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Light Emitting Diodes, or LEDs, are revolutionizing the way we see architecture, and it’s about time. In the 139 years since Edison patented the first light bulb, lighting technology has remained essentially the same. Despite occasional improvements to their luminosity or lifespan, incandescent bulbs have continued to be inefficient, fragile and, sometimes, even dangerous.

LEDs, on the other hand, are a brilliant solution to any dark dilemma. Unlike traditional bulbs, which typically last less than 2,000 hours before needing replacement, LEDs can burn for tens of thousands of hours uninterrupted. Not only do they last much longer than other light bulbs, but they consume 90% less energy and, because they are manufactured without mercury or other toxic substances, at the end of their useful life they are 100% recyclable. In addition to the environmental benefits, the low voltage required to operate LEDs and their reliable construction makes them suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, even in the most extreme climates.

Best of all, many LED products have variable color and intensity settings which can be controlled remotely by automated sensors, computer software and smartphone apps. With over 16 million colors in the RGB spectrum, the design possibilities are virtually endless. These stunning lights don’t just highlight the features of a building, they become one.

Close up of the Chungha Building’s ceramic tile and glazing, photo via ArchDaily

CHUNGHA BUILDING by MVRDV, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

LED Lighting by Total LED Solutions

Located in Gangnam, an area of Seoul best known internationally as the namesake of Gangnam Style, a Korean pop song which became an internet sensation in 2012, the previous appearance of the Chungha Building was decidedly less exciting. The 1980’s exterior, clad in beige stone and plastered with competing logos, had become an eyesore amongst the surrounding high-end storefronts. MVRDV’s complete redesign of the building transformed the façade into a sculptural assemblage of shop windows, giving each brand a unique street presence while creating a harmonious whole. As the architects explained: “The building’s façade becomes more advertisement, and in that sense paradoxically more honest.”

The new exterior is covered in small, round mosaic tiles, produced by M&S Ceramic, which pay homage to the original stone architecture while giving the façade a contemporary, almost Styrofoam-like finish. The glazing is fritted with a similar mosaic pattern, creating continuity between the glass and the stone, while controlling the amount of sunlight in the stores. In true Gangnam style, the perimeters of the storefronts have been equipped with LED strips, manufactured by Total LED, which can be programmed to glow a lively array of colors. These lights and the variations in the fritted glass ensure that the façade never again appears monochromatic.

Skylight detail of the Städel Museum Extension, image via Arthitectural

Städel Museum Extension by Schneider+schumacher / Frankfurt – Vienna – Tianjin, Frankfurt, Germany

LED Lighting by Zumtobel

This 30,000-square-foot addition to The Städel Museum was built entirely underground to preserve the view of the original 1878 building and the popular green space fronting the museum. This strategy presented a unique challenge to the architects: how does one design a building that is unobtrusive but visually striking at the same time? Their elegant solution was to create a domed concrete structure, covered in a layer of turf and perforated by a grid of 195 skylights. These deceptively simple-looking skylights, created in collaboration with Licht Kunst Licht, are actually a complex assembly of parts, designed to illuminate both the galleries below and courtyard above.

The glass lenses, some of which measure up to eight feet in diameter, are laminated and fritted to create a slip-resistant surface capable of supporting foot traffic. Below the glazing are shading devices, controlled by daylight sensors, which automatically regulate the amount of natural light entering the space. Around the inner perimeter are rings of white LEDs, custom fabricated by Zumtobel. The LEDs illuminate the courtyard during evening hours and provide supplemental gallery lighting on cloudy days. At the base of the skylights, translucent membranes diffuse the natural and artificial light evenly into the subterranean galleries, while protecting the artworks from direct UV exposure.

Mood Ring House by SILO AR+D, Fayetteville, Ark., United States

LED Lighting by SuperNight

The Mood Ring House is an experimental single-family home designed by its owner, the principal architect of SILO AR+D. According to the firm, the design “explores how architecture can have different day and night presences with distinct experiential and spatial qualities.” This ambitious goal was made even more challenging by the project’s shoestring budget of only $80 per square-foot, which necessitated the use of low-cost and readily-available building materials. The façades are clad in fiber cement panels, manufactured by James Hardie, and the roof is finished in aluminum coated steel sheets, manufactured by Galvalume. Chain-link railings and double-walled polycarbonate soffits enhance this modest aesthetic.

The home gets its name from the inexpensive LED lights, manufactured by Supernight, which are concealed within the soffits. These smartphone-controlled lights can be programmed to shine a multitude of colors depending on the mood of the family. One night an inviting blue could welcome dinner guests while the next night a fiery red might let neighbors know their music is too loud. This ever-changing façade has inspired neighbors to replace their bland exterior lights with colorful LEDs, “transforming the neighborhood into a Rainbow Light District.”

Detail of the façade construction, image via ArchDaily

Ports 1961 Shanghai by UUfie, Shanghai, China

LED Lighting by Luci

Ports 1961’s flagship store occupies a former office building in the commercial district of Shanghai. UUfie, in collaboration with Inverse Lighting Ltd., developed an expressive new storefront, fitting for the iconic clothing brand. Conceived of as an ‘iceberg’ floating in the city, the three-story building is skinned entirely in glass blocks. Unlike traditional glass block constructions, which are two-dimensional, UUfie created a sculptural storefront through a combination of standard square blocks and custom fabricated corner blocks. The L-shaped corner blocks create a serrated main façade which steps in towards the entrance while, on the other elevations, the square blocks step out to create virtual display windows, equipped with LED monitors. The blocks are satin-finished and supported by a stainless steel frame, which was shot-blasted to match the matte finish of the glass.

The façade is lit by linear LEDs, manufactured by Luci, which are installed behind the blocks, along their mortar joints. These light strips face inward, illuminating the glass indirectly which, according to the director of Inverse Lighting, “smooths out any imperfections… to achieve a homogenous lighting effect.” The white lights have an adjustable brightness and a color temperature of 4600 Kelvin, giving the façade a uniformly icy glow.

Watercube – National Swimming Centre by PTW Architects, Beijing, China

LED Lighting by Cree, Inc.

The Watercube is an Olympic swimming center, built for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. After studying different aquatic forms for inspiration, PTW Architects, in collaboration with Arup engineers, decided to base the design on clusters of bubbles, known to the scientific community as the Weaire-Phelan structure. The designers input this complex geometry into modeling software which automatically generated 3D CAD files that could be sent to steel fabricators. Once the steel frame was erected, it was infilled with inflatable cushions made from ETFE, a lightweight and durable membrane, similar to Teflon. These 4,000 translucent cushions allow ample natural light into the stadium while the air pockets insulate the space from direct heat gain. This construction resulted in a 30% reduction in overall energy consumption, including a 55% reduction in daytime lighting costs.

At night, the façade is illuminated internally by almost half a million Cree XLamp LEDs. Although usually deep blue, in 2013, as part of an installation by Chinese artist Jennifer Wen Ma, the color and brightness of the LEDs were in constant flux. Similar to the Mood Ring House but at a national scale, the lights were controlled by a computer program, which would interpret the public’s mood on Sina Weibo, China’s major social media network, and translate that information into waves of color. You can catch a glimpse of this vibrant light show in the GIF above and you can learn more about the installation here.

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In an era of growing scepticism over the future and sustainability of glass curtain walls, many architects are turning to other façade solutions. However, the question still remains: are curtain walls energy efficient and if not, is it possible to make them so? Here, we outline for five ways to harness this architectural feature, while reducing its overall environmental impact. In this collection, discover five fascinating buildings with varying approaches, including double skin glazing, low iron glass, fritted glass, building-integrated photovoltaics and metal scrims.

1. Double (Or Triple!) Skin Glazing

JTI Headquarters by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), Geneva, Switzerland

Manufactured by Josef Gartner GmbH

For JTI Headquarters in Geneva, SOM and Josef Gartner GmbH developed the Close Cavity Façade system — an innovative unitized curtain wall system that responds to the demands of seasonally changing external climatic conditions.

SOM sought to maintain the visual qualities of an all-glass design, while also reducing the entire building’s energy demand and carbon emissions.The façade system consists of triple glazing on the inner layer and single glazing on the outer, forming a cavity with a fabric roller blind in between. The panels are sealed with a pressurized supply of filtered and dehumidified air, in order to avoid condensation and heat-build up within the cavity.

2. Low Iron Glass

7 St. Thomas by Hariri Pontarini Architects, Toronto, Canada

Manufactured by Guardian Glass

Located in the center of Toronto’s downtown, 7 St. Thomas blends Victorian and contemporary materials to create a unified work. Not only does the tower undulate in response to the existing fabric of the site, but it also features an impressive high-performance curtain wall; fritted patterns allow for pleasant light penetration while specialty insulating and low iron glass by Guardian Glass in bent, concave and convex profiles reduce the overall thermal transmission of the building. For more information on the careful specifications of Hariri Pontarini Architects’ 7 St. Thomas project, head over to Guardian Glass.

3. Metal Scrims

Allianz Tower by FXCollaborative, Istanbul, Turkey

Glazed envelope by Schüco

When built in 2014, FXCollaborative’s Allianz Tower rose as the tallest building on the Anatolian side of Istanbul. Located at the intersection of two major highways, the obelisk tower functions as a dramatic symbol, which signals one’s entrance to the major city. Allianz tower takes cues from Ottoman motifs and local landforms, and is rotated at a 33-degree-angle in order to optimize solar control.

In addition to the building’s geometric form, the architects incorporated a double-skin curtain wall with stippled golden scrims to further reduce heat loads and provide an effective thermal buffer between the interior and exterior. With such features, Allianz Tower is an excellent example of a structure where the architects were able to able to successfully merge function and aesthetics, to create a building that is equally high-performing as it is striking.

4. Building-Integrated Photovoltaics

Image via Gensler

C3 by Gensler, Culver City, California, USA

Manufactured by Onyx Solar

For C3 — an office building that challenges preconceptions of workplace design — Gensler partnered with specialty manufacturer Onyx Solar. Today, Onyx Solar is one of the world’s leading makers of building integrated photovoltaic glass for architectural applications, and has worked with firms such as Gensler, Foster + Partners, SOM and Frank Gehry. Not only does the expansive glazed façade enhance the overall performance of the building without the associated eyesore of traditional photovoltaics, but it also invites opportunities for interaction and creative impact among tenants.

