Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center // nARCHITECTS


Project Status: BuiltYear: 2020Size: 10,000 sqft – 25,000 sqftBudget: 10M – 50M

Text description provided by the architects.

The Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center will inspire a new generation of environmental stewards, sharing a deeper understanding of how nature and energy are connected, their complicated history, and their mutually beneficial potential. As a net-zero building that meets the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s objectives almost thirty years before its targets, the building itself, as well as its real-time energy performance, will be prominently displayed as part of the permanent exhibition.

© nARCHITECTS

© nARCHITECTS

The building’s linear footprint emerges from the reuse of foundations belonging to a Robert Moses-era bathhouse, extended on two sides with additional piles. At 320 feet in length, the new one-story building has been designed as a “chalet for all”, continuing the public legacy of the site.

Organized around a series of interior volumes housing offices, support spaces, and classrooms, a continuous sequence of exhibition spaces flows outwards to a shaded exterior perimeter deck, and onwards to the site at large.

© nARCHITECTS

© nARCHITECTS

The building’s distinctive wave-like form, signaling the sloping ceilings of the gallery spaces within, conveys waves in both energy and nature.

9.5 acres of Moses-era concrete surface parking have been demolished, to be reused as a subbase under the building, new roads, and a new immersive landscape. Envisioned as a dune restoration project using native species, the landscape will also perform as an armature for an outdoor interpretive exhibition..

© nARCHITECTS

© nARCHITECTS

Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center Gallery

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Bernardes Arquitetura Continues Evolving Brazil’s Rich Modern Architectural Tradition

Get your work published internationally this year through the 10th Annual A+Awards! The Final Entry Deadline is January 28, 2022. Click here to start your entry today.

Brazilian firm Bernardes Arquitetura is a practice with roots firmly planted in generational architectural heritage, knowledge, and success. It would not be all that unsurprising to discover that the company’s founder, Thiago Bernardes, had cement, steel and timber running through his veins. Thiago is the grandson of the late Sergio Bernardes, avant-garde master of Brazilian Modern Architecture, famed for his innovation and captivating — if not slightly controversial — personal life. Thiago is also a close relative of the somewhat less polemic and equally as successful Claudio Bernardes, his father. A man remembered for his illustrious groundbreaking residential architecture, which defined Brazil during the ’80s and ’90s

The rich history of Brazilian architecture has evolved thanks to the drive, innovation and talent of three generations of Bernardes. However, it is with Thiago and his firm, Bernardes Arquitetura, established in 2012, that the twenty-first-century iteration is manifesting. With three studios under their command — Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Lisbon — Bernardes Arquitetura is a prolific practice with over a thousand projects in their portfolio. Their diverse team benefits from a number of collaborative partners, including Nuno Costa Nunes, Márcia Santoro, Camila Tariki, Dante Furlan, Francisco Abreu, Rafael de Oliveira and Thiago Moretti, who each brings with them an armor of disciplines and who have, alongside Thiago, labored intensely to successfully establish Bernardes Arquitetura as one of the most well recognized and most sought after South American architectural practices in the world.


Delta House by Bernardes Arquitetura, Guarujá, Brazil Images by Leonardo FinottiJury Winner, 2015 A+Awards, Private House (XL > 5000 sq ft) 

There are a rich variety of projects featured in the Bernardes Arquitetura back catalog. The firm has developed residential and commercial projects that have included hotels, restaurants, cultural institutions and educational establishments. Meanwhile, their impressive scope begins with urban landscapes, encompassing condominiums, neighborhoods and masterplans, while they have also touched some of the most remote areas of South America.

As a company with such an expansive portfolio, it comes as no surprise that the Brazilian firm has come out on top no less than six times in Architizer’s A+Awards since its first entry in 2014. As a studio with an epic history and a promising future trajectory, we wanted to speak with the team at Bernardes Arquitetura. As Architizer celebrates its 10th Annual A+Awards season, we discuss how the Brazilian firm got to where they are today and how, as a newly established practice, taking part in the A+Awards helped fuel the fire for their meteoric success.


MAR – Museu de Arte do Rio by Bernardes Arquitetura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Photographs by Leonardo Finotti Popular Choice, 2014 A+Awards, Museums

“Our first participation in the A+ Awards took place in 2014, two years after the founding of our office and one year after the conclusion of the project submitted to the award, the Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR) – Rio Art Museum, in Rio de Janeiro, in the category ‘Cultural: Museums.’ In this project, in particular, for the first time, we had the opportunity to materialize a work for public use on a large scale, which represented a challenge and responsibility for us.

Therefore, for Bernardes Arquitetura, having the project published in Architizer — a digital communication media that we admire for its fundamental role in the democratization of specialized content in architecture to the world public — and consequently submitted for the award, seemed like a great opportunity to us. To our special surprise, the project was a winner.”

The Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR) was proposed as a catalyst for change for the surrounding neighborhood. An initiative led by the City Hall of Rio de Janerio, the museum design was based on adapting three existing buildings the Palacete Dom João (1910), the Civil Police Hospital (1940) and the old Rio Bus Station. The buildings needed to be unified, and the team at Bernardes Arquitetura created a suspended walkway and a lighter feature roof that protects a suspended square. It is a project that blends both school and museum with a solid and successful academic program, and a place that strives to educate and empower its community — a theme that often makes an appearance in the work of the practice.


Joá Chapel by Bernardes Arquitetura, Joá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Photographs by Tuca Reinés Jury Winner, 2015 A+Awards, Religious Buildings & Memorials

The team spoke of the challenges they encountered to get to that first win. “In our first A+ Awards winning project, the Rio Art Museum (MAR), we had the challenge to unite three existing historic buildings with distinct architectural characteristics in order to adapt and house a cultural complex with two uses: museum and school, respectively, in addition to leisure spaces. For each construction, we analyze different levels of preservation.

The key point in the project resolution was to establish a flow system so that the Museum and the School worked in an integrated way. Thus, in order to intervene minimally, while connecting the two buildings, as a mark of the project, we propose an abstract and aerial form. A light, fluid structure, simulating the undulation of the water surface from the sea to the horizon, at the same time modern in terms of structural calculation. This element can then be seen from different parts of the city.”

The team took the coveted Jury Winner prize for Religious Buildings & Memorials one year later. (That same year, they also won Jury Prize in the Private House (XL > 5000 sq ft) category, pictured at the beginning of this article.) The prize was awarded to a stunning piece of work that sits nestled into the rainforest canopy of a private family garden in Joá, Rio de Janeiro. The small chapel is a sacred space for family ceremonies; the paired back steel and timber structure harnesses simplicity to encourage a symbolic and poetic aura. As with their first accolade, the team used their win as a catalyst to garner further appointments that would allow them to push boundaries and challenge ideals with their creativity and innovation.


Península House by Bernardes Arquitetura, Guarujá, SP, BrazilPopular Choice, 2018 A+Awards, Private House (XL > 5000 sq ft)

The Joá Chapel and The Rio Art Museum and just two of many exquisite projects from Bernardes Arquitetura their impressive growth over the past decade appears set to continue for many years to come. Indeed, the firm has taken home a number of A+Awards since and, when it comes to their output, shows no signs of slowing down. When speaking on what the future holds, the team was under no illusion that what they do plays a significant and influential part in the architectural development of Brazil, South America and the world.

“Receiving the A+Awards was a great honor for us, above all, because such recognition reaffirms our commitment to proposing and materializing projects that seek to unite efficient solutions with aesthetic notions, respecting the context and territory in which they are implemented.

Looking to the future, we aim to continue developing unique, special projects that value function, efficiency, quality and beauty, and that we increasingly have the opportunity to make our projects wherever our customers are, not limited by formal boundaries.”

Get your work published internationally this year through the 10th Annual A+Awards! The Final Entry Deadline is January 28, 2022. Click here to start your entry today.

The post Bernardes Arquitetura Continues Evolving Brazil’s Rich Modern Architectural Tradition appeared first on Journal.

Six ticket houses at the old harbour // Yrki architects


Project Status: BuiltYear: 2020Size: 0 sqft – 1000 sqftBudget: 10K – 50K

Text description provided by the architects.

Six houses at the old harbour

Located on a wharf in the old harbour of Reykjavik, these six wooden houses were designed to replace a cluster of

run- down sheds housing ticket offices for whale watching and sightseeing enterprises.

The project is part of an urban planning effort in making the old harbour more attractive for the public as more and

© Yrki architects

© Yrki architects

more restaurants, shops and other services have settled in this area for the past years.

The inspiration for this project was an old photograph showing long gone wooden houses with the gable facing an

ancient alley in the vicinity of the old harbour.

The wooden houses are linked together by spacious verandas, with seating areas and storage units for marine

© Yrki architects

© Yrki architects

equipment.

The random character of the former sheds is replaced by a disciplined scheme of repetitive structures and

designs and a limited choice of materials.

The small scale of the houses calls for a careful treatment of each detail..

© Yrki architects

© Yrki architects

Six ticket houses at the old harbour Gallery

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Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at University of Oregon // Ennead Architects


Project Status: BuiltYear: 2020Size: 100,000 sqft – 300,000 sqft

Text description provided by the architects.

How can architecture encourage a community of researchers to perform at their best?

The Knight Campus’ transformative, human-centered design supports researchers as they advance the initiative’s mission to shorten the timeline between discovery, development, and deployment of innovations with a positive societal impact. Taking inspiration from the region’s landscape and its interdisciplinary cultural ethos, the building’s architecture reinforces wellness, community, and expresses a human connection to nature.The Knight Campus was designed to allow researchers and students to perform at their very best.

