Opinion: a temporary installation around a plinth that once hosted an infamous statue of Lenin in Ukraine accidentally highlights a deeper problem facing the city than what to do with the relics of Soviet rule, finds Owen Hatherley. (more…)
From the architect. The apartment was too compartmentalized in the social areas.
There was only one common bathroom, since the other was conditioned to the maid’s room, only accessible from the kitchen.
The main idea was to bring together living-room, entrance hall and kitchen in an uninterrupted space, giving access to other compartments through a single indoor hall. The elimination of the maid’s room also enabled increasing the kitchen and the reorganization of the bathrooms.
That allowed the creation of a suite freeing the use of the other bathroom by the rest of the apartment.
A set of black lacquered panels transforms the bounce generated by the stairwell into an architectural element, which not only hides the counters as well aggregates the social space of the apartment.
Brexit design summit: the UK’s creative industries should come together to produce a manifesto explaining the benefits they bring the whole country, designers have suggested. (more…)
SADAR + VUGA and local partner PRG°B R Architektur have been awarded first prize in a competition for the new Headquarters for the Supreme Court and School of Magistrates in Tirana, Albania. The winning proposal, selected from a pool of over 30 international firms and from a shortlist of 5 finalists, renovates an existing 3,000 square meter Italian Rationalist structure while adding four light-filled courtrooms and a new educational block.
The design is a product of its site along the periphery of the Grand Park Tirana, drawing inspiration from the tranquility of the forest and the strength of the existing structure, characteristics that create what SADAR + VUGA refer to as an “urban oasis of sorts.” The renovation and addition enhance these natural qualities while introducing a lively spirit to the site through the creation of an animated urban square, an independent educational facility, intelligently organized administrative spaces for judicial staff and four transparent, tectonic courtrooms that feel open, yet secure.
Program pieces have been dividing into unique architectural objects, arranged to give the complex a campus-like feel. Outer walls of the court complex are constructed of a light tubular steel structure and floor to ceiling glazing. Green roofs also feature throughout the addition, pulling the park into the building.
The educational center takes on a more stoic personality, featuring a conventional concrete shear wall structure, and is set across from the existing building to create a public plaza for the complex. Additional program pieces include classrooms, a conference hall and cafe.
An American artist has turned the remains of legendary Mexican architect Luis Barragán into a diamond, and is offering to exchange the gem for the architect’s professional archive, which is currently housed on the Vitra campus (+ slideshow). (more…)
‘AUTUMN COLORS !!’ – Best viewed large ! by Mundilfari* ‘AUTUMN COLORS !!’ – Best viewed large !
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REYKJAVIK ICELAND http://flic.kr/p/dwaq1Q
From the architect. The Mezzanine House is a single family house, located within a dense single house residential area in Ljubljana. It was completed with collaboration between elastik and Hikikomori. The design for this house deploys a split level device, which organizes the daily experience by deploying split level compartments around the central space of the kitchen and living room.
This organisational principle vertically connects the family activities from half basement, to ground bounded living zone, towards kids’ rooms in the mezzanine level. Master bedroom and guest rooms top the highest floor sector, while offering a connection with the roof terrace. The cantilevered en-suite bedroom provides a shelter for the terrace extending from the living room.
The volumetric compactness of the Mezzanine House is facilitated with the internal split levels that create a landscaped, continuous living space, compartmentalized around the vertical axis.
The challenge was to create a low energy house with high living standards using standard materials like brick and concrete and glass, but not to compromise on architectural design. The house only consumes 19.8 kWh/m2a for heating and cooling that makes her A rated house. The house is equipped with heat recovery unit and collects rain water from the roof. the plot is only 400m2 so it was positioned with a lot of care not to cast shadows onto neighboring buildings and to avoid shadows from them. Passive insulation was used in the best possible way.
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