5. Fritted Glass

Image via ArchDaily

Image via ArchDaily by Iwan Baan

Elbphilharmonie by Herzog & de Meuron, Hamburg, Germany

Manufactured by Gartner and Guardian Glass

After ten years in the making, Herzog & de Meuron dazzled the world with Elbphilharmonie — a 2,100-seat concert hall in Hamburg that is completely shocking, inside and out. Built on top of a historic warehouse, the upper-area of the structure is wrapped in curved panels of glass that reflect the surrounding city and sky. While a portion of the glass panels are curved and punctured to create jarring openings, others are fritted, rendering eye-catching ellipses that allow selected streams of light to pass through.

To discover five additional projects that harness fritted glass for environmental control, check out Beat the Heat: 5 Innovative Façades Equipped With Fritted Glass.

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When applied as external cladding, the service lives of various species of timber can range anywhere from 15 to 60 years. That’s a massive, gaping window of time where colors can fluctuate, cracks can occur and extreme weathering can take place. And so, while cost and aesthetic style will be driving factors in your material selection, the key consideration should always be how a species’ performance factors will level up to your design needs. What’s the use in affordability and beauty if they don’t last?

The first distinction that is useful to wrap your head around is the difference between hardwood and softwood, as the dichotomy is sometimes a little bit misunderstood. Oftentimes, it is assumed that hardwood is hard and softwood is soft, and while that is an apt place to begin your investigation, it is also an oversimplification.

Hardwood features a more porous and noticeable grain than softwood; image via Diffen.

Hardwood vs. Softwood

Hardwood comes from angiosperm trees that are not monocots, which are typically broad-leaved or flowering. In these species, vessels transport water throughout the wood, which give it a more porous and noticeable grain. Typically, hardwood has a higher density and slower growth and replenishment rate than softwood and is thus both stronger and more expensive. While common examples such as maple, mahogany and walnut are more historically reminiscent of small-scale craftsmanship and high-quality furniture, hardwoods such as oak and chestnut are popular selections for wood cladding, especially in the U.K.

Softwood — the overwhelming majority of timber that you see in building components — comes from gymnosperm trees, which typically have needles and cones. Cheaper, faster-growing and easier to manipulate, cedar, Douglas fir, pine and redwood are all widespread species of softwood cladding. Primed with this distinction, here’s what you need to know about a few of the most popular types of wood cladding before specifying timber for your next project:

In reference to the surrounding nature and agrarian landscape, House in Oxfordshire by Peter Feeny Architects is entirely clad in oak. Boards extend all the way over the roof, giving the structure a naturally unified appearance.

Oak (Hardwood)

Oak, which has a density of 36 to 56 pounds per cubic foot, is an extremely hard-wearing wood that can provide a natural and attractive appearance for anywhere between 40 and 60 years. Providing that only heartwood is used and any sapwood is excluded, oak can be used as a cladding material without any treatment. Yet while oak is durable and naturally resistant to rot, most manufacturers still recommend applying a protective treatment in order to avoid damage caused by uncontrolled exposure to ultraviolet radiation and moisture.

Sapwood — the outer layer of the tree trunk — is susceptible to fungus, contains a lot of moisture and will considerably shrink when dried. Heartwood contains less moisture and is the stronger more stable spine of the tree; image via Virginia Wood Flows.

With a slow replenishing cycle of 50 to 100 years, oak is an expensive choice for cladding an entire building. Additionally, the fixing methods associated with hardwood are typically more expensive than softwood. However, depending on where you live, sourcing locally grown timber can make the process more affordable.

Located in Edgartown, Mass., Island Residence by Peter Rose + Partners is clad in a breathable rain-screen composed of Western red cedar planking.

Cedar (Softwood)

Cedar, which has a lower density of 23 pounds per cubic foot, is the most popular choice for wood cladding, and it’s no secret why. As reflected in its density, cedar is soft and lightweight, yet it possesses impressive durability and stability. Not only does cedar provide excellent acoustic and thermal insulation, but it also demonstrates a low shrinkage factor and resistance to warping and twisting.

Like oak, cedar is naturally resistant to decay and insect attack and can be used without preservative treatment as long as sapwood is excluded. Good quality heartwood will achieve similar levels of weather resistance to oak and has an expected service life of 40 to 60 years.

Western red cedar once weathered and silvered down; image via English Woodlands Timber

However, when working with cedar, there are a few things to remember. Natural oils in the timber have corrosive effects on ferrous metals, which means that while cedar can be nailed and screwed without splitting, galvanized or stainless-steel fixings should always be used. Finally, compared to oak, cedar is less resistant to physical knocks and scrapes, and areas of high pollution will quickly accelerate the rate at which cedar becomes stained.

Located in Dublin, Laneway Wall Garden House by Donaghy & Dimond Architects features both new and already-weathered Douglas fir cladding and joinery. With time, the entire palette will naturally even out.

Douglas Fir (Softwood)

A great all-rounder with a density of 33 pounds per cubic foot, Douglas fir is a softwood with the reputation of being a species that can be used untreated. However, this, again, is only true of heartwood, which will still only offer a service life of 25 to 30 years. One of the most uniquely fascinating things about Douglas fir is that because this species of tree tends to grow tall and straight, wood boards are available in longer continuous lengths than most other species can offer. Depending on the nature of your design, this may prove to be an extremely desirable quality in creating a visually appealing structure.

Woodshed by Birdseye Design is externally clad in weathered Douglas fir.

No matter what species you choose, it is important to remember that, without exception, all wood weathers. And so when speaking with clients about specifying wood cladding, it is essential that they understand that no wood-clad building will have a stagnant appearance from inception to decay. Many manufacturers even warn that after five years, all species will have weathered to a near-matching silver-gray. That said, always make sure that the timber delivered to site meets specification and do not be afraid to reject damaged or visually unacceptable pieces.

Finally, as a natural commodity, lumber products tend to be volatile in both supply and price, which is why fast-growing softwoods are so favorable and common. These details are what make every decision around wood cladding one that is directly tied to the time and place in which you are building.

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Architects and designers are increasingly mindful of the value of public space and its role in the development of our buildings, cities and culture, especially as we begin to measure the impact of public space from New York’s High Line to Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Pioneers in the profession are proving that architecture can respond to, shape and transform these civic areas while helping to create community and inspire change.

The following examples of public plazas from around the world were created by a variety of different designers to respond to unique environmental, social and urban conditions. Though they share a common typology, they possess widely unique programs, contextual surroundings, and varying degrees of vegetation. While they employ different forms and options for circulation and contemplation, they also orient individuals to views, establish hard and loose boundaries, and celebrate the histories, conditions and culture of each place. Whether for civic empowerment or a little rest and relaxation, these plazas embody new, dynamic ways to think about architecture and public life.

Arts Plaza by Spillman Farmer Architects, Easton, Penn.

A raw, open-air space for the arts, this plaza at Lafayette College includes a distinctive outdoor theater. The space hosts diverse programs including group musical performances, visual art exhibits, and performance art. The project is an urban “unfill” where only essential elements of the previous, original auto repair facility are left.

Brooklyn Museum Entry and Plaza by Polshek Partnership (now Ennead Architects), New York, NY.

Golden Gate Bridge Plaza by EHDD, Surfacedesign, Inc, and Jensen Architects, San Francisco

This plaza was part of the transformation of the former Presidio military base into an active public space connecting the Bay Area and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It was created as a hybrid space that is both civic and educational.

Erie Street Plaza by Stoss Landscape Urbanism, Milwaukee

This project is a small urban plaza in the historic Third Ward district of Milwaukee. It is the final link in a series of public space activators along the Milwaukee Riverwalk. Flexible programming, hybrid ecology and holistic sustainability were all important elements of the plaza design.

SUPERKILEN by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), Topotek 1, and Superflex, Copenhagen, Denmark

Superkilen is a half-a-mile-long urban space in Denmark. Within an ethnically diverse neighborhood, the contemporary plaza and park celebrates the neighborhood’s multicultural heritage while uniting people together. It is comprised of three main zones: the red square for sports activities, the green park as a grassy children’s playground, and the black market as a food market and picnic area.

Ribbons by Cliff Garten Studio, San Francisco

Ribbons is a landscape sculpture and plaza design for the Art and Architecture Program of the General Services Administration in San Francisco. A matrix of paving, seating, fountains and planting are inserted into the existing courtyard. The design carefully straddles a line between preservation and adaptive reuse.

Metropol Parasol by J. MAYER H., Seville, Spain

This project explores the potential of the Plaza de la Encarnacion. This urban space in Seville allows a range of activities from leisure to commerce. Large parasols emerge from the site, creating a contemporary landmark in the city.

Dilworth Park by KieranTimberlake, Philadelphia

This plaza design was intended to completely transform the prior plaza into a new world-class front door for Philadelphia’s City Hall. The project establishes the plaza at street level while surrounding the space with a green landscape veil. It also develops a connection from the plaza to transportation below while simultaneously improving access.

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Feature image: SUPERKILEN by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), Topotek 1, and Superflex

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Spain advances contemporary architecture by learning from its past. With the second highest number of World Heritage Sites globally and an eclectic mix of building styles, the country has also produced famous designers like Gaudí, Moneo and Calatrava. As a nation, it remains one of the most culturally diverse places in the world. This has helped shaped Spain’s rich architectural history. While its boundaries have been redrawn over time and various civilizations left their mark, the country continues to champion new architecture and novel design strategies.

Taking a closer look at Spain’s contemporary design culture, we’ve rounded up a collection of metal-clad projects by designers that champion dynamic material investigations. Though these buildings are situated in very different regions in the country, they each show how architects are creating exciting works of metallic architecture that respond to the local context. At a variety of scales, they explore contemporary ideas on enclosure, surface and envelope. Together, they showcase how architects can create poetic, stunning metal façades.

Public Space Teatro La Lira by RCR Arquitectes, Ripoll, Girona, Spain

RCR’s “La Lira” project transformed a vacant lot, a space that broke the continuity of an urban block overlooking the River Ter. The new theater space was designed as a high porch which shelters the open space and underground, multi-use room below. As a completed project, the design reestablishes the riverfront façade and reframes the surrounding city fabric. Both the porch space and bridge were made with weathering steel that recalls the metallurgical traditions of the town.

