Kengo Kuma and Associates has completed its 10,440 square meter Wuxi Vanke arts and shopping complex, a renovated red brick cotton mill in Wuxi, China, featuring an aluminum-clad extension.
Drawing inspiration from the shape of the local Taihu stone, a water-worn limestone, the extension utilizes porous, aluminum-cast panels to create an “amoeba-shaped space” that juts out from the rigid structure of the existing brick. Each aluminum panel alternates with open space to give the building a waved outline.
From the architect. The program includes four houses and a water tank. The water tank will be a square of whitewashed plaster where a pool is found and a line draws the shower. The placement of the several houses will be decided by each owner.
The first house is a square. The living room is disposed around a courtyard that provides indirect lighting. Secondary compartments inhabit the interior of thick walls that form the central living room.
Plan
These areas, compressed by a lifted ground and a lowered ceiling, become spaces which group to limit and define the “exterior volume,” emphasizing it as the main space of the house.
From the architect. The Origami project is situated in a peaceful residential district in Prague 6 and it consists of 7 houses. The concept is beyond the common idea of individual housing. Formally it’s been defined as a block of flats but the design is closer to the individual residential housing. Only two flats in maximum can be find in each house. Every flat has its own entrance and specious private garden. If the client wishes, two flats can be combined together into one private house. After that the total utility area can be 330 m2. The common areas such as corridors and underground garages with cellars create intimate residential project which is connected from the inside and closed from the outside. The concept combines the advantages of living in a flat with the advantages of living in a family house. Plus the future inhabitants have opportunity to add their personal individual vision of living to their new homes. It’s hard to find such project in Prague.
Plan
The house has one common underground floor and 4 separated above-ground masses with 2 or 3 floors with flat roofs. This structure is based on surroundings built-up area with family houses.
The flats are accessible from the open-space pedestrian corridor created on the common underground. The maisonettes have the area of 120 m2 with 2 or 3 floors. Living room with kitchen can be found on the ground floor, bedrooms on the upper floor. All the living rooms are opened to the gardens. The windows of every flat are subordinate to the maximum privacy as well as to the sun-lighting.
From the architect. A small coconut grove measuring approximately half an acre (80 Perches) overlooking a paddy field, inherited by the owner, was selected to build a house in Sub Urban Colombo. There were existing houses on the Western edge of the property with medium built up density but the Eastern side was full of mature trees including coconut trees, while Northern side overlooked a beautiful paddy field. In addition there were substantial numbers of existing mature trees present at the site boundaries, giving it almost a ‘semi wilderness’. Challenges for the architects were to build a four bedroomed house overlooking this wonderful future garden saving many existing trees as possible.
At the inception of the project it was conceptualized that this residence should be a long ‘thin’ one only ‘one room’ thick, so that all rooms will have a share of the ‘view’ of the ‘garden’ giving a feeling of living in a coconut estate. It also enabled to save, as much as possible, the existing mature trees at the site, which is a rare occurrence in suburban Colombo, reeling under the pressure of the migration of middle classes to East of Colombo resulting in medium density built up corridors along roads.
East of Colombo has felt this pressure strongly, especially after the then Govt. in Nineteen Eighties decided to shift the administrative capitol to Sri Jayawardanepura Kotte, creating an Eastward thrust to the Colombo urban sprawl, which was previously limited to Northwards and South wards of Colombo. This Urban sprawl amoeba started absorbing the yet untouched agricultural lands, after the completion of the Sri Lanka’s Parliament building in Kotte. This gradual migration of urban middle classes to the East of Colombo resulted in unplanned sub division of larger agricultural land plots into smaller plot sizes in a haphazard way. The Site this house is built is one land which managed to escape this phenomenon.
Plan 1
PROJECT TECHNOLOGY
The House is built on reinforced concrete column and beam structure with part of the upper level out of ‘Teak’ timber deck. Significant feature of the house is its mono pitched single sloping roof, protecting the thin long house section in one single sweep with wide overhangs. Projecting from the Upper Level and overlooking the Garden are outdoor balconies protected by a reinforced concrete slab located below the above mentioned wide overhanging mono pitched roof.
