Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

Frei Otto (1925-2015) was best known for his innovative lightweight structures, even naming an institute after them at the Stuttgart Technical University. His speciality in tension and membrane structures were, and still are, not only beautiful, but also incredibly modern for his time, creating forms that were entirely new to the eye. One of his most notable creations is the Multihalle, which he contributed towards with the architects Carlfried Mutschler + Partner in 1975; it still remains the largest freestanding wooden lattice structure in the world.

Following the award of the Pritzker Prize to Otto shortly before his death in 2015, the ZKM Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe is hosting an exhibition of his works in order to introduce “new perspectives on the work of Frei Otto” while “formulating present-day questions concerning the future of our built environment.” In service of this aim, architects FAR frohn&rojas created an exhibition design both reminiscent of Otto’s deceptively simple structures, and carefully calibrated to show the huge archive of work to great effect. Read on to find out more about the exhibition and its design.

Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

Description from exhibition architects FAR frohn&rojas:

Frei Otto. Thinking in Models

Frei Otto (1925-2015) is one of the best known and most innovative international German architects of the 20th century and is a key figure in the architectural culture of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. In 2015 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Architecture for his work, also known as the Pritzker Prize, and is the highest honor for architecture in the world. The biggest exhibition on the oeuvre of Frei Otto is a shared project between the Archive of South West Germany for Architecture and Engineering (saai) of the KIT and the Wüstenrot Foundation in cooperation with ZKM | Karlsruhe. Projects that are both known and completely unknown are presented. The material encompasses over 200 models, approximately 1,000 photos, drawings, sketches, plans and films as well as a large-scale media projection. In the 1950s Frei Otto was a major presence at garden shows with his marquee designs, offering the emerging West Germany a diversion from its post-war reconstruction. In 1964 he founded the Institute for Lightweight Structures at Stuttgart Technical University, which he made into one of the leading research institutes for environmentally aware architecture and engineering sciences in the world.

Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

The newly open Germany

With the German Pavilion at the Expo 1967 in Montreal, which he realized with architect Rolf Gutbrod, he created a symbol for the newly open Germany. This impression was further strengthened by the roof-scape for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, which he created together with the architects Behnisch & Partners. Over the following decades Otto participated in the completion of numerous buildings such as the Multihalle in Mannheim, which was designed by the architects Carlfried Mutschler + Partner in 1975. The Multihalle remains the biggest free-standing wooden lattice construction in the world, and was awarded heritage status due to its sophisticated, materials-minimizing construction in 1998. Several surveys plan to subject the “wonder of Mannheim” to a general refurbishment. The partial upkeep of the hall and its dismantling are presently being discussed. In 1997, together with Frei Otto, the architects Ingenhoven, Overdiek, Kahlen and Partners won the competition for the refurbishment of Stuttgart Central Railway Station. Otto designed the chalice-shaped pillars which characterize the overall appearance of the station. Otto developed the optimum design of the pillars using numerous models. Otto distanced himself from the project in 2009. In the year 2000, Otto designed the Japanese Expo Pavilion in Hanover with the architect Shigeru Ban. The exhibition consists of four central positions which fill each atrium to spectacular effect and guide the visitors through the wide ranging archive material which the Archive of South West Germany for Architecture and Engineering (saai) has prepared especially for this exhibition.

Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

Thinking in Models

Frei Otto’s approach expresses itself in its willingness to experiment, in which methods that straddle architecture, science and art can be found. He developed instruments for researching self-organizing processes, measurement tables for determining force flows, equipment for researching pneumatic design forms and tools for the analysis of sophisticated network models. His tireless experimentation with models served the purpose of researching causal contexts and was simultaneously part of the formgenerating design process. In this way Frei Otto provided the foundation for a culture of experimentation between academic observation and artistic skill which remains relevant to this day — a form of technical-intellectual self-alignment in which design can represent the development of individual knowledge as well as a starting point for a collective discourse on the future of the built environment.

Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

With Frei Otto, the architectural models do not function as “static objects” but as “dynamic objects”, or as process models for the entire environment. They embody an “operational aesthetic” (Georg Vrachliotis) which alternates between the precision of scientific objects and the imagination of artistic instruments.

Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

The innovative potential in Frei Otto’s oeuvre is based on the dramatic interdisciplinary nature of his thinking that straddles architecture, technology, science and society. He consistently addressed the example provided by nature, and throughout his life, tried to make use of it for architecture and engineering. The goal of this exhibition is to convey new perspectives on the work of Frei Otto and to serve as a basis for new discussions on the future of the built environment between architecture, technology, sustainability and society.

Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

Four central positions

The exhibition consists of four central positions which fill each atrium to spectacular effect and guide the visitors through the wide ranging archive material which the Archive of South West Germany for Architecture and Engineering (saai) has prepared especially for this exhibition.

1. “Frei Otto’s Model Landscape”

All of the models are organized to scale, placed in their content-related and historic context, and presented on an approx. 50-meter-long table construction. The technical and design context of the individual models and projects is supplemented by the original plans and detailed picture material. In this way, the researching character and aesthetic continuity in Frei Otto’s thinking becomes evident. The visitors gain the impression that they are exploring a “horizontal cabinet of curiosities”.

Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

2. “Frei Otto’s open archive”

A key component of the exhibition is the “open archive.” This consists of 18 over-sized archive shelves which are constructed in a circular form around both courtyards and therefore provide the exhibition with spectacular cohesion. With the use of selected original plans, photos, books and reproductions, the users are guided through the key events in the life of Frei Otto — the Development Institute for Lightweight Building in Berlin, the world-famous Institute for Lightweight Structures in Stuttgart and his studio in Warmbronn, to ground breaking projects like the German Pavilion for the Expo 67, the Multihalle in Mannheim and his initial research into Stuttgart 21. The shelves of the archive function as a freely accessible storage area and a place of knowledge that straddles presentation and storage.

Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

3. “Frei Otto’s Cosmos”

Throughout his life, Frei Otto collected and archived photographs of structures from the natural world. They served as a source of inspiration and free association to him and were also definitive source of research. The key factor in this respect is that Frei Otto consistently addressed the example provided by nature and tried to make use of it for architecture and engineering. At 18 tables — which are inspired by the tables in Frei Otto’s studio in Warmbronn — visitors are able to see large-format photos of studies of nature, spiders’ webs, sand structures and soap bubbles. A sophisticated world of images is opened to them which provides insights into the poetic and scientific cosmos of Frei Otto’s thoughts and imagination.

Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

4. “Frei Otto’s Projection”

Frei Otto’s innovative potential is based on the dramatic inter-disciplinary nature of his thinking that straddles architecture, technology, science and society. The image and technical media dimension play a major role in this respect. In a projection which is over 25 meters in size, this thinking is conveyed in terms of its aesthetics and power of media-based visual expression.

Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

• Title: Frei Otto Exhibition / design by FAR frohn&rojas
• Type: Exhibition
• Website: http://ift.tt/2gRnBDW
• From: November 05, 2016 12:12 AM
• Until: March 12, 2017 12:12 AM
• Venue: ZKM_Lichthof 8+9
• Address: ZKM, 76137 Karlsruhe, Germany

Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

Exhibition design: FAR frohn&rojas Berlin, Santigo de Chile and Los Angeles
Team: Marc Frohn, Mario Rojas Toledo, Max Koch, Daniel Stanojevic, Leonie Weyrauch, Maximilian Kessler

Curator: Georg Vrachliotis
Co-curators: Marc Frohn , Martin Kunz, Joachim Kleinmanns
Project assistant: Julia Schiffer
Graphic design: Lukas Feireiss Studio with Floyd E. Schulz
Media partner: ARCH+

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© Luc Boegly

• Architects: 5+1AA Alfonso Femia Gianluca Peluffo
• Location: Roma Tiburtina, 00162 Roma, Italy
• Architect In Charge: Alfonso Femia, Gianluca Peluffo, Simonetta Cenci
• Work Team : Alfonso Femia, Alessandro Bellus
• Area: 75000.0 m2
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: Luc Boegly

• Client/Owner: BNP Paribas Real Estate
• Project Directors: Alessandro Bellus, Marco Corazza, Gabriele Filippi, Francesca Raffaella Pirrello
• Design Team: Alfonso Femia, Gianluca Peluffo, Simonetta Cenci, Annalura Spalla, Alessandro Bellus, Marco Corazza, Gabriele Filippi, Marzia Menini, Sara Sartini, Maria Michela Scala, Daniele di Matteo, Sara Massa, Vanesa Carbajo Fernandez, Roberta Nardi, Francesca Zampetti
• Collaborators: Gianmatteo Ferlin, Michela Lucariello, Paolo Oliva, Eleonora Zinghinì, Etienne Bourdais, Stefano Cioncoloni
• Net Usable Area: 39.000 m2
• Cost: 83 M euro
• Environmental Certifications: BBC Classe A Cened Certi cation Leed Gold

© Luc Boegly

From the architect. The design of the new headquarters of BNL is part of a particular and unique context. Unique because the nature of the context is a layering of infrastructures that are separated by two important urban areas of the city of Rome, thanks to the construction of the station for high-speed rail, which leads to a new role, not only in terms of services service but also as “urban place”. Particular because the area where the new building will stand, due to its geometric shape and topography and its relative orientation, suggests to design the building according to the principle of “Janus”. We consider it important that the new building develops a dialogue with the adjacent complex of Tiburtina railway station, with its main features characterized by size and horizontality. The dialogue does not necessarily have to be direct, but should have references both to perspectives and to the different levels of the station, and also a different role (the horizontal stratification) in the new urban landscape.

