Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

Anemone tentacles moving beneath the surface of the ocean influenced the latticed facade of this student housing block by French studio Atelier Fernandez & Serres at an oceanic observatory in the eastern Pyrénées (+ slideshow).

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

Atelier Fernandez & Serres designed the International Accommodation Centre for the Oceanological Observatory of Banyuls-sur-Mer, a coastal science facility that forms part of the Paris-based Université Pierre et Marie Curie.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

The six-storey building accommodates 74 short-term residences for travelling students and researchers, behind an ornate coral-pink concrete screen that conceals the interiors whilst allowing light and ventilation to pass through the building.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

Bedrooms are located on the four upper floors of the building. Corridors run lengthways around the edges, sandwiched between the rooms and the latticed facade.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

“The colourful concrete mesh is at the same time a balustrade and a visual filter to the sea,” said the architects. “It provides a wall that guarantees the intimacy of users, bedrooms and walkways.”

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

Communal spaces and lounge areas occupy the two lower floors of the building. These include a canteen with a long strip window, which is the only interruption to the otherwise continuous facade.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

The architects cast the components of the facade onsite then arranged them in irregular patterns to recreate the appearance of coral tentacles.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

“We developed the facades using a limited amount of distinct shapes,” they explained. “These strands were then assembled in modules according to a simple mathematical algorithm which creates a vibration in the shadows and the matter.”

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

The building was one of 14 projects shortlisted for the AR+D Awards for Emerging Architecture 2013 last month.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

Photography is by Fernando Guerra.

Read on for more information from Atelier Fernandez & Serres Architectes:


International Accommodation Centre for the Oceanological Observatory of Banyuls-sur-Mer

This project of an accommodation centre consists in a restaurant, working space for scientific research and seventy-four.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

The building is part of a complex of facilities which include the oceanological research centre and observatory of Banyuls-sur-Mer, in France. This observatory is located in the middle of the marine natural reserve of Cerbères-Banyuls, in the Pyrénées orientales department. Its purpose, as a European scientific research and training centre, is to accommodate scientists and students from all over the world during short research and experimentation missions.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

The building is located on the seaside and continues along the existing topography, be it of the sky, the ground or the horizon. It reinvents the relationship between the view and the landscape, and accompanies the building height plan of the city. It reinvents the relationship between the view and the landscape, and accompanies the building height plan of the city.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

Its ochre tones reflect the surrounding hills and the nature of the soil that comprises the cultivated terraces of the hinterlands. These hills covered with vineyards tower above the sea and glint with the deep earthy hues of iron oxides.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

The project, a rectangular monolith entirely coated in a gown of pink-ochre coral, faces the marina. It also marks the limits of the shore and the city.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

Behind this undulating envelope, access to the bedrooms is provided by large peripheral walkways that also serve as balconies for the accommodations. These walkways are covered with a self-consolidating concrete mesh inspired by a graphic, light and see-through coral design.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

We developed the facades using a limited amount of distinct shapes, called strands, that were casted on site. These strands were then assembled in modules according to a simple mathematical algorithm which creates a vibration in the shadows and the matter.

Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres

The restaurant is on the second floor. Its presence is highlighted by a large breach in the coral mesh, a window inviting the landscaping inside, and offering a panoramic view of the horizon and the open sea.

Site plan of Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres
Site plan – click for larger image

The colourful concrete mesh is at the same time a balustrade and a visual filter to the sea. It provides a wall that guarantees the intimacy of users, bedrooms and walkways. It also features openings which offer a subtle variation to the framing of the near and far landscape. The gaze is attracted from the inside to the outside and reveals the landscape. The views become rhythmic, accentuated by the movements and the different uses.

Basement plan of Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres
Ground floor plan – click for larger image
First floor plan of Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres
First floor plan – click for larger image

The international accommodation centre of Banyuls sur Mer draws its energy from the Mediterranean Sea. Beyond simple matter, the project falls within a poetic and scientific approach in order to reveal the landscape.