© Ennead Architects

In support of this goal, the project includes a robust wellness program that focuses on occupant health, happiness, connections to nature, and promotion of a positive work-life balance. A common wellness area comprised of lockers, shower rooms, and changing areas encourages researchers to bike to work and to take advantage of the local landscape by jogging and hiking during break periods, and supporting programs like ‘run with a researcher’.

Within the building, the Knight Campus endeavors to maintain connections to nature through access to stunning views, and direct connections to intimate riparian environments including a light-filled courtyard environment where users can relax and socialize, and elevated pathways and gathering spaces along a restored campus wetland environment – ‘the millrace’.

© Ennead Architects

Locally sourced natural wood products are used throughout to reduce the project’s carbon impact. For a portion of its structure, the building utilizes sustainable cross-laminated timber (CLT), which is a beautiful and locally sourced low-carbon footprint material.

Daylight is a wellness commodity that is driven throughout the building: every regularly occupied workspace is organized to have direct access to light and views.

© Ennead Architects

Narrow floorplates and high floor-to-floor heights ensure equitable access to light and reduce the need for artificial light during daytime hours. The buildings’ double wall facade provides shade and glare control for the research spaces inside and creates immersive views into the surrounding landscape.The Knight Campus was envisioned to be uniquely Oregonian.

© Ennead Architects

Being Oregonian hearkens back to the spirit of pioneers of the Oregon Trail, to the entrepreneurial legacy of Phil and Penny Knight, and to the very landscape of this great state. The Knight Campus aspires to be equally pioneering in its science and distinctive in its physical identity.

The design achieved LEED Gold version 4 as well as 35% better performance than Oregon Energy Code, and has resulted in a projected EUI of 109 kBTU/sf/yr.

© Ennead Architects

The project is also pursuing additional certifications for building wellness, including Fitwel and WELL Building..

© Ennead Architects

Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at University of Oregon Gallery

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Animating Life: 9 Real-World Buildings Designed Like Disney Movie Sets

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter. 

Apart from swoon-worthy characters and catchy songs, Disney movies are also well known for their impeccable graphics and impressive architecture. From tiny homes in the woods to grand royal castles, these movies have always made users wish they could live in these structures, even if it is just for a day. Princess Aurora’s room from Sleeping Beauty, the candy house from Hansel and Gretel and the Cinderella Castle are just a few examples — and some architects have been taking note.

But while it might be difficult to run along with Elsa on the ice-sculpted staircase or hide with Winnie the Pooh in his treehouse, there are some real alternatives that are no less magical. Below is a list of a few structures found across the world that exhibit forms, characteristics or aesthetics that resemble some iconic Disney homes.

Rapunzel’s Tower from Tangled

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Ann Hamilton Tower by JENSEN Architects, Geyserville, California

Rapunzel’s tower has long been associated with entrapment and, of course, wishes for long golden locks. While charming and beautiful, the tall structure standing alone in the woods cannot be mistaken for anything but the home of a hermit who wishes to stay away from society.

In the Ann Hamilton Tower by JENSEN Architects, we see the sense of seclusion and detachment in its bare concrete façade and concealed fenestrations. But unlike the Disney version, this performance space features large double helix stairs that invited visitors to stand on and observe performers on the other end, allowing the two sides interact with one another (albeit at a distance).

Fa Family Home from Mulan


Qionghai Lake 17° General Hall Hotel by Beijing Puri Lighting Design Co.,LTD. Xichang, China

Mulan’s home in the 1998 animated film is laid out in a rectangular plot with a central courtyard. Just as in the layout, with its sloping roofs and red accents, the form of the building also looks to traditional Chinese residential architecture; it even comes with an adjoining stable and a serene garden with a river flowing through.

Qionghai Lake 17° General Hall Hotel in Xichang also stays true to its heritage by keeping intact the wooden structure and details that have existed on the site for over a century. Beijing Puri Lighting Design Co.,LTD. retrofitted the former residence of Liu Xiangzhi, an official in the Qing Dynasty, to create a dreamlike experience that is rooted in history. Warm white lights in the forms of dots, lines and planes are added throughout the complex to accentuate the architectural details of the hotel.

Elsa’s Castle from Frozen


IceHotel365: Dreamscape by Atmos Studio, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

Whether it is due to its catchy tune or to the stunning graphics, Elsa singing “Let It Go” as she strides along a snow-capped mountain to build her icy castle is a scene that is not easily forgotten. Here, she magically produces a large castle with stunning pink and blue crystalline forms and details out of thin air.

What can’t be accomplished with magic in real life, Atmos Studio does with modern temperature control methods and actual ice. Icehotel 365 in Sweden is a space where visitors can experience art in the form of frozen water and experience living in ice suites. For this hotel, Atmos created an art suite complete with a swooping staircase and icy tentacles that partition spaces and create a mystical loft for sleeping.

Cottage of the Seven Dwarfs from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs


Shell House / The language of forest by Tono Mirai architects, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

When running away from her evil stepmother, Snow White found sanctuary in a quaint cottage in the woods. That forest home for the seven dwarfs was crafted using natural materials and rustic décor elements.

