French firm Antonini Darmon has completed a social housing block near Paris, featuring a white concrete facade surrounded on all sides by rows of arch-fronted balconies (+ slideshow). (more…)
From the architect. Architecture and Environment, have always been two issues of mutual opposition and complement. Environment, as a kind of void, spreads outside the entity, having its own expression, and at the same time bears different functions. The practice of Fengxian civic center canopy is an effective attempt to respond the void. The project started from the transformation process of the high-rise commercial office complex which is under construction in Nanqiao new town. It is in line with the trend of reusing the excess commercial office spaces in Shanghai. The core of the design is that how to activate the auxiliary space of the complex by means of construction. The architect makes a gesture of directness and romanticism here, combined with construction techniques, he presents an elegant, and slightly nostalgic technique of aesthetics to the citizens.
The choice of the structure style is another core design. Here the structure not only plays the role of load-bearing but also forms the space. The architect wants to influence the space by the beauty of the structure itself .The canopy did not take various popular modern formalism, and finally chose the rational classicism. It is an attitude responding to the complex architectural style on the site. And this classicism is a new attempt under the influence of the modern technology and urban environment. Supported by the structure engineer, two rows of columns of non- parallel did not stand on the columns of the basement which have been built.
The composite column consists of two tubes, two flange, and a series of rings together. Besides the consideration of form, the purpose is to hide gutters and give people a light feeling. In order to overcome the problem of different beam cross-sections of different spans, the architect makes the width of the green strip on roof inversely proportional to the beam width. The architect also designed a night lighting system and spray device system for cooling in summer for the canopy.
In the sunny days, the sunshine would stream in through the glass and collide with the cross -vault structure. The circular rings make the space lightsome and graceful, and people can have a warm feeling here.
Architect Rafael Viñoly has spoken out about problems with his 432 Park Avenue skyscraper in Manhattan, currently the tallest residential tower in the western hemisphere. (more…)
“Maestro Tzu” is strategically located in Larcomar, one of the most visited shopping centers in Lima. The brands’ first establishment is a space designed to emulate the feelings Chinese food evokes; warmth, mysticism and coziness are feelings meant to enclose a personal experience when visiting the restaurant. Spatial configuration and location within the mall were complex challenges whilst at the same time resulted interesting for the project.
In this project, branding and identity of the restaurant was developed parallel to the architectural design. This allowed a constant interdisciplinary feedback between the branding agency Kilka and the architecture design team. The space is composed of three levels and one enters through the uppermost level and submerges without knowing what to find in the interior. As a proposal, TRU design team decided to take advantage of this condition to create intrigue within the restaurants’ visitors.
It is a narrow space embed in a cliff that faces the Pacific Ocean. The rectangular volume where the restaurant is located has three of its faces surrounded by the earth itself leaving the fourth with a spectacular panoramic view of the coastline. To solve the narrowness of the volume, it was important to create a vertical circulation flow within the levels. Double heights, illumination effects and working with fake beams and ceiling heights helped to give the space a more friendly scale.
To solve the functionality of the project; the kitchen, restrooms, service and administrative areas were placed at the back leaving the dining areas in places easily reached by the clients without interfering with the private elements of the architectural program. A transverse axis of stairs was used to divide both public and private areas of the restaurant working as a virtual limit for the public. A small lift for dishes and food was placed to connect the kitchen in the lowest level with the others. The use of the food lift helped reduce the service traffic through the stairs leaving them for the customers’ exclusive use. As the location of the stairs, the circulation paths were optimized to have the better use of space for dining and table areas.
The mysticism and craftiness of the brand allowed us to explore and combine raw materials like polished cement floors, old wood-like vinyl floor and old brick cladding. These materials and the scenographic decorative elements make one feel transported to another place or era far away from the present day city of Lima. Some of the furniture was recovered from antique stores and other elements were made using old wood planks bought from demolition sites in the picturesque neighborhood of Barranco. The project allowed us to create a space that becomes more intimate and welcoming the deeper you go, creating a subtle transition between the exterior and interior. These different areas, experiences and sensations serve as a perfect complement for the food served in the restaurant. Both architecture and food evoke a sense of ancestry and contemporaneity.
