A Room for London

Public bookings to spend a night above the Thames in A Room for London, opened today (for nights January to June 2012) more information about a second stage of bookings (for nights July to December 2012) can be found here.  The one-bedroom installation perched on the roof of Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall was designed by David Kohn Architects and artist Fiona Banner. The design competition for A Room for London initiated by Living Architecture, and Artangel, in association with Southbank Center attracted 500 architects and artists entries from across the world.

ArchDaily has previously showcased David Kohn Architects and Fiona Banner‘s winning entry as well as selected entries from the design competition.

Living Architecture + Artangel Competition

We’ve been bringing you coverage of the Living Architecture’s vacation houses and now we’re excited to share news that Living Architecture and Artangel are organizing a competition to build a new, temporary, one-bedroom structure on the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the Southbank Centre in London. The Room will allow up to two guests at a time a chance to spend a unique night in an exemplary architectural landmark overlooking London and will be available for the duration of the Olympic Year, 2012.  The competition is open to any architect or architect teamed up with an artist/engineer or designer from across the world. Design proposals are expected to be bold, ingenious and intelligent, for residents and London alike.  The deadline is November 30, and the shortlist announcement will be December 10.

More details here.

© Edmund Sumner

Architect: MVRDV
Location: Suffolk, England
Design Team: Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, Nathalie de Vries, Frans de Witte, Gijs Rikken
Co-Architect: Mole Architects
Landscape Architects: The Landscape Partnership
Client: Living Architecture
Project Area: 210 sqm
Project Year: 2010
Photography: Edmund Sumner

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Courtesy Nord Architecture and Living Architecture

Set for completion this October, NORD Architecture’s Shingle House will be part of the Living Architecture vacation houses, a project aimed to enhance the public’s appreciation of architecture.  For their project, the young practice responded to the site’s strong winds and incorporated a modern take on the typical shingle homes that are scattered across the area.

More images and more about the home after the break. read more »

Courtesy Peter Zumthor and Living Architecture

Although Peter Zumthor’s success is undisputed in the architecture world, it was interesting he would tackle a residence for Living Architecture as his past works have gracefully unfolded after years of development.   For Zumthor’s project, entitled A Secular Retreat, the architect employs his signature strategy of using nature as a source of relaxation.  The hill-top retreat is a quiet and passive design, truly taking the backseat to the surroundings.  The home is designed to exploit the beauty of its location, capitalizing on views and providing perfect places for reflection.  The home, Zumthor’s first project in the UK, is the perfect residence of the Living Architecture projects to visit for some peaceful downtime.

More images after the break. read more »

Courtesy MVRDV and Living Architecture

As promised, we are starting our coverage of the Living Architecture houses beginning with MVRDV’s Balancing Barn.  We first shared this project awhile back on AD, and now, since the home’s completion, we have new interior shots of the rent-able residence.

More about the home and more interior images after the break. read more »

The Secular Retreat by Peter Zumthor in Devon

With all the projects we feature, it becomes second nature to envision yourself occupying that space if not only to critique its success, but also to merely imagine what it would be like to live there.  But, what if, instead of just daydreaming about living in a certain residence designed by your favorite architect,  you could actually spend a week or two in a house designed by Peter Zumthor, or JVA, or even MVRDV?  Living Architecture, a new not-for-profit organization, offers the chance to rent houses  in different areas of Britain for a vacation starting at £20 per person per night.  ”We are dedicated to introducing you to the best of contemporary architecture, as well as to curating unique and enjoyable holidays,” explained the organization.

More about Living Architecture after the break. read more »

Our friends from MVRDV sent us their latest project with Living Architecture, the Balancing Barn, a cantilevered holiday home near the village of Thorington in Suffolk, England. Living Architecture, a British organization devoted to architecture as experience, has commissioned a series of outstanding holiday homes in the UK. MVRDV and co-architect Mole Architects from Cambridge will create a house sympathetic in spirit and materials to the exceptional natural site, which will be available for holiday rental from 2010.

More images and architect’s description, after the break. read more »