Likewise, in the Japanese Shell House, the language of forest provides the perfect hideout away from civilization. Its curved form partially encloses a kitchenette, island, dining area, bathroom and bedroom. Local wood, earth and manual construction methods all contribute to the project’s sustainability. A large opening on one side allows light enter the house, while the shingled cocoon on the other side helps it to blend with the surrounding forest.

The Beast’s Library from Beauty and the Beast


Dujiangyan Zhongshuge by X+LIVING, Dujiangyan, China

The Beast’s library has been a fantasy of many book lovers across the world. Endless stacks of books, grand spiral staircases and classic motifs and ornaments all hint at magical adventures beyond the pages of these books. A similar real-life example of a bibliophile’s paradise is the Dujiangyan Zhongshuge conceptualized by X+LIVING. Tall arches interconnect with curved shelves and dramatic staircases to create the illusion of a book-filled maze that is isolated from the outside world. The arches separate spaces and create designated pockets for different genres. Meanwhile, readers are invited to indulge their curiosity as they explore the space to find books that they love.

Pride Rock from The Lion King

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DCIM100MEDIADJI_0195.JPG


Ring House by Deca Architecture, Crete, Greece

When Simba was born, Rafiki — the mandrill who acts as advisor to the animal kingdom — trotted to the edge of the Pride Rock to introduce the future ruler to the animals of the Pride Lands. This massive rock formation creates a perch that overlooks the entire kingdom; the natural monument allows the ruling lions of the pride to observe the entirety of their land.

In a not dissimilar manner, Ring House by Deca Architecture stands alone on a hill and overlooks the endless sea on one side. The residence follows the natural contours of the hill and is a landscape preservation intervention. The house’s concrete beams provide shade while allowing natural ventilation. They are also fitted with solar panels to generate power. In addition to this, pillars covered in stone make up the external walls of the home.

Lightfoot House from Onward


The Mushroom – a wood house in the forest by ZJJZ Atelier, Jiangxi, China

In the movie Onward, Ian Lightfoot and his family live in a colorful mushroom-like house. Before their city evolved to what is a modern-day town, the creatures all lived in primitive mushroom houses in the mountains that featured wooden textures and hues.

ZJJZ Atelier’s The Mushroom is a practical and habitable version of those homes. It is a compact structure on stilts that is made of two volumes – a conical guest room with a spectacular view of the forest and a rectangular block that houses the bathing and storage facilities. There is also a loft in the cone that can be a secondary area for children. The selection of pinewood and concrete surfaces for the structure helps it become one with its surroundings, especially as these materials change tones with the weather.

King Triton’s Palace from The Little Mermaid


A Palace For Nature by sanzpont [arquitectura], Doha, Qatar

Ariel’s father’s palace in the animated movie was composed of imposing towers and organic forms. For the architectural enthusiasts watching the film, the underwater structure appears akin to the works of Antoni Gaudí.

sanzpont [arquitectura] created a similar fantasy above the ground as a competition entry; however, almost antithetical to the site of the underwater palace in the Little Mermaid, the Palace for Nature is imagined as a self-sustaining oasis in the middle of a desert. The design of the central dome is inspired by the native Sidra tree with a spiralling column anchoring it to the ground in the center. One can also see elements of Qatari architecture blended in with new-age parametric geometry. A micro-climate is created inside the structure with a mist irrigation system that uses water from the underground aquifer. Likewise, the outer skin of the dome and the roof contain photovoltaic panels to generate solar energy.

Sultan’s Palace from Aladdin

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Emirates Palace by WATG and Wimberly Interiors, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The home of Agrabah’s Sultan and his daughter Jasmine took inspiration from Indo-Islamic and Mughal architecture. Multiple minarets and exaggerated gilded domes speak of the wealth and prosperity of the Sultan.

The Emirates Palace makes a very similar statement of grandiosity. The brief was to create a large conference hotel that stayed true to the style and traditions of Abu Dhabi. Following those guidelines, the grand edifice is built using marble, granite and stone along with self-cleaning coated glass in balconies and spandrels. The firm also uses casting and etching methods to carve traditional motifs and patterns.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter. 

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Invisible Dwelling // onSITE


Project Status: ConceptSize: 0 sqft – 1000 sqft

Text description provided by the architects.

60 square meters is a small object but 15 square meters, 4 times, is an experience : a journey.The Journey begins at the entry to a tertiary wadi. In practical terms a head house provides shaded parking, fresh dates and other front-of-house services as well as back-of-house infrastructure. But in transcendental terms a head house creates a threshold : a preparation : a transformation.

© onSITE

Here, you leave all the trappings of contemporary life (cars, computers, cell phones, electric appliances, luggage, money, time pieces, etc). you shower, you change into an uniquely coutured kaftan and you ascend a wadi-wide monumental stair. This is not the entry to a building but rather the entry to a life experience.