San Telmo Museum Expansion by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos, San Sebastián, Spain

Created as an expansion to the original San Telmo Museum, this project aimed to restitch the urban fabric of San Sebastian through a site between Monte Urgull and the city. Balancing natural and artificial landscapes, the project uses a new, permeable green wall to define powerful relationships between ecology, light and space. The new metal wall and façade reestablishes the museum’s entity while connecting the institution back to its context.

Parish Church of Santa Monica by Vicens & Ramos, Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Spain

Established through the guidance of the Diocesan Council of Temples, the Parish of Santa Monica integrates priest housing, Parish offices and Church program space. As a new landmark with the urban medium, the project was designed as a testimony to the “spiritual function produced in its interior.” Formally, the project stands as a series of sculptural moments that form the building’s steel façade.

History Museum of Lugo by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos, Lugo, Spain

Lugo’s new History Museum was created as a point of arrival for visitors to the city. Merging architecture and landscape, the design combines the qualities of both a park and a museum. Linked to the larger sequence of green spaces in the city, the project combines large circular courtyards, cylindrical bastions and a vegetative, metallic landscape.

CaixaForum by Herzog and de Meuron, Madrid, Spain

Herzog and de Meuron’s CaixaForum was designed as an urban magnet and a new address for the arts scene in Madrid. Drawing visitors through mass and program, the project uses the former power station’s brick shell, and inserted the new components of the Caixa Forum. The new design addresses the identity of the institution and the surrounding context through steel, space and surgical incision.

Bell-Lloc Winery by RCR Arquitectes, Palamós, Girona, Spain

RCR’s Bell-Lloc winery was designed as an underground promenade, a space that emerges among the forest and vineyard. Dramatic spatial conditions are formed by attention to light, ephemerality and penumbra, or shadows between spaces. Geometry is balanced with steel and stone, surrounding visitors in unfamiliar, critically imagined spaces.

Studio Sitges by Olson Kundig, Sitges, Spain

Olson Kundig’s Studio Sitges was designed as a live/work space for a photographer and his family. Capturing the casual energy of the surrounding beach town, the project uses weathered steel and large panels of Corten as cladding and connection to the nearby street. Embracing the mild climate, the design includes pivot and sliding doors to merge exterior and interior space.

Faustino Winery by Foster + Partners, Puerto Castilla, Spain

Clad in steel, oak and glass, the new Bodegas Portia project was Foster + Partners’ first winery. Taking a chance to step back and look afresh at this ancient building type, the design team created a building which carefully uses the site’s topography to aid in the winemaking process. Reducing energy demands and optimizing working conditions, the project was made with a trefoil plan and Corten steel shingle cladding along its vertical elevations.

Ortuella Culture House by Aq4 arquitectura, Ortuella, Spain

Aq4’s Ortuella Culture house was designed to address its surroundings while creating a pedestrian route that joins the main street to the square. Using bands of varied dimensions, the project defines hierarchy and flexibility through solid and void. The overall volume was modified to the topography of the square, while weathering steel was used to recall the region’s mining past.

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Few structural systems are as iconic as the truss. Forming historic bridge designs, trusses within architecture have usually been reserved for roof forms. From the rectilinear Vierendeel to Bowstring, Warren and Pratt configurations, different trusses take on a variety of shapes and sizes. Combining multiple members that behave as a single object, these systems are usually made with multiple units and nodes.

Moving beyond the application of trusses as roof forms, the following residential projects fully integrate trusses into their designs as building envelopes, façades and organizing devices. Specifically, these designs explore how structural systems can frame spatial experiences and the surrounding context. Designed in response to diverse landscapes from rugged mountains and coastlines to expansive forests, each project utilizes the truss as a major tectonic design element.

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Chalet Blanche by ACDF* architecture | design urbain | intérieur, La Malbaie, Canada

Located in La Malbaie’s area of the “Terrasses Cap à l’Aigle,” Chalet Blanche was designed to complement the landscape of Charlevoix in a modern fashion. The project combines raw concrete, white stained wood and steel to maximize panoramic views and recall the structure of vernacular bridges.

Rambla House by L A N D, Chile

LAND’s Rambla House is sited in Zapallar City along Chile’s central coast. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the project was constructed with concrete beams and timber volumes built using pine columns in V shapes.

4 in 1 House by Clavel Arquitectos, Murcia, Spain

Designed to qualify four modes of living, this residence explores leisure, autonomy and guest experience. Formed at the top of a hill on the outskirts of the city, the house features concrete forms, a cantilevered canopy and a body-tinted stacked glass volume with a 120-foot truss beam.

Tobogan House by Z4Z4, Madrid, Spain

Made for a family that wanted to live within a garden, the Tobogan House was created around a generic three-story house on a southern slope. Juxtaposing two houses and a car park, the project’s most important feature is the space between the two houses that exposes domestic life circulating between floors.

Casa Doble by langarita-navarro, Zaragoza, Spain

Casa Doble is located in the small town of Algairén in the province of Zaragoza. Exploring display, rhythms and rituals of dwelling, the project aimed to combine the idea of a conventional urban flat with uninhibited, active links to the outdoors.

Trunk House by Paul Morgan Architects, Highlands, Australia

Using forms of ecology, Trunk House takes inspirations from the forest. As a small cabin in Victoria’s Central Highlands, the design includes living quarters, a kitchen and bedrooms that are surrounded by a timber structure.

Bridge House by Max Pritchard Architect, Ashbourne, Australia

Bridge House was designed to lightly touch the earth. As a narrow, bridge-like structure that spans a creek, the project forms the experience of living amongst the trees with black concrete, perforated steel louvers and glazing.

River Structures by Paul Hirzel Architect, Juliaetta, Idaho, United States

Paul Hirzel’s River Structures are sited at the end of an existing single lane unpaved road cut into a hillside near Juliaetta. As a live-work space among a winery and vineyard, the project includes two context-specific structures called the Flood Plain House and the Fishing House.

VIGGSÖ by ARRHOV FRICK ARKITEKTKONTOR, Vaxholm, Sweden

Made among a landscape of stone cliffs, pine trees and heather, this house is located on the island of Viggsö in the Stockholm archipelago. The private residence was spatially organized into three parts that are ordered by a simple wood structural system.

Neubau Einfamilienhaus in Holzbau Hemishofen by Dost Stadtentwicklung Architektur Innenarchitektur, Hemishofen, Switzerland

This elegant truss house is located right in the village center of Hemishofen. Formed along the banks of the Rhine, the project features a simple form and an open organization that frames and stages the immediate surroundings.

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You can learn a lot about a culture by looking at the ceramics it produces. In their natural state, these clay-based products can be molded into virtually any shape and treated with innumerable varieties of colored glazes, offering an unlimited freedom of expression. Once finalized, the raw materials are fired in high-temperature kilns, creating remarkably resilient surfaces that will endure long after the people who shaped them have gone.

Today, with the added benefits of computer-aided design and manufacturing, architects continue to express themselves through ceramics, creating sculptural façades that stand as works of art in their own right. As you consider what cladding is right for your next project, be inspired by this collection of ceramic-clad buildings from around the world.

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Photo by Anton Grassl

Photo by Anton Grassl

The Center for Asian Art by Machado Silvetti, Sarasota, Fla., United States

Ceramic cladding manufactured by Boston Valley Terra Cotta

The latest addition to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art was built to house its extensive collection of Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Southeast Asian artifacts. Informed by the sculptural traditions of these cultures, the exterior is clad in 2,800 bespoke terracotta panels.

The façade comprises three panel modules — one large, one small and one with a built in window — which are angled slightly and repeated to create a rippling effect. Their undulating profiles were designed using parametric modeling software and shaped in CNC-milled molds by hydraulic presses. Although machined to precision, the curves caused the Jade-colored glaze to puddle differently on each, giving the panels a handcrafted appearance.

Photo by Hufton + Crow

Photo by Hufton + Crow

Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology by A_LA, Lisbon, Portugal

Ceramic cladding manufactured by Ceràmica Cumella

The Portuguese also have a rich history of sculpture and tilework, making ceramic cladding the perfect façade treatment for the new Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) in Lisbon. This sinuous building rises from the banks of the Tagus River like a wave, forming a publicly accessible roof whose crest overlooks the waterfront.

The façades are clad in 15,000 3D ceramic tiles, laid in a disjointed hexagon pattern. The tiles are a creamy off-white with a crackled glaze that imbues each with a subtle texture. “This complex surface gives readings of water, light and shadow, capturing and magnifying the tonal light qualities of this site,” explained architect Amanda Levete, “bouncing the light into the building, and tracing the shifting patterns of water on the gallery floor.”

Photo by Joep Jacobs

Photo by Joep Jacobs

Museum de Fundatie by Bierman Henket architecten, Zwolle, The Netherlands

Ceramic cladding manufactured by Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum

The Museum de Fundatie occupies a neoclassical building, formerly the Palace of Justice, in Zwolle’s medieval city center. When the museum’s art collection began to outgrow its original footprint, the architects, bounded on all sides by significant landmarks, had nowhere to go but to go up.

The bulbous addition, dubbed the “Art Cloud,” hovers just above the classical façade but is decidedly less symmetrical. It is clad in 55,000 wedge-shaped ceramic tiles in varying sizes, which are oriented randomly to create fragmented reflections. A mottled light blue glaze further obscures the scene, causing the tiles to boldly stand out one moment and disappear into the sky the next.

Photo by Belén de Benito

Photo by Iñigo Bujedo-aguirre

Centro Botín by Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Santander, Spain

Ceramic cladding manufactured by Ceràmica Cumella

In a historic port city on the coast of Spain, the Centro Botín seems to have landed like a spaceship from another galaxy. This incredible cultural center encompasses 30,000 square feet of galleries, spanning two curvaceous volumes connected by exterior gangways. In search of a cladding for these double curved façades, the architects looked to nature for inspiration.

The buildings are clad in 280,000 convex ceramic discs which, according to Renzo Piano, “somewhat resemble the cells of human skin.” Five different diameters allow the cladding to flow over the rounded corners, continuing uninterrupted from the soffits to the rooftops. The discs also feature a shimmering, white pearlescent finish, reminiscent of seashells.

