Hasta La Ideas

This wooden observation platform and pavilion emerges from the landscape of a memorial park in Koknese, Latvia, offering views across the River Daugava (+ slideshow).

Designed by Latvian studios Didzis Jaunzems Architecture and Jaunromans un Abele, the wooden structure is located in the Garden of Destiny, a park designed to celebrate the country’s 100th birthday in 2018 and pay tribute to all those that have died in the last century.

The architects used the natural incline of the site to build a pavilion that is partially buried beneath the ground. A sloping roof provides an elevated deck that visitors can walk over, while the surrounding terrace concludes at a balcony that cantilevers out across the water.

“The view terrace and pavilion create a harmonious environment to discover the special character of the site – the spaciousness and the faraway horizon over River Daugava,” explained Didzis Jaunzems.

Existing features around the site informed the shape of the building. As well as working in line with the site’s topography, the architects designed a structure that avoids all surrounding trees whilst seeking out the best viewing spots.

The structure was built almost entirely from larch. Wooden planks were fixed around a larch frame, creating a uniform surface across the ground planes and around the building’s walls.

Each plank was also milled to create fine ridges, intended to prevent visitors from slipping when the ground is wet, and glazing was added at the front of the pavilion to offer shelter from strong winds and rainfall.

Wooden benches fold up from the ground to provide seating and metal railings create see-through balustrades.

Since opening, the site has become a popular location for all kinds of activities. “The view terrace unintentionally has become a very popular place for wedding ceremonies,” said Jaunzems.

Photography is by ML-Studio.

Read on for more information from the design team:

View Terrace and Pavilion

View Terrace and Pavilion are situated in memorial park “The Garden of Destiny”, the area of Consolation which is the first zone of Future according to overall project of the island. The Garden of Destiny is memorial place for all souls that have been lost to Latvia in last century and it will be completed as a gift to country on its 100th birthday in year 2018. The View Terrace project started as an architectural competition and with a help of donations is now first realised permanent building in memorial park. View terrace received the Prize of the Year in Latvian Architecture Best Works Award.

The view terrace and pavilion create a harmonious environment to discover the special character of the site – the spaciousness and the faraway horizon over River Daugava. The tight bond between Latvian people and nature has been emphasised in the project. Nature is a source of inner energy, strength, peace and inspiration. Nature has been a priority in this project since it is the consolation for Latvians. The building has been designed considering site particularities and in harmony with nature:

» The main flows of people have been analysed. The building is made in a way to not cover the view to river panorama when approaching the site;
» Stop points such as benches and covered space are situated in the places where view is the most stunning and emotional;
» The building has been shaped in a way to preserve most valuable trees on the site;
» Terrain level differences are used in the project design. The pavilion is partly sunken into the ground so it doesn’t cover the view when approaching the building and to provide comfortable access from the lowest level of terrace.

View terrace and pavilion has diversified levels of “openness”. This gives an opportunity to use the building in all kind of weather conditions as well as lets visitors to choose the level which emotionally suits them the best. For example if it is raining or in case of strong wind people can enjoy the view from the part of pavilion that is covered with roof and protected with large glass. But if the weather is not an issue then exposed long benches can be used. The building can be seen as a platform for harmonious interaction between people and nature.

The main architectonic idea of the project is building volume that following people movement from a pathway and seats gradually grows into a building in this way exploring building location on the very coast of the river. Roof inclinations creates an exciting place where to play and relax. The main challenge of the project was its highly public significance – it is built for everybody and furthermore by donations of people. The building is very compact however its configuration and various possibilities of usage allow to coexist all parts of society. From this year on couples in Latvia can officially get married outside the church and the view terrace unintentionally has become a very popular place for wedding ceremonies.

Pavilion and view terrace are made in wood – larch. The load-bearing structure is larch frames. Finishing is larch planks that are processed in a special technique to avoid slippery surfaces on pathways and roof of the building.

Project address: Memorial park “The Garden of Destiny”, Krievkalna Island, Koknese, Latvia
Projects architects: Didzis Jaunzems, Laura Laudere in collaboration with architecture office Jaunromans and Abele

The post Wooden viewing platform looks out
over Latvia’s River Daugava appeared first on Dezeen.

Mirrored walls and projecting staircases create optical illusions inside the brick-lined atrium of this apartment complex in Ghent, Belgium, by local office Atelier Vens Vanbelle.

Named Gewad, the building housing four individual apartments was constructed on the site of a former costume shop destroyed by fire, which architect Maarten Vanbelle of Atelier Vens Vanbelle bought and decided to redevelop with partner Dries Vens.

Rather than a standard arrangement of single-storey apartments, the properties slot together in multi-layered shapes that mean each one is spread over at least two floors.

“We did not want to design apartments that would feel like an apartment, with all rooms obediently after the other,” said the architects. “It had to be houses, hence all apartments have two or even three floors.”

The surviving rear facade was retained along with an existing courtyard which, complemented by the central patio and the street on the other side, allows daylight to reach each apartment at all times of the day.

Influenced by the courtyards found at the heart of homes encountered by the architects on a trip to Italy, the patio provides a communal entrance featuring a staircase that ascends to the top floor and incorporates landings, offering access to the apartments on different levels.

