Pingelly is a small town in the “wheatbelt” of Western Australia, with a population hovering around 1,200. In this small, rural community, nothing brings people together quite like athletics. “Sports are the bridges between the various communities in rural Western Australia,” explained architect Patrick Beale of ATC Studio, who collaborated with Ideresen Peter Hook Architects to create the Pingelly Recreation and Cultural Center (PRCC).

This magnificent timber complex was created with the community’s needs in mind. It will serve as the home base for numerous small sports clubs, from tennis to basketball to cricket. Due to its cultural responsiveness, innovative use of timber, and overall understated beauty, the PRCC was a 2020 A+Awards Jury Winner for Gyms and Recreation Centers. In recognition of its unique community-building qualities, the project is also the recipient of a 2020 A+Awards Special Honoree Award.

We were delighted to have the chance to chat with Beale to learn more about the project.

Pat Finn: Congratulations on your A+Awards success! What encouraged your firm to enter the A+Awards this year, and what does winning a 2020 A+Awards Special Honoree Award mean to you?

Patrick Beale: We (that is, both ATC Studio and IPH Architects) have been attentive to the A+A Awards for some time now, and with the Pingelly Recreation and Cultural Centre, we felt we had a project that was worthy of entering. This project represents the culmination of a long association with Timber and timber Architecture for me and with iph a venture into large scale timber building and design.

My association with timber goes back to my grandfather who was a sawmiller with a yard on the river Thames just outside London, growing up on a farm in England with timber and flint buildings, working in New England, North America with timber houses and furniture, and for the past 25 years here in Australia teaching, researching local eucalypts and re-establishing a design practice.focussed on engineered and native timber.

Winning the A+Awards Special Honoree Award is a very great honor. We are equally delighted for our clients, the small rural community of Pingelly in the West Australian ‘Wheat Belt’, who were courageous enough to come along with us on this journey that has now become a major project.

We are delighted to be in such a group of distinguished architects, and for me personally, to be in a group with Zaha Hadid — a friend and contemporary of mine at the Architectural Association School of Architecture where we studied. I only wish that Zaha was still with us so that we could celebrate together.

Pat Finn: The wraparound veranda, which serves as a covered viewing platform onto the sports fields, is a nice touch. Where did the inspiration for this come from? 

Patrick Beale: The veranda is an archetype of Australian architecture. Everyone understands the veranda and has experience of it: it represents quite literally a close attachment to ‘home’ — the domestic verandah being attached to the front of the house. It is a safe space from which to watch the world go by; a place to shelter from the sun and less frequently, from the rain.  The veranda is of course that space between the formal interior realm and the great outdoors.

In this project these were the core ‘inspirations,’ if you like. It also functions as the circulation to the whole building – there are no internal corridors – and thus it is also a cost saving device as well as the primary social space of the overall project.

Timber is utilized extensively, with plantation hardwood used in the flooring, decking, cladding and panelling of the complex. When selecting materials, what factors did you need to take into account given the local climate and the way the space will be used? 

When I was invited to look at doing a concept scheme for this project, I proposed that this should be a timber building using engineered timber for the structure and a plantation hardwood for the decking, cladding, flooring etc. This was proposed because the project is in a remote location (by classification) where construction costs have a 10% uplift at a minimum. Speed of construction on site is therefore a substantial financial advantage. My aim was to minimize the trades on the site to avoid waiting times for wet trades and simplify the make-up of the construction crews.

I chose the Yellow Stringy bark (Eucalyptus meulleriana) for several reasons. While it is a native of Eastern Australia there is a small amount in plantation here in the west that is now mature and ready for harvesting. Because the quantity is not great – a total of about 20,000 tonnes – it is not considered a commercial quantity and therefore is not marketed so we had to get special permission to harvest it (the timber is all in Government/Crown land owned plantations). The PRACC used 1,000 tonnes of logs.

The timber is tall, 45 – 50 meters, with a good straight grain and so long lengths are not a problem. It is light in colour whereas most of the west Australian hardwoods are dark pink to red – Jarrah and Karri – Eucalyptus Marginata and Eucalyptus Diversiflora. A lighter coloured timber weathers better in this climate. The other advantage is that it has natural pest resistant properties, so most common wood eating insects are repelled. We are in a termite zone and so special provisions have to be made to guard against termite attack. YSB is one of the very dense Eucalyptus hardwoods, with a long fibre giving it a good deal of innate elasticity. A dense timber will tend to be more durable than a lighter timber.

So the factors to take into account when selecting timber in this project include: appearance; vulnerability to insect attack; colour to reflect as much heat as possible; cost and availability; sustainability for machining; durability and denisty of the timber; and finally, public acceptability.

Can you describe the timber “cassettes” that line the Sports Hall? How do these work to ensure thermal insulation and acoustic absorbance? 

The cassettes that line the roof and upper wall sections of the sports hall are formed from Radiata pine battens fixed to backing ribs. These are made up in small modules, 1 X 1.5 meters. The recycled polyester high-density acoustic/thermal mats are fixed to the upper side of the cassettes before they are installed. The cassettes sit on the flanges of the I joists (also radiate pine) that act as purlins that run between the rafters.

The cassettes are secured with small galvanized brackets. The same assembly and fixing system is used in the walls.  Because the battens are gapped (25-30mm) the surface is non uniform and therefore does not reflect sound like a more homogenous product. A similar system is used in the Conference centre ceilings.

You mention in the brief that sports are an important part of life for communities in Western Australia, both for the white and Aboriginal communities. Do you anticipate that the building will serve as a bridge between different communities? 

Sports are the bridges between the various communities in rural Western Australia. We are talking about very small communities of between one and two thousand people, often a lot less. This is particularly true or evident in the Australian Rules football competition, where Pingelly has a history of developing Aboriginal players who go on to play in the state and national leagues, becoming local ‘legends’.

The Pingelly Recreation and Cultural Centre [PRACC] rehouses a number of different sports clubs who all used to have their own clubhouses, bars etc. The Centre houses the formerly separate tennis club, netball club, basketball club, badminton club, volleyball club, football club (not soccer!) field hockey club and cricket club, with the lawn bowls club being a mainstay of the establishment and the ‘club bar’.  All of these groups have a membership that extends well beyond the limits of the Pingelly Shire. In addition, the facility is used by the local primary school for sporting events and for formal school events in the sports hall, which doubles as a large assembly hall, film-showing venue and as a conference event.

In the coming month, the centre has reservations for three upcoming weddings, a 70^th birthday party, a local government conference and a series of Emergency Services training sessions for surrounding communities. In addition the state netball team will be playing a demonstration match at the venue and the finals of the Great Southern Region (the southwest part of Western Australia). Also, Australian Rules football league season will be played there on September 21.

The centre runs a restaurant service with a professional chef three nights a week while volunteers from the various clubs prepare and serve refreshments to their participants and the public at regular and special events. The bar in the Function centre is a great draw for the extensive membership of the PRACC.

The original business case for the centre included a program of regional sporting events which is now starting to take place. An important element of the plan was to attract regional and ‘out of town’ conferences and training events to underpin the financial resources of the centre. Again, this is starting to happen and hopefully will drive the upgrading of some of the accommodation in the area and promote the development of more accommodations appropriate to the various different identified user groups.

Which element of the project are you especially proud of? 

We are very proud of the fact that together with the client group and the community we have succeeded in designing and having built the first all timber civic building in Western Australia since 1942. That last building was an aircraft hangar and store built in 1942. For the building to receive local, national and international acclaim is especially rewarding.

Not only is it the first large-scale all timber building, but it is the first building to be constructed from a fully prefabricated engineered timber frame shipped to site from Melbourne some 300 kilometers away and assembled on site in record time. And of course we are very pleased with the way in which the ‘file to fabrication’ process that we have promoted for some time and used in this project has proved its worth in this building which was designed, fabricated and assembled to exacting standards. In assembly, the 28.5 meter span of the sports hall was designed with a 2mm tolerance which has proved sufficient in assembly and in use.

The building is very frugal: what you see is what you get! There are no unnecessary frills and flounces. We rely on the rationale of good clear design and a structural necessity tempered primarily by essential detailing and strategic use of the different materials to ensure durability, elegant weathering and longevity in a building that has low ongoing running costs for the client.

The final test of a sustainable building is whether the users like it well enough to look after it and of course to use it and enjoy it. This proves that in the first instance it is fit for its purpose and in the second that it is a place people want to be. We are very pleased with the way the shire has adopted the PRACC as ‘their building’, and that there is every indication that it is getting good use and that the range of uses are growing with good management by a local member of the community.

How do you hope Pingelly Recreation and Cultural Centre will inspire others in the A&E community?

We hope that it will encourage potential clients, public and private, to take a closer look at the advantages of building in timber, and to enjoy the beautiful and practical feel of a timber building. There is a lot of interest in timber design and building among the current generation of students here and around the world, and we sincerely hope that this project will encourage them to study timber and timber building and take this knowledge with them into practice.

The project should also contribute to a greater environmental awareness in the construction industry.  We also hope that it will enable us to develop our scope of work  beyond the local here in Western Australia and Perth, the most isolated capital city in the world! – as well as consolidate our respective practices in our home state and country.

The Pingelly Project is the first all timber civic building to be built in Western Australia for a very long time – since well before the Second World War, and is the largest non industrial timber building to be built in the state since 1942. The project, and the accolades that it has received, has sparked a level of interest in Architect Designed engineered timber buildings over the past year, so this honor comes at a very good time!