Photo by Hufton + Crow

Photo by Hufton + Crow

Vanke Pavilion by Studio Libeskind, Milan, Italy

Ceramic cladding manufactured by Casalgrande Padana

The Vanke Pavilion is an exhibition hall and event space that was built for 2015 Milan Expo. Its design, based on the theme of the event, “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” draws inspiration from ancient Chinese dragons which, legend has it, wielded power over weather and agriculture in early China.

The twisting exterior is clad in over 4,000 faceted porcelain tiles, resembling the scales of a gargantuan reptile. Each is embossed with a geometric motif and treated with a custom metallic glaze. This reflective coating causes the pavilion take on a fiery glow that shifts from red to gold depending on the angle of the sun. Ingeniously, the glaze also contains titanium dioxide which, when exposed to direct sunlight, breaks down organic deposits in the atmosphere, purifying the air around the pavilion. Since its completion, Studio Libeskind has experimented with these innovative, self-cleaning tiles on a number of larger façades including, most recently, a 73-unit apartment complex in Berlin.

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The post Feats of Clay: 5 Sculptural Façades with Ceramic Cladding appeared first on Journal.

A recently completed project in Denmark epitomizes the potential for great architecture to capture the progressive spirit of an entire city. It was borne from a courageous decision by innovative young architecture firm COBE and its client — rather than raze an old industrial building on Copenhagen’s waterfront, they decided to give it a second life as a home for residents of a vibrant new district.

The finished mixed-use complex, named The Silo, is a unique example of adaptive reuse that forms a compelling precedent for architects tasked with regenerating urban centers. For this reason, Architizer is delighted to announce COBE’s creation as one our Projects of the Year for the 2018 A+Awards.

“The Silo is not just another housing project; it is really a project that is speaking about the transformation of our cities from industrial cities to more livable cities,” explained Dan Stubbergaard, Creative Director and Founder of COBE. “It’s a post-industrial monument.”

Tons of concrete from the original structure was carved out to make way for minimalist, light-filled apartments of metal and glass. The materiality of the building successfully blends modern aesthetics with the silo’s raw industrial heritage. The project also merges private and public realms, with a gallery situated on the ground floor and a restaurant and viewing terrace located within a “floating box” at the top of the building.

“We had a very strong belief that we should keep the soul and the character of the silo,” continued Stubbergaard. “We want to preserve the building as much [as possible] but give it a new three-dimensional skin, like a really super cool jacket.” This jacket was pieced together using modular balconies and window frames, each clad with galvanized steel panels and craned into position against the concrete substructure. Developed in partnership with Skandinaviska Glassystem (SGS), the faceted building envelope catches the light at different angles throughout the day, shimmering like a new suit of armor.

From conception to completion, The Silo represents all that is good about architectural teamwork today. A close collaboration between architects, engineers, building-product manufacturers and clients resulted in a finished building that is functional and visually striking in equal measure.

In addition to The Silo by COBE, three further Projects of the Year have been given Special Honoree A+Awards this year; they are:

Foro Boca Concert Hall by Rojkind Arquitectos

Institute for Contemporary Art VCU by Steven Holl Architects

Waterside Buddhist Shrine by ARCHSTUDIO

These projects demonstrate extraordinary contributions to the profession across the globe, highlighting buildings that champion architecture’s potential to positively impact everyday life. Stay tuned for videos and articles on all of these in the coming weeks!

Explore all the winners and finalists from the sixth annual A+Awards, featuring incredible projects by firms from all over the world:

View the 2018 A+Awards Winners

The post 2018 A+Awards Project of the Year: The Silo by COBE appeared first on Journal.

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When you ask most architects what their favorite material is, it’s as if you asked a multiple choice question: stone, concrete, metal, glass, wood or all of the above? José Selgas and Lucía Cano are not like most architects. They prefer unusual, industrial-grade materials whose names are long enough to rival the alphabet: ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polymethyl methacrylate (acrylic) and polycarbonate.

The architects, partners in the Madrid-based design practice SelgasCano, have spent the better part of two decades exploring the possibilities of plastics, arguing that these oft-maligned materials can be used to create ethereal, lightweight and, yes, even sustainable buildings. Beginning with their initial experiments in Spain and culminating with their psychedelic Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London, we look back on the pair’s imaginative plastic façades. 

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Photo by Iwan Baan.

Photo by Iwan Baan.

Plasencia Auditorium and Congress Center by SelgasCano, Plasencia, Spain

Plastic manufactured by Polimer Tecnic

The auditorium in Plasencia, one of SelgasCano’s earliest projects, was conceived in the midst of the global financial crisis. Determined to create an attractive and energy efficient façade on a shoestring budget, the architects opted to wrap the entire building in a translucent skin of ETFE foil.

The faceted volume emerges from the landscape like a rock formation, a geode waiting to be cracked open. Its white façade belies a vibrant interior filled with multicolored acrylic walls, brightly painted ceilings and dyed rubber flooring. This color palette encourages movement, gradually shifting from neon oranges in the lobby to an icy turquoise in the main auditorium. At night, light bounces off these surfaces and glows invitingly through the translucent cladding.

Photo by Iwan Baan.

Photo by Iwan Baan.

El “B” by SelgasCano, Cartagena, Spain

Plastic manufactured by Polimer Tecnic

The El Batel Auditorium, El “B” for short, is a lengthy building that runs parallel to the port of Cartagena, along a scenic promenade formerly inhabited by factories and warehouses. Its boxy, corrugated façade recalls this history, bringing to mind the shipping container stacks that once dotted the waterfront.

The main elevation is clad in a shiplap of transparent, V-shaped acrylic profiles. The second story profiles are overlaid with a brise soleil of tubular polycarbonate louvers. Both materials were extruded with florescent pigments to produce subtle striations across the façade. They are also both supported, without visible fasteners, by stainless steel clips, reinforcing the horizontality and lightness of the architecture.

Photo by Iwan Baan.

Photo by Iwan Baan.

Second Home Offices by SelgasCano, London, United Kingdom

Plastic manufactured by Polimer Tecnic

Second Home is a chain of co-working spaces in London, Lisbon and Los Angeles. Recently, the fast growing company tapped SelgasCano to design a number of additional locations, the most outstanding of which occupies a former carpet factory in London’s East End.

The new interior is organized by a clusters of bubble-like workspaces inscribed in clear, thermoformed acrylic. These curvaceous partitions resolve several functional and aesthetic concerns, perfectly balancing daylighting, sightlines and acoustics with an open, free-flowing plan. The resulting design is so fluid that is appears to spill out of the old brick façade, forming a public coffee bar below an undulant, acrylic awning.

Photo by Iwan Baan.

Photo by Iwan Baan.

Merida Factory Youth Movement by SelgasCano, Merida, Spain

Plastic manufactured by Polimer Tecnic

The Factory is a combination youth center and park in Merida that provides opportunities for playing, skateboarding, rock climbing, acrobatics, dance, street theater and more, under the protection of an amorphous, orange canopy.

The canopy is supported by a steel space frame, clad on all sides in polycarbonate paneling. The architects selected a highly corrugated, “mini wave” panel which offers maximum durability despite being less than 1/4-inch thick. The roof panels are opaque to block heat from the intense Merida sun. The soffits and walls below are translucent and illuminated internally to enhance public safety. As the sun begins to set, these luminous façades become animated by the silhouettes of children playing.

Photo by Iwan Baan.

Photo by Jim Stephenson.

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2015 by SelgasCano, London, United Kingdom

Plastic manufactured by Polimer Tecnic

In 2015, SelgasCano was invited to design the 15^th annual Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London. Though not apparent at first glance, their pavilion is an homage to the fourteen structures that preceded it, great works of architecture distilled down to their most basic elements: space, light and material.

In plan, the pavilion resembles an X chromosome with four bent wings that converge to form a single sinuous interior. The strange shape was dictated by its cladding, sheets and ribbons of ETFE stretched to the limit across arched steel frames. Their surfaces were digitally printed with 19 colors in three finishes — opaque, translucent and mirrored — which cast kaleidoscopic patterns on the polished concrete floor. “The whole pavilion for us was a kind of an experiment. We wanted to test different things with a new material … to try out different shadows, colors and effects which we haven’t tested before,” explained José Selgas, “The experiment is also very much related to the people that are going to visit the pavilion. We want them to decide how to interpret the pavilion, how they want to move around. It’s very free in that way.”

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The post Stretch of Imagination: SelgasCano’s Unparalleled Plastic Façades appeared first on Journal.

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13 years ago this month, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. During the years following the levee failures, the city witnessed a boom in architectural experimentation, as small, independent developers joined the recovery efforts. A leader in this effort was Make It Right (MIR), a charitable organization founded by actor Brad Pitt in 2007. The organization challenged architects from across the world to re-imagine traditional New Orleans housing styles and come up with an affordable, sustainable residential design. Aiming to stimulate redevelopment of the Lower 9th Ward, Make It Right has now built over 100 homes in the region.

The architects for these developments had to balance the need to design for floodwaters with a desire to preserve the character of the New Orleans streetscape. As MIR stated, “We work with renowned architects from around the world to create beautiful, healthy homes. Before we begin building, we spend, on average, a year working with architects and communities in ‘design charrettes’ — meetings geared toward understanding what local families need and how the architect’s design will meet those needs.”

In many blocks of the Lower Ninth, MIR was the only active builder. As a neighborhood of low- and moderate-income homeowners, the area had many residents that required special financing. The foundation sought to ensure that homeowners don’t have to pay a mortgage above what their incomes can bear, with a construction budget at $150,000 per home. Exploring some of the most notable MIR designs, the following homes were created by a range of architects, builders and manufactures. Read on to find out more about how these designs were brought to life.

Make It Right House by Brooks + Scarpa

Housewrap by DuPont

Brooks + Scarpa’s MIR home aimed to redefine flexibility in a modern residence. Designed to breaks the prescriptive mold of the traditional home, the project was created with public and private “zones” where private space is deemphasized in favor of large public living areas. The house moves residents away from an isolated layout to more interactive and family-oriented spaces.

