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Following World War Two, Metabolism emerged in Japan as an avant-garde architectural movement that sought to bring Japanese urbanism to the global stage. Metabolism was an effort to reexamine the relationship between humans and the built environment. Among its many tenets, the movement sought to emphasize the concept of biological growth in architecture, that the city and its structures are living organisms developing together.

“Clusters in the Sky” by Arata Isozaki (1962). Via NCSU

Metabolists diverged from much of the established international discourse, which they viewed as outdated. They moved away from architecture defined by functional programming towards one more focused on human association and mobility. Buildings were based on modular frameworks, often incorporating pods units, allowing for the expansion and rearrangement of space to meet the needs of the residents.

Half a century later, architects are still drawing from the lessons of the Metabolists. Walls and floors dissolve into series of nesting and interlocking spaces, hybridized and instinctively interactive. These spaces seem even more relevant today as we move towards a culture that is increasingly relational. Architecture acts as a social network, growing and morphing as we seek increasingly to shape the world around us.

Toshima City Office by Kengo Kuma and Associates, Toshima, Japan

Reminiscent of many original Metabolist megastructures, the Toshima City Office incorporates office space, apartment units and a vertical garden. A small river even runs through the building.

House and Garden by Ryue Nishizawa, Tokyo, Japan

With spaces separated only by glass and plants, House and Garden dematerializes the wall in favor of more organic and permeable boundaries. The clients live and work in this house and the spaces needed to be flexible in order to accommodate different activities.

Ekoin Nenbutsudo by Yutaka Kawahara Design Studio, Tokyo, Japan

Tackling the problem of putting the three functional units of a temple into one, Yutaka Kawahara Design Studio opted to stack the units. There is also included an elevated forest around the perimeter of the second floor, adding green both inside and out. Read more about this project here.

S-House by yuusuke karasawa architects, Saitama Prefecture, Japan

The S-House is based off a complicated structural logic of intertwining floors and stairs. The client wanted to maximize the floor space within a small footprint, producing the sensation of nested and interpenetrating spaces.

House in Ishikiri by Tato Architects / You Shimada, Amagasaki, Japan

Tato Architects developed this residence piece by piece, dealing with a steep slope by stacking and linking each functional unit. They redesigned the residence based off older models of home renovations and additions found in some of the old houses in the neighborhood.

Nagaoka by Kengo Kuma and Associates, Nagaoka, Japan

Reminiscent of the dense Metabolist structures from the 1960s, Kengo Kuma addressed the need for a new form of city center, a meeting place like those found in city halls in Europe. Nagaoka acts as an organism, including banks, restaurants, a theater and retail, within walking distance for residents of the town.

Unfinished House by YAMAZAKI KENTARO DESIGN WORKSHOP, Chiba Prefecture, Japan

The Unfinished House epitomizes the Metabolists’ keen interest in fluid and adaptable space. Called a “container” rather than a house, the interior spaces all focus on a central gathering area, but are unspecified beyond this. With this flexibility, each child is allowed to pick their room, offices and storage can move, and the house is able to adapt to the changing needs of the family.

Explore more images of contemporary Japanese architecture here.

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Hero image: Nagakin Caspule Tower; photo by Charles Peterson / Moment / Getty Images

The post Organic Architecture: 7 Japanese Projects Channeling the Metabolic Movement appeared first on Journal.

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Tower houses are a powerful example of how architecture can transcend locale. Though these dwellings are rare, they share similar approaches to view and hierarchy, and engender wonderfully unique living experiences. As homes that rethink typical forms of dwelling, the following tower houses reveal novel approaches to vertical living around the world.

From dense urban environments to rural, idyllic countrysides, these projects take advantage of height to frame expansive views. Built with structural systems that allow for flexibility, each design possesses its own programmatic hierarchy and material expression. From stacked services to intricate staircases, careful consideration is given to circulation and spatial sequences. Together, these designs break the mold to stand out and capture our imagination.

Keenan TowerHouse by Marlon Blackwell Architects, Fayetteville, Ark., United States

Marlon Blackwell’s Keenan TowerHouse was built as a structure that soars above the trees to offer expansive views across the horizon. Designed with stairs that rise through a 50-foot-high courtyard and an open-roof exterior room that frames the sky above, the project was oriented on the cardinal points to intensify the presence of celestial movements.

Tower House by ON Architecture INC., Gimhae-si, South Korea

Sited behind Gimhaehyanggyo Confucian School, this tower house takes advantage of multiple views over the cityscape of Gimhae. To capture these views, a family room was created atop an observation tower, while a vertical gallery and foyer links and integrates all the rooms of the house together.

MAISON L by Christian Pottgiesser, France

Christian Pottgiesser’s Maison L is located outside the Paris city center near the river Seine. Overlooking the Parisian outskirts, the tower minimizes construction on the grounds while forming a complex topography between the house and its landscape.

Casa Cien by Pezo von Ellrichshausen, Concepcion, Chile

The Cien House was designed as a seven-story concrete tower that includes studio space. Rising from a partially submerged base, the structure was built with layered concrete and exposed aggregate to establish a monolithic profile.

Tower House by GLUCK+, Ulster County, N.Y., United States

Inspired by the trees that surround it, this vacation house features green enamel back-painted glass and a spacious living area on the top floor. Made with views to the Catskill mountains, the project includes glass-enclosed stairs that ascend to the treetops.

Four Eyes House by Edward Ogosta Architecture

Created as a weekend desert residence, Four Eyes House was designed to intensify viewing and the experience of the surrounding site. Each “sleeping tower” was oriented to a different part of the landscape, from the morning sunrise and southern mountain range to evening city lights and the nighttime stars overhead.

Maiden Tower by Marte.Marte Architects, Dafins, Austria

Maiden Tower in Austria was created as a vertical steel and concrete monolith rising above the land. Connected to an in-ground pool and the nearby forest, the project includes living quarters, a library and carefully crafted outdoor space.

Tower House by Andersson-Wise Architects, Leander, Texas, United States

Building upon Lake Travis’s vernacular limestone cabin designs from 1930, Andersson-Wise’s house introduced additional living quarters through a vertical wood tower. The project was made with a terrace that opens up to a panorama of the lake and surrounding landscape.

4×4 House by Tadao Ando Architect & Associates, Kobe, Japan

Tadao Ando’s 4×4 House is connected by a stairway that leads up to a glass cube atop the concrete house. Oriented to the Seto Sea and Awaji island, the design serves as a lighthouse with views towards the famous Akashi bridge.

Tower House by Waechter Architecture, Portland, Ore., United States

This tower house design is situated atop steep topography and is accessed by a steel pedestrian bridge. Built with one main room per floor, the house has three primary spaces that float within the tubular building skin. The tall spaces are connected to the sleeve through closets, bathrooms and stairs.

Glen Lake Tower by Balance Associates, Mich., United States

The Glen Lake Tower House was designed as a three-story plywood form bounded and supported by two metal-clad walls. Overlooking views to the landscape and Glen Lake, the project features expansive cantilevered decks and a dramatic glass-wrapped living space.

Rabbit Snare Gorge by Omar Gandhi Architect, Inverness, Canada

Rabbit Snare Gorge was designed around the remoteness of Cape Breton in the Northeastern seaboard. The house places the environment on display to encourage exploration in the surrounding landscape. The gabled tower opens up towards views of the Acadian forest and the Northumberland Strait.

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The post Vertical Living: Would You Live in a Tower House? appeared first on Journal.

Architectural Digest recently published an op-ed entitled “Why Minimalism Is BS”, lamenting the rising trend of Minimalism. Writer Jennifer McCartney warned people of the perils of joining the “Marie Kondo cult”, referring to the tremendously popular Netflix show in which organizing consultant and author Kondo teaches people “the Japanese Art of Decluttering.” McCartney’s entertainingly terse take-down of tidiness makes many well-founded points — she reminds us that “some of the world’s most respected artists and thinkers are notoriously messy,” and that mess can be the sign of “a fertile, creative environment.” There must be a conspiracy at play, she argues: “We’re born messy, we die messy, and somewhere in between we get bullied into believing that we should be neat and organized.”

Here’s the thing though. Jennifer McCartney is clearly biassed. She is the author of the best selling book “The Joy of Leaving Your Sh-t All Over the Place”, an advocate for clutter and all things disorderly.

Here’s the second thing: I’m clearly biassed too. I’m the Content Director at Architizer, home to the world’s most beautiful Minimalist apartments, sleek office spaces and charmingly empty abodes. I love nothingness. My favorite architect is Tadao Ando, for goodness’ sake.

That said, I know I’m not alone — thousands upon thousands of people come to Architizer every day, specifically in search of Minimalist interiors to inspire and uplift them. We’re not bullying anyone into thinking this is what their own environments should look like, but there is an aspirational quality to these images that is undeniable. Ostensibly, they portray a Minimalist aesthetic, but possess underlying connotations of cleanliness, neatness and order — the type Kondo digs, and McCartney clearly doesn’t. The question is — why is this aesthetic and its associated lifestyle so compelling? Here are my three reasons why Minimalism is not, in fact, BS:

Mess Causes Stress

There’s Beauty in Absence

Possessions Gain a New Preciousness

The post Why Minimalism Is Not BS appeared first on Journal.

Submit your best renderings for the Unbuilt Categories at the 7th Annual A+Awards for a chance at global recognition and international publication! Click here to prepare your entry before the final entry deadline on March 29th.

Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut’s futuristic urban landscapes are not to everyone’s liking, but one thing is for sure: They always get the internet talking. Some of his most provocative renderings portray Paris as an über green metropolis, populated with vertical farms, towers powered by photosynthesis and apartments made up of tessellating honeycomb modules, fused with traditional residential blocks.

Inhabitable bridges soar across the Seine, whilst tree-like structures entwined with mangrove plants spiral overhead. Weaving between the luscious high-rises, a spiderweb of monorails completes Callebaut’s outrageously utopian vision of sustainable architecture and infrastructure.

© Vincent Callebaut Architectures. Via designboom

Callebaut’s fantastical work is intended to get people talking about environmental issues within the built environment, and on this point alone, his renderings must be considered a huge success. His work follows in the footsteps of many architects who delight in the creation of playfully absurd worlds, intended not as feasible proposals but rather to provoke debate and encourage us to ask: “What if?”

This is the beauty of conceptual architecture — and why the Architecture + Models & Rendering and Unbuilt Categories are among the mostly hotly contested in Architizer’s A+Awards, the world’s largest awards program for architecture and building-products. As you consider which of your renderings to submit for one of architecture’s most prestigious honors, take inspiration from the following “dreamscapes”, each of which push through the boundaries of reality and explore the potential of architecture to transform the future …

Enter the 2019 A+Awards

Via Archipress and Atkinson and Co

Walking City by Archigram

In an article for Archigram, the trailblazer of conceptual architecture, British architect Ron Herron proposed gargantuan, nomadic cities that could relocate as needed to access vital resources and provide infrastructure for manufacturing around the world, wherever demand arose. Drawn in 1964, it caused quite a stir in the world of architectural criticism and urban theory.