All photographs by Peter Bennetts, courtesy of Ideresen Peter Hook Architects.

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Every year, the Ubuntu Architecture Summer Abroad Program engages 30+ students in a unique educational experience to design & build dignified and culturally-influenced homes for resilient families in South Africa.

This innovative organization is now looking for sponsoring companies to support students for the 2021 program. Sponsors help open up this experience to as diverse a group as possible, providing architecture students with an incredible experience in the field of community-led design and construction. If your architecture firm is interested in finding out more about becoming a sponsor, hit the button below:

Sponsor a Student

Program Director and Founder of Ubuntu Design Group, Wandile Mthiyane, is passionate about the project, stating: “We believe in using architecture as a vehicle to bring about change. If apartheid architecture could segregate and oppress, community-based design can liberate and enable opportunity, growth, and commerce.”

Photo Credit for top right and bottom left images: Troy Homenchuk, Andrew Von Maur; top left and bottom right images: Wandile Mthiyane

Sponsorship of the Ubuntu Architecture Summer Abroad Program is ideal for architecture firms interested in connecting with a global initiative and contributing positively to the creation of a more equitable A&E industry. Sponsors supporting a student’s full expenses receive the following:

• Sponsor logo listed on website, sponsor boards, and in project publication
• Ability to see final work produced from the students before made public
• Invitation to view final work produced by the students of final home design in a virtual setting described by each team
• Invitation to the virtual ribbon cutting ceremony in Durban, South Africa at the completion of the project for two (1) screen (attendee)
• Introduction of sponsor to their supported student via email with a letter of gratitude from each student supported.
• Ability to post intern and full time positions to students via email (passthrough from our email system) with the ability for recommendations of students from course leaders and guests

Sponsorships can be done in 2 ways: a direct sponsorship of a student of your choice or a general sponsorship for a student selected by the Ubuntu team. In both scenarios, your donation is tax deductible, in the USA, and goes directly towards the student’s program fees.

As explained by Mthiyane in his in-depth article on systemic racism in architecture, the Ubuntu Architecture Summer Abroad Program is designed to encourage architecture students to think about the wider social, cultural and political impact of their work. “[The program] trains the next generation of architects to take a broader view of the impact of their work and consider it more than just creating beautiful functional spaces; it trains us to see, hear, think, and feel beyond the aesthetics and into the community in which it resides.”

If your firm would like to be a part of this educational initiative, get in touch with Mthiyane and his team today:

Find Out More

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Now open for entries, the 1st Annual A+Firm Awards is an international awards program designed to celebrate ALL teams that make the world’s best architecture a reality — including engineers. While we appreciate the amazing work that architects do, and celebrate their projects each year through the A+Awards, we believe it is vital that other collaborators are recognized for the crucial role they play in creating exemplary buildings.

If you are part of a talented team of structural engineers, register your firm for what promises to be one of the most distinguished accolades in the global AEC industry:

Start Submission

The A+Firm Award for Engineers can be found within the Specialization Categories, a section dedicated to those with specific expertise that make up a key part of the project delivery process. The Engineering Award is dedicated to engineering firms and multidisciplinary architecture firms demonstrating excellence in structural engineering.

Firms should submit 3 to 6 built projects in which they played a key engineering role. Projects can be from any of the typologies, at any scale, and from any region.

The Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States; architecture by HOK, engineering by BuroHappold

Get Your Submission Prepared

To help you prepare your submission, here is a list of materials and information you’ll need to complete the entry process:

• Firm Name
• Firm Location (city and country)
• Firm URL
• Firm Description / Mission

You are invited to submit 3 to 6 projects for each Award Category. For each project, we’ll ask for the following information:

• Project Title
• Project Year and Location
• Project Status (Built or Unbuilt)
• Entry Description (300 words)
• Collaboration credits
• Upload 1-8 images for each project (Images: 20MB max each; jpg, jpeg, png or pdf format; single images only, no collages.)

For engineers, the category to select is Specialization Awards > Engineering Firm. To find out more about the A+Firm Awards, check out our handy About pages, including FAQs, fees and deadlines, and eligibility and guidelines.

Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku, Azerbaijan; architect: Zaha Hadid Architects; engineers: Werner Sobek, AKT and Tuncel Engineers

Winners will see their work celebrated in the form of a year-round digital exhibition, with their projects being published on Architizer Journal, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. With a combined audience of more than 7.5 million, the exposure that awaits A+Firm Award recipients is unparalleled.

Watch out for updates on Architizer Journal and on the program website, and don’t forget — enter before October 9, 2020 to secure the lowest possible entry fee for your firm. Click the button below to get started:

Enter the A+Firm Awards

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The work of renowned designer Thomas Juul-Hansen has helped transform the definition of luxury in relation to high-end interiors. Juul-Hansen was the creative mind behind the interiors of New York’s most expensive condominium building, ONE57, yet his work is surprisingly subtle and understated. This is by design, of course, and it is what has elevated Juul-Hansen to prominence, setting a new precedent for interiors in
the process.

In his own words, Juul-Hansen’s eponymous firm “explores unique and innovative formal solutions to provoke a notion of timeless manifesto through thoughtful investigations of contextual sensitivity, materiality and customization.”

The key word here is “sensitivity”. For decades, luxury has been synonymous with excess: It tended to involve a lavish use of expensive materials, countless products and elaborate ornamentation. In contrast, Juul-Hansen places greater importance on the quality of detailing and composition of materials with a space. His style is one of subtle sophistication, brought to reality through an appropriate, considered use of premium finishes.

This ethos speaks to Thomas Juul-Hansen’s collaboration with SCOPE for a stunning new residential condominium in the Thai capital, Bangkok. Every unit comes with interiors details and furniture selection by Juul-Hansen, with pieces by the likes of Minotti, Water Knoll and Poliform created using the designer’s specific color palette. Additional bespoke furniture pieces were by designed by Juul-Hansen himself.

SCOPE Langsuan was designed to raise the benchmark for high-end residential living, not just within the context of Bangkok, but across Thailand and the wider world. Located in one of the Thai capital’s most valuable and evolving neighborhoods, the newly completed building is just a two-minute walk from the BTS Skytrain system and Bangkok’s prestigious retail avenue, Ploenchit Road.

While Thomas Juul-Hansen masterminded the interiors for the project, the exterior was consulted on by one of the world’s most prominent architectural firms, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. Combining the expertise of a preeminent figure within the interior design world and the industry leaders for high-rise structures, the collaboration has resulted in a 34-story building that is striking across all facets.

SCOPE Langsuan aims to diverge from conventional conceptions of luxury, redefining what it means to create extravagant spaces. The building’s minimalist interiors and sleek façades reflect the fact that high-end design is changing with the evolving values of today’s consumers.

Qualities such as functionality, good taste, graceful simplicity and close attention to details are now of top priority, and SCOPE Langsuan’s 158 residences are a reflection of this refreshed approach. Every piece of material was handpicked by Juul-Hansen in order to harmonise the overall design and to identify the perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality.

Kitchen furniture by Bulthaup and appliances from Gaggenau and Sub-Zero Appliances lend each kitchen a new level of sleek sophistication. Meanwhile, built-in closets by Lema and luxury restroom furnishings by Toto provide comfort and utility without compromising on style. Juul-Hansen’s adept choice of materials results in a feeling of finesse throughout each residence.

Externally, the building possesses a distinctive, contemporary aesthetic that is characteristic of KPF’s recent high-rise residential designs. The condominium combines modern and traditional elements through a dynamic façade that displays delicately angled glazing and stainless steel frames. These elements appear to ripple across the building’s surface, possessing close similarities to the aesthetics of traditional multi-layered Thai roofs.

Architecturally, the building’s structure is divided into three volumes with stepped heights, highlighting the elegant verticality of the structure. The two outermost volumes, adorned with undulating windows, house the residential units, while a central core is distinguished by an organic fritted glass wall. This central block contains a pool, fitness center, outdoor terrace, multi-purpose spaces and an automatic parking garage.

Its ascending form, coupled with the extensive use of glass, allows for distinct visual experiences for both residents looking outside and external viewers looking in. This transparency reflects the Thai attitude of hospitality and generosity, further emphasizing SCOPE Langsuan’s embedded traditional values.

The meticulous and polished design language of both Juul-Hansen and KPF resonates throughout every detail of the condominium. When coupled with the building’s abundance of world class amenities, residents are not only provided with an extraordinary space but an extraordinary experience.

SCOPE Langsuan is scheduled for completion in early 2023. Its residences range in price from approximately US $1.25 million to US $8 million. One bedroom residences are sized at around 83 square meters (893 square feet), two bedroom residences at 153 to 162 square meters (1,646 to 1,743 square feet), and penthouse residences between 419 and 443 square meters (4,510 to 4,768 square feet).

The sales gallery opened recently on July 17th. For more information or to schedule an appointment, register at www.scopecollection.com or call (+66) 2 028 9788.

The post SCOPE Langsuan: How Thomas Juul-Hansen and KPF Designed and Consulted on Bangkok’s Most Beautiful Condominium appeared first on Journal.

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International design firm UNStudio has completed the first phase of the Qatar Integrated Railway Project, which brings Doha its first-ever metro network. It brings the city one of the fastest driverless train systems in the world, spread across 37 stations and three metro lines. 

UNStudio, in collaboration with Qatar Rail’s Architecture Department, was enlisted to develop an “Architectural Building Manual” for this ambitious project. The 2,000+ page document is an extensive set of design guidelines, architectural details and material outlines that enable the most efficient design and construction of the metro stations while assuring the spatial quality and identity of the network. 