The home’s signature façade draws inspiration from traditional American patchwork quilting. Looking specifically at Gee’s Bend quilt-makers of southwest Alabama, the pattern was made using recycled wooden pallets. Working with local manufacturers, the project aimed to ensure construction viability with a textured, rough-hewn aesthetic. Combined with perforated cement board on the east and west façades, the wrapping interweaves shade and privacy while controlling views and daylight.

Special NO 9 House by Kieran Timberlake

SIPS by C&G Construction

KieranTimberlake set out to create a sustainable home within the landscape of the Lower Ninth Ward. Affordable and environmentally sensitive, the Special NO 9 House is one of the original 13 single-family homes designed for residents of the neighborhood whose homes were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. Addressing federal flood standards, the project was created in collaboration with residents and community leaders. The home accommodates a range of adaptations to the interior program, environmental systems and aesthetics.

Special NO 9 House was constructed on site using prefabricated interior partitions and structurally insulated panels. The structure outperforms the typical American home in energy and health through its insulation, non-toxic materials and efficient systems. The performative design of the building envelope combines with careful orientation and large operable windows. Offering natural light, ventilation and views, the open plan aims to foster connections to the neighborhood and surrounding context.

Make It Right House by Trahan Architects

AstroGuard by Hurricane Fabric

Reinterpreting the traditional shotgun typology, Trahan Architects’ design centers on an iconic roof referencing the pitched vernacular of New Orleans. The roof was designed as a high performance component that promotes energy and water efficiency. The metabolic screen works in tandem with the window system to provide hurricane protection.

The windows include fastenings for Astroguard, a fabric that shortens the lengthy process of boarding up windows with plywood during inclement weather. Comprised of ballistic nylon fabric, the American-made hurricane shutter by Hurricane Fabric is strong, non-porous, lightweight and a lower cost alternative to traditional shutters. Answering Make It Right’s Cradle to Cradle call to action, Trahan’s design is a secure solution that focuses on safe materials and low utility consumption.

Asem-Pa by Adjaye Associates

Structure by GL&SS

Adjaye Associates designed Asem-pa (‘good news’ in the Ghanaian dialect Twi) as an affordable housing solution for New Orleans. As one of five international firms approached to submit a concept, Adjaye worked directly with homeowners. The concept aimed to preserve the area’s local identity and cultural influences. The home possesses a distinct aesthetic, featuring an upper story deck and inverted roof to channel rainwater to a collection system.

Adjaye Associates worked with Glass Light and Special Structures Limited to create the supporting structure. As many of the Lower Ninth Ward residents had previously been trapped in their attics, MIR mandated rooftop access for all the homes. Exploring the best method of construction for the roof, the team looked at tensile and stick-framed systems before ultimately deciding on a panelized approach.

The FLOAT House by Morphosis Architects

SIPS by Premier SIPs

The FLOAT House was made to survive floodwaters and sustain its own water and power needs. Designed by Morphosis in collaboration withUCLA’s Department of Architecture and Urban Design, the house was manufactured cheaply enough to function as low-income housing. In case of a flood, the base of the house acts as a raft, allowing the home to rise on guide posts up to 12 feet as water levels rise. Respecting local culture and climate, the structure is a new approach to prefabricated homes that optimizes production efficiency and allows flexibility in response to the context of New Orleans.

Reinterpreting the iconic shotgun house, the design sits atop a chassis that integrates plumbing, mechanical, electrical and sustainable systems. The design’s polystyrene foam chassis was coated in glass fiber–reinforced concrete. Inspired by GM’s skateboard chassis that supports several car body types, the FLOAT House was designed to support a variety of customizable house configurations. The barge-like chassis was prefabricated on the University of California Los Angeles’ campus, then trucked across the country to be assembled on site.

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The post Rebuilding New Orleans: Detailing a New Vernacular appeared first on Journal.

With another year around the sun, Architizer the 2018 A+Awards season has officially concluded with the winners’ announcement. But luckily, the celebration is not over — in fact, it has only just begun. This year’s architectural winners will be housed within a monumental publication that should not be missed. More extensive than ever before, this full color, hardbound book is titled Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture and is available for preorder now. Set to be published by Phaidon, the premier publisher for the creative arts, the A+Awards’ 4th annual compendium promises to form the definitive guide to the globe’s best buildings.

Among this year’s 196 phenomenal winners, many projects were unified by a playful yet highly calculated approach to daylighting effects. Using a range of materials including recycled tiles, local brick, copper tile and more, this year’s winning architects have taken creative, sustainable and often low-cost approaches to environmental control. For a small taste of the amazing projects included in this year’s publication, feast your eyes on these six projects. Better yet, imagine what it might be like to stand inside any one of these brilliantly illuminated spaces.

Popular Choice winner in the Commercial-Office – Low Rise (1-4 Floors) Category.

The Beehive by Raffaello Rosselli Architect with Luigi Rosselli Architects, Sydney, Australia

Located in Sydney, the Beehive ingeniously explores how undervalued waste products like the ubiquitous terra cotta roof tile can be harnessed to redefine architecture. Using recycled tiles, Luigi Rosselli and Raffaello Rosselli Architects have built a complex rhythmic brise-soleil structure that expertly mediates the sun and wind. Internally, the building houses a light-filtered architecture studio designed to stimulate the creativity and teamwork of its inhabitants.

Popular Choice Winner in the Commercial – Coworking Space category.

Sanbaopeng LKKER Jingdezhen Ceramic Design Center by Office Mass, Jingdezhen, China

The Sanbaopeng LKKER Jingdezhen Ceramic Design Center by Office Mass is located on a stunning slope in the Sanbao Valley, with a stream running directly through the site. Office Mass sought to make use of the natural environment and local historical practices in order to create an inspired design with a deep connection to ceramic art.

Inspired by the traditional porcelain craftwork that has existed since the Song Dynasty, the ceramic design center is a massive circular “sagger” that floats above the stream. The façade was built using a copper tile system, which creates a screen-like pattern that beautifully controls interior daylighting.

Popular Choice winner in the Concepts – Plus-Architecture + Light category.

King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center by Zaha Hadid Architects, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Located in Riyadh, KAPSARC is a multi-building campus that was envisioned as a striking modern crystal in the middle of the desert. The micro-city is woven together by shaded outdoor spaces, courtyards, gardens and an open-air central plaza. The angular design, faceted roofs and latticed skylights were specifically calculated in order to create optimal lighting conditions that simultaneously minimize the harsh, sometimes unbearable heat of the desert.

Popular Choice winner in the Concepts – Plus-Architecture + Humanitarianism category.

Dabao Primary School and Community Cultural Centre by Project Mingde (The University of Hong Kong) – Elisabeth Lee, Guangxi, China

Situated within the paddy fields and remotely situated mountain range of Guangxi Province in China, the Dabao Primary School and Community Cultural Centre was built to satisfy the needs of 110 families that live in this isolated settlement. Due to the seclusion and poverty of the village, local children sorely lacked a safe environment in which to learn. Constructed through active dialogue between Dabao villagers and the architects, the resulting design demonstrates a deep understanding of the people and place for which it was designed.

Since bamboo is available in abundance in the area, the architects used this material to not only create privacy and a protective barrier from the road outside, but also regulate the transmission of noise and daylight. Varying diameters and lengths of bamboo tubes respond to the different light requirements of each room and their respective functions.

Jury Vote winner in the Commercial – Office – Low Rise (1-4 Floors) category.

Chongqing Sunac One Central Mansion Sales Pavillion by AOE, Chongqing, China

For this project, AOE harnessed a translucent metal fabric as a energy-saving skin that protects the building’s interior from direct sunlight. By conforming to the logic of natural shapes and structures, the graceful arc of that same metal fabric salutes traditional Chinese architectural philosophy. Both functional and symbolic, the design results in a zen-like environment that playfully blurs the boundaries between nature and building.

Jury Vote and Popular Choice winner in the Details – Plus – Architecture + Brick category.

Brick Cave by H&P Architects, Hanoi, Vietnam

Enclosed by two layers of intersecting brick walls, the Brick Cave was built to eliminate the adverse aspects of external environmental factors including harsh sun, dust and noise. The design simultaneously seeks to usher in natural light and wind, and create ideal apertures for viewing the surrounding landscape. To create this, H&P Architects harnessed a familiar local that has long been used in both rural and urban areas of Vietnam: brick in an elegant perforated pattern.

Check out these along with hundreds of this year’s amazing winning projects in Phaidon’s 2018 A+Awards publication.

Preorder Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture

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In the offices of Stonehill Taylor, a Manhattan-based architecture and interior design firm, architect Neill Parker sits at the center of a long conference table strewn with façade mockups and material samples. As he speaks, he excitedly bounces from one model to the next, stopping occasionally to scrutinize a drawing or point to renderings on a large projection screen. His eye for details of every scale — from specifying the right metal cladding to celebrate a neighborhood’s industrial past, to figuring out the perfect corrugation depth to catch the afternoon sun — is typical of a principal of Stonehill Taylor, a practice which prides itself on its ability to meet the demands of property developers and preservationists alike.

“We were introduced to the industry through our expertise working with historic buildings, notably with the conversion of the landmark Hudson Theatre into the centerpiece of what became the Millennium Broadway Hotel’s three-building urban campus,” he explained, “Around this time, we also began to build our hospitality interiors studio. Slowly, but steadily, we found the world of hospitality design to be the space in which we most enjoyed working and it remains our focus today.”

Exterior rendering of Moxy Chelsea, courtesy of Stonehill Taylor.

Although the firm’s hospitality portfolio now spans 15 states, and an award-winning pop-up hotel in London, its architects like to stay close to the city they call home. “Right now, a project at the forefront of my mind is Moxy Chelsea here in New York,” Parker said, “It’s around the corner from our office, so I get to see how it’s evolving every day. What I am most excited about are the combinations of textures and materials that we used, and the sights and even the smells of the things it’ll be populated with.”

“It’s on 28th Street near Avenue of the Americas, the last block that remains of New York’s Flower District. Here, sidewalks are crowded with thousands of potted exotic shrubs, palm trees and flowers. We were inspired by the unusual contrast of the lush greenery with city grit and wanted our building to emphasize and preserve that. To do so, we created a big, vertical glass conservatory made of raw concrete and rusting steel, an urban greenhouse filled with plants. At ground level, the front of the building tilts up and opens to the street, inviting people in. In the lobby and bar at the second floor, guests will take in the views of the flower-packed street, beneath a 40-foot-tall, fragrant green wall.”

