobby, a hybrid area with a coffee shop, library, shop, toilets and the temporary exhibition area. The permanent exhibition occupies the first and second floors, with identical plans, spaces are completely sober in the exhibition areas, but with a pleasant vertical garden in the area of ​​the walkway, which represents a transition, almost like a visual rest, between fragments of the shows. On the third floor there is a partially covered terrace overlooking the city, and a multipurpose room, both for events, workshops and lectures. All administrative and support ambients have been placed in the basement, including a technical reserve for the Collection.

© Igor Ribeiro © Igor Ribeiro

Some measures were taken so that there was a control of natural light in the building, important for conservation of the works and quality of the museum space. Most of the old building openings were sealed, but a central atrium was maintained and walkways were built on it, adding visual interaction and allowing a circuit in the once confined and linear pavements. The plaster ceiling was completely removed for a bigger height, and a disordered network of existing beams was reconciled with apparent cable trays that accommodate all types of facilities: lighting, climate control, and electrical ducting fit in this space.

© Igor Ribeiro © Igor Ribeiro

The transformation of the facade was one of the most dramatic alterations in this project. The existing building already contemplated a cantilevered block which represents the upper levels, although it was poorly displayed by the composition. Beyond that, a few visual barriers prevented the full visualization of the building from the sidewalks. The concept was to value this cantilevered volume as main element of the façade, with a ventilated façade of metallic structure and perforated aluminum composite material sheets (A.C.M.) as coating, which aside from protecting from the intense heat from the sun in the afternoons of Fortaleza, configures through a variation in the sizing of the perforation, a dynamic to this pure volume, creating a sort of mosaic. As a capstone both marquees were added, a smaller one shading the main access, and making it possible to use a glazing on the facade that counterbalances the opacity of the other materials, and a bigger, “L” shaped one, gently landed above the building, generating an ideal proportion to the whole composition.

© Igor Ribeiro © Igor Ribeiro

The main intention of the project was to create a contemporary architecture that conveyed , through its volumetry, timelessness and sobriety of shapes and materials. This without forgetting, of course, of the remarkable identity proportioned by the facade, easily assimilable by any person that has seen it.

© Igor Ribeiro © Igor Ribeiro

The “Anker Gardens“ of Bielefeld / Kresings Architektur

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© Roman Mensing © Roman Mensing
  • Architects: Kresings Architektur
  • Location: Ravensberger Str. 12 / Rohrteichstr. 19, 33602 Bielefeld ,Germany
  • Architect In Charge: Kilian Kresing
  • Area: 14200.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2017
  • Photographs: Roman Mensing
  • Project Staff: André Pannenbäcker, Dorit Haase, Jan Tölle, Tilo Pfeifer, Thomas Vöge
  • Client: Bautra GmbH
© Roman Mensing © Roman Mensing

From the architect. The new residential quarter right in the middle of downtown Bielefeld recognizes the potential of history, conveying this potential into the present. The large-scale industrial architecture of the area of the former incorporation “Anker Werke AG“, a company specialized in the production of sewing ma- chines and cash registers, has been kept up, with this area having been transformed into a new urban quarter by means of some minor changes.

© Roman Mensing © Roman Mensing


Additional incisions made at the corners of the perimeter block development break up the existing structures, thus creating an interior zone filled with light and loaded with new contents. At the same time, the staggered positioning of the entrances leaves the sense of comfort of the garden unaffected and sustains the original character of the industrial scale. This approach has resulted in the creation of a revegetated interior space which – by means of its design – serves both as a community garden and as an area allowing barrier-free surmounting of the rising terrain.

© Roman Mensing © Roman Mensing


Apart from the use for commercial purposes in the southern part of the ground floor, the ensemble of buildings first and foremost provides space for 102 apartments that are full of personality. The struc- tural design of the previous factory buildings has been maintained throughout, and the heritage-pro- tected front of the main building, alongside with the bridge, has been restored in a careful manner.

© Roman Mensing © Roman Mensing
Ground Floor Plan Ground Floor Plan
© Roman Mensing © Roman Mensing

This has led to the creation of spacious living areas flooded with light, and thanks to their high ceil- ings and their picture windows, these areas have a loft-like character of extraordinary kind. The pro- jecting penthouse apartments, which are built onto the existing structure, constitute a quite particular highlight. With their bronze-colored metal cladding systems and the deliberate cantilevers positioned at the incisions, they clearly reflect and underline the conceptual idea of an inner-city ensemble that carries on the history of Bielefeld, making this history lively and perceptible. 

© Roman Mensing © Roman Mensing

This Drone Video Captures the Mesmerizing Geometries of The World's Most Vertical City

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The immense scales and geometric intricacies of Hong Kong have long held the fascination of the public consciousness, and has been further reinforced in recent years by mind-bending photography series such as Michael Wolf’s “Architecture of Density.”

