Courtesy of Proctor and Matthews Architects

Proctor and Matthews Architects have released its plans for 140 homes in the first development phase of Mountfield Park, a major urban extension of Canterbury, England as a 21st-century garden city. 

Inspired by the local landscape and vernacular forms, namely nearby courtyard farms and the site’s existing landscape of hops fields and fruit orchards, this first phase of the development will feature six residential clusters with houses interconnected around an orchard landscape. These clusters will be configured as a series of stepped terraces, in response to the site’s topography.

Courtesy of Proctor and Matthews Architects

Courtesy of Proctor and Matthews Architects

Each residential court cluster is contained within a red brick perimeter wall incorporating gables, chimneys and perforated brick panels. This echoes Kent village streetscapes, and provides a distinctive profile to the clusters. White masonry gables rise above the wall – a hint of the predominantly white courtyard façade walls of each home. Red clay tile roofs dominate, while natural slate is used in places to add variety and accentuate particular buildings. A scattering of different gable treatments offers further visual interest – described the architects. 

Courtesy of Proctor and Matthews Architects

Courtesy of Proctor and Matthews Architects

Houses will range in typology and size, from one-bedroom apartments to six bedroom family homes.

Courtesy of Proctor and Matthews Architects

Courtesy of Proctor and Matthews Architects

The elevated siting of the project will afford views of Bell Harry, the tower of Canterbury Cathedral.

Courtesy of Proctor and Matthews Architects

Development is expected to begin in early 2017, if planning consent is granted, and the first homes will be completed by March 2018.

News via Proctor and Matthews Architects. 

http://ift.tt/2ddnAct

© Todd Watson

• Architects: Nest Architects
• Location: Portballintrae, Bushmills BT57, United Kingdom
• Area: 40.0 sqm
• Project Year: 2015
• Photographs: Todd Watson

• Structural Engineers: Design ID
• Qs: Philip Barbour Associates
• Contractor: DLane Construction

© Todd Watson

The existing 1920’s two storey dwelling is situated at Portballintrae, a small seaside village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Portballintrae takes its name from the Irish ‘Port Bhaile an Tra’, meaning ; ‘port of the beach settlement’ and lies within the Causeway Coast and Glens District Council area. 

© Todd Watson

The original building character consisted of whitewashed cottages nestled around the Ballintrae bay, although that character has changed in no small part through the areas popularity as a seaside resort.

© Todd Watson

Brief
The client wished to reconfigure the existing accommodation to facilitate modern family living for three generations of their family in an open plan arrangement. The requirements set out at the initial briefing meeting included the aspiration to create spaces that engaged with the external environment and moved away from the existing cellular accommodation. The client had a specific requirement to provide an external hot shower area for use following surfing and family visits to the nearby beach. This reinforced the idea that the scheme should act as the family ‘hub’, a place to meet and spend quality time together. Coupled with the visual and emotive element of the brief there was a pragmatic requirement to improve the existing building performance and deal with any issues present simply due to the buildings age.

© Todd Watson

Concept Development
The existing building line facing Ballaghmore Road, had long been established and the intention was to develop a rear extension that would extend beyond the existing gable wall and benefit from views toward the hills beyond and from the evening sun. This approach allowed the visual impact from the public street to be subtle yet provide an interesting modern bookend and give a suggestion of what was beyond.

© Todd Watson

A new extension was added to the building to create an open aspect to the private garden at the rear whilst the poorly lit cellular accommodation was altered to facilitate the families open plan living aspirations and improve the internal environment. The conceptual building form was inspired by the family interest in surfing. The surf board profile manifests itself as a cantilever over the newly formed courtyard and coupled with the use of a hardwood timber soffit provides both protection from the elements and a tactile building face. The remaining building is formed in traditional masonry construction and covered with self-coloured white render that makes reference to the historic character of the area. The material palette used was simple and restrained with the emphasis being placed on strong elements of hardwood timber to add warmth.

Floor Plan

The new extension is bounded by an existing corrugated roofed outhouse which provides an important link to the past. The client wanted to ensure this building element was retained as it represented an emotional link to their early family life in the house. The new extension provides a visual representation of the next generation of their family life without forgetting the past. Their aspiration for the new building extension to be a significant part of their grand-children’s formative years is evident.

© Todd Watson

http://ift.tt/2d6aJno

© Luuk Kramer

• Architects: atelier PRO
• Location: Herenweg, 2361 Warmond, The Netherlands
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: Luuk Kramer

© Luuk Kramer

On the old Herenweg in Warmond atelier PRO architects have combined an existing community center with three new primary schools and a kindergarten. The result is a new multifunctional centre where the local schools, library, nursery, kindergarten and cultural associations have been given a place.