Exterior rendering of Moxy Chelsea, courtesy of Stonehill Taylor.

Moxy Chelsea, like many projects on Parker’s drawing board, strikes a delicate balance between his contemporary sensibilities and his affinity for historic buildings, both of which inform his material choices. “[Inspiration] is totally unpredictable. More often than not, it’s something I saw walking down the street early one morning — New York City is wonderful that way — or a clever new product an associate noticed in a trade publication. Recently at a trade show, I saw a wonderful rain-screen system that marries the natural beauty of traditional hand-cleft slate with an industrialized anchorage system, which I think has real promise. I’d like to pair it with some sleek metal trim or glossy porcelain.”

As with many architects interested in materials, Parker has been conflicted about the growing popularity of imitation building products which, he concedes, have made remarkable strides in recent years. “It is now possible to specify flooring which looks and feels like wood, even when walking barefoot, but it’s made of porcelain! My old-school, traditional modernist mind finds such a concept troublesome in the abstract, but it’s hard to argue when people find it warm, comforting and pleasurable. So, I’ve mellowed in my view of these things, but it’s still important to use them correctly. A ‘wood’ floor that lasts a long time is a great solution for an interior, but if you put the same imitation product on a façade, any natural materials next to it will fade and weather but it will not, which could lead to an aesthetically disastrous effect.”

Moxy Chelsea is clad in aluminum with a digitally printed, rust-like finish, image via Pure + Freeform.

“One of these new materials is a product by Pure + Freeform which we are using on several projects. The manufacturers have developed a process for printing patterns on sheet aluminum using pigments that are applied several times from different directions. This gives the surface an unusual depth and richness. They have automated the printing process digitally, so that they can offer finishes that can be tweaked to vary the effect. Several times we have specified a general direction, maybe rusted steel, or maybe slick crystalline white, and then we let the client have the satisfaction of fine-tuning the look to suit their needs and desires.”

Whether new or old, authentic or synthetic, the most important aspect to consider when specifying a material is how people will interact with it, says Parker. “I like to create environments that tantalize and excite as many of the senses as possible. I think not only about how the materials look but also how they feel to the touch, how the spaces sound and even how the smells change as you move throughout the building. One thing that I really enjoy in particular is juxtaposing materials that I know are cool to the touch, like glass or stone, with warm, comfortable materials, like wood or plush fabric. I think people are happier when they see that playfulness.”

Interior rendering of Moxy Chelsea, courtesy of Stonehill Taylor.

These unlikely combinations of textures and colors are surprisingly effective. They emerge, not through some cut-and-dried specification process, but through continuous experimentation, a love of tinkering. “Someone once asked [musician] Keith Richards what tunes he plays if there’s a guitar around and he’s got a spare moment,” remembered Parker, smiling, “‘The next one’ was his reply. I think it’s that way with all creative people — our minds are always restless and considering new things, or new combinations of familiar things. I can’t help but keep my eyes open for things that excite me and toy with shapes, materials and assemblies in my head.”

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Like most exterior cladding products born out of natural materials, bricks — built from clay — have minds of their own. They naturally expand and contract, fluctuating in size with exposure to moisture and surrounding temperatures. This presents a pivotal problem when detailing panelized brick systems and brick veneer façades. While some might argue that designing with panel brick is cheating — it’s both cheaper and, in most cases, quicker to install — it takes just as much thought and technical skill to lay out such a system as a costly brick-clad piece of architecture.

One of the most frustrating moments for architects in detailing a panel brick façade is learning how to combat this constant movement. Because controlling the air moisture isn’t an option, it’s best to concentrate on selecting the best products to help panel brick systems maintain stability. Architects must input the right type of expansion joints and appropriately locate them on the façade.

Diagram showing brick veneer attached to insulation and concrete masonry backup; via International Masonry Institute

It helps to think of panel brick façades as masonry curtain walls. Once installed, they are rigid and can’t withstand the exterior elements by simply slapping on some mortar, so they must be stacked with enough spatial give to embrace natural movement. Expansion joints provide that give, safely absorbing the thermal expansion and contraction of any joined materials on the exterior envelope and effectively avoiding the distortion and damage of the overall system.

Here’s why this matters to architects: While basic guidelines on joint size and spacing are given by both the National Concrete Masonry Association and the Brick Industry Association, it’s up to the architect to decide the particular placement of each joint. Architects can predict the estimated total moisture expansion of brick veneer before detailing the joints if so technically inclined. Per the Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures, simply multiply the coefficient of linear moisture expansion by the length of the wall, or 5 x 10⁻⁴ in./in.

Detail of thin brick movement joints; via the Brick Industry Association

Experts recommend that the joints are inserted at the points of natural stress concentration where cracks may develop in the bricks. They should also be set a few shelf angles below to additionally account for the vertical expansion of the brick in cases where the panel frames are divided vertically. Horizontal expansion joints should be ¾ inch or more in width if they include both the thickness of the shelf angle and the thickness of the soft joint underneath. Some architects prefer to specify special lipped units that fit over the end and reduce the joint width, making for overall easier installation.

Diagram detailing joint reinforcements; via the National Concrete Masonry Association

It’s important to keep in mind that the smaller the panels are specified, the easier it is to lessen the movement and prevent cracking. When long expanses of panels are specified, architects must pay attention to how they sit along wall intersections, corners, offsets, setbacks and parapets. Architectural drawings should always show the exact location of control joints and expansion joints on the building’s various elevations.

Via International Masonry Institute

Example of anchored brick veneer movement joint locations; via Masonry Systems Guide

While absolutely necessary to panelized projects, expansion joints do get a bad rap for diminishing the aesthetic impact of a façade. That doesn’t always have to be the case. One way to seamlessly hide the panel transition is to change the bond pattern or color unit above the shelf angle, creating a bold horizontal band as a decorative element. For vertical expansion joints, placing reinforcements in bed joints above and below windows will allow you to disguise the joints at the ends of the window grouping. Designing an offset in the wall can also make them less noticeable. You can also choose a different sealant color that is visually similar to the unit or mortar or slightly darker.

Seismic Colorseal for brick precast panels via EMSEAL

Many manufacturers offer simple panel brick systems that are ready for easy installation at the tail end of construction. While these specialists can provide solid advice and details on the development of their products, it’s still imperative that architects know precisely how to design for movement within their chosen panel systems. Failure to properly detail the spacing could result in some unfortunate front-facing façade designs.

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Light and shadow give architecture definition. Recognizing the environmental and spatial power of solar design, Studio Gang Architects has begun creating a series of projects that explore how shaping a building’s form can maximize solar access with an added social benefit. Dubbed “Solar Carving”, the technique works across all building scales, building off the firm’s earlier work and projects like the Aqua Tower. These innovative designs show how we can reimagine modern façades to facilitate social space.

Highlighting the manufacturers and details that make solar carving possible, we’re taking a deep dive into three of Studio Gang’s ongoing projects. Currently under construction, each of the following designs test out solar carving techniques in diverse climates and sites. Together, they expand a body of research that rethinks traditional building envelopes. The projects feature both local and international manufacturers, included Glass Solutions Incorporated, Ventana and Focchi. Read on to discover the latest solar carving ideas from Studio Gang:

Solstice on the Park by Studio Gang, Chicago, Ill.

Unitized Curtain Wall System by Glass Solutions Incorporated

Located in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, Solstice on the Park is a 26-story residential tower shaped by the angles of the sun. The project combines a series of systems and elements, including slanted exterior glazing, metal panels and an exterior unitized curtain wall system. One of the first Studio Gang projects to explore the idea of solar carving, the design cuts into the building’s façade in response to the sun. Solstice on the Park was designed with surfaces oriented to the optimum degree angle for Chicago’s latitude. The goal was to maximize sunlight in winter for passive solar warming and minimizing light and heat gain during summer.

Constructed as 250 dwelling units and a green roof, the project utilizes glazing that is calibrated to the sun angles. The recessed windows of its southern wall are slanted 72 degrees, the angle on the day of the summer solstice. The design aims to balance this with an increase in the amount of daylight and passive solar warming in the building during winter. At the same time, the angled walls reflect the nearby park and daily life through the glass and aluminum curtain walls.

One Hundred by Studio Gang, St. Louis, Mo.

Curtain Wall Façade System by Ventana

One Hundred is a new residential tower overlooking Forest Park in St. Louis. Sited along Kingshighway Boulevard, the tower will rise to 385 feet and include retail, amenities, parking, and residential apartments. A series of four-story tiers are stacked over the height of the tower and angled to create generous outdoor spaces on top of each tier. This provides a series of terraces for a quarter of the apartments and shared amenity space for the resident community atop the green roof podium.

One Hundred’s façade of angled glass is intended to enhance residents’ views and to save energy. Glass walls sloped outward to make the apartments seem larger, and additionally show that people live in the building. Apartments are specifically designed to connect people to views of Forest Park and the Gateway Arch. Each apartment features its own corner living room with double exposures that, in addition to offering panoramic views, enhance the quality of daylight within the units. The design’s angled edges create this condition alongside the tilted glazing system by Ventana.

40 Tenth Avenue by Studio Gang, New York

Diamond Unitized Curtain Wall by Focchi

In New York, Studio Gang is building on a series of lessons from Solstice on the Park and their 02 residential high rise designed for Hyderabad, India. Where the Solstice design employed solar carving, 02 utilized self-shading to maximize social space. Designed to respect the nearby High Line and grant solar access and views to the public space, the 40 Tenth Avenue takes on the form of a faceted, tapering tower. The building’s shape is a direct result of mapping the incident angles of the sun’s rays as they intersect the building envelope. Cuts in the building form angular facets that actually invert setbacks made by New York’s Department of Standards and Appeals.

40 Tenth Avenue is nearing completion after many years of planning and design. The building is being made with a radically narrow base, minimized to preserve views from the High Line. The building mass benefits the public by funneling sunlight to the shared amenity space along this public infrastructure. Incident light accentuates the faceted glass wall of the solar carved surface. The glazing system has been geometrically optimized into a pattern of three-dimensional facets that articulate the carved sections of the tower. The curtain wall unit is composed of a central diamond-shaped panel tiling downward, surrounded by four triangular pieces that are perpendicular to the slab to achieve standard stack joints.

