Along with concerns about our environment, new movements, words, concepts, and terms related to these issues constantly emerge, which require us to always remain up to date. The word sustainability itself faced some resistance until it was incorporated into common vocabulary and used widely in the most diverse contexts. Currently, much discussion surrounds the terms circular economy, resilience, the 4 Rs, urban mining, and others. In addition, there are some sustainability-related movements that have been incorporated from activism in other fields, showing the fluidity of such issues. One such initiative is the 0 kilometer materials movement, which has been featured in manifestos and some projects, albeit timidly, in recent times.
Mars House designed in May 2020 by Artist Krista Kim, has become the first sold digital NFT home in the world. The 3D digital file that can be experienced in virtual reality, was just acquired. Rendered using Unreal Engine, a software used to create video games, the house can be experienced in VR, but could also be experienced through augmented reality (AR) environment in apps. A structure comprised of light, Mars House generates a healing atmosphere, with a musical accompaniment by Jeff Schroeder of The Smashing Pumpkins.
Scott Brownrigg has created a new masterplan for the International Sports Village (ISV) at Cardiff Bay. Working on the larger development since 2012, the firm is approaching the ISV masterplan by combining programs. The project will include a 333-metre velodrome with a clubhouse, spectator stand and bike storage, together with a new zip wire tower, a large bike shop, food, drink and retail space, additional car parking and space for new sport and leisure attractions.
This week we present a selection of 17 excellent images of interior courtyards. These spaces bring many advantages to a design such as increased natural light and improved ventilation conditions, while providing occupants with direct access to the outside and to nature. Below is a selection of images from prominent photographers such as Quang Dam, Fran Parente, and Pablo Blanco.
Courtesy of International Architectural Design Competition for Shenzhen Opera House
The International Architectural Design Competition for ShenzhenOpera House has announced the selection of the proposal Light of the Sea submitted by Jean Nouvel as the first-prize winner of the contest. “A masterpiece where music meets the sea”, the design doesn’t adopt the conventional enclosed form of opera houses, but it integrates the building into the coastline, showcasing a visionary public cultural landmark.
Marc Thorpe Design has unveiled a new home concept along a tributary of the Savannah River in the United States. Sited in the deep south, the "House of Four Gardens" was designed between live oaks and perennial ferns. Access to nature was a central concept throughout the entire home, and each space is defined by the geometry of the structure in plan.
When designing a space, architects across the board tout the importance, and even necessity, of incorporating natural light into interiors. This means taking measures to control the quantity of light being let in and its distribution throughout the space.
In the case of residential spaces, where privacy plays a larger role than in public spaces like offices, restaurants, and stores, opaque materials like screens, tinted glass, and other barriers are the go-tos for providing protection and privacy from the outside; however, the privacy that these methods provide often comes at the cost of the space's natural lighting, forcing designers to seek alternative materials that allow for both light and privacy.
Architect John S. Chase with his sons Anthony (left) and John, Jr. (right). The trio stand in front of the Chase Residence, built in 1959. Image Courtesy of John and Drucie Chase Collection, African American Library at the Gregory School, Houston Public Library
The following text is excerpted fromJohn S. Chase — The Chase Residence(Tower Books, 2020) by architect and University of Texas professor David Heymann and historian and Rice University lecturer Stephen Fox. Richly illustrated with archival materials and new drawings, the book is the first devoted to Chase, who was the first Black licensed architect in Texas. The study is divided into two parts, with Heymann examining the personal, social, and architectural significance of Chase’s own Houston house and Fox describing Chase’s architectural career.
This excerpt draws on Heymann’s analysis and highlights the first incarnation of the Chase Residence (Chase substantially altered its architecture in 1968). It places great emphasis on the house’s remarkable courtyard, a modernist innovation, and a singular statement about domestic living at the time. New section, elevation, and perspective drawings prepared for the book help illustrate the ingenuity of the house’s configuration. Finally, the excerpt was selected in part to honor Drucie (Rucker) Chase, who passed away in January of 2021.
