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ORDOS 100 #37: Polaris Architects

By Nico Saieh — Filed under: Houses , , , ,
 

This villa is located in plot #63 of the ORDOS project.

Architects: Polaris Architects
Location: Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China
Principals in Charge: Carole Schmit & François Thiry
Design year: 2008
Construction year: 2009-2010
Curator: Ai Weiwei, Beijing, China
Client: Jiang Yuan Water Engineering Ltd, Inner Mongolia, China
Constructed Area: 1,000 sqm aprox

Villa #63 by Polaris Architects is entitled Showcase Study House. The building aims to meet the expectations of an art collector, a gallery owner or an artist.

The user’s profile is described by the architects in a manifesto entitled « House for Mr. and Ms. X ». The user’s profile looks somewhat like the architects, who are themselves modest contemporary art collectors.

Some 10 European artists who contributed to the architects’ own collection kindly lent illustrations of original artworks to support the idea of a coherent private exhibition. These artworks are not part of the design by Polaris Architects and remain their respective authors’ property.

The main exhibition hall constitutes the core of the villa. All other functions are located in two wings, one on each side of the main hall. The master bedroom, dining and living rooms are oriented southward. The other bedrooms, the kitchen and the garage are located in the second wing. The underground level, open to the garden, includes an indoor swimming pool, a gym and a sauna. The garden is foreseen to serve as an additional exhibition and event space, and also features an outdoor swimming pool.

All bearing walls are made of cast-in-place concrete. The design offers a continuous envelope made of thick rigid insulation in order to achieve « low » to « passive » energy performance. The facade is strongly insulated, covered by coating and painted according to a specific pattern. The roof is made of wood carpentry, insulated and covered by zinc.

 

9 comments »

52 says:

this isn’ going to stop is it……

 
# April 20, 2009 at 22:07
bothands says:

…not till 100

 
# April 20, 2009 at 22:26
biboarchitect says:

yeah, U r right, but its not as ugly as other stuff in Ordos.. some are really horrible..

 
# April 21, 2009 at 00:21
Lulu says:

I like it indeed.
Dinamic form and beautiful spaces.

 
# April 21, 2009 at 05:31
roadkill says:

you know an anagram for ORDOS is ODORS, believe me this project together with 95% of the whole competition do Stink

 
# April 21, 2009 at 13:30
bothands says:

“believe” you? why? (another anagram is DOORS)…

 
# April 28, 2009 at 17:26
jack says:

I really not understand how people can design such a nonsense….what in the hell is the concept of that house? looks like just doing a bit something – relly awfull!

 
# June 3, 2009 at 15:35
Nappy says:

looks bizarre, like a dead rat.
which is either good or bad.

Can’t decide.

 
# October 7, 2009 at 19:25

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