Hasta La Ideas

Many of us armed with tools and skills have, at some point, seen something we wanted to buy—then decided we’d rather build it ourselves, either to save money or for the fun of it. So, here’s a sticky question: With design piracy being such a hot-button issue, how do you feel about someone knocking off an existing design, as a one-off for their own personal use? And does it differ if the design is considered a classic?

For example, let’s say you had the capability to create bentwood forms, do metalworking and upholstery, and you decided to make yourself an Eames Lounge Chair for your living room. Your friends would probably be impressed. Versus the stink you might have on you for copying an end table that you saw at this year’s Salone.

I ask this because I recently came across this post of a father-and-son team building a desk with built-in cable management. The desk is a knock-off of the Bluelounge StudioDesk, minus the routed cable slot. Similarly, I follow a DIY blog written by a young mother living in the Alaskan wilderness. She frequently blogs about seeing a nice piece of furniture at Pottery Barn, not being able to afford it, and using her skills to build a copy for herself.

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News: following this week’s news that the UK government is restricting curved and glass walls on new school buildings, Aberrant Architecture‘s Kevin Haley and David Chambers are urging the Department of Education to look to the standardised schools designed by Oscar Niemeyer for Brazil in the 1980s, which the architects are presenting in the British Pavilion for the Venice Architecture Biennale.

“Learning lessons from school-building in Brazil helps us develop the new ideas that are sorely needed to improve the design and production of school buildings in the UK,” said Chambers, while Haley explained how the pair are ”using the research we have collected to investigate the design potential for a similar approach for the UK.”

The standardised ‘baseline’ templates for primary and secondary schools published this week place restrictions on room sizes, storey heights and building shapes for 261 replacement school buildings planned across the UK, as part of a bid to cut costs.

In response Haley has said: ”In Brazil, the design of the 508 Integrated Centres of Public Education (CIEPs) was not simply standardised to reduce costs. The highly ambitious design, shared by each school, induces a global perception of a standard, a new standard – a standard of high quality.”

Above: Animating Education at the British Pavilion

Like Brazil’s CIEPs, Haley proposes that the UK should “allow our schools to become more open to their context” and suggests that “each region could create its own standardised design, incorporating local cultural and climatic requirements.”

“The idea that every community, from suburb to favela, can take pride in first-class architecture, giving every child the same opportunities, is certainly a compelling ideal, especially today, when modern society in Brazil, as well as increasingly in the UK, is more and more divided between rich and poor,” said Haley.

Above: Animating Education at the British Pavilion

Aberrant Architecture’s initial research is documented in their exhibition “Animating Education” at the biennale, where they are showing models to represent each of the CIEPs completed in Brazil.

Read more about the government restrictions in our earlier story.

See more stories about Aberrant Architecture »

Here’s the full statement from Kevin Haley:

The pressing need in the UK to build new primary schools to address overcrowded classrooms and growing competition for school places thus begs the question: what lessons can we learn from the CIEPs example? Which of the ideas championed by Brazil should we adopt and which ideas can we build upon?

Above: Animating Education at the British Pavilion

In the 1980s, Rio de Janeiro, much like the UK now, had limited money to spend on education. In response to this, Oscar Niemeyer put forward a standardized design for the CIEPs. The strong design of his principle educational building, prefabricated to ensure consistent quality, contained architectural spaces, using strong durable materials that were specifically designed to support, help and enhance the educational curriculum. Architectural additions such as the dedicated sports hall, library, canteen & rooftop housing spaces, supported and enhanced the recreational, cultural, nutritional & residential aspects of the full time program. These standardised elements could be arranged in multiple configurations in order to respond to varying site conditions.

Money saved through standardisation could subsequently be invested into the curriculum. Schools could offer a full time curriculum available from 7am – 10pm. CIEP programs not only respected students’ cultures but also enhanced them. Some subjects were not taught if they were not beneficial to the class of children. Other subjects were therefore introduced, creating a personalised curriculum. Such an idea could no doubt also be used to address the increasingly culturally diverse communities of the UK.