The walls of the atrium are built from brick salvaged from the ruined shop. Stairs are made from different materials, with some hidden behind brick walls and others projecting over the atrium, creating a complex composite effect intended to evoke the illusory drawings of M.C. Escher.

“You see countless courtyards with stairs, balconies and doors in places where you least expect it,” said the architects of their experiences in Italy. “That was also the intention: that you step inside and not immediately know how the apartments are oriented.”

Windows around the atrium allow glimpses into the interiors of the apartments and add to the communal feel, while their careful placement restricts views of the most private rooms.

At the top of the atrium is a polished aluminium mirror that reflects sunlight and views of the sky into the spaces below and amplifies views of the surrounding neighbourhood when seen from the roof terrace.

The irregular arrangement of the apartments also creates unique spaces and details, including private balconies, sloping walls and double-height spaces.

One apartment features a wooden staircase with widened treads that provide storage and casual seating areas, while another has an opening above the living room that exposes dark-stained wooden beams.

Materials including wood, concrete and second-hand terracotta flooring were chosen to ensure the building ages well with use. The intention is that residents will gradually adapt the public areas to meet their needs.

“We have let a lot of materials coexist, without letting it be too crowded,” the architects pointed out. “By playing with textures and materials we create atmosphere and define different residential functions.”

The architects’ studio is contained in a former coach house at the rear of the courtyard, which features planting that will mature over time to create a lush garden.

The street-facing facade is rendered in a whitewash in accordance with the local council’s request and features a ground floor wall incorporating the trunks of 23 chestnut trees.

Photography is by Tim Van de Velde.

Here’s some more information sent by Atelier Vens Vanbelle:

Four inventive city apartments

Puzzling around central patio

This project brings together four new apartments which run perfectly under, over and trough each other. The building was erected on the spot where once stood a burnt costume shop. Maarten bought the dilapidated house with his brother and parents, and began puzzling together with his business partner Dries. “There was a lot of thinking concerned. We started from zero, only preserving the rear facade. Not only an urban intervention, but thanks to the old rear facade the original dimensions of the courtyard were also retained.” “Each apartment overlooks both the street, the central patio, and the courtyard, so that at any time of the day somewhere sunlight can come in.”

Italian interior square

Whoever enters the building, stands on a particular courtyard. The architects had shortly before the start of the project on tour in Italy, and there the idea grew. “You will see countless courtyards with stairs, balconies and doors in places where you least expect it. That was also the intention: that you step inside and not immediately know how the apartments are oriented. ‘The staircase consists of different materials and we even spotted a piece of’ reverse ‘staircase. “It reminds of a drawing of graphic artist Escher, which kicks all directions seem to go.”

The patio provides a unique circulation throughout the building. The residents come out against each other, or see each other occasionally pass through a window. “Without that privacy is violated. We made sure that no one else is living inside look. “The patio is built with stones recovered from the burned building. Above the patio there’s a large mirror made of polished aluminum. It was positioned in a way it reflects down the sunlight during the day and seen from below it reflects the sky.

House Feeling

“We did not want to design apartments that would feel like an apartment, with all rooms obediently after the other.” It had to be houses, hence all apartments have two or even three floors. “We have thought very longtime about how we could fit the apartments together.” These apartments define eachothers shape and layout. Besides the two floors there are also other elements that reinforce the ‘house feeling’: each apartment has a separate entrance which can be reached with stairs from the patio, and each apartment has both a street, patio and courtyard side. Each resident enjoys fantastic views of the city of Ghent, a private terrace and nooks and crannies that you would not expect in an apartment. One apartment has a meter high atrium, the other a piece of glass in the bedroom floor, or a hall with a sloping wall. On the street side there is a meeting room for the architects, and at the rear of the courtyard there’s a charming former coach house as a studio for the two.

Windows and co

An exception, perhaps, but the architects design everything by making models. “Because we are so focused on light. We make a model, which we orient in the same way as the future home, and by filming the inside we see how the sunlight penetrates the building. “In the apartment building we find numerous examples of well-positioned roof and interior windows. In the upper apartment, where three boys live together, the bathroom is connected to the living room through an inside window, and look out simultaneously by a roof window: “So you see your own house from unexpected angles in a way it remains fascinating. The head of the architecture department of Ghent said that our project is a kind of synthesis of urban living: How can you live together in a small area, but do not suffer the disadvantages concerning light, circulation and privacy?”

Anti trends

The architects wanted to create the feeling that the apartments have spontaneously, coincidentally, almost organically grown. “We do not want architecture for architects. It should not be finger-on that we have thought hard about the design. The intention is that our project is going to look better by getting older, rather than to decline. Hence we have worked with many beautiful old materials: wood, concrete, old floors, etc. The patio has yet to change: vegetation, balconies and washing lines. It should all be a little more ‘lived’. ‘The façade takes humility on the street. Besides the base, formed by 23 chestnut trees, the façade is a purified version of the classic whitewashed facade. The white plaster was one condition of the city services.