The interlacing of sleek, sharp lines contrast with the delicate beauty of the lake and the softly rolling hills of Brianza. Image Courtesy of Flexform
Along the waters of Lago di Alserio, in Como, Italy is a contemporary private residence designed by architect Annalisa Mauri which contrasts the interlacing of sleek, sharp lines with the delicate beauty of the lake and the softly rolling hills of Brianza which surround it. The geography of the site has undoubtedly influenced the flow of the building, which is expressed through well-defined geometric spaces featuring large sliding glass windows and glass spandrels that offer seamless visual continuity between indoor and outdoor.
Simple in form but complex in substance, “What is Architecture?” remains an existential question for a lot of architecture students and young professionals. In an attempt to define this ever-changing interrogation and expose the different visions out there, the interview series: WIA – What is architecture? asks four, straightforward, questions to world-leading architectural designers and thinkers. Seeking to uncover their opinion on what architecture is and what it can do, these short videos reveal responses to “What is architecture? What can architecture do? What is your architectural position? and What is your design method?”.
The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.
A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.
This week David and Marina are joined by Alex Proba, Multi-Disciplinary Designer and Creative Director of Studio Proba to discuss her design process, finding her own style, the limitation and possibilities of a design style, blurring 2D and 3D works, spatial design, and much more. Enjoy!
https://www.archdaily.com/958824/alex-proba-on-the-limitation-and-possibilities-of-a-design-style-and-blurring-2d-and-3d-worksThe Second Studio Podcast
The city of Madrid can be viewed as a place that is representative of all the architectural styles found on the European continent. 16th-century Renaissance buildings and 18th-century Baroque buildings all co-exist in harmony with more modern architectural styles such as Art Deco or the expressive contemporary architecture of recent years. Iconic contemporary architecture firms such as Herzog & de Meuron and Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, with projects such as the BBVA Headquarters and Madrid-Barajas Airport Terminal, have all played a part in defining Madrid’s architectural character too, making for a city with highly varied and distinct streetscapes.
This video explores how the settings and spaces in the first season of HBO’s Westworld contribute to the overall interpretation of the show. From the lawless town of Sweetwater, to the tightly controlled offices of Delos, Westworld uses architecture precisely to establish its intricate worlds. While the show is set within a theme park of the near future, books like Michael Sorkin’s Variation on a Theme Park argue that we are already treating the cities we live in — in real life — as theme parks. So, while Westworld shares a number of architectural strategies with places like Disneyland, it is also not too far away from places like Chicago, New York, or London. After all, it was the architect Charles Moore that declared Disneyland the most influential urban environment built after World War 2. Getting to the bottom of this rabbit hole includes lots of train rides and an introduction to Michel Foucault’s concept of heterotopia, which helps explain what happens when worlds collide.
In an ideal world, architects would have free reign to design whatever they imagined. But the reality of the profession is that it comes with strings attached, and our visions are limited by clients, budgets, and perhaps the most dominating force, building codes. These codes have restricted and reshaped architecture so much, that it has forged a new type of building- the “stick frame over podium”, or “five over two” design. The result is a very distinct aesthetic of buildings and a notable monotony that has nearly redefined mid-rise residential architecture across the country.
Paul Clemence has released a new series of images, showcasing the on-going construction works on 111 West 57th, designed by SHoP. Located in New York, the residential tower is set to become the second-tallest building in the city by roof height, and the most slender tall building in the world, once completed.
Architecture firm Urban Agency is currently working on the second project in the sister development Merronian Living in Dublin, Ireland. The new residential typology draws on the iconic Dublin terrace and reimagines the spatial potential of the roofscape. Like the first scheme, Merronian Living 2 is premised on architectural integration, drawing inspiration from the surrounding built heritage.
While some aspects of comfort and well-being in an indoor environment are related to external factors, such as natural lighting and ventilation, others are directly associated with the interior layout and the sensations created by architecture in the people living in that space.