The House is built in reinforced concrete column beam structural skeleton on rubble foundations, with plastered brick masonry infill walls. All door windows are timber and timber framed fully or partially glazed depending on location. Roof is mono pitched corrugated cement board roofing sheets, opening out to the garden and paddy field views with generous eaves. This substantially sloping roof has wide projecting eaves in order to shed the monsoon rains. Ceiling is out of silver colour painted cement boards (mimicking ‘metallic’ ceilings) on exposed timber rafters. Exterior walls were painted with a special paint mix of rubberized glue and cement called cement handled wall finish, later hand cut using sand paper and sealed with a clear coat of sealer, so that the finished colour a gray with a greenish tint will ‘blend and merge’ with the surrounding vegetation. Internal finishes are inexpensive and hard wearing –polished cement on the lower level and local hardwood timber on the double height verandah. The more ‘modern’ materials such as glass and steel are used as a contrast to more traditional, cement grey walls with steel upright handrails providing protection to balcony ‘lookouts’ on ‘view’ side.
Section
CONSTRAINTS & SOLUTIONS ACHIEVED
As the half acre land was full of mature trees, challenges for the architects were, how to save as many existing trees as possible. The result was the adaption of the one room thick rectangular ‘Thin Section’ facilitating minimum removal of existing trees and maximization of cross ventilation within the residence. In addition, the chosen orientation of the house is ideal because the long elevations face East and West and consequently the architect did not have to deal with direct sunlight in the evening, as Western façade was more solid compared to Eastern facade. However eastern façade was given additional sun and rain protection by way of a double height verandah creating an intermediate buffer zone between the outside and inside of the Long thin residence. Here the building section takes precedence over the plan as the generator of building form and the basis of design thinking. It successfully employs the principal of composing tropical houses from one room wide rectangular blocks.
There is duality in the house plan: the West facing elevation is relatively closed, with small window openings, whereas the Eastern & Northern façade is open with larger windows looking towards the Garden & Paddy Fields. The narrowness of the one room wide plan also helps in this respect; by opening windows on the East elevation, through drafts are encouraged. Coconut Trees form backdrops to almost every ‘view’ from balconies.
Plan 2
DETAILS OF LANDSCAPING
As the site was full of existing mature trees, the need to introduce new trees by way of root ball replanting was not necessary as existing trees as much as possible were saved. A shallow reflective Pond was added to the interior of the house as a landscape feature and to cool this non air conditioned house interior through evaporation of cool air. Exterior colours were carefully selected to merge with the surrounding greenery – “an ‘unfinished’ contemporary architecture that readily accepts a patina of age”. The result is a dark alien presence of a house in the landscape in grey green cement, timber and glass. The house has a special relationship with nature. .
Nature in essence is beautiful. It is the fruit of wonderful associations between elements of the world. Architecture is also beautiful in essence, because it is the result of reflection followed by a construction which transforms or completes the environment, to offer humans an appropriate habitat, it procures them shade when the sun shines, shelters them from the rain, protect them from wind and cold, frames the views. Nature can be sublimated by architecture and architecture can be glorified by nature. Therefore nature and architecture appear to be insolubly linked, the structures enmeshed with its environment. The case in reference is a contemporary house suburban house which dissolve the barrier between inside and outside by merging with its surroundings. Not with-standing the use of modern technology it is very much in the spirit of a traditional dwelling. And that is the beauty of this abode; it is at one with and coexists with nature.
As the only public library serving Montana’s largest metropolitan area, Billings Public Library stands in the urban heart of the community. The 66,000-square-foot library draws from the geologic uniqueness of the surrounding landscape while creating a radiant atmosphere full of natural light. Day or night, the subtle transparency and glow of the grand reading room casts the library as a warm and inviting pavilion of public purpose to anchor to the northern edge of downtown Billings. Designed with community input the library carries sunlight and shadow with unexpected reflections and connects visually to the horizon. The library is a touchstone of sustainable design practices with its LEED Platinum Certification.
Chicago Public Library, Chinatown Branch; Chicago / Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
The Chicago Public Library, Chinatown Branch serves as a new civic, educational, and social hub for Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood, providing a public space geared toward community activities and technology-based learning. Referencing Feng Shui design principles that resonate with the values held by the community, the library emphasizes flexibility and utility. The building is designed to achieve LEED® Gold certification and includes a solar shading screen within the building’s glass curtain wall, a feature that reduces energy consumption by 30 percent compared to a typical library. Adjacent to the “L” and positioned between North and South Chinatown, the library unites the surrounding neighborhoods and enhances the vibrancy and resiliency of the diverse community it serves.
Hennepin County Walker Library; Minneapolis / VJAA
Courtesy of The American Institute of Architects
The new library replaces an outmoded subterranean library, reestablishing the street facade that gives Hennepin Avenue its distinctive character. The new stainless steel and glass clad building is a simple figural mass with a civic character. Its form echoes the typical low-rise facades in the neighborhood with simple masses hovering over street level glass. Facades are subtly deformed to respond to the surrounding context: the upper volume is folded to inflect toward the marquee of the iconic 1930’s Uptown Theater and the glass wall at the base is angled back from the street to acknowledge the constant flow of pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles. Rooftop light monitors add an informal quality while animating the interior.
