This year’s installment of the National Building Museum’s Summer Block Party Series, James Corner Field Operations’ ICEBERGS, is now open to the public. On display until September 5th, ICEBERGS takes the form of a shimmering, underwater world of glacial ice fields located in the museum’s expansive Great Hall to provide the public with an escape from the hot Washington, D.C. summer.
Wrapping around the Great Hall’s large corinthian columns, a “water line” has been suspended at 20 feet to bisect the room and turn the space into a literal representation of a 3D ice cube drawing. Massive polycarbonate icebergs poke their way through the water, becoming slides and viewing platforms as they approach the ground.
To beat the heat, visitors are invited to relax and chill on white cushions along the ocean floor, traverse an undersea bridge or sample Japanese kakigori shaved-ice snacks provided by Daikaya restaurant. Occupying a total area of 12,540 square feet, the icebergs reach heights of up to 56 feet, tall enough to reach the third story of the museum.
In addition to its theme of respite, the exhibition also addresses more serious concerns such as climate change and material waste. To show how building materials can be used with a full life-cycle in mind, ICEBERGS has been constructed out of reusable construction materials such as scaffolding and polycarbonate paneling.
“ICEBERGS invokes the surreal underwater-world of glacial ice fields,” said James Corner, founder and director of James Corner Field Operations. “Such a world is both beautiful and ominous given our current epoch of climate change, ice-melt, and rising seas. The installation creates an ambient field of texture, movement, and interaction, as in an unfolding landscape of multiples, distinct from a static, single object.”
Tickets to ICEBERGS are $16 for adults and $13 for youth, students and senior. To learn more about the exhibition, visit the museum’s website here.
Unless you’ve been living under a Geodude for the past few days, you’ll have heard about the launch of Pokémon GO, the latest release from the world-conquering Pokémon franchise and Niantic, the people behind the groundbreaking 2013 game Ingress. The game’s central premise is that, using augmented reality, the classic creature-capturing game that we’ve known for the past 20 years can be overlaid onto the real world, requiring players to get out and explore their surroundings to find the Pokémon lurking in the streets and parks of their neighborhood.
Of course, the game’s augmented reality element allows for some interesting juxtapositions between the real world and the game world, and opens up a new kind of “wildlife photography”—as exemplified by the above image of a Krabby at Sydney Harbor, captured on a mass “Pokémon GO walk” that was organized in the city over the weekend. We’d like to see our readers’ best snaps of Pokémon alongside famous landmarks. Have you seen a Staryu at the Statue of Liberty? A Grimer at the Golden Gate Bridge? A Weepinbell at the Washington Memorial? We want to see it!
Upload your very best shots in the comments, and we’ll feature our favorites in an upcoming article.
From the architect. The operation calls for the urban renewal of the area and its conversion for residential use. The total reconfiguration of the volumes of the area has been made possible by the autonomous character of the construction, which is now an isolated building inside an enclosed garden, with walls along the street, and bordered by a transparent enclosure toward the greenery, permitting the residents to perceive it as a single green zone continuous with the Solari Park.
The main entrance remains at Via Salaino 10, a low volume that reflects the footprint and profile of the existing building, and controls vehicle access to the main volume, in the courtyard, while permitting pedestrian access sheltered by a pergola with plantings, and access to the underground garage. This building is organized with a series of patios and raised gardens that transform its horizontal levels into spaces with greenery rather than roofs, thanks to the construction of planters for small trees; the basement levels contain cellars, parking facilities and technical spaces. The facade on the street has been treated with decorative concrete, with a texture and a pattern of perforations that evoke the Liberty motifs of the finest building in the surrounding context, underlining the private residential character of the complex.