Controlled multitude

The material is not motivated by ephemeral fads. In the living room of Maarten’s apartment we see a wardrobe made from grooved plywood of Polish pine, which has a beautiful drawing. That pine wood contrasts with the dark smoked oak parquet. The ceiling is partly concrete, partly from pasting, partly from wooden beams and there is even an iron beam visible. “So much more fun if you watch your ceiling from your seat.” In the kitchen we find even a dash reclaimed terracotta floor, feeling like the oak. “We have let a lot of materials coexist, without letting it be too crowded. Name it controlled quantity (laughter). By playing with textures and materials, we create atmosphere and define different residential functions. Sociability is a bit of a dirty word in modern architecture, but honestly we are quite fond of it.”

The post Gewad apartment block by Atelier Vens Vanbelle
features brick walls and a mirrored atrium appeared first on Dezeen.

Japanese architect Eto Kenta has hidden a narrow garden behind the metal-clad exterior of this house in Ōita Prefecture, Japan (+ slideshow).

The two-storey house is situated on the border between a residential neighbourhood and a grassy plain, so Eto Kenta designed a building that is closed at the front and open at the back, and named it Cave.

To the street, the building presents a wall with only two openings – a large high-level window allowing light to permeate the garden tucked behind and a doorway leading to the entrance. In this way, the facade protects the interior from prying eyes.

The narrow garden sits directly behind the wall, ahead of a large room that functions as a living space and kitchen for the family.

“Raising a large opening on the south side allows lighting and ventilation into the house, but also ensures privacy from the neighbouring houses,” said Kenta.

Sliding walls allow the living room to open out to the secluded garden. These are mirrored by a row of rear windows that slide back to reveal the interior to the field beyond.

“By operating the opening and closing in relation to the outer and inner space, we create both open and private places,” said Kenta.

A lightweight steel staircase leads up to the first floor, where three rooms sit alongside one another to create a series of bedrooms.

Two of these bedrooms feature windows overlooking the garden, while the third opens out to a patio contained behind the walls.

A second patio is located at the back and a small study provides residents with a quiet workspace facing out over the fields.

The post Metal-clad house in Japan by Eto Kenta
conceals its garden appeared first on Dezeen.

This bright white house in Portugal by GSMM Architetti uses the trees on its hillside site to create a sense of intimacy, providing a counterbalance for the openness of its central courtyard  (+ slideshow).

Miles away from the nearest town, the single-storey House in Quinta do Carvalheiro was designed by local studio GSMM Architetti as a quiet retreat that has as little impact on the landscape as possible.

“This is a holiday house; a place to renovate energy, to get close to the wild nature, to live in a different way. A place to be alone, for meditation or to be among friends,” architect Monica Margarido told Dezeen.

“Our translation was to design a house where spaces were defined by transparency and reflection of the landscape, to feel protected but at the same time to feel emerged into the forest,” she added.

Cork oak and pine trees surround the house and help to shade it from the sun. “The dense cork trees that surround the house provide intimacy,” said Margarido.

The house has a square plan with a courtyard at its centre, offering residents an uninterrupted view of the skies.

“You lay down on the patio and you dive among thousands of stars, in your transparent envelope,” explained architect Giorgia Conversi, who also worked on the project.

An expansive living area runs along the southern side of the house. Sliding glass panels line two walls, allowing the space to open out to both the courtyard and surroundings.

A fireplace separates the living area from the kitchen. There is also a sheltered terrace where residents can dine al fresco.

Two north-facing bedrooms sit on the opposite side of the courtyard, while a master suite and guest bedroom run along the eastern side of the house.

Photography is by Fernando Guerra.

Here’s some text from the architect Giorgia Conversi:

House Quinta Do Carvalheiro, São Francisco da Serra, Portugal

A new presence in the light and shade of cork trees. Clean and sharp. I’m here. I’m here, but let me cross. Occupy a space without closing. Play changing face between the white presence and the absence of glass: let me cross from the shadows of branches and give back their image to the around gnarled trunks.

Quinta do Carvalheiro is another way of living. Enter and you’re still out. In the middle of the trees. In every point the look finds the way to project far away.

The walls are a pause between a glimpse and other. A border to cross, like all boundaries. A unit of measure for the space that extends around.

A challenge to the concept of “locked at home”. Within four walls. In ourselves. The house doesn’t obscure the view but reveals it. Doesn’t take away the other, doesn’t take away the sky. But is there.

The first day is alienation. The second you start to feel it, the Quinta: is of few words but is there. The third: you lay down on the patio and you dive among thousands of stars, in your transparent envelope. Protected but free. The fourth, you realize that you can change perspective. Look inside. And, as a game of mirrors, seek your hidden corner.

An open house, first of all, to mental disposition. Open to people who arrive, to changing light, to curious insects, to the moon peeping from the hill, to ideas, to the next new discovery.

The post Hillside hideaway by GSMM Architetti
features a courtyard for stargazing appeared first on Dezeen.

1. The Injustice of Food Chains In a new, appropriately titled documentary short, “Food Chains,” the hands and hearts of the individuals producing our every day foods are unearthed. With so much interest in food globally—from…

Continue Reading…