Lawrence Public Library Renovation and Expansion; Lawrence, KS / Gould Evans
The renovation and expansion of this 1970s concrete library has transformed it into a 21st century civic place: from book repository to multimedia community hub. The design solution wrapped all sides of the existing library with a continuous reading room, emphasizing places of spontaneous gathering, reflection and learning. The addition also provides a high-performance thermal envelope engineered to harvest daylight and reduce energy usage. Openings at each corner reveal unique public amenities, including cubbies for children, teen gaming zones, meeting spaces and a coffee bar. Within a few months of reopening, user visits increased 55%, with youth program attendance up 160%.
Renton Public Library; Renton, WA / The Miller Hull Partnership
Courtesy of The American Institute of Architects
The original 1966 library structure was constructed to straddle the Cedar River and utilized pre-cast concrete but was not compliant with current energy codes and failing structurally. In addition, its building systems were not able to keep up with the increased demands of a 21st century library—heavy in power and data usage. New cross bracing and raw aluminum siding was detailed to celebrate a structurally expressive and finely crafted exterior expression. The renovation maintained the original super structure, but introduced a new energy efficient exterior envelope with floor to ceiling views to the nearby river. Power/data distribution—vital for modern library functionality—was problematic to expand in a concrete precast structure. The team designed overhead power drops using aircraft cable and steel connections to deliver power to study tables and computer stations.
Ryerson University Student Learning Centre; Toronto / Snøhetta with Zeidler Partnership Architects
The Ryerson University Student Learning Centre is a new campus landmark and a library expansion that bridges seamlessly to the Ryerson Library and Archives. The collaborative learning spaces provides critically-needed space for students and better connects the campus to the vibrant cityscape surrounding it. Inspired by the historical gathering spaces of the Stoas and Agoras in ancient Greece where learning was inherently social, the lively SLC gives students eight uniquely-designed floors of generous space to meet, study, and exchange ideas. The design develops natural conditions for groups of people to interact while also offering areas for controlled and introspective study. Most importantly, it encourages students to make the space their own. Since its opening in March 2015, the new campus landmark has become a popular hub filled with student activity.
Sawyer Library; Williamstown, MA / Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
The new library complex at Williams College unites the main library with the renowned Chapin Library of Rare Books and the Center for Educational Technology. Filled with abundant community space, group workrooms, classrooms, teleconferencing and a study center, the library is a multifunctional destination for individual and collaborative scholarship. The library’s primary facade is the iconic 1921 Stetson Hall, which has been meticulously restored. The bright white finish of the materials complement the natural light within the main spaces of the building.Cascading along a natural slope towards sweeping views of the Berkshire Mountains, the library spaces look outward while also drawing from the atrium’s social energy that unifies the building’s diverse venues.
The brief called for a variety of spaces, offering expansive settings for gathering, and inviting inner sanctums for moments of solitude or contemplation.This was all to be set within a house of sufficient stature and repose to address the massive mid-Victorian townhouses on all sides.
The clients drew an analogy between their new house and a tailored suit – recognisable, elegant and simple when viewed as a whole, but revealing individuality and material opulence in detail.
Diagram
A house previously stood on the site but, was destroyed by bombing in WW2. Since then, the locality has been designated a Conservation Area and neighbouring buildings have acquired Rights to Light.Winning Planning Permission therefore involved delicate and protracted multilateral negotiation.
Courtesy of Liddicoat – Goldhill
A series of models were produced to develop the building’s complex, bevelled form and its stone and render façade. A selection of these studies were recently exhibited by the RIBA at the ‘Architecture Open’ Exhibition and the ‘Guerrilla Tactics’ event; they are now permanently on display at Portland Place.
Courtesy of Liddicoat – Goldhill
Despite the local sensitivities, the five bedroom house is neither a resurrection of the pre-existing building, nor an aggregation of responses to different legislative requirements. Instead, the project seeks to reconcile a new London house type, subtly differentiated from its forbears. Conceived as a series of layers receding from the street, the house’s façades are variously lifted, punctured or fanned open to allow light to the interior.
Plan
The street façade – in overlayed planes of loadbearing Roman- format brick, render and Carrara Arabescato marble – refers to its classic neighbours’ proportions. The massive treatment of the front part of the house is dissolved along the flank façade, which is cranked outwards to gather light, tracing a faultline in the urban grain. The sheer, brickwork wall gives way to a screen of stone fins that conceal sheer glazing behind.This barrier affords privacy and filtered light to both the occupants and their neighbours.
