Hasta La Ideas

Eight intersecting arches give a towering symmetry to this copper-coated mausoleum erected in the English countryside for a revered Iranian philosopher (photography by Edmund Sumner).

Designed by emerging London studio Borheh, the structure was built as a memorial to Javad Nurbakhsh – a master within the branch of Islam known as Sufism, which is thought by some to be a philosophy of existence that pre-dates religion.

The structure is located within a dense thicket of woodland in Oxfordshire, on a site chosen by Nurbakhsh, who spent the latter years of his life in England.

Raised off the forest floor on a tiered plinth, it comprises a ring of copper-coated steel triangles. These are expected to change colour as they gradually oxidise, allowing the tower to show its age.

“The mausoleum’s blend of striking design and organic materials presents a refreshingly modern take on mysticism without detracting from its timeless spiritual ideals,” said the architect in a statement.

The arched forms chosen reference some of the characteristic motifs of Persian architecture, creating a tower intended to demonstrate “geometrical perfection and simplicity”.

“The mausoleum combines traditional Persian architecture with contemporary materials local to Iran, resulting in a construction that reflects the Iranian heritage of Dr Nurbakhsh, while remaining in keeping with the English landscape,” said the architect.

The structure was built as a series of modules using local artisanal techniques in Iran. These were then shipped across to the UK and erected onsite.

Photography is by Edmund Sumner.

Here’s a project description from Borheh:

Contemporary Sufi memorial brings Iranian mysticism to the heart of the English countryside

A mausoleum dedicated to the memory of a prominent Iranian Sufi master, Dr Javad Nurbakhsh (10th December 1926 – 10th October 2008), has recently completed construction. The mausoleum’s blend of striking design and organic materials presents a refreshingly modern take on mysticism without detracting from its timeless spiritual ideals.

London based multidisciplinary creative studio, Borheh, have unveiled the completed mausoleum which adds a unique spiritual presence to the Oxfordshire countryside. Located near Banbury, England, the mausoleum stands on a beautiful natural location chosen by Dr Nurbakhsh himself during his lifetime. It is nestled amongst a dense wooded grove, named “the Forest”, which was planted by Dr Nurbakhsh in the 1990s.

The mausoleum combines traditional Persian architecture with contemporary materials local to Iran, resulting in a construction that reflects the Iranian heritage of Dr Nurbakhsh, while remaining in keeping with the English landscape. The structure is created from copper-coated steel which will naturally change colour over time as it is exposed to the elements, allowing it to evolve and adapt organically within the forest.

Using traditional Persian architectural motifs, the mausoleum evokes the principles of Sufi mysticism with a unified display of geometrical perfection and simplicity. Eight overlapping triangular arches converge together in a form known as karbandy, maintaining a balance of strength and elegance across every point. The geometrical perfection of the form is manifested through its interaction with the sun, as the natural path of sunlight creates a unique pattern of shadows through the passing of the day.

For minimum impact to the natural landscape, Borheh utilised an innovative approach to construction by following a modular method. Each part of the mausoleum was constructed separately in Iran, using local artisanal techniques. It was then transported to the UK and reassembled on site. While this was by no means an easy endeavour, the process ensured both the protection of the natural woodland that would be home to the mausoleum and remained faithful to the mausoleum’s cultural heritage.

The project represents a combination of traditional artistic principles and cutting edge technologies – the ideal monument to the life and work of a modern mystic.

The post Towering copper memorial by Borheh
honours an Iranian philosopher appeared first on Dezeen.

A cantilevered exhibition floor and an underwater conference suite feature at this archive and research centre, designed by Italian office Boeri Studio and one of several new buildings on Marseille’s waterfront (photographs by Edmund Sumner + slideshow).

Like the neighbouring Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (MuCEM), Villa Méditerranée is dedicated to the history and cultures of the Mediterranean region and its opening also coincides with Marseille’s designation as European Capital of Culture 2013.

The building sits at the water’s edge and was designed by Stefano Boeri as “a place of thought and research that physically embraces the sea”.

“I have always been obsessed with harbour architecture,” says Boeri, describing his interest in naval stations, silos, observation towers and dry docks. “Villa Méditerranée is a construction that combines the characteristics of civic architecture with those of harbour infrastructure and off-shore platforms.”

The architect used a combination of reinforced concrete and steel to create the angular structure of the building, then added glazing across the front and rear elevations to allow views right through.