Together, these projects form a compelling precedent for architects looking to light to help shape more energy efficient, contextually aware urban projects. For more, check out Studio Gang’s complete portfolio on Architizer.

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With such a brave body of work, it’s no secret that the late Zaha Hadid completely transformed the world of architecture. Through her unwavering pursuit of daring experimentation, innovative material usage and unmatched spatial compositions, Hadid created intoxicating spaces that dare you to stop, stare and get completely lost with wonder. Deeply revered, she left architects to dream bigger than ever before.

With the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre (KAPSARC), Zaha Hadid Architects honored its founder’s legacy with another courageous, experimental structure. The modular, honeycomb-like cells, which compose a massive interlocking program, are evidence that the firm continues to find ways to think bigger and achieve more with every passing project.

Image by Hufton + Crow

Located in Riyadh — the capital and financial hub of Saudi Arabia — KAPSARC was built to provide a space where international researchers could go to investigate various modes of transitioning towards more sustainable power sources. The 750,000-square-foot facility comprises five connected buildings: the Energy Knowledge Centre, the Energy Computer Centre, the Research Library, the Conference Centre — which includes a 300-seat auditorium — and the Musalla prayer space, as depicted below. 

Image by Hufton + Crow

Designed to surpass LEED Platinum sustainability certification, the form of the building was geometrically strategized to soften the harsh light and heat of the Riyadh Plateau. The building features a strong, protective shell on the exterior that is contrasted by angular cutouts, stunning latticed skylights and a beautifully porous layer within. 

Image by Hufton + Crow

To further combat the scorching desert climate, the entire structure opens up towards the north and west edges of the site, allowing any available breezes to permeate the interior courtyards. At the center and social heart of the campus, the main public courtyard is shaded by a forest of branching steel columns. During the hottest months of the years, researchers can travel between buildings by way of underground passageways.

Image by Hufton + Crow

According to the Zaha Hadid Architects, ”Hexagonal prismatic honeycomb structures use the least material to create a lattice of cells within a given volume. This structural and organisational principle determined KAPSARC’s composition as an amalgamation of crystalline forms that emerges from the desert landscape, evolving to best respond to the environmental conditions and internal programme requirements.”

Image by Hufton + Crow

On top of the passive mechanisms, which include site-optimized geometry and form, KAPSARC uses active systems to dramatically minimize resource and energy consumption. A 45% reduction in energy consumption is not only achieved through the building’s massing and orientation, but also a photovoltaic array that is located on the roof of the south-facing Conference Center. This impressive system has the capacity to store up to 5,000 megawatts per year.

In addition, all of KAPSARC’s potable water is recycled and reused on site and 100% of all irrigation water is from non-potable sources. 40% of KAPSARC’s construction materials have been sources within 500 miles and 40% of all materials have been produced using recycled content. Finally, 98% of all wood has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Image by Hufton + Crow

In its current form, KAPSARC is an architectural feat that demonstrates equal commitment to both creativity and sustainability. Even so, the designers also considered the essential fact that buildings are dynamic creatures.

Unable to predict every possible function that KAPSARC would need to fulfill in the future, Zaha Hadid Architects ensured that the modular honeycomb formation would allow for future adaptation and expansion of the research campus. Opting for hexagons rather than rectangles or squares, the six sides of the cells offer greater opportunities for increased connectivity and expansion, compared to those with only four sides. As a result, there’s no telling what functions KAPSARC will fulfill or what forms it will take, in the decades to come. 

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All images via Zaha Hadid Architects

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The art of architecture is the art of assembly. Through materials and the way they come together, architecture is given meaning and definition. As one of the most iconic elements of design, the façade is a fertile ground for exploring the relationship between material combinations. Exemplifying this idea, the KUMC Health Education Building by CO Architects and Helix Architecture + Design contrasts a clear glass and metal curtain wall system by Kawneer with an interior ceramic cladding by NBK Architectural Terracotta. The result is a design that’s made to connect and impress.

As an inter-professional academic facility, the KUMC Health Education Building was built to serve the schools of nursing, medicine and health professions. The Health Education Building connects research, clinical and educational spaces around the site with 250-foot enclosed bridge. Blending traditional and emerging learning spaces, the education building needed to support both team-based and active learning. The design combines a series of learning studios and simulation laboratories with a four-story glass “lantern” to put the project’s program and materials on display.

This four story lantern was clad in the interior with Terrart Baguette by NBK Architectural Terracotta and a structural, silicone glazed curtain wall system by Kawneer. The combination creates a stunning contrast and elegant new face for the medical and health schools. The top four levels of the 172,000-square-foot Health Education Building are expressed as a cantilevered volume enclosed within a double-walled glass façade. Sited at the gateway to campus, the project was made to symbolize and embody KU’s widely-recognized Health System.

Curtain Wall

Manufactured by Kawneer

As the connector project and primary teaching facility for KU’s medical and health schools, the Health Education Building and its lantern approach was used to create a centralized and unified design element on campus. The state-of-the-art learning space needed to support new models of teaching, and to put these on display. Enter Kawneer’s 1600 glazed curtain wall system. The product provides reliability with versatile features and transparency. The stick fabricated, pressure glazed curtain wall is typically used in low and mid-rise applications either independently or as an integrated system.

Kawneer’s curtain wall system can be compared to the glass-enclosed pedestrian bridge spanning 250 feet across the site. Combining both circulation and meeting areas, the bridge provides space to work and views over the street through expansive glazing on both sides. Here again, the emphasis is on revealing the structure, the assembly of the building and highlighting the enclosure. The passageway works in tandem with the façade to create additional spaces to recharge.

Ceramic Interior Cladding

Manufactured by NBK

Terrart Baguettes are ceramic pipes that can be made with square, circular or oblong cross-sections. They may also take on curved shapes or as double baguettes/coffer elements. Mainly used to cover windows for an open façade, the product is produced individually for each project. In the case of the KUMC Health Education Building, the screen of terracotta rods are intended to evoke biology or anatomy. Terrart Baguettes are made to be easy to install with side and back fixing system with additional aluminum inserts for security. Functionally, the terracotta screen at KU helps control the varied climate of Kansas and sunlight that enters the space.

The airy volume between the transparent enclosure and the functional box was made to be an inspiring and uplifting space. Blending both traditional craft methods with advanced manufacturing, NBK created ceramic cladding that was high performing and durable. The two capsule-like rounded structures are embedded in the terracotta baguettes with a round cross-section. Allowing a view of the activity behind them, the terracotta is anchored on a substructure. Together, the curtain wall and ceramic interior cladding make up the signature lantern design, an approach that becomes the heart of the KUMC Health Education Building.

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The post Architectural Details: A Glass and Terracotta Lantern in Kansas appeared first on Journal.

Each year, the A+Awards celebrate architects who harness their immense talents to shake up and illuminate the way we see the world. By altering the built environment and injecting it with new life — new colors, forms and functionalities — we are able to witness the true magic of architecture.

The 2018 A+Awards season, which has officially concluded with the winners’ announcement, is no exception. Many of this year’s winning architects drew us in by touting their mastery of the interplay between old and new. Set in major metropolitan areas all over the globe, the following five projects display the immense potential of urban renewal and adaptive reuse when it is thoughtfully executed, from start to finish.

Along with hundreds of other winning projects, these phenomenal designs will be published by Phaidon in a full color, hardbound book called Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture, now available for preorder. Reserve your copy now, and get a glimpse of the architectural wonders inside through the following collection of transformative designs!

Jury Vote winner in the Commercial – Co-working Space category.

Station F by Wilmotte & Associés SAS, Paris, France

The Hall Freyssinet is a 1000-foot-long shed in a bustling area of Paris, built in the late 1920s by French engineer Eugène Freyssinet. The remarkably slender structure is composed of prestressed reinforced concrete, and is less than 2 inches thick in certain areas.

Now a dynamic ecosystem for startups and businesses, the architects were challenged with preserving the building’s concrete umbrella while also modernizing and breaking up its previously isolated interior. Today, Station F is made up of three distinct zones: the “Share” forum, the “Create” zone and the “Chill” zone.

Popular Choice winner in the Commercial-Mixed Use category.

Empire Stores by STUDIO V Architecture, Brooklyn, NY, United States

For over 150 years, seven beautiful historic brick structures have existed between the iconic Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges on the Brooklyn waterfront. These Civil War era structures were named the Empire Stores, after their original usages as coffee warehouses.

Working to inject new life into the structure while synthesizing old and new, STUDIO V Architecture’s design combines creative contemporary architecture with precise historic rehabilitation. On top of the building’s extensive green roofs sits a two-story steel and glass extension, which hosts gardens and terraces with stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The unique design combines tech offices, public spaces and cultural and hospitality amenities to create a unique interface between work and place.

Jury Vote winner in the Hospitality – Healthcare and Wellness category.

Maggie’s Centre Barts by Steven Holl Architects, London, United Kingdom

Located in the heart of London, Maggie’s Centre Barts is situated adjacent to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital — the oldest hospital in the city, with roots dating back to 1123. For this building, Steven Holl Architects envisioned a “vessel within a vessel within a vessel.”

The branching concrete frame features an inner layer of perforated bamboo as well as an outer layer of matte white glass. Colored glass fragments, which create the flowing image of a musical staff, not only create a glowing presence, but also add bursts of color to an otherwise monochromatic structure. 

Jury Vote winner in the Cultural – Museum category.

Zeitz MOCAA by Heatherwick Studio, Cape Town, South Africa

From the 1920s to the 1990s, this prominent grain silo on Cape Town’s waterfront stored and graded corn from all over South Africa. Since the building was decommissioned and out of use for over two decades, the structure presented a fascinating new canvas for the Zeitz Foundation art collection, which includes contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora.

What exists today as a museum with 80-box shaped galleries, a rooftop sculpture garden and a boutique hotel, was once a collection of two very different buildings: an elevator tower and a storage annex. To read a detailed investigation of Zeitz MOCAA, check out Architectural Details: Heatherwick Studio’s Majestic Zeitz MOCAA.