© Luc Boegly

Section

© Luc Boegly

Our goal is to meet the functional needs with a building that is capable, in its autonomy and identity, to belong to the urban context of the Tiburtina Station and at the same time to be representative both for the city of Rome and for its users.

© Luc Boegly

From these considerations, a proposal is made for a building that is able to relate differently to the north-west with the district Pietralata and south-east with the Tiburtina Station complex. Dynamic, reflective and fading, where its perception is mainly dynamic and different meter after meter (from the train, from the station, from the different areas of the city), almost as if it was moving, comparatively, where the context is urban or “slow”, facing North, the perception is static transparent and material.

© Luc Boegly

Section

© Luc Boegly

The building thus assumes different roles leading our imagination to important works of contemporary artists and filmmakers who have treated the themes of perception and “reflection” of reality.

© Luc Boegly

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© Michel Denancé

• Architects: MOATTI-RIVIERE
• Location: 52000 Chaumont, France
• Architect In Charge: Alain Moatti
• Area: 2460.0 m2
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: Michel Denancé

• Engineering: Graphics and signage
• Structure : RFR
• Fluids : Inex
• Conservation Preventive: Les sentinelles des collections
• Costs Surveyor: Bureau Michel Forgue
• Multimedia And Audiovisual: Vincent Taurisson
• Lighting: Lumières Studio
• Acoustics: Avel

© Michel Denancé

Our project is composed of large-scale planes installed within the city. The architectural design takes its imprint from the universe of graphic design and from the objects and supports that have always invested this art form and continue to do so today: the poster – the sheet of paper – the page – the screen – the billboard.

© Michel Denancé

These large planes are made of stone and compose the walls and roofs. They are rendered abstract by their thinness with 12cm thick panels: stone siding with an aluminium honeycomb core. This rigid material gives the stone its finesse.

Section

Section

These juxtaposed or superimposed planes are close to or distanced from one another. Between them relarge areas of glass, vast surfaces that can be closed off with curtains. In this way, one can see the interior of the space from the exterior.

© Michel Denancé

Stone and glass compose simple or complex wholes to respond to the different roles of the street façades:
– on the corners, they compose a serial grouping that marks the public expression of the edifice through its monumentality.
– on the station alley side, they are simply juxtaposed redans or projections.
– on the bank side, these stone sections are mobile and make it possible to open the exhibition hall to the exterior in continuity with the courtyard and so with the city.
– three foils that are higher than the others offer their surfaces up to monumental installations in strategic articulations: at the exit of the station,the city entrance on the rue de Verdun, and in the centre of the «SIGNE» facing the Place des Arts.

© Michel Denancé

Minimalist graphic design as an epidermis of the architecture
The graphic intervention in its minimalism deliberately adheres to the architecture, appearing on the walls like a watermark, marking its surface.

Axonometric

Two screens of regular, orthogonal dots graphically structure the stone sheets of the Centre.

From above, a screen of metal dots on the monumental scale of the building comes down to the height of a person, connecting with a screen of smaller, screen-printed dots.

© Michel Denancé

In its upper part, the screen can function as a picture rail or cyma to receive signs and images in any format.

The free wall spaces offer their screened surfaces to the invitees of special events, proposing that artists such as typographers, poster artists, graphic designers and illustrators make use of these surfaces.

Floor Plan Level 00

The screened surfaces of the stone offer multiple uses, lending support to events, signs and drawn, still or projected images. These “visual” usages are guarantees for the capacity of the architecture to incarnate and transmit the essence and topicality of the place, its legitimacy and boldness.

© Michel Denancé

They thus make it possible to renew and bring up to date all writings and movements, from heritage works to contemporary graphic design.

© Michel Denancé

Product Description.
Facade materials: The stone “leaves” are made of a 120 mm siding complex consisting of a 5mm natural stone facing, glued to an aluminum honeycomb through glass fibers impregnated with epoxy resin. The complex comprises, on its rear face, inserts embedded in the resin enabling the fixing of reinforcements made of Z-folded sheet.
Type of stone: Limestone Moka cream
Dimensions: 120 x 240 cm
Exterior: steel joinery
Interior: structural walls and raw concrete floor.