Porthole windows face out into the sea from the conference centre, which occupies an entire floor below ground level, while the third-floor exhibition gallery is contained within a 36-metre cantilever that frames and shelters a waterfront piazza.

A triple-height entrance hall connects the two main floors. Windows are dotted randomly across its facade, reappearing as skylights and transparent floor panels elsewhere around the exterior.

Both Villa Méditerranée and MuCEM opened to the public this month. Other new projects in Marseille this year include a polished steel pavilion by Foster + Partners and a contemporary art space on the rooftop of Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse housing block. See more architecture in Marseille.

Stefano Boeri also made the news earlier this year, after architects and designers including Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid, Ross Lovegrove petitioned against his dismissal as Milan’s city councillor for design, fashion and culture.

See more photography by Edmund Sumner on Dezeen, or on his website.

Here’s some more information from Boeri Studio:

Villa Méditerranée, Centre International pour le dialogue et les échanges en Méditerranée, Marseille, France

Villa Méditerranée, Centre International pour le dialogue et les échanges en Méditerranée is a circa 9.000 square metre multipurpose building, overlooking the Port of Marseille’s docks, destined to house research activities and documentation spaces on the Mediterranean.

The sea is the main unifying element of the Mediterranean world, sailed by the innumerable travels, migrations and trade; it enhances the meeting and the exchange of the communities that live in its coast.

The sea is the central element of the project: the water square enclosed in the building’s interior is the new public space representing the institution.

It is not simply a basin with ornamental intentions, but rather the union, the means of contact that orients, animates, and organises the building as a whole.

The new Villa Méditerranée, Centre International pour le dialogue et les échanges en Méditerranée is articulated between earth and sea.

The port in which the new building is located has always been a mutable, hybrid place, open to host the most variable uses.

The water of the Gulf of Marseilles enters between the building’s two horizontal planes (that of the conference hall and exhibition centre) creating a water square capable of harbouring fishing boats, sail boats or simply serving as a swimming pool and moorings for small pleasure boats.

The building has been thought as a place in dialogue with the surrounded landscape (earth, city, sea…) revealing the site’s values and opening up to the Mediterranean.

A cantilever of 36m is suspended at 14m from the sea level hosting an exhibition area of ca. 1500 sqm, it is enlighten by side windows, roof-lights and walkable glasses in the floor.

A conference centre of 2500 smq is located underwater; here the contact with the sea is possible through portholes. A big vertical entrance hall links together the main spaces and other smaller rooms which host offices, restaurant and other services.

The new construction combines an apparent simplicity with a real richness of spaces, paths and functions. The patio is a fundamental element of the mediterranean architecture and it has been chosen as the central element in the design process. Its ability to create at the same time an interior space and a filter towards the exterior is the key point to read and dialogue with the esplanade j4 and with the entire port. The result is a generous place, flexible and multifunctional, capable to host the unexpected.

Architecture:
Boeri Studio (Stefano Boeri, Gianandrea Barreca, Giovanni La Varra)
Ivan di Pol, Jean Pierre Manfredi, Alain Goetschy, AR&C;
Design Team: Mario Bastianelli (Project Leader), Davor Popovic (project leader building phase), Marco Brega (project leader competition phase)
Collaborators: Alessandro Agosti, Marco Bernardini, Daniele Barillari, Fabio Continanza, Massimo Cutini, Angela Parrozzani

Client: Conseil Regional Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
Competition Year: 2004
Building site start: 2010
Building site end: 2013
Surface: 8.800 sqm

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Boeri Studio appeared first on Dezeen.

Japanese architect Kengo Kuma conceived this primary school in north-west Tokyo as the modern equivalent of a traditional Japanese schoolhouse with timber-clad walls (+ slideshow).

The Teikyo University Elementary School comprises a row of twelve connected classroom buildings that Kengo Kuma and Associates also compares to a row of terraced houses.

Like many of Kuma’s buildings, the three-storey school is clad with cedar on every elevation. “We used cedar for the material of the exterior, as an attempt to recover a wooden schoolhouse in the midst of the big city,” says the studio.

Conventional timber siding was chosen for some surfaces, then combined with “yamato-bari” wooden panelling and vertical “renji” louvres to give variation to each of the facades.

The asymmetric pitched roof is made from steel, which breaks down to a skeletal framework in the courtyard between two of the blocks. The slope of the roof is visible on every floor inside the school, due to a tiered flooring arrangement and several double-height spaces.

Most classrooms are arranged along the southern side of the building, which is lined with glazing on all three floors. A first-floor balcony also stretches across this elevation, allowing a double-height recess below the eaves.

