This is so cool: Tasked with adjoining a 17th-Century Dutch island fortress to a nearby piece of land, Netherlands-based architecture firm RO&AD devised an unobtrusive structure that’s being cheekily called the Moses Bridge.
Constructed of engineered wood produced by Accoya, which uses nontoxic treatments in their processes, the watertight bridge is Cradle to Cradle Gold Certified.
The perforated brick walls of this triangular house in Barcelona overlap at the corners.
Spanish studio H Arquitectes purposely designed the single-storey House 712 with simplistic construction details so that any builder could put it together.
An air chamber functions as a ventilation channel behind the perforated facade, while rainwater naturally drains off the walls through cavities in the brickwork.
Three bedrooms, a study, a kitchen-diner and a living room all fan around a triangular hallway at the centre of the house.
H Arquitectes always name their buildings with a number – see more of their projects here.
Photography is by Adrià Goula.
Here’s some more text from H Arquitectes:
House 712
The proposal wants to occupy all the buildable part of the parcel by means of a ground floor house, entailing a triangle shaped plan with each side parallel to its correspondent plot limit.
This triangular geometry minimizes the distribution spaces (having only a central one), reduces the cost and allows a constant and homogeneous relation between both the inside and the outside.
Because of the ground level difference between site and street (the highest one), the triangular roof, almost an icon, becomes the fourth façade of the house.
While designing and planning the project, the budget was cut by 65%.
This fact strongly conditioned all the construction decisions: systems, materials, etc.
By removing all the superfluous and unnecessary elements, the house was given both an inside and an outside which are extremely austere, powerful and very expressive.
Situation: Gualba, Barcelona.
Author: H ARQUITECTES (David Lorente, Josep Ricart, Xavier Ros, Roger Tudó)
Collaborators: Montse Fornés, architect (Harquitectes) Anna Bonet, interiorista (Harquitectes) Iñaki González de Mendiguchia, technical architect
Year of realization: 2008-2011
Surface constructed: 127,40 m2
Budget: 130.000€
Constructor: Construcciones Jufraed 2001, S.L.
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Drivers crossing the coastal border between Turkey and Georgia will now pass below a knobbly observation tower by Berlin architect J. Mayer H.
The bumpy tower, which sits atop the Sarpi Border Checkpoint building, houses a series of elevated terraces within its folds.
Above: photograph is by Beka Pkhakadze
The curved two-storey building beneath the tower integrates customs facilities with a café, staff room and conference rooms.
This year architect J. Mayer H. also completed a controversial timber canopy across a public square in Spain – see readers’ comments on the project here and see more projects by the architect here.
Photography is by Jesko Malkolm Johnsson-Zahn, apart from where otherwise stated.
Above: photograph is by Beka Pkhakadze
The text below is from J. Mayer H. Architects:
Sarpi Border Checkpoint in Georgia
Completion of Construction
November 2011 marks the completion of Sarpi Border Checkpoint. Designed by J. MAYER H. architects the customs checkpoint is situated at the Georgian border to Turkey, at the shore of the Black Sea.
Above: photograph is by Beka Pkhakadze
With its cantilevering terraces, the tower is used as a viewing platform, with multiple levels overlooking the water and the steep part of the coastline.
Above: photograph is by Beka Pkhakadze
In addition to the regular customs facilities, the structure also houses a cafeteria, staff rooms and a conference room.
Above: photograph is by Beka Pkhakadze
The building welcomes visitors to Georgia, representing the progressive upsurge of the country.
J. Mayer H. Architects
Project Team: Juergen Mayer H., Jesko Malkolm Johnsson-Zahn, Christoph Emenlauer
Project: 2010-2011
Completion: 2011
Client: Ministry of Finance of Georgia
Architects on Site: Beka Pkhakadze, Ucha Tsotseria
Building Company: JSC Transmsheni
Structural Engineering: LTD BWC
Structural Engineering of Tower: Nodar Edisherashvili
British architects Liddicoat & Goldhill constructed their own north London home using black engineering bricks and slabs of white marble.
Named the Shadow House, the two-storey building is located on the compact site of a former parking garage.
Walls inside the house are of the same dark brickwork as the exterior and contrast with a stark white concrete floor.
Larch beams supporting the ceilings of both floors remain exposed inside every room and bare light bulbs hang from them.
Household appliances including the television and washing machine are concealed inside specially designed cupboards in the ground floor living rooms.
