Seddon House by Melbourne based studio OSK Architects transforms what was a disused inner city car park into a compact family home.
Designed for 3 generations of the one family, the form of the building responds to the modest proportion of its neighbouring buildings, from the street appearing as a single storey construction.
“Having the building read at different scales, from different angles, was the real challenge of the project.’’ said Ben Waters, Principal of OSK Architects
“At first glance the building registers as a simple single storey structure, one that follows the logic of its street context. From the north, you realise a second floor fits within the roof form… the scale of the house opens up as you move around it.”
‘’The project emphasises the roof as a unifying architectural element. It’s geometry defines the scale and architectural expression of the building whilst controlling light and temperature throughout the year. It collects rainwater, allows for cross ventilation and provides the property with power via an integrated solar system.’’
The site is located within a flood zone, and in response the building floats above the natural ground level to avoid inundation. A highly engineered concrete slab is suspended above the landscaping, supported by screw pile footings, raising the finished floor level of the house above 100 year flood levels.
Built for a passionate, creative family who are environmentally conscious, the building combines passive and active technology to reduce energy consumption. Air, water and materials are all recycled throughout the design.
Thermal mass principles are adopted on the southern ground floor wall, constructed as a reverse brick veneer structure which helps keep interior temperatures consistent.
Large operable awning windows open the house up to the north elevation, whilst small highlight openings to the south allow for optimal cross ventilation.
Inside the house material details are highly crafted to form individual expression throughout the spaces. Small eccentricities including recycled 1950s sandblasted glazed doors, fitted with found river stones as handles, joyfully articulate the unique character of the building and its inhabitants.
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Las Vegas – Nevada – USA (by tshantz)
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced Níall McLaughlin, founder of Níall McLaughlin Architects, as winner of the 2016 RIBA Charles Jencks Award. The award is given annually to an outstanding architect or practice “that has recently made a major contribution internationally to both the theory and practice of architecture.”
“Niall McLaughlin is a great inspiration for architects today, especially the young, because of his masterful skill in drawing from all traditions – classicism, modernism, postmodernism,” said jury member and award namesake Charles Jencks. “All the “isms” are under his belt, not on his back, and he extends them all through the commitment to architecture as an art and professional practice.”
Previous winners of the award include Herzog & de Meuron (2015), Benedetta Tagliabue (2013), Rem Koolhaas (2012), Eric Owen Moss (2011), Steven Holl (2010), Charles Correa (2009), Wolf Prix (2008), Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos (2007), Zaha Hadid (2006), Alejandro Zaera-Polo and Farshid Moussavi (2005), Peter Eisenman (2004) and Cecil Balmond (2003).
“Niall’s body of work exemplifies the spirit of this award, which recognises the ability to seamlessly and in this case, beautifully, build theory into one’s practice,” said RIBA President Jane Duncan. “I am in awe of the materiality and the craftsmanship, of the dedication, the collaborative relationships and the contextual sensitivity with which Niall’s buildings are created, all of which make him a most-deserving winner of the 2016 RIBA Charles Jencks Award.”
This year’s jury consisted of Charles Jencks (landscape designer, architectural theorist and writer), RIBA President Jane Duncan, Lily Jencks (Director, Lily Jencks Studio and JencksSquared), Deyan Sudjic (Director, Design Museum) and Brett Steele (Director, Architectural Association School of Architecture), and was chaired by David Gloster (RIBA Director of Education).
Said Níall McLaughlin on winning the 2016 Jencks Award:
“I am honoured to receive the RIBA Charles Jencks Award; particularly given its special emphasis on a simultaneous engagement with theory and practice. For me, architectural practice includes drawing, writing and building as interlinked activities. It is a continual ferrying between an engagement in the natural processes required to bring something reliable and concrete into being, and the need to clear a space for the expression of doubt, possibility and a half-glimpsed ideal. I acknowledge the distinguished list of previous winners of this award; and I am very grateful for the recognition.”
The award will be presented Tuesday 25 October at the RIBA in London, where McLaughlin will also give a public lecture chaired by Charles Jencks.
News via RIBA.
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Lakeland Elementary School is one in a set of four elementaries designed under the same archetype for Federal Way Public Schools. DLR Group’s design for this school re-thinks what a school should look like. From the outside the bright colors and translucent “bars” break the mold of typical school design.
Inside there are a variety of different sized learning spaces, the majority of which are not customized to a specific purpose, maximizing possible uses and flexibility. The literary commons features bookshelves with built in reading nooks. Interior finishes are simple and raw, allowing this school to be built at a significantly lower cost per square foot than other schools at the time. Structure and utilities were intelligently placed to maximize options and minimize expense in any future renovation.
Lakeland Elementary is designed to serve 450 students in 44,000 SF. Classroom spaces are balanced with small group break-out areas. The literacy commons doubles as the main circulation space and features a library, reading nooks, story-time area, computers, and a group presentation area. A moveable wall between the music room and cafeteria allows for performances. Also included are office space and a kitchen. Outdoor amenities include outdoor classroom, play fields, and covered play areas. Daylighting, efficient heating system and flexible design helped meet WSSP sustainability goals. DLR Group provided planning, architecture, engineering and interiors services.
Construction is now underway on Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s (SOM) OH-1 redevelopment project in the Ohtemachi District of Tokyo, Japan. Covering a 20,000 square meter (215,000 square foot) site, the project constitutes one of the largest revitalization projects in Tokyo’s history. The complex includes two high-rise, mixed-use buildings containing a luxury hotel, commercial office space, retail and cultural facilities, and is centered around a park and public area that will visually connect the development to the adjacent Imperial Palace East Gardens.
A product of their context and SOM’s design approach – “balancing tradition and innovation” – each of the project’s two towers takes on its own scale, massing and materiality. The 160 meter tall Tower A faces the Imperial Palace, and harmonizes with its historical context, employing techniques inspired by traditional Japanese craftsmanship in its granite and glass cladding.
Facing the Ohtemachi district, the 200 meter tall Tower B features a glass and steel skin as it rises from the city to “establish a strong presence on the skyline as an emblem of contemporary Japan.”
In total, the towers will contain a total floor area of 360,000 square meters. Included in that number is a flexible event space overlooking the park and plaza area that will be equipped host a range of events from musical performances to international conferences. Both towers have been designed with a range of sustainable features to reduce energy consumption.
On the western section of the site, the 6,000 square meter (64,500 square foot) park will feature a reflecting pool and plaza landscaped with native flora, as well as a new setting for the historic Masakado’s Shrine located on site. OH-1 will also provide direct access to several metro lines, ensuring its accessibility via the Tokyo public transportation system.
Once completed, OH-1 will serve as a new corporate headquarters for Mitsui & Co, one of the largest general trading companies in Japan. The project is the next in a line of collaborations between SOM and developer Mitsui Fudosan, who together have created a series of major developments throughout Tokyo totaling more than 2 million square meters.
“We are thrilled to partner once again with Mitsui Fudosan on this transformative project, which will revitalize Ohtemachi to become not only a world-class business center, but also the heart of a vibrant, 24-hour neighborhood,” said Mustafa Abadan, SOM Design Partner. “Our design bridges Tokyo’s past and future—honoring the historical and cultural signi cance of its site, and at the same time, signaling Japan’s stature at the forefront of technology and innovation.”
The project is scheduled for completion in 2020.
News via SOM.
Sig Nordal 