HAUT, a proposed 240-foot timber-framed tower to be built in Amsterdam. Image Courtesy of Team V Architectuur
The key to engineering wood strong enough to support skyscrapers may lie in the interaction between molecules 10,000 times narrower than the width of a human hair.
A new study by researchers at the Universities of Warwick and Cambridge has solved a long-held mystery of how key polymers in plant cells bind to form strong, indigestible materials such as wood and straw. By recreating this ‘glue’ in a lab, engineers may be able to produce new wood-based materials that surpass current strength capabilities.
The discovery lies in the bond between the Earth’s two most common polymers, cellulose and xylan, both of which are found in the cell walls of wood. For some time, scientists have pondered how xylan, a long, winding polymer coated in ‘decorations’ of sugar and other molecules, could adhere to the thicker, rod-like cellulose molecules.
“We knew the answer must be elegant and simple,” explained research lead Professor Paul Dupree from the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge. “And in fact, it was. What we found was that cellulose induces xylan to untwist itself and straighten out, allowing it to attach itself to the cellulose molecule. It then acts as a kind of ‘glue’ that can protect cellulose or bind the molecules together, making very strong structures.”
The scientists believe this understand may have a dramatic effect on wood-related industries such as paper and biofuel production by greatly reducing the amount of energy required for their processes to occur, as well as allow for innovation that could create stronger engineered-wood materials.
With timber-framed skyscrapers already appearing around the world, these new materials could potentially solidify wood as the standard for tall building construction for years to come.
The Schmiedhof Alm Restaurant lies in the exclusive Zell am See Ski region of Austria, 1,720 meters above sea level. In the course of a single generation, the new owners of the Schmiedhof Alm have managed to create one of the finest restaurants in the area. In an effort to make the restaurant truly world class, a complete renovation of the old building was required. The Architecture was an integral part of the new, innovative gastronomic concept. Providing an atmosphere that invites the Skiers and diners to linger and enjoy their time. A stark contrast to the mass production facilities commonly found in Ski resorts.
The appearance of the new building combines traditional style with a strong contemporary architectural influence. The concept is based around the careful addition of volumes in a range of forms: a classically styled timber ski hut with a pitched roof was placed on top of the existing basement. The additional monolithic concrete element, binds the building to the surrounding mountains.
The perforation or openings of the building followed two basic principles: The windows of the concrete basement level and the monolith were pressed inwards to intensify the immense sense of mass of these elements. In contrast, the panoramic windows of the timber construction are pushed outwards, as if parts of the inside are trying to peer out. The resulting booths offer a unique view of the ‘Grossglockner’ mountain.
The food and drink service takes place in the elongated timber structure as well as in the outdoor terraced area, each supporting up to 200 skiers at once. With the innovative service of the introduced Ski-Drive-In quality dining is also made available for price conscious customers. For customers, the column-free guest area provides and open feel, with easy access to all areas. Window seats and careful partitions enhance the homely feeling, encouraging guests to take their time and enjoy the views. The use of exposed timber beams, interspersed with a sound absorbing lattice, further adds to this feeling despite the restaurant being able to accommodate many guests at once.
Architects and students of architecture stereotypically never stop making, and their creative talents continue to flow irrespective of the holiday season. Our annual challenge is an unashamed way to channel the inventiveness, originality and artistry of our readers from around the world into that most humble of gifts: the holiday card. Out of the 200 submissions, these are 43 of our favorites.
In Le Corbusier’s 5 points of architecture, he advocates the inclusion of flat roofs hosting roof gardens, providing valuable outdoor space for the inhabitants of the building in order to replace the ground lost to the construction of the building. But while this acknowledgement of outdoor space was important for people, Le Corbusier‘s sculptural concrete roof gardens were little consolation to the non-human flora and fauna that were displaced by his works.
Recent improvements in our understanding of ecosystems and the environment, as well as a better scientific understanding of the needs of plants, have changed this dramatically. In the past few decades, green roofs and living roofs have exploded in popularity, and now adorn every kind of building–from small private houses to the gigantic surface of Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn.
We’ve collected together some excellent examples of these living roofs, including the structural detailing that makes them possible. Read on for 13 spectacular green roofs that achieve environmental benefits including reduced stormwater runoff, and reductions in energy use and the heat island effect.
The existing rooms on the northern facade of the bungalow were adjusted in order to form a functional strip, serving as entrance hall, bathroom, storage rooms and a private office space. The living spaces were aligned in an open space along the southern facade, benefiting from large windows that give acces to morning and afternoon terraces and the garden. Two furniture elements divide the open space: a fireplace and a kitchen cabinet.