© Luuk Kramer

As councillor Kees van Velzen put it during his opening speech: “The building is adapted wonderfully on a historic site: the historic heart of Warmond. Through its playful form and excellent use of materials, the building fits perfectly into the surroundings.” 

© Luuk Kramer

The brief
Warmond is a village in the western Netherlands, just north of Leiden and located in an area called the “Dune and Bulb Region”. For more than a decade, cultural meeting centre The Trefpunt has been the social hub of Warmond. In the evenings, the centre was well occupied but during the day it had moderate use. Elsewhere in Warmond three primary schools were facing declining student numbers and outdated school buildings. The schools mostly empty during the evening. Both buildings can complement each other in spaces and program. Moreover, the cultural centre offers features that a regular, relatively small school could never possess. The municipality wanted to investigate the possibility of combining a new school building with the renovation of The Trefpunt. The site is located in a lush open green area just north of the historic centre. The original building has a rigid rectangular form made from brick.

© Luuk Kramer

Combining old and new
Architecture office atelier PRO devised a surprising and successful scheme to combine the functions, opening up the existing building and adding a distinctive new section. Old and new come together in a large central space, the heart of the building. As a multipurpose space it easily accommodates different functions, for instance, from meeting to learning and playing. 

Floor Plan

In the existing community centre, the interventions are limited but carefully focused. The narrow foyer is widened and the accessibility and appearance of the rooms are improved. Additionally the building was adapted, as much as possible, to be shared with the schools. In this way, the schools can enjoy the facilities of the renovated library and craft room. The youth club can be also used by the younger kids. 

© Luuk Kramer

A free flowing shape 
atelier PRO’s design softens the existing brick building by adding a new section in an open flowing form constructed in wood. The undulating form comprises a string of classrooms designed with flexibility in mind. Growth and downsizing of the schools can be easily accommodated by shuffling the classrooms which can interchange functions. This flexibility has already shown positive results: before the opening, two of the three schools merged seamlessly. 

© Luuk Kramer

http://ift.tt/2cs1GwC

Courtesy of The Busride Design Studio

• Architects: The Busride Design Studio
• Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India
• Area: 5500.0 ft2
• Project Year: 2015
• Photographs: Courtesy of The Busride Design Studio

• Design Team : Apurv Aniruddh, Hinal Vyas, Pranali Patel, Rujuta Naringrekar, Kevin Mathew, Preeti Nautiyal, Shripal Shah
• Chief Contractor: Shakir Basrai
• Site Supervision: The Busride Design Studio
• Model Maker: The Busride Design Studio

Courtesy of The Busride Design Studio

“The Folly House in Pune was a response to a very odd brief: Make Mistakes. The owners were young entrepreneurs, looking to create a biography of themselves in the design of their home. They had concerns ranging from the effect of the residential environment on their young kids to their own productivity at home, and the various formats for living that the family enjoys to how they like to party.

Courtesy of The Busride Design Studio

Diagram

Courtesy of The Busride Design Studio

The sprawling 4500 sq ft house offered a wide range of possibilities to respond to the brief. Our approach was to create an open plan home where every functionality of the home was compacted into multi-functional or mobile objects. The remaining space was left untouched, activated only when these objects unfolded, rotated or pivoted open.

Courtesy of The Busride Design Studio

The living room consisted of two such objects, a multi-functional carved wooden topography and a fold-out wooden cube. The continuity of space was paramount in the design of both objects. This created an ‘exteriority’ within the interior space. The overall experience of the house transformed from ‘living in rooms’ to ‘living amongst objects’. Since the nature of each object is different, the house remains unpredictable and new relationships between everyday home objects are constantly discovered. Chance and unpredictability create follies. Follies are objects in a garden of no particular purpose. Follies are also mistakes.”

http://ift.tt/2dhmgpj

© Tze-Chun Wei

• Architects: Ospace Architects
• Location: Taiwan
• Design Team: Ospace Architects
• Area: 360.0 sqm
• Project Year: 2014
• Photographs: Tze-Chun Wei

© Tze-Chun Wei

From the architect. The House of Stones is an individual 4 storeys house located in Changhua, Taiwan. The site is in irregular triangle shape, where using the typical structural grid system is not applicable and not efficient. In this circumstance, we come up with the following two concepts.

© Tze-Chun Wei

Floating of Stones

Our initial inspiration comes from the rock in Zhangjiajie, and we see the site as a stone full of shapes, which then set out the composition strategy of our projects. All the opening of the building is followed by the idea of shaping a stone, where windows and roof are excavated and cut like a big rock.

Model

In order to express the concept of a floating stone and the different functions of the house, we separate the ground floor that is commercial use with exposed concrete and the upper floors that function as a private house with a white painted volume. This then presents a picture of a floating white stone sitting on an irregular rock column.   

Concept

Concept

Motion of Wind

The subtropical weather in Taiwan is considered in this project. There is a pool placed on the south side of the building and a void in the center that helps generates the stack effect of the wind.