Second, third and fourth floor plan of Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres
Second, third and fourth floor plan – click for larger image
Fifth floor plan of Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres
Fifth floor plan – click for larger image

Location: Avenue du Fontaulé, 66 650 Banyul- sur-Mer, France
Cost: 4 900 000 euros HT
Surface: 2980 m2
Program: Residence (74 bedrooms), restaurant, workrooms, parking
Client: Laboratoire Arago – Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris
Architect: Atelier Fernandez & Serres
Office engineering: GRONTMIJ Sudéquip, Aix en Provence

North elevation of Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres
North elevation – click for larger image
East elevation of Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres
East elevation – click for larger image
South elevation of Student housing with a coral-inspired facade by Atelier Fernandez & Serres
South elevation – click for larger image

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Piet Hein Eek uses offcuts from his scrap wood furniture to make Waste Waste 40×40

Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek has created a collection of furniture made by meticulously gluing together tiny squares of wood, which are cut from the waste material of his famous scrap wood furniture.

Waste Waste 40 40 by Piet Hein Eek

Piet Hein Eek made his name in the 1990s for his Waste furniture assembled by stacking up pieces of scrap material that would otherwise be discarded, and the new Waste Waste 40×40 collection takes the process a step further.

“It’s made of the leftovers from the leftovers,” he told Dezeen when we visited his studio and workshop complex in a former Eindhoven ceramics factory during Dutch Design Week.

Small pieces of timber that can’t be used in the Waste series are cut down into identical squares of 40 by 40 millimetres. These are then glued together to cover the surface of chairs, tables and benches.

Waste Waste 40 40 by Piet Hein Eek

“We all of a sudden have a size which determines the design,” explained the designer. “Everything is determined by this 40 by 40 size, so the thickness of the surface is either 40 or 80 and the leg can be either 40, 80 or 120 in width.”

Waste Waste 40 40 by Piet Hein Eek

“A round table can’t be round any more and it ends up looking a lot like pixels,” he added. The pieces are made from a mixture of timbers and retain traces of different lacquers and paints on the surface, meaning no two pieces are ever identical. Each object will be numbered consecutively.

Piet Hein Eek began making the Waste furniture as a result of his frustration at having to throw away material because it was too expensive to use it for anything – not because the material itself was worthless but because the cost of labour should make the extra effort required to work with differently shaped and sized scraps of material uneconomical.

Waste Waste 40 40 by Piet Hein Eek

He decided to use the material anyway, pretending for a moment that labour was free and materials were worth their weight in gold, and found to his surprise that the products were commercially viable because customers were willing to pay for the extra effort involved.

Waste Waste 40 40 by Piet Hein Eek

“As opposed to almost any other product, the waste products are made with the patience of a saint, quite a feat considering this is an age in which time is a rare commodity for pretty much everyone,” he reflected.

Waste Waste 40 40 by Piet Hein Eek

The original Waste series is made by gluing up scraps of wood in layers, carefully aligning all the irregular pieces and trimming them individually to fit where needed.

Waste Waste 40 40 by Piet Hein Eek

This process leaves behind waste material in smaller quantities and even more awkward shapes that are more difficult to use, though, so Piet Hein Eek reduced the labour required to convert them into the new collection by imposing the fixed shape and size of the squares and using them only as a skin rather than stacking them up to make a structure.

Waste Waste 40 40 by Piet Hein Eek

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Footware store interior covered with stacked shoe boxes by Move Architects

A diagonally stacked arrangement of cardboard shoe boxes covers the back wall of this footwear store in Santiago, Chile, by Move Architects (+ slideshow).

Bestias XX shop interior by Move Architects

Move Architects designed 140 wooden supports with x-shaped profiles and inserted them into corresponding CNC-cut indentations on a large sheet of plywood mounted to the back wall of the shop.

Bestias XX shop interior by Move Architects

“The X shaped perforations and supports are generated from the store’s name and logo, Bestias XX,” said the architects, explaining that the solution was also the result of a need for lots of accessible storage in a small space.

Bestias XX shop interior by Move Architects

Shoe boxes can be stacked in a cascading arrangement between the supports and different patterns visible from outside the store can be created by leaving gaps or allowing some boxes to protrude.