© onSITE

The majesty of the landscape invites you to wander, to explore : the way that travelers through this place have for thousands of years. History reminds you that this is a place of shared cultural heritage. There is something universal here. As you explore you discover both sanctuary and prospect.

© onSITE

To know this place you cannot simply visit it, you must live it.In the words of Ibn Battuta “He who enters is lost; he who leaves is born.”The project resists the urge to build on the highest, the most beautiful, the most visible or the most interesting parts of the landscape and instead seeks to preserves the pristine natural beauty of those places.The site is not specific in its location but rather specific in its quality.

© onSITE

The tertiary wadis are higher and thus limited in the severity of flood danger but also, as local camel farmers demonstrate, their single or double entry points facilitate isolation and preservation. Built elements are nestled within the high ground in the inlets which feed the wadi. Here, they are above the floodway and back from rock fall.

© onSITE

These pockets are secluded places of extreme tranquility, sheltered from the wind, and silenced by the surrounding cliff walls. Here, 5 single room, single aperture instruments take place. Each born of the materials of the place. Each a rough, weathered geolith – armored from the harsh desert – shielding a carefully oriented and tuned, immersive sensual experience of a primary terrestrial element: earth, water, fire, void and sky.

The spaces are not “programmed” in the conventional contemporary sense, neither are they furnished nor decorated.

© onSITE

Rather they are “programmable”. This is to say that while the fire room is in no way a “kitchen” all the resources for food storage and preparation reside in this space. Formally, the fire room is the tallest of the elements it is an inhabitable chimney. You enter it through a tall, narrow slot, guided by a slice of light washing a wall of meticulously hand textured earthen plaster.

© onSITE

The texture both catches the light of the flickering fire and holds the aroma of charred timber. The crackling kindling is enhanced by the dense mineral surfaces. Here, the intentional suppression of the expected heightens your consciousness of the subtle, of the fundamental : this is luxury.In this arid place, water is among the most precious of commodities.

© onSITE

To survive here literally requires the mastery of hydrology. And so the vestiges cultures who have thrived on this land include brilliant examples of hydraulic infrastructure. Harvesting water in the generic sense is insufficient. The water room is thus calibrated to this equilibrium: The saltwater bath is therapeutic, the steamy hot water shower is sanitary, the cold fresh water quenches thirst, the gray water evacuates waste and the black water nourishes plantings.

Like descending into a well, the entry to the water room is a long shallow stair.

© onSITE

The entry corridor leads you onto a promontory surrounded by a pool in the center of a dome, under a single oculus. You shower in an ether of steam and light. You soak in a suspension of water and salts.Here, the intentional augmentation of the arbitrary enriches your experience of the habitual, of the necessary : this is luxury.The Nabateen were expert stone masons.

© onSITE

Their habitations for eternity : their tombs for the dead, were carved into the live rock. Their temporal habitations : their villages for the living, were erected from rubble masonry. This experience aspires to be both : timeless and light on the land. It’s structural and constructive systems emerge directly from material and constructive cultures of the place while simultaneously writing the next chapter of this shared language : digitally carved complex stone geometries, simply assembled with traditional earth mortar masonry technologies.

The earth room is entered obliquely from a bent corridor.

© onSITE

The space is initially withheld from your view. As you round the corner you remain on-grade with the adjacent land and find yourself oriented toward a naturally placed boulder. You are offered a view but the focal length is short and aperture is low. You are encouraged to approach the floor.

© onSITE

From this vantage you appreciate a textile ground-scape. While hand rendered earthen plaster has created the atmosphere, now felted wool fiber delivers intimacy. You kneel, you sit, you lay.

Here, your visual perceptions are intentionally limited to provoke your tactile perceptions, to draw you close to the earth, to rest your body : this is luxury.

At a time when globalization has drawn many people to urban centers and has diluted experience to ephemeral images – iconic non-experiences which can be captured and shared on social media, which belong to everywhere and nowhere and which fade as quickly as they rise all proport authenticity.

© onSITE

This place is about focus and memory.You enter the void room by climbing a stair. Your vantage is high, your view is long. The room is dead silent. A felted textile envelope, like a Bedouin tent absorbs visual and auditable noise. You observe the landscape but you are removed from the experience of it.

© onSITE

A central stone monolith is a place to sit, a place to write, a place to eat, a place to read.Here, the emptiness is intentional, the abstraction is real, this place is a blank canvas : this is luxury.The sky room is a boundless observatory on the stone ridge. It is accessed first by a stair carved directly into the live rock face following the natural contours, than through a vault-like enclosure and up a spiral stair to a honed stone platform.

By the time you arrive the land is becoming dark and the sky is vibrant. The only tool you need is the telescope that you discover on the axis of the stair. As you situate yourself in the cosmos night turns into dawn.Here time bends and disappears, infinity becomes measurable : this is luxury.A great teacher once said that “architecture is the marriage of art and engineering”.