© Tze-Chun Wei

In this case, the wind runs over the pool to cool down its temperature and flows through the building by the central void, and this creates the pleasant of living with natural lighting and ventilation. 

http://ift.tt/2cTl77z

Courtesy of NUDES

• Architects: NUDES
• Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Founder & Principal Architect: Nuru Karim
• Project Year: 2015
• Photographs: Courtesy of NUDES

• Fabrication: Spurdisplay
• Client: DuPont Corian

Courtesy of NUDES

Like languages, space/place making is a discipline that will comprise a number of variations that are characteristic of the people, social and geographic climate that they serve. For any object or idea to endure and in effect become timeless it must pass through a number of filters that measure its clarity and depth retaining the genetic structure from which they evolved. Over many millennia the organisms that inhabit this planet have gone through countless environmental filters that have shaped and continue to inform the shape of organisms today. Nature has provided this framework of constant improvement for us. The “Woven Thread Pavilion” designed by Nuru Karim Founder & Principal NU.DE, deploys natural design systems to weave a set of sinuous lines into three-dimensional space. This intercourse of design and systems in nature is manifested through 4 modules and can be incrementally grown based on site / environmental conditions. The Pavilion could potentially host a number of public space events and activities.

Courtesy of NUDES

The “Woven Thread pavilion” breeds on the principle of biomimetics, using natural systems (phyllotaxis) as a point of departure. Phyllotaxis or phyllotaxy is the arrangement of leaves on a plant stem (from Ancient Greek phýllon “leaf” and táxis “arrangement”). Phyllotactic spirals form a distinctive class of patterns in nature. The basic arrangements of leaves on a stem are opposite, or alternate = spiral. Leaves may also be whorled if several leaves arise, or appear to arise, from the same level (at the same node) on a stem. This arrangement is fairly unusual on plants except for those with particularly short internodes (source: Wikipedia).

Diagram

Plan

The weave system is not based on elastic components used in traditional weaving technologies but using rigid thermoformed components to create a structural self-standing assembly. The idea is to interlace nature and architecture, enabling the design of hybridized, biological structures. In this process investigating nature is design research. And, the overall aim is to create new architectural species incorporating natural attributes ordered in performance, materials, digital technology and form.

Courtesy of NUDES

Section

Courtesy of NUDES

The “Woven Thread Pavilion” deploys DuPont Corian “Deep Color Technology” material to weave a set of sinuous lines to create the pavilion design. The Pavilion design comprises of 4 nos modules and can be incrementally grown based on user requirements. The Pavilion could potentially host a number of activities and events, both active and passive in nature based on the constraints of the module size. The design process includes digital design tools and digital fabrication processes including CNC milling, creation of mould designs and thermoforming to complete the complex assembly. The design system is structural and supports its self-weight.  Approx. 685 RFT of 30mm wide strips, 12mm thick DuPont Corian Material was used to create this sinuous Pavilion Design. 

Courtesy of NUDES

http://ift.tt/2dbdc57

© Andrés García Lachner

• Architects: Indigo Arquitectura
• Location: Estrada, Provincia de Guanacaste, Costa Rica
• Author Architect: Leonardo Jiménez
• Interior Design: Indigo Arquitectura/ MAD Living
• Area: 290.0 sqm
• Project Year: 2015
• Photographs: Andrés García Lachner

• Structural Design: Apestegui Blair Ingenieros Consultores
• Electric Design: Ing. Alberto Zúñiga
• Construction: Indigo Arquitectura

© Andrés García Lachner

Casa Gaviota (Seagull House) is a project developed through a thorough site analysis and conscious awareness of the environment. Located in a mountain surrounded by topographic depressions, and very close to the northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica, it stands lightly and volant on the terrain holding more than 80% of its areas in the air. It touches the ground only as needed, reducing the humidity and soil sealing and maximizing the natural ventilation through the project. The precise east – west orientation allows Casa Gaviota to fully open its north facade providing all the indirect lightning for the house and creating different environments that dramatically change throughout the day. A nearby river that refreshes and nourishes the flora and fauna of the place can be appreciated visually and aurally from the deck. The opening between the two modules allows the user to continue its path through the mountain, the same path that existed before the house was built. The house does not interfere between nature and oneself.

© Andrés García Lachner

Plan

© Andrés García Lachner

“The sky is not a place nor a time. The sky is perfect.”
Richard Bach´s book Jonathan Livingstone Seagull

© Andrés García Lachner

Diagram

© Andrés García Lachner

Seagull House is essentially a project that respects the environment and emphasizes the absolute role of nature and its ephemeral poetry. The house attempts to fly and reach the sky. 