Bestias XX shop interior by Move Architects

“Given the project’s short construction time and it’s restricted budget it we decided to minimise the use of conventional manual labour and instead of what would traditionally be called ‘building’ a store, we decided to ‘manufacture’ the shop,” the architects explained.

Bestias XX shop interior by Move Architects

Once the panels and supports had been created, the interior was assembled by the clients in 12 hours.

Bestias XX shop interior by Move Architects

The store also features a plywood counter and metal stools for customers to try on the range of shoes.

Bestias XX shop interior by Move Architects

Photography is by Cristobal Palma.

Here’s a project description from Move Architects:


Bestias XX

Bestias XX can be summarized in two constrains: quantitative and qualitative. On one hand, 12 sqm has to hold at least 380 shoeboxes, 2 employees and 3 potential customers. On the other hand this quantitative restriction must be the image of the shop.

Bestias XX shop interior by Move Architects

As a result space restrictions, from the beginning of the design process the project was treated as combined need for storage space and a strong image. Therefore, we decided that the shoeboxes would define the shop image. To achieve this, 140 wooden X’s were built and inserted into six 18 mm plywood sheets over a perforated grill at 45 degree defined by the size of the box (33x13cm).

Bestias XX shop interior by Move Architects
Concept diagram – click for larger image

The plywood sheets are hung from the store’s perimeter walls. Since the store is located in a corner of an urban shopping centre in Santiago, the boxes mounted on the X’s create an exterior façade. The X- shaped perforations and supports are generated from the store’s logo: BESTIAS XX.

Bestias XX shop interior by Move Architects
Concept diagram – click for larger image

Given the project’s short construction time and it restricted budget it was decided to minimise the use of conventional manual labour and instead of what would traditionally be called “building” a store we decided to “manufacture” the shop. The store was “mass-produced” mostly using two types of plywood sheets (one used to obtain the X’s) that were cut using a CNC router, thus reducing the cutting time to one day. The rest was only a matter of assembling and mounting.

Shop floor plan of Bestias XX shop interior by Move Architects
Shop floor plan – click for larger image

From the construction of the 6 panels that contains the perforations and the X’s, the structure was assembled by the clients themselves in 12 hours of uninterrupted work.

Project Name: BESTIAS XX
Architects: MoVe architects (Paula Velasco + Max Velasco + Alberto Moletto)
Construction: Max Velasco
Surface: 12 sqm
Budget: U$ 12.000
Location: Providencia, Santiago, Chile
Year: 2012

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New Pinterest board: Spanish houses

New Pinterest board | Spanish houses | Dezeen

One of this week’s most popular stories was a house in Spain featuring a cantilevered rooftop swimming pool, so we’ve collected together all the Spanish houses that have appeared on Dezeen in a new Pinterest board. See our Pinterest board of Spanish houses »

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Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

London architecture studio ShedKM used walls of locally quarried red sandstone to help this concrete house in north-west England fit in with its coastal surroundings (+ slideshow).

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

Located in an elevated position overlooking an estuary, the Welsh hills and the Irish Sea, Rockmount provides a two-storey home for a family with four children, and features a large garden and an adjoining swimming pool.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

“The house aimed to suit a family with progressive views on design, give fantastic views from the living areas and make the most of the topography of the site,” said ShedKM associate Greg Blee.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

“In addition, it had to limit its visual impact when viewed from the coastline,” he added.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

The house’s upper level stretches west to east, projecting out from the peak of the slope into the garden, while the lower level is slotted underneath and nestles up against the landscape.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

Red sandstone walls form the base of the building, referencing the site’s past use as a quarry and functioning as retaining walls to support the tiered levels of the garden.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

“Outcrops of red sandstone jut out of the garden in various locations,” said Blee. “This stone became part of the material palette of the new house, as it provided a connection with the local geology.”

