Mrs. Fan is from a traditional Chinese family. Newlyweds like her are expected to purchase a car and move into a new house in the suburbs to start the next phase of their life. But for people in their early 30’s who wish to be financially independent, the astronomical price of real estate in Beijing makes buying a house on their own nearly impossible.
Mrs. Fan was born and raised in the Changchun Jie Hutong neighborhood in the center of historic Beijing. By the time she was in high school her family had moved to the suburbs while her old neighborhood, with outdated infrastructure and overcrowding, continued to descend into slum-like conditions. But Fan never got accustomed to suburban residential towers, preferring the intimacy of the close knit community she came from.
The affordability of the Plugin House, thirty times less than the cost of buying a typical apartment, made moving back to where Mrs. Fan grew up a practical reality. The living standard and energy efficiency of a Plugin equals or exceeds that of new apartment towers. And her daily commute to work is now reduced from four hours to one. The Plugin replaces part of the old house and adds new functions such as a kitchen and bathroom. The Changchun Jie neighborhood has no sewage system, so public toilets are usually the only option. But an off-the-grid composting toilet system integrated into the plugin makes Hutong life much more convenient.
The Plugin House is custom designed for Mrs. Fan. The living room ceiling extends upwards to provide a double height space with skylights on either side. Sunlight is channeled in from above to flood the previously dark interior with light. To relieve Mrs. Fan of her claustrophobia the small bathroom also has a skylight but receives reflected sunlight from a blue privacy screen. Even on gloomy days the bathroom is covered in a blue tint. A roof deck gives her breathing room from the dense surroundings and private social space.
PAO’s proprietary prefabricated Plugin Panels makes the Plugin House very affordable. Originally developed for the Courtyard House Plugin for “house in house” renovations, the new Plugin House System is waterproof and can be used outside of an existing structure. These prefabricated modules incorporate insulation, interior and exterior finish into one molded part. Plugin Panels attach to each other with an integrated lock making construction a task simple enough to be completed by a couple of unskilled people and one tool in one day. Wiring and plumbing are integrated into the molded composite panels.
The architectural form of the Plugin is defined not by limitations imposed from regulations but instead the negotiated demands from surrounding neighbors. On all sides of the Plugin the structure cannot block sun light, air circulation, and views of the people next door. Even as the structure was built, new demands came about. The Plugin Panel material makes accommodating these changes practical, chopping off entire sections of the building can be done on site.
As an expression of intersecting social forces the Plugin House is a new urban vernacular born from local conditions. For original residents like Mrs. Fan to move back to these historic parts of Beijing is rare. Through improving living standards for an affordable price within given social constraints the Plugin House attempts to breathe new life into old neighborhoods.
From the architect. Nara province where the site located has 8 world heritage architectures. So this city has a lot of history. On the other side, the site is located at the center of the industrial residence in Yamatokoriyama city. Surrounding is a special sight with simple and no color factories. This project is to reform an old kindergarten at that site.
We were trying to make a positive kindergarten at such a negative environment.
And, by explain the “Factory” where can create stuffs and product things, we made the “Dream and creativity making factory” as our concept.
About the surface, by consider the urban landscape, we made the designed that had hard texture feeling like a factory. At the same time, through the courtyard to set up a lot of greens, to create a soft atmosphere. In order to cultivate the kids’ curiosity. And about the indoor, the places where usually be hidden were deliberately exposed, to create atmosphere like the factory. At the same time, through the ventilator of the piping made of transparent, and put the propeller inside, so that children can learn how the wind flow. By exposed the pipe of washbasin, let the kids know how the flow of water working inside the drain-pipe
Through the design of trampling generating plant, let the children learn how electricity is flowing. Like these, many discover places has been designed. Kindergarten is a place for education and growth, not a place with noble color and toys, as a kindergarten, let the children through their own thinking to create like what we respect is one of the results of our design.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced Paul Revere Williams, FAIA as the posthumous winner of the 2017 AIA Gold Medal. With a portfolio of nearly 3,000 buildings over five decades, Williams’ career was notable for breaking boundaries within the profession as the first black member of the AIA.
“This is a moment in our Institute’s history that is so important to recognize and acknowledge the work of a champion,” said Phil Freelon, FAIA, Managing and Design Director at Perkins + Will, who presented to the AIA Board of Directors on behalf of Williams. “It’s been many decades but Paul Williams is finally being recognized for the brilliant work he did over many years.”
A native of Los Angeles, Williams was known for his many schools, public buildings, and churches in a variety of styles, notably the Palm Springs Tennis Center (1946) and the space-age LAX Theme Building (1961). Eight of his buildings have been named to to the National Register of Historic Places.
