What do ghosts say when they see a great design? “Ghoul!” (Sorry, not sorry). 10 exceptional ArchDailyers showed their salt by designing these Halloween-themed gourds. Since all of you are our kin, we wanted to give you something that would pump you up for Halloween. -__-
See the fab-boo-lous winners below! The gif shown above is the masterful work of Andres Antolin!
From the architect. This is the landscape project in the center of small town Jurbarkas in western part of Lithuania. The site area was very close to the town center and main square, near the government buildings, school, library and shops. Still situation of the site was rather complicated: hilly territory with some trees and one footpath passing through was surrounded by private houses with their yards and gardens. As there was some similar places in Jurbarkas already- nearly wild nature parks- our idea was to change the spirit of the site and make it more integrated to urban territory. We decided to choose contemporary materials and forms, but to use them with a great sensitivity to the existing situation and concrete was the best solution for our purpose. Concrete is one of the signs of contemporary urban culture, but can be used in many different ways. We used white one for steps- benches and black concrete tiles for filling the empty spaces between them. The steps-benches are multifunctional elements and all of them may be used in a very different ways by people of various age. The contrast between black and white elements, between urban and natural, straight lines and organic forms was the important art principle we have chosen for this landscape project.
We have found that there are three different zones with diverse atmosphere and viewpoints that people pass through when they cross the park. Our purpose was to shape them and emphasize the scale, function and atmosphere of each of them. The amphitheatre zone- the largest one we developed with the spot fountains and little creek streaming down by concrete stairs and nice view to the town – perfect place for gatherings, town events and celebrations. The hillock place- a tiny place to spend time for several people more separately and the third zone- square type chamber place, perfect for reading, spending time with small children, etc.
Pagoda House is a private residence located in the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria. It was designed by I/O Architects in 2014. Pagoda House by I/O Architects: “Located on a slope in the outskirts of Sofia, just between the city and the mountain the house enjoys panoramic views in two directions. Downwards above the street to the cityscape and upwards through the garden to the mountain peaks. This corresponds to the..
From the architect. The site is located in Barcelos, industrial town in the North of Portugal. It refers to an existing industrial complex composed by two industrial pavilions and technical areas, detached from each other and placed over an 8 775 sqm area. The existing buildings are two story high on the frontside facing the entrance, gathering all main public and office areas, while the remaining areas were set to the production and storage processes. The exterior areas were essentially set to parking areas with narrow strips of vegetation and two entrance gates. The topography is composed by two plain platforms, linked by a ramp in between pavilions. The site is home to a textile manufacturing company and all the installations were licensed and fully operational.
The operation emphasizes on low impact measures within an integrative perspective, adding value to the landscape and urban surroundings. The biggest challenge was to enable a full-scale renewal of the existing buildings that implied a complex reorganization of working areas, while keeping all the company activities underway.
The goal was to renew, re-organize and expand a set of functional areas due to the limited and constricted spaces and disconnected areas. The overall design implied a complex and intense task of correct and adjust the functional layout, optimizing and updating all work areas towards a more efficient and articulated set of services. Our approach was to enforce a sense of identity, creating a uniform pattern of construction solutions and coating materials to assure spatial coherency, and to enhance the visual correspondence between the functional areas.
The redesign of the façades and exterior spaces were guided by the concepts of unity and formal homogeneity, leading to an overlay of a new skin in wavy perforated metal sheets along the existing exterior walls. The form, texture and permeability of this skin relates to the fabrics, primary material to the company. This formal analogy is then used in the interior spaces, mainly in the office modules located in the production areas and storage areas.
The Republic of Niger (Niger) is a landlocked country in Western Africa with over 80 percent of its land area covered by the Sahara Desert. Niger’s subtropical climate is extremely hot and dry with annual average temperature up to 35 centigrade. The rainy season is from July through September. The rest of the seasons are dry seasons and its annual precipitation is low. Niamey is the capital of Niger and the center of politics, economy and culture. the population of Niamey is about 1 million and Islam is the dominant religion.
The project is committed by the Chinese and Niger governments, aiming to build a large scale general public hospital together in order to improve and upgrade the local medical facilities.