© Andrés García Lachner

http://ift.tt/2d6xARS

A photo posted by Ashgabat International Airport (@ashgabatairport) on Sep 16, 2016 at 2:04pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Designing airports based on flight-inspired, aerodynamic forms is nothing new – in fact, that has been the concept behind some of history’s most beautiful airport terminals, such as Eero Saarinen’s iconic TWA Terminal in New York. But until now, no airport building has been quite so literal with its symbolism as the recently unveiled Ashgabat International Airport.

The new terminal building in Turkmenistan’s capital takes the form a soaring falcon, echoing the mascot of the national airline carrier. And at a cost of $2.3 billion USD, the structure has already drummed up some controversy – critics claim the building is much larger than needed to handle the country’s relative low traffic rates.

See some images of the bird-shaped building below.

A photo posted by Ashgabat International Airport (@ashgabatairport) on Sep 16, 2016 at 2:02pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

A photo posted by Ashgabat International Airport (@ashgabatairport) on Sep 4, 2016 at 1:28am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

A photo posted by #instagrabad (@instagrabad) on Sep 2, 2016 at 3:25am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

A photo posted by Ashgabat International Airport (@ashgabatairport) on Sep 4, 2016 at 1:26am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

A photo posted by Bekmyrat (@bekmyrat_) on Sep 22, 2016 at 4:29pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

BBC News – Turkmenistan unveils bird-shaped airport in Ashgabat https://t.co/Vf4L8TBrI1

— Nicolás Larenas ✈️ (@n_larenas) September 19, 2016

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

News via BBC.

http://ift.tt/2d4wW5A

© Lionel Macor

• Architects: Atelier Lame Architecture
• Location: Hauts-de-Seine, France
• Area: 400.0 sqm
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: Lionel Macor

© Lionel Macor

Located in Haut-de-Seine department, the project takes place in a peaceful suburb town close to Paris, in Ile-de-France.

© Lionel Macor

It involves the renovation and extension of a traditional stone house, perfectly situated on a quiet street and benefiting from a large green plot. 

Plan

Unoccupied during several years, the main desire was to renovate the existing house all the while preserving its original architectural features. The extension was also driven by the will to respect the existing built and natural environment. 

© Lionel Macor

Adding an extension made sense mainly as there was a need to make the living areas on the ground floor larger. This floor consists of the two living rooms, both north and south facing, a corridor lined with a collections of CDs and vinyls and a kitchen as the central component of the home. 

Section

The numerous openings breaks down the relation between interior and exterior, creating a cosy feeling and connection with the natural surrounding.

© Lionel Macor

The first floor is home to the first lot of bedrooms, with the spare bedroom and its big terrace looking over the quiet garden on the extension side, and the master bedroom with its open dressing, private bathroom and access to the terrace offering a nice view of the landscape. 

© Lionel Macor

The upper floors are dedicated to children with each room having both a sleeping area and playing area. 

Section

The combination of gritstone, which is typical of the region and the modern architecture components such as steel and glass produces altogether a unique architectural house, enjoyable for everyone. 

© Lionel Macor

http://ift.tt/2cNjVQa

http://ift.tt/2czi9lW.:%20Museo%20de%20la%20Ciudad%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

Buenos Aires‘ contemporary urban landscape as we know it today provides a tempered mix of historical and recent construction projects. As one of the most beautiful cities in South America, it’s wide boulevards and grand buildings, based on European models, have morphed to embrace the needs of a modern metropolis. 

These images show just how profoundly time effects our cities (and how centuries-old foliage can powerfully transform spatial perception).  

Browse the 20 interactive images of Buenos Aires before and after. 

http://ift.tt/2cziYLA.:%20Autor%20Desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2d45RiJ.:%20Autor%20Desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2czhQHR.:%20Archivo%20General%20de%20la%20Nación%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2d45bKf.:%20Autor%20desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2czhYHm.:%20Autor%20Desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2d45k0j.:%20Autor%20desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2cziwgp.:%20Autor%20desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2d45apF.:%20Autor%20desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2czhrEZ.:%20Archivo%20General%20de%20la%20Nación%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2d44D7j.:%20Autor%20Desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2czitkn.:%20Museo%20de%20la%20Ciudad%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2d45TY4.:%20Biblioteca%20Manuel%20Galvez%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2czhr7X.:%20Archivo%20General%20de%20la%20Nación%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2d45R2r.:%20Autor%20Desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2czid4V.:%20Autor%20desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2d44X5Y.:%20Autor%20Desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2czisNl.:%20Autor%20desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2d45RPD.:%20Autor%20desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

http://ift.tt/2czicxT.:%20Autor%20desconocido%20-%20Foto%20Der.:%20Gastón%20de%20la%20Llana

• Find more than 100 interactive images here.

Courtesy of Buenos Aires Antes y Después – Gaston de la Llana.

http://ift.tt/2d44Y9S