These robotic structures could link together to form an enormous metropolis when necessary, or break down into individual, free-moving buildings, bridges, and road segments. Outlandish though it may be, the project harnessed the same principles of versatility and dynamism present in metabolic architecture, which was to become a reality in Japan during the same period.

Via Fineart

Discopter City by Alexander Weygers

A Dutch-American polymath with experience in aerospace engineering, Weygers received his patent in 1945 for a disc-shaped craft, two years before the term “flying saucer” was ever used. The Discopter was born.

The visionary artist and painter put together a compelling image of a future San Francisco, with the city’s infrastructure redefined by this new mode of transport. Although the Discopter still looks like something out of The Fifth Element, Weyger’s illustration provides an intriguing glimpse of just how a future metropolis could be shaped by advances in technology.

Via Diesel Punks and Graphicine

Manhattan by Hugh Ferriss

Perhaps the most famous architectural concept artist of them all, Hugh Ferriss illustrated the consequences of zoning laws in New York City to show professionals the exact setbacks necessary to maximize floor space during the skyscraper boom of the 1920s. His drawings pre-empted the iconic silhouettes of Manhattan classics, the Empire State and the Chrysler Building.

At the end of his book “The Metropolis of Tomorrow,” he included a series of hypothetical views, presenting Manhattan as a manmade mountain range: The forest of towers has inspired countless modernists and futurists, and gave a glimpse of an urban landscape that is still emerging today.

Via André Rocha

Transparent City by André Rocha

Portuguese illustrator André Rocha uses fine pen work to create whimsical urban environments with incredible density — and an extraordinary level of detail. The artist’s scenes “vacillate between the real and the surreal,” playing with texture, light, and shade to create riotous cityscapes that sit precariously on the page.

Rocha enjoys contrasting traditional architectural styles with modernist concepts of openness and minimalism, and “Transparent City” sees that contrast displayed in all its glory. Perhaps it represents a metaphor for ancient cities that are beginning to be punctuated by bold, contemporary interventions.

Via Artstation

Futuristic Slums by Jean-Guilhem Bargues

Whilst this dystopian environment was produced by Bargues for purely artistic purposes, it is eerily reminiscent of certain real-life urban conditions — namely Venezuela’s Torre David, which was the world’s largest vertical slum until a mass eviction on New Year’s Eve 2014.

Bargues’ rendering is strangely beautiful nonetheless, and the inclusion of two figures in the foreground gives an indicator of this makeshift city’s epic scale. There is also a nod towards Orwellian concepts of surveillance and the nanny state: who is piloting those aircraft, their spotlights beaming down through the smog-filled sky?

Via Atelier Olschinsky

Cities by Atelier Olschinsky

Peter Olschinsky and Verena Weiss met whilst working on a project for a mutual client in 2002, and instantly realized that they must work with each other on a more permanent basis. Atelier Olschinsky was born, and with it has come an extraordinary array of intense graphic artworks with a mind-boggling level of spatial intricacy.

Hi Fructose arts writer James Scarborough sums up the chaos beautifully:

“Each piece offers panoplies of virtuosity. Each bristles with complexity and detail. The series resembles Russian Constructivism on steroids. It’s rife with formal movement. Line and pattern crisscross and overlay. It’s more a Platonic idea of a major metropolis, what sleepy villages dream of becoming when they grow up.”

Via The Architectural Review

City of the Future by Kempster and Evans

Illustrators Kempster and Evans created this highly graphic vision of the future in 1954, which appears to have been heavily influenced by the modernist principles of Le Corbusier. The illustration appeared in James Fisher’s book “The Wonderful World,” and envisioned cities linked together with an extensive network of public transport, much like Vincent Callebaut’s plan for Paris.

The prediction of a transport-dominated urban condition is a common vision within utopian proposals, and the image produced by Kempster and Evans echoes another ‘City of the Future’ put forward by W.H. Corbett (his incredible drawing can be found right here).

Now it’s your turn: Submit your visualizations in the Models & Rendering and Unbuilt Categories for the 7th Annual A+Awards, and do it today — the final entry deadline on March 29th!

Enter the 2019 A+Awards

Top image: City of the Future by Tim Van T’ Hof

The post The Great Tomorrow: 8 Architectural Visions for the Future of Cities appeared first on Journal.

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To become one of the world’s foremost architectural photographers, one must go to great lengths to produce images that move beyond pure representation and offer a unique perspective on beautiful buildings.

No one understands this better than award-winning photographer Iwan Baan, and the Dutchman provided vivid evidence of this in a stunning new movie by NOWNESS. The film follows one man and his camera through the snow-swept landscape surrounding MAD Architects’ Harbin Opera House, an A+Award-winning project in the extreme north of China.

The breathtaking footage shows the Harbin Opera House at one with nature, its undulating shell merging with the snow, its crystalline glass roof glistening like shards of ice in the northern sun. As we travel through this mysterious, barren landscape and enter the serene interior of the theater itself, Baan explains the thought process behind his shoot, offering a fascinating insight into the challenge of creating unforgettable visual stories about architecture.

Baan emphasizes that, despite his preoccupation with capturing the ostensibly inanimate forms of the built environment, it is crucial to consider how those volumes are interacted with, occupied and experienced by human life.

“I’m not trying to create timeless images which could be in any moment in time,” explains the photographer. “They always should have very much a connection to a specific place, time, people, a context, culture … this kind of thing. So people are, in that sense, a very important part.”

Just as with many great architects, the photographer constantly aims to harness the visceral power of place: For Baan, the architecture and its context must work hand in hand, playing equal roles in the creation of truly powerful photographs.

“For me, it’s always important to find projects, buildings and places which have … a relationship to a site, to a specific context, to a specific city or country,” reflects Baan. “There should be kind of an urgency, necessity or complete juxtaposition of these kind of things. I think it’s also here with the Harbin Opera House.”

For more images and information about the Harbin Opera House, dive into MAD’s extensive firm profile on Architizer. For more A+Award-winning projects just as beautiful as this one, head this way to explore every amazing building.

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All screenshots courtesy of NOWNESS

The post Is This the World’s Most Beautiful Opera House? appeared first on Journal.

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For the majority of buildings, architecture begins on the ground. But buildings continue to rise with our ambitions, and as we’ve created skyscrapers soaring thousands of feet and supertalls that reach toward the stratosphere, we continue to look up. At a more intimate scale, treehouses reflect an innate desire for reflection, as well as new views and vantage points. As architects build off the ground, their designs are are removed from the conditions below and lent a newfound flexibility, freed from the usual constraints.

Celebrating dwellings that rise above, the following collection of projects features retreats and homes designed around treetops and forests. Sited across five continents, the designs showcase a global fascination with treehouses and the outdoors. Explored through section drawings, the collection shows how buildings are removed from the ground and how they are placed in relation to the surrounding landscape.  Together, they give a glimpse into different ways of living with nature and embracing broader contexts.

Tree House by Van der Merwe Miszewski Architects (VDMMA), Cape Town, South Africa

Windows & Fenestration by ASI Limited, Lighting by Crenshaw

This house was designed on the slopes of Table Mountain in Cape Town around a desire for contextual responsiveness and connectivity. The site, adjacent to a valley and stream, has a canopy of spreading umbrella Pines. These trees, majestic and sculptural, provided the primary reference and ultimately the structural concept for the house. Five tree-like structures anchor the roof to the ground and provide shelter for the functions gathered under. These trees are surrounded by an entirely separate lightweight transparent steel and glass enclosure supported on a heavily rusticated stone base.

The design of the house incorporates themes of narrative, of layering and of expressed threshold. The visitor is invited to take part in a journey of discovery, requested to participate in the unlocking of experiences within the house, the unpeeling of layers. VDMMA tried to heighten the experience of unveiling and of delicate exposure, to create within the house sensuality and moments of intense intimacy – a folly immersed in, and closely linked with, the beauty of the African landscape – a simultaneous dialogue between inside and outside and outside and inside, neither taking precedent over the other.

Tree Houses by Peter Pichler Architecture, North Italy

PPA developed a concept for sustainable tree houses in the forest of the Italian Dolomites. The tree houses are an addition to an existing hotel and are made to create a new experience of living in the woods with maximum connection to nature. The geometry features sharp steep roofs inspired by the surrounding fir and larch trees, and they will be made of local wood. The size of the units ranges from 35-45 m2 on 2 levels. The lower level is a small reading / lounge area, and the upper level the sleeping area with a small bathroom. The two levels are connected with a small internal stair.

The project is conceived as a “slow down” — a form of tourism where nature and the integration of architecture in it plays a primary role. As the office said, “We believe that the future of tourism is based on the relationship of the human being with nature. Well integrated, sustainable architecture can amplify this relationship, nothing else is needed.” In the section you get a sense of structure and living quarters, as well as the vertical circulation.

Trunk House by Paul Morgan Architects

Trunk House by Paul Morgan Architects, Highlands, Australia

Roof & Ceilings by Dulux, Wood Flooring by Intergrain

Trunk House was designed around one question; how does one go into a forest and use the forms of the ecology to build a house? The project is a small cabin in Victoria’s Central Highlands. The brief included a living area, small kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms. The clients asked for a small habitat that could connect them with the isolation one finds in a forest, as well as closeness to the birdlife. Tree forks or bifurcations were used as the structure for the cabin. The bifurcations were sourced from forest floors and farmland, and, due to their age, were well seasoned. They were joined to straight columns with internal metal plates by a sculptor.

An internal column with radiating beams completed the structure. Stringybark trees were removed from the site to make way for the new house. A mobile milling machine was delivered to site, and the lining boards were milled, cured on site, and then fixed internally. The figuration of the boards in the living room results in a minimal carbon footprint for the sourcing and installing of the lining boards. The design sought to achieve an almost transparent relationship with the surrounding forest, achieved through an eco-morphological transformation of remnant timber into structure. It developed the typology of the small Australian house, conflating it with the precedents of the primitive hut and the tradition of Aboriginal structures.

Tree Snakes House by Luís and Tiago Rebelo de Andrade, Braga, Portugal

The project for these houses was developed in partnership with the Modular System Company. The idea was to get an object that would be far away from orthogonality and pre-established concepts associated with the modular construction. The design associated with the slates and the wood on the base suggests a snake gliding between the trees. The choice of materials gives a sense of connection with nature and establishes a coherent image of a symbiosis between the house and the Park. The architects made use of new technology already tested in prototypes that allowed an easy-carrying construction.

Native raw material, slate and wood used in the finishing promoted integration into the centennial park itself. The consistency and rationale for the intervention were attained by the layers of reinforced insulation, heating systems, water reuse, water solar panels, the low consumption lighting system using LED technology as well as the option of keeping the soil without any impermeable system. Each house comprises a studio with a bathroom and a kitchen. The two Tree Snake Houses of Pedras Salgadas Park are objects that, using similar materials and technologies, point out to our imaginary: the primitive hut and the wild animal.