The key aim of the new metro system is to encourage the use of public transportation as a dependable and clean alternative to private modes of transport. To ensure this, the use of urban design principles were used to inform the design of the stations in order to create public spaces that enhance the urban experience at the pedestrian scale and build new habits for the community.

Additionally, the Architectural Building Manual serves to layout a consistent identity for the metro system across all scales, from individual stations to the entire network. This allows the network to be instantly recognized and serve as a permanent reminder to citizens of the healthier alternative to private transportation.

“We are going to move differently in the future,” remarked UNStudio’s Ben Van Berkel. “Mobility is changing fast, from the introduction of autonomous vehicles to urban cable cars and the hyperloop. The mobility hubs of the future have to respond to and cater to these changes. In order to encourage the use of more sustainable forms of transport, these stations not only have to ensure smooth passenger flows, but they need to truly appeal to the public; to be places they want to visit and return to.”

For the design of the metro stations, UNStudio merged past and future, drawing inspiration from Qatar’s vast regional architectural vernacular while simultaneously introducing a vision of modernization. Vaulted spaces, linked to Qatar’s historic architecture, define the interiors of the stations. A system of interconnected triangular bases adapts and transforms programmatic functions and connects interior spaces with exterior urban infrastructure. 

The firm referenced the notion of “Caravanserais”, which were inns with enclosed courts that served as gathering and resting places on ancient trade routes. As a result, the design generates social interaction and prioritizes place creation over space creation. Additionally, the design allows for daylight to be captured and directed into the interiors, creating uplifting and luminous atmospheres. 

In terms of the stations’ materiality, a contrast is made between the solid sandstone exteriors and the rich, illuminated interiors with a mother-of-pearl iridescence. Both exemplify Qatari traditions: The exterior spaces reference the monolithic quality of ancient Qatari architecture, while the interior spaces capture a sense of movement. To amplify the overall experience, integrated light lines function as natural way-finding elements. 

With the help of high quality materials and robust detailing, UNStudio’s design for the new Doha metro network encourages the city’s population to adopt a more sustainable mode of transportation. If the system proves successful, it could form a precedent for the future of public transportation in metropolitan regions around the world.

Architects: Showcase your next project through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter.

All images via UNStudio

The post Is Doha’s New Driverless Metro System the Future of Public Transport? appeared first on Journal.

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The Amiri Diwan of Kuwait is working with local firms Pan Arab Consulting Engineers (PACE) and SSH to rebuild and expand the historic Palace of Justice in Kuwait City. Upon completion, it will become the Middle East’s tallest and largest judicial building. 

Designed to be a “symbol of fairness and integrity” for Kuwait, the project will see the construction of a 25-story building with 141 courtrooms, as well as both automated and conventional parking for nearly 3,000 cars.

The structure will be located in a prime location in Kuwait City on a plot with an area of 34,500 square meters. The building itself will have a gross area of 356,189 square meters. 

To meet the needs of the building’s occupants, the façade has been equipped with a glass frontage composed of different sized windows, based on the specific purposes of the rooms. Optimal window sizes aim to provide ample natural light to the varying interiors. 

Every feature within the building serves to support its dual-functionality as a space for both the government and its citizens. The project’s ethos aims to reflect Kuwait’s commitment to justice. The building’s exterior is made to symbolize the Scales of Justice through two floating, cantilevered wings.

These hold both the courtrooms and office spaces. In between these two wings lies a “Golden Geode” atrium, which forms the heart of the building. This central space merges with the plaza below to form the entryway into the facility. This open and transparent concourse is where the team hopes “the voices of the people” are heard.

According to the Amiri Diwan, construction on the new Palace of Justice is progressing according to plans, having reached 34% completion in record time.

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All images via Arch Daily 

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Prefabricated structures — especially temporary ones — often carry connotations of flimsiness or impermanence. But LUO Studio was committed to doing things differently when they took on a commission to build a temporary home for the Shengli Urban Market.

The market had served the community for several decades, but had become messy and dysfunctional over time, requiring demolition. While plans for a new permanent home for the market are still underway, LUO’s temporary, modular design is serving the community’s needs wonderfully. Unlike the older market, it is both functional and attractive, including generous amounts of natural light, great ventilation and rationally oriented space for vendors. It is also environmentally efficient, as the pieces will be reused once the structure is dismantled. This practice — a trademark of LUO studio — resulted in a project that won a prized  2020 A+Award in the Pop Ups and Temporary structures category.

For its precedent-setting qualities, “Temporary Site of Shengli Market — Creation of Spatial Order” is also the recipient of a 2020 A+Awards Special Honoree Award. We were pleased to speak with LUO Studio’s chief architect Luo Yujie to discuss the project.

Pat Finn: Congratulation on your A+Awards! What encouraged LUO Studio to enter the A+Awards this year, and what does winning a 2020 A+Awards Special Honoree Award mean to you?

Luo Yujie: Before LUO studio was founded, we had seen a lot of excellent projects awarded A+Awards. Those projects inspired and drove us to design greater projects to serve users. It was beyond our expectation that we won the Special Honoree Award, because the project didn’t take too much time to be completed.

However, it was also a very special project, since it intended to serve the most ordinary as well as the largest group of people. The project was designed for living, for better life. Therefore, the recognition of A+Awards encourages us to continue insisting on designs that we believe achieve this goal.

In designing this market, did you spend a lot of time studying the original market? What were your big takeaways? 

I liked to go to the market and observe it. The first impression I had of the local market was that it was dim and dank, dirty and messy, which caused concerns to the public health of the city. When I was entrusted to design this project, I hoped to create a bright and clean market to give shoppers a different feeling.

Did you talk to the vendors as you tried to design stalls and shops that worked for them?

Yes, I had communications with those vendors and shopkeepers, to better know the widths and lengths of the stalls they needed, as well as the dimensions of the enclosed spaces for those shops.

What steps did you take to ensure customers could move through the space in an orderly fashion and find what they need?

Firstly, based on the lighting fixture installation, every steel column in the hall is topped with an inverted pyramid structure, resembling an umbrella. Those structures are used for signs, with different colors indicating the market’s different areas. For example, green represents vegetables and fruit area. This area is set at the front since it has shelf units with various types of merhandise. Yellow is used for bean products, and this section is arranged at the side due to less product types.

Secondly, enclosed shops are arranged on the edge areas of the space, mainly selling frozen foods, flour foods, and meat, etc. The center and edge areas have wider passages than other stalls. The width of the passages also can separate different areas.

In brief, the whole market space is orderly divided in spatial width and sign color, enabling customers to find what they need quickly.

The “umbrella-shaped” support columns double as signs. This is a very clever touch. Where did the inspiration come from? 

I have a passion for plants, and love to observe and collect photos and objects about plant growth. Growing is one kind of inspiration of space that we always ponder over. The “umbrella-shaped” structure also took cues from the growing plant and tree branch. Besides, the structure was suitable for downward light and also convenient for shoppers to look up at the signs.

Is the market still open? Have any adjustments been made due to COVID? 

The market was closed during the outbreak of COVID-19. Some shops were opened in mid-March. And all of them resumed business in April, according to the official notification of returning to work and production completely.

In my opinion, the dim, enclosed and dank market environment was a negative part of the outbreak in some markets, like Beijing and Dalian. However, as the project strove for a clean and bright space with great natural ventilation at the very beginning, there was no need of making adjustments in space and construction. Still, regular disinfection and cleaning have been indispensable.

The brief mentioned sustainability as an important dimension for the project. When the market is dismantled, do you have a plan for re-using the materials?

Yes, I’m planning to reuse the materials in two ways. Firstly, the project is going to stay in place for other uses after the new, permanent market is complete. Very early in the design process, I decided to use standardized columns and trusses to build the whole space, which makes it easy to change its function later.

Secondly, the project is built entirely from standard components used in industrial sheds and greenhouses. These materials are prefabricated and can be dismantled, recycled or reused for constructing the ecological farm nearby.

Do you have any other comments to make about the project? Which element of it are you especially proud of?

I’m proud of the rapid construction, and every party was satisfied with it since it had no effect on people’s daily life. However, I’m not so pleased with the lighting design. It would be better if there was no dazzle and had more reasonable lampshades. But it failed to do that due to the time and cost.

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When it comes to high design, duct-free HVAC systems have not traditionally topped the priority list for architects. It’s no wonder: duct-free air conditioning units have long had a reputation as lacking in aesthetics, often viewed as components that are notoriously difficult to integrate seamlessly into contemporary interiors.

For this reason, LG’s Art Cool^TM Premier Wall Mount Split System is a breath of fresh air, quite literally. The Art CoolTM Premier system provides one of the most minimal façade designs on the market. Its clean white finish and simple profile allows it to blend with the understated details of modern homes and offices. This innovative product recently won the HVAC category of the Architect’s Newspaper’s Best of Products Awards.

LG’s primary aim with the design of the Art CoolTM Premier system was to balance form and function. Surprisingly compact, and its performance was not compromised as a result, with available models including 9,000 and 12,000 Btu/h capacities respectively. This puts it on a par with other, much larger units, making its unassuming, lean profile all the more impressive.

Where the system really comes into its own is with energy efficiency. LG has created a unit that is not only ENERGY STAR® rated, but also boasts one of the highest SEER ratings in its class. The inverter variable speed system is “measurably quieter and consumes less energy than conventional air conditioners,” according to the manufacturers. How quiet? The unit operates at approximately 22 decibels, about the sound level of a whisper. This intelligent system knows when the target temperature is achieved, and the inverter compressor operates at low speed to maintain comfort levels, using considerably less energy.