Floor Plan Level 01

© Michel Denancé

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© Davide Galli Atelier

• Architects: Archiplan Studio
• Location: 46100 Mantua, Province of Mantua, Italy
• Architects In Charge: Diego Cisi, Stefano Gorini Silvestrini
• Area: 230.0 m2
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: Davide Galli Atelier

© Davide Galli Atelier

From the architect. The project involves the recovery of an entire multi-storey building of 500’s located in the consolidated urban tissue of the city of Mantua, in which the apartment constitutes a portion.
The project deal with the topic of a luxury home, stating its condition of belonging to this ambit through the research for a spirituality of the spaces that is expressed in the study of the details and in the sensuality of the materials that has been used.
The house is characterized by its decorations in the ceilings and in some walls dating back to 500’s and the first half of 800’s, the project maintains its layering of signs in their ambiguity without drawing a philological selection.
The distribution organization of the spaces is maintained in original condition, while the subdivision of the interior spaces happens through the introduction of elements of furniture that reconfigure in part the structure, specifying the hierarchies.
The project proceeds by layering of elements that overlap without vanishing.

© Davide Galli Atelier

Floor Plan

© Davide Galli Atelier

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© Kyung Roh

• Architects: Wise Architecture
• Location: Munbal-dong, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Area: 2547.6 m2
• Project Year: 2015
• Photographs: Kyung Roh

• Client: MU:M ENGLISH
• Site Area: 990.8 m2
• Site Coverage Area: 479.55m2
• Finish: Black Brick, White Clay Brick

© Kyung Roh

From the architect. The nest of Yellow Owl : Mum.
Paju Book City District 2 is a great place where architects can experiment varied designs.

Concept

The District 1 in which numerous buildings come together and define spaces is created as a culture & arts complex for publishing/music industry whereas the District 2 is planned by solving various problems found in the District 1 and arranged to accommodate even more companies. And there, inspired by the atmosphere of this culture & amp; arts complex, many companies have built their own buildings displaying all sorts of unique characters.

© Kyung Roh

Located in District 2 block 9, Mum is an English education company having a logo where an owl with big black eyes appears on a yellow background. The logo has a story of the adventure, challenge and passion of a yellow owl Mu; which sets out to search for the 13th planet of the solar system. the last uncharted planet M.Impressed by the logo, the architect, in the early stage of design, suggested a nest-shape building as he wanted to introduce a space where the owl can rest comfortably. However, in the end, the building is finalized in the form of a stump looking naturally settled down on the ground.

© Kyung Roh

Section

© Kyung Roh

Entirely covered with black brick, the building has a twisted rectangular shape, and its entrance defined by the incised surface of the distorted structure makes it difficult to distinguish between the front and the back. In contrast to the torn entrance, 2m×2m large windows are installed as openings in order to enhance the sense of openness on the lower floors. To block out the excessive light flowing into the upper floors, the architect designed lintels to be closed gradually rather than installing smaller windows on those floors. And by using the twisted form and repetitive wall pattern, the architect gave a sense of rhythm to the black building which can look plain.

Sketch Study

© Kyung Roh

Detail

As the Paju Book City area except for its reserved building construction sites is well arranged systematically, and considering that the area’s cold climate condition, the building is designed as introverted rather than as extroverted. In the atrium of the building, a vertical circulation which runs throughout the whole building and a terraced vertical garden meet at right angles. The building’s exterior is formed in a rectangular shape whereas its interior is composed with a T-shape atrium and ㄷ-shape office area. This specific solution enables the light from the outside to come deep inside through the atrium and so bright up the whole area. The atrium garden allows people to enjoy a brief rest without going outside, and the vertical circulation encourages communication among them and so ends up making the building more lively.

© Kyung Roh

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© Hemant Patil

• Architects: A for Architecture
• Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India
• Architect In Charge: Ajay Sonar
• Area: 800.0 m2
• Project Year: 2014
• Photographs: Hemant Patil

• Landscape Architect : Monali Patil

© Hemant Patil

From the architect. The brick house occupies a land parcel of 800 sq. on the suburban edge of Pune – with a reserve forest on the rear and a dense urban housing on the access road to the front. So, the site creates an interesting opportunity to flip a typical suburban house condition and open up the major public areas to the backyard garden looking towards the forest beyond. Instead of the mundane suburban street the strategy here is to evoke a feeling of living in a hinterland.