IMJ Tree House by Ifat Finkelman & Deborah Warschawski, Jerusalem, Israel

Structural Frames & Systems by Bazelet

The entrance courtyard of the Youth Wing for Art Education at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem (IMJ) is a main gathering place for visitors- adults, children and groups. This project – a renewal of the courtyard – combines a program open to interpretation by its users with a clearly defined context. The existing pine tree is the focus of the project, the physical anchor of the design concept. As a tribute to the childhood collective memory of a tree house, a small roofed structure where children can hide and over look at, is positioned high up the tilted trunk, raised above the surroundings of the museum. Along with its strong iconic appearance, it also functions as the peak of one continuous structural folded element allowing various situations to occur along it.

The structural technique- 2 cm Ipea boards fixed to a light steel skeleton – creates a range of transparencies from top to bottom. While gradually transforming towards the ground, the element’s surface becomes a playground; sitting elements frame a topography covered with a soft EPDM rubber surface. All this carefully hides the underground infrastructure configuration as well as a widespread root system. At night the house is the only element illuminated, and emerges floating above the courtyard’s entrance.

Qiyunshan Tree House by Bengo Studio, Anhui, China

Lighting by Crenshaw, Seating by Martin Brattrud

This tree house is located in Xiuning County, 33 kilometers west of Huangshan City, Anhui Province, China. It is part of the Qiyun Mountain Scenic Area. The total area of its larger context is 110 square kilometers. The scenic park is famous for its mountains, water, and caves. The project was designed as a country hotel with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, one living room and one landscape room (the room on the top). All the rooms are connected via a spiral stair. At 120sqm, the project was conceived as a hut on the mountainside.

Visitors enter the tree house along a middle corridor that connects to the larger project. Residents arrive at each room by climbing a spiral staircase. The functional height of each room was set at 1.6 meters, and these connect to features such as a porch, living room, bedroom, bathroom, viewing room, and viewing platform. Visitors and residents can experience the 360-degree view of the forest and experience their surroundings from different heights.

Section drawing by modus studio

The Bob + Sunny Evans Tree House by modus studio, Hot Springs, AR, United States

Nestled in a natural Ouachita Mountain hillside along Lake Hamilton at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the Evans Children’s Adventure Garden welcomed a new tree house to the grounds in summer of 2018. As modus states, the tree house is the first of three planned for the garden that will provide an interactive educational experience for visiting children as part of an ambitious plan to bring children back into the woods. The tree house uses a rich visual and tactile environment to stimulate the mind and body to strengthen connections back to the natural world, while accommodating the needs of all users.

The underlying theme of dendrology, the study of trees and wooded plants, drives both the form and program of the structure. The 113 fins comprising the thermalized Arkansas-sourced Southern Yellow Pine screen creates a semi-transparent and an evocative form dynamically shrouding multiple levels of spaces for children and adults alike that refocus attention to the natural wonders of the forest canopy. The mysterious form, creative play of shadow and light and sound, exploration of material, and adventure that the Tree House provides creates a new experience within the Ouachita Forest among native pines and oaks.

House in the Tree Crown by Nanavízió, Budapest, Hungary

Metal Siding by RheinZink, Lamps by Lumoconcept

Nanavízió made its debut with this minimalistic, low-key single family home that hides among the ancient trees of the surrounding woods. The steeply sloping wooded lot was a main challenge for the project, but it also inspired the architects to incorporate the trees into the design. Thanks to those steep slopes, the canopies of the lower garden’s trees run along the windows. The tall oaks, chestnut and pine trees cover the house and bring nature right to the doorstep.

The volume of the house is made up by two different blocks fitted together in a 90° angle: the solid black block is complemented by a metal covered two story block with large glass surfaces. The interior’s hard exposed concrete surfaces are softened by the light colored plywood panels that appear thorough the house. The natural light is generously provided by the two-story glass wall that faces the north slope and the canopy of the trees in the woods.

Section drawing by Studio Weave

Photography by Jim Stephenson

Ecology of Colour by Studio Weave, Dartford, United Kingdom

Ecology of Colour brings public function to a neglected corner of Dartford by acting as a custodian for the re-imagined Ecology Island in Central Park. The timber structure is a community arts studio, bird-watching hideaway and park shelter all rolled into one. There is a semi-outdoor tiled classroom and storage space at ground level with an enclosed room upstairs offering views of the River Darent and surrounding trees. On the upper floor, shutters of various sizes allow for activities ranging from hidden wildlife watching and drawing, to public events that spill out into the park.

The creation of two intertwined cycles guided the project: the process of extracting color dyes and using them for crafts, and the wildlife these plants attract including insects and birds. British timber is the predominant building material with Larch used for the structural frame while the cladding is made from Cedar. The Cedar cladding is stained with a pattern called ‘Joy’, designed by graphic designers Nous Vous. Prior to its installation, Nous Vous ran a series of workshops with a team of local residents and artists to paint all of the 144 panels, which form the external cladding. One of the most ambitious aspects of the design’s structure is the hinged ‘beak’ opening on the upper floor, where the entire wall on the east elevation opens in one fell swoop through a simple pulley system. When the beak is open it gives the effect of being up in a treehouse among the canopy, with views of the river swirling past.

Outlandia Fieldstation by Malcolm Fraser Architects

Outlandia Fieldstation by Malcolm Fraser Architects, Glen Nevis, Scotland

Designed as an artists’ field station in Glen Nevis, this tree house encourages creative interaction between artists and the land, its history and people. As the teams states, the choice of site grew out of “long crawls through wet undergrowth and up wooded slopes, in clouds of midges and carpets of pine needles, in search of natural and human drama.” Sitting half-way up the opposite side of the Glen to Ben Nevis, a visitor approaches Outlandia along the path cut through the dense woods behind, descending out the musty dark of the trees into a big view which, from dark-to-light and framed by old, tall larches, opens-up across the Glen to the shoulder of the Ben.

The building itself sits out from a 45 degree slope: a treehouse, part-built out of the trees cut down to form the site, entered across a bridge from the slope behind; a simple box, leaning-out into the view with a big window opening-up to it. Part of the process of building was low-impact, an eco-friendly use of material recovered from the site; part was the opposite, high-impact, with landings of concrete for the foundations. The initial program was for one year, with artists using the treehouse as a base for creative interaction.

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All drawings and photographs courtesy of the architects.

The post Architectural Drawings: 10 Sections Through Treetop Retreats appeared first on Journal.

Julia Gamolina is the Founder and Editor of Madame Architect, a platform dedicated to highlighting talented women from the world of architecture and advocating for greater equality in the profession. She is also a Business Developer at New York-based firm FXCollaborative.

As March comes to an end — and with it, the celebrations around International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month — I’ve been thinking about this month’s energy around highlighting women and their contributions to the architectural industry. Firms, publications, organizations and individuals all dedicated themselves to celebrating architects that are women, and women advancing the profession: those from centuries past, those making new waves, and the secret wings whose contributions need to be further recognized.

But what happens when March is over? Where does this energy go?

March’s fervor, support and efforts for advancement must continue. We must not, as Despina Stratigakos talked about in her Madame Architect interview, face historical amnesia again and again. In a recent podcast, Audrey Gelman, co-founder and CEO of the Wing, talked about a recent study that said it would take women 213 years to catch up to where men are professionally. With a gap like that, our commitment to women needs to deepen as we leave this “designated month.”

How do we accelerate our work? Based on what I’ve seen and heard this month, and on the 60 Madame Architect interviews I’ve published, I’d like to suggest a few ways forward.

1. More Frequent and More Varied Recognition and Rewards

The message young architects hear over and over again is that this career is a long one, that architects hit their stride in their 60s. The idea that a 20-something has to wait four decades to feel heard and seen, especially women, who already face extra challenges, is harmful for industry retention. No wonder many leave, family or no family.

I feel incredibly fulfilled in my career so far; it certainly helps that in addition to my responsibilities in professional practice, I publish an interview once a week. It means that, every week, I feel like I’ve accomplished something, put it out into the world, done so collaboratively, and had it recognized.

How do we implement a better system to recognize the milestones in between a career’s beginning and its apparent “peak”? First, celebrate everything you can during the design and construction phases of a project – the initial announcement, the groundbreaking, envelope finish, topping out — and do it with the whole project team, whether directly involved or not. Second, highlight strong performances for each part of the project. The Oscars are far from perfect, but I will point out that they feature best director, best actor, best actress, best supporting actor, best supporting actress. What is our equivalent?

While “lone geniuses” at the heads of firms are repeatedly profiled, firms and associations could be recognizing the technical directors, project managers, construction administrators, marketing staff and beyond for their critical roles in team success. The AIA’s New York Chapter, for example, acknowledges the various foci of those in the practice, but these honors don’t tend to make it into mainstream culture. Until they do, firms and other industry institutions can fill that recognition void – and better retain their talent in the process.

2. Profiling Women Within Your Own Community

Ever since I started Madame Architect, I’ve seen other grassroots efforts to amplify women and they seem to take one of two approaches: First, visuals of high profile designers or historical trailblazers , or second, women honoring women in their own communities. Both are important — but right now, the latter is more powerful.  

Focusing on our trailblazers and predecessors is key, and key to do in academia, so that incoming young women can see that they have a foundation and a legacy from which they can build on — and that a career in this field has been possible for a long time. However, the highly circulated and mainstream publications already feature the high-profile women that have reached significant stature in the field – that I don’t see the point of grassroots efforts continuing to focus on those architects.

Currently, our representation skews to those that are already in the mainstream and featured by main media outlets. Countless women are making quiet but extraordinarily significant contributions that need to be amplified. In order to even the scale, let’s focus on these. I cannot stress more highly how much articles like “The Tallest Tower in the US is being Built by a Woman” and “A Tall Order”, both by Karrie Jacobs, are needed. Karrie really set a fantastic precedent for all of us. Madame Architect aims to do both, profiling all the women that are out there and all the career paths that are possible, in equal measure.

3. An Even Playing Field for Women and Men

Platforms dedicated to just women are necessary right now, because we first need to catch up and start closing the gap in publicity. However, I sometimes fear that grouping “women in architecture” can separate women, as though we are still a category unto ourselves and not in the mix. The next step to that would be to make sure that every list of award nominees, every competition jury and every discussion panel is 50/50, no matter the topic — half women and half men.

Both are important at the moment — special platforms for women, because we need this momentum, but also positions for women within groups of men, in conversations with men, in panels, in articles, in lists. Also, women can’t only be in articles simply because they are women — they should feature in articles about everything related to the profession, through the quality of their work, the strength of their expertise and the stories they have to tell.

March may be over, but the energy around recognizing and celebrating talented women in the field — the women that are here, now — should not be. Let’s honor, encourage, support, write about, award and pay the women that advance the practice of architecture, in every month that follows, and all the years after that. Let’s accelerate the consciousness and activity, quicken the rhythm of dedication, and see how the industry begins to change for the better.

For more inspiring women in architecture, check out 19 Women Architects to Watch in 2019 and From A to Zaha: 26 Women Who Changed Architecture

The post A 3-Point Manifesto for Advancing Women in Architecture appeared first on Journal.