This energy-efficiency means the system performs admirably on perhaps the most important of all HVAC factors: sound  levels. The Art CoolTM Premier system is one of the quietest around, making it an ideal choice for architects looking to create peaceful spaces for their clients, so they no longer have to compete with the noise of an AC unit while on a conference call.

It’s smart, too: the WiFi-enabled system connects to LG ThinQ app, allowing users to control it remotely. It’s also compatible with LG’s Central Control Network (and allows integration with third party building management systems), so can be specified as part of a complete Smart Home set-up. 

For architects designing both interior and exterior spaces, the Art CoolTM Premier system is available in both indoor and outdoor models. The operating range for outdoor units is 14°F to 118°F (DB) for cooling (extendable down to 0°F with an optional wind baffle accessory) and -13°F to 75°F (WB) for heating, while the ranges for indoor units are 64°F to 90°F (WB) for cooling and 60°F to 86°F (DB) for heating. According to LG, the unit is best suited for applications in zones that require both heating and cooling, offering year-round comfort for both residential and commercial spaces.

For all its impressive technical benefits, the most notable qualities of LG’s newest model are those that matter most to everyday users: its aesthetic appeal, and quiet operation. Ultimately, architects are looking for HVAC systems that will give their clients the comfort they need, without being the center of attention — visually or audibly. For this reason, LG’s Art CoolTM Premier system is a smart choice for a wide range of architectural applications.

For more information on LG’s Art CoolTM Premier system and to specify it for your next project, visit LG’s product information page and contact their team of experts.

The post Oh, So Quiet: LG’s Latest Air Conditioner Is Perfect for Minimalist Architects appeared first on Journal.

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New York-based firm Georg Windeck Architect has completed a bold yet sensitive penthouse renovation in an iconic Manhattan high-rise designed by famed American architect Emery Roth. Central Park West Penthouse was conceived by Windeck in collaboration with interior designer Daniel Schütz.

The interiors have been reconfigured to create an open, light-filled space for family living, one which celebrates the unique features of the original building. A neutral material palette and minimal interior furnishings allow the apartment’s striking artwork to take center stage, while the architectural highlight of the residence is its historic steel windows, allowing natural light to flood into each space.

Architect and educator Georg Windeck, returning juror for Architizer’s One Drawing Challenge, describes the project:

“The design of this apartment atop a landmark, 1930s Emery Roth building replaces a conventional, front-to-back configuration of rooms served by corridors with a free-flowing succession of spaces for the triple program of family home, chef’s kitchen, and photo studio. Several existing plumbing stacks and structural columns anchor the new plan.

“The public areas are organized along a diagonal that connects two distinctive corner windows at opposite ends of the apartment. One faces Central Park, the other a large roof deck overlooking the city.

“Private bedrooms and bathrooms are housed in cubic volumes that disregard the existing layout of columns and ceiling beams. Instead they unfold in a dynamic juxtaposition of lines and surfaces that is emphasized by various colors and material textures. Sliding partitions suit the different uses in various combinations.

“The grid of the historic, steel windows is taken as an inspiration for a new steel trellis on the terrace. This free-standing structure creates a dematerialized inversion of the apartment’s masonry wall. The corner windows become solid elements rather than apertures.”

All photographs by Naho Kubota. Architects: Showcase your next project through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter

The post Georg Windeck Architects Transforms a Penthouse Inside a Historic NYC High-Rise appeared first on Journal.

In partnership with internationally renowned publisher Phaidon, Architizer is thrilled to announce that every winning firm for the 1st Annual A+Firm Awards will have their projects published in an all-new, hardbound, full-color compendium dedicated to the world’s best AEC firms. Set for release in 2021, this major publication will celebrate the work of the talented teams that help bring amazing architecture to life — from concept to construction.

To put your firm in the running for inclusion in this stunning book and have your work seen by readers around the world, enter your work for the A+Firm Awards in one or more of 32 different categories. The Early Enter Deadline for the program is midnight ET on October 9th this year, so get your submission started today:

Enter the A+Firm Awards

The book will form a companion for the original A+Awards publication by Phaidon, which presents every winning architectural project through stunning photography and the words of the architects themselves. Now comprising four editions, the A+Awards book — entitled “Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture” — is a global best seller in the architecture and design category, with thousands sold worldwide each year.

Headquartered in New York City, Phaidon is the premier global publisher of the creative arts with over 1,500 titles in print. It works with the world’s most influential designers, artists, chefs, writers and thinkers to produce innovative books on a wide range of crafts, including art, photography, design, fashion and architecture.

As well as being featured in this new print publication, winners will see their work celebrated in the form of a year-round digital exhibition, with their projects being published on Architizer Journal, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. With a combined audience of more than 7.5 million, the exposure that awaits A+Firm Award recipients is unparalleled.

To submit your portfolio of work to the program, click the button below to get started – you can return to edit your entry materials at any time before the final deadline.

Begin Submission

The post A+Firm Award Winners to Be Published in New Phaidon Book on the World’s Best Architecture Firms appeared first on Journal.

Architects, interior designers, rendering artists, landscape architects, engineers, photographers and real estate developers are invited to submit their firm for the inaugural A+Firm Awards, celebrating the talented teams behind the world’s best architecture. Register today.

Adaptive reuse is where history meets modern design. By reusing existing structures for new uses, architects can optimize building performance and sustainability. In turn, they respect the context and communities in which they work. In a time when new construction and mass production have become the norm, adaptive reuse goes against the grain. By breathing new life into existing structures and the built environment, these projects can create new purpose in daily life and serve future generations.

Danish National Maritime Museum by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, Helsingør, Denmark

While adaptive reuse projects may go by different names, from infills to conversions and restorations, the central idea is working with what’s already there. Promoting sustainable, responsible, and environmentally-friendly growth and development, these designs often preserve the exterior of a building and repurpose the interior. More broadly, adaptive-reuse projects can invigorate a community by meeting the changing needs of a city or neighborhood. The following tips outline how architects and designers can begin designing for adaptive reuse and give existing buildings a second chance.

Empire Stores by STUDIO V and S9 Architecture, Brooklyn, New York, NY, United States

1. Start With the Basics

Not all old buildings qualify for adaptive reuse. Architects, developers, builders and clients who want to rejuvenate a building should understand how the project will serve the local market, as well as the new uses, overall sustainability, and project costs. Look at the project’s capital investment, local regulations, and heritage preservation, and look to the building’s history for inspiration. This is often a strong place to start, and can lead to the design concept for an adaptive reuse project.

Adaptive reuse models can prolong a building’s life, and in turn, might retain all or most of the building system. Consider the shell and structure, as well as interior materials. Work with what you have, and expand your team; take the time to study and learn from the existing structure and its surroundings. Consult with structural engineers and building consultants to save time and money; this may mean bringing in restoration or preservation experts at the onset of a project. For original materials in historic buildings, try to keep them preserved and restored in place. If this isn’t possible, you can salvage and reuse original materials in creative ways.

WeWork Weihai Lu by LINEHOUSE, Shanghai, China

2. Understand Costs & Sustainability

The building sector accounts for a significant portion of global fuel consumption, and in turn, adaptive reuse projects have the potential to address embodied energy and circular design. Buildings consume high amounts of energy, and new construction requires new materials and resources which possess high embodied energy. You must take a deeper dive into the environmental considerations: from energy use to water, some of the biggest areas to examine are the building envelope, windows and doors, the floors, and the roof.

In turn, a major consideration is waste; building-related construction and demolition debris totals approximately 160 million tons per year, accounting for nearly 26% of total non-industrial waste generation in the United States alone. While avoiding demolishing a building in its entirety certainly helps, reusing any element of a building’s structure can cut down on debris and waste.

Coal Drops Yard by Heatherwick Studio, London, United Kingdom

3. Check the Standards

While similar organizations and systems exist around the world, in the United States, architects considering adaptive reuse should understand the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, especially as it pertains to historic properties. These “common sense historic preservation principles” were created in non-technical language to promote historic preservation best practices to protect irreplaceable cultural resources. The Standards offer four distinct approaches to the treatment of historic properties—preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction—with accompanying Guidelines for each.

The Standards are a series of concepts about maintaining, repairing, and replacing historic materials, as well as designing new additions or making alterations. This is important for adaptive reuse projects because the guidelines offer ways to both respect and reinterpret past constructions depending on the approach. Historic rehabilitation projects often rely on the federal historic tax credit program, and those projects must meet the strict standards administered by the National Park Service.

The Standards are interpreted by the Secretary of the Interior and take economical and technical feasibility of the restorations into consideration. Historic buildings of all periods, styles, types, materials, and sizes can be evaluated. The Standards also encompass related landscape features, building site and environment, adjacent construction, and new construction related to the building.

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

4. Turn Challenges into Opportunities

Adaptive reuse developments come with their own set of difficulties. During renovation, surprises can turn into challenges. As an example, a pre-existing structure’s materials may add their own layer of complexity. This often calls for greater analysis and care. Older buildings may be made with materials that are harmful, like asbestos and lead-based paint. Architects can work with consultants and environmental reports to understand how to address these challenges, repurposing what’s existing and bringing the original structure up to code.

