Hasta La Ideas

Behind the traditional ceramic-tiled facade of this nineteenth-century building, Portuguese studio OODA has completed a modern renovation to create 14 studio flats (+ slideshow).

The building in Porto dates from 1895 and was originally designed as a home, but was turned into an office and service building in the late 20th century. It lost many of its original features in the process, including wood flooring – now concrete – and a skylight above the stairwell.

It has now been converted back into a residential building by OODA with 14 studio flats and three one- or two-bedroom apartments. The apartments range from 28 square metres to 105 square metres, and are aimed at young people and students.

An automatic pivoting door provides access for cars from the street to the DM2 Building, and OODA clad it in stone to camouflage it among the building’s exterior when the door is closed.

“The client’s objective – which drove the intervention – was to cater for the younger market as the building is near universities, hospitals, the art district and the nightlife area,” architect Diogo Brito told Dezeen.

The apartments all feature contemporary details such as folded metal staircases and built-in storage, and mezzanine levels for sleep or work areas to maximise the small footprint of some of the apartments.

Black floor-to-ceiling cabinets help to differentiate the kitchen as a separate area in the open-plan apartments, and also helps to visually recede them in the room.

The communal corridors are covered in oriented strand board (OSB), which the architects chose partly for its affordability, and to add warmth to the building’s interior.

“We used it because it is a cheap material, and we thought it would be an interesting and warmer contrast to materials such as glass, concrete and light,” said Brito.

At the back, a patio designed for parking has been landscaped using grass and paving with the same triangular pattern found in the ceramic Azulejo tiles at the front.

“In Portugal it is quite common and traditional to use tiles in facades,” said Brito. “Our idea was to make this part of the conceptual process, using its configuration to generate other new features of the building.”

Beneath the patio, a separate, sunken apartment has been built for the client’s son, with a small, private courtyard at its front. A rectangular concrete structure protrudes through the front window, and is designed to serve a range of purposes.

“The client’s first idea was to place a mini-bar there, which then shifted to storage, and then to a place for TV and music devices,” said Brito.

The renovation is part of a wider regeneration taking place in Porto at the moment, which saw construction projects drop significantly following the global financial crisis.

“The recovery of abandoned buildings has become the new major task for the market,” said Brito. “It’s a process that is now in full throttle, but there is still a lot to be done. This building is one of many that our office is doing.”

OODA was co-founded by Brito, who previously worked as an architect at Zaha Hadid, and Rodrigo Vilas-Boas, who has worked with both OMA in Rotterdam and Álvaro Leite Siza in Porto.

Photography is by João Morgado.

Here is some more text from OODA:

DM2 Housing, Porto, Portugal

One of the most demanding tasks in Porto nowadays is the intervention on the major amount of old and historical buildings of Porto’s downtown. This project is a renovation of a 20th century building to convert to a 17 housing unit for students and young people in general.

The DM2 Building, located in downtown Porto (priority intervention zone), in the area of protection of the National Museum Soares dos Reis, is dating the nineteenth century and their original composition the property was intended for a single dwelling taking ornamental and construction of the whole characteristics of the buildings at the time, both in functional layout as an ornamental and aesthetic.

However, a later change occurred in the late twentieth century, the building has undergone a profound change taking place inside caused by the modification of use required.

The property became divided by several independent floors with features framed in services and trade and lower floors have been completely redesigned and trace assets were hidden in part and/or removed from the particular frames original, wood structure of the floors (now concrete) and traditional skylight at top of stairs. Indeed, the draft D.Manuel intended to rebuild the property, returning the initial function of integral housing, recovering traces of hidden identity, reinterpreting traditional elements and giving the building a new sense of contemporary housing program with a set of typologies ace current market needs.

So Manuel II building as a whole distributes 17 apartments T0 and T1 types, ranging in size between 28sqm and 105sqm, spread over 5 floors and are accompanied by a landscaped patio intended for parking.

The rehabilitation now completed, restores the original residential function, underlines the unique formal and constructive characteristics and adapt to a contemporary urban reality of the city of Oporto.

Size: 1,100 SQM
Team: Diogo Brito, Rodrigo Vilas-Boas, Francisco Lencastre, Francisca Santos, Lourenco Menezes Rodrigues

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behind tiled facade in Porto appeared first on Dezeen.

A suspended steel staircase is completed by a piece of wooden furniture in this renovated Oslo loft by London studio Haptic (+ slideshow).

Haptic created the split-level Idunsgate apartment in the upper levels of a nineteenth-century apartment block. The new staircase connects living spaces on the lower storey with a mezzanine above, but also creates a subtle divide between the kitchen and lounge.