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Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, 32 central and sub-Saharan African countries gained independence from their colonial powers, sparking a continental shift in the way these countries wanted to newly present themselves to the world. One of the most impressive ways in which they asserted their newfound liberty was by creating monumental pieces of architecture meant to unveil strong national identities.

Hotel Ivoire, Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), by Heinz Fenchel and Thomas Leiterdorf, 1962 – 1970; photo by Iwan Baan

In the new book, African Modernism, German architect Manuel Herz, Dutch photographer Iwan Baan and South African photographer Alexia Webster explore the mid-century modern architecture built in the five countries of Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya and Zambia. The geometrically striking designs they captured unveil the unique architectural style that swept the continent during this period of transformative growth.

Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi (Kenya), by Karl Henrick Nostvik, 1967 – 1973; photo by Iwan Baan

In the introduction to the 640-page volume, Herz quotes a passage from British author V.S. Naipaul’s A Bend in the River, a famous novel published in 1979 about an Arab-African man who must find his way through postcolonial Africa. The following words impeccably sum up the era in which this modern architecture was born.

Independence Arch, Accra (Ghana), by the Public Works Department, 1961; photo by Manuel Herz

“We watched and wondered while the building were run up. And then we began to understand that what the president was attempting was so stupendous in his own eyes that even he would not have wanted to proclaim it. He was creating modern African. He was creating a miracle that would astound the rest of the world. He was bypassing real Africa, the difficult Africa of bush and villages, and creating something that would match anything that existed in other countries.”

FIDAK – Foire Internationale de Dakar, Dakar (Senegal), by Jean Francois Lamoureux and Jean-Louis Marin, 1974; photo by Iwan Baan

Structure by structure, these five national governments were physically and economically building up their respective countries. Each time a new construction was complete, another layer of hope and optimism was added to the people who interacted with it every day. However, the irony in this method was that many of these new buildings were designed by foreign architects, many of them European.

This begs the question: What exactly is African modernism if it wasn’t conceived in Africa? Yes, these structures were designed for the African climate, but how did they reflect the values of the people they served?

La Pyramide, Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), by Rinaldo Olivieri, 1973; photo by Iwan Baan

Today, some of these buildings still stand, while others have already been demolished. Some have strayed far from their original intent, while others have fallen into states of disrepair. For the book, Herz, Baan and Webster set out to discover the unique ways in which these structures are being used today and how their users remember them in their heyday versus how they feel about them now. What they uncovered was a history lesson through development.

Hotel Independence, Dakar (Senegal), by Henri Chomette and Roland Depret, 1973 – 1978; photo by Iwan Baan

African Modernism allows outsiders an investigative look into these inspiring pieces of architecture and the cities that surround them. It also offers a distinctive foreign perspective for the people who have lived with these buildings their entire lives.

School of Engineering at KNUST (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), Kumasi (Ghana), by James Cubitt, 1956; photo by Alexia Webster

Just seven of hundreds of photographs from African Modernism are shown here. More than 700 were displayed at the American Institute of Architecture New York’s Center for Architecture. The exhibition, entitled “Architecture of Independence — African Modernism”, was on view during the spring of 2017.

To pick up a copy of African Modernism, head this way.

Architects: Showcase your work and research architectural materials through Architizer: Click here to sign up now. Are you a manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

Images courtesy of the Center for Architecture via the Vitra Design Museum Gallery

The post African Modernism: 7 Experimental Projects Across an Evolving Continent appeared first on Journal.

Architectural Digest recently published an op-ed entitled “Why Minimalism Is BS”, lamenting the rising trend of Minimalism. Writer Jennifer McCartney warned people of the perils of joining the “Marie Kondo cult”, referring to the tremendously popular Netflix show in which organizing consultant and author Kondo teaches people “the Japanese Art of Decluttering.” McCartney’s entertainingly terse take-down of tidiness makes many well-founded points — she reminds us that “some of the world’s most respected artists and thinkers are notoriously messy,” and that mess can be the sign of “a fertile, creative environment.” There must be a conspiracy at play, she argues: “We’re born messy, we die messy, and somewhere in between we get bullied into believing that we should be neat and organized.”

Here’s the thing though. Jennifer McCartney is biassed. She is the author of the best selling book “The Joy of Leaving Your Sh-t All Over the Place”, an advocate for clutter and all things disorderly.

Here’s the second thing: I’m biassed too. I’m the Content Director at Architizer, home to the world’s most beautiful Minimalist apartments, sleek office spaces and charmingly empty abodes. I love nothingness. My favorite architect is Tadao Ando, for goodness’ sake.

That said, I know I’m not alone — thousands upon thousands of people come to Architizer every day, specifically in search of Minimalist interiors to inspire and uplift them. We’re not bullying anyone into thinking this is what their own environments should look like, but there is an aspirational quality to these images that is undeniable. Ostensibly, they portray a Minimalist aesthetic, but possess underlying connotations of cleanliness, neatness and order — the type Kondo digs, and McCartney clearly doesn’t. The question is — why is this aesthetic and its associated lifestyle so compelling? Here are my three reasons why Minimalism is not, in fact, BS:

Mess Causes Stress

Why are the Minimalist interiors on Architizer viewed with such fondness by so many? It can be hard to understand, with some of our users commenting that they find the spaces too stark, too sterile, or just plain dull. I get it — you only have to look at the sparse environs of Unhappy Hipsters to see how sad nothingness can seem. However, it’s crucial to look at the flip side of this. The psychological benefits of uncluttered floors, desks, walls and worktops are well documented. According to Psychology Today, “messy homes and work spaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed.” So, next time you are stepping over that pile of lifestyle magazines and rearranging those throw cushions for the umpteenth time, consider the (apparently serious) health implications.

There’s Beauty in Absence

When you take objects out of a space, you gain many other things: Clear sight lines to that concrete water feature in your pristine courtyard, optimal sunlight streaming in through that gigantic window in the stairwell, unencumbered panoramas of distant mountains. Ok, perhaps not all of these features are available within the average budget, but you get the point. When given space to breathe, architecture itself can be viewed as a thing of beauty, perhaps even more so than that line of whimsical ornaments lined up on your mantlepiece.

Possessions Gain a New Preciousness

British architect John Pawson put it brilliantly when he said: “Minimalism is not defined by what is not there, but by the rightness of what is, and the richness with which this is experienced.” When we choose to fill our spaces with just a small number of objects, those objects take on a new significance. It’s the reason why, when placed in isolation, a humble chair suddenly evokes a sculpture in a gallery — its material connections, subtle textures and ergonomic shape are thrown into clarity. The less we have, the more joy there is to be found in what remains.

The post Why Minimalism Is Not BS appeared first on Journal.

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Photorealistic renderings are increasingly the norm in architecture, but it’s almost heartbreaking how much work they take. Modeling alone takes hours, and that’s only one step of a very intense process. And for really great renderings, it’s not enough to just model the architecture. You have to populate it with bits of ephemera: a coat thrown over a couch, a cup of coffee on the counter and, at the very least, a nice plant in the corner. These things can make or break the image, but they are probably lethal to model. Fortunately, there are free models online to help you out.

The site Archive 3D features a database of thousands of 3D objects available for free download. Most of the objects are meshes in 3DS format and include texture maps, so they are ready to use in 3ds Max and are easily translatable to other programs. Not everything is modeled at the same quality, so it might take a little digging to find something that will work, but among the thousands of options on the site, there’s probably something that fits.

Everything from Barcelona chairs to yachts to lilies to demonic robots are up there, so before you spend any more time modeling a pale imitation of some piece of lighting or furniture, check the site and save yourself some major headaches.

If you have anything to add to the database, it’s very easy to upload your own work. The internet is great for sharing. Why are you still reading this? Just go to archive3d.net and download everything you need now!

For more on architectural visualizations, explore our continuing “Art of Rendering” series, including interviews with the experts from Methanoia, CGArchitect and MIR. For more personal stories from the world of ArchViz, enjoy these interviews with visualization maestros Victor Enrich and Alex Hogrefe — creator of the extraordinary Cliff Retreat.

Furthermore, treat yourself to some more free downloads for all your rendering needs!:

5 Places to Download 2-D People for Your Architectural Visualizations

200 High-Resolution 2-D People

10 HDRi Spherical Skies

More Than 4,000 High-Resolution Material Textures

18 Highly Detailed 3-D Trees

12 Common Construction Details Fully Modeled in SketchUp

Architizer is harnessing the latest technology to create a new platform for researching architecture and building-products. Sign up today and find everything you need to create amazing architecture.

Top image: Cliff Retreat Interior by Alex Hogrefe

The post Free: Thousands of 3D Objects for Use in Architectural Renderings appeared first on Journal.

“Can you just give us an extra couple of days? We just need to organize our images, tweak our project description and decide which categories to submit for … as well as finishing these section drawings for our client, submit this planning application and go on three site visits … we’re almost ready to enter!”

Now, I’m not saying architects are bad timekeepers; they simply have a lot on their plates. It’s also understandable that they tend to leave things to the last minute when it comes to deadlines. After all, the pursuit of project perfection is endless, every last second can be used to improve a proposal, and the moments before a deadline often prove the most inspirational.

Architects’ typically brutal schedules can mean that some deadlines are missed — among them, the Final Entry Deadline for the 7th Annual A+Awards, the world’s largest awards program for architecture and building-products. We’ve received dozens of messages like the one above, pleading with us for an extension in order to get their A+Awards submissions finalized.

Some clients might not be so kind — but we are Architizer, and we love you! Therefore, it’s only right that we offer a second chance for all hardworking architects and manufacturers out there. It’s official:

The 2019 A+Awards Entry Deadline is extended to midnight on May 10th, 2019.

Make no mistake — this is the absolute final deadline for this year’s competition! So get yourselves together, get those project images ready, and click here to put yourself in the running for this year’s top Juror and Popular vote prizes.

It’s worth reiterating the incredible rewards on offer for 2019’s most talented design professionals. Architecture winners will be published internationally in the next edition of “The World’s Best Architecture“, an annual compendium by Phaidon, a beautifully designed A+Awards trophy, and exposure to Architizer’s professional community of more than 7.5 million!

Meanwhile, A+Product Award-winning manufacturers will receive a trophy of their own, along with publication in the inaugural digital edition of “The World’s Best Building-Products”, which will distributed to thousands of potential clients. Oh, and there’s the small matter of global exposure to millions of architects, interior designers and media partners across the world.

So, what are you waiting for? Cease the day and submit your best work today.

Good luck from everyone at Architizer!

Yours truly,

Paul, Content Director, Architizer

The post You Asked, We Answered: 2019 A+Awards Entry Deadline Extended! appeared first on Journal.

Earlier this year, AIA New York — the oldest and largest cohort of the 90,000-member-strong organization — announced its annual Design Awards program recognizing outstanding design by AIA New York members, New York City-based architects and projects within New York City.

Claiming one of ten prestigious Merit Awards for Architecture was the Tenement Museum Renovation by Perkins Eastman.