The site is located in a wide flat sandy tract around 7km at the northern side of the centre of Niamey city. This is the a developing dwell area with weak infrastructure. Local people expect a new hospital could upgrade their living conditions.
Outpatient Building, Emergency Building and Public Hall
The public hall is an important connecting and distributing space for the public. A well-designed hall shall be open to the public and provide the easy access, function of sheltering , good ventilation without using air conditioners and energy saving.
Islam is the dominant religion in Niger, therefore we have considered Muslim worship halls scattered in the hospital in the design. Meanwhile, these worship halls can be transformed to temporary camping sites for patients and their families.
The inpatient Building is designed into a two-story courtyard space, connecting by continuous ramps and cloisters. In addition, it can meet the hospital accessibility requirements without lifts and elevators.
Medical Technology Building consists of four floors, including all important medical equipments and operating rooms in the hospital. The external wall adopts the single small-opening windows and the external sunshade in order to reduce the heat exchange.
Insulation is the simple and effective way to reduce the indoor temperature. All the roofs are designed with thermal insulating layers, which are prefabricated concrete panels, to reduce the heat transmission.
In the hot and dry environment, building shading has significant influence on the indoor temperature. In order to avoid direct sunlight, a number of external sun-shade components are designed. The gaps between the shading panels and the walls form air microcirculation around the windows, which is conducive to carry off the surrounding heat. The architectural technology of this sunshade system has high durability with in-situ concreting.
Buildings are mostly designed with the opened veranda of two sides’ entrances, forming good natural convection and improving the physical experience of people inside.
Precipitation is quite low throughout the year. However, the heavy rainfall is intense with strong winds, the leaves and dust blown by strong wind could plug the drain normally. Open-designed drainage is easy to clean and meanwhile presents an important facade element. The local loose sandy soil is conducive to the natural infiltration of rain as well.
Adoption and Construction of Traditional “Tyrol” Exterior Wall
Since Niger is located in the west Africa inland, bulk import of common exterior wall material is highly expensive. Under perennial high temperature and illumination intensity, erosion of the building exterior wall would be serious. Local traditional process “Tyrol” style exterior wall is adopted in the exterior wall design. The typical construction method is to manually spray the mixture, which is composed of the local river sand and white cement/water under a specific ratio, on the exterior wall surface. This kind of material not only achieves low construction cost, but also has high durability under hot & dry weather with easy maintenance.
The relationship between architecture and the environment not only consider the natural environment where the building is, but also the local economy and social impact. Therefore, a local traditional construction methods ensure the building is built with low cost, good quality and high durability. In such way, the building is not only adaptable to the local climates and environment, but also integrate into the local culture.
Inspections underway in Rome. Image via La Repubblica (Roma)
Following an earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter Scale that struck central Italy this morning at 7:40 a.m. local time—the fourth to hit this part of the country in three months—a number of structures have collapsed entirely or been severely damaged. While no deaths have been reported at this time, the BBC suggests that twenty people have been injured.
This latest tragedy follows an earthquake measuring 6.2 on Richter Scale which hit a nearby region in August, killing 300 and causing widespread devastation to towns and villages. It is being suggested that the evacuation of buildings that were deemed vulnerable to the ongoing seismic activity in the region last week may have saved a great deal of lives.
Structural Damage Near the Epicenter
Reports verify that the Basilica of St. Benedict in Norcia has been almost entirely razed to the ground.
Tremors were felt as far north as Venice, and in nearby Rome – around a 171km road distance from the epicenter of the earthquake. There the Metro system has been shut down as a precautionary measure and a number of iconic, architecturally significant structures—primarily religious—have been damaged.
Inspections underway in Rome. Image via La Repubblica (Roma)
According to La Repubblica (Roma)a number of cracks have appeared (while existing fissures have expanded) in the fabric of the Basilica of San Paolo Outside the Walls, and cornices have fallen. The Basilica of San Lorenzo was also temporarily closed following fragments of “rubble” falling into the aisles (reports suggest that no one was hurt). The Church of Sant’Ivo allaSapienza (La Sapienza), completed in 1660 to designs by Francesco Borromini, has suffered structural damage to its iconic dome.