Ground Floor Plan
In the existing garage two compact children’s bedrooms are fitted in, which open onto a playroom. On top of the bedrooms a volume is added with a master bedroom, a bathroom and a dressing. This crow’s nest is reached through an open staircase in the living room.
A newly constructed flat roof, with visible wooden beams, gives rhythm to the interior space. The span is reduced by introducing a new central bearing line, by means of a steel profile, resting on two tender steel columns.
Section
The bungalow is provided with an insulating shell, covered with a cladding of thermally modified timber. By preserving the existing isolated cavity wall, deep window bays are created, with windows reaching to the floor level. In the detailling of the cladding facade horizontal joints were introduced in a well-balanced composition.
Product Description. The thermowood cladding gives the facades a modern look, as the timber ages it becomes plain gray, which works very well in combination with the natural anodised aluminium profiles.
In Le Corbusier’s 5 points of architecture, he advocates the inclusion of flat roofs hosting roof gardens, providing valuable outdoor space for the inhabitants of the building in order to replace the ground lost to the construction of the building. But while this acknowledgement of outdoor space was important for people, Le Corbusier‘s sculptural concrete roof gardens were little consolation to the non-human flora and fauna that were displaced by his works.
Recent improvements in our understanding of ecosystems and the environment, as well as a better scientific understanding of the needs of plants, have changed this dramatically. In the past few decades, green roofs and living roofs have exploded in popularity, and now adorn every kind of building–from small private houses to the gigantic surface of Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn.
We’ve collected together some excellent examples of these living roofs, including the structural detailing that makes them possible. Read on for 13 spectacular green roofs that achieve environmental benefits including reduced stormwater runoff, and reductions in energy use and the heat island effect.
Our experience of information is changing. We now consume more and more information digitally, with much of this being non-textual. Videos, photos and GIFs have become commonplace, with technology allowing these mediums to be as easily shareable as text. This gives way to another trend: the increase in the number and accessibility of online platforms. Not only is more information being digitized, but more dynamic ways of digitization are being developed; multimedia articles and online exhibitions, for example, hope to provide a more engaging way of sharing information.
Courtesy of Thngs Co.
Architects are getting in on this online exhibitionism too, with Moscow-based architecture firm Meganom having their debut cyber “show” on Thngs. Each “show” is a curated collection of archived objects, with Meganom’s online exhibition featuring their architectural models from the past 18 years. Clicking on a model gives further information on its dimensions, weight and materials, with the entire group accompanied by a mini essay and timeline.
Courtesy of Thngs Co.
But what exactly is Thngs, the host behind these online exhibitions? Seeking to be a Wikipedia of physical objects, Thngs is an online archive providing photos and information on hundreds of objects, from 40,000 BC through to today. They put forth the argument that “each thing is a source of objective information about our past, present, and even future.” Thus, the digital archive is a response to the fact that “the physical preservation of all things is not possible, but we can preserve information that things contain.” Their shows complement this larger archive, giving further insight to selected groups of related objects, like the Meganom models.
Courtesy of Thngs Co.
Courtesy of Thngs Co.
Thngs differs from websites like Thingiverse or WikiHouse, as its catalog is purely a cultural exercise rather than a functional one. Rather than providing for the production of large numbers of new objects, it records those that have already come into existence. There is poetry in this, a respect for the many physical things that surround us and make up our world. The Thngs team appears conscious of this sentiment and the difference between recording and reproducing. Its shows are one such attempt to provide a function that differentiates them as a website that records instead of reproducing. This differentiation is further seen in the website as a whole, which is especially beautiful and crisp—making it feel like you’re really “visiting” somewhere special.
Courtesy of Thngs Co.
However, until Thngs catalogs every single physical object that has come into existence (which is near impossible), there is unavoidably a conscious process by which someone chooses what to include in and exclude from the catalog. This is where Thngs begins to stray from its goal.
Courtesy of Thngs Co.
A search for “chair” is a good example of this, with the results largely being upscale, Eurocentric designer furniture (though other categories, especially electronics, also include pop culture icons such as the original iPod or GameBoy). Commonplace chairs that are in other ways also iconic, like school chairs and bus seats for example, are currently left out. This implicit bias ultimately jars against Thng’s democratic aim of providing comprehensive, objective information. So perhaps what is needed is a method of selecting objects which is as fresh and innovative as their way of displaying objects, and a self-awareness of their role as curator. Otherwise, Thngs falls back into an old-fashioned approach to curation despite its contemporary platform.
