Opinion: in the aftermath of the EU referendum, Britain has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redesign itself as a coherent, relevant and functioning nation for the 21st century, says Sam Jacob. (more…)
From the architect. The project Five Houses proposes to realize the dream of living in a forest dominated by ancient pines and lush vegetation, in a privileged place. The site is located 3 minutes from the junction of the new Toluca – Avándaro road, which includes a bicycle path. Its location is strategic, between the center of Valle de Bravo and Avandaro Golf Club, 10 minutes from the lake. For the construction of the project we took into consideration saving the largest possible number of trees in the nearly seven thousand square meters of land area, in order to respect the environment as much as possible. This, together with the use of the slope of the site, accentuates the feeling of being immersed in the forest from the built spaces.
The project: shared privacy
The design and layout of the elements of each house as well as the project on the ground create a sense of privacy. Thus, the inhabitants of Five Houses enjoy the tranquility of the forest.
To access the project and each of the houses, we drew up a dirt road from the entrance, passing through the parking areas of each house and ending in a common paddle tennis court, with minimal disruption to the environment.
Five Houses is a horizontal condominium with private area, divided into five lots totaling 7,000 square meters, of which 5,800 are green areas. In addition to the built area, each lot has a large open field where it is possible to integrate a jacuzzi.
The houses: balanced spaces
Each house is a sum of spaces with contemporary spirit, where comfort is an essential aspect. Their rural location, with full respect for nature, and clearly avant-garde design, are their main attractions.
Balance is one of the central features of the houses. It is felt everywhere: between the buildings and the nature that surrounds them; between the proportion of the built space and the site; between the privacy of each house and their openness to the forest; between the property of each house and the common area, and between the materials used, light and open, and at the same time, solid and welcoming.
Each house occupies an area of 300 square meters, divided into three volumes:
1. Living area and Terrace, separated by sliding glass doors that expand and link the spaces, or divide them. Both benefit from fresh wind during warm seasons. In cold weather, a fireplace covering two walls heats both spaces. The view opens to the forest, through the cantilevered roof onto the terrace, and gives the feeling of being in nature.
2. Four Bedrooms, connected with the family area, maintain their independence. Three of them are on the ground floor, one of them with private terrace. The family room is on the first floor and the large master bedroom, whose bathroom is characterized by a very special element: its roof is glass, overlooks the treetops.
3. The service area is located on a separate rectangular volume, which rises above the sloping ground and includes kitchen, pantry, laundry room and utility room.
In addition to these three volumes, there are two interior courtyards whose function is to link the spaces. One is located to one side of the main entrance, overlooking the living room, and the other is a visual end to the bedroom hallway.
The materials include wood, glass, steel and concrete. Flattened walls contrast with the wood ceilings, and the glass windows with steel frames.
From the design and the materials used, the project aims to create light, open, welcoming and balanced environments, immersed in the woods.
Music is all around us! And Beatles have contributed to the history of music probably more than any other band. I don’t think there are many people to whom this name doesn’t ring a bell. Do you have a favourite Beatles song? Can you use it to describe your life?
Since it’s Friday, what better way to prepare for the weekend than a little song! And maybe you’ll find something about you in the process.
Take this quick and fun quiz to find out which Beatles song best describes your life!
The post Which Beatles Song Best Describes Your Life? appeared first on Change your thoughts.
On the grounds of the Tripoli International Fair (Rashid Karameh International Exhibition Center) in Lebanon, one finds one of the five largest exhibition centers in the world [1]. The 15 structures, designed by legendary Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in 1963, remain unfinished due to the project’s abandonment during the country’s civil war in 1975.
Photographer Anthony Saroufim, who is based in Beirut and Paris, captured the site’s unfinished concrete structures. The photographs reveal the simultaneous hints of progress and crisis, and of imagination and ruin.
Check out Anthony Saroufim’s gallery of this striking, unfinished Niemeyer project.
As city property prices continue to skyrocket, the trend for micro apartments is growing. We’ve rounded up eight examples – from a 13-square-metre crashpad in Poland, to a Parisian flat with a home cinema – to show how to make the most of a tiny space (+ slideshow). (more…)
💙 Velvet Heat Wave on 500px by Jason Mordecai , Cardiff,… http://ift.tt/1R3XeXQ
There’s a risk in tackling such problems more directly, but not doing so only makes matters worse in the long run
I’ve never been a great fan of Eric Pickles, briefly an underwhelming, budget-cutting leader of Bradford city council, later an underwhelming local government secretary whose chief contribution to “localism” was to localise the budget cuts and still tell town halls what to do. I just didn’t trust him.
But he has a point in saying the government at every level should take more seriously the sensitive issue of voter fraud, not least by requiring identity checks at polling stations.
Politics blog | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2bbOJr8
Scandinavian Apartment is a residential project visualized by IMAGE BOX STUDIOS. It is located in Norway. Renderings courtesy of IMAGE BOX STUDIOS
Methamphetamine is being doled out to North Korean construction workers in a bid to speed up progress on a skyscraper in the capital city of Pyongyang, according to reports. (more…)
Our job of the week on Dezeen Jobs is for an architect at Amsterdam-based UNStudio, whose recent projects include a retail and residential complex that combines curving forms with golden-hued aluminium (pictured). Visit the ad for full details or browse more architecture and design opportunities on Dezeen Jobs.
Sig Nordal 