It is always challenging to balance all of the elements that can provide greater comfort and well-being in interior design, particularly in small environments that must be fully optimized since it is not always possible to create large openings to the outside or even to accommodate the whole architectural program in a conventional manner.
Paulo Mendes da Rocha often says that the function of architecture is nothing more than ‘supporting the unpredictability of life’. Spaces stand everyday life, meetings, landscape, art. Something like a frame, which is often also considered a supporting element of a work of art, since it highlights and, mainly, directs the viewer's gaze to the main object. The phrase of the Brazilian architect combines well with the way that the Lacaton & Vassal office works. The French couple's award raises some questions about how accurate their choices are for the current moment in the world. This includes the philosophy of their work, the design solutions adopted and the material palette generally adopted.
This article was originally published on Common Edge as "Kate Wagner on McMansion Hell, Criticism, and Her Love of Cycling."
Contrary to movie myth, there is no such thing as an overnight sensation. The moment when a cultural presence bursts upon the scene, seemingly fully formed, is almost always preceded by unwitnessed years of DIY training and single-minded obsession. Such is the case for Kate Wagner, who broke the architectural internet in 2016 with the introduction of McMansion Hell, a sharp and hilarious skewering of the bloated American home, in all its garish and desperate striving. A year later, the real estate listing site Zillow served the then-23-year-old Wagner with a cease-and-desist letter, claiming that her use of photographs violated copyright (even though they didn’t own the photographs either!). It was a clumsy move, resulting in an eventual corporate about-face and scads of free publicity for McMansion Hell.
CTO Lighting celebrates the British craftsmanship and tradition at the core of its collections – and nowhere more so than in its new luminaire family named after Arthurian legend.
Focusing on competition entries, this week’s curated selection of the best-unbuilt architecture draws from proposals submitted by the ArchDaily Community to highlight award-winning design across the globe. Made for diverse programming, the entries each explore how to build upon the identity of local sites to win their respective competition. Together, they showcase contemporary formal, spatial and conceptual approaches.
The award-winning entries include a range of different projects: a mixed-use redevelopment proposal for a post war suburb of Antwerp, a high-rise on the site of a historic former Police HQ building in downtown Frankfurt, a leafy urban heat island proposal in Abu Dhabi, and a ‘Ireland House’ in Tokyo, which will bring diplomats and state agency personnel together under one roof. These are but a few of the best unbuilt architecture this week.
Videos
SaatRasta Photo by Giovanni Hänninen. Image Courtesy of Alvar Aalto Foundation
The fourteenth Alvar Aalto Medal has been awarded to the Indian architectural office Studio Mumbai and its director Bijoy Jain. The award, carrying the name of the Finnish architect and designed by Aalto himself, was founded in 1967 in order to honor creative architectural work. Given out every three years by the Alvar Aalto Foundation, the medal “can be given to persons who have gained merit in the field of creative architecture in a very significant way”.
Salon Alper Derinbogaz has created an integrated and open proposal for a new library in South Korea. Named an honorable mention in the Songdo library competition, the project centers on education and innovation for future learners, and a flexible space in which knowledge, making and technology intermingle. The library was deisgned to be an environment that will facilitate the construction of new knowledge and ideas
Alvar Aalto and Elissa Aalto in 1956. Via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
While women in architecture already face more obstacles than men in their careers, as proven by studies and research from across the globe, the disparities become even more obvious when it comes to partnerships involving both genders. In the history of the profession, there are many examples of office partnerships or collaborations that reveal the discrepancies in terms of recognition achieved by the work, reflected in awards, honors, citations, and salaries.
Many of these collaborations are between intimate couples who, as in any business partnership, design and make work decisions together. But in the particular case of architects in a heterosexual relationship, the role of the "wife" seems to have prevailed over that of collaborator, architect, or equal partner on many occasions.
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.jpg?1615997115 "SaatRasta Photo by Giovanni Hänninen. Image Courtesy of Alvar Aalto Foundation")
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