© Hemant Patil

The house is conceived as an introvert form with a solid mass of brick which stands still and bold from outside. The dynamic play of light and volumes is revealed only when one enters and walks through different spaces inside.

© Hemant Patil

The living with its large volume is designed as a public node surrounded by built spaces which opens up to the backyard verandah allowing a seamless view of the lawn and forest beyond. The east-west orientation of the living space welcomes the warm morning sun and some migrating birds and peacocks from the forest occasionally. The cooking, dining and sleeping areas are aligned to the south and west of the site to protect the living areas from direct heat.

Exploded Axonometric

Each bedroom is designed considering the intuitive usage of space with inbuilt seating and furniture to go beyond the normative idea of formal living spaces. Each bedroom has got three different types of windows, one for seating -to enjoy interior courts, another small window for cross ventilation and the third is a balcony to go out and enjoy the distant landscapes.

© Hemant Patil

The space is composed of all natural and earthy materials like the Black Granite floor – a reference to the monolithic basalt plinth of typical historic temples and forts in the region. The exposed brick walls constructed using Racking Monk bond – resembles the traditional Indian weaving patterns and adds a different value to the most conventional material like brick, the wood veneered ceiling which floats above the public areas with pergolas at the edges and the center of it, creating an ever changing pattern of light throughout the day, making it a unique experience to be in the space at different times of the day and finally, the grey-green cement box windows with operable louvered teak windows frame the views of the surrounding garden and distant forest.

© Hemant Patil

This house is an attempt to create a level of privacy within the urban environment, where the users could interact with each other and nature as playfully as possible. Keeping all the formal layers of life aside and take a pause from the busy life of the city.

© Hemant Patil

Product Description. The exposed brick walls constructed using Racking Monk bond resembles the traditional Indian weaving patterns which creates a play in the volumes.

© Hemant Patil

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© Pedro Pegenaute

• Architects: Neri&Hu Design and Research Office
• Location: 11 Hepingli South Street, Dongcheng Area, Beijing，China
• Design Team: Lyndon Neri & Rossana Hu, Nellie Yang, Jerry Guo, Brian Lo, Nicolas Fardet, Christine Neri, Siwei Ren, Haiou Xin
• Area: 2680.0 m2
• Photographs: Pedro Pegenaute

• Music: CHEN Sa
• Video: XIA Zhi
• Graphic Designer: Haiou Xin

© Pedro Pegenaute

“I think that cars today are almost the exact equivalent of the great Gothic cathedrals; I mean the supreme creation of an era, conceived with passion by unknown artists, and consumed in image if not in usage by a whole population which appropriates them as a purely magical object.” –Roland Barthes, Mythologies

© Pedro Pegenaute

Diagram

© Pedro Pegenaute

In a city of 26 million inhabitants and 7 million vehicles, being trapped in a car in Beijing’s notorious traffic is a compulsory experience in the capital city. Neri&Hu’s approach to the architectural renovation and interior design of an Automobile Service Center in Beijing attempts to recapture the allure and magic that was once associated with cars. Along with a café and offices, the project as a whole is conceived as a workshop space, partly raw and partly refined, it is activated throughout with the energy and spirit of the industrial era.

© Pedro Pegenaute

Architecturally, the former missile manufacturing factory is largely kept intact; three of its four brick walls remain untouched. With the addition of a new steel frame structure, a third level is added to accommodate the client’s capacity needs. Demonstrating a certain tectonic candor, the tripartite of elements—existing brick building, steel structural frame, and inserted white volume—are visually distinct and legible on the façade. A series of black metal frames redefines the rhythmic window openings, while mirrored glass provides textural intrigue to the mostly monochromatic base. Raw steel edged glass garage doors at each of the vehicular entries are marked with custom graphics and signage to guide visitors to distinct areas along the building’s nearly 100m length.

© Pedro Pegenaute

Plan

© Pedro Pegenaute

Section

© Pedro Pegenaute

Sitting within the white volume of the building shell at the west end are the main function spaces—office, café, and car lift—each expressed as modularized steel and mesh boxes, a subtly refined interpretation of industrial storage facilities. Mezzanine platforms, stairs, and walkways float amidst the mysterious black cages, such that cars and people are constantly circulating about. The café and the automobile workshop together, a somewhat surreal juxtaposition of functions, begins to generate moments of spectacle. Looking back down between the structural beams, peering through the layers of mesh and mirror, there is an allusion to the back stage of a theatrical set. Patrons of the café can voyeuristically steal glimpses of the cars and mechanics, marveling at their performance while enjoying a delightful refreshment. 