From their intricately carved monolithic necropolis freed from the live sandstone outcrops to their patiently hand fashioned rubble and clay metropolis born of the earth, few civilizations -ancient or contemporary- have demonstrated this foundational relationship between creativity and ingenuity more fully than the Nabatean. To this end, the collaborative underpinning of our team is a mutual reverence for disciplinary expertise.

This is to say that we have assembled a team of architects, material scientists, landscape designers, exhibition designers, an earth plaster sculptor and a textile artist, all of whom offer specific disciplinary expertise but all with shared professional experiences, shared values and a shared investment in conceiving and realizing a coherent collaborative work of architecture: a work of engineering to which the art is indissociable and a work of art to which the engineering is indissociable.

The ambition of our team is that cultural project is equally as important as the architectural project.

This is to say that the collaborative making of the architecture is as important as the physical manifestation. As with all of our projects, a series of exhibitions, publications and training workshops will ensure that the material and human resources developed for the project transition into sustainable contributions to local culture and economy.

With the long history of domestication of sheep, goats, and camels in the Arabian Peninsula, these animals’ fibers have been used in producing various textiles and materials for clothing and shelter in the region.

An abundant natural resource, animal fibers are highly suitable for the climate in both hot and cold temperatures. Many elements of the traditional Bedouin home such as the exterior and interior walls, floors, roofs, and various furniture (mattresses, cushions, and rugs) are some form of a textile, woven using a simple floor loom.

This Bedouin loom has remained a primitive tool, which can produce very intricate weavings. The essence of this loom is preserved while exploring the evolution of this simple technology to create complex textiles which can become three-dimensional and spatial. The textile becomes ‘inhabitable space’. Sheep’s wool is an abundant and versatile fiber.

It can be used in various forms, from loose fiber for stuffing mattresses and blankets, to spun yarn for weaving into various textiles for garments, interiors, and exteriors. Wool can also be ‘molded’ through felting, which transforms the loose fibers into textiles and objects. Felting is synonymous with ancient Nabatean building processes where mountains are carved to create spaces within, producing loose rubble, which is then assembled into built structures for living.

The loose wool is sheared off the sheep’s body and then reassembled into two and three-dimensional forms – ‘inhabitable works of Art’. To be invisible means to be immersed the history of a place, to be in harmony with the spirit of a place. To be invisible means to resist the global and the virtual in favor of the local and the real, to be built from local materials rather than from imported products, to be simultaneously high-tech and low-tech, to be experiential rather than iconic, to improve rather than to degrade with age, and to enrich rather than to exploit culture.

To be invisible means to be monumentally modest: an architecture confident enough in the power of its experience to fade quietly into its setting. This is luxury..

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DRIFTWOOD HUT PROJECT // Ryuichi Ashizawa +Hirokazu Toki + The University of Shiga Prefecture Ashizawa laboratory


Project Status: BuiltYear: 2019Size: 0 sqft – 1000 sqftBudget: 100K – 500K

Text description provided by the architects.

In recent years, due to the effects of climate change such as heavy rains and sediment disasters, a large amount of driftwood has drifted onto beaches, rivers and lakes. The town of Okishima, a fisherman’s town and the inhabited island of only one Freshwater Lake in Lake Biwa, has a similar problem, and the local government pays for the collection and disposal of driftwood.

© Ryuichi Ashizawa +Hirokazu Toki + The University of Shiga Prefecture Ashizawa laboratory

In the remote island of Okishima, materials are transported by boat during construction, which requires more time and money than on the mainland. In addition, the waste generated on the island is basically not disposed of on the island, but must be transported off the island, which is equally time consuming and expensive.

© Ryuichi Ashizawa +Hirokazu Toki + The University of Shiga Prefecture Ashizawa laboratory

So, using driftwood drifted off the island and unneeded items such as fishing gear from the islanders, he built a resting place on the island. Each time he collected driftwood that had drifted off the shore of the lake, he proceeded with the construction, and with the cooperation of the islanders, he built the building through a student-led workshop.

All of the driftwood is different in shape, with a mixture of hardwoods and softwoods and varying properties.

© Ryuichi Ashizawa +Hirokazu Toki + The University of Shiga Prefecture Ashizawa laboratory

The shape, species, and structural strength of the collected driftwood were examined, and the method of constructing the building was explored by placing the varying driftwood materials in the right places. The model, 3D modeling, structural analysis, etc. were examined at the same time to see what kind of shape would be best.

© Ryuichi Ashizawa +Hirokazu Toki + The University of Shiga Prefecture Ashizawa laboratory

As a result, we left the circular nature in the center and led the dome space by the reciprocal structure that spreads radially from there. No hardware is used at all to join the driftwood together, but rather the fishermen’s technique is applied and it is tied together with a hemp rope in a box.