The main volume, taken to a height of 8 above-ground levels plus an attic, is aligned in height with the buildings of Via Solari and Via Valparaiso. The elevation has been completely redesigned, creating a facade with a double skin, overlooking the city with a discontinuous surface of golden bronze-tone screen-printed glass panels that protect the loggias and a continuous balcony along the whole perimeter of the building on all levels. Textile sunscreens are inserted to protect the entire volume. The detail of the continuous balcony accentuates the layered composition of the volume, leaving the metal floor-marker profile highly legible; the glass/textile exterior skin protects and conceals the perforated internal facade, with the marked recessing of the loggias.
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The aim is to offer a building with an absolutely contemporary language that expresses its residential character through the apparently random composition of the decorated glass panels and the presence of the white fabric behind the glass, while at the same time offering elegant decorum in its use, thanks to the privacy provided by the set-backs in the facades and the protective screening.
The visual medium of film has meant that style has always played a significant role in cinema. It’s one of the reasons why film and architecture have gone hand in hand for the past hundred years. In some sense, both mediums display complementary qualities; film as photography captures the structural aspects of architecture, while architectural design dictates cinematic space.
The same can’t be said for television – because even though television has undergone an aesthetic transformation in the past few years, with shows like The Sopranos, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, True Detective, and The Knick, it’s still very much a character-based medium. The format itself allows for the close examination of characters over the course of many hours.
Courtesy of INTERIORS Journal
Mr. Robot opens in a New York City coffee shop (Think Coffee on 4th Avenue in reality, but named Ron’s Coffee in the series), with the majority of its first episode set entirely in a single location as it introduces its audience to the character of Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek). In contrast, the season wraps with a tracking shot tour of an opulent mansion, a place whose connection to the narrative of the series as a whole is shrouded in secrecy and mystery. These spaces couldn’t be more different from one another, and yet, that’s precisely where Mr. Robot finds its architectural interests – in disparate, conflicting spaces.
Mr. Robot switches between spaces that include gritty New York City streets, abandoned buildings, and modern office spaces. The sleek steel structure of E. Corp’s building façade juxtaposed with Elliot’s Lower East Side apartment building, next to fast food restaurants and subway stations, makes this arguably the most architectural television series ever.
In fact, for a television series so incredibly interested in architecture, it’s fitting that its protagonist spends his days overlooking an architectural model of the city of New York at the Queens Museum. It’s the architectural style of filmmaking, however, that makes Mr. Robot so rich.
Sam Esmail’s Mr. Robot is the work of a singular author, and while it’s heavily invested in its protagonist’s unreliable narrative, it’s also very much concerned with architecture and style. This is mostly seen in its unconventional framing as well as its photography of office spaces and buildings; it’s a series interested in how spaces appear and how characters appear in those spaces.
Throughout the series, Esmail continuously uses his camera in ways that speaks to the architectural significance of spaces. In the second episode of the series, for instance, a camera is attached to the front door of Elliot’s apartment – as he opens his door, we see the entirety of the space through the movement of the camera, all in a single shot. This occurs once again in a later episode with a camera attached to the side of a car door. In fact, even the series’ most notable scene, in which our hero devastatingly discovers a deadly surprise in the trunk of a car, a sharp performance is made possible by an effective choice – holding on his reaction for an unbroken take that lasts several minutes. This is a series – and a filmmaker – inherently interested in using space to capture feeling. These significant moments throughout the series are all determined by the use of space (or lack thereof).
Floor plan of Elliot's apartment in Mr. Robot. Image Courtesy of INTERIORS Journal
The most prominent space in the series is Elliot’s apartment, which becomes a safe haven for his character. It’s the one space that feels somewhat safe amid the intense chaos throughout the series; even though there are outside forces that threaten the private space, such as when Fernando Vera’s crew infiltrates the space or when Tyrell Wellick breaks in and confronts Elliot, there is a great deal of power in Elliot’s apartment. It’s more than his home, it’s where we, as an audience, continuously revert to throughout the series.