“Our profession desperately needs more architects like Paul Williams,” wrote William J. Bates, FAIA, in his support of William’s nomination for the AIA Gold Medal. “His pioneering career has encouraged others to cross a chasm of historic biases. I can’t think of another architect whose work embodies the spirit of the Gold Medal better. His recognition demonstrates a significant shift in the equity for the profession and the institute.”
As the 73rd AIA Gold Medalist, Williams joins an esteemed list of winners including Frank Lloyd Wright (1949), Louis Sullivan (1944), Le Corbusier (1961), Louis I. Kahn (1971), I.M. Pei (1979), Thom Mayne (2013), Julia Morgan (2014), Moshe Safdie (2015). Last year, the prize was given to Denise Scott Brown & Robert Venturi, the first time the Gold Medal was given to a pair of architects.
Read more about Williams’ nomination here.
News via AIA.
Painted Ladies – San Francisco – California – USA (by Tabitha Kaylee Hawk)
From the architect. A unique hybrid of museum and student commons, the new DeBruce Center at the University of Kansas creates a permanent home for the historic two-page document on which, in 1891, James Naismith outlined The Original 13 “Rules of Basket Ball.”
Gifted to the University, The Rules document became a catalyst for a new $12 million, 32,000 sf facility. The DeBruce Center needed to be more than just a game day attraction, however, as the University desired a building that would provide more student commons space to serve its campus throughout the academic year. Gould Evans responded with a design that weaves together the two distinct programs – an interpretive center built around the concept of The Rules, and a student commons – allowing the story of basketball to unfold at multiple scales and to multiple audiences.
Using The Rules document as a point of departure, the architecture focuses on the creation of an immersive experience to tell the story of the University’s role in the development of the game. Program is arranged along a linear pathway that winds through the open interior, connecting the story of The Rules and all building program – including a 200-seat dining commons for students and visitors, nutrition center for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, coffee shop, museum store and exhibits.
The building consists of two main volumes: a three-story transparent prism within which exhibit and path are delicately suspended, and a single-story bridge connecting the building to the historic Allen Fieldhouse arena where James Naismith perfected the game. Within this bridge, the original 451-word document is enshrined by a perforated scrim containing the more than 45,000 words that make up the contemporary rules of the game, offering visitors a way to physically experience basketball’s evolution over 125 years.
A refined material palette of structural glass and honed black concrete highlights pedestrian movement within a transparent and overlapping building program. This spectacle of social activity breathes life into what might otherwise be a very traditional museum experience. Aluminum provides a substrate for marrying architecture and museum content – a continuous aluminum ramp weaves together exhibit content while perforated aluminum scrim walls wrapping the space where The Rules document is housed pay homage to its author and other significant figures in the history of the sport.
Open since May 2016, the building is making a significant impact on the University by bringing student traffic to a growing quadrant of campus, acting as a primary attraction for prospective students and athletic recruits, drawing visitors from across the country, and strengthening its pride and sense of identity as “the cradle of basketball.”
Product Description. An aluminum-clad bridge enshrines the original Rules of Basketball document and connects to Allen Fieldhouse. Excerpts from the contemporary rules of basketball are engraved in the aluminum plate, wrapping the 451-word historical document in the more than 45,000 words that define the game today. This juxtaposition gives visitors a unique way to experience how the game has evolved over the past 125 years.
Likewise, the area between the exterior scrim and the building is a new “pocket park” where students and basketball fans can gather. The wheat pattern on the scrim references the KU Basketball fan tradition of “the waving of the wheat” during games.
Digitally modeling objects from real life has just become easier.
Tech innovation company InstruMMents has unveiled a new functionality to their 01 portable dimension scanner that allows you to capture the 3D curves of any surface. Logging in to the Pro App, users can then track, share and export the curves into key 3D formats, allowing you to quickly recreate any desired object in 3D.
“Capturing not just dimensions, but character lines and sections of objects in 3D is essential to anyone working in 3D,” said founder and CEO Mladen Barbaric. “Yet today, it’s a really painful experience. We are going to change that.”
The 01 scanner launched in November with the Lite app, which allows you to capture the dimensions of any object. Now with the Pro app, users can create 3D curve files directly on their Android or iPhone.
The architectural applications of this new product are obvious – need to document an unusual wall contour or produce a 3D model of a unique furniture piece for a perspective drawing? The InstuMMents 01 with Pro App makes that possible.
The 01 is available now for $149 at Indiegogo, and can be integrated into a pen, pencil or stylus for increased practicality. The Lite app is available for free download on Google Play and Apple App Store starting on December 10th, while the Pro app is expected to become available in Spring of 2017 at a cost of $10/year.
Learn more about this product, here.
News via InstruMMents.
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