Courtesy of Thngs Co.
Fortunately for Thngs, other institutions have already begun to set a precedent in this regard. Of note is the V&A Museum’s “rapid response collecting,” where items are “collected in timely response to major moments in history”—meaning that it is society, rather than a curator, who dictates the importance of an object.
Courtesy of Thngs Co.
When selection of an object is based upon its position as a topical, culturally charged artifact, the selection process is also vastly shortened. This is a huge breakthrough for a museum that has, for most of its history, rejected items less than fifty years old. There is also opportunity for open discussion over what items should be considered, via the hashtag #rapidresponsecollecting. Considering these elements make up the V&A’s approach to “the museum as a blog”, it would be fitting for Thngs—the blog as a museum—to take on a similar methodology.
Courtesy of Thngs Co.
Furthermore, though Thngs mentions future hopes to “provide possibilities for the re-creation of things,” transforming the “digital form back into the physical” with accompanying files for 3D printing, the website currently lacks this feature and relies solely on photographs to represent the object. These three-dimensional models, as well as other modes of representation such as videos, would certainly give Thngs a more convincing presence, pushing it towards the realm of projects like the Million Image Database Project, which preserves at-threat artifacts through 3D documentation.
Courtesy of Thngs Co.
There are many innovative aspects to a project like Thngs, and what it has already achieved is undeniably a beautiful contribution to the growing world of digital archives. But if it’s to reach its full potential it is not a technological, but a human issue that is of central concern: how best to achieve an objective curation of objects.
The Rosenberg Ricky & Golan is a residential project designed by SO Architecture in 2015. It is located in Yehiam, Israel. The Rosenberg Ricky & Golan by SO Architecture: “The Rosenberg Ricky & Golan home in Kibbutz Yehiam was designed in natural woodlands in a young residential neighborhood which is being built on the outskirts of town. The House was built on a sloping topography across the field. The formal..
The Pillars is a new monument in the heart of Copenhagen dedicated to informing the public through a combination of national data and artistic beauty. Inspired by other nationally recognized works such as the 10,000 Year Clock in Texas; Mount Rushmore in South Dakota; and the Fühlometer (Feel-o-Meter) in Lindau, Germany, The Pillars encourages both citizens and leaders to understand the facts of their national development.
Powered by data from established sources such as the UN, Statistics Denmark, and the CIA World Factbook, The Pillars are modeled after the birch trees common to Nordic forests, with lit holes in place of the markings on trees. These holes light up to visualize information about Denmark in the last decade; for example, an increase in life expectancy would be signified by lights turned on over more than half the height of the tree.
Courtesy of Søjlerne
Other trees represent unemployment, GDP, pollution, income equality, and mortality. The goal, according to the team of architects, policy makers, and international ambassadors responsible for the project, is to help the Denmark’s people understand their country’s development and continually strive for improvement.
Amsterdam-based Rietveld-Architecture-Art-Affordances (RAAAF) and Atelier de Lyon have revealed designs to reimagine one of The Netherland’s monumental “tribute[s] to the majesty, and seemingly indestructible power, of the Dutch Delta Works.” The works themselves—a network of dams, sluices, locks, dykes, levees and storm surge barriers in South Holland—have collectively been described as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Deltawerk 1:1 is an intervention examining the practice of the preservation of cultural heritage by inserting a new structure within Waterloopbos, the former Dutch Hydrodynamics Laboratory.
One structure in Waterloopbos, a collection of test models each no longer serving their original function, is the Delta Flume – a structure used to artificially form enormous “full-scale” waves to test the strength of the Delta Works projects. By excavating the sand plateau around the flume, RAAAF intend to reveal “a gigantic ‘Delta Work'” 7 meters high and 250 meters long, surrounded by water. In their words: “Massive concrete slabs [will be] cut out of the 80 centimeter-thick walls and turned 90 degrees around on their axis.” The ‘room’ thereby created offers an intense spatial experience of contrasting light, shadow, reflection – and views through the Waterloopbos itself. “Over the years,” the designers state, “the slabs will be colonized by nature. The space [will] change throughout the day, the seasons, and over the years.”
Deltawerk 1:1 has been commissioned by the Natuurmonumenten & Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency and conceptualized by Erick de Lyon, Ronald Rietveld and David Habets. It is set to be realized in 2017.
Sig Nordal 