In fact, for a show that deals with so many complex ideas – crises of identity, hacking, corporatism, oppressive government surveillance – this single apartment space grounds the story. It’s how the audience can connect and identify with the hero amid these concepts.
In an exclusive interview with Interiors, Matthew Munn, production designer of the pilot episode of Mr. Robot which set the stage for the remainder of the season, speaks about his work as it relates to Elliot’s apartment.
Munn notes that the apartment space is “small and cramped… it is a New York apartment after all and I wanted it to feel like one.” The space, however, is also a reflection of Elliot’s character. Elliot, for instance, isn’t the type of person who would be interested in painting his walls, which is why the filmmakers opted for warmer grays as a way of making the space feel safer, along with incandescent lighting that warms up the overall space.
Courtesy of INTERIORS Journal
The interior of his apartment also doesn’t have a particular style. “We talked a lot at the outset of prep that Elliot’s apartment should be a reflection of him and his interests. In my mind, Elliot is not an interior decorator, and his apartment functions as a place for him to work and sleep.” The series effectively makes Elliot’s apartment home base, but even within this single space, there is a strong emphasis on specific spaces, such as his couch and desk. The majority of his time is spent working on his computer or doing drugs as a way of escaping from reality.
The most significant space, however, is Elliot’s desk. “The desk area was all about his work. We wanted a simple table to support what was obviously the only thing in the apartment that Elliot really spends money on – his computer.” Elliot is a character that has a homebuilt computer system that he spends his time taking apart. In a life of chaos, he finds order in his own way. “I wanted this space to feel like it was a work zone and to be cluttered in a way that only Elliot could discern its order.”
The architecture of Mr. Robot is a reflection of its characters. The clean, contemporary office spaces of E. Corp accurately reflect Tyrell’s persona, whereas the chaotic apartment space best mirrors Elliot’s lifestyle. Matthew Munn elaborates by noting, “Elliot’s apartment is almost like a cave where he goes for sanctuary and work; so much about the outside world makes Elliot uncomfortable, almost like a wild animal, and I tried to make the apartment feel like the cave that he would retreat back to.”
The 2nd Season of Mr. Robot premieres July 13th, 2016 on USA Network.
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LeanToo is the addition to an existing cottage situated in vibrant Austin neighborhood. The site had the original home set back from the street and bracketed by two large heritage oak trees, an active city drainage line that cut through the property, and a dry creek at the rear.
The owners of the cottage had previously worked with the architect and had asked for the design to allow for large gatherings, intimate respite, and to be Austin cool. They love collecting paintings and sculpture, and having music play throughout the home. Our design had to able to live and adjust to these collections and occupants. The design itself is aware of the neighboring residential context along with the needs of the owner and site.
It’s subtle low pitched roof sets as a base to the traditional cottage form and we set back the carport to down play the addition’s street presence, acknowledge the neighboring fabric, and add value to the whole. Renovations were also done to the original cottage, with a new kitchen and guest room both opening to the addition. Exterior terraces were introduced to respond to several things including the tradition of being outside during the beautiful seasons of the Texas Hill Country. The terraces continue up into the house from grade in both the front and rear yards, we like to say there is a single level to this home where we reject stairs in favor of steps. Steps allowed us to maximize the floor space while not expending energy on vertical circulation, and it allowed us casual points of gathering between larger meeting areas. Large glass panes, sliding panel doors, and a quiet screen porch make for the home to open itself up in several dynamic ways without compromising the site’s natural beauty. LeanToo was a project of intense detail that was aware of the intricate stitching needed to both respect the cottage, introduce a modern form, and address the complex site. Several materials were reused, helping to retain the character and charm of the surroundings in the color, use, and texture of material.
When posed with a brief for a Japanese-style mobile fashion store, Kooo Architects decided not to respond in a purely visual symbolic way. Rather, they looked at the climate for constructing architecture in Japan, and decided to raise social awareness of the destructive power of earthquakes. Using approximately 1000 disaster hoods to create an 8m diameter partial dome, their design embodies the color and texture of their client’s fashion range while reminding the public of the prevalence of natural disasters.