The full time curriculum helped working parents avoid expensive childcare, a very pertinent problem in the UK today. It also gave those from poorer backgrounds access to a wider range of cultural stimuli. Three meals a day, designed by a nutritionist, helped the diets of some of the undernourished children. It could be argued that childhood obesity, rather than undernourishment, is the problem in the UK. But in any case, being offered the option of three healthy meals a day would no doubt make a huge difference in a lot of cases.

Above: Animating Education at the British Pavilion

Each region of the UK could create its own standardised design, incorporating local cultural and climatic requirements. The constant would be the full time education and the commitment to taking care of the children’s individual needs.

In Brazil, it was put to us that the design of the 508 CIEPs was not simply standardized to reduce costs. The highly ambitious design, shared by each school, induces a global perception of a standard, a new standard – a standard of high quality. The high architectural standard on the outside subsequently encourages a perception of high quality education on the inside. The idea that every community, from suburb to favela, can take pride in first-class architecture, giving every child the same opportunities, is certainly a compelling ideal – especially today, when modern society in Brazil, as well as increasingly in the UK, is more and more divided between rich and poor.

Whilst we understand the arguments for standardisation of the CIEPs it would be interesting to see how you could adjust the model school a little bit more, to better suit each individual site. Perhaps this can be achieved by starting with the CIEP model of having a main classroom block and regular CIEP accessories, such as the sports hall, library building or swimming pool, and then being able to add to or change some of these accessories later on.

Above: Animating Education at the British Pavilion

A very interesting strategy would be to allow our schools to become more open to their context. Perhaps these new accessories could create additional openness between the school and its surroundings, placing the School in the context of its neighbourhood rather than as some kind of alien visitor.

Take a covered playground as an example, a more strategic solution could be if it worked more as a city square and brought more people into the schools. This idea starts to become interesting in the UK context because this space could fill the role of a public square, which is often non-existent in many British suburbs.

Since the school is arguably the most important public building in our communities it could start to provide more functions related for the common use. School accessories could include an ‘IT room’ as well as a multi-purpose arts and culture building, which could then be used for theatre, dance and martial arts, as well as provide a space for filming and editing movies. Such a space would not only appeal to the students but also to their parents as well.

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in Brazil” says Aberrant Architecture appeared first on Dezeen.

News: there will be no curved or glass walls on any new school buildings constructed in the UK, thanks to a set of government guidelines released this week.

Above and top: Evelyn Grace Academy by Zaha Hadid Architects – photos by Luke Hayes

As part of a bid to standardise school design and cut costs, the ‘baseline’ templates place restrictions on room sizes, storey heights and building shapes for 261 replacement school buildings planned across the country.

The reports call for “simple, orthogonal forms” with “no curves or ‘faceted’ curves” and having “minimal indents, ‘dog legs’ and notches in the plan shapes”. They also state that buildings should have ”no glazed curtain walling or ETFE roofs”.

Above: The Langley Academy by Foster + Partners – photo by Nigel Young

These restrictions will put an end to designs such as the curved timber Langley Academy by Foster + Partners (above) and Zaha Hadid’s zig-zagging steel and glass Evelyn Grace Academy (top), which was awarded the Stirling Prize last year by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

These projects have been criticised for being too costly by education secretary Michael Gove, who in a conference last year said: ”We won’t be getting Richard Rogers to design your school, we won’t be getting any award-winning architects to design it, because no one in this room is here to make architects richer.”

Above: Clapham Manor Primary School by dRMM – photo by Jonas Lencer

In response to the reports, the RIBA has raised its concerns, claiming that “the proposed ‘flat pack’ approach is inflexible and will deprive students and teachers of quality environments that are proven to support teaching and learning”.