Made from powder-coated white steel, the staircase hangs down from a ceiling beam and wall overhead. Its narrow vertical supports form a balustrade, while open risers allow views through from below.

As the stairs descend, they stop before reaching the floor, so residents have to step down over a piece of wooden furniture that functions as both a chest of drawers and a window seat.

On one side of the staircase is a white-painted living area featuring a low-slung sofa and white mesh chair, while the other side is a kitchen and dining area finished in dark grey.

“The original kitchen was tight, inefficient and north facing,” said architect Tomas Stokke, describing the old layout. “By moving it into the common areas we could create a light, airy and spacious space that becomes the social heart.”

An oak worktop doubles as a breakfast bar with room for two. There is also a small fireplace that creates a cooking space at the end of the kitchen worktop.

A double-height bathroom sits beside the living area and is finished in polished concrete and grey stone. The bath and shower are raised up, so residents have to climb up a small staircase to access them.

Upstairs, the hallway connecting the bedroom with the stairs becomes a viewing platform over the living space below. It also leads out to a small sheltered roof terrace.

Photography is by Simon Kennedy and Inger Marie Grini.

Here’s a project description from Haptic:

Idunsgate, Oslo

The apartment is in the top floor of a 19th century apartment building in central Oslo in Norway. Purchasing the loft space above the apartment enabled the client to do a full scale refurbishment of the loft, bringing the two floors into one, unified space.

Through a thorough three-dimensional survey of the apartment and careful assessment of the means of escape, we were able to incorporate every nook and cranny and even part of the stairwell into the design.

By fully utilising the level changes and opportunities we could introduce spatial drama with substantial vertical sight lines. The en-suite bathroom to the master bedroom is organised over three levels by incorporating found spaces. A sunny terrace has a large glass wall that brings evening light deep into the apartment. Some loft space has been sacrificed to create a double height space over the living room.

The centrepiece of the apartment is the feature staircase connecting the two levels. A modular, powder-coated, white steel stair is suspended between the joists and connects to a low storage/sofa unit that runs along the front façade.

The bathroom incorporated several level changes, and by using large scale 100x300cm tiles, the impression is of one that is carved out of a single block of stone.

The original kitchen was tight, inefficient and north facing. By moving it into the common areas we could create a light, airy and spacious space that becomes the social heart and integrates with the rest of the apartment. A small fireplace is integrated into the kitchen worktop and the kitchen fronts are painted to match the colour of the fireplace.

Typology: Refurbishment and loft conversion
Client: Gullestad/Skavlan
Architect: Haptic Architects
Team: Nikki Butenschøn, Aleksandra Danielak, Peder Skavlan

The post Floating steel staircase divides
Idunsgate Apartment by Haptic appeared first on Dezeen.

Slovenian firm Studio 360 built walls of modular white shelving inside every room of this L-shaped apartment in Ljubljana to maximise space whilst removing clutter (+ slideshow).

Studio 360 renovated a 100-square-metre apartment in the heart of the Slovenian capital to create the modern home, which contains a large living and dining room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a study.

The designers didn’t make any changes to the layout of the apartment, but gave each room a different arrangement of shelving based on simple geometric shapes. This inspired the project’s name, Geometric Residence.

The studio also made small structural adjustments by changing windows and doors, replacing the flooring and rewiring the electrics.

“When the client approached us, this apartment was vacant and ruined,” explained studio director Lidija Dragisic. “In order to bring it back to life, the renovation was absolutely necessary.”

The interior combines basic materials and natural colours, with white walls, oak furniture and detail accents in black. “This approach allowed the residents the freedom of doing any additional decorations without disrupting the overall design statement,” said Dragisic.

Entering the space, the apartment opens onto the open-plan living room, accessed by walking under a strip of mirrored glass.

The lounge area is dominated by block white shelving, with gaps made of oak deliberately inserted to allow the addition of books, a TV and speakers.

In contrast, the adjacent kitchen features uniform white units, which surround a custom-made 3.5-metre wooden table with a parquet finish.

In the master bedroom, oak storage units are suspended from the wall above a bed made from the same wood. Both this room and the second bedroom feature full-height white wardrobes.

Sandwiched between the two bedrooms is a small study with shelving divided into squares and rectangles.

The two main bathrooms are finished in slate grey tiling and feature mirror-lined walls and white inlet shelving.

Photogaphy is by Miran Kambic.

