We’ve launched Dezeen Hot List, our comprehensive guide to the architects, designers, brands, schools, events and more that our audience most wanted to read about over the last year. Read more
http://www.dezeen.com/2016/11/09/dezeen-hot-list-reveals-400-hottest-forces-architecture-design/
Danish firm Bjarke Ingels Group has revealed its plans for a loop-shaped station on a new stretch of the Paris Metro. Read more
Our job of the day from Dezeen Jobs is for an architect at Amanda Levete’s firm, AL_A, whose undulating, tile-covered MAAT Museum (pictured) opened in Lisbon in September. Read more stories about AL_A or browse more architecture and design opportunities on Dezeen Jobs.
http://www.dezeen.com/2016/11/09/top-job-experienced-architect-al-a-amanda-levete-london/
Traditional 3D models made up of surfaces have for a long time aided us in visualizing buildings and spaces, but they often come at a cost: large models require a lot of storage and processing power, and can become incredibly complex to the point where they are difficult to navigate. As a part of our Selected by Sketchfab series, Sketchfab has their eye on a more efficient, increasingly common method of capturing architectural spaces; namely, point clouds. Point clouds are made up of a set of points located in a three-dimensional coordinate system, that when put together merely give an impression of the surface of an object, or the façade of a building.
The method is fairly simple. The collection of data points is generated by a 3D scanner that rotates while emitting a laser that measures the distance to points on surrounding surfaces. This data can then be converted into a polygonal model that can be rendered like any other 3D model. However, the advantages of keeping the scan in point form are what makes it great; the file sizes are much smaller, and the porosity of the point clouds make it possible to see through walls and surfaces, accessing “hidden” spaces and uncommon views of seemingly familiar surroundings. Read on to find out more about the possibilities and advantages that come with point cloud modelling.
Getting an idea of the scale and relationships between spaces within a site can be challenging and time consuming using traditional polygon surface modelling, and will certainly produce a large file to work with. Using the point cloud technique minimizes these problems, as can be seen with the model below:
Of course the resolution of a point cloud can be adjusted to include far more details, as in the following models:
Due to the low density of points in the clouds, it’s possible to see through what would ordinarily be solid surfaces, as in the case of the passages within the thick stone wall in the model below:
The possibilities that come with this simultaneous visualization of multiple layers of space could be a fantastic tool for architects to fully grasp the locations they’re working with:
Scanning an entire building can consequently be paired with a virtual reality headset in order to re-experience, or share an experience of a space with others who may not have had the opportunity to visit the site. While this is also true of other scans with surfaces included, the same advantages of small file size and partial transparency mentioned above come into their own in virtual reality too, providing a smooth viewing experience and a sense of what’s just around the corner, as demonstrated here:
The same can be applied to scanning landscapes, in order to experience the visual results of different typology:
When it comes to virtual reality, point cloud scans may be most useful for places with complex and detailed material qualities, where even if the scan is relatively small, the file size of a fully detailed model would be entirely unmanageable. This is the case in the following scan, which gives an excellent impression of the cabin’s rough wood and overgrown roof without having to render the millions of faces that would be required:
Point clouds allow for the saving of models with complex geometry, without sacrificing enormous amounts of space and computing power, by minimizing the points collected in the cloud. Despite the perforated effect, the varied surfaces are easy to detect and view:
Here is a model of an interior space, simplified even further due to the dominance of flat surfaces. The contours generated by simplification can sometimes even be more beautiful than the original complexity:
Apartment in Gdansk is a residential project completed by Ministerstwo Spraw We Wnętrzach. It is located in Gdansk, Poland.
Molenaar & Co architecten (Rotterdam), Hebly Theunissen architecten (Delft), and landscape architect Michael van Gessel (Amsterdam) have won the 2016 World Monuments Fund/ Knoll Modernism Prize for the preservation and rehabilitation of the Justus van Effen complex in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Originally designed by Michiel Brinkman in 1919-1921 and completed in 1922, the Justus van Effen complex is a strong example of the ideals embodied in the modern movement, particularly with its use of an elevated “street” as a means of facilitating social cohesion, which became very influential for subsequent generations of designers.
The recent preservation of this site is a part of the revitalization of Rotterdam’s Spangen neighborhood, which has been transformed from dangerous to livable and affordable over the past 20 years.
The project additionally reflects the commitment of the property’s owner—Woonstad Rotterdam—to the preservation of the complex for future generations.
The biennial award will be presented at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York on December 5 at a free and public event.
Learn more about the award winner here.
News via the World Monuments Fund.
Leman Locke is a new 168 room hotel that we designed in the rapidly evolving East London neighborhood of Aldgate. This commission allowed us to continue our interrogation of the intersection of hotel and residential programs. We (and our client) had in mind that young, creative professionals who are increasingly nomadic for purposes of their work might like to have an option that combines the best of two worlds from a hospitality perspective: The design-led and convivial atmosphere one often finds in good boutique hotels, mixed with the convenience of an extended stay product. Our process was driven by the search for a way to hold on to the aspirational excitement of a hotel stay while enjoying the advantages of something more akin to a home in one’s adoptive city no matter how long – or short – the stay.
We faced an additional challenge in that the scheme was to be built within a newly constructed and rather sterile tower (that we did not design) so we couldn’t lean on the building to augment the character of the spaces. As the construction of the frame and envelope were still underway when we were working, we were able to intervene and make some changes to structural aspects that we were positively disposed to on the interior. The reception and the cafe-bar space are bifurcated by the lift lobby and we designed them to be distinct from one another yet congruent in their prioritization of light, warmth and texture. We also created a feature stair that almost demands to be climbed to foster the connection between the cafe-bar-forthcoming restaurant space (that we are currently designing) that spans the ground and first floors and is sectionally legible from the street.
We designed nearly all of the furniture within the rooms, from the sofas and beds to some of the light fixtures and tables. Much of this was driven by the desire to create a unique and harmonious aesthetic, but our other imperative was maximization of function and economy of space. We wanted to avoid the “transformer” vibe apparent in a lot of current micro-residential products that include murphy beds, retractable desks and flip up tables. While that approach appeals to the “inventor” side of us as architects, we hoped to spare guests from the chore of clearing up and manipulating their furniture when finishing a meal or getting ready for bed. Our intention was to dispel the underlying sense of being unsettled which complicates our self imposed directive to inculcate the feeling of being at home while away.
Product Description. We used Viroc Cement Bonded Particle Board as an interior finish material both on the walls and some soffits. It is not only very robust and functional but helped tie in some of the spaces that were more finished with some of the areas where we chose to expose and celebrate the concrete superstructure.
http://www.archdaily.com/798990/leman-locke-grzywinsi-plus-pons
Fitzroy is a residential project designed by Julie Firkin Architects in 2015. The home is located in Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Photos by: Peter Bennetts
Appartmento Emme Elle is a residential project completed by Archiplanstudio. It was designed in 2016 and is located in Busto Arsizio, Italy. Appartmento Emme Elle by Archiplanstudio: “The project involves the organization of an apartment located in the attic of a newly built building with 5 floors. The attic space was to become an extension of the apartment located on the lower floor, which was no longer suitable to host..
These shots by photographer Marc Goodwin offer a glimpse inside the offices of British architects including Norman Foster, Nicholas Grimshaw and the late Zaha Hadid. Read more
Sig Nordal 