Damage to the Basilica of San Paulo Outside the Walls. Image via La Repubblica (Roma)
Damage to the Basilica of San Paulo Outside the Walls. Image via La Repubblica (Roma)
Domenico Barrière(?): Dome of St. Ivo alla Sapienza, ca.1655. Berlin, Kunstbibliothek Hz. 1025. ImagePublic Domain
Inspections are being carried out at these buildings alongside many more of similar age and significance. The Colosseum and the archeological site of the Roman Forum—both popular tourist sites due to their historical and architectural value—were fully inspected and were reopened as normal to the public.
The new development plan for Copenhagen’sCarlsberg City aims to embrace the closeness of old Copenhagen and institute an urban center evocative of the historical style of Scandinavia and Europe at large. White Arkitekter has been tasked with achieving these goals with their design for Humlehaven, a residential and commercial plan that emphasizes sustainable design and integration with the existing site.
Courtesy of White Arkitekter
The plan needed to meet the challenge of reconciling the increased density of modern Carlsberg with its historical legacy, as the Carlsberg brewery is a well-established institution that has promoted the development of Copenhagen over time. To this end, the architects chose clay bricks that are not only reminiscent of the local materiality but are in fact recycled from demolished nearby buildings. This practice has limited the total environmental footprint of the project.
Courtesy of White Arkitekter
The bricks are arranged in large planes that contrast with existing facades and oriented to allow natural light into the apartments. Based on the assembly from the original brewery grounds, the windows provide views to the city.
Courtesy of White Arkitekter
Humlehaven includes a green inner courtyard that connects each of the residential buildings. The hard surfaces reflect ambient light around the space, while vegetation filters excess solar radiation and foot traffic. Inside the apartments, the warm wooden material palette contrasts with the robust concrete semi-private circulation space. The living spaces thus allow residents to simultaneously retreat to the private warmth of their homes and interface with the urban environment.
The fusion of exterior and interior areas, the integration of the surrounding and the landscape are main subjects of “Casa O'” which is located in one of the most exclusive areas of Mexico City.
The aim for the specific design with our clients is to unfold an intimate landscape, in which different places and sceneries coexist, seeking to achieve functionality within an harmonious architectural with spaces surrounded by lush vegetation.
Once you go through the hermetic facade of the street, it establishes a route that connects the habitable interior areas with the exterior. The generous and accessible interior facade allows interior spaces to extend to visual limits of the house, managing to dilute the garden and integrate it with these areas.
Una vez traspasada la hermética fachada de la calle, se establece un recorrido conectando las áreas habitables interiores con el exterior. La fachada interior generosa y accesible permite que los espacios internos se extiendan hasta los límites visuales del terreno, logrando que el jardín se diluya y se integre a estas áreas.
Los materiales utilizados en la construcción, en su mayoría naturales complementan la imagen del proyecto haciendo que la arquitectura genere múltiples sensaciones entre las texturas de los acabados, las tonalidades que se funden con la vegetación y el uso mesurado de la iluminación, teniendo como resultado un proyecto sobrio y moderno.
The Fundació Mies van der Rohe has announced the three winners of the inaugural Young Talent Architecture Award (YTAA) 2016. Established this year to “support the talent of recently graduated Architects, Urban Planners and Landscape Architects who will be responsible for transforming our environment in the future,” 9 finalists were selected from a shortlist of 30 projects, which was then narrowed down to 3 winners.
A symbiotic relation of cooperative social housing and dispersed tourism in Habana Vieja / Iwo Borkowicz, Faculty of Architecture, University of Leuven. Image Courtesy of Fundació Mies van der Rohe
The project proposes a simple and sustainable way to react to the dynamics of the demand of accommodation for tourists. The Jury appreciated the ‘glocal’ thinking which supports the local community in obtaining the tools to face the urban, economic and social changes that the city is undergoing.
A symbiotic relation of cooperative social housing and dispersed tourism in Habana Vieja / Iwo Borkowicz, Faculty of Architecture, University of Leuven. Image Courtesy of Fundació Mies van der Rohe
S'lowtecture. Housing structure in Wroclaw-Zerniki / Tomasz Broma, Faculty of Architecture, Wroclaw University of Technology. Image Courtesy of Fundació Mies van der Rohe
Housing is a key topic in Europe today and the project understands the impermanence of our habitat. The Jury considered the importance of understanding architecture as an open process in an ever-changing environment and the potential to create a real time experimental FabLab connected to an innovative housing experience.