“In these times of austerity of course we need to cut our cloth on all spending, however the government’s proposals for the design and construction of future schools are far too restrictive with too much focus on short term savings,” said RIBA president Angela Brady.

Above: All Saints’ Academy by Nicholas Hare Architects – photo by Hufton + Crow

Here’s a press release from the RIBA listing its key concerns:

The RIBA five key concerns over the Governments approach to ‘Baseline Design’ are:

1. A failure to create functional spaces for excellent teaching

The RIBA is concerned that a ‘one size fits all’ approach will place a straitjacket on future generations of teaching professionals and quickly render these schools redundant in the light of developments in pedagogy and technology.

2. Not ensuring discipline and student wellbeing

The minimal circulation spaces have the potential for serious congestion, with the consequential impact on behaviour and wellbeing. The designs for secondary schools include narrow corridors and concealed stairs that are difficult to supervise; in many schools this is likely to result in the need for additional staff supervision to maintain good behaviour and avoid bullying. For example, in Guildford’s new Christ’s College school by DSDHA architects, the corridors were designed to eradicate bad behavior and isolation which was prevalent in the school’s previous 1960s building; the new circulation spaces are compact and easy to monitor; and since moving to its new building, Christ’s College has been named as one of the country’s most improved schools.

3. Ignoring the safeguarding of environmental comfort

The low energy environmental strategy is welcomed but the success of the layout is predicated on optimal conditions that may be difficult to achieve in reality. Relatively minor changes in orientation, internal finishes, or structural systems will significantly affect lighting, ventilation, heat gain and acoustics, which will in turn negatively impact on teaching and learning; eg well-ventilated and well-lit classrooms are crucial to aiding and extending student concentration.

4. Disregarding statutory requirements for accessibility and inclusion

The RIBA has serious reservations about the ability of the baseline designs to accommodate students and staff with disabilities and in general to meet statutory access requirements.

5. Not delivering long-term sustainability and value

The lack of engagement between sufficiently experienced design teams, educationalists and end users risks these minimum requirements being delivered without consideration of the particular needs of each school community. If the baseline designs are not developed appropriately to meet the teaching and operational needs of every school they may not be fit for purpose and therefore will not deliver the value for money solutions that the government intends.

While the RIBA continues to welcome the Government’s objectives of achieving increased value for money and identifying ways to rationalize the complex process of design and construction, the Institute is calling on the following improvements to be made the ‘Baseline Design’ proposals:

» School designs are subjected to independent review by recognised local education practitioners and school leaders to establish their ability to support excellent teaching and meet future community needs.

» The development of the baseline designs take full account of the statutory requirements for access and the current guidance on designing for students and staff with physical impairments and other disabilities, including sensory and other ‘invisible’ impairments;

» The Environmental strategy be subjected to rigorous testing using a range of structural solutions and finishes;

» Designs are tested against a variety of ‘real life’ site situations in order to establish their viability before their final release;

» EFA clarifies which parts of the baseline design are intended to be indicative or recommended as opposed to mandatory;

» The output specification is developed in sufficient detail in order to safeguard functionality and prevent the erosion of design quality in the tender process;

» Clients and schools receive expert advice from qualified and experienced design professionals on the quality and functionality of any contractor’s proposals using the baseline design.

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curved school buildings appeared first on Dezeen.

This factory-like building by architects Haworth Tompkins is the new home for print-making and photography at the Royal College of Art in London.

Named after British industrial designer and entrepreneur James Dyson, the Dyson Building also contains an innovation wing where start-up designers can launch their businesses.

At the heart of the building is a factory-like production room, referred to as the ‘machine hall’, which is filled with large printing machines and layout spaces.

Above: photograph is by Helene Binet

All the departments are arranged around this triple-height space and glass walls let students look across to see what’s going on in other studios.

Above: photograph is by Helene Binet

“What’s most successful is the way you can see everywhere,” architect Graham Haworth told Dezeen at the opening party.