In this new film from architect Mariana Bisti, this phenomenon is explored for the first time through drone videography. Not limited to vantage points accessible to humans, the video zooms and pans deliberately over, across and into the city’s enormous residential blocks, the cinematography bringing to mind that of Charles and Ray Eames’ seminal production, “Powers of Ten.” Special care to detail has been taken to align each composition to the Cartesian plane, resulting in mesmerizing experience that never breaks your attention.

Via vimeo.

Michael Wolf Explains the Vision Behind his Hong Kong Photo Series, "Architecture of Density"

I see it a bit as my mission to document things in Hong Kong which are vanishing, which are disappearing, primarily through urban renewal In this short film from Yitiao Video, photographer Michael Wolf explains the vision behind his momentous photo series, "Architecture of Density," in which he captures the immense scale and incredible intricacies of the city of Hong Kong.

Timberland Terrace / A-001 Taller de Arquitectura

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© Eduardo Gorozpe © Eduardo Gorozpe
  • Architects: A-001 Taller de Arquitectura
  • Location: De La República, Tabacalera, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Authors: Eduardo Gorozpe, Arturo Olavarrieta, Grecia Ramos, Daniel Che
  • Area: 325.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2016
  • Photographs: Eduardo Gorozpe
  • Client: Timberland
  • Structural Design: Fernando Calleja
  • Construction: Jorge Orozco
© Eduardo Gorozpe © Eduardo Gorozpe

From the architect. An under-used rooftop with a privileged location, in front of the Plaza de la República and the Monumento a la Revolución in Mexico City, sparked a strategic collaboration between the brand Timberland and the real estate developer Reman Holdings. Building a rooftop terrace reconciled the interests of both parts in having a venue for events and making the most of such a powerful space, to be part of the facilities of HomeWork. A-001 Taller de Arquitectura led from the beginning the coordination, project management, architectural proposition and building process.

Structural Scheme Structural Scheme

This project puts in practice an URBANKETING concept, developed by A-001 Taller de Arquitectura, which allows companies and brands to make marketing through accountable and non-invasive urban and city projects. 

© Eduardo Gorozpe © Eduardo Gorozpe

The formal aspect was based on the premise of potentiating the view to the Plaza, besides giving priority to a versatile functionality. Consequently, a partially covered open plan floor was proposed, which enables to host different kind of events as parties, concerts, restaurant, bar, yoga, among others. Using material such as wood, metal, zinc plated roof, an architectural language was created according to the spirit of Timberland, which is inspired by the outdoors experience. 

Beam Detail Beam Detail
Longitudinal Section Longitudinal Section

The main challenge of this project was the structural solution, since a nonexistent floor plan level was created and to do so it was necessary to extend the vertical structural elements of the building and to set up a mesh over which the terrace was built.

© Eduardo Gorozpe © Eduardo Gorozpe

The Terraza Timberlad, being the first viewpoint to the Monumento a la Revolución, takes part in the urban revitalization of the Plaza de la República through a different way for promoting a brand: making a contribution to the city and taking advantage from disused spaces. 

© Eduardo Gorozpe © Eduardo Gorozpe

Design Furniture Store Interniceramiche / Ceschia e Mentil Architetti Associati

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© Alessandra Bello © Alessandra Bello
  • Other Participants : Placido Luise, Cellini Marco
© Alessandra Bello © Alessandra Bello

From the architect. The parcel interested by the intervention is occupied by a small 1970’s warehouse used as a utensils’ depot. A first intervention turned it into a commercial space for the sale of products complementing bathroom furniture; a second intervention amplifies the volume characterized by a big covering vault which repeats the construction system and faces it with a mimesis attitude.

© Alessandra Bello © Alessandra Bello
© Alessandra Bello © Alessandra Bello

The need for a showroom space for the interior furniture products, wood stoves in particular, suggests to the client a new extension to be built on the warehouse side previously occupied by a parking space.

© Alessandra Bello © Alessandra Bello

The client’s request is to think of a new volume where communication and information had to find an adequate space, a new concept of showcase.