© Pedro Pegenaute

While the brutality of the concrete and steel material palette, the unadorned authenticity of the metal assemblage, are inspired directly by the industrial approach, an additional layer of luxuriously textured materials—walnut timber and brushed bronze—provides a sense of hospitality. Custom furniture and lighting pieces adopt the efficient tectonic of wood plank and tubular steel construction, but their material richness and refined detailing also harken to the quality of craftsmanship found in antique cars. With this project, Neri&Hu attempts to break through common expectations of what some might consider a vulgar typology, to inject a sense of warmth into an industrial context, and to portray the seductive side of the ubiquitous modern machine. 

After. Image © Pedro Pegenaute

© Pedro Pegenaute

To facilitate the efficiency of service in the repair shop, the strategy for the main signage reflects the bold and straightforward graphics of road signs. While the main signage is clear and direct, a second layer of signage augments the functional with the reflective. Meant to be slowly discovered, quotes are silkscreen-printed throughout the lounge and waiting area for customers to ruminate and take pause.  

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Filmmakers Ila Bêka and Louise Lemoine, creators of the Living Architectures seminal collection of films on architecture, will screen The Infinite Happiness—shot entirely in Copenhagen’s “8 House” designed by BIG—exclusively on ArchDaily from Friday, December 2 until Sunday, December 4.

Marking the forthcoming release of two DVD box-sets of their entire œuvre (which was acquired by New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in 2016) Bêka and Lemoine have, over the course of the Living Architectures project, developed films about and in collaboration with the likes of the Barbican in London, the Fondazione Prada, La Biennale di Venezia, Frank Gehry, Bjarke Ingels, the City of Bordeaux, the Arc en Rêve centre d’architecture, and more. Their goal in this has always been to “democratize the highbrow language of architectural criticism. […] Free speech on the topic of architecture,” Bêka has said, “is not the exclusive property of experts.” Their first film, Koolhaas Houselife (2008), has come to embody this unique approach.

The pair have, in the words of Veronique Vienne, talked to “concierges, cleaning ladies, repairmen, security-system installers, and house painters” alike – “but also residents, neighbors, dog walkers, and occasional tourists.” The result is a series of documentary films studying seminal buildings as seen through the eyes of everyday inhabitants, occupiers, and passers-by. “No talking heads, no voice-over, no off-camera commentaries – just the raw stuff of lives, whose relationship to the built environment is as much part of the architecture as the walls, the windows, or the roofs.”

© Bêka & Partners

The Infinite Happiness

Conceived as a personal video diary, The Infinite Happiness is an architectural experience. The film takes us to the heart of one of the contemporary housing development considered to be a new model of success. Inhabiting the giant “8 House”, built by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels in the suburbs of Copenhagen, Ila Bêka & Louise Lemoine recount their subjective experience of living inside this experiment of vertical village, named in 2011 as the world’s best residential building.

Just like a Lego tower, the film constructs a collection of life stories all interconnected through their personal relationships with the building. The film draws the lines of a human map which allows the viewer to discover the building through an internal and intimate point of view, while questioning the architecture’s ability to create collective happiness. What are the surprising results of this new type of social model designed for the 21st Century?

© Bêka & Partners

© Bêka & Partners

© Bêka & Partners

© Bêka & Partners

Screener Information

The Infinite Happiness will available to watch on ArchDaily from Friday, December 2 (1800GMT/1300EST/0200CST) until Sunday, December 4 (0800GMT/0300EST/1600CST). Return to this article during this timeframe to be linked to the screener. The full collection of Bêka and Lemoine’s films can be purchased and viewed on demand, here.

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© Aaron Pocock

• Architects: Warc Studio
• Location: Oakleigh VIC 3166, Australia
• Architect In Charge: Andrew Wilson
• Area: 182.0 m2
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: Aaron Pocock

• Other Participants : Structplan, Wilsmore Nelson McDermott

© Aaron Pocock

This project by Warc Studio architects is for low budget alterations and additions to a detached 1960’s house in the Melbourne suburb of Oakleigh, Australia. The site has a gentle slope to the rear and an Eastern aspect. The project brief required the provision of new rear living spaces as well as some internal modifications & rectification work to the existing residence.

© Aaron Pocock

Floor Plan

© Aaron Pocock

The design program was driven by resource efficiency which was essential to delivering both economic and sustainable objectives. 