Above: photograph is by Helene Binet

He went on describe the contrast between this building and the RCA’s 1960s Darwin Building, where “all the floors are stacked up on top of each other” and explained how Haworth Tompkins had tried to avoid this. ”We pushed the idea of a creative factory,” he said. “Just like Andy Warhol’s factory, a place of visible art production.”

Above: photograph is by Helene Binet

Raw concrete walls and surfaces recur throughout the building, which the architects hope will become gradually marked with traces of paint, glue, and other materials used by students.

Above: photograph is by Helene Binet

An exhibition room lines the building’s street-facing facade and a 220-seat lecture hall is located on the first floor.

Above: photograph is by Helene Binet

Now the project is complete, the architects are working on another building for the RCA, which will eventually link up with the Dyson Building and extend the length of the central hall.

Above: photograph is by Helene Binet

Haworth Tompkins also designed the Sackler Building, which accommodates the RCA’s painting school and is located next door.

Above: photograph is by Helene Binet

See more stories about the Royal College of Art here, including a series of movies we filmed at this year’s degree show.

Photography is by Philip Vile, apart from where otherwise stated.

Here’s some more information from the Royal College of Art:

Royal College of Art officially opens The Dyson Building in Battersea

The Royal College of Art, the world’s leading postgraduate art and design university and now in its 175th year, has opened a new academic building as part of a £61 million masterplan.

The Dyson building is named in honour of the British industrial designer, inventor and entrepreneur whose educational charity, the James Dyson Foundation, donated £5 million to support the development.

Designed by award-winning architects Haworth Tompkins, it is the most significant new development for the College since it moved to Kensington Gore in 1962 and will form the centre-piece of the RCA’s Battersea campus alongside the RCA’s existing Painting and Sculpture buildings.

It will connect with and provide a huge boost for ‘Creative Battersea’, which currently boasts the headquarters of fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, architects Will Alsop, Foster + Partners and the re-development of the Battersea power station site.

The building is home to the Printmaking and Photography programmes, providing state of the art facilities and studios for nearly 100 Master’s, Mphil and PhD students, as well as new offices for InnovationRCA, the College’s business incubator unit.

There is also a 220-seat lecture theatre and a gallery space which will be open to the public for talks and exhibitions, including the hugely popular RCA Secret postcard exhibition and sale which will re-locate to the Dyson building in March 2013.

For the first time in the College’s history all four fine art programmes will be based on one site, leading to a dynamic new synergy between the disciplines, and an exciting new chapter in the furtherance of the College’s fine art research.

Exploded block drawing – click above for larger image

The building is conceived as a creative ‘factory’ both in the industrial sense (as a place of industry), and through the reference to Andy Warhol’s Factory as a place of art production. An open, central ‘machine hall’ forms the heart of the building, designed to house the large printing machines used by students and technical staff to make work.

Site plan – click above for larger image

Centred around this space are the studios, offices and workshop facilities.

Section model – click above for larger image

A key characteristic of the RCA’s success is the fluid relationship between programmes. The building has been designed to create ‘horizontal drift’ between disciplines, and the creative processes take place in highly visible proximity to one another.

Section – click above for larger image

The cross-fertilisation of ideas that is present and encouraged on the programmes is also enhanced through the additional inclusion of InnovationRCA within the main building, blurring the boundary between the academic and the commercial.

Section – click above for larger image

InnovationRCA provides business support and incubation services to help students and graduates protect and commercialise pioneering design-led technologies successfully.

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Haworth Tompkins appeared first on Dezeen.

Italian architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas have completed a school for hotel management in Montepellier, France, clad in anodized aluminum triangles and punctured by 5000 unique triangular windows.

The Lycée Georges Frêche occupies two curvy cast-concrete buildings connected by footbridges over a courtyard.

Above image is by Studio Fuksas

The facade is pulled up on one side to create a tunnel through which students and staff enter.