Popular Choice winner in the Commercial – Office – Mid Rise (5-15 Floors) category.

Popular Choice winner in the Commercial – Office – Mid Rise (5-15 Floors) category.

7 St. Thomas by Hariri Pontarini Architects, Toronto, Ontario

Blending Victorian and contemporary materials to create a unified work, 7 St. Thomas harmonizes retail and commercial design through an inventive interplay of form and light. Six heritage townhouses are integrated into a three storey podium, with a sinuous six storey tower above, which peels back from the neighbourhood to preserve the views of existing residential buildings.

The playful contrast between the solidity of the red brick heritage houses and the translucent permeability of the fritted glass tower offers a model for thoughtfully integrated urban development and urban sustainability.

Preorder Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture

The post Blending Old and New: 5 Masterful Adaptive Reuse Projects appeared first on Journal.

If there is one thing we all wish we learned more about during architecture school, it must be technical detailing. Many an architect has called for changes in the curriculum to include more “real-world” insights on how different building elements are put together on site. Greater knowledge in this area also benefits architects in other aspects of professional practice, such as project specifications — it’s a lot easier to select the right building-products and manufacturers when you know exactly what connection details you are after.

With architecture school offering highly varied levels of education on this subject, one design professional decided to create her own solution.

“During my early years in architecture, I spent many hours searching for details, desperate to understand the real nitty gritty details of construction,” explains Emma Walshaw, founder of First in Architecture and the creator of a comprehensive series of digital resources on construction detailing. “Good, reliable details are hard to find. They are out there — but there just isn’t time to trawl through books, guides and manufacturers websites in search of what you are looking for.”

Meticulously composed by Walshaw with contributions from Adam Tomaszczyk and Johnathon Clous, Residential Construction Details contains hundreds of common details in both 2D and 3D. All are annotated and downloadable as DWG or SKP files. This allows readers to rotate and spin details around in SketchUp or Photoshop as they read the book, offering an interactive way to learning about architectural materials and the ways in which they are often connected.

At the beginning of each section, Walshaw has included in-depth overviews of typical structural systems and construction principles that lend additional context to the details. Each drawing includes notes on materials and typical arrangements, as well as diagrams highlighting the position of key elements such as vapor barriers and insulation. The book has been written according to United States codes and construction standards.

Walshaw’s compendium of residential construction details looks like an essential resource for architecture students and young architects alike. It’s available via the First in Architecture website, together with a number of other detail drawing packages.

The post Young Architect Guide: Residential Construction Details appeared first on Journal.

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A beautiful kitchen is made in the details. As one of the three elements in the kitchen work triangle, sinks are an important part of creating a balanced space to cook, dine and create. Bottom-mount or undermount sinks are an elegant way to create continuous countertop surfaces.

Specified to rest under the countertop, they are clamped to the bottom of the material from below. This can be done with silicone-based sealants for a waterproof joint, or with glued, solid-surface plastic for both the sink and the counter. Depending on the sink’s material, they can also be welded to the countertop and ground to a finish. Illustrating this idea, the diagram below shows a standard way of raising an undermount sink with silicone sealant to the correct counter height.

When attaching undermount sinks, it’s important to create a leak-free seal with a bonding agent like high-strength epoxies and silicone caulk. These can be combined with metal anchors and clips, or a sink harness kit with a drawbar. Below, we see this through a detail that uses brackets, wing nuts and bolts.

Include installation details like ensuring the underside of the countertop is dust-free. If using epoxy, the dust will cause the bond to fail. Allow sealants time to cure according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The last step is to connect drain lines and overflow pipes to the sinks. Taking a closer look at minimalist sink detailing, we’ve gathered together the following undermount sinks that create a clean slate through simple connections and uninterrupted work surfaces:

Carling Residence by TACT Architecture, ON, Canada

Undermount Sink by Kohler Co.

As a private year-round home for a young couple, the Carling Residence is located on the shores of Georgian Bay. The sustainable and modern home is set within the woods with views to the bay. A minimalist interior was chosen to complement the rugged surroundings with an undermount sink that’s perfectly set with a large, continuous countertop.

Hupomone Ranch by Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects, Sonoma County, Calif., United States

Undermount Sink by Franke Kitchen

Located in the Chileno Valley, the Hupomone Ranch features a new barn house to build on a sense of place in western Petaluma. The simple, grounded form of the barn is oriented to the surrounding farmland and meadow. A light-filled interior features a kitchen with slide away windows that open directly to the garden. The Franke undermount sink provides a subtle elegance that keeps the kitchen minimal, open and bright.

The Nook by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects, Earlswood, United Kingdom

Undermount Sink by Franke Kitchen

The Nook was made as a new-build four bedroom family house that would capitalize on a secluded valley site in Monmouthshire. The durable and flexible home was inspired by the region’s agricultural structures, featuring a simple mass recalling spare steel-framed structures and stone barns. Materials were used to reinterpret local building techniques, like the kitchen’s undermount sink that features elegant detailing that embodies larger ideas used throughout the house.

Plywood House II by Andrew Burges Architects, Sydney, Australia

Undermount Sink by Franke Kitchen

Designed within a tightly scaled streetscape of detached houses in Bondi, the Plywood House II features an exterior envelope that directly expresses the long, thin site geometry. Interiors were created that would orient the house away from neighbors and connect with the sky and garden. Ecoply cladding and concrete form a textured base, while upper level windows and privacy screens play with light. The Franke kitchen sink was specified to help preserve an elegant, open interior.

Rural Poetry by Karine Szekeres, Brussels, Belgium

Undermount sinks by Alape and Blanco

A complete housing renovation, Rural Poetry was formed around the idea of a quiet and generous interior. With a desire to be contemporary, minimalist and modest, the dwelling features warm, raw materials and ample light. Wood, stone, Washi paper and brass were specified alongside undermount sinks by Alape and Blanco that create subtle, intimate and unique details.

TinkerBox by Studio MM, pllc, Kerhonkson, N.Y., United States

Undermount Sink by Franke Kitchen

TinkerBox was built in the woods of Hudson Valley as a car-lover’s dream retreat. Formed around a large garage, the design takes on a rectangular form embedded in the landscape. Details like shou sugi ban cladding and a cantilevered entryway combine with a 12-foot mahogany pivot door and exposed concrete walls. The open-plan living space connects to the kitchen and a waterfall-edge marble island and sink that form a minimalist, handcrafted interior.

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The archetypal oasis, a source of food, water and shelter from the elements, is found, almost by definition, in remote or extreme settings — an island of life and fertility surrounded by barren or inhospitable terrain. Yet cities, often lacking in biodiversity and located in extreme settings, are also a context for oases, or in need of them. And like all city spaces, urban oases are inherently architectural. These include structures that enable the creation of green spaces, where a park could not otherwise exist, or architecture that enhances engagement with existing parks and oases.

As manufactured oases, these structures are intended to serve social roles in addition to biological or environmental ones. Each project creates a venue for nature, but also introduces public spaces where they did not exist before. Some of the works are designed to generate economic changes, as well. Most cities import food from surrounding towns, whereas some of these projects transform traditional foodways, improving access to fresh food and and fostering autonomy within communities. Each project serves to reimagine not only the architecture of our cities, but the very narrative of modern urbanization and development.

Research Green Manufacturers

Invasión Verde by Denise and Claudia Ampuero, Lima, Peru

Invasión Verde came about as a response to the lack of green spaces incorporated during spurts of rapid industrialization and urbanization in Lima. The design effectively reverses these processes, by peeling away urban surfaces to make room for patches of green grass and hillocks. Chairs were also created out of recycled materials and greenery. The project demonstrates that processes of urban development are not unidirectional, but rather in a constant state of continuous and entropic change.

X-Scape by X-Scape, Tempe, Ariz., United States

The X-Scape space was created to liven up the common area of a university campus. The eponymous design team was made up of students from a variety of disciplines, each bringing different concerns and priorities — chief among them were accessibility and the need to introduce more greenery to the campus. The result was a manufactured landscape, imitating organic forms and accommodating real plant life, to serve as a social and visual focal point for the entire school community.

THE INFINITE GREEN by ADAM KALINOWSKI, Wrocław, Poland

Rather than imitating an undeveloped landscape, THE INFINITE GREEN creates an overtly architectural platform for urban plant life. Conceived of as a “wall,” the structure defies conventional uses of walls as structures of exclusion or detention, instead suggesting possibilities for architecture to support the growth of diverse and dynamic ecosystems. This paradigm shift is reflected not only in the abundant greenery bursting from the pavilion, but in the curvilinear shape of the wall, curling in upon itself — rendering the structure completely useless according to more traditional criteria.

Growroom by Husum Lindholm Architects, Copenhagen, Denmark

Husum Lindholm Architect’s Growroom is formally similar to THE INFINITE GREEN, featuring undulating walls made up of layers of stacked plant beds. Yet the project stays true to the notion of an oasis — not only as a space of greenery but as a source of strength and sustenance. In addition to providing a site for community engagement, the structure is intended to serve as a model for the future of urban farming.

The Green Embassy by Steffen Impgaard, Aarhus, Denmark

The Green Embassy also promotes urban farming, fueled by crowdsourced labor and community engagement. The structure functions as both a grow room and workshop, where citizens of Aarhus can learn how to grow their own food. In addition to importing agriculture into an urban context, the project introduces an architecture uncommon to this setting, composed almost entirely of organic materials, and featuring an exterior made of strips of willow.

la rue des utopies by compagnie des rues, Paris, France

For la rue des utopies, compagne des rues used architecture to reanimate an existing oasis within Paris. Transposed onto a patch of lime trees is a wooden ambulatory, raised up to the leafy canopy of the park. The simple shift makes a world of a difference, enveloping visitors in an otherworldly environment, completely (if temporarily) removed from their urban surroundings.

BREATHE by SO – IL, Milan, Italy

The design of BREATHE illustrates the struggle to incorporate green spaces within a developed landscape. Squeezed between two buildings, the structure reaches above the rooftops of the surrounding neighborhood like a plant growing towards the sun. The project imagines a new relationship between living spaces and plant life, by bringing the oasis into the home, with a garden crowning the roof of this tower-like house.

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The post Urban Oases: 7 Green Spaces Infiltrating the Concrete Jungle appeared first on Journal.