Courtesy of Liddicoat – Goldhill
These contrasting planes of striated, abrasive textures and sumptuous, textured stone are interrupted by tall, bronze- framed windows. Fitted with either sheer glazing or solid bronze ventilation panels and backed by internal shutters, they reveal the depth of the construction.
The love affair between architecture and film has been well documented. From huge breathtaking sets to small spaces for intimate conversations, the architecture in a film often plays as strong a role as any character in translating the director’s vision to his/her audience. In constructing the environments of their narratives, the great filmmakers could even be considered architects in their own right—that’s the claim presented in this video from the British Film Institute, which looks at the work of celebrated director Jean-Luc Godard and how the architecture in his films transforms to suit their tone. In pictures such as À bout de souffle (1960), Le Mépris (1963) and Week End (1967), Godard uses streetscapes to convey optimism or pessimism, uses walls to emphasize the emotional distance between lovers, and even includes a cameo from the particularly photogenic Villa Malaparte. Watch the video to learn more about the techniques used to achieve these moods.
From the architect. This medical practice is founded by Dr. Hans de Schuyter and is based in Maldegem, Belgium. Hans commissioned Joshua Florquin Architects to design the planning and interior-design of the practice. The program consists of inserting into an oblong shaped one floor building public and private amenities such as waiting area, reception with archive, a kitchen and two offices.
The concept and design of the practice has a strong functional and psychological approach that overlap each other. Functional because of accessibility and technical regulations, that are inherent to the working environment of a medical practice, where circulation interconnects the public and private spaces. Psychological because of the mental and physical state patients can find themselves in when visiting. Particular attention is given to light and materials that influence the state of mind in a positive way.
Plan
In the floor plan we distinguish a central placed rectangular threshold-volume. It holds mainly the reception but also archive, kitchen, lavatory and a technical area. It separates the private working spaces from the public waiting area. This gives waiting patients and the doctors direct access to reception and lavatory without crossing each other.
The central rectangular volume has a tulip identifiable wood coating and gives a soothing bright atmosphere. Together with the function of the area it changes in shape throughout the practice. In the waiting area a serpent like form emerges from the wooden wall and becomes a bench where patients can sit. The different benches are separated by armrest-libraries creating small waiting islands. When a patient visits the practice, according to his mental and physical state, he can choose to sit with other patients or search privacy and sit alone in one of the islands. The facing benches are not parallel but have a skewed zigzagged form in order to naturally avoid a direct eye-contact, if wished.
Diagram
From the waiting area you can walk towards the reception where the wooden wall transforms itself into a front desk made out of three emerging intersecting volumes. Each volume has a height and a function. The highest volume is the desk where documents can be laid or and handed over. The middle height volume can be used to rest handbags on and finally a third lower volume in form of a niche, where children can take a small toy when leaving the doctor’s office. The concept and aesthetic language continues in the offices where custom furniture, also coated in tulip wood, divides the consultation area from the more private examination area.
Following the death of Zaha Hadid on March 31st of this year Section D, Monocle 24’s weekly review of design, architecture and craft, hones in on the role of women in architecture and design. They discuss why, despite an almost 50:50 gender split in undergraduate architecture courses, women are still grossly underrepresented at senior levels within the profession by featuring conversations with two leading female architects, Angela Brady OBE and Amanda Levete. The episode also looks back over the lives of some of architecture’s overlooked heroines.
From the architect. The house consists of two structures. One comprises only one floor parallel to Av. Das Laranjeiras, and the other consists of 3 floors (basement, ground floor and first floor), which has a slight twist to the first, and lies parallel to the slope of the land, taking advantage of the land platform.
The entrance to the house is made to the north, through a hall that links the two structures and that opens south on a courtyard defined by the 2 volumes of the house.
In the lower structure, to the West, lies the leisure area, enjoying greater independence and functional autonomy.
Plan 1
It is a very transparent building, enjoying the afternoon sun from the West and, to the East, the visual relationship with the courtyard and the living rooms of the house placed in the other structure.
In the East-facing structure it is located the house itself, distributed over 3 floors. In the basement there are the technical areas of storage and service, on the ground floor the social areas and on the first floor the private areas.
Section
This structure opens to the east, to the morning sun, and to the unending green, which extends far beyond the boundaries of the property. The living areas also open up to the West, to the privacy of the courtyard contained between the two structures.
The volume of the first floor rests on that of the ground floor almost like a box, and is open almost exclusively to the east, with the openings of the bedrooms and bathrooms marking the façade as protruding volumes, forming balconies between them.
There is also an outside staircase connecting the basement to the terrace of the living rooms.
Sig Nordal 