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

The long narrow swimming pool thrusts out from the southern facade, while a garage and master bedroom are contained within a small wing that extends out from the north, giving the house a cross-shaped plan.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

A glass bridge connects the master bedroom with the rest of the house, including a large living and dining room with a circular seating area, a piano corner and a surrounding balcony.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

Evenly sized children’s bedrooms are arranged in sequence at the eastern end of the floor, and stairs lead down to a playroom and guest bedroom below.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

Rockmount was one of five projects nominated for the RIBA Manser Medal 2013 for best new house in the UK, alongside a translucent glass house in London and a contemporary house behind the walls of a ruined castle in Warwickshire.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

Photography is by Jack Hobhouse, apart from where otherwise indicated.

Here’s more information from ShedKM:


Rockmount

Rockmount is built in an abandoned quarry at the summit of Caldy Hill, a protected landscape of forest and heathland owned by the National Trust. The house straddles the quarry rock face and at one end projects out from the hillside above the estuary of the River Dee.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM
Photograph by Chris Brink

Local sandstone walls enclose ground floor spaces, but the majority of the living and sleeping areas are at first floor, taking advantage of the spectacular views. The house has a linear plan, with a more private annexe connected by a glazed bridge.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

The glazed, open plan living area, containing kitchen, dining and sunken snug contrasts with a massive concrete chimney sitting alongside the house. Upper and lower levels are linked by a double-height void containing a steel and concrete staircase.

Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM

Spaces are arranged to allow long views along two axes, the length and breadth of the house, constantly connecting the user with the surrounding landscape. Walls and level changes merge the geometry of the house with the gardens, which have been left predominantly natural to blend into the Caldy Hill landscape.

Site plan of Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM
Site plan – click for larger image

The house is uncompromisingly modern and striking in form, yet uses a materials pallet of local stone and black painted timber, both found in the local vernacular. This acts to bed the house successfully into the site and its context.

Lower floor plan of Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM
Lower floor plan – click for larger image
Upper floor plan of Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM
Upper floor plan – click for larger image
Entrance elevation of Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM
Entrance elevation – click for larger image
North west elevation of Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM
North-west elevation – click for larger image
Seaward elevation of Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM
Seaward elevation – click for larger image
South east elevation of Coastal concrete house on a red sandstone base by ShedKM
South-east elevation – click for larger image

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White Space orthodontic clinic with Corian walls by Bureauhub

Almost everything is pristinely white inside this dental clinic in Sicily by architecture studio Bureauhub, from the walls and floors to furniture, equipment and staff uniforms (photos by Roland Halbe + slideshow).

White Space orthodontic clinic with Corian walls by Bureauhub

Aptly named White Space, the interior was designed by Bureauhub for a pre-existing orthodontic practice located in the city of Catania.

White Space orthodontic clinic with Corian walls by Bureauhub

The architects began their renovation by installing a large Corian volume that wraps around several rooms inside the clinic to accommodate a variety of different functions and activities.

White Space orthodontic clinic with Corian walls by Bureauhub

It integrates information screens and pull-out coat hooks in the reception area, and also curves down on one side to provide patient seating and magazine storage.

Elsewhere, it accommodates touch screens and remote controls for X-rays and medical information systems, as well as display walls for dental photography and other pin-up items.

White Space orthodontic clinic with Corian walls by Bureauhub

“We envisioned an implant concept, based on the typical orthodontic use of high-precision medical devices, as a design principle throughout the space,” explained the architects.

White Space orthodontic clinic with Corian walls by Bureauhub

The clinic has a clientele of mostly children, so Bureauhub also installed a piece of custom-designed furniture that combines a desk for writing and drawing with a grotto containing bubble-shaped hiding places.

“We aimed to tickle senses and curiosity, reversing the typical expectations of a waiting area into a self-exploration environment,” said the architects.

White Space orthodontic clinic with Corian walls by Bureauhub

A signage system comprising 21 different symbols was developed to aid orientation around the clinic. Each symbol is milled into the Corian at children’s eye level, while a back-lit wall offers a guide to what each one means.

Photography is by Roland Halbe.

