Conventional, straight-forward staircases can step aside to make room for these upgraded twisting and dynamic steps that make going upstairs a fun and enjoyable experience. London based studio, ACME has developed a staircase prototype with modern construction methods and an adaptive design approach.
Destruction is the prelude to renovation. The wall was then replaced with a glass and ironwork partition, allowing natural light into the rooms. What had been an aging townhouse soon became a totally brand new home.
Perkins+Will has launched a newly updated website tool aimed at increasing awareness of hazardous building materials and encouraging designers to select healthier products for their projects.
More and more, the kitchen is gaining importance in house design, in many cases serving as the center around which the rest of the spaces unfold. For this reason, this week we present a selection of 15 images of kitchens, from different parts of the world, which allow us to appreciate the variety of configurations, materials, and shapes now used in this important space. Read on to see the images of photographers including BoysPlayNice, Peter Bennetts, and Juane Sepulveda.
Hyunje Joo's design for a façade in South Korea is a proposal that addresses the separation between the interior and exterior with the construction of a flexible, light, and recyclable architectural element.
Sometimes, the most timeless color is the most timely.
Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's self-supporting bridge, architect Diego Poblete has developed a structure that can be assembled in less than 15 minutes and, according to his study, can support up to 500 kilograms. Focusing on the issue of connectivity in rural towns, Poblete developed a wooden system that is assembled without using a single screw, optimizing the use of the resource and facilitating easy construction:
The Ochoalcubo project, a pioneering experiment led by the entrepreneur and architecture lover Eduardo Godoy that seeks to unite leading Chilean and Japanese architecture practices with ground-breaking architecture, has started a new phase. Made up of 8 phases which involve 8 different architects, the first stage of this architecture laboratory took place in Marbella and included work from Christian de Groote, Mathias Klotz, Cristián Valdés, José Cruz, Teodoro Fernández, Cecilia Puga, Smiljan Radic and Sebastián Irarrázabal. Toyo Ito was the first international figure to participate in the project with the construction of the White O House in 2009.
Materials researchers from the Block Research Group at the ETH Zurich, together with architects supermanoeuvre, have revealed a prototype for an ultra-thin, sinuous concrete roof system with an average thickness of just 5 centimeters. Using digital design and fabrication technologies, the team was able to calculate and construct a self-supporting shell structure using the minimal necessary material. This was facilitated through the use of a novel formwork system consisting of a net of steel cables and a polymer fabric stretched into a reusable scaffolding structure.
SheltAir, a pavilion developed and designed by Gregory Quinn as part of his doctoral thesis at the Berlin University of the Arts is, as its name suggests, a shelter constructed with the help of air: a meticulously devised system comprising an elastic gridshell and pneumatic falsework in the form of air-filled cushions.
Quirky, innovative and visceral, Get High without Drugs was awarded first place in the fabrication category at this year’s International FAB FEST* in London.
At an altitude of 3,800 meters, Ice-Age architects have designed and produced a compact and lightweight shelter as the last base before climbers venture up Mount Elbrus, the highest point in Europe. Inspired by Buckminster Fuller's 2V geodesic dome, it can sleep up to 16 people as they acclimatize to the altitude and wait for the appropriate weather for the climb.
Studio Akkerhuis' bamboo design for a mobile theater proposal off the Netherlands coast addresses the characteristics of the material in the construction of light, resistant, accessible and transportable structures.
Ten third-year furniture design students from Finland's Lahti University of Applied Sciences - Institute of Design, created temporary living solutions using only plywood and corrugated cardboard. Low cost, quick and easy fabrication, with no tools necessary: Rehome is a solution for recent catastrophes, such as natural disasters and the ongoing refugee crisis, which leave many people displaced from their homes.
The Pavilion d’Eau, designed by EPFL architecture student Alexander Wolhoff, was constructed in Lake Geneva, Switzerland. The pavilion is a product of six months of research, prototyping, and coordination with different local and academic organizations done in conjunction with LHT3 labs. The exterior of the octagon pavilion has a structural aesthetic, while the interior -- only accessed by wading in the water -- is ornamental, clad in handmade ceramic tiles.
Researchers from the university of British Columbia have developed a new fiber-reinforced concrete treatment that can “dramatically [enhance] the earthquake resistance of seismically vulnerable [structures].”
Bamboo has been used by man as a construction material since ancient times. The amazing thing about bamboo, besides being a totally natural material, is that it is sustainable, lightweight, flexible, and inexpensive. Although not widely used in the construction world (at least not when compared to materials like timber), the use of Bamboo enables original and attractive results. This week we have made a selection of 17 photos from well-known photographers such as Julien Lanoo, John Gollings, and Pasi Aalto.
Designed for the V-A-C Foundation, Venice-Based Israeli architect Omri Revesz’s adjustable Street Cinema rests lightly next to a canal in Venice, Italy, expanding, contracting, opening, and closing as its program changes.