Miami developer Craig Robins has called on the local community to push for the construction of a car park designed by Zaha Hadid, which was rejected by city officials just weeks after her sudden death. (more…)
Elon Musk first proposed Hyperloop transit in 2013, but the innovator responsible for Tesla and SpaceX has yielded to outsiders to test and build the technology. In response to that challenge, Hyperloop One (formerly Hyperloop Technologies, Inc. rebranded as to not be confused with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, a competitor) conducted its first test today on a track north of Las Vegas. Meanwhile as reported on Slate and The Verge, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has simultaneously been working on a different passive magnetic levitation system developed by Lawrence Livermore National Labs. For those unfamiliar, Hyperloop is a tubular transit system that relies on maglev (magnetic-levitation) technology to transport passengers or cargo at speeds in excess of 700 miles per hour, in other words, traveling from Los Angeles to San Francisco in half an hour.
Hyperloop One’s test this morning, which according to engineers and Gizmodo is called a “propulsion open-air test” (POAT) is the first public display of the electromagnetic propulsion system developed by Hyperloop One. “If all goes according to plan a roughly 10-foot sled containing the propulsion motor will zip forward on tracks, for about two seconds, at 116 miles an hour,” says Georgia Wells of The Wall Street Journal. “[And then] it should crash into a pile of sand, since the company hasn’t yet built brakes for the contraption. The sled won’t carry any passengers.” The company hopes to test a fully-operational model of the system by the end of the year.
In addition, on Tuesday Hyperloop One announced a new list of partnerships in what amounts to a who’s who of contemporary design, engineering, infrastructure, and financing, including Aecom, Amberg Group, Arcturan Sustainable Cargo, Arup, Bjarke Ingels Group, Cargo Sous Terrain, Deutsche Bahn Engineering & Consulting, FS Links, Grid, KPMG, and Systra.
Some of the company’s plans include working with Aecom to develop port infrastructure in Los Angeles and Long Beach intent on reducing emissions and delays. Arup will investigate potential geographic locations for Hyperloop passenger proposals. And FS Links, sharing Hyperloop One’s interest in the development of economic super-regions connected through transit infrastructure, is interested in developing greater connectivity between Sweden and Finland. Bjarke Ingels Group has been brought on board to theorize and develop the human spaces, still-unimaginable, that would be required for a passenger-friendly future for Hyperloop.
“Traditionally, the work of an architect is to design buildings for the same known program – a residence or a workplace – and try to squeeze in a marginal improvement here or an elegant design solution there,” says Bjarke Ingels. “With Hyperloop we are not only designing a futuristic station or a very fast train – we are dealing with an entirely novel technology with the potential to completely transform how our existing cities will grow and evolve – and how new cities will be conceived and constructed.”
The inclusion of BIG echoes the sentiment of Rem Koolhaas in a bio he penned for Ingels inclusion in the 2016 list of Time’s 100 Most Influential People, stating “he is completely in tune with the thinkers of Silicon Valley, who want to make the world a better place without the existential hand-wringing that previous generations felt was crucial to earn utopianist credibility.”
As noted by Gizmodo, “transportation and tunneling partners from Amberg Group (Switzerland), Deutsche Bahn (Germany), and Systra (France)…alludes to the fact that the first hyperloop will likely not be built in the US, but in a country with fewer regulatory restrictions.” Or as noted by Maya Kosoff for Vanity Fair, considering the possibility of California-corridor, “The land rights necessary to build such a track over private and public land, for instance, could be a major headache, and the estimated $6 billion price tag for such an endeavor is staggering—not to mention the provisions necessary to ensure safety when human beings in pod-like contraptions are traveling at the speed of sound.” Only time will reveal which exciting trajectories and possibilities are enabled by Hyperloop technology, but in the meantime, we are privy to one of the most exciting transit advancements since the dawn of the Jet Age.
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From the architect. XML completed the design for Rocycle, a boutique fitness studio located in the center of Amsterdam. Rocycle is the first fitness studio in the Netherlands that combines fitness with a high-end hospitality experience, offering full body workout spinning classes.
The XML design for Rocycle’s flagship studio marks the introduction of ‘athleisure’ inspired fitness concepts – merging athletics with leisure – to the Netherlands. The project expands XML’s portfolio of projects that focus on health and sustainability.
The design features a translucent wall with changeable LED texts in the main lobby.While a unisex lockerspace allows for an efficient change between classes, the lobby acts as the main social space offering views to the Amsterdam canals through large windows.
Located on the ground floor of an existing apartment building, XML engineered a soundproofed cycling studio with 27 speakers, offering an immersive music experience.
As part of the project, XML also designed the store-in-store of The Cold Pressed Juicery, Amsterdam’s first full organic Juicery. The fully equipped Juice bar offers fresh juices, smoothies and nutritious food.
Architects Zeller & Moye and artist Katie Paterson have installed a public artwork in the grounds of Bristol University, England, which is made up of samples from more than 10,000 tree species. (more…)