A bedroom and library occupy the first floor, as does a bathroom with a glazed ceiling.
Above: photograph is by Tom Gildon
This house was nominated for the 2011 Manser Medal, which was won by another north London house – see our earlier story about the winner here.
Photography is by Keith Collie, apart from where otherwise stated.
Above: photograph is by Tom Gildon
The following text was written by Liddicoat & Goldhill:
About The Shadow House
Because our budget was so tight, we planned to carry out as much work as possible ourselves and limited our palette to primary materials. We found these limits liberating rather than restricting: there is great poetry in practical things, so we reveled in finding simple means of assembling the house. It is built inside and out in slim-format Dutch engineering brick, a robust material with a delicate black glaze. Interior structure and window reveals are in raw larch, while polished concrete floors flow between each of the rooms.
One small luxury we allowed was to buy two slabs of bookmatched Statuarietto marble, which we used throughout house as a reflective contrast to the brick walls. The whole design revolves around this play of light & dark; carefully controlled moments of intensity and quiet shadow. We wanted to create interior spaces with maximum emotional effect. The bright first floor bathroom has a huge sheer glass ceiling (which needed to be craned into place) that contrasts with the intense atmosphere of the living spaces.
Above: photograph is by Tom Gildon
We created the sensation of being outside; showering in full sunshine or bathing under the stars. We playfully carved space into the walls for everyday clutter; the TV and its cables are concealed behind a black glass wall, the loo roll has its own marble niche, the washing machine is in a secret cupboard behind the loo, discreet storage fills every spare corner while the kitchen extract is buried into the brickwork. In order to give a sense of space to what could feel like very constrained rooms, it was important for us to modulate the section and vary the ceiling heights. By changing the floor level and building roofs at different heights we created a range from 3m in the living room to 2.1m in the entrance area.
Above: photograph is by Tom Gildon
This allowed us to give each space its own sound quality and sense of cosiness or airiness. Just building a house doesn’t make a home: we also designed our fittings and furnishings; the minimalist Zero larch bedframe; kitchen cabinetry in elm, stainless steel, marble and spray lacquered matt doors; The Shadow Lamp, a granite and laser-cut timber table light; soft furnishings using amazing African fabrics, Nyaradza bedspread and Akwasidee cushions.
How We Made The Project Happen
The Shadow House is our own home, but is also an experiment in making a generic small city house. While working for other practices, we designed luxurious houses for private clients and worked on complex urban social housing developments; we were keen to extend this experience into building more modest single houses. Finding a site was an exhausting process. We cycled around London, exploring the backstreets and peering over fences, looking for a forgotten scrap of land. We knew we could only afford a site that was too challenging for developers or ‘Grand Designs’ hopefuls.
We eventually discovered a derelict parking garage – home to rats, foxes and local junkies – just behind the Kings Cross goods yards in NW1. At only 390sqft, it seemed almost impossibly small. Our task was made even harder by its location in the fiercely-protected Camden Square Conservation Area, and by the previous owner’s failed attempts to win Planning Permission. We knew the project could only become a reality through our skills of designing in historic areas, and negotiating with neighbours and local Planners. Our time and energy were our greatest resources, so we re-drew the design constantly to eliminate costs, and carried out much of the work with our own bare hands.
Architect and Main Contractor: Liddicoat & Goldhill LLP
Site: 38a St. Paul’s Crescent, London, NW1 9TN
Client, Architect and Main Contractor: David Liddicoat & Sophie Goldhill
Structural Engineers: Peter Kelsey Associates
Completion date: Winter 2011
Gross internal floor area: 77m2
Total construction cost: £210,000
Dezeen archive: one of our most popular stories this week featured a glowing art studio in a car park (top left), so we’ve compiled all of our stories from the Dezeen archive about studios for artists or designers. See all the stories »
A patchwork of yellow, green and white panels covers the erratically curving facade of a school in Finland by Linja Architects.
Behind the long elevation, Kannisto School comprises two connected blocks that are constructed from brick and staggered around a central playground.
A three-storey-high atrium is contained where the two buildings meet and houses an entrance lobby, a canteen and staircases leading to the two floor above.
Classrooms with dark brick walls are located on every floor and are filled with brightly coloured furniture.
As well as containing a primary school, the building also houses a community hall, a kindergarten and a dentist’s surgery.
Some other colourful schools from our archive include one with painted vertical bands in citrus colours and another with bright orange details – see more schools here.
Photography is by Imagokuva.