S'lowtecture. Housing structure in Wroclaw-Zerniki / Tomasz Broma, Faculty of Architecture, Wroclaw University of Technology. Image Courtesy of Fundació Mies van der Rohe
GeoFront. Strategic development plan for the frontier territories / Policarpo del Canto Baquera, Madrid School of Architecture, Polytechnic University of Madrid. Image Courtesy of Fundació Mies van der Rohe
The project addresses the topic of cohabitation and how borders (both political and geographical) can be transformed in order to make this cohabitation possible. This proposal approaches the role of design as a political tool, as a spatial practice within a new emergent socio-political space. The Jury was positively impressed by the amount of overlapping layers of complexity created and by the skillful designs and modeling to explain a newly imagined world.
GeoFront. Strategic development plan for the frontier territories / Policarpo del Canto Baquera, Madrid School of Architecture, Polytechnic University of Madrid. Image Courtesy of Fundació Mies van der Rohe
Death and Life of a Small French city, Alix Sportich du Réau de la Gaignonnière / Alice Villatte from School of architecture of Marne-la-Vallée, France. Image Courtesy of Fundació Mies van der Rohe
Living in offices. The alive triangle of Bordelongue in Toulouse / Jaufret Barrot, Cinthia Isabel Carrasco Fuentes from ENSA, Toulouse, FR. Image Courtesy of Fundació Mies van der Rohe
Diederendirrix architecture & urban development designed a striking pavilion for hockey club Oranje-Rood. The large canopy built from laminated wooden joists in a triangular grid, supported by a few pillars, is extraordinary. The structure extends from the outside into the inside and creates a special interior with an unobstructed view of the fields. This year, Oranje-Rood originated from a merger between the successful topclass sports club Oranje-Zwart (first division champions for the last three years) and recreational sports club EMHC. This new start called for a new, modern clubhouse. The pavilion was festively opened in September 2016.
The triangular building with rounded corners is fitted in on a wedge-shaped area between the hockey fields. The pavilion is located on a plinth consisting of an overgrown slope on one side and a stand with 1600 seats on the other side. Underneath, comfortable changing rooms and a physiotherapy room were built, which meet the requirements of a top-class sport accommodation.
On the raised level the luxurious canteen is located, from where you can view the club’s eight hockey fields. The very large canopy will always keep you dry while watching the matches outside. There is room for a business club on the pavilion’s level.
The smart façades consist of light grey, preserved pine slats. The vertical slats accentuate the rounded corners. The inside is also dominated by concrete and wood, including in the long bar. As commissioner, the city of Eindhoven set high sustainability goals. The EPC (Energy Performance Coefficient) is 0.3 due to the building´s triangular shape, the solar panels on the roof and the high insulation levels.
Frans van Duivenboden, president of Oranje-Rood: “Not the largest clubhouse of the Netherlands, but definitely the coolest.”
Ground Floor Plan
Product Description.We gave the clubhouse a distinctive triangle shape to fit it carefully in the context, in this way you have a beautiful view on all the surrounding hockey fields from the building. We rounded the corners and gave the facade a certain softness, because we didn’t want to make the building to hard and detached.
Therefore we chose to give the facade a wooden covering. However, not only a uniform flat finish with shelves, but we’ve added vertical ribs at a distance of 132mm from each other, that form a consistent vertical grid over the facade. Because the view of the building is almost always from an angle, the facades and the receding canopy have a tactility that makes the pavilion much kinder and gentler.
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A very light gray color enhances the lightness and friendliness of the building. There is however consciously decided not to use a grey aging natural wood. This would after some time give a splotchy image, especially at the transitions between the canopy and facade. Hence the choice not to use hardwood, but modified pine wood treated with a light gray stain as to remain its beauty in the future.
The facade builder hanged the boards and slats in prefabricated panels to the rear structure, whereby the fixation was on the backside of the panels, therewith leaving the rhythm of the ribs undisturbed by visible fasteners.
Sig Nordal 