Located in the heart of NYC’s Lower East Side, the project’s completion marks the culmination of a decade-long strategic master plan to increase the Museum’s prominence within the city and realizes its mission of becoming a unique community and civic resource.

Photo by Sarah Mechling, courtesy Perkins Eastman

Perkins Eastman collaborated alongside museum leadership, curators and exhibition designers, all of whom worked tirelessly to preserve as much of the extant building fabric and interior architectural backdrop as possible, while still allowing the building to serve as a fully functional museum space. Perkins Eastman’s Principal-in-Charge Nick Leahy described the undertaking as a unique restoration project, as “even specks of dust” held historical significance.

As a result, common structural features such as air shafts — the “lungs” of the tenements, which back then echoed with Yiddish, German, Spanish, Italian, Irish and English voices throughout the tenements — take on new roles. They serve as connections between the three tenements stitched together and are left raw and unfinished. Similarly, original stairwells were preserved and relocated — to accommodate the program spread across the three buildings — and showcase uneven, crumbling layers of plaster, mortar, brick, and paint; a time capsule revealed.

Photos by Elliott Kaufman, courtesy Perkins Eastman

Leahy uses the term “forensic architecture” to describe how the ordinariness of the replicated/restored settings accurately communicates the daily experiences of the families.

The term eloquently relates the way the project’s methodology transcends traditional notions of adaptive reuse — asserting the design team’s role to reveal, not repurpose — and allowing the building itself to tell the story and commemorate the history of urban, working-class immigrants.

One of the most exciting components of the renovation project is the creation of a new exhibit, “Under One Roof,” which occupies the third floor of 103 Orchard Street. It recreates spaces from the apartments of three families — the Epsteins from the 1950s, the Saezes from the 1960s, and the Wongs from the 1970s — who called 103 Orchard Street home. Through the stories of these three families, this exhibit offers a glimpse of the cultures that defined the neighborhood then and contribute to its place in history today.

“By bringing visitors into people’s recreated home, the Tenement Museum is able to tell the unique stories of American immigrants, migrants and refugees in a deeply personal and intimate way,” said Jas Chana, Media & Communications Manager at the Tenement Museum. “With the help of Perkins Eastman, we’ve been able to ensure that countless people have been able to understand and learn about the contributions of immigrants, past and present, to this country in a truly immersive manner.”

Photo by Sarah Mechling, courtesy Perkins Eastman

Photo by Sarah Mechling, courtesy Perkins Eastman

Photo by Paul Rivera, courtesy Perkins Eastman

Upon completion of the master plan, Perkins Eastman executed all phases of the plan, which includes (most recent listed first):

• • 103 Orchard Street, Upper Floors: Showcasing “Under One Roof,” a new exhibit about immigration post-1935 as well as creating much-needed administration offices for the Museum
  • Shop Life Exhibit: An exhibit in the basement of 97 Orchard Street focusing on the commercial life of the tenements
  • Rear Yard Exhibit: Highlights the importance of small outside spaces like the rear yard to the tenement experience
  • 103 Orchard Street, Lower Floors: Renovation of the lower floors into the new visitor and education center for the museum
  • 97 Orchard Street: Expansion of the exhibit space by stabilizing the fourth and fifth floors to open to the public
  • Moore Apartment: Restoration of a tenement that tell the story of an Irish immigrant family living at the tenement in 1869

“The Lower East Side Tenement Museum is a completely unique resource that has become one of the most popular cultural destinations in New York City,” explained Nick Leahy AIA, LEED AP, Principal-in-Charge at Perkins Eastman. “We’ve been privileged to work with the Museum for more than the past ten years, helping it become an indispensable source of knowledge, pride, and inspiration about the immigrant — which is to say, our — experience. Together with the Museum, we look forward to continuing to help bring history to life, using the existing architecture to help tell the stories common to all of us.”

Photo by Paul Rivera, courtesy Perkins Eastman

This latest recognition follows a host of other industry awards and commendations for the project:

• Architizer A+Awards, Finalist, Architecture + Preservation (2018)
• The New York Landmarks Conservancy, Lucy G. Moses Preservation Awards (2019)
• Society of the American Registered Architects (SARA) National Design Awards, Award of Merit (2018)
• SARA NY Design Awards, Award of Honor (2018)
• NYCxDESIGN Awards, Greater Good, Honoree (2018)
• NYCxDESIGN Awards, NYC’s Shining Moment, Honoree (2018)
• The Municipal Art Society of New York, MASterworks Award for Best Restoration (2018)
• 2019 AIA New York Design Awards, Merit Award (2019)

If you’re in New York City and are interested in visiting the Tenement Museum, head this way for details.

Top image: Photo by Sarah Mechling, courtesy Perkins Eastman

The post Perkins Eastman’s Tenement Museum Renovation Transcends Adaptive Reuse appeared first on Journal.

Architectural Digest recently published an op-ed entitled “Why Minimalism Is BS“, lamenting the rising trend of Minimalism. Writer Jennifer McCartney warned people of the perils of joining the “Marie Kondo cult”, referring to the tremendously popular Netflix show in which organizing consultant and author Kondo teaches people “the Japanese Art of Decluttering.” McCartney’s entertainingly terse take-down of tidiness makes many well-founded points — she reminds us that “some of the world’s most respected artists and thinkers are notoriously messy,” and that mess can be the sign of “a fertile, creative environment.” There must be a conspiracy at play, she argues: “We’re born messy, we die messy, and somewhere in between we get bullied into believing that we should be neat and organized.”

Here’s the thing though. Jennifer McCartney is biassed. She is the author of the best selling book “The Joy of Leaving Your Sh*t All Over the Place“, an advocate for clutter and all things disorderly.

Here’s the second thing: I’m biassed too. I’m the Content Director at Architizer, home to the world’s most beautiful Minimalist apartments, sleek office spaces and charmingly empty abodes. I love nothingness. My favorite architect is Tadao Ando, for goodness’ sake.

That said, I know I’m not alone — thousands upon thousands of people come to Architizer every day, specifically in search of Minimalist interiors to inspire and uplift them. We’re not bullying anyone into thinking this is what their own environments should look like, but there is an aspirational quality to these images that is undeniable. Ostensibly, they portray a Minimalist aesthetic, but possess underlying connotations of cleanliness, neatness and order — the type Kondo digs, and McCartney clearly doesn’t. The question is — why is this aesthetic and its associated lifestyle so compelling? Here are my three reasons why Minimalism is not, in fact, BS:

“If she can’t lean against the concrete pole and eat oshizushi off the bike seat, she’s not minimalist enough.” via Unhappy Hipsters

Mess Causes Stress

Why are the Minimalist interiors on Architizer viewed with such fondness by so many? It can be hard to understand, with some of our users commenting that they find the spaces too stark, too sterile, or just plain dull. I get it — you only have to look at the sparse environs of Unhappy Hipsters to see how sad nothingness can seem.

However, it’s crucial to look at the flip side of this. The psychological benefits of uncluttered floors, desks, walls and worktops are well documented. According to Psychology Today, “messy homes and work spaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed.” So, next time you are stepping over that pile of lifestyle magazines and rearranging those throw cushions for the umpteenth time, consider the (apparently serious) health implications.

4×4 House by Tadao Ando Architect and Associates, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan; image via Arch20

There’s Beauty in Absence

When you take objects out of a space, you gain many other things: Clear sight lines to that concrete water feature in your pristine courtyard, optimal sunlight streaming in through that gigantic window in the stairwell, unencumbered panoramas of distant mountains.

Ok, perhaps not all of these features are available within the average budget, but you get the point. When given space to breathe, architecture itself can be viewed as a thing of beauty, perhaps even more so than those whimsical ornaments lined up on your mantlepiece.

Life House / Tŷ Bywyd by John Pawson, Llanbister, United Kingdom

Possessions Gain a New Preciousness

British architect John Pawson put it brilliantly when he said: “Minimalism is not defined by what is not there, but by the rightness of what is, and the richness with which this is experienced.” When we choose to fill our spaces with just a small number of objects, those objects take on a new significance.

It’s the reason why, when placed in isolation, a humble chair suddenly evokes a sculpture in a gallery — its material connections, subtle textures and ergonomic shape are thrown into clarity. The less we have, the more joy there is to be found in what remains.

Can’t get enough of Minimalism? Check out Nothingness: 10 Perfect Minimalist Interiors.

Top image via No Sidebar

The post Why Minimalism Is Not BS appeared first on Journal.

Architizer is building the definitive platform for visual inspiration in the form of Image Search for Architects. The new tool allows you to browse through a library of more than 1 million project images, each sorted into categories of material, element or spatial concept.

Now, what if you spot something within one of those images and want to find a product or material to help you achieve a similar finish or detail? Enter Recommended Products, a new feature within Image Search that draws from Architizer’s growing database of building-products to provide you more design ideas.

Recommended Products are located just below the primary image within an image search result (illustrated above, for this search). Clicking on one of the Recommended Product thumbnails will take you to the product page of a trusted manufacturer. Here, you have the option to:

• Scroll through more images of the product in the context of built projects.
• Read an in-depth description of the product or material shown
• Request a sample, meeting, catalog, pricing/quote or lunch & learn from the manufacturer
• Contact the manufacturer directly for more details
• See more products by clicking out to the manufacturer’s profile page

Recommended Products brings an additional layer of insight to image search that you won’t find on Google. The feature is ideal for designers researching products and materials for a project, while retaining the visual-first format that makes Image Search for Architects so popular.

Recommended Products is in beta mode, and we’re working to improve it all the time. If you have any feedback or suggestions about this or any other part of Image Search for Architects, we’d love to hear from you! Email support@architizer.com and let us know your thoughts.

Explore Image Search for Architects

The post Inspiration, Informed: Find Top Materials and Products Through Image Search for Architects appeared first on Journal.

Architects: Showcase your projects and find the perfect materials for your next project through Architizer. Manufacturers: To connect with the world’s largest architecture firms, sign up now.

It’s the eternal debate: open office or cubicle? As workplace trends continue to evolve, architects are designing new offices that reflect the changing conditions of labor, remote work and culture. These are underpinned by a desire to create amenity spaces and programs that blur the boundary between home and office. Companies around the world are continuously looking at how architecture shapes our work, from branded environments and social spaces to focus zones and collaborative team areas. From open floor plans to leafy lounge areas and hot desks, the following projects show the diverse ways in which designers are imagining the office of today:

Wieden+Kennedy by WORKac, Manhattan, New York, NY, United States

Placing “work” back at the heart of creative work, WORKac’s New York office for the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy was designed to challenge the fad of the office-as-playground. As the team states, the company’s collaborative workflow allowed for increased density, with individual spaces shrinking in order to maximize the collective spaces. The design focused on creating a range of typologies of collaborative places for meetings of different sizes and durations, from tables for stand-up meetings to “phone booth” meeting rooms, to traditional conference rooms, to several larger collective spaces that involved carving the building in various ways.