© Ryuichi Ashizawa +Hirokazu Toki + The University of Shiga Prefecture Ashizawa laboratory

Fishing nets and shade nets were used for the roofing, and hemp rope was used for the flooring. In the future, they will continue to consider thatching some of the roofs with bamboo and reeds that grow on the island. It is a sustainable architecture that can be easily replaced if a part of the architecture decays.

Using materials from the island that people don’t need, he created a new place for people to belong.

© Ryuichi Ashizawa +Hirokazu Toki + The University of Shiga Prefecture Ashizawa laboratory

This project questions the nature of architecture, which aims to encourage the small circulation of resources on the island through human intervention..

© Ryuichi Ashizawa +Hirokazu Toki + The University of Shiga Prefecture Ashizawa laboratory

DRIFTWOOD HUT PROJECT Gallery

The post DRIFTWOOD HUT PROJECT // Ryuichi Ashizawa +Hirokazu Toki + The University of Shiga Prefecture Ashizawa laboratory appeared first on Journal.

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Technical Details: An Architect’s Guide to Hidden Gutters and Building Corners

Emma Walshaw is the founder of First In Architecture and The Detail Library, and has written a number of books aiming to facilitate a better understanding of construction and detailing. Contributions by Aida Rodriguez-Vega, architect and researcher at the Detail Library.

It is becoming increasingly popular to create a solid building volume by using cladding materials for both the roof and the façades. When doing so, a key junction to consider is the eaves — that is, where the wall meets the roof. Traditionally this would have an overhang and gutters. To avoid the common look of visible gutters (as an addition to a building rather than a thought through design element), hidden gutters are becoming an integral part of architectural design. Hidden gutters, if detailed correctly, can be extremely functional.

When using cladding materials across the entire building, another important junction are the corners of the building. Depending on the material chosen, location, use of the building, a detail should be chosen which is robust, weather tight and frames the entire building. This article offers key insights into detailing hidden gutters and buildings corners in a variety of materials, including timber, zinc and tile.

Four Key Design Considerations When Detailing Hidden Gutters:


1. Roof Pitch

The angle at which the roof pitch is designed is key in deciding if a hidden gutter is suitable. Too steep and the rain can struggle to run off into gutters, too shallow and some materials may not help drain water into gutters.

2. Roof Drainage Calculation

The size and number of rainwater downpipes required will depend on a number of factors. It is key to undertake a rainwater calculation on your roof before designing hidden gutters. Most manufacturers provide this service. The calculation is based on the area of the roof, slope, materiality, location, safety factor and BS EN12056:2000 requirements amongst possible others.

With this information the flow rate of roof, diameter and frequency required for the outlets can be calculated.

3. What to Do With the Downpipe?

Once a hidden gutter has been detailed, there are three main was of detailing any downpipes required.

I. Adding a visible hopper and downpipe to the façade.

II. Integrating a downpipe into the cladding zone so that it is outside but not visible externally.

III. Integrating the downpipe internally.

4. Access to Downpipes

It is very important, especially in option 2 and 3 that the downpipe has suitable access for maintenance, including leaf clearing and possible leaks. For internal pipework, it is especially necessary to consider thermal bridging, sounds transfer and that more internal space will be used up with the boxing out of pipework.

Detailing Timber Corners

The most important design considerations when detailing timber corners is that there are enough support battens for the cladding, as well as leaving movement joints throughout the cladding and corners to allow for movement. Timber cladding should always have continuous ventilation gap behind to prevent moisture buildup.

There are a huge range of timber corner details that can either be bought pre-formed or cut to size on site. Additionally, other timber sections can be used such as solid timber corners, which create a more framed and robust edge.

Detailing Hidden Gutters in Timber Cladding

Due to the versatility of timber and ease of adaptability on site, timber cladding can be one of the easiest façades to use when integrating hidden gutters. Within timber cladding, downpipes can be designed externally and internally. It is also relatively easy to design downpipes into the cladding zone, just as making an area of timber cladding removable is an easy way to allow for maintenance of the down pipe.


Depending on how much flashing you want visible and how robust you require the detail to be, there are a number of options when detailing timber cladding and hidden gutters. For a more robust option, a bespoke gutter can be installed with the suitable dimensions according to the drainage needed. This should have continuous flashing with a drip detail which drapes over the façade timber cladding. Breather membranes should always be draped into the gutter to allow for any water infiltration into the cavity to drain away from the building.


A less robust option is to clad timber over the gutter. The junction between the gutter and timber can be weak and it is therefore key to seal the junction in accordance with the roofing / cladding manufacturers’ recommendations.

Detailing Zinc Corners

When detailing vertical and horizontal standing seam zinc panels, there are a huge range of corner options to choose from. An important consideration when picking the corner design is the proximity to people passing.


If the corner is in an area of high foot traffic, it is desirable to have a folded option so that it is not affected by any knocks from people walking past. If the corner is away from where people have access, a more decorative option can be selected to enhance the edge of the building. It is also important to consider how this corner detail will work with the window surrounds and general standing seam details.

