via 500px http://ift.tt/1Tlyudg
Move out of the City of London? Not if you apply the concept of bespoke tailoring to where you live. A flat only 15 minutes from Tower Bridge has been completely redesigned by Studio Alexander Fehre. Intelligent use of this small space was guided by the owner’s living needs. An unusual kitchen solution freed up space in the living area, while integrating much greater functionality. The bathroom is now equipped with a spacious shower adding a quite luxurious touch, and the narrowness of the room was further enhanced. It all goes to show that 45m² in London can definitely be enough of a good thing.
Can you even talk about spaciousness and comfort with such a small floorplan? In London’s over-valued property market you hear a lot about large, exclusive flats that symbolise the constant struggle to find affordable housing close to the city’s centre. Smaller flats however make up the large majority of the city’s housing and can benefit to a much greater degree from considered interior planning. And following the established wisdom for making spaces appear larger than they actually are is not always the right response. With Filippo’s flat, we began by analysing the exact functions and requirements that the space should fulfil with the objective of exploiting every last square centimetre to the full. We determined that redistributing the flat’s layout would make a big difference, merging the living room, kitchen and small hallway to create one space. A black fishbone parquet floor brings a sense of clarity and cohesion to this spatial layout, while the shiny black, varnished finish creates additional depth. The dining area was moved into the kitchen and takes the form of a cosy sitting area painted in Valentino red. The existing kitchen window set high in the wall and the narrow width of the room combine to make the sitting area seem as if it had always been there. The semi-circular, banded wallpaper defines the dining area as a separate small space. Opposite the cleanly designed kitchen stands an open shelving unit made from veneered multiplex, which stretches through into the living room. It serves to connect both areas, while a sliding door can be closed to separate them if desired. As with the dining area, the use of a different wall and ceiling colour in the entrance area gives it a slightly different definition. The desk is optimally positioned at the window and fits in perfectly with the sequence of furniture in the living area.
Thanks to a large, L-shaped sofa, stepped table and circular mirror, the living area possesses a very striking lounge-like atmosphere. The bedroom is very narrow, so a platform was constructed that stretches from wall to wall. The bed is positioned on top, thereby structuring the room and making it easier to reach the rear window. The walls are painted a deep purple, contrasting beautifully with the wall-mounted shelving units. In the bathroom a conscious decision was made not to attempt to widen it, instead emphasising the length of this space through a combination of mirror, wallpaper and downlights. Thanks to the generous depth of the shower, it requires no second shower enclosure and the offset ceiling integrates it seamlessly into the overall design. The bathroom floor is covered in a woven vinyl, just like in the bedroom. The bathroom wallpaper accompanies you from the door to the basin and is also the determining element in the shower.
Although spaciousness is in the eye of the beholder, Studio Alexander Fehre presents a succinct, contemporary solution to the issue of progressive urbanisation.
Zaha Hadid’s sudden passing has led to an outpouring of heartfelt tributes from some of the profession’s most prominent figures. A “brave and radical” trailblazer, and the first woman to win the Pritzker Prize, Hadid’s significant impact on the world of architecture is undeniable. She will be missed.
“We are all shocked and devastated that we lost Zaha today, a most beautiful individual, talent, leader and friend,” Patrik Schumacher, Director of Zaha Hadid Architects, wrote on Facebook.
We will continue to update this link as more tributes come in.
//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js
Amanda Levete told ArchDaily: “I feel immensely privileged to have known Zaha as a very dear and loyal friend, as a confidante, and one of the most extraordinary talents of our time…. When my son was very young, Zaha showed him how to write his name in Arabic. It was the moment I realised the genesis of her remarkable architectural language. She was an extraordinary role model for women. She was fearless and a trailblazer – her work was brave and radical. Despite sometimes feeling misunderstood, she was widely celebrated and rightly so. I will miss her deeply as will the world of architecture.”
Angela Brady, former President of RIBA told The Guardian: “She was a tough architect, which is needed as a woman at the top of her profession and at the height of her career. She will be sadly missed as an iconic leader in architecture and as a role model for women in architecture.”
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London tweeted: “So sad to hear of death of Zaha Hadid, she was an inspiration and her legacy lives on in wonderful buildings in Stratford & around the world.”
Daniel Libeskind tweeted: “Devastated by the loss of a great architect & colleague today. Her spirit will live on in her work and studio. Our hearts go out.”
Jane Duncan, President of RIBA: “Dame Zaha Hadid was an inspirational woman, and the kind of architect one can only dream of being. Visionary and highly experimental, her legacy, despite her young age, is formidable… She leaves behind a body of work from buildings to furniture, footwear and cars, that delight and astound people all around the world. The world of architecture has lost a star today.”
John McAslan told AJ: “This is devastating and tragic news. Zaha Hadid was a phenomenal force in the world of architecture. An incredible character – brilliant, fearless, and irreplaceable.”
Michael Kimmelman: “Sad news. She was astonishing, a groundbreaker, including as a powerful woman who showed that great architecture is not just a man’s game.”
Odile Decq told AJ: “The first Grande Dame de l’architecture and a great figure in many ways. She has open so many doors for women in architecture. She has become free and without any fear after having been forced to fight against sexist attitudes. Her architecture reveals her own freedom.”
Paola Antonelli, MoMA’s Senior Curator of Architecture & Design tweeted: “I am so so so shocked, I have no words.”
Paul Goldberger tweeted: “Shocked and deeply saddened to hear the news of Zaha Hadid’s death: one of the great architectural figures of our time.”
Pritzker Architecture Prize: “The Pritzker Family and the Pritzker Architecture Prize organization are deeply saddened by the passing of Dame Zaha Hadid. She was truly a pioneer in the field of architecture. The 2004 Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate, she represents the highest aspirations of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. She also served on the jury for one year. Zaha Hadid will be remembered for her talent, creativity, commitment, loyalty and friendship.”
Richard Rogers told The Guardian: “She was a great architect, a wonderful woman and wonderful person… Among architects emerging in the last few decades, no one had any more impact than she did. She fought her way through as a woman. She was the first woman to win the Pritzker prize.”
Yale School of Architecture: “Architecture today lost one of it’s greatest. Zaha Hadid has died. Zaha was the current Norman R. Foster Visiting Professor at the Yale School of Architecture where she had taught regularly since 2001. She will be greatly, greatly, missed.”
Of the many prescient things Rem Koolhaas has written, few are as spot on as this transcript from his days Zaha's tutor…
Posted by Joseph Grima on Thursday, March 31, 2016
//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js
Zaha Hadid changed the line of the known and the possible. RIP.
Posted by Storefront for Art and Architecture on Thursday, March 31, 2016
//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js
via 500px http://ift.tt/1ZOcPv3
via 500px http://ift.tt/1SCd8WK
via 500px http://ift.tt/1Y2pGIx
via 500px http://ift.tt/1UFCy9H
via 500px http://ift.tt/1UFCW89
via 500px http://ift.tt/235sAzy
Sig Nordal 