As the centerpiece of the office plan, a circular “coin stair” doubles as bleacher seating and cuts between the sixth and seventh floors. Nearby, another cut, with a perforated metal spiral staircase, connects the seventh-floor bar to the eighth-floor library. In addition, a double height courtyard creates an outdoor garden by moving the façade one bay within the building, marking the office and its program from the exterior façade.

Hybrid Office by Edward Ogosta Architecture, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Ed Ogosta designed the Hybrid Office for a creative media agency of thirty workers. As he states, the office design contains “a menagerie of typological hybrids, which together engender a unique interior world.” Exploring the relationship between architecture and furniture, a series of hybrid-objects are designed throughout the space that reference nature and the surrounding city. Through abstraction, the objects are given a new iconographic presence, and collectively, they are made to foster a spirit of creativity.

An existing 6,000 square foot tilt-up concrete warehouse provided the container into which the hybrids were deployed.  Each hybrid synthesizes essential traits from two “parents” of differing typologies; for example, a set of bookshelves combined with the stepped form of an arena results in the book-arena, which doubly functions as storage and seating for office-wide meetings.  Other hybrids include the tree-chair, mountain-offices, house-table, and cave-bed.  Each is constructed from simple veneered plywood and white painted fiberboard. In turn, a variety of micro-scaled individual spaces and group-sized collective spaces are available to workers throughout.

Hechingen Studio by Whitaker Studio, Hechingen, Germany

Designed for a German advertising agency, this low-cost workplace was first envisioned as a project in the Black Forest. The client was keen to use shipping containers to keep costs low and needed a small office that would encourage the growth of their company. Taking inspiration from crystal growth and the soaring towers of Hechingen Castle, 11 containers were arranged in a radial form. The upper containers trace the sun’s path through the sky while the lower containers provide an array of quiet working spaces that all open onto the central heart of the office.

As the project developed, the green field site became one of many possible location for deploying the shipping container office. Independent of the location, the design was created to reutilize existing containers already in production, and the project was made to be realized through a series of metal fabrications. After fabrication, the modules would be transported to site where they would be bolted together. The final project would sit on top of concrete columns rising from the foundations.

Pinterest HQ by IwamotoScott Architecture, San Francisco, CA, United States

Lighting by Cooledge Lighting

The new Pinterest headquarters in San Francisco is inspired by the redesign of the company’s web platform. The building is a four story concrete structure that previously housed a John Deere factory in San Francisco’s SOMA district. The program is organized as porous, concentric layers around a large, central interconnecting atrium and stair. The program includes: large all-hands /dining space on the ground floor, expansive open workspace on the upper three floors, and numerous meeting rooms, team rooms, lounge spaces, quiet room, maker lab, coffee bar, and design studio. A key aspect of the design involved extending the existing two story atrium to the ground floor, creating a central void at the building’s center that visually connects all four floors— into which was inserted the main communication stair.

The stair acts as the central organizing figure to the space at all levels. This central stair — referred to as the Knitting Stair in reference to the company’s collaborative ethos represented by the act and product of knitting — takes the form of a perforated steel clad volume that doubles back and intersects itself at its midpoint. The intersection allows people unexpected glimpses between two flights of people moving up and down within the stair’s interior volume. The stair’s design and materiality produces the effect of a bright, ever-changing heart at the center of the company.

Facebook HQ, Menlo Park by Gehry Partners, Menlo Park, CA, United States

Gehry Partners recently completed Facebook’s MPK 21 building as part of its larger Menlo Park campus project. Expanding the company’s existing footprint, the design was built in less than 18 months as a highly sustainable building. Formed to bring the outdoors into the office space, the project centers on a sheltered green space with 40-foot-tall redwood trees and an amphitheater-style courtyard that connects to the original Gehry-designed MPK 20 building.

Featuring a 3.6-acre rooftop garden with over 200 trees and a half-mile meandering pathway, MPK 21 connects to the outdoors and was designed to promote teamwork. The larger development was designed to reduce impact on the environment and enhance employee well-being. Inside, an open workspace connects to a single pathway that runs the length of the building. The path features 15 art installations commissioned through an artist in residence program, five dining options, and a 2,000-person event and meeting space.

Office of the Future by Killa Architectural Design, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

This pavilion is the world’s first fully functional and permanently occupied ‘3D printed’ building. As an ‘Office of the Future’, the building acts as temporary home for the Dubai Future Foundation as well as an exhibition space and incubator for future emerging technologies in Dubai. The entire structure was ‘printed’ in concrete using an additive manufacturing technique. It is the first fully occupied building in the world to be constructed using such techniques. A large scale 3D-printer was used to print the building in layers of reinforced concrete. The printer features a computer controlled armature to implement printing process.

The design of the building is intended to improve energy efficiency in the hot climate of the UAE, which commonly experiences temperatures that rise above 45°C (113°F) and makes use of 800mm thick insulating cladding. The pavilion has been designed to facilitate a mix of creative interactions, quiet reflective work and serendipitous meetings. This approach supports the work of flexible teams and fluid partnerships. To achieve this, the Office radiates around a tree shaded cafe courtyard.

Intuit Marine Way Building by WRNS Studio and Clive Wilkinson Architects, Mountain View, CA, United States

As Silicon Valley evolves to compete with growing innovation centers in walkable, networked areas, Intuit’s new Marine Way Building (MWB)—the continuation of a larger update to their Mountain View campus—models a new kind of workplace design for the region. Intuit wanted to honor their employees with new workplace environments that support their strong culture. The planning and geometry of the MWB, with 185,400 sq. ft. on four floors, can be understood as low, wide, connected, and flexible. The large floor plates, which accommodate a variety of places for people to collaborate, concentrate, socialize, and reflect, are organized into human-scaled neighborhoods and connected by clear circulation.

In addition to more intimate breakout spaces like balconies and casual soft-furniture settings, which offer a range of work opportunities to encourage users to take advantage of the whole building, full workspace neighborhoods are located at the edge of the atrium. This variety of programmatic functions along the perimeter of the atrium helps generate a consistent buzz of activity throughout the workday. Designed to embrace the mild climate of Mountain View’s North Bayshore Area, the MWB connects to both nature and the public realm. Extensive terraces with views to the bay offer an indoor/outdoor workplace experience and knit the campus together. The ground floor emerges from the landscape as a solid, textured base, and the MWB creates a dynamic new edge along the campus’s main pedestrian and vehicular spine.

Leping Social Entrepreneur Foundation Headquarters by People’s Architecture Office, Beijing, China

Made as a 1100 sqm headquarters for the Leping Foundation, this office focuses on wellness. From job training for migrant workers and agricultural research to preschool education and microfinance, the space was made for people to come together. These distinct companies are tied together by a central activity loop of suspended vegetation mirrored by a running track underneath. The office is designed around the understanding that physical activity is good for the brain and the layout provides opportunities to move while at work, to vary modes of working, and to rest.

Leping’s work in social impact requires collaboration and interaction between team members, departments, and companies. The workstations are designed by our office and create small social spaces, including mini kitchens and lounge spaces, where spontaneous and informal conversation can take place. The furniture system uses a truss structure that allows storage to be suspended above, freeing up floor space for people to squeeze in for spontaneous discussions. In turn, the activity loop interior serves as an event space and a flexible space for incubating social enterprises. It’s populated with Tetris Tables, which can be used individually or combined into various configurations. A People’s Canopy can be moved around and expanded to create a separate meeting space within the central loop area.

Swarovski Manufaktur by Snøhetta, Wattens, Austria

Snøhetta created a crystal workshop for the 21st century for Swarovski. Swarovski Manufaktur is designed to facilitate innovative collaborations, inventive exchange and a rapid implementation of ideas. The design primarily focuses on creating an appealing and stimulating space that encourages creativity rather than focusing on the physical production processes which are a central part of the Manufaktur. A key focus for the architects was the incorporation of daylight.

At the Manufaktur, the entire production process of the Swarovski crystal is reproduced on a small scale: the main floor contains all the machines necessary to produce prototypes or small crystal series in the shortest possible amount of time. Should technical standards or specifications change, the flexibility of the main floor provides enough space to allow for production to be rearranged to meet the latest technological requirements. Throughout the facility, a raised floor provides flexibility and space for necessary technical equipment and cables. Moreover, a “chandelier hole“– an open space plunging from the main floor and down to the basement – allows for prototypes up to 14 meters high to be assembled and tested on-site.

Tata Innovation Center at Cornell Tech by WEISS/MANFREDI, Manhattan, New York, NY, United States

Weiss Manfredi’s Tata Center was made to bring together industry leaders and academia on Roosevelt Island. The seven-story structure was imagined as a contemporary R&D hub that’s part corporate co-location building and part innovation center. Formed with a crystalline geometry and elegant detailing, the design fosters dialogue across disciplinary hubs and tech companies alike. Sustainable design at the Tata spearheads a larger push towards becoming one of the most environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient campuses in the world.

One-third of the 235,000-square-foot building hosts Cornell Tech studios, labs, classrooms, and event spaces, while the upper levels are dedicated to a mix of technology-focused companies and start-ups. All of the occupants share central, light-filled circulation spaces with panoramic skyline views and lounges that encourage social interaction and collaboration. The building’s cantilevered southwest and northeast wings shelter outdoor social spaces that animate the ground floor retail spaces and entry terrace.

Discover More Architectural Drawings

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All drawings and photographs courtesy of the architects.

The post Architectural Drawings: 10 Office Plans Rethinking How We Work appeared first on Journal.

Michael Riscica is a Licensed Architect, Speaker and Thought Leader, who is deeply committed in helping the NEXT Generation of Architects succeed in their careers. Michael has helped thousands of ARE Candidates pass their exams and creates ARE 5.0 study materials at The Young Architect Academy.

Over the past five years, I’ve attended or spoken at dozens of conferences focused on a variety of different topics (including architecture, entrepreneurship, social media, fitness, yoga, cycling and sustainability). I want you to know that becoming an avid conference goer has made a significant impact on my life, career and network.

Let me share my biggest takeaway with you:

Learning in a conference setting is one of the fastest ways for a person to grow — especially in architecture.

Let me explain why…

We travel to a new city and surround ourselves with many like-minded individuals, where we create many lifelong friendships and learn, discuss, and share our passions and ideas. Attending conferences are an adventure! When factoring in networking, education and the entire conference experience, the return on investment has always far exceeded the cost.

What’s gotten in the way with architecture conferences?

Over the years, I’ve noticed that architecture conferences aren’t always designed with your best interests at heart. If you’ve recently attended an architecture conference, you may have noticed:

• The strong emphasis on collecting continuing education units (CEUs) as the #1 (and often only) reason to attend.
• Keynote Speeches from Star Architects about themselves and their work.
• A serious focus on building-products and the products’ representatives, who are trying out new elevator pitches for their products.
• Little to no emphasis on the importance of professional development in the NEXT generation of practicing architects.

While I have a deep love for architecture, attending conferences and creating a more successful profession, I strongly feel our own architecture conferences could be more centered around creating lasting success in this profession and developing meaningful community connections.

