Warming Huts v.2012, an arts and architecture competition on ice in Winnipeg, Canada, recently announced the winners which demonstrate a collection of varying interpretations of shelter.
Frank Gehry will design a hut made from large blocks of ice entitled, FIVE-HOLE. The blocks are slated to be shipped from Montreal especially for Gehry’s project. Three huts were chosen from over 40 other entries in the open design competition. The winning designs, WIND CATCHER, Ice Pillows, and ROPE Pavilion represent Norway, Czech Republic and New York respectively. The fifth and final hut, entitled HOTHUT, came from a call to University of Manitoba Architecture students who competed in teams for the final coveted spot. More images and information on the winning proposals after the break.
Carrilho da Graça Arquitectos recently won the international competition for the protection project and musealization of the Gallo-Roman villa of Séviac, in Montréal-du-Gers, France. The project sets up a protective device and does not relate to a known typology that is a technical device with its own logic – a homogeneous-looking device that creates an event – which does not compete with the archaeological remains, but rather gives a new insight into the importance and influence of the villa. The event: to take this opportunity to give contemporary architecture its legitimate place in Gers. More images and architects’ description after the break.
In typography, the ‘Counter’ is the space contained by letters (this is where monkish Irish Illuminators famously had space to play). For the monks, the space between the letters was as meaningful as the letters themselves. In ‘Counterspace’, the winning proposal by CODA for the Europan 2011 competition in Dublin, the linear forms of the traditional rows are transformed and interwoven to create a range of counterspaces: from enclosed collective space for safe children’s play, to urban plaza for adults’ lattés. Just like on the 19th century street of industrial terraced Dublin, the life of the community happens in the space between the rows of housing, in the counterspace. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Since Wim Wenders’s new documentary “Pina” hit the theaters this month, the online world hasn’t stopped talking about the German film director’s plan to create a 3D documentary film on architecture. In a recent interview with the Documentary Channel, Wenders revealed his plans stating, “I have actually already started a long-term project, another documentary in 3D. It will take several years, but it’s going to be about architecture. I have always wanted to do a film about architecture, and I have a lot of architect friends. But that is another subject I never really knew how to approach with film. I realized through PINA that architecture is something that could have a real affinity to this medium. We started shooting already, but it’s at the very, very beginning. That’s going to be my next documentary project in 3D, but I would definitely also do a narrative film in the future in 3D as well.”
2011 is coming to an end, and we prepared a three-day special remembering the best of the best from this incredible year in architecture.
The comments in a post are one of the most important aspects for us. It can generate a positive debate towards a specific project or architecture news, it gives us feedback and it allows you to interact with other readers from all over the world.
A 72 cm house in its narrowest point, Apple’s campus in Cupertino, Libeskind’s Military History museum in Dresden, the 2011 Pritzker Prize winner, and an inverted ‘earthscraper’ in Mexico are among our most commented of 2011. Check them all after the break.
The winner and two runners-up of the Philips Livable Cities Award have started their projects. You can follow the progress of the recipients – from Yemen, Argentina and Uganda – as they document their process on their blog and video diary. The Philips Livable Cities Award is a “global initiative designed to generate innovative, meaningful and achievable ideas to improve the health and well-being of city-dwellers across the world”. The awardees received grants that will allow them to bring their ideas to life, improving the livability within their local communities.
Continue reading for videos and more information on the three award-winning projects.
Bosco Verticale, by Boeri Studio (now recognized as Barreca & La Varra and Stefano Boeri Architetti), is a high-density tower block that experiments with the integration of a lush landscape within the facade of the architecture. The Vertical Forest, currently in construction in Milan, Italy, deal with the concept of regenerating the lost forests on the ground within the inhabitable space of buildings. The towers are 80 metres and 112 metres tall. Together they will have the capacity to hold 480 big and medium sized trees, 250 small size trees, 11,000 groundcover plants and 5,000 shrubs – the equivalent of a hectare of forest. For more on this project, follow us after the break.
The proposal for the Metro Station 20 by MSB Architects aims to create passing spaces, with the creation and delineation of structures and trees that provide the amenities for this occupation. Assuming that the city will grow to this area, this project may be structured in this new area of the city through the creation of common spaces – above and below ground – with a philosophy of unity at a visual and functional language. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Check out this fun video of students from Carleton University enjoying a series of cool architecture installations at their annual public gala. This year, Barry J. Hobin & Associates Architects and GRC Architects with Wall Sound-Lighting.com and Graphic Carleton Services sponsored the efforts to transform the open hall with architectural interventions and installation art to create one of the largest student organized events in Ottawa. We love the tunnel that changes color and the metal slides on the grass – what’s your favorite?
YanPaiXi Village, designed by Regional Construction Studio, is located in Guzhang County, Western Hunan. The houses in the village are surrounded by terraces which were built along the mountain and are divided into a number of large and small blocks by channels which are generated by nature. The society is steady and the residents are sincere and honest. Inspired by this village, the device attempts to explore an inter-growth prototype by implanting this “light” model in an urban and rural space. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The SmartPlayhouse children`s houses are authentic pieces of design work inspired by contemporary architecture. A modern and comfortable space that provides the children with their own private and safe place to play, developing their creativity and ability to share. Built with the highest quality materials and very resistant to rough weather conditions, they give children their own place to play, organize themselves and invite friends over. It`s a place where they can socialize, share with others, express their creativity, mature and have great experiences. It makes a great gift for the holiday season! Check them out here. More images of playhouses can be seen after the break.