Here’s a project description from the designers:

 Geometric Residence, Ljubljana, Slovenia 

The apartment is located in the heart of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is divided into living area (consisting of a large living room with kitchen and dining room) and more intimate / sleeping area (two sleeping rooms and a study room). In between these two spaces there is a service part offering two contemporary bathrooms and one utility.

When the client approached us, this apartment was vacant and ruined. In order to bring it back to life, the renovation was absolutely necessary. The adaptation didn’t make any significant changes to the floor plan, besides some bathroom enhancements, windows & door replacements, new flooring and electrical installations.The interior furnishing design is simple, with design-scheme combining basic materials and natural colours: oak, white furniture and some detail accents in black. This approach allowed the residents the freedom of doing any additional decorations (art, coloured cushions, carpets, accessories etc.) without disrupting the overall design-statement.

The furniture along the walls is in a neutral white and designed in a geometrical pattern, which magnifies the flat’s ambience. Several carefully selected accents are wood, which create a pleasant and cozy atmosphere. The furniture is custom and unique – for example, a big 3.5 m long wooden table in the middle of the dining area or a huge pantry with parquet-finish, which brings the living and private spaces together. The marriage of white and oak is implemented in the master bedroom as well (master-bed and a geometrically-shaped wall closet above). The massive curtains throughout the apartment achieve additional intimacy, softness and consistency (they are also in a neutral black & white combination). The bathrooms are simple and without any unnecessary decorations, which allows the beautiful concrete-like tiles to stand out. These spaces are visually enhanced with the clever use of built-in mirrored walls.

Our aim was to adapt this interior to the versatile, ever changing needs of the modern customer. Besides the functionality, we wanted to create many different lighting scenarios and environments. This is achieved by combining basic lighting with the indirect led lighting, which are hidden in the furniture elements. The ceiling in the bedroom adorned with a crystal chandelier, which (along with the other vintage accessories) gives this residence a unique soul.

The post Studio 360 adds walls of modular shelving
and storage to Slovenian apartment appeared first on Dezeen.

Wooden boxes on wheels fold open to reveal beds inside this minimal apartment in Bolzano, Italy, by Harry Thaler Studio (+ slideshow).

Italian designer Harry Thaler designed the residence, named Atelierhouse, for contemporary art museum Museion as a temporary home for visiting artists and curators.

One box contains a single bed, which can be folded up against the wall to create more space.

A larger box contains a double bed that can be opened or closed for privacy if more than one person is staying in the studio apartment at a time.

Lights hang down inside it, so guests can close the hinged sections for reading, study or relaxation. There’s also a wardrobe installed at the rear.

Thaler said how he wanted to make the beds feel like “little houses in the actual house”. He explained: “”The facade of the studio house is made from very cold materials: aluminium and glass. The interior needed warmth.”

The rest of the furniture in the apartment is all made from MDF and includes armchairs, tables, benches and a study desk.

Most pieces have wheels, so the space can be rearranged if needed.

A pair of shelving units made from stacked boxes and a lamp with a slender stem complete the space.

The post Harry Thaler adds mobile furniture and
boxy beds to artists’ apartment appeared first on Dezeen.

Small cabins perched on tree trunk-like columns provide outdoor rooms for residents of this apartment complex in Singapore by WOHA (+ slideshow).

The Goodwood Residence designed by Singapore studio WOHA comprises 210 apartments surrounding a central courtyard that is lushly planted to create a visual connection with the nearby Goodwood Hill.

“Articulated as two 12-storey L-shaped blocks, the 2.5-hectare development dialogues with the hill that it embraces and merges with in a language of openness and continuity made expressive by varying degrees of scale and privacy,” said the architects.

A tree-lined boulevard leads from the estate’s entrance to the large courtyard, which is flanked by the apartments and features a swimming pool, clubhouse and lawn area.

The facades of the apartment blocks are covered in sunscreens made from aluminium fins that can be raised or lowered to adjust the amount of daylight and privacy inside the residences.

Fifteen of the apartments on the second and third storeys are connected to outdoor huts, which are raised to the height of the surrounding tree canopies.

Staggered balconies rising up the facades from the fourth to the eleventh floors provide shaded outdoor spaces and penthouses on the twelfth floor feature roof terraces with views across the city.

A total of 1700 square metres of vertical landscaping includes planting on the exterior of the stairwells, while small pools surrounded by trees and plants create decorative natural features.

A garden wall is constructed from granite blocks salvaged from a quarry, while natural-cleft stone lines the covered walkway that leads around the edge of the courtyard.

Photography is by Patrick Bingham-Hall.