Obsolete, abandoned and under-utilized buildings will inherently have their own set of challenges. These can extend to everything from infrastructure and mechanical systems to contemporary social value. Safety and accessibility are the two biggest concerns with old buildings, and it’s important that these are met, most readily through the latest buildings codes. Often, the character and detailing found in these buildings are unique to the periods they were constructed. Though they may be challenging to incorporate, the features can be highlighted and celebrated in the new use.

Bombay Sapphire Distillery by Heatherwick Studio, Hampshire, United Kingdom

5. Build Social Equity

Adaptive reuse projects can be a powerful way to foster social equity. By helping to revitalize underserved communities, adaptive reuse projects can transform more than past structures and old buildings. By designing sustainable developments and investing in renewal projects, designers can help address basic needs and create social capital, justice and equity. Different types of development, from adaptive reuse to new construction, impact the social sustainability of a community and the quality of place. Not only can adaptive reuse return a piece of history to the collective memory of the city, but it can also spur larger renewal efforts.

When designing for adaptive reuse, consider how a project can build social equity. This starts from understanding a projects in its larger context, including the community or city that it will be a part of. Remember that adaptive reuse can extend beyond buildings themselves to become part of larger revitalization and urban renewal projects; look at how aspects like the program might encompass and address broader needs than those of a single site and structure.

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The post Young Architect Guide: 5 Tips for Designing an Adaptive Reuse Project appeared first on Journal.

No country does furniture quite like Italy. Anyone with a passion for furniture design has gone — or longs to go — to Salone del Mobile, the world’s leading trade fair for furniture, which is held each spring in Milan.

Unfortunately, like so much else this year, the 2020 edition of Salone del Mobile was cancelled. However, that doesn’t mean the country’s leading furniture makers took a break from releasing cutting edge designs this year. In fact, renowned Italian brand Flexform’s 2020 Collection is extremely impressive, managing to be both modern and timeless.

But what else would you expect from this industry-leading company?

Flexform’s Asolo Sectional Sofa brings warmth to bold, modern interiors.

Based in Meda, at the heart of Italy’s furniture production district of La Brianza, Flexform’s history coincides with that of Italian Modernism. The brand was formally named in 1959, but the Galimberti family had been making furniture for many decades before this.

Through the years, Flexform has worked with leading designs and architects to produce furniture that blends seamlessly with contemporary environments. Renowned Italian architect Antonio Citterio has collaborated with the brand for 50 years, contributing an extraordinary array of iconic pieces and coordinating Flexform’s world famous collections. Daniel Libeskind has also designed for the company, introducing the elegant Adagio sofa in 2016.

While Flexform and its designers maintain a firm commitment to innovation, the 2020 Indoor Collection is far from futuristic. In this year of upheaval, the brand decided to explore classic, tried-and-true elements of design.

“The 2020 Collection gives new impetus to Flexform’s aesthetic-design code with numerous proposals in the name of a lifestyle characterized by relaxed elegance, beyond time and fashion,” Flexform explains. “The new seating systems, characterized by a strong personality and a high level of comfort, become the protagonists of a domestic space conceived as a real ecosystem of elements.”

The Asolo sofa

“A real ecosystem of elements”— this phrase encapsulates perfectly the design principles of Flexform, which is committed to furnishing spaces that work. Take the Asolo sofa, designed by Antonio Citterio. Generously upholstered with soft goose down, this sofa is devoid of sharp corners and engineered for relaxation. It is also brilliantly adaptable. A variety of pieces can be mixed and matched to fit the space.

The Gregory sofa

For a slightly more buttoned up, but similarly comfortable sectional sofa, there is the Gregory collection. Also designed by Citterio, the cushions in this sofa are held by elastic webbing that is integral to the aesthetic of the product.

“The austerity of the unique metal base is softened by the warmth of the elegant cowhide used to tailor-finish the exposed parts of the elastic webbing that hosts the seat cushions,” Flexform explains. “Just like the couture tailoring of the grosgrain piping that outlines the soft cushions, this formal-aesthetic solution traces back to the expertise that is the essence of the company’s genetic legacy.”

The effortless and sophisticated Gregory bed

The Gregory collection also includes a bed. The generously padded headboard is designed to provide consistently comfortable support, while the minimalist frame ensures the piece makes a refined impression.

The Gatsby armchair

Book lovers will appreciate the Gatsby armchair. With a smooth silhouette that suits almost any room, this leather beauty is as effortless as its literary namesake.

The Tessa armchair

Similarly timeless is the wicker Tessa armchair, a dressed-down alternative to the Gatsby that will add an earthy touch to a modern living room. The Tessa also comes with a flexible ottomon that can be repurposed as a table.

What is striking about both of these chairs is just how versatile they are. Combining widely popular forms with high-end materials, their appeal only increases the more one looks at them.

This is what Flexform’s 2020 indoor collection is all about: Long-lasting pieces that are simultaneously classic and contemporary. The design of each sofa, chair and bed is refined without being fussy, maximizing comfort without compromising on style.  For architects and interior designers looking to outfit living rooms in a manner that is entirely modern, yet not at all pretentious, Flexform is the brand to watch in 2020.

Click here to see Flexform’s complete 2020 range of indoor furniture.

The post Relaxed Elegance: Flexform’s 2020 Indoor Collection Emphasizes the Essentials appeared first on Journal.

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Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer as schools reopen their doors, football season readies up and temperatures begin to gradually decline. Celebrating the works and contribution of laborers, the long Labor Day Weekend is meant to cultivate rest and relaxation. It is also a time to enjoy summer activities one last time before Fall fully sets in.

For me, it was a wake up call. The events of 2020 had greatly thwarted my typical summer plans and activities. A combination of rigid travel restrictions and the mental malaise that has come as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the socio-political state of America, had kept me in an idle state for much of the summer.

Realizing how quickly the season was fading, my equally eager friends and I decided to partake in the most quintessential summer activity: We headed to the beach. Not just any beach, but Rockaway Beach, a destination with a unique sense of place that possesses the very essence of New York City. While it might seem an unlikely place to learn profound truths about the contemporary urban condition, that’s exactly what occurred as I walked across the sand.

Rockaway Boardwalk Reconstruction; photo via WXY architecture + urban design

The trip made me realize how much I had been missing out during the past six months — the everlasting, child-like wonderment of staring at a clear, blue sky, baking in the sun, and running into waves was refreshing, to say the least. I left feeling healed, content that I was at least able to relish the beach during one of the final phases of the summer.However, I also left with something else. I had a realization, an epiphany of sorts. I saw everything in plain sight, simultaneously. I saw 2020 summed up within a single section of Rockaway Beach. 

When looking forward, I was met with the serenity of the vast Atlantic Ocean. Directly behind me, I was sandwiched by post-war public housing projects. Looking up, I saw commercial planes — their engines roaring — soar overhead, departing from and arriving at the nearby John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Smaller banner planes routinely featured, flying across my line of sight while pulling aerial advertisements for various companies, each looking for business in spite of continuing economic uncertainty. When looking to my side, I saw people sunbathing with their masks on, while their children tirelessly choreographed dances for Tiktok. All types of sounds blared from wireless bluetooth speakers, interspersed across peoples’ beach towels.

Rockaway Beach, Queens, NY; image via Urielevy, WikiCommons

What I witnessed was an amalgamation of many forces that felt utterly overwhelming and odd, yet normal. It felt familiar. I had experienced this before. I had unknowingly become accustomed to this reality, and it had not been apparent until I saw it, all at once, at Rockaway Beach.

This is public space in 2020. Technology, transport, consumerism and community — their intersection and proliferation amidst a global pandemic is something that can only be labelled as the “future”. 

As this new normal continues to cement itself, the question remains: how will our relationship with common space evolve in the post-pandemic era? Things will undoubtedly advance to become more optimal and efficient. We’ll be battle tested from the COVID-19 pandemic, so it’s likely that new ways of organizing physical space that can mitigate the risks of future pandemics take shape.

While I can’t say with one hundred percent certainty how the future will look, I’ve realized how quickly new and unusual phenomena can become “normalized” to the point where they go completely unnoticed. Perhaps another trip to the beach will provide those answers for me. 

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The post I Went to the Beach and Saw the Future appeared first on Journal.

By the power of pen, pencil and computer mouse, we have definitive proof that architectural drawing is alive and well in 2020!

After a thorough review of all 100 Finalists by our stellar jury, Architizer is excited to announce the winners of the 2nd Annual One Drawing Challenge. The quality of submissions this year was better than ever, with powerful stories told through the language of architecture. The turbulent nature of 2020 provided ample inspiration for entrants, with many drawings forming a fascinating visual commentary on a wide range of world events from COVID–19 to the climate crisis.

This year, the Non-Student Grand Prize Winner is Bless Yee, an Associate at Handel Architects, for her drawing “Together Alone”, an detailed sectional drawing encapsulating 2020 within a hive-like network of subterranean chambers. Meanwhile, the Student Grand Prize Winners are Hannah Christy and Craig Findlay of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Their drawing, entitled “Concrete Atla(nti)s”, offers a glimpse of recycling activities taking place within the aging walls of a repurposed missile silo.

One Drawing Challenge juror Suchi Reddy, founder of architecture and design firm Reddymade, was suitably impressed by this year’s entries. “The submissions were skillful and complex, and the winners were expressive even without the description — when layered with that, they are even richer. Drawing as a means of emotive communication is alive and well!”

Without further ado, explore the winning drawings and 10 commended entries for this competition, complete with accompanying descriptions written by their creators:

Non-Student Winner: “Together Alone” by Yee Bless, Handel Architects

“Today, social distancing has manifested a new definition of ‘together’. The physical proximity of people and buildings have been reduced to the ‘virtual’. ‘Together’ we isolate, ‘together’ we work, and ‘together’ we zoom into the lens of our homes and struggles amidst a pandemic, the intrinsic fight for human rights, and survival of the everyday.