Scheme Scheme
Floor Plan Floor Plan

The compact and simple map of the extension is “broken” by a small space open to the sky to whom access is allowed with a gaze through two big opposing windows. The introspective space defines the place through a small internal garden defined by the presence of a birch and rampant plants that wrap the coarse reinforced concrete surface. The internal garden inside the extension space divides two spatial settings which have diverse but complementary functions through the furniture fittings: one is a reception and a meeting area, the other is a display area. The décor/furniture, a big wood stove included, which are at all effects part and parcel of the display can be touched and used by the clients so that the apparently exclusive world of design becomes evocative of a “domestic” space. The idea is to create a space very much different from the one the extension refers to: a space where architecture prevails and is enriched by a simple and functional design with an extremely informal touch

© Alessandra Bello © Alessandra Bello

Parnas Tower / Chang-jo Architects

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© Goong-Sun Nam © Goong-Sun Nam
  • Architects: Chang-jo Architects
  • Location: 521 Teheran-ro, Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
  • Architect In Charge: Joon-Bum Paik
  • Area: 219.385 m2
  • Project Year: 2016
  • Photographs: Goong-Sun Nam
  • Collaborator : KMD Architects,
  • Client: Parnas Hotel Co., Ltd.
© Goong-Sun Nam © Goong-Sun Nam

From the architect. Located at the corner of Samsung subway station, the largest commercial district of Teheran-ro, Parnas Tower has its own value in itself beyond a newly-made architecture in that it is surrounded by the four hotels and the representative buildings which stand for the modern images in Republic of Korean such as the international-scale convention center, COEX Mall, CALT, ASEM Tower, and Korea Trade Center.

© Goong-Sun Nam © Goong-Sun Nam
1st Floor Plan 1st Floor Plan
© Goong-Sun Nam © Goong-Sun Nam

Parnas Tower is a business facility building of 8 basement and 38 above-ground floors with the height of 183.48m. The designers of the two companies, Chang-jo Architects and KMD prioritized achieving a new harmony with the existing buildings in designing Parnas Tower, renovated the lower floors of Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas Hotel and designed the first basement floor of Parnas Mall. Reflecting some part of the design concept of the adjacent Korea Trade Center, the southern lower part and the eastern upper part of the building were designed with transparent glass and with diagonal protrusions and retrusions. To minimize the interruption by the designs of the hotels in the same site, the northern and southern corners of the building were finished with diagonal lines and the eastern and western corners of the building were finished with round shapes. 

© Goong-Sun Nam © Goong-Sun Nam

Black horizontal louvers were used for the elevation of the tower that would have been monotonous, creating the identity of the elevation. The louvers attached at regular intervals create sense of vertical escalation and work out as aesthetic tools which generate various facets of the building depending on perspectives.

© Goong-Sun Nam © Goong-Sun Nam

By using BIPV in the spandrel of the west elevation, the building can be connected to the elevation of the existing hotel and about 25% of electric power for lighting can be generated, which enabled the building to achieve the first grade of green building certification criteria. 

Section Section

On the ground floor, the classical lobby of the renovated hotel and the bright and modern lobby of the office with the height of 3 floors are in the strong contrast, each of them presenting its own individuality. The largest representative space of this project, the huge atrium lies between the two lobbies with different functions and design concepts. The ceiling of 26m height, the marble walls with vertical fins, and the large skylight area enrich the space. Through the atrium design, Chang-jo Architects planned to provide the spatial harmony between the lobbies and suggest a new possibility of urban publicity as a public passage.

© Goong-Sun Nam © Goong-Sun Nam

The constructor, GS E&C, went through complex construction process by adopting non-noise and non-vibration method for the continuous operation of the hotel in the most densely populated area in Seoul. It excavated the lower part and expanded the building with the existing facility propped up using a supporting structure. Applying post tension method and flat slab method, it built the new office building while remodeling the existing hotel. GS E&C also applied three-dimensional simulation method using BIM Modeling and 3D Scanner to secure the high-quality construction through checking and correcting the irrationalities and interruptions in advance.

© Goong-Sun Nam © Goong-Sun Nam

Nhà hàng Crabsark & Crawfish Restaurant / TNT architects

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© Triệu Chiến © Triệu Chiến
  • Architects: TNT architects
  • Location: Vinh, Nghe An, Vietnam
  • Architect In Charge: Bùi Quang Tiến
  • Area: 370.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2016
  • Photographs: Triệu Chiến
© Triệu Chiến © Triệu Chiến

From the architect. CRABSARK & CRAWFISH is a seafood restaurant which is located on the central of Vinh city. The restaurant has been made from combination of structural steels, glasses, naked bricks and flexible curves. It was made not only the model western food restaurant but also very close local culture!

© Triệu Chiến © Triệu Chiến

To do that, we created a block which made from combination of structural steels, glasses that make a sense of minimalism. In addition, the adjustable roofslookslike going up and down, it like the same neighbor house. This mean that the restaurant is both outstanding and friendly.

Section Section

The restaurant consisted of 6 spaces includingseparate functions that was placed 5 different altitude and linking each other by mean of many flexible stairs. This means that it seem to be making plenty of interesting indoor spaces. Simultaneously the outside of the restaurant was modern architecture, the material which was used the warm colors of bricks, the colours of steels, and the wooden colors that make warm and friendly indoos spaces. It was built in accordance with orient culture.

© Triệu Chiến © Triệu Chiến
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