Courtesy of Kooo Architects
The hoods themselves, also known as bousai zukin, are commonplace in Japanese schools to protect children’s heads from fire and debris in the case of earthquakes. The structure is easy to assemble, with convenient workability as critical design features. The hoods are self-supporting and no rigid structural material was used, but rather a soft and highly cushioned material called Breathair. The hoods are connected by waterproof zippers and magnets, piling up to create the lightweight frame structure.
Courtesy of Kooo Architects
Whilst the feasibility of such a lightweight structure could be questioned, it’s structural integrity has been proven through testing and iterations. The lower hoods support those stacked above, and the thickness and density of the air pressurized material increases with the addition of more hoods. Transparent acrylic rods are added inside the hoods to reinforce the structure, and different layers of the padding and lining have corresponding intensity adjustment.
Courtesy of Kooo Architects
Based in Tokyo and Shanghai, the founders of Kooo Architects have both previously worked for Kengo Kuma, a practice who have become synonymous with technically innovative designs. His recent carbon fibre project takes a different approach to the ongoing issue of earthquakes in Japan, by literally tying the building to the ground. Similarly, Kooo wanted to highlight the immovable challenge that the construction industry in Japan has to face, whilst also reminding individuals to be prepared for the worst.
Courtesy of Kooo Architects
Their client, a fashion designer with an interest in social contribution, was quick to facilitate Kooo’s approach. The printed graphics on the hoods replicate the client’s signature textile patterns. The semi-opaque material allows light to filter through, creating a multi-colored internal sphere. Kooo Architects said, “After the dismantlement of this pavilion in the future, the hoods will be donated to other earthquake-prone countries, raising the awareness of disaster prevention, thus, achieving the requirement from the owner of making a ‘Japanese design.”
Courtesy of Kooo Architects
The store is due for completion by the end of 2017.
It began with one photo in London when I turned Big Ben into the London Eye. From there I created a series of photos from London, which then led to brands sponsoring me to create images for them in Europe and then from the start of this year I’ve been able to travel further a field with tourist boards. It’s been great to transform familiar sights into something different and it’s even more fun watching someone’s reaction when they see my photos. I really enjoy it when other tourists come up to me and ask what I’m doing. When I show them the photo their faces go through a transition of confusion, to smiling and then laughing.
I’ve had a jam packed year so far – I’ve been to Hong Kong, Singapore, Nanjing, Val d’Isere, New York and Las Vegas with tourist boards, a few other destinations with brands. I’ve also given a couple of talks on how I’ve been able to turn a hobby into paid work.
I don’t tend to post photos of myself on my Instagram but I do get recognised occasionally when people see me holding up the cutouts in front of my camera- they recognise the style of photography and then ask me if I’m paperboyo. The sweetest example of being recognised happened in Singapore; I ordered room service and started to chat with the lady who kindly brought it up. I mentioned that I travel, take photos and post them on Instagram. She told me that she’s following a travel blogger who she recommends and so took out her phone, opened Instagram and showed me the account. I blushed – it was my account. When I told her, she blushed. That was a really cool moment to know that someone the other side of the world was enjoying the photos.
I’m really happy with the Statue of Liberty weightlifter photo. It’s an idea I had for a while and couldn’t quite get right with the real statue in New York so when I went to Vegas I made sure to try it again. I posted it on Independence Day which I think helped it become one of the most liked photos on my Instagram. I also love the Marina Bay Sands Hotel photo where I turned the famous hotel into a vintage key. The hotel loved that photo too and they invited me to stay there.
I have some nifty tools that help me so the process of cutting out the cutouts isn’t as fiddly as it may look, but the doing ones with people’s facial features is tricky. I posted a David Bowie tribute silhouette on the day he passed away which was a delicate one to cut.