© Aaron Pocock

The form of the additions draws reference from the seemingly ubiquitous lean-to mono pitch roof form structures prevalent at the rear of 1950 – 1960’s houses throughout the area. In this instance, two mono pitch roof forms with differing gradients were juxtaposed to form new living areas that span across the rear of the house and open to the garden. The resulting roof form provides a compact building envelope: the surface area of the additions are around 12% less than if a flat roof / flat ceiling solution had been employed with the same built volume. This in turn translates to increased efficiency of the thermal envelope and reduced capital material consumption. Passive solar radiation is managed by strategically placed openings as well as an automated operable roof window at the ceiling apex which enables any hot air to quickly dissipate. A structural system of laminated timber fins simultaneously provides structure, finished surface and sun shading to substantial glazing areas facing the garden as the sun transitions Northward. The laminated timber fins are constructed from arsenic free H3 treated laminated radiate pine – a highly sustainable resource sourced from plantations within 4 hours drive of the site. Other than staining, no additional lining, substrate or embellishment of the fins was required. Minimal steel was required. The roof was lined with white steel sheet lining that minimizes heat gain in summer.

© Aaron Pocock

Within the existing house, the congested planning was modified to create a defined central passage that services a series of refurbished spaces including a laundry, study, bath room and ensuite bath room. Spatial interconnectivity is facilitated through a plywood “chute” that connects and delineates the original house from the new additions as well as a sliding panel that connects the new living areas to the study.

© Aaron Pocock

The finished project successfully met tight budget restrictions while exceeding statutory sustainability requirements.

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Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Public Design Commission have announced the winners of their 2016 Awards for Excellence in Design. Established in 1983, the award has been bestowed annually to projects from the city’s five boroughs that “exemplify how innovative and thoughtful design can provide New Yorkers with the best possible public spaces and services and engender a sense of civic pride.” Both built and unbuilt projects are considered for the award. Previous winners have included Studio Gang’s Fire Rescue 2 (2015), the Louis Kahn-designed Four Freedoms Park (2014), and Steven Holl’s Hunters Point Library (2011).

“These thoughtful and innovative designs support the de Blasio Administration’s commitment to providing quality, equitable, and resilient public spaces to all New Yorkers. By utilizing good design principles, these projects will provide the public with increased access to the waterfront, open spaces and parks; improved places for play and community gatherings; and inspiring artworks,” said Public Design Commission President and co-founding principal of Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects Signe Nielsen.

Added Public Design Commission Executive Director Justin Moore: “Part of what makes our city great is the quality of our public realm and the creativity and ingenuity found in our design community and city agencies. These award-winning projects range from new technologies to improved neighborhood parks and public artwork. They show that design excellence is an important part of New York’s leadership in promoting innovation, sustainability, and equity in cities.” 

Excellence in Design Winners

40th Police Precinct / BIG + Starr Whitehouse. Image Courtesy of BIG

40th Police Precinct / BIG + Starr Whitehouse

Located in the South Bronx, this new station house reinforces a commitment to serving the surrounding communities of Port Morris, Melrose, and Mott Haven while meeting the complex programmatic requirements of the New York City Police Department. The building’s unique form comprises stacked volumes that spiral around a central atrium, visually connecting interior spaces and bringing in daylight from a rooftop clerestory. The facade alternates between solid perimeter walls and glazed reentrant corners, providing security while also affording light and views.

Waterfront Nature Walk / George Trakas + Quennell Rothschild & Partners. Image Courtesy of George Trakas and Quennell Rothschild & Partners

Waterfront Nature Walk / George Trakas + Quennell Rothschild & Partners

 George Trakas’ Waterfront Nature Walk is located along Newtown Creek and Whale Creek, adjacent to the Newtown Creek Water Pollution Control Plant in Greenpoint. Envisioned as a critical component of the awarded master plan for the Department of Environmental Protection’s plant, the Waterfront Nature Walk revives a long-inaccessible industrial shoreline for public use as a waterfront promenade and kayak launch.

Van Name Van Pelt Plaza/Richmond Terrace Wetlands / Department of Parks & Recreation In-House Design. Image Courtesy of NYC Parks

Van Name Van Pelt Plaza/Richmond Terrace Wetlands / Department of Parks & Recreation In-House Design 

Nestled between the edge of a residential neighborhood and the working industrial waterfront of Staten Island’s north shore, this deteriorated site will be transformed into an attractive community asset with a pier that provides expansive views to the Kill van Kull and the Bayonne Bridge.

