Hasta La Ideas

David Mikhail Architects won the New London Architecture‘s Don’t Move, Improve! competition with this project extending a London terraced house by just one metre.

Called Hoxton House, the project involved reconfiguring the interior and connecting it to the small courtyard garden through the addition of a glazed facade with timber frame.

Part of the living room floor was removed at the rear of the house to create a double-height kitchen and dining area in the basement.

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Here are some more details from David Mikhail Architects:

An extension of only one metre combined with a reworking of the interior, has transformed this Victorian house. A two-storey cruciform façade is engineered from timber (Douglas fir) and structurally bonded double-glazing.

A white kitchen and concrete floor are offset with natural materials and warm brick hues in the small courtyard.

Like our ‘Square House’ in Camden, this property had a multitude of small rooms, and the architectural organisation is very similar, only on a smaller scale. A tiny kitchen sat underground in the semi basement, with a head height of only 2m.

Above: front of the property

The garden was accessed from the half landing of a cramped servants staircase.

Above: rear of the property before project began

Aims

Whilst modest in scale, we wanted to give the house a grander architectural order to complement the existing rooms. The clients are a young couple and they wanted a great place for eating or watching each other cook or chat. They felt it essential that the new room should be connected to the garden, even though it is small.

Strategies

By taking away fabric as well as adding it, we have been able to carve out a set of new relationships. The house was extended to the rear by only one metre so as not to encroach too much on the rear garden, or to affect the neighbours. Even so, in such a small property this single move has revealed a new potential for how the house and its courtyard garden are experienced.

We also removed part of the upper ground floor in two places; firstly to give access for a new stair at the front of the house, and secondly at the rear to give height to the basement. This provides a generous double height dining area and kitchen that connects directly to the garden. The vistas and drama that unfold within this small house, as you walk in directly off the street in Hoxton are a complete surprise.

Material

A two-storey cruciform façade is engineered from timber (Douglas fir) and structurally bonded double-glazing. A white kitchen and concrete floor are offset with natural materials and warm brick hues in the small courtyard, which was also refashioned by the architects.

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Extension by Anne Menke and Winkens Architekten	Extension by Ailtireacht Architects	Extension by Neostudio Architekci

ADJKM Arquitectos have won a competition to build a music complex in Caracas, Venezuela, with this design covered in a veil of vertical louvres. 

Designed as part of the Símon Bolívar International Complex for Social Action through Music, the Caracas Symphony will consist of two units, a music conservatory and two concert halls, with a horizontal gap in the middle of the building separating the two parts.

The concert halls will be located in the upper section of the complex, with its structure overhanging the lower part.

Below this will be the music conservatory, housing classrooms and rehearsal rooms.

Accommodation for musicians, function rooms, a restaurant and offices will be located in the rest of the building.

Construction is due to begin this year and will be completed by 2016.

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The following information is from the architects:

FIRST PRIZE. Project in progress – Caracas, Venezuela 2010-2016
Public competition for the preliminary design of the Simon Bolivar International Complex for Social Action through Music (CIASMSB) and its surrounding urban area.

Program:
3 modular concert halls of 1700, 1300 and 500 seats. One of which is adjustable up to receive 400 musicians. Music conservatory: Rehearsal rooms, classrooms. Restaurant and cafeteria, musicians’ dorms, administrative offices, outdoor amphitheaters. Parking.

The competition was organized by The FESNOJIV, a government-funded organization aimed at systematizing music education and promoting the collective practice of music through symphony orchestras and chorus as a means of social organization and communitarian development, and the CAF (Andean Development Corporation) a financial institution that supports sustainable development and regional integration in Latin America.

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The proposals were evaluated by an international jury composed of José Antonio Abreu, director of the FESNOJIV, Yasuhisa Toyota, the Japanese acoustician, Iñaki Abalos, Spanish architect, Anita de la Rosa, landscape architect, Lorenzo González Casas, urban planner architect, Eduardo Guzmán, representing the Libertador Town Hall and Omar Seijas, vice-president of the Colegio de Arquitectos de Venezuela. Substitute members of the jury were: Pedro Franco, architect and Paola Posani, representing the Libertador Town Hall.

PROJECT
The FESNOJIV is internationally recognized as a unique and distinguished program based on the social characteristics of musical training, thus contributing to the development of potential future for the children of Venezuela and Latin America. By promoting cultural development, the Foundation raises the hope of social and professional integration.

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The competition, jointly organized by CAF and FESNOJIV, consists in the design of the International Complex for Social Action through Music Simón Bolívar. This symphonic complex will complement the existing complex located in the Amador Bendayán Boulevard, along the northern boundary of Los Caobos Park, in the cultural center of Caracas.

The CIASMSB consists of two units: a music conservatory and the concert halls. The conservatory includes classrooms, large rehearsal rooms and individual rehearsal cubicles. The modular concert halls consist of a first hall of 1700 seats (200 singers) and another hall of 1300 seats (400 singers). A third room with 500 seats shares functions between concerts and rehearsals. The remaining program includes administration, musicians’ residencies, restaurant and cafeteria, media center, and parking areas. The total constructed area is over 36000m 2.