From the architect. The apartment, located in the heart of Bucharest, offers a panoramic view towards the urban landscape. The family’s way of life is similar to the context, being communicative, flexible and dynamic. These aspects were the main elements that lead to the definition of the new functional and spatial scheme: the opening of the daytime spaces, but without giving up the possibility of separating them if needed, and the separation of the night time area, that offers a high level of intimacy for each family member.
The end result integrates the kitchen and the office to the existing generous living room as an intersection of two rectangular volumes, with the dining area, right in the center of this intersection, becoming a “hot spot ” of the house.
Thus, functions merge into a common image , where wood, both horizontally and vertically disposed, covering storage area, provides fluidity and unity of the space, creating a neutral background at the same time.
Floor Plan
Dark grey metal elements, contrasting and cold, become highlights of the interior, but also divide different areas and create differentiated spots: the entrance hall, the kitchen area, the glass doors and the black lamp above the living room. However they create an unique picture, the several functional areas keep their identity required by the specific activities.
When necessary, metallic and glass wall can create a capsule, separated from the rest of the house. It was designed as a multifunctional room, which can be used either as an office or as guest bedroom.
Another important element is the almost invisible wardrobe placed in the hallway, that is covered in mirrors on three sides and appearing as a very thin black panel towards the living room, becoming a strong and contrasting background for the dining area.
Similar colors and patterns can be observed inside the entrance hall, where the wooden wall panels “hide” the access to the night area, the more private part of the apartment.
The night area follows the same color palette of the whole interior, that is the main frame of the overall design and offers a neutral background for the small interventions and personal objects, that come to personalize each private space.
In this interview, presented in collaboration with PLANE—SITE, Cynthia Davidson and Monica Ponce de Leon—curators of the US Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Biennale—explain why the United States’ contribution to the 2016 Venice Biennale has brought together “visionary” American architectural practices to speculatively address the future of the city of Detroit. They argue that these projects have “far-reaching applications for cities around the world.”
As the home of the automobile industry, the free-span concrete factory, Motown, and techno, Detroit was once a center of American imagination, not only for the products it made but also for its modern architecture and modern lifestyle, which captivated audiences worldwide.
Today, like many post-industrial cities, it is coping with the effects of a declining population and an urban landscape pockmarked with blight. Nonetheless, having emerged from bankruptcy, there is new excitement in Detroit to imagine the city’s possible futures, both in the downtown core and in its many neighborhoods.
From the architect. The essence of the building is intended to visually lighten the mass of the roof and curved outer walls . Large, silk screen clad and with each other in different angles double facade wall surfaces divide building mass into smaller pieces . Dark aged copper clad end walls and light weight glass surfaces alternate and create sculptural courtyard spaces.
The building entrances are located at 2nd and 5th floors, of which the latter is a street-level main entrance. Site’s level differences are softened by the slope of the recessed parking hall and stone walls. Yard areas were kept understated. The slopes are covered with evergreen ground cover plants. Pedestrian routes are coated with white crushed stone.
Floor Plan
The wing sections are connected by a freely formed central lobby. The lobby floor is punctuated by arched openings, curved glass walls and main staircase. Upon entering the building, you get a splendid unobstructed view of Lake Näsijärvi. Glass surfaces are silkscreen printed glass patterns that filter the incoming natural light. This light together with the curved surfaces create nuanced series of spaces. The building dimensions and shape are revealed in the central lobby, offering varying views in all directions.
The different interior wings are easily identified by color, each wing has its own distinctive color on all the floors. Colorful surfaces have also been used in the central lobby and wing walls between the floors. The building is illuminated upwards between the curved glass walls, which underlines the sculptural form of the building mass in the dark.
The building houses a number of user groups. For example a health center, a dental clinic, a maternity clinic and a rehabilitation clinic. The main auditorium, as well as the private dining room can be rented out outside the office hours.
Sig Nordal 