Holm Architecture Office (HAO), in collaboration with VM Studio, recently received first place in a competition for the re-design of the Coleman Oval Skate Park in Manhattan. Nine New York design firms were invited to participate in the competition, which was sponsored by Architecture for Humanity and a Gamechangers grant from Nike, a campaign encouraging community organizations to empower youth through sports programs that spur social and economic development. The project is being developed with the New York City Parks & Recreation Department’s Adopt-a-Park program. More images and project description after the break.
Melissa Godoy Nieto transforms this interior space with a series of city skylines installations made from hand-dyed yarn. This first installation represents the New York City skyline. Melissa Godoy Nieto is currently based in Brooklyn, New York. She has a BA in Industrial Design from Pratt Institued and is co-founder of The Poetry Club Art Space.
The three finalists of the St. Petersburg Pier competition presented their proposals to a panel of jurors and nearly 200 people, as the presentation was open to the public. BIG started the day off with the Wave and was followed by Michael Maltzan Architecture’s presentation of the Lens. The day concluded with West 8’s proposal, the People’s Pier. Concerns of cost and shade dominated the conversation, as well as materiality, permitting, storm ratings and boating. According to the Tampa Bay online report, the Lens and the Wave generated the most positive attention, stating the People’s Pier received “a more restrained response.” The panel will announce their decision on January 20th.
MASS Design Group is encourage everyone to help, in any way, in their efforts to design, build, and advocate for buildings that improve health and strengthen communities. Architects have a unique ability to affect change by producing Well-Built Environments, those that are efficient, effective, and empowering. By applying architectural thinking to the full project delivery process we can engender social and political affects that help fight social inequity. For more information and to find out ways you can help, please visit their website here.
With the New Year approaching, how will you give thanks for a great 2011? We are big supporters of Cameron Sinclair’s Architecture for Humanity and we hope this video will inspire you to join their efforts in some way in 2012. In the past few years, we have experienced serious natural disasters and Architecture for Humanity constantly provides a sense of stability, offering immediate help and a future plan for those most severely affected. In the past 12 years, the organization has built over 2250 structures in 44 countries - an amazing accomplishment that has impacted millions of people. How many more millions can we help in 2012? Check out Architecture for Humanity to join their team, and make this a resolution you will keep.
JDS has just been awarded first prize for their Hangzhou Waves scheme – a competition entry that called for the design of not one, but two buildings for the financial district of Hangzhou Xintiandi of Hangzhou, China. The two sloping volumes offer different exterior expressions and hold different programmatic entities (a hotel and an office building); yet, the forms are guided by similar attitudes regarding sunlight, green roofs, an active ground plane, etc, which immediately creates a strong relationship between the pair.
More about the winning competition entry after the break.
Through an innovative redesign by Yaniv Pardo Architects, the Netanya city center will be turned into a vibrant and exciting location, befitting a large metropolis. The municipality building will act as the city’s iconic landmark, an architectural milestone supporting the city’s unique urban landscape. The concept leans heavily on the residents of the city who will be using the space for a wide range of activities and services – cultural, social, leisure, commercial etc. Their movement across the space throughout the day will create a bustling urban center. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Karres en Brands Landschapsarchitecten + Polyform Arkitekter recently won the international competition for redesigning the Museum Garden of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, with their entry ‘SMK tilbage i Parken’ (‘SMK back in the park’). The project will be realized in collaboration with Svava Riesto, Oluf Jørgensen Ingeniører and Via Trafik. The design is based on the concept of connecting the museum garden with the neighbouring park Østre Anlæg, where, in the current situation, it turns its back on. By doing so, the SMK will be embedded into the park and the Museum Garden becomes the new entrance area for both the SMK and Østre Anlæg. More images and architects’ description after the break.
‘Migrating Landscapes’ has been selected to represent Canada at the 2012 Venice Biennale in Architecture. The project will examine how Canadians express their diverse cultural memories in the way they live and build. ‘Migrating Landscapes’ will be presented by 5468796 Architecture Inc. and Jae-Sung Chon, both of Winnipeg, who joined together to create a new entity: Migrating Landscapes Organizer (MLO). More project description after the break.
The futuristic Lloyd’s of London building has become one of the few postmodern buildings to be granted Grade I listed status, elevating the building to the top 2.5% of all listed buildings. Following Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano’s success with the great Pompidou Center in Paris (1977), Rogers designed the Lloyd’s building to replace the insurance company’s original headquarters in London’s medieval financial district. The building was completed in 1986 after eight years of construction, requiring 33,510 cubic meters of concrete, 30,000 square meters of stainless steel cladding and 12,000 square meters of glass to construct.
The AIA recently awarded CultureNOW and Rice Design Alliance the 2012 Institute Honors for Collaborative Achievement. The award, which recognizes and encourages distinguished achievements of allied professionals, clients, organizations, architect teams, knowledge communities, and others who have had a positive impact on or advanced the profession, will be presented at the 2012 AIA National Convention and Design Exposition in Washington, D.C. More details after the break.