Here’s a project description from WOHA:

GOODWOOD RESIDENCE, SINGAPORE

Set amidst an enclave of black and white houses just off the prime Orchard/Scotts Road area, and against a verdant 20-hectare backdrop of greenery, the 210-unit Goodwood Residence is conceived on a macro scale as a breathing space – a rarity in high density urbanised Singapore – and an extension of the Goodwood Hill tree conservation area that it shares a boundary of 150m with. Articulated as two 12-storey L-shaped blocks, the 2.5-hectare development dialogues with the hill that it embraces and merges with in a language of openness and continuity made expressive by varying degrees of scale and privacy.

All units are one apartment thick, with the blocks configured like boundary walls that define and enclose a series of courtyards that first draws its residents through an intimately scaled tree-lined boulevard that wraps around a pair of foliage screened tennis courts, leading to a formally scaled cobblestone entrance courtyard featuring a cluster of majestic rain trees, and finally opens out from under the canopies, like a clear forest glade, into an expansive central open lawn/ swimming pool.

This spacious courtyard that visually merges into Goodwood Hill, measures some 100m across opposite blocks, which enhances the privacy of its residents while offering excellent views towards the lush greenery. It is the main community gathering place and breathing room of the development, complete with club house facilities (concierge, reading lounge, private function room and pools) that parallel that of serviced apartments. Smaller landscaped courtyards branching off the sheltered walkways are further extended into the basement car park as entry points, making pleasant the homecoming experience with natural day light, fresh air and planting.

On a building scale, distinct strata of living experiences are crafted. The ground floor units are designed as a new typology of “landed housing apartments”, with lofty ceilings, generous outdoor pool terraces and specially devised auto-sliding gates/garden windows that are a modern interpretation of a traditional haha wall, allowing owners control over the degree of privacy and views out into the central lawn.

Overlooking the central courtyard on the 2nd and 3rd storeys, are 15 units designed with treehouse cabanas perched amidst the treetop canopies, immersing its inhabitants in close-range nature. Rising above this tree line are the mid-levels (4th-11th storeys), which have overlapping double volume balconies – semi indoor/outdoor spaces reminiscent of the projected drawing studios of the black and white colonial houses from which to fully enjoy the expanse of openness and panoramic views towards Goodwood Hill. This culminates in the 12th storey penthouses that are sky-bungalows complete with generous roof/pool terraces that effectively recreate a new ground level with the added advantage of unobstructed city views and cooling breezes at elevated height.

Inspired by patterns of traditional Asian woven textiles and the roll up bamboo chicks of the black and white colonial houses in the vicinity, all typical apartment units (2nd storey upwards) feature fine aluminium fins orientated at 45 degrees to north-south, that are devised as operable façade screens which not only provide vertical sun shading without compromising on ventilation, but also allows user-controlled amounts of privacy as well as facade animation. Planters of 1m width, coupled with projecting balconies of either 2.7m or 4.5m depth, further provide vertical greenery and horizontal shading for the apartments below.

Conceived with sustainable design principles from the very onset, the project showcases several other (below listed) innovative environmental features and demonstrates that the introduction of such green measures, which cost only 1% more in construction cost, need not come at a high premium if adopted early in the design process. The estimated savings from these implementations are approximately $600,000 on annual utility bills for the home and the common areas, which is equivalent to 20% reduction in the monthly maintenance cost. Goodwood Residence has been awarded the prestigious GreenMark Platinum Award by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore.

Green Space & Green Living

Complementing and extending the green of Goodwill Hill are 55 existing trees which are preserved, along with approximately 500 new trees that are native to Southeast Asia. This is reinforced by some 1,700sqm of vertical landscaping and the grand central lawn at the heart of the development. Almost 80% of the estate is dedicated to landscaping and communal facilities.

Smart Water Management

To minimise the use of potable water, a self-sustaining irrigation system that harvests rainwater, irrigation water run-off and underground water to irrigate the plants during the wet and dry seasons is devised. This is made possible due to the site’s high water table and foothill location. Reed planting beds that act as filters further provide a natural bio-filtration process along the water migration route in order to improve water quality before it is stored for the next cycle of irrigation.

User Friendly Dual Pneumatic Chutes

Separate refuse chutes for organic waste and recyclable waste are provided side by side at the common service lobbies for the convenience of residents and are connected to a development-wide pneumatic waste system, eliminating the need for multiple refuse collection points within the estate.

Zero Building Waste Concept

100% of the internal walls of Goodwood Residence are built from reclaimed aggregates that originated from the pre-existing building walls and structures.

The post Raised outdoor cabins connected to Goodwood
Residence apartments by WOHA appeared first on Dezeen.