This drawing cuts a section through hexagonal pods that encapsulate our inhabited spaces. The hexagonal shape represents our self-proclaimed strength and efficiency around our designs, the same efficiency that circulated the virus with rapid speed. The hexagonal framework is deforming under the pressure of an evolving reconciliation for how we cope with the virus in our daily lives. Our pods are juxtaposed against one another revealing that we are closer ‘together’ than we think, and that we must act ‘together’ for the future.“

Student Winner: “Concrete Atla(nti)s” by Hannah Christy and Craig Findlay, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

“Representing our capacity to maintain archaic infrastructure in an overwhelming environment overflowing with waste, occupied by a population complacent to unrest, this drawing is as complex as the topics it alludes to. It is set in one of the 72 decommissioned Atlas-F missile silos scattered across the United States. This drawing critiques the haphazard mismanagement of reusable commodities of varying scales ranging from abandoned infrastructure to recyclable materials.

Through the convention of a section, this drawing shows the activities in the depth of the repurposed missile silo. Figures sourced from The Age of Enlightenment depict radicals productively recycling materials into a built environment erecting towards the sky. Facilitated by the cold war era framework, the occupants build upon their neighbor’s successes allowing an innate desire for vertical growth to materialize.”

“The Minute Before Tomorrow” by Nada Matar, CallisonRTKL

“She murmured to me bluntly: you do not belong here. I answered bluntly: I do not belong here. I never managed to package her neatly when we were separated. Because I never had the courage to tell myself that I left, never to be back again. Now I am a shadow of myself, restlessly wandering Earth. “Do you often go back?” I am repeatedly asked. And I lift my gaze to hide my silence. I never left. She lives in me.

Our soul is a shelter. Cities live in us as much as we are in them. They inhibit our memories and tell our stories, they transmute, live, die and glow in our fantasies.

She will rise again, the optimist says. The cynic sees a city in the process of going extinct: Beirut will never be the same again.”

Commended Entry: “A story in my mind” by Sebastián Camacho, Martinez Arquitectura

“Architecture is a human and historical event, evolution over the time is always linked between these two, depending on the time architecture adapts and manages to adjust these changes. Each design and built work tells us a unique story, either because of its experience building it or living in there.

All this makes me think that every day that there are new works, exciting experiences are born, which must be appreciated to remember them forever and this will reflect majestic buildings in the world.

Let’s enjoy architecture, walk through it and live experiences within it.”

“Here Everywhere” by Hans Villamayor

“The 2020 pandemic has shifted the paradigm of living. Quarantines and lockdowns physically limit people to the confines of their homes. Historically, patients requiring extended-care have experienced delirium, causing short attention-span, incoherence, poor orientation and cognition. Extended quarantine has led to a similar kind of lifestyle imbalance. Here Everywhere illustrates the delirious experiences of disturbed places at the height of lockdown.

Such unease can be teased with many (paradoxically relevant) cognitive dissonances:

social / distant
cozy / claustrophobic
isolated / connected
privacy / publicity

In the midst of “these strange times,” these paradoxes blur distinctions and dimensions, imbuing architecture (spaces, surfaces, objects) with a multiplicity of meanings:

The bed is
The couch is
The table is
The desk is
The counter is
The floor is….

When there is no place to go but everything to do, everywhere is here.
When everything is available but only from home, here is everywhere.”

“Podalida” by Joakim Dahlqvist

Complete drawing

Detail

“A drawing of a fictional city. I was tired of all the dystopian vision and wanted to create something that is optimistic yet still ambiguous. It is a scene full of activity and dynamism, multiple stories without a single protagonist. There are many easter eggs and secrets to be discovered every time one looks at it.”

Decoding WasteCity by Andrea Zamora and Juanita Echeverry, Universidad de Los Andes

“The COVID-19 emergency, together with our consumer behavior, triggered pollution and waste production rates. This catastrophe led to city abandonment, where buildings became obsolete.

Returning to the ruined city implied rethinking the management of resources. Waste colonization became the strategy to survive reality. In this way, the new territory is shaped by the overlapping of multiple time scenarios where the interrelated layers reconcile conflictive situations.

Here, life is possible due to the existence of new mobility systems developed within the living planes. Bridges allow horizontal passages, while the redesign of Bogotá’s public transport tracks along vertical structures that pivot through the coatings of the new reality.

What used to be is essential for what is to come. Each layer is indispensable for life to endure in the new territory. By decoding the decay accumulated over decades and reconstructing from what is no longer usable, life can develop in WasteCity.”

Commended Entry: “Liberty Landfill Plaza” by James Wines, SITE New York Professor emeritus at Penn State University

“This work, entitled ‘Liberty Landfill Plaza’, shows the graphic section of a hypothetical commercial development proposal for Lower Manhattan. The landfill required to construct this project envelopes the Statue of Liberty; but. allows her torch to remain above ground as the centerpiece sculpture of a new public space. The drawing is also a special commentary on the Trump era’s impact on American culture and environment.”

“Sanctuary of Disney’s Unloved Children” by Xinze Seah, Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL)

Complete drawing

Detail

“Disney has shaped the world of animation with films such as Snow White, Pinocchio, and Cinderella. These films have had global acclaim and generations have grown up influenced by the “magic” of Disney.

On 8th April 1999, Disney abandoned Discovery island, a Safari zoo containing exotic birds and animals. To date, Disney has faced many allegations of abuse and mistreatment of its staff and animals.

Thus this project is an exploration into the “dark side” of Disney and to create a redemption for its forgotten victims. Inspired by the Disney film Cinderella, in which Cinderella’s furry friends construct a dress from the unwanted fabrics and beads deemed as “trash. With this dress, the forgotten will attempt to outshine the “tyrant”, Disney.”

Commended Entry: “The Warehouse of Unfinished Ideas” by Graham Kelman

“The nature of the creative process consists of a chain of smaller ideas, tangents, and design iterations. These concepts are essential stepping stones leading to the final output. Some might argue, they are meaningful works in their own right.I often imagine unfinished architectural ideas archived within a vast warehouse as a collection of physical prototypes and miniature models. They loom in their various scales and unfinished states, waiting for the opportunity to be applied to future projects.

These fragments are studied, reflected upon, and referenced. They exist prior to a project’s impetus, and remain long past it’s completion.Will these undeveloped ideas lie dormant for eternity, or will they one day have the ability to be deployed to their full potential? Do they truly matter if they are unseen or unfinished? For now they wait, eternally housed within the warehouse of the mind.”

“Owls and Vultures” by Dennis Allain, Dennis Allain ADI

“This concept was based on a design for a bird aviary contained within an abandoned hanger. We do not know how the door was left open. The explorer is also left to question why such a large cage was constructed in the first place. The detail in construction gives us a sense of purpose and the sheer scale of the vaulted ceiling provides the viewer scale. However the full meaning is mysterious and the secrets the cage once held are left up to the witnesses interpretation.”

“View of Apartment #5, a Labyrinth and Repository of Spatial Memories” by Clemence Laurencio, University College London (UCL), Bartlett School of Architecture

“Five months have passed since the start of the lockdown here in London. I remain isolated on the third floor.

After many months of being locked up in my apartment, something peculiar began happening…

One day, as I made my way to the washroom, I suddenly found myself transported to another place. It was dark, but I could feel the cold stone beneath my feet. My steps echoed through this cavernous space. I reached for the wall, where I felt the familiar shape of the light switch… I was back in my apartment. I thought I was meandering through the sunken stepwells in Ahmedabad. Another time, I was running my hands on the smooth sun-kissed tiled roof of Doshi’s Sangath, when in fact, I sat in my living room, clasping my warm coffee mug… flashbacks of past times manifest themselves …

My memories had allowed me to escape my apartment.”

As our two top winners, Bless Yee and the team of Hannah Christy and Craig Findlay will each receive:

• $2,500 cash prize
• Leuchtturm1917 Notebook
• Pro Digital Drawing Package, including:
  • Rebelle, Flame Painter and Amberlight by Escape Motions
  • Creative License for Paintstorm

Further to this, the 10 commended entries shown above will receive a prize package of analog and digital drawing tools. Revealed earlier this month, the top 100 drawings were also published in a special edition feature on Architizer Journal. Still to come, we’ll be publishing further features on the winners in the coming weeks.

Thank you to all participants for their hard work in creating these amazing drawings and telling fascinating stories about architecture. If you are interested in entering next year’s One Drawing Challenge, be sure to sign up for updates by clicking the blue button below.

In the meantime, keep on drawing!

Register for the 2021 One Drawing Challenge

The post One Drawing Challenge 2020: Competition Winners Revealed! appeared first on Journal.

Architects, interior designers, rendering artists, landscape architects, engineers, photographers and real estate developers are invited to submit their firm for the inaugural A+Firm Awards, celebrating the talented teams behind the world’s best architecture. Register today.

Great architecture can be seen in the details. For Bjarke Ingels Group, the idea for the firm’s CopenHill project was tied to the idea of combining a waste-to-energy plant with a ski slope for the citizens of Copenhagen. The result is a monumental work of architecture nearly a decade in the making, one which scored the project a grand total of three A+Awards in 2020 — the Popular Choice Award in the Factories and Warehouses category, as well as both Jury and Popular Choice Awards in the Architecture +Photography & Video category, thanks to Aldo Amoretti Photography‘s striking set of images.

