F.LOT is a residential project completed by Studio Toggle in 2016. The home is located in Kuwait City, Kuwait. F.LOT by Studio Toggle: “The F.LOT house can be described as a minimal composition of 2 seemingly floating masses intersecting at right angles. A 5m (16ft) cantilever adds drama and gives the composition its unique character. The challenge was to cater for the clients need for a clean open design at..
Niloofar Apartment / Alidoost and Partners
© Parham Taghioff
- Architects: Alidoost and Partners
- Location: Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
- Architects In Charge: Shahab Alidoost, Sona Eftekharazam
- Area: 2000.0 sqm
- Project Year: 2016
- Photographs: Parham Taghioff
- Assistant Technical Architect: Amir Niknafs
- Team: Hamideh Raoufzadeh, Mehdi Beheshti, Behnaz Behbahani Client: Mika Group
- Client: Mika Group
© Parham Taghioff
From the architect. When the employer began discussions about the project with the architectural group in May 2015, he intended to have a building designed with details as follows: a seven-storey building with steel structure consisting of one underground floor for parking lots, storerooms, boiler room; the ground floor allocated to parking lots; as well as five other floors with one apartment of 165 sqm in area and with three bedrooms on each floor, creating a total built area of 1365 m2 with an external view in compliance with necessary standards to improve qualities of living spaces, allocating a limited budget and accelerating the project to sell the apartments as soon as possible.
© Parham Taghioff
At first we embarked on designing plans taking into consideration the preset steel structure, which was in process of construction, and protection of the access box and heights of floors. Next, because of the budget allocated by the employer, we planned split units as chilling facilities and private packages of heating systems for independent use of every apartment.
Courtesy of Alidoost and Partners
Finally, as the considered building is blocked on three sides and the building can use the sun light only from the south side, and as the employer decided to sell the apartments at soonest possible time, not only we were to pay attention to the planning and spatial relationships, but also to create a distinguished beautiful external view.
© Parham Taghioff
With a glance at the invaluable Iranian architecture, we presented the design with objectives as follows:
To use traditional patterns to create an architecture consistent with needs of the today’s community; to pay attention to simplicity and homogeneity with the surrounding texture; to use functional elements of Iranian architecture, such as “SHOBAK” and “OROSI” to adjust light and to create privacy at home; and to pay attention to appropriate outside views from inside.
© Parham Taghioff
After summing up of the above, the design was made with three steps: (1) To allow light to go to the apartments; (2) To create privacy; and (3) To create appropriate outside views from inside. Therefore, a transparent module and a latticed module were used on every floor to adjust the rate of light penetration into the apartments. On the other hand we considered penetration rate of sunlight into the apartments, adjusted light, created shades, and diversified internal areas by using aluminum latticed plates together with a texture cut by CNC to reduce sunlight during the day and to create pleasant varied spaces for inhabitants with adjustments of shades.
Courtesy of Alidoost and Partners
Finally, we paid attention to the ramps existing in the courtyard to access the ground and underground floors as parking lots and, as there was no sufficient green space, we tried to increase the per capita green space. Therefore, we decided to distribute flower boxes on floors not only to provide the least green space but also to create a relatively nice space in accordance with the urban texture. Therefore, we tried to bring back some part of the external finishing in order to create a place for a small tree to provide the apartments with green spaces. This contributed to create a nicer view for passers-by, on one hand, and to provide the inhabitants with the green space created in their own homes.
© Parham Taghioff
Product Description:
To use traditional patterns to create an architecture consistent with needs of the today’s community; to pay attention to simplicity and homogeneity with the surrounding texture; to use functional elements of Iranian architecture, such as “SHOBAK” and “OROSI” to adjust light and to create privacy at home; and to pay attention to appropriate outside views from inside.
Dezeen’s latest Pinterest board is bulging with inflatable structures
From a blow-up mobile concert hall to an inflatable PVC nightclub, architects have been experimenting with a variety of balloon-like structures. We’ve pinned the most unusual examples to a new Pinterest board.
Follow Dezeen on Pinterest | See more inflatable design on our archive
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How Mindfulness Can Save the Day in These 6 Common Situations
You’re reading How Mindfulness Can Save the Day in These 6 Common Situations, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
The concept of mindfulness can be considered a specific state of mind or a practice to apply to daily life. A critical aspect of Buddhism and meditation, mindfulness is regularly used to defeat daily stressors, relieve personal tensions and achieve greater success.
While mindfulness can be applied to just about any aspect of life, it can save the day in these six common situations.
- Waking in the Morning
Your first chance at daily mindfulness is, coincidentally, as soon as you wake up to face the day. Instead of hitting the snooze button and falling back to sleep, take this time to clear your head, go over the day’s itinerary and make plans for later.
Proactive and highly motivated individuals might immediately wake up and take care of their necessary chores before proceeding with their daily routine — it’s an act of mindfulness that can manifest success from the very start of your day.
- Interacting With Friends and Family
Some of us have a tendency of coming across as overly blunt, brief or even short-tempered in the absence of face-to-face communication. This is especially true when chatting with peers online, where we can’t rely on tone to discern mood.
Awareness of your wordage, your delivery and your specific comments can go a long way in quelling any perceived negativity and strengthening your personal relationships.
When sending brief emails, you can add exclamation points, add a nice sentiment, or even in a more pleasant sign-off. In person, thinking before speaking and being attentive of your tone and body language can make all the difference.
- Enjoying the Outdoors
Mindfulness can also help when you’re in public. Whether you’re riding a bike or walking, paying attention to your surroundings, as well as the actions, intentions and feelings of others, can help to avoid any unnecessary confrontations.
Your exact actions, or inactions, depending on the case, are directly tied to your location at any given moment.
When placing an order at a restaurant, for example, try to end any cell phone conversations or interaction with other guests. That may fall under the category of common sense, but some people find it helps to maintain a certain level of awareness to make sure everyday courtesies happen naturally.
- Driving Your Car
According to reports, 66 percent of traffic-related fatalities are a direct result of aggressive driving. Approximately half of those who fall victim to another aggressive driver respond with aggressiveness themselves. All of this anger and rage has made our nation’s roadways incredibly dangerous.
In this case, mindfulness can do more than save the day — it might save your life. The number of fatal accidents involving road rage or aggressive driving has been on a steady increase over the past few years.
If you’re driving, make sure to use your turn signals and obey all traffic laws. It’s safe to say we could all benefit from mindfulness when traversing the highways and side streets.
- Working
If you’re pursuing any sort of career development, advancement or success will show a certain amount of mindfulness throughout your career. There are a number of different tricks and techniques you can use to strengthen your alertness and success on a day-to-day basis, such as:
- Reviewing and prioritizing your daily responsibilities
- Keeping track of your time
- Seeking out the opinions of co-workers
Sharpen your mental fortitude, and try to team up with a peer to keep each other motivated, successful and mindful.
- Tackling and Overcoming Challenges
Everyone faces personal obstacles and challenges on a daily basis. Some are more difficult to overcome than others, but most of them can be conquered through dedication, perseverance and mindfulness.
Seeking the assistance or support of others, surrounding yourself with successful or positive-minded people and pay closer attention to your own body language and intuition. You can overcome challenges, achieve goals and exceed the expectations of others with mindfulness.
Maintaining Mindfulness Over a Long-Term Basis
Most of these tips focus on short-term mindfulness and awareness, but they can be applied and renewed every day. Gain the ability to cultivate personal and career success over a prolonged period of time with mindfulness — it can also lead to a stronger mind and a healthier lifestyle in the end.
You’ve read How Mindfulness Can Save the Day in These 6 Common Situations, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
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