Here’s a project description from Bureauhub:


White Space

White Space is an private orthodontic clinic for an opinion leader and luminary who is applying and researching most advanced techniques and materials in his discipline.

White Space orthodontic clinic with Corian walls by Bureauhub
Design concept

We envisioned an implant concept, based on the typical orthodontic use of high-precision medical devices, as a design principle throughout the space. Interior wall surfaces and furniture merge seamlessly into a continuous white shell of DuPontTM Corian® where cutting edge medical technology are implanted.

The plug-in components are ranging from ergonomic deformations like coat hangers or toothbrush holder folded out of the Corian® cladding up to technical implants like a touch screen and remote button for x-ray control or TV screens for medical information.

White Space orthodontic clinic with Corian walls by Bureauhub
Diagram of treatment facilities and reception – click for larger image

Since 80% of the clinic patients are represented by children, we aimed to tickle senses and curiosity, reversing the typical expectations of a waiting area into a self-exploration environment.

Core of the patient lounges is a multifunctional furniture designed ad-hoc to entertain with pedagogical value: on one side three intersecting void spheres form a grotto-like space to be explored by children, while on the other side a surface equipped with niches for pencils and comic strips is dedicated to study and sketching.

White Space orthodontic clinic with Corian walls by Bureauhub
Children’s furniture design concept

A playful signage graphic with custom designed icons CNC milled into the white Corian® skin is positioned intentionally at children’s eye level. It refers to the softly glowing backlit graphic panel indicating the spatial organisation of the clinic. Here backlighting is created by pioneer use of OLED lighting modules, next generation sustainable light source produced with organic electroluminescent material that will help reduce CO2 emissions.

Main focus of the futuristic environment is based upon all handcrafted built-in components meticulously designed up to the smallest details and recalling the precision and craftsmanship of orthodontics. Every single detail experiences a subtle spatial presence, accentuating the abstraction and scalelessness of the ephemeral, monochromatic environment in a playful and poetical way.

White Space orthodontic clinic with Corian walls by Bureauhub
Signage layout plan – click for larger image

Project Name: White Space Orthodontic Clinic
Architect: bureauhub architecture
Location: Via Teseo 13, 95126 Catania, Italy
Building Type: Private Orthodontic Clinic
Building Area: 220 m2 (NFA) / 257 m2 (GFA)
Client: Dr. Davide Agatino Mirabella

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Tilting glass attraction proposed for observation deck of Chicago’s John Hancock Center

John Hancock Centre_ dezeen_1sq

News: the owners of an observation deck on the 94th storey of Chicago’s John Hancock Center are considering adding a glass box into which visitors would be strapped and tilted forward to experience a bird’s eye view of the city below.

According to local business newspaper Crain’s Chicago Business, the observatory’s owner hopes the attraction, called the Tilt, could compete with the popular glass-floored observation boxes called the Ledge that were added to the 103rd floor of the nearby Willis Tower in 2009.

Paris-based Montparnasse Group 56 bought the John Hancock Observatory in 2012 for $44.2 million and operates it as a separate enterprise from the rest of the spaces inside the 100-storey tower, which was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and completed in 1969.

“It’s no secret that observation decks as a business are very profitable, as opposed to leasing square footage in the building,” Daniel Thomas, executive director of the World Federation of Great Towers and a former general manager of the Hancock Observatory told Crain’s.

Birds eye view from The Ledge at the Willis Tower
Birds eye view from The Ledge at the nearby Willis Tower

Thomas added that he estimates the John Hancock Observatory currently makes over $10 million annually from tickets that cost $18, while the Willis Tower’s income from ticket sales starting at $19 could be as much as $25 million.

Developers of tall buildings are increasingly seeking to add or include observation decks in response to evidence of their popularity and profitability, such as figures released by the owners of New York’s Empire State Building during its IPO proceedings. Empire State Realty Trust declared that its rooftop viewing area generates $92 million annually – approximately 40 percent of its total revenue. Adult tickets for the main observation deck on the 86th storey of the Empire State Building cost $27, while a combined ticket for the main deck and the top deck on the 102nd storey is $44.