Here’s some more text from Linja Architects:
Kannisto School, Vantaa, Finland
Kannisto School is the building for primary school, daycare centre, local community centre and local dental care.
School is situated in the Marja-Vantaa area, which is the most significant new urban residential and business area to be emerged within the Helsinki Region.
It will offer homes for some 30.000 inhabitants and 25.000 jobs in the future.
Kannisto school offers these services to the inhabitants moving to these residential areas in the future.
Site is part of larger park area between residential areas and commercial centre.
On the east side of the building is situated one family houses, whereas west side offers space for soccer field. On the south side there will be large leasure park.
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Kannisto school offers spaces for 500 pupils and day care is for 100 children. There will be second phase and after that there will be almost 1000 children spending their daytime.
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The building is partly two storeys and partly three storeys high. The wave- shaped roof follows this massing. Curves like on the eaves are used also on underside of west entrance and suspended ceilings inside.
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The wedge-shaped building form greates spaces for the playgrounds on the west side of the building while the east side of the building follows the border of the site.
The main materials used on fasade are Swisspearl panels and handmade dark brick with black pointing. Four different colors on the panels were chosen to give playful look for the building.
The colors from fasade are transformed to the indoor colors as well. Floors are slightly green and playful elements are used on main halls.
The main lobby / dining hall is almost entirely white but it is opened to the green environment through large glass walls.
Also handmade brick is used indoors.
Client: City of Vantaa
Location: Kenraalintie 6, 01700 Vantaa, Finland
A 1960’s residence renovated by London architects Duggan Morris has won the RIBA Manser Medal 2011 for the best new house in the UK.
Located in a conservation area in north London, the two-storey Hampstead Lane house is constructed from fair-faced concrete blocks, which the architects cleaned and restored.
The original aluminium-framed windows have been replaced with similar alternatives and a new steel structure replaces previous load-bearing internal walls.
A new blanket of sedum covers the roof, which was also repaired.
Previous Manser winners include an extension to a mill-keeper’s house and a seafront timber residence.
Photography is by James Brittain.
Here’s an account of the project from Duggan Morris:
Hampstead Lane
Background, Site, Context and Planning Considerations
Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live with an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, engaged in the protection of its character. This building, a low rise modernist property built in the 1960′s, was designed and built by a well-known local architect couple, who had lived there throughout the remaining years of their lives; Douglas Stirling Craig and his wife Margaret.
Stirling worked for Coventry City Council, Stevenage Development Corporation, and with Margaret, set up architectural practice in the late 1950′s completing a number of notable projects for a number of private residential clients adopting a Brutalist style of exposed surfaces inside and out. This approach is clearly evident in the design of 3A Hampstead lane built by 1968.
The Original Building
The original building, featured 4/5 bedrooms, along with reception rooms, a kitchen, dining room, utility room, two bathrooms, an integrated garage, and a 60ft garden overlooked by a glass-dominated rear of house. The primary palette of materials consisted of a light coloured fair faced blockwork skin (inside and out) with a silver sand and white cement mix, punctuated with mill finish aluminium window frames and coping with flush pre-finished white hardboard faced doors to the front and flank elevations. To the rear, the primary material was glazing again in mill finish aluminium, with panels over in a clear laquered birch ply, whilst the window surrounds were completed in a plain deal pine and the window cills in mahogany.
Internally the floors were a white flecked vinyl asbestos tile. All the interior joists and woodwork were in plain wood, except for the top of the T and G planking on the 1st floor. There were no skirting boards or door trim and the only places with a dropped ceiling were the kitchen, entry and utility room. The original heating was under-floor electric embedded in the screed.
Introduction to the Project
In winter 2008 Duggan Morris Architects were invited to consider proposals for the refurbishment of a house in Highgate Village on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath. The building was however, no run of the mill Georgian Villa, but a late 20th Century Modernist building, designed in the brutalist style, by a well-known local architect. The clients were themselves also highly successful Architects, working on national and global stages for separate well known practices, but with too little time to develop the designs for the project themselves.
The tri-part involvement of three generations of architects on such a humble building seems highly relevant in the current political, economic, and environmental climate. It seems appropriate to state that the importance of good design cannot be overlooked in this respect. Brutalism continues to influence current generations of architects, whilst much of the public and indeed central government continues to chastise the movement for its perceived failings. In this case, a building which has clearly contributed in a unique way to the local conservation area has been saved from demolition by the enthusiasm and foresight of an informed client and design team.