Luminescence / Nobuho Nagasawa + Thomas Balsley Associates + Weiss/Manfredi Architects. Image Courtesy of Nobuho Nagasawa, Thomas Balsley, Weiss/Manfredi

Luminescence / Nobuho Nagasawa + Thomas Balsley Associates + Weiss/Manfredi Architects

Set within the curved landscape of the Hunters Point South Peninsula lawn along the East River, these seven sculptures are both beautiful and educational. A phosphorescent material integrated into the surface of each domed shape absorbs sunlight during the day and illuminates the phases of the moon at night with a soft blue glow. Placed at an overlook, the sculptures offer visitors the opportunity to contemplate the many influences of the moon – from its mystical and poetic powers to its physical gravitational pull on the river’s tidal rhythm.

Dock 72 / S9 Architecture + MPFP. Image Courtesy of S9 Architecture and MPFP

Dock 72 / S9 Architecture + MPFP

Dock 72 embraces rapidly emerging technological and creative industries in Brooklyn with a work environment that encourages and enables hundreds of new and maturing creative startups to flourish. The building’s design celebrates the maritime and industrial history of the Brooklyn Navy Yard while providing 21st-century shared work spaces that allow tenants to contribute to the Yard’s renewed life as a growing industrial hub.

The High Line Park Passage and Spur / James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Piet Oudolf. Image Courtesy of James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Piet Oudolf

The High Line Park Passage and Spur / James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Piet Oudolf

The last segments of the High Line to open to the public, the Passage and Spur will become the northern gateway to this internationally loved elevated promenade. The Passage weaves through Hudson Yards’ south tower, which cantilevers 60 feet above the High Line. To celebrate this cathedral-like space, the design remains open and minimal, with seating along the north edge and planting, social spaces, and balconies at the southern edge.

Snug Harbor Cultural Center Music Hall Addition / Studio Joseph + SCAPE/Landscape Architecture. Image Courtesy of Studio Joseph and SCAPE

Snug Harbor Cultural Center Music Hall Addition / Studio Joseph + SCAPE/Landscape Architecture 

This understated yet elegant addition will provide critical support spaces for the Snug Harbor Music Hall, which was completed in 1892 and is the second oldest theater in New York City. The new structure is nested carefully between two of the original pilasters on the east facade of the historic building. Modest in scale, with one floor below grade, the design achieves a sense of presence through formal expression – deep overhangs at the entrances recall the portico of the Music Hall – and materials such as white board-formed textured concrete, glass, and steel.

SoHo Square / Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects. Image Courtesy of Mathews Nielsen

SoHo Square / Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects

The renovation of this under-utilized open space will establish a distinct gateway to the thriving hub of Hudson Square. The design derives its patterns and materiality from the area’s history as a printing district, while providing a variety of pathways, gathering areas, and seating to allow for diverse contemporary use of the site.

Anti-idling Ambulance Pedestals / Ignacio Ciocchini + MOVE Systems. Image Courtesy of Ignacio Ciocchini and MOVE Systems

Anti-idling Ambulance Pedestals / Ignacio Ciocchini + MOVE Systems 

Aligning with the sustainable goals of OneNYC, these anti-idling pedestals will reduce ambulance vehicle emissions without disrupting the Fire Department’s critical emergency operations. By plugging in to these curbside pedestals, EMTs can safely shut off their engines while keeping their communication systems live and temperature-sensitive medicines refrigerated.

LinkNYC / CityBridge. Image Courtesy of CityBridge

LinkNYC / CityBridge 

LinkNYC is a new telecommunications network replacing old payphones with Links that benefit the public – especially those of limited means – by offering free services such as high-speed Wi-Fi, mobile device charging, and a custom-built tablet that enables free telephone calls within the United States and provides access to City information and services in addition to wayfinding.

Special Recognition Award

Parks Without Borders / Department of Parks & Recreation. Image Courtesy of NYC Parks

Parks Without Borders / Department of Parks & Recreation

Rooted in the idea that the design of the public realm – streets, sidewalks, and open spaces – should be cohesive and integrated, Parks Without Borders aims to improve the interface between New York City parks and their surrounding neighborhoods. As part of OneNYC, this initiative aims to make parks more welcoming, accessible, and active. Each design concept will begin at the park edge, with lowered fences and gates, wider and more porous entrances, and improved sightlines into the park.

Community Parks Initiative / Departments of Parks & Recreation. Image Courtesy of NYC Parks

Community Parks Initiative / Departments of Parks & Recreation

Through the Community Parks Initiative (CPI), The Department of Parks & Recreation is strengthening New York City’s network of parks and public space in historically under-served, high-poverty, densely populated and growing neighborhoods. Part of OneNYC, this multi-faceted capital program reimagines the smaller public parks that people use every day.

To learn more about the award and see previous years’ winners, visit the Public Design Commission’s website, here.

News and project descriptions via NYC Public Design Commission.

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