If the Tilt is approved, it would join other extreme observation experiences such as the thrill rides located at the top of the 350 metre Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas, a harnessed outdoor walkway on the 61st floor of the Macau Tower in Hong Kong, and a similar attraction 356 metres above Toronto at the CN Tower.

Photographs of John Hancock Centre and Willis Tower are courtesy of Shutterstock.

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TVK transforms Place de la République into Paris’ largest pedestrian square

French studio TVK has overhauled the Place de la République in Paris to create an even larger pedestrian plaza that includes a new cafe pavilion, water features and over 150 trees (+ slideshow).

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

TVK‘s largest intervention was to adapt the surrounding road layout to make more pedestrian-priority areas. This increased the size of the square to 280 metres wide by 120 metres long, making it the largest pedestrian space in the city.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

“The redevelopment of the Place de la République is based on the concept of an open space with multiple urban uses,” said the architects.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

“The elimination of the traffic circle frees the site from the dominating constraint of motor vehicle traffic. The creation of the concourse marks the return of calm in an airy, uncluttered two hectare space,” they added.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

The new cafe has been added to the south-west side of the square. Named Monde & Médias Pavilion, which translates as World and Media Pavilion, it was designed to host different public activities.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

All four sides of the building are glazed to allow views through. A solid canopy cantilevers from one side to create a sheltered seating area and its underside is clad with reflective aluminium.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

French studio NP2F Architectes designed the interior of the cafe, which features a fluted marble bar, wooden chairs and an assortment of plants.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

Three different kinds of concrete slabs were used to create the surface of the square and are interspersed with plane trees, honey locust trees and lighting columns.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

A circular water basin has been added around the nineteenth century statue at the centre of the square, while the a second water feature comprises a plane of water covering a small area outside the cafe.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

Photography is by Clement Guillaume.

Here’s a project description from the designers:


Monde & Medias Pavilion and Place de la République, Paris

TVK hand over the redevelopment of the Place de la République, inaugurated by the mayor of Paris on June 2013.

Due to its exceptional size (120m by nearly 300m), its symbolic dimension as a representative public statement and its location in the city, the Place de la République occupies a special place in the international hub that is Paris.

The redevelopment of the Place de la République is based on the concept of an open space with multiple urban uses. The elimination of the traffic circle frees the site from the dominating constraint of motor vehicle traffic. The creation of the concourse marks the return of calm in an airy, uncluttered two hectare space. The new square, now skirted by motor traffic, creates a large-scale landscape and becomes an urban resource, available and adaptable for different uses. Clear connections with the large boulevards promote a new balance centred on soft transport for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

The statue of Marianne, the reflective pool, the pavilion and the rows of the trees form a strong axis. This harmony is amplified by the serene balance of the mineral element and a very gentle slope of 1%. All these elements contribute to both the interpretation of unitary materials in a perennial and contemporary manner and multiple explorations (colours, water, lights) creating different urban ambiances. The Place de la République is now the largest pedestrian square in Paris.

The south-west part of the square houses a 162 m² pavilion, a unique building, glazed throughout to retain a continuous impression of this singular space. The pavilion was conceived and designed by TVK Architectes Urbanistes. It’s interior layout has been designed by NP2F architectes.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

The articulation of public and pedestrian areas

Abandoning the traffic circle model

The redevelopment of the Place de la République is based on a decision to create the largest possible public pedestrian area. Paris was in need of an exceptionally large and versatile public place, like an open field in the heart of the city, a feature found in many other large cities. Also, it was essential to move away from the traffic circle model.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

Functional & environmental dissymmetry

Two-fold dissymmetry, both functional and environmental, is used along the long axis of the square to blend it into the general urban setting.

Motor traffic has been reorganised. It now runs along the southern edge and two smaller sides of the square only. Now that the traffic runs in both directions and the pavements have been widened, the road is much more similar to the large Parisian boulevards.