While Copenhill’s accolades are broad and wide-ranging, it’s worth zooming in: This new landmark was made through thousands of small assemblies and construction details that gave rise to an icon.

© Nils Koenning

When launched in 2011, CopenHill (or Amager Bakke in Danish) was the single largest environmental initiative in Denmark, replacing the adjacent Amagerfor-braending plant to integrate the latest technologies in waste treatment and environmental performance.

Surrounded by an industrial area on the island of Amager, a range of extreme sports activities take place in the surrounding facilities, from cable wake boarding and go-kart racing to rock climbing. The new plant establishes Amager Resource Center as an innovator on an urban scale, redefining the relationship between the waste plant and the city as an urban amenity.

© Laurian Ghinitoiu

© Laurian Ghinitoiu

The Amager Bakke WtE facility is owned and operated by Amager Resource Centre (ARC), a five city consortia, to supply low-carbon electricity to 550,000 people and district heating to 140,000 households. As BIG states, instead of considering the new Amagerforbraending as an isolated architectural object, the façade is conceived as an opportunity for the local context while forming it into a destination in itself and a reflection on the progressive vision of the company.

Officially opened in October 2019, the project is part of Copenhagen’s goal of becoming the first zero carbon city in the world by 2025. The façade features a series of staggered “aluminum bricks” that wrap the outside in a grid of stacked metal and glazing. This was one of the central aspects of the design, a seemingly simple, perforated façade made from aluminum rectangles.

© Aldo Amoretti

Drawing courtesy of BIG

Due to its large area, the optimization of the aluminum structure was achieved by using element analysis in combination with tests carried out at the HSLU. The system was also designed in collaboration with suppliers and manufacturers to thermally optimize the building envelope.

The façade has two layers, a base and another outer layer of aluminum that surrounds it. The interior of the panels is shatterproof with front sheets of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) between 1.2m and 1.5 meters wide and lengths up to 3.25 meters, and it also includes a series of ventilation louvres.

Photo courtesy of BIG

Façade detail courtesy of BIG

The building elevations take on a patterned aesthetic, while the glazing between the aluminum bricks brings natural light into the waste-to-energy plant’s interior. During the day, the natural light penetrates the metal grid and illuminates the inside of the building, making its stainless steel shine.

During long periods of darkness, the building’s artificial lighting is designed to make it stand out on the landscape. Beneath the slopes, furnaces, steam, and turbines convert 440,000 tons of waste annually into enough clean energy to deliver electricity and district heating for 150,000 homes.

Photo courtesy of SLA

Photo courtesy of SLA

Larger openings on the southwest façade illuminate workstations on the administrative floors, and on the longest vertical façade, an 85m climbing wall is installed to be the tallest artificial climbing wall in the world. The metal façade is made to feature crawling plants and flora as a home for birds, bees, butterflies, a green pocket and new urban ecosystem for the city.

© Rasmus Hjortshoj

Photo courtesy of SLA

BIG founder Bjarke Ingels sums up the plant and its impact, stating that “It provides a striking new urban landmark for Copenhagen and argues for a more pragmatic utopian future where environmental challenges can create the conditions for a livelier city.

“Architecture is there to give form to the future and I’m excited that my one-year-old son will grow up in a city where it’s taken for granted that you have a ski slope on top of a power plant.”

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The post Exploring BIG’s CopenHill, the Clean Energy Plant With Its Own Ski Slope appeared first on Journal.

The world’s largest architectural awards program — Architizer’s A+Awards — has expanded with the launch of the inaugural A+Firm Awards. Now accepting submissions, this newly minted program is designed to honor the most innovative companies in the AEC industry, and is open to firms of every size, geography and specialization (see point #2 below for more details). Get started on your submission today:

Enter the A+Firm Awards

If you are the founder or the marketing representative of an architecture practice, engineering firm, rendering studio, architectural photography studio, or real estate company, there is an A+Firm Award dedicated to you. For those considering entering, but unsure of the program’s value to your firm, read through the following points to discover just how much winning firms can benefit from this globally renowned accolade:

1. Get published in Phaidon’s definitive compendium of the world’s best firms.

In partnership with internationally renowned publisher Phaidon, Architizer is thrilled to announce that every winning firm for the 1st Annual A+Firm Awards will have their projects published in an all-new, hardbound, full-color compendium dedicated to the world’s best AEC firms. Set for release in 2021, this major publication will celebrate the work of the talented teams that help bring amazing architecture to life — from concept to construction.

The new Phaidon compendium on the World’s Best Firms will be published in 2021

2. Establish yourself as the industry leader in your region, typology or specialization.

The A+Firm Awards is the only program designed explicitly to reward studios of all sizes, geographies, and specializations. Categories will offer opportunities for firms of all sizes, locations and specializations to gain recognition.

• Overall Firm Awards: “Best of the Year” Categories include awards for all firm sizes, with tiered entry fees to make them accessible for all budgets.
• Geographic Awards: Your firm could secure the coveted title of Best in North America, Best in Central and South America, Best in Asia, Best in Australasia or Best in Africa.
• Typology Awards: For firms that have a proven track record in a particular building type, including residential, commercial, cultural, hospitality, and more.
• Specialization Awards: Honoring the crucial collaborators that bring projects to life, including landscape architects, engineers, interior designers, rendering studios and photographers.
• The A+Firm Awards also includes unique categories for portfolios that emphasize sustainability, public works, small projects, and collaboration.

To discover which categories are the best fit for your firm, check out the full list of category descriptions.

3. Attract new clients with a permanent badge of quality.

The A+Firm Awards is a natural extension of the A+Awards, the world’s largest awards program for architecture and building products. Over eight years, the A+ brand has become a trusted benchmark for architecture, and the iconic winners’ badge that adorns many a winner’s website is an established “stamp of quality” that clients instantly recognize. The A+Firm Awards are arguably an even greater endorsement, illuminating the quality of a firm’s entire portfolio to present and future clients alike.

4. Take your place alongside the world’s leading firms.

The A+Firm Awards is your opportunity to join the extraordinary ranks of Architizer’s past Special Honoree A+Award Winners, including BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group (Firm of the Year in 2014), Reiulf Ramstad Architects (2015), Studio Gang (2016), Adjaye Associates (2017), and MVRDV (2018). “It’s an incredible honor, and very humbling,” said Sir David Adjaye on receiving his firm’s award. “To be recognized for work that you deeply believe in is incredibly rewarding.” Become the next “Firm of the Year” in one of multiple categories to follow in Adjaye’s footsteps.

5. Become a go-to collaborator for other top firms.

Winning an A+Firm Award will elevate your company to another level within the industry, making you a highly desirable business partner for other firms undertaking large, complex projects across the globe. If you run an architectural visualization firm, earning the title of “Best Rendering Studio” will immediately send you to the top of the list for architects looking to collaborate. The same goes for photography studios, engineering firms, landscape architects and real estate developers. Become the go-to collaborator within your creative niche.

6. Gain global recognition … And have your work seen by millions.

Winners will see their work celebrated in the form of a year-round digital exhibition on Architizer, home to a global audience of architects and designers from more than 100 countries around the world. With more than 29,000 registered architecture firms on Architizer’s platform, the A+Firm Awards provides an opportunity for your company to stand out from the rest and establish yourself as a true industry leader.

Winners will see their projects published on Architizer Journal, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. With a combined audience of more than 7.5 million, the exposure that awaits A+Firm Award recipients is unparalleled. Further to this, we’ve partnered with international newswire v2com to provide Winners with global exposure. v2com distributes architecture industry news to some 6,350 publications and influencers in 96 countries!

7. Grab yourself a stunning new trophy.

Our winners deserve a truly remarkable showpiece to mark their achievement. That’s why we’ve collaborated with R.S. Owens — designer of the iconic Oscars statuette — to produce a fresh interpretation of the iconic A+Awards trophy, crafted from stunning, shimmering glass. This bespoke, custom-engraved trophy will be a perfect reflection of our winners’ outstanding design ethos.

The new A+Firm Awards trophy, crafted from glass by trophy specialists R.S. Owens

8. Earn validation from fellow creative pioneers.

The A+Firm Awards jury has been curated to provide a diverse, nuanced perspective on the world’s best architecture from a wide range of expert viewpoints. Entrants will have their work reviewed innovators and thought leaders from architecture, design, tech, culture, education and media. Our jury hails from prestigious companies and institutions around the world, reinforcing the global nature of the program.

Select Winners will also be invited to participate in industry events and lectures, including speaking at the Aesthetica Future Now Symposium in March 2021.

9. Celebrate your whole team.

Architecture has never been created by a singular, star architect — so why should they take all the plaudits? The concept of the “lone design genius” is outdated and needs to be overhauled. The A+Firm Awards provides an opportunity for your whole team to be given the spotlight. It’s the ultimate award for collaborative creativity in the 21st Century.

10. Finish 2020 off with a bang … and build momentum for 2021!

Winners and Commended Entrants in the inaugural A+Firm Awards will be crowned the “Firms to Watch” in 2021 and beyond. The program promises to put firms on the map and thrust them into the public eye, providing a powerful platform for success as the world collectively strives for rejuvenation after this trying year.

The Early Entry Deadline is October 9th, so get started on your entry now — you can come back and edit it right up to the deadline. Good luck to every participating firm from the whole team at Architizer!

Enter the A+Firm Awards

The post 10 Reasons Your Firm Should Enter the A+Firm Awards appeared first on Journal.