Detailing Hidden Gutters in Zinc Cladding

Most zinc manufacturers can provide generic details for hidden gutters and even calculate the roof drainage requirements. The width, depth and slope of gutters will vary from project to project depending on circumstance such as location and roof pitch.


A key considerations when detailing zinc hidden gutters is maintaining the ventilation throughout — from the base of the cladding to the highest most point. Zinc cladding is normally built over a plywood base and requires ventilation behind. As the gutter and cladding are made from the same material, zinc creates excellent continuity between façade and roof.

Detailing Clay Tile Corners

If detailed correctly, corners to clay tiled buildings can be very elegant. There are a number of options for corners, including using a solid timber corner. Options such as bespoke corner tiles, or painted galvanized steel 45° and 90° angles are more popular options.


Galvanized steel can be factory painted to match the clay tiles and window surrounds and provide a robust corner to set out the tiles from and avoid the edges becoming damaged.

Detailing Hidden Gutters in Clay Tiled Cladding

It is harder to adapt clay tiles to hidden gutters due to the difficulty in cutting clay and need for flashing. There are a number of options when detailing clay tile cladding and hidden gutters depending on how much flashing you want visible and how robust you require the detail to be.


It is not recommended to take rainwater pipes internally due to the need for suitable thermal and sound insulation whilst creating access for regular maintenance. If this option is chosen, care must be taken so that pipes do not clash with structure whilst maintaining an adequate slope to allow water to drain properly.

Resources

If you want more inspiration on hidden gutters, styles and applications, be sure to follow Detail Library on Pinterest where we have hundreds of modern hidden gutters and rainwater, and roof ideas!

There are plenty of resources to help in choosing and how to detail hidden and visible gutters for each specific project. Below is a small selection of links.  

https://detail-library.co.uk/september-2021-new-details/

https://www.dreadnought-tiles.co.uk/Vertical-Tiling-Details

Get your work published internationally this year through the 10th Annual A+Awards! The Final Entry Deadline is January 28, 2022. Click here to start your entry today.

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Ribbon Dance Park : Landscape Placemaking for Public // TROP terrains + open space


Project Status: BuiltYear: 2019Size: 100,000 sqft – 300,000 sqftBudget: Unknown

Text description provided by the architects.

Architects and developers are used to categorising their projects into one type; the type that only serves the clients’ goals and their programs, either being “public” or “private”. The client and the design team of the Grand Milestone Art Centre , however, defied this redundant habit and reimagined a private development beyond its boundary.

© TROP terrains + open space

© TROP terrains + open space

The result would successfully promote pedestrian accessibility for both the visitors and local communities. The project boasts a sophisticated landscape that showers every visitor with wonders throughout their journey into each space. Designed with utmost intricacy, every garden and courtyard displays themselves as a well-composed painting while acting as a living backdrop for any artwork exhibited.

© TROP terrains + open space

© TROP terrains + open space

However, these beautiful spaces would not be fully appreciated if people could not easily reach the site. Looking at the adjacent green corridor, the landscape team saw a great opportunity in creating the public “Ribbon Dance Park”, where a meandering ribbon-like boardwalk reconnects the existing but desolate footbridge with this new development and the city’s pavement network, enlivening the district once again..

© TROP terrains + open space

© TROP terrains + open space

Ribbon Dance Park : Landscape Placemaking for Public Gallery

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Siam Premium Outlets // Grimshaw Architects


Project Status: BuiltYear: 2020Size: 500,000 sqft – 1,000,000 sqft

Text description provided by the architects.

Siam Premium Outlets, completed in 2020, is a luxury premium outlet that offers an experience beyond shopping with amenities and features that make the centre an exciting community space and a relaxing shopping destination.

The project is home to international and local brands and provides an ‘oasis’ serving locals and tourists and

features an array of dining, leisure, children’s playgrounds and installations by local artists.

© Grimshaw Architects

© Grimshaw Architects

No imported materialswere used and all construction labor was local. Rain is captured across the shopping podium and the surroundinglandscape into holding ponds for irrigating of the landscape. A series of sunken spaces along the promenadesbreak up the linearity and provide shade, including a feature amphitheater and a children’s playground, which hasproven to be popular with visitors.

© Grimshaw Architects

© Grimshaw Architects

Highly visible retail frontages create an open feel and the walking distances between feature attractions assist visitors with wayfinding and orientation. The many entries are highly visible, decorated with soft landscape and overhead artistic canopies with light diffusing membranes. Other features include large food hall concepts and locally inspired art installations on the promenades, themed around sustainability, occupying the generous promenades with an ability to update and change the works over time.

© Grimshaw Architects

© Grimshaw Architects

Siam Premium Outlets Bangkok will be an economic driver for the local community, and so far has provided more than 1000 employment opportunities..

© Grimshaw Architects

© Grimshaw Architects

Siam Premium Outlets Gallery

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