Above image is by Studio Fuksas

As well as classrooms, offices and accommodation for students and staff, the complex includes a hotel and three restaurants that are open to the public, accessed from the opposite side of the campus.

The walls of the school and student accommodation are painted in a different colour on each floor.

Other projects by Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas we’ve featured on Dezeen include a concrete church in Italy and a glowing orange music hall in France.

See all our stories about Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas »
See all our stories about Montpellier »

Photography is by Moreno Maggi unless otherwise stated.

Here’s some more information from the architects:

Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas inaugurated a new public building in France: the Georges-Freche School of Hotel Management in Montpellier. Besides the architectural project that won the competition launched by the Région Languedoc-Roussillon in 2007, Fuksas architects have realized the interior of the spaces open to public: a hotel and three restaurants. Built on 3.95 acres in the ZAC Port Marianne area to the East of Montpellier, the hotel-school Lycée Georges Frêche transforms the landscape and provides it with a distinct urban identity.

Above image is by Studio Fuksas

Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas’ project, which is developed horizontally, comes across as a single entity. It has a formal diversity, compact volumes and sculptural shapes. The volumetric complexity, which can be seen even inside the building, gives every room its own spatial individuality.

The School includes:

– Two main buildings connected by footbridges that cross a tree planted central courtyard
– Accommodation for students (75 beds spread over three floors)
– Housing for management (10 apartments over 5 floors)
– Gym
– Athletic Track and sports ground situated outside

The entrance for the students and the professors is through an arch while the entrance for the clients is on an opposite side. The two buildings that form the edifice make up the sculptural mass around which the gym, the students’ residence and the management’s housing gravitate. The first building, situated on the Titien Road, has three floors and includes: the multi-purpose room, the exhibition gallery, the administrative offices, the classrooms and the canteen that has exits leading towards the recreational areas outside.

The second building is distinguished by its Y form and is on two floors. Here, there are the spaces for the vocational teaching as well the areas dedicated to the hotel and the gastronomic restaurant: a hotel that is open to the public (12 rooms, 6 of which are two/three star, 4 four star and 2 suites); three restaurants, one of which is a gastronomic restaurant (50 places), a brasserie and a teaching restaurant (200 places in total), a bread-making workshop and a pastry making classroom. The gastronomic restaurant, the brasserie and the 4 star hotel showcase the School’s excellence and are the most important areas of the project.

Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas have designed the interior, the areas accessible to the public and the spaces devoted to the gastronomic sector and to the hotel. In the entrance hall leading to the gastronomic restaurant and to the hotel, there is a reception desk: a white lacquered sculptural object, mirroring the fluid forms and the solid character of the structure. The desk is covered with materials that are used for making boat hulls. Different types of originally designed tables and chairs define the spaces dedicated to the interaction between the public and the students. There is also the limited edition furniture specially made for the hotel.

The School walls and those of the students’ residence are painted in a different colour on each floor, with the shades ranging from yellow to green to magenta and orange. The colours serve as signage to distinguish the different spaces and activities. The project can be called “experimental” as much for its triangular shaped aluminium façade as for the use of reinforced concrete. Both materials have been adapted in order to be able to adopt specific shapes – curved and fluid – as required by the structure.

The facades of the building have been constructed using 17,000 cases of anodized aluminum in triangular shapes. Each aluminum case is unique and bears its own specific bar code in order that it can be identified for its specific situation on the façade. The interaction between the facades reinforces the dynamic tension between the solid materials and the cavities, the light and the shadows, that are an inherent part of the project. The geometric design of the aluminum “skin” is developed further to apply to the 5,000 triangular glass frames that are mounted on metal nets. Each of these is different.

The structure of the building is made from reinforced concrete. To reproduce the curves of the volumes, the project has used “shotcrete” technology. Photovoltaic panels have been installed on the roof of the first building (multi-purpose room, exhibition gallery, administrative offices, classrooms, canteen) as well as on the roof of the apartments for the management.

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Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas appeared first on Dezeen.