Unity and balance

The Place de la République is also open to varied groups participating in a very wide range of activities. The aim of the project was to cater for these users by changing the balance between the roadway and the concourse. The most important challenge was to reunify and harmonise the attributes of a city with those of a local neighbourhood.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

The pavilion’s design

In line with the principles adopted in the redevelopment of the Place de la République, the “Monde & Médias” Pavilion is a perennial building, designed to last. It is scalable and adaptable, but also is a strong presence, opening onto the square. It is the only edifice in the new square. The Pavilion is sited on the southwest part, in line with the reflective pool and the statue de la Republique. It is fully glazed so as not to obscure the view and provides a continuous vista of the square. The pavilion houses a “World & Media” themed café and its entirely modular interior can host a wide variety of festive, social and cultural events and uses in all seasons and all weathers.

The pavilion is assertively simple in design, comprising a closed volume, 9.29m by 18.20m and 3m high, and a 0.75m-thick roof with an 8.70m cantilever.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

The pavilion’s envelope is entirely glazed. The visual impact of its structural assembly is minimal, so as not to perturb the prismatic appearance of the overall volume: the metallic elements are integrated to a maximum and the opening zones are concentrated to create an image of large glazed planes jointed together.

The supporting structure also participates in this self-effacement to achieve transparency: reduced to four small-diameter metallic posts at the corners, it is similar in design to the metallic elements. The roof band is composed of aluminium sheeting whose assemblage is invisible, with its horizontal and vertical aluminium rigidifying elements following the same rhythm as that of the glazed panels.

The cantilever’s underside is clad with large sheets of perforated aluminium. Echoing the large symmetrical composition of the Place de la République, the space’s interior organisation is dictated by a partition dividing it lengthways into two distinct and symmetrical areas.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK

Composition of the area and surface

The surface

The surface consists of paving slabs of different colours and sizes. The shady areas of the square are paved mostly in darker colours, while the open areas are generally paler.

The choice of prefabricated concrete ensures good performance in all weather, offering maximum resistance to the greatest variety of uses. This material also enables the use of monochrome colours, creating continuity with the surrounding surfaces of roads and roofs.

Three types of concrete paving slabs have been used in the square, reflecting its overall layout:
– “large module” prefabricated slabs in the centre of the concourse, to give a wide perspective and cater for large-scale uses,
– “medium module” prefabricated slabs for the rest of the esplanade along the concourse,
– and lastly, “small module” prefabricated slabs (on a more ordinary scale) for the north and south pavements. The bus lane to the north of the square is made of poured concrete.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK
Before and after photographs

Levels

The density of the networks present under the Place de la République mean it also serves as a “roof”: the site is home to five Metro lines, sewers, telecom tunnels, etc. The levels create a main movement of great simplicity, vital to the spatial comprehension of the square and an understanding of its vastness. The simple 1% incline of the central concourse reveals two wide terraces at the back of the esplanade, in keeping with the scale of the surrounding area. The terraces continue the concourse but are edged to the north with steps. Between these terraces, the ground drops consistently towards the two large palace buildings and the shared trafficked area (pedestrians, cycles, buses, taxis), providing continuity of traffic flow and excellent accessibility.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK
Design diagram

A large garden, a large concourse

The square is unified by the single grand compositional movement and the one inorganic surface treatment. This unity helps to indicate three distinct sections: the urban garden of over 2,000 m2, planted and organised into several sub-areas; the central concourse of almost 12,000 m2 and 35 metres wide with the statue de la Republique as the focal point; the continuity of all the boulevards, with the road system on three of its sides and the widened pavement (13 metres on the longer side to the south west, which is the busiest side).

The terraces on the Place de la République

At the rear end of the esplanade, two flat terraces are each marked by a single step on three of their sides, which conducive to sitting and socialising. The new tree planting establishes a specific ambiance. The terraces will be equipped with movable structures expressing day-to-day and local themes, and changing with the seasons (roundabout, toy library etc.).

The playground is now located on the east terrace.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK
Site section – click for larger image

Water

Water – in various forms and with a myriad of uses (climatic, social, recreational, aesthetic) – is a key feature of the central esplanade.