The Brief
Working closely with the client in a highly collaborative manner, a brief emerged which sought to carry out a full ‘renovation’ of the building fabric, whilst also intervening carefully to create a contemporary dwelling, of a more fluid arrangement of spaces, rather than the celluralised original. The brief also sought a greater connection of the living spaces to the gardens, which themselves would be completely redesigned. At roof level, it was intended to replace the existing membrane with a modern version, whilst the services were completely overhauled to modern day standards.
In addressing the building, the design team has taken a measured approach to the condition of the as found, aiming to retain and re-use wherever possible, removing only the surface layers of detritus and cladding which has accumulated over the years.
The design of the scheme thus is perceived as a ‘renovation’ rather than a refurbishment, with most of what we found remaining in-situ. Thus the external skin of blockwork has been renovated through a painstaking exercise of washing and scrubbing and repointing to ensure a further 50 years of life. The roof membrane was retained and repaired and a new sedum blanket of plug planted specimens added over, creating a mini eco system for local wildlife. The landscape too has been added to, rather than removed with a large number of mature trees added to front and rear.
Internally things like the stair, balustrade, floor boards (first floor) and most of the original doors have been retained and reused. Where we have adapted and altered space, we have done so sparingly and simply. The main overhaul was the ground floor slab replaced with new insulation, screed and a wet underfloor heating system connected to a new energy efficient boiler.
In the main, what we have done is simple, light but aimed at a general improvement of the environmental condition and performance.
The Interventions
The renovation works focussed on retaining the integrity of the original house, through extensive research and analysis of historic documents, drawings, photographs and archived material.
Much of the work involved a cleaning and restoration process for the exposed block work, whilst the glazing system was designed to closely accord with the original single glazed system, but achieving modern standards and U-Values.
Where interventions to the layout of the internal spaces has been required, this has evident through the clear communication of new structural elements; a new dark grey steel frame which spans the key spaces, in place of previous load bearing walls. The project also includes a full integrated scheme for the landscape, which now has a greater connection to internal spaces.
Summary of time-table
Commissioned: February 2009
Negotiated Tender: July 2009:
Construction: Sep 2009
Completed: July 2010
While looking for more mon I came across this gem. Anna Nakamura and Taiyo Jinno’s Eastern Design Office is a Kyoto architecture firm with a string of unique house designs on their amazing portfolio page, one of which is the MON Factory/House. As the name implies, the structure houses a workshop for a mon craftsman, a guy who makes a living emblazoning Japanese family crests onto clothing for local merchants. In reference to the line of work carried on within, the house itself expresses precise geometric patterns, repeating the circular outline of mon in an arrangement relating to the rectilinear shape of the structure.
The translation of the design philosophy behind the house leaves a little something to be desired, but you’ll get the idea:
If you’re one of the largest design festivals in the world and you’re currently mired in controversy over the removal of your beloved director and the apparent political patronage in the hiring of a replacement by a national leader who is now on the outs, what do you do? If you’re the Venice Architecture Bienniale, you do the smart thing and grab a big name to come aboard as your next curator. So they have, with the announcement that starchitect David Chipperfield, fresh off his win of the Mies van der Rohe Award, will be taking on the roll for 2012. Building Design reports that, once everything’s been made official-official, that will leave the world-renowned architect only 8 months to “come up with a theme and curate the world’s largest architecture exhibition.” The site also notes that now that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi appears to be on his way out, that the aforementioned appointment of food importer Giulio Malgara to replace longtime Biennale leader Paolo Baratta looks like it won’t be happening after all, leaving Baratta to “continue as director for at least another year.” All said, this is all shaping up to be one of the more interesting years for the Venice event in a while.
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
As any pensive puppet frog will tell you, it’s not easy being green—unless you have access to Diana Balmori. The landscape and urban designer works at the interface of nature and structure (to wit: Groundwork: Between Landscape and Architecture, written with Joel Sanders and freshly published by Monacelli). Her New York-based firm continues to push the boundaries with innovative green roofs, floating islands, and temporary landscapes that get people talking in more ways than one. On Tuesday, November 15, Balmori will be the one doing the talking, as she sits down for a conversation with Peter Reed, MoMA’s senior deputy director of curatorial affairs, at 92nd Street Y. She will show slides of her work, discuss the role of landscape in today’s cities, and explain her vision of life-enhancing design. Tickets are available here, and you can save 25% off by entering discount code UNBEIGE11.
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
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