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Architect Ricardo Bofill turned 80 years old in December 2019. This major cause for celebration gave architectural photographer Sebastian Weiss the impetus to travel to one of Bofill’s most well known and distinctive buildings, “La Muralla Roja” in Calp, Spain. Weiss describes the housing complex as “a place on the border to the surreal,” and his abstract photographs bring this kaleidoscopic project to life in all its colorful glory.

La Muralla Roja, Spanish for ‘The Red Wall,’ was inspired by the bold colors and distinctive vernacular of the Mediterranean region, referencing the architectural language of alcazabas (old forts or medinas). The bold colors were chosen by Bofill to strike a contrast with the natural surroundings, while simultaneously sitting in harmony with its context.

“The strict geometry and the juxtaposition of ocher, red to pink, blue and the turquoise of the sea impressed me very much,” said Weiss of his visit to the complex. “This surreal place is a feast for the senses and fascinates with its perfect tuning of colors, geometrical shapes, public and private areas, as well as light and shadow plays. It feels like moving through the set construction of a movie production.”

Weiss’ series won Gold at the PX3, Prix de la Photographie de Paris 2020 in the Category Architecture / Buildings – Professional. For more stunning photography by Weiss, check out his Instagram page. For more beautiful architecture by Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, explore the architect’s stunning home inside a ruined cement factory.

Sebastian Weiss lives and works as an architectural photographer in Hamburg, Germany. He is “Professional Member” of the Professional Association of Freelance Photographers and Film Creators (BFF) and also a member of the Bundesverband Architekturfotografie e.V. (BVAF).

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The post Explore Ricardo Bofill’s Stunning “La Muralla Roja” Through the Lens of Sebastian Weiss appeared first on Journal.

It’s time to get your best architectural visualizations ready — the 2nd Annual One Rendering Challenge is on its way! Opening for entries on Monday, October 26th 2020, the most inspiring ideas competition of the Fall poses a single, compelling question: Can you tell a story about architecture with a single rendering?

Architizer is thrilled to announce that, once again, two Top Winners — one student and one non-student — will each win a $2,500 Grand Prize! To ensure you are kept updated and are ready to submit your rendering when the competition opens, pre-register for this year’s Challenge:

Register for the One Rendering Challenge

This year, every finalist — amounting to an amazing 100 renderings — will be published on Architizer Journal and celebrated with Architizer’s global community of architects and designers. With 7.5M followers across multiple platforms, the buzz promises to be huge!

Your task is simple: Create one rendering that powerfully communicates an architectural form or space and the experience of those that would inhabit it. Your visualization can be located anywhere in the world and be at any scale. It can take the form of a perspective, parallel projection, section, abstract or any other image format. As long as it is a computer-generated visualization that portrays part or all of a building or group of buildings, it is eligible.

Finalist Renderings will be reviewed by a stellar jury of industry leaders from the world of architectural visualization, with each entry being judged on the following 3 criteria: Communication, Aesthetics, and Impact. Check out the detailed judging criteria here.

Thanks to some amazing software, renderings now have the ability to represent architecture — existing or proposed — with an incredible degree of photorealism. With hundreds of glossy visualizations now being produced every day, the best CG artists must do more to stand out, injecting atmosphere, emotion and a clear narrative into their work.

Is this something you strive for with your renderings? If so, the One Rendering Challenge is for you. Register today and begin preparing your best image for entry:

Sign Up for the Competition

The post The One Rendering Challenge: Send Us a Rendering. Tell Us a Story. Win $2,500 appeared first on Journal.

Architect Richard Rogers is retiring from his firm Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners, following a prominent career spanning more than five decades and having designed some of the most famous public buildings of the late 20th century. The 87-year-old designer stepped down from the board of RSHP in June; in the coming months the firm will be led by Graham Stirk and Ivan Harbour, along with nine other partners, under a new name.

Rogers became widely known following his and Renzo Piano’s 1971 competition-winning entry for the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, an iconic museum that at the time was a lightning rod for criticism. In this project one can already see the themes that would become prominent throughout Rogers’s career: high-tech systems, a concern for public space, and a new conception of context — what it means to fit in with existing urban fabric. We can add another theme that appears later in his career: Rogers arrived at an understanding of sustainability earlier than many others in the architecture profession, stressing its importance in his writings and projects.

Richard Rogers; image via Archisoup

Rogers continued designing with a functionalist ethos through the height of postmodernism in architecture, allowing systems to be read as style. Later grouped into the historical umbrella of “high-tech architecture” by theorists like Reyner Banham, Rogers’s buildings bare their structural and mechanical systems, emphasize open, flexible spaces, and celebrate transparency between interior and exterior. 

Part of this formal openness serves to pull in urban energy, making interiors the extensions of public plazas and other urban centers. A strong concern for public space and the life of cities runs throughout Rogers’s career, eventually leading him to several roles advising the London and UK governments on urbanism. His urban design philosophy was based around the importance of piazza-like public spaces and the achievement of a new type of contextuality based on scale, height and connectivity. Both together enable buildings and environments that are stylistically very different — for example, the Centre Pompidou and Haussmann’s 19th-century Paris — to fit together within a city’s urban fabric.

Rogers’s concern for cities and for the public realm led to his 1995 lecture and 1998 book Cities for a Small Planet, which set out an agenda for sustainable urbanism and urbanization through viewing cities as metabolic systems. This pushed Rogers to the forefront of the movement for sustainability in construction, in avoiding suburban sprawl, and in efficient material and energy use, even before the full extent of the danger of climate change was understood.

An overview of some of his most compelling projects, below, demonstrates that Richard Rogers retires having popularized a flexible, sustainable and public-minded design language for the 21st-century city.

Image by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano via Atlas of Places.

Centre Georges Pompidou, 1971-1977. With Renzo Piano.

Lloyd’s of London, 1978-1986.

Inmos Microprocessor Factory, 1982-1987.

London as it could be, 1986.

European Court of Human Rights, 1989-1995.

Tokyo Forum, 1990.

The Millennium Dome, 1996-1999.

Terminal 4, Madrid-Barajas Airport, 1997-2005.

National Assembly for Wales, 1998-2005.

The Leadenhall Building, 2000-2014.

Copyright Jim Stephenson 2015.

NEO Bankside, 2006-2012.

All images courtesy of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners unless otherwise noted.

The post Richard Rogers Retires: An Overview of His Most Iconic Architectural Works appeared first on Journal.

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Alchemy Architects, a small firm based in St. Paul, MN, has devoted their work to sustainable building practices — often through the process of prefabricated modular designs. By utilizing recycled and reused matters, along with building strategies that reduce waste, Alchemy rethinks the prototypical vacation home by striving for simplicity and minimal use of materials.

Their rustic, often oxidized buildings have a way of sitting harmoniously within their settings, while yielding a minimal carbon (and physical) footprint. Here, we take a closer look at the firm’s distinctive range of weeHouses, which exemplify the firm’s eco-conscious reputation.

Marfa weeHouse, Marfa, TX

Outside of Marfa, TX, the small artist colony featuring the minimalist works of Donald Judd, the Marfa weeHouse acts as a cool, calm retreat from West Texas’ harsh climate, and represents a more modest approach to vacation homes. Visually, the design mimics the form of Judd’s simple concrete slab sculptures in Marfa, while the rusty exterior borrows from the desert’s hues. The prefabricated house’s large awnings block excessive daylighting, while natural ventilation keeps the interiors cool.

Arado weeHouse, St. Paul, MN

Alchemy’s original weeHouse provides a prefabricated, off-the-grid residence in the prairies outside of Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The original 336-square-foot house was built in a factory and delivered to the site. Cementitious siding clads the exterior while extensive glazings create a strong connection to the landscape.

Cawaja weeHouse, Ontario, Canada

Two modules, one horizontal and one vertical, make up this weeHouse in Ontario. At 1,200 square feet, it was designed as a prefab weeHouse prototype using 14-foot wide modules that were easily transported to the site. Conceived of as a four-season house, the weeHouse features stained pine “Corncrib” siding as well as oxidized copper green-painted siding, giving it a rustic appearance.

Red Lodge weeHouse, Red Lodge, MT

Alchemy takes the traditional lodge typology and translates it into their simplified, tarnished aesthetic for this country retreat in Montana. The Red Lodge weeHouse contains two separate units, one “Pair,” which makes up the main living quarters, and a separate “Studio.” The units were prefabricated in a warehouse, transported by truck, and lifted into place. The house was designed with accessibility in mind, as the studio features a wheelchair accessible ramp for future guests.

Sonama weeHouse, Santa Rosa, CA

The Sonoma weeHouse was designed in Minnesota for a client in San Francisco, built in Oregon, and shipped to its Santa Rosa, CA site 90% complete. The client, an architect himself and Apple’s Senior Design Director, Real Estate and Development, was the project’s co-pilot with Geoffrey C. Warner, Alchemy’s principal architect. This small, ultra-minimal, high-end home is based on Alchemy’s weeHouse design, but was customized to meet the luxe finishing requirements the client requested.

weeZero, Moab, UT

Combining the best of prefab modular design with recycled materials, the weeZero is Alchemy’s first net-zero energy retreat. The design incorporates a simple box-shaped structure clad in reused oxidized scrap metal, which blends in to the red-rock desert landscape. The house features water recycling, passive solar electricity, and solar thermal collectors to minimize its carbon footprint.

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The post weeHouse Is the Perfect Vacation Home for Eco-Conscious Architects appeared first on Journal.