Why I created the Young Architect Conference

While attending a recent architecture conference, I shared my vision in a casual conversation with a few of my friends:

“Imagine if we had a conference exclusively for emerging professionals in architecture. The concept for the conference would be about creating a more successful profession by focusing on developing FUTURE Architects.

“We’ll hear inspiring keynote speeches from successful young people who are already a part of our community. We’d have Professional Development workshops for the NEXT generation of Architects. At night, we’ll have parties to build stronger connections with each other.

“It’s great there are so many other architecture conferences. Wouldn’t it be cool if we created one exclusively for architecture students, emerging professionals, and young architects?”

After sharing this idea with this small group of people, many other people quickly encouraged me to create the FIRST Annual Young Architect Conference in August 2019.

While creating this unique event, I wanted to pull successful ideas from several conferences I’ve attended OUTSIDE the architecture industry.

Here’s a short list of what best conferences focus on, and what you’ll experience at the First Annual Young Architect Conference:

1. Inspiration

The Young Architect Conference has strategically chosen to have inspiring keynote lectures from young architects and emerging professionals. Each keynote will include many actionable takeaways, which you can immediately apply to your own life and career.

Many amazing young people have a lot to share, and they’re already a part of our community. Let’s learn from them, instead of bringing in outsider Star Architects.

2. Practical Learning

We believe the purpose of a conference is to grow and learn. In the afternoons, there will be workshops that will ALL be focused on the professional development of the NEXT generation of architects. Rather than having one-sided powerpoint lectures, ALL workshops will be interactive. We’ll work in groups, brainstorm, interact, discuss, laugh, and (most importantly) have fun.  

The workshops will all fit into these 3 tracks:

1. Architecture students
2. Emerging professionals (This catch-all track includes everyone who’s not a student or licensed architect)
3. Young architects (within the first 10 years of licensure)

However, anyone can sign up for any workshop. So click here to check out the entire list of the Young Architect Conference Workshops planned.

3. Networking & Meeting People

For three days, you’ll be surrounding yourself with other people who are working really hard towards excellence and success in their architecture careers. I feel like it’s easier to make new friends at a conference. Most of the other attendees have also traveled to be there, and they’re typically more open to meeting new people and having new experiences.

A conference itself is usually a filter for awesome people: They’re serious enough to make the effort to be there. By attending the Young Architect Conference, you’ll grow your network in a very serious way.

4. A Fresh Perspective

At a recent conference, I attended a workshop about Emerging Professionals working really hard on a volunteer nonprofit project in their community that is having a very big impact.

I was deeply inspired by this workshop. If I hadn’t attended this Conference, I never would’ve heard about these projects or had the opportunity to connect with the people producing them.

At the Young Architect Conference, you’ll get a fresh perspective, learn about what people are doing, put names with faces, and become open to new experiences that will have a 100% positive impact on your future success.

5. The Party

A good party should be a part of every conference. After a day of workshops, meetings, keynotes, and seriousness, everyone needs to have a drink and relax a little bit.

The Young Architect Conference will be bookended by two amazing parties designed to help you mingle and network with others in the community.

6. The Energy Exchange

I always find it difficult to quantify this point with words.

It’s great that we live in this hyper-connected digital world. But after a few days of bringing everyone together, meeting fascinating people, hearing inspiring lectures, participating in workshops, going to parties, laughing and being away from home, I get back to work. However, the inspiration and energy from the conference becomes reflected in my attitude and the work I’m doing.

After the experience is over, it’s always much clearer what I need to be doing as an architect and member of my community.

The whole purpose of a conference is to come together, connect, exchange energy and lift up our profession as a group. When that happens, it provides a priceless value to your attitude, outlook and career.

So my friends…

THIS IS WHY WE NEED A YOUNG ARCHITECT CONFERENCE!

Recap

The Young Architect Conference is modeled after the best conferences I’ve ever attended, and it’s designed to give you:

1. Inspiration
2. Practical Learning
3. The Opportunity to Network and Meet New People
4. A Fresh Perspective
5. A Party (aka Connections!)
6. The Energy Exchange

Now’s your chance to say Yes to the Young Architect Conference, where you can have the experience of a lifetime and ensure lasting success in this crazy industry.

Grab your ticket now join us in August 2019. Space is limited!

Look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,

Michael Riscica AIA

The post Why We Need a Young Architect Conference appeared first on Journal.

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How does one transform a collection of concrete tubes into a site for experiencing contemporary culture?

That was the question posed by British designer and artist Thomas Heatherwick of Heatherwick Studio, whose imaginative designs can be found everywhere from Manchester to Shanghai. Heatherwick is used to creating striking sculptures on a grand scale, but one of his most recent projects is larger than any before.

The designer and his team envisioned a glittering hotel atop an old silo in South Africa’s mother city, Cape Town, encasing luxury rooms with billowing panes of faceted glass. Beneath this, the concrete cylinders of the silo were carved out to create a huge new museum of contemporary art — the incredible, A+Award-winning Zeitz MOCAA.

For this monumental project, Heatherwick Studio’s challenge was twofold: Protect and celebrate the heritage of the city’s industrial past while simultaneously creating something wholly new within the inherited structure.

Rendered section of Heatherwick’s silo-to-museum transformation

Left: Rendering of the exterior view of the museum and hotel; right: The completed project

“Our thoughts wrestled with the extraordinary physical facts of the building,” Heatherwick explained at Design Indaba 2014, where he first unveiled his firm’s plans for the new V&A Museum in Cape Town’s historic waterfront district.

“There is no large open space within the densely packed tubes and it is not possible to experience these volumes from inside,” he continued. “Rather than strip out the evidence of the building’s industrial heritage, we wanted to find a way to enjoy and celebrate it. We could either fight a building made of concrete tubes or enjoy its tube-iness.”

In terms of technical archi-speak, “tube-iness” isn’t the most shining example, but Heatherwick’s point is clear enough. By carving away at the lower reaches of the silos and allowing light to stream down from above, a cave-like condition will be created. The remaining concrete tubes appear suspended above the void, their vertical elements flowing like stalactites to the gallery floor.

Interior rendering of the V&A Museum in Cape Town. Image via Fast Company

Left: working model of the museum interior; right: the completed atrium

In addition to the atmospheric qualities, the manipulation of the silo’s cylinders also provides practical benefits: An uninterrupted space is created in which people can gather and large artworks can be displayed, akin to the atria of conventional galleries (think of the central void of the Guggenheim in New York, or the Turbine Hall in London’s Tate Modern).

Silo conversion provides architects with tremendous spatial and material challenges, and Heatherwick’s solution appears admirable. How have other designers responded to the “tube-iness” test? Here are a few more examples of silo transformations.

Mill Junction, Johannesburg, South Africa

Just a few hundred miles northeast of Heatherwick’s museum, silos have been adapted in a very different manner. Matt Shaw reported for Architizer on Johannesburg’s Mill Junction student dormitories, which combine two industrial typologies — shipping containers of every conceivable color stacked atop 11-story grain silos. The transient nature of the crates contrasts with the stable forms of the cylinders beneath, creating one outlandish residential high-rise.

Gemini Residence, Copenhagen, Denmark

MVRDV proved that silo conversions don’t always have to be as rugged as Mill Junction. Its Gemini Residence features glossy, high-end apartments radiating from a pair of concrete silos that act as twin cores. The silos contain staircases, elevators and common spaces such as terraces, while the apartments provide a glittering outer skin — complete with the lengthiest wrap-around balconies imaginable.

Climbing Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands

In 2011, the city of Amsterdam held a competition for the best re-interpretation of three abandoned sewage treatment silos, prominent landmarks in the city’s Zeeburg District. One of the most compelling projects was submitted by Amsterdam-based firm NL Architects, which proposed to transform two of the silos into an undulating pair of climbing towers. In addition to climbing areas both inside and outside the silos, the design included multipurpose areas, offices, restaurants, and other commercial spaces.

Skydiving Center, Warsaw, Poland

If the thought of climbing the outside of these towering concrete structures appeals to you, try this one on for size: last year, MOKO Architects proposed the conversion of an abandoned cement silo into an indoor skydiving center. A scuba diving training well is also incorporated into the plan, taking advantage of the huge ten-story void within the concrete shell. MOKO also took a leaf out of the Mill Junction book of upcycling—they proposed attaching shipping containers to provide further space for cafes, an exhibition space, changing rooms and a hostel.

329 prepared dc-motors, cotton balls, toluene tank, Dottikon, Switzerland

In less capable hands, this project could have been a science experiment gone very, very wrong. But in the hands of Swiss artist Zimoun, simple objects transform an empty chemical tank into a mesmerizing soundscape. This immense, permanent installation is comprised of cotton balls attached to evenly distributed DC motors that endlessly oscillate inside the tank to produce an echoing drone akin to white noise. As with most contemporary art, the result engenders incredibly polarized views: some find the noise meditative, others find it maddening. Watch the video above and decide for yourself …

Silo 468, Helsinki, Finland

Another sensory art installation, this disused oil silo in Helsinki was transformed by Lighting Design Collective as part of the city’s World Design Capital 2012 celebrations. Thousands of white and red LED lights were fitted behind a series of perforations in the silo walls, and the illumination pattern is based on a system that responds to factors such as wind speed, direction, temperature and weather conditions. Sunset is marked by fluctuations in lighting levels, turning the silo into a beacon that is visible from three kilometers away. This constantly changing “mural of light” gives each visitor a distinctive experience and creates a space in direct contrast to the structure’s industrial past.

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With countless dramatic mountains and picturesque towns, Austria is renowned for its idyllic landscapes. Capitalizing on these powerful contexts, Austrian designers embrace the surroundings to form sensitive and critical works. This can be readily seen in the country’s cultural projects. Both simple and bold in nature, Austria’s civic architecture emerges from a complex history and unique building traditions.

The following collection showcases how contemporary design has been cleverly interwoven throughout cities and nature alike across this Central European country. With careful consideration given to adjacencies, circulation and program, the projects promote strong relationships between people and place. Together, they reveal how Austria’s modern cultural architecture has been thoughtfully constructed within the landscape.

Cemetery and Wake Room by Schneider & Lengauer Architekten, Tir., Austria

Designed as an elegant, tranquil addition to the cemetery of Hopfgarten in Defereggen, this wake room project was created to integrate with its surroundings. Connecting to a late-baroque church and the burial grounds, the design was made with large stone walls and a warm wooden interior.

Culture Congress Centre by Pichler & Traupmann Architekten ZT GmbH, Eisenstadt, Austria

Pichler and Traupmann’s cultural center design includes a screened façade and multiple interior meeting spaces. These larger zones are balanced with adjacent circulation paths and more impromptu gathering areas.

Diocesan Museum Fresach by Marte.Marte Architects, Fresach, Austria

Building off the surrounding urban fabric, this museum completes a public square lined by a church, rectory, meeting house and cemetery. Formed as a monolithic block, the project uses both exposed and polished concrete to create smooth white surfaces.

Flederhaus by Heri&Salli, Vienna, Austria

The unconventional Flederhaus pavilion was designed as a vertical public space that is open and accessible for the public to relax. The building features a cluster of hammocks overlooking the surrounding park and cityscape.