The monument basin

The statue de la Republique dominates the centre of the new pedestrian esplanade. The new base takes the form of a large circular basin, at the edge of which visitors can sit, walk, play, or examine the bas-reliefs.

During the summer months, it is filled with water, adding to the number of uses. The base also houses a new lighting system for the statue. Spotlights, sunk under the sheet of water, project moving reflections over the entire monument.

Place de la République and Monde & Médias Pavilion by TVK
Cafe plan – click for larger image

The reflecting pool

On the west concourse of the esplanade, facing the Monde & Médias Pavilion, the theme of water is repeated in a minimal, contemporary version. In summer, a fine sheet of water runs down the 1% slope, covering an area of more than 270m2 (23mx12m). Sprays are connected to this sheet of water. When switched off, they affect neither the topography nor the uses of the concourse, so are almost imperceptible.

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into Paris’ largest pedestrian square
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Primal Skin makeup collection designed for men by Annemiek van der Beek

Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Annemiek van der Beek has designed a collection of makeup that’s packaged to appeal to men (+ slideshow).

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Called Primal Skin, Annemiek van der Beek‘s collection is designed to camouflage small imperfections in the complexion and accentuate the eyes.

Primal Skin makeup for men by Annemiek van der Beek

“These days men are using more cosmetic products than before and even makeup is a more common topic,” the designer told Dezeen. “For women wearing makeup is a daily ritual and for them it’s much easier to use and buy it because of the big range of products. This new branding experience makes makeup accessible for the modern man.”

Primal Skin makeup for men by Annemiek van der Beek

The set includes foundation in five colours, powder in five colours, eye pencil in stone black or coal black and eyeshadow in three shades of grey.

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The cosmetics are made up of natural ingredients such as coal, clay and mineral stones, and must be applied with specially designed tools that van der Beek says give the experience “a rough and sturdy touch.”

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Compacts and brushes are made of black anodised aluminium. “I chose aluminium because the weight and the temperature of the material feels more manly to hold,” she explained.

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They come packaged in minimal boxes with rounded corners, made of black-pigmented MDF that van der Beek chose “because it looks like stone, but it is very lightweight.”

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“Makeup products are always focused on the female user, but I think a guy wants to experience makeup in a different way,” she added.

Primal Skin by Annemiek van der Beek

Annemiek van der Beek presented the project as part of her graduation show at the Design Academy Eindhoven during Dutch Design Week.

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for men by Annemiek van der Beek
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OMA’s temporary auditorium at Selfridges features mirrored walls and an Op Art floor

Architecture firm OMA has designed a temporary auditorium for the basement of London department store Selfridges (+ slideshow).

The Imaginarium at Selfridges by OMA

Called the Imaginarium, the space will be used to host talks, debates and lectures during the Festival of Imagination, which opens in the store on 16 January.

The Imaginarium at Selfridges by OMA

The installation will feature a circular “amphitheatre” contained within a polycarbonate wall. Other walls in the space will be clad in mirrors while the floor will be painted in an Op Art-style pattern of black and white stripes, which will be applied using a road-painting machine.

The Imaginarium at Selfridges by OMA

“We asked Rem [Koolhaas of OMA] to do it and he said yes,” said Carlotta Jacoby, senior visual project manager at Selfridges. “It’s quite a simple design but with the mirrored walls it’s going to be pretty bonkers”.

The Imaginarium at Selfridges by OMA

The stepped amphitheatre will seat up to 72 people. OMA has also designed the furniture for the space and a folding screen that will be used during talks. Columns will be painted with green-screen paint.

The Imaginarium will host daily events during the Festival of Imagination – a store-wide festival that will “explore the nature, power and positive impact of imagination”. It will occupy the Ultralounge in the basement of the store, which is located on Oxford Street in central London.

Festival of Imagination at Selfridges

The festival also features the Imagine Shop, a pop-up store curated by Dezeen that will showcase future-facing products and will contain an augmented reality watch store and an augmented reality model of a yacht designed by Zaha Hadid.

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features mirrored walls and an Op Art floor
appeared first on Dezeen.