A central axis runs longways through the school to connect each set of classrooms. Group study zones are accommodated within this area, while communal activity rooms such as the library, canteen and media centre are lined up along the northern side.

The school is one of several projects completed by Kengo Kuma and Associates in recent months. Others include an experimental house in Hokkaidō and a timber-clad visitor centre in Tokyo. See more architecture by Kengo Kuma on Dezeen.

Photography is by Edmund Sumner.

Here’s a project description from Kengo Kuma and Associates:

Teikyo University Elementary School

We aimed at a wooden schoolhouse of our age. The building consists of a big roofing and materiality of wood for interior and exterior.

By changing its length and height of eave, roof can create multiformity to respond to its environment and different programs. In this building, we designed a big roof to run through the entire building, differentiating expressions on each side – a relaxed face toward south where abundant green of Tama hill expands – and subtle appearance to the north facing public housing standing in lines.

We also changed its form accordingly to the volume of each classroom. As the result, it has grown to a building that looks like 12 different-sectioned terraced houses being arranged in a row.

Composition of the space emphasises the atmosphere of the terraced (1-storey) house created by the roof. While the structure is 3-storey, the atrium connects the sections of the special room and the open space on 2nd and 3rd floors, so that you can feel the slope of the roof on every floor. Further, in the center of the building situates the Media Center that skips three stories as a measure to avoid segregation within the building.

We used cedar for the material of the exterior, as an attempt to recover a wooden schoolhouse in the midst of the big city. We also applied three different lining method for the wall, according to the location and function of the parts in the building – siding work, louvers and Yamato-bari (wood panels arranged with its side slightly layered onto the next one – forming as a whole regular unevenness) so that the building can hold various expressions. Cedar is treated in heat to secure durability.

We also utilised the plasticity of trees. We set up a huge wall of a recycled material made from chips of straw, rush and poplar, which can work as a notice board. As there is more freedom in the design of interior for schools, we managed to achieve this environmentally-friendly plan that can enhance the warmth of natural materials.

Big roofing is also good for environment for efficient building facilities. Using the wide roof toward the south, we installed there a device to gather heat. In this solar system, the air warmed under the roof circulates and vents from under the floor during winter. The roof also gathers rainwater. The water flows through the vertical drainpipe to the water conduit in the south, and it nurtures a biotope in front of the science room.

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by Kengo Kuma and Associates appeared first on Dezeen.

We don’t usually publish single photographs on Dezeen, but we really like this atmospheric shot by photographer Edmund Sumner showing London skyscraper The Shard framed by the towers of Canary Wharf in the east.

The UK’s tallest building was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. See the full-sized image here.

Read more about The Shard, including an interview conducted with Piano before construction started.

See more photography by Edmund Sumner on Dezeen, or visit his website.

The post Distant Shard View from the East
by Edmund Sumner appeared first on Dezeen.

Slideshow: this underground house by London studio De Matos Ryan tunnels beneath a listed stone tower in Gloucestershire, England.

A grass roof slopes up to cover living and utility rooms inside the single-storey building but cuts away at the centre to create a concealed courtyard.

A corridor leads from the main house into the tower itself, where a games room occupies the ground floor and bedrooms are located on two floors above.

Glazed walls at the rear of the house face out onto a sunken terrace and swimming pool.

This is the second project we’ve featured this week in Gloucestershire – see our earlier story about a school with a shiny copper chapel.

Photography is by Edmund Sumner.

Here’s some more text from De Matos Ryan:

The Round Tower, Gloucestershire
De Matos Ryan

The Round Tower is a Grade II Listed folly, which had been reduced to ruin by years of neglect and fire.

Located on the crest of a hill overlooking Siddington Village, the exposed site is visually integral to the setting of this listed structure.

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As such the design approach maintains the open relationship with the surrounding agricultural landscape by developing a discreet and substantial underground extension to the tower.

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This underground extension provides the main open plan living spaces and is lit by both a central open sunken courtyard and a lateral ‘landscape scoop’ concealing the new swimming pool and associated sun terraces from public view.

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The listed tower remains clearly the dominant structure, providing the front door to the 4 bedroom family house and the means of vertical circulation. It is also the visual focus of the main sunken courtyard garden.

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The restored tower provides additional accommodation and a roof terrace for the enjoyment of the panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

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A new detached building adjacent to the entrance to the site, provides garaging and an additional guest studio.

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