Festival Hall of the Tiroler Festspiele Erl by Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, Erl, Austria

This angular hall was designed as a response to its surrounding topography using patterns and tectonics. It was created with a façade and materials that play off the background rock formations and the flowing visual and spatial design.

TMW Technical Museum Vienna by querkraft architekten zt gmbh, Penzing, Wien, Austria

Created as a shop and new entrance foyer, this project at Vienna’s Technical Museum features an integrated masterplan and better visitor circulation. The design was also made with multifunctional pieces of glass-fiber reinforced furniture for seating and night-time illumination.

Neubau Dorfzentrum Kappl by brenner + kritzinger architekten, Austria

Balancing the desire to respect the village square while building on a steeply inclined slope, the Neubau Dorfzentirum Kappl was made into a U-shape. Local materials were used throughout the construction, including larch wood and natural stone masonry to complement surrounding structures.

Cultural Centre Bad Radkersburg by Gangoly & Kristiner Architects, Bad Radkersburg, Austria

Created as an event space in the old city center of Bad Radkersburg, this cultural project was placed in three buildings along the main city square. Formed as several rooms of different sizes, the design allows individualized, combined and comprehensive uses.

Musikprobelokal | Schützenheim | Festplatz | by Gsottbauer architektur.werkstatt, Innsbruck, Austria

Sited adjacent to Waidburg Castle, this building features a passe-partout-like roofed gallery. Made with both a landscape-viewing platform and a stage area, the project’s main spaces are carefully integrated around 100-year-old chestnut trees.

Museum am Bergisel by stoll.wagner architekten, Innsbruck, Austria

Housing a large panoramic painting on a small site, this museum near Innsbruck was designed as a low-rise structure among the surrounding park. Making a strong sculptural statement overlooking bridges and traffic to the east, the project features a spacious plaza overlooking the Inn Valley.

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“Madrid, dressed as it was, tasting as it did, prideful as hell, didn’t care what you thought about it,” writes journalist Michael Paterniti in his autobiography The Telling Room. “That was your problem.” It is an apt characterization of the most regal of Europe’s great capitals, and, although he is probably speaking of ‘dress’ in terms of its citizens, I prefer to interpret the statement as an anthropomorphization of Madrid itself: architecturally speaking, the city certainly likes to dress well.

In compiling a survey of contemporary architecture in Madrid, one thing becomes clear: there is an abundance of beautiful moments that speak to the importance of good design in the city’s hierarchy of needs. The Hispasat Satellite Control Center and the ABC Center both feature inventive, dazzling metal façades that tackle the question of light management in a highly decorative manner.

Yet, Madrid is not only concerned with brand new clothes: the Medialab-Prado and the Güindus 16 are adaptive-reuse projects of the first order breathing new life into abandoned edifices. The following projects may not be the most famous, but together they demonstrate the overall quality of design in the Spanish capital. Whatever the project, site, scale, or program — the design quality of Madrid consistently shines through.

Satellite Control Center Hispasat by Herreros Arquitectos, Madrid, Spain

The exterior of the Satellite Control Center Hispasat on the outskirts of the city lives up to its outer-space program. The laser-cut apertures in the five-millimeter aluminum panels are varied according to how much sunlight strikes are needed and afforded to each part of the building.

IMAM Women’s Institute by nodo17-architects, Móstoles, Spain

Móstoles, outside of Madrid, is defined by a string of public spaces emanating from the town hall square. The IMAM Women’s Institute is conceived as an addition to this network as it sits on a series of V-shaped pillars above its own sheltered plaza.

Celosia by MVRDV and Blanca Lleó asociados, Madrid, Spain

The Celosia is a simple — but not simplistic — meditation on floor plates and housing units when the latter doesn’t completely occupy the former. The resulting openings and offsets provide ventilation and shade to the entire complex.

ABC Centre by Aranguren + Gallegos Arquitectos, Madrid, Spain

A list of contemporary architecture in and around Madrid would not be complete without the drama of the ABC Centre. Visitors enter beneath a glass passageway baled in metal ribbons and emerge in the atrium, where the crystalline floor continues on to the façade of the main gallery.

Medialab-Prado by langarita-navarro, Madrid, Spain

The Medialab-Prado demonstrates the energy latent in adaptive reuse. The original building, dubbed the “Belgian Sawmill,” was one of the first buildings in Spain to use reinforced concrete when it was completed in the 1920s. Today, we can catch glimpses of vividly illuminated multifunctional spaces through the old structure.

Güindus 16 by Egue y Seta, Madrid, Spain

The Güindus 16 is a story of transformation. Designed in 1966 by William S. Bryant, the fortress-like edifice housed the British Embassy until 2009. After standing vacant for four years, the firm Egue y Seta re-imaged the building as an exhibition space for Casa Decor Madrid.

Cuatrecasas Gonçalvez-Pereira Lawyers Headquarters by GCA Architects, Madrid, Spain

Befitting the headquarters of a law firm, this project by GCA Architects resists flashiness. Nonetheless, the main façade is subtly enlivened with jagged offsets recalling the vocabulary and energy of Baroque string-courses.

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Originating as a tool for civil engineering, the gabion wall dates back to the late 1800s. It slowly made its transition to architecture because of its superior strength and permeability. The gabion wall consists of a metal mesh cage filled with loose material, usually stones, sand or soil. The wall is crack resistant and contours to the grade of the site. The material used to fill the cages determines how porous the wall is, a feature often used to create a natural cooling effect.

Architects prize the gabion wall, traditionally used as a landscape material, for its bold, textured look. Unlike the orderly rock wall, gabion walls provide a feeling of accidentality to a building, allowing the eye to explore the irregular shapes and patterns. They are often used as exterior walls to provide a rugged, outdoor aesthetic, but are also exposed in the interior, merging the two both materially and environmentally.

The following collection of projects showcase this rugged construction technique at its contemporary best. Take a leap and discover life beyond brick, concrete or plastered walls:

Fire Station Fleres by Roland Baldi architects, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

The design of this striking fire station addresses the natural phenomena of mud slides that happens on the mountain annually. The façade of the building consists of dolomitic rock collected from the construction site and put into the gabion walls that face the front.

Buddhist Retreat by Imbue Design, Grover, Utah, United States

Intertwining the acts of living and spiritual ritual, this Buddhist Retreat incorporates volcanic rock, found on the site, into the gabion wall under the meditation room. The rock acts to dissipate much of the heat received by the house in the summer.

Forest House in Izabelin Near Warsaw by Barycz & Saramowicz Design Office, Warsaw, Poland

This luxurious residence in Warsaw asserts its presence in the landscape with soaring gabion walls, posing a technical challenge for the architect. But with planning and precision, the walls were laid out meticulously to form a fortress-like exterior wall, referencing the military origins of gabion walls.

Observation House by I/O architects, Bulgaria

A remarkable building by I/O architects, the Observation House extends the reach of the gabion wall in architecture by using it as both a landscape and architectural element. The wall simultaneously acts as the exterior wall for the downstairs, and as the ground for a small lawn on the second floor.

Relux Ios Island by A31 ARCHITECTURE, Ios, Greece

The recent renovation of Relux Ios Island incorporates stone gabion elements throughout the resort complex. One of the major goals of the project was to blend the surrounding landscape with the hotel, and gabion walls allowed for a clean, modern approach to this.

Casa Linder by Buchanan Architecture, Dallas, Texas, United States

Casa Linder emphasizes reclaimed materials and the old homesteads of the first Dallas residents. The house employs a gabion wall along the front elevation for added texture and privacy for the pool behind it.

University of Pretoria Plant Science Complex by kwpCREATE Architects, South Africa

This Plant Science Complex at the University of Pretoria whimsically employs an embedded gabion wall with planters on the exterior of the building. The architects skillfully brought the effect of natural landscape into the architectural elements of the building.

Rock Office by a21 studio, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

This winding office employs the gabion wall due to budget and lease-term constraints. The primary construction material needed to be inexpensive, locally sourced and easy to disassemble after 5 to 10 years of use.

Eggum Tourist Route by Snøhetta, Eggum, Norway

Gabion walls slope around this Norwegian tourist route stop, highlighting the landscape and creating an amphitheater for weary travelers. The gabion walls are not meant to stand out, but rather act to demarcate different programming throughout the stop.

Hanil Cement Information Center and Guesthouse by BCHO Architects Associates, Maepo-eup, Danyang-gun, South Korea

This project was designed to educate people about recycled concrete. Concrete is the primary building material of Korea and the building showcases how to reuse this material in casting formwork and recasting. A gabion wall makes up one part of the building, and excess concrete was recycled in the cages.

Dame of Melba by Seeley Architects PL, Anglesea, Australia

A holiday residence for a retired couple in Australia, this house overlooks the Anglesea coastline. The design centered around materials that weather well and require minimal maintenance. Large, granite-filled gabion walls retain the hillside and make up the boundary of the carport.

House 9×9 by Titus Bernhard Architekten, Stadtbergen, Germany

House 9×9 is located in a suburban community of Augsburg. It was designed as an inhabitable sculpture for a couple and a statement against banal local design statutes. A gabion façade was suspended from the insulated and sealed shell as a non-load-bearing structure.

Basecamp by Johnston Architects pllc, Ronald, Wash.

Basecamp was guided by the idea of pausing before ascending a mountain. Here, people can recharge before milestones in life and reconnect with nature between activities. Gabion walls serve to blur the boundary between indoor and outdoor space.

Orphanage by F8 Architecture, Bamako, Mali

This orphanage in Mali is a shelter for 30 children of all ages. The program includes housing for children and staff, a small medical center, admin offices, kitchen, and dining hall. More utilitarian functions are located on the ground level while classrooms and terraces are located above. Gabion cladding is used on the most exposed façades of the building.

Raasay Hall by Dualchas Architects, Glasgow, United Kingdom

The design of the Raasay village hall replaces a former house that was used for concerts, talks, or gatherings. The building is fully accessible and includes many programs, including indoor football, a gymnasium, a full-sized badminton court, as well as concerts, discos, and the film club. A timber rain-screen roof combines with stone from the site that was incorporated into the gabion.

House in the Landscape by kropka studio, Zawiercie, Poland

Two volumes connected by openwork wooden links, this house was constructed in the buffer zone of the Eagles’ Nests natural landscape park. The powerful context includes agricultural fields, old stone churches, and castle ruins. The main part of the building is finished with gabion baskets filled with local limestone, thus helping to create a design that blends the house into the landscape.

Maleny House by Bark Design Architects, Sunshine Coast, Australia

Maleny House was created as a glass mountain house, one that celebrates the unique landscape and rim condition it is perched upon. Anchored and robust, the house was also designed to be transparent, light, and floating. A stone mason helped create a unique gabion stone wall as a landscape art element along the edge of the house.

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Introduction and first 9 project descriptions by Alden Rose; 8 following project descriptions by Eric Baldwin.

The post The Great Gabion: 17 Examples of Architecture Beyond the Wall appeared first on Journal.