The biggest temptation is to jump right in. There are solutions that come to you. There are images that spontaneously appear. My method is rather to hold back as long as possible, to really imagine it spatially, so to be sure I have something to say.
Award winning documentarian and critic Matt Tyrnauer (director of Valentino: The Last Emperor, Citizen Jane: Battle For The City) has released a new documentary taking a look into the mind of world-renowned architect Jean Nouvel and his design process.
The film, titled Jean Nouvel: Reflections, follows the French architect around the world to visit his most recent works, including the Philharmonie de Paris, Institut du Monde Arabe, Fondation Cartier, Musée du Quai Branly, and Doha Tower and future projects, notably the National Museum of Qatar, his New York skyscraper, 53W53, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
via Altimeter Films
The footage captures Nouvel working through problems at all scales and in all stages of his process: from conceptualizing, to sketching, to deciding the hue of the stones to be used in the galleries of the forthcoming Louvre Abu Dhabi, as he explains the inspiration behind his landmark works.
Jean Nouvel: Reflections recently premiered at the 2016 New York Film Festival, and is also an official selection at Milano Design Film Festival, Savannah Film Festival and the Chicago Film Festival.
More information about the documentary can be found here.
Bjarke Ingels recently revealed that his qualifications are not recognised in the US, yet the Danish architect’s firm still has projects springing up all over New York. We’ve rounded up five set to alter the city’s neighbourhoods and skyline. Read more
It is important for children to like the Maison de la Petite Enfance, for them to feel comfortable there, free yet safe. It has to be gentle and tender with them, participate in their education, help them find their marks and stimulate their imaginations» – The elected officials of Lieusaint. With the children’s well-being in mind this is how NOMADE Architectes designed and carried out the project. The facility is composed of the following:
– a family nursery
– a medical entity for monitoring children and check-ups for admission
– a rest space for child-minders (RAM)
– a multi-reception with a 40-cot capacity
– a place for receiving children and parents (LAEP)
The Maison de la Petite Enfance is located on a space that acts as an interface between houses on one side and the center of Lieusaint on the other. With its use of materials and its location, the building fosters gentle, harmonious incorporation into the larger landscape. It is built on a north-south axis.
A neighboring woodland led NOMADE Architectes to preserve and enhance this landscape heritage by creating a dialog between its volumes and the woods. The Maison de l’Enfance is located in the path of a «greenway» that links the center of Lieusaint with new outlying buildings.The entrance plaza to the building opens onto this greenway. A slope rises up from this pedestrian zone to the Maison’s entrance, guiding patrons gently to the front door. The formalism of the gabled roofs, as required by the local master-plan, becomes an original concept by repeating the same motif in the façade, using ceramic tiles to create a single-material envelope.
NOMADE Architectes worked on the quality of the interior atmosphere, basing it on a central concourse punctuated with patios, considerable natural light and controlled hygrothermal surroundings. Used as the building’s backbone, this concourse adapts to the varying moments of the building’s life:
– reception time: a friendly space for welcoming the public
– activity time: connections with the multiple reception area, the nursery, the shared space, administration and the annexes
With its compact shape, the building is organized functionally.
The building is split into two interconnected parts:
The central unifying concourse running north/south
The function-based compartments (multiple reception, nursery, shared space and administration) are rather like small houses forming a village around the main road.
NOMADE Architects offered construction solutions that made it a sustainable, optimized project in energy-consumption matters:
– the building meets RT 2012 (thermal regulation) standards for low-energy consumption
– Interior patios accessible to children and staff instill eco-responsibility in the children
– More than simply easing foot traffic and raising the children’s awareness, the patios also control the building’s temperature with air-intake that provides ventilation for all buildings and contributes to the summer comfort of all users
– Solutions such as landscaped roofs hallmark the building’s ecological ambitions
– 20 sq. m solar panels in the tiles increase user comfort
Product Description.The materials used project an image of the building’s sustainability in harmony with the natural environment. Made of wood in its structure and finishings, the project demonstrates genuine commitment to an adapted response thanks to noble and lasting materials.
NOMADE Architectes opted for a wooden building system that enabled it to save time in the construction.The roofs are made of flat ceramic tiles that cascade down to the walls, thus creating contemporary archetypes in perfect harmony with the existing neighborhood.
Dezeen promotion: the government must prioritisenew models of affordable workspaces to ensure that London maintains its “global competitiveness” as a centre of commerce, according to a new report by New London Architecture. Read more
Google and La Biennale di Venezia have teamed up to release an online catalogue of the 2016 Venice Biennale. Hosted on Google’s Arts and Culture platform, the digital archive contains over 3700 images and videos from the 15th International Architecture Exhibition “Reporting From The Front”, curated by Alejandro Aravena, and a selection of National Pavilions and ancillary events.
Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia
The partnership between Google and La Biennale di Venezia began with the launch of last year’s Biennale Arte 2015 online database, which gave people from around the world a chance to “visit” the festival virtually.
Of course, don’t forget to check out ArchDaily’s own extensive coverage of the 2016 Venice Biennale, featuring exclusive interviews, commentary and in-depth looks at this year’s installations and events, at http://archdai.ly/2016biennale.
From the architect. Elm Street is dominated by very mature evergreen trees and high garden hedges, so much so that the residential architecture on the street becomes secondary in prominence. The west side of the street also contains unusually deep lots, just under 350 feet in length, with no lane access at the rear. As such, the properties offer design opportunities & challenges not available on more typical residential lots in the city.
This particular property is one of these deep lots with clusters of tall evergreen trees, both within the site and on the neighbouring properties, some close to 100 ft. in height. The site depth and the mature trees are the main influences on the design of the house. The 343 ft. long lot allows the house to be stretched apart into living space pavilions that open up to and integrate with the natural setting, while breaking down the building mass. The simple lines and natural materials are intended to create a quiet backdrop to the overwhelmingly established natural setting of the site and neighbouring lots.
The house’s massing consists of single and double storey components straddling a central glass-enclosed circulation spine. The components are separated by garden courtyards and anchored to the site by three feature chimney walls. The house is set low on the property with the main floor level only a foot above the existing entrance grade. This eases the connection between interior and exterior spaces. Exterior terrace platforms become an extension of the living spaces into the surrounding garden. The pool is sited as a water court to the family room and main bedroom above.
Utilizing a subtle palette of natural materials, the finishes are a combination of horizontal wood cladding, glass and architectural concrete. The architectural concrete finish on the three feature ‘chimney’ walls is expressed both inside and outside to further emphasize the connection to the exterior.
HW architecture, led by Lebanese/French architect Hala Wardé, has been chosen as the winners of an international competition to design the new BeMA: Beirut Museum of Art in Lebanon. The new museum will be located in the heart of Beirut and features a “central campanile tower” that will rise nearly 400 feet into the air as it becomes a new cultural beacon for the city.
The new Beirut Museum of Art will be located on a “symbolically-charged” site in historic Beirut that once marked the dividing lines of the Lebanese Civil War. The museum will serve as a symbol of unification, displaying modern and contemporary works from Lebanon, the Lebanese diaspora and the wider region.
HW Architecture’s design is centered around a campanile tower containing space for workshops and performances, as well as artists’ residences that feature panoramic views of downtown Beirut. A public garden and landscaped promenade will accommodate site-specific installations and artworks in a lush, peaceful setting, while an amphitheater will play host to performances and events. As the Museum will be situated on a plot of land owned by Université Saint-Joseph (USJ), the selected design takes special consideration to its connections to the campus and to the larger urban surroundings.
Courtesy of Beirut Museum of Art
In their citation, the Jury lauded the winning design for “the way it creates a succession of varied landscapes and spaces where art and society can come together. The connections between garden, amphitheater, exhibition spaces and roof garden have been well considered and offer a continuous visitor experience that lends itself to both exhibiting art and engaging with the community.”
Courtesy of Beirut Museum of Art
“I am delighted and honored to realize my first major project in the city of Beirut where I was born, on such an exceptional site,” said Hala Wardé following the announcement.
“This museum program, in connection with the university, will allow us to create a new cultural and social space with a garden and amphitheater, and will single out this artistic territory with a strong and recognizable urban beacon, which through its multiple expressions, will belong to the new urban landscape of the city. It is a moving coincidence to receive this news as the architectural world is gathered in London to honor Zaha Hadid, an inspiration to women and architects worldwide, who was originally a member of this competition’s jury. I am thinking of her today with great affection.”
Hala Wardé. Image Courtesy of Beirut Museum of Art
The jury also awarded a special mention to WORK Architecture Company, New York City, led by Columbia University of Architecture Dean Amale Andraos.
As one of the most significant developments for Lebanese art and culture in a generation, BeMA is envisioned as a multidisciplinary hub of art and design dedicated to showcasing modern and contemporary Lebanese culture. The formation of BeMA: Beirut Museum of Art is spearheaded by The Association for the Promotion and Exhibition of the Arts in Lebanon (APEAL), a non-profit organization dedicated to international quality programs that support art from Lebanon and the global art scene.
The museum is expected to open to the public in 2020. More information on the museum and competition can be found here.
Sig Nordal 