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The objective is to create an urban space as a social bond in a dense cultural program. This fragment gap divides the building into two units by means of a horizontal fracture that opens the view on the Los Caobos Park and incorporates the notion of landscape to the project. It is a meeting place for visitors and users. This space connects the music conservatory, a compact block anchored to the ground, and the concert hall, a light block suspended as a precious levitated object over the park.

The silhouette takes the poetic symbolism of the tree: the musical knowledge starts at the root of the project and the creative genesis arises at the top through the artistic talent of musicians.

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CREDITS

Surface: >36000 m2
Architecture: adjkm
Principals: Alejandro Méndez, Daniel Otero, Jean-Marc Rio, Khristian Ceballos, Mawarí Núñez.
Acoustics: Khale Acoustics.
Scenography: Ducks Scéno.
Structure: Andrés Otero — AEO Proyectos.
Concert Hall Images: Rodolphe Rodier, Gael Nys – RSI Studio.
Contributors: José Castillo, Gabriel Castro, Nicolas Delevaux, Yuan Jiang, Gilles Lefevre, Sophie Merle, Panovi Núñez, Jorge Núñez, Javier Otero, Gregoire Plasson,
Bertrand Reunaudin, Paulo Rezende.
Client: FESNOJIV (State Foundation for the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Venezuela)

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Paul Eluard Cultural Centre by OFF Architecture	Opera & Cultural Centre by Brisac Gonzalez & Space	The Cave by Gonzalo Vaíllo Martínez

Jan Tschichold embraced extremes. His work, most notably “Die Neue Typographie”, embraced and defined modernist typographic ideas. At his most provocative Tschichold only condoned the use of sans serif type. Later in his life he condemned his own pro-modernist stances as too militaristic, comparing them to the thinking of the Nazis which compelled Tschichold to leave Germany.

Regardless of his dichotomous views and styles, Tschichold’s work showcases attention to detail and an emphasis on communication that has proven to be lasting. Because of his strong ideological stances Tschichold is one of the most defining voices in 20th century typography.

“Jan Tschichold: Master Typographer: His Life, Work & Legacy”, takes on a daunting task. To characterize Tshcichold’s varied career, designs, and life requires the unification of extremes. As a result, the book is forced to take the long view. But it does so in a way that allows for some scrutiny of details. The collection of essays focuses on Tschichold’s early training, modernist writings, modern poster designs, classic designs at Penguin, and the rethinking of his Sabon into Sabon Next. The focus on specific facets of Tschichold’s career yields some interesting insights.

Unfortunately, the multiple author format also produces some redundancies. Almost all of the essays begins with an explanation of Tschichold’s upbringing, and mentions his need to flee Germany under Nazi regime. While important to any Tschichold history, reading the same details gets tiresome. Furthermore, Tschichold condeming all serifed type is mentioned at least three times in the book. While not surprising — its a striking quote — it showcases the drawbacks of multi-essay compilations like this one.

Regardless of these shortcomings “Master Typographer” works. Doubleday’s essay on Tschichold’s work for Penguin, during which Tschichold designed today’s Penguin logo and unified their cover designs, introducing the iconic Penguin Paperbacks, is particularly interesting. Possibly because of Penguin Paperbacks recent resurgence in popularity, but more likely because of the intimate details of the essay. Original notes, sketches, and a detailed chronology give stunning insight into the remaking of the Penguin Paperback. A discussion on Tschichold and poster design succeeds on the same fronts. A detailed chronology of Tschichold’s poster designs brings us hidden gems of modern poster design. Sadly, the broad analysis of the posters leaves something to be desired. By highlighting these two essays I don’t mean to discount the others in “Master Typographer”. With the exception of the section on Sabon Next, which is mainly a feast for the eyes, each section is an insightful examination of Tschichold’s character and works.

For all of the successes of “Master Typographer”, I think it’s fair to note that it would be difficult to write a book on Tschichold that wasn’t at least a bit compelling. Tschichold was an opinionated man who led an amazing life. At one point changing his name to Iwan as a sign of support for the Russian Revolution; writing and exploring with the likes of Moholy-Nagy, El Lissitsky, and Renner; fleeing Nazi Germany; and taking part in Post-War reestablishment of printing in England. Tschichold’s life is amazing.

I see this volume as an enticing introduction to Tschichold, and a insightful companion to the Tschichold follower. Tschichold remains a largely unrecognized figure in modern design outside of type circles. I’m hopeful that compilations like “Master Typographer” work to strengthen his legacy.

Lastly, the designers of Master Typographer, Corine Teuben and Cees W. de Jong, deserve praise. The layout and composition in Master Typographer are top-notch.

Chris Hamamoto is a visual designer in San Francisco. He co-designed Typographica.org.