Hasta La Ideas

Chinese architecture studio Neri&Hu sliced away the rear wall and replaced it with glass for this renovation of a 1930s townhouse in Shanghai.

The three-storey building is located in the Tianzifang district of the Chinese city, where it originally functioned as a house for a single family. Neri&Hu‘s redesign converts the building into three divisible apartments, each with a combined living and dining room at the back and a bedroom at the front.

A bulky metal staircase replaces the old timber steps that previously connected the floors. Sandblasted glass (completed after photography) separates the stairway from the corridor of each apartment so that residents can see the outlines of neighbours passing by.

A 45-degree skylight brings daylight into the stairwell, while a shared laundry room and terrace are positioned at the top.

“The blurring of both the private and the public acts as the central concept that binds the split level together, and at the same time, bring life to the middle and darkest portion of the house,” says Neri&Hu.

The building is arranged over split levels, so the architects have also inserted a second set of stairs within two of the apartments. Unlike the main staircase, both are constructed from timber to match the flooring.

Bathrooms stretch along the southern side of each apartment and are enclosed behind another layer of sandblasted glass. Showers feature a west-facing window, offering a view down into the shared lobby below.

New windows were added to both the front and rear elevations, while the rest of the exterior has been coated in black paint. “The colour black was selected to make the building disappear,” add the architects.

Although the building was designed for three separate tenants, it is currently being used as one large house.

Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu have worked on a number of renovation projects in Shanghai, where their studio is also located. Past projects include a design gallery in a former colonial police station and a hotel in a disused army headquarters building, which was the overall winner at the inaugural Inside awards in 2011.

Dezeen interviewed the architects in November, when they told us that Chinese architects need to develop their own design manifesto to stem the tide of “half-assed” building projects in the country. See more stories about Neri&Hu on Dezeen.

See more recent architecture in China, including an asterisk-shaped restaurant and winery near Beijing.

Photography is by Pedro Pegenaute.

Here’s a project description from Neri&Hu:

Rethinking the Split House

The magical lane houses, which were once the dominant fabric that made urban Shanghai the intoxicating place that it was in the 1930s, are now slowly being demolished, taken over by high-density developments all over the city. Neri&Hu was commissioned to reconstruct a dilapidated lane house left with almost nothing except its glorious shell in the historic and artistic Tianzifang area in Shanghai, and the mission was to transform it into three separate apartment units.

Neri&Hu’s strategy was to rethink the typology of the lane house – keeping the split level formation, a typical trait to lane houses in this city, and add spatial interest through new insertions and skylights to accentuate the architectural integrity of such a typology, contemporising it for today’s lifestyle.

Historically the lane houses are separated with two distinct spaces – a longer and often rectangular space with a smaller room half a level above that creates a split section connected by a winding stairway in between. These lane houses which were often occupied by single families during the turn of the century, have changed over the course of the city’s economic history. They are now typically occupied by three or more families, sharing the public staircase and landings, so that neighbours living on different levels or rooms have a chance to interact as they move in and out of their personal units.

To keep the spirit of this typology alive, a new continuous metal stair was inserted to replace the old decaying wooden stair that was not to code. It also serves to act both as a vertical connection to the three levels and at the same time a lock for the frontal room and room half a level above to be intact in its configuration. To keep these spaces pure and rigorous, all toilets were inserted into the stair spaces. The bathrooms, conceivably the most intimate spaces of each apartment, are inserted next to the most public stairway separated only with a sandblasted glass divider. Above this stairway, a clearstory skylight was added to bring light to the darkest space and also to the frontal room, the room half a level above, and the staircase space itself. The blurring of both the private and the public acts as the central concept that binds the split level together, and at the same time, bring life to the middle and darkest portion of the lane house.

Architecturally, the decorative elements added over the last 60 years were stripped off, and large openings were created on the frontal section to improve light qualities to the public spaces of each apartment. The colour black was selected to make the building “disappear”, in hoping that one would experience the split-section connected by a public stairway that is so vital to Shanghai’s urban life in the 30s. By capturing the spirit of the historic past and making new abstract insertions to meet modern needs, Neri&Hu infused life into a lane house in a neighborhood whose original fabric is dissolving too fast, too soon.

The post Rethinking the Split House
by Neri&Hu appeared first on Dezeen.

Dutch interiors studio i29 has added plywood walls, furniture and surfaces to every room inside this house in North Holland (+ slideshow).

Located near the Kennemer dunes on the west coast, Villa Bloemendaal is a two-storey residence completed by Dutch firm Paul de Ruiter Architects in 2011. i29‘s role was to detail the interiors of each room, using a minimal approach and simple materials.

The designers used plywood throughout the house to unite each of the different spaces. In the living room, the material was used to construct a fireplace, while plywood bookshelves line the walls of the kitchen and dining room, and plywood cabinets, wardrobes and beds can be found in the bedrooms.

Jeroen Dellensen of i29 told Dezeen: “The villa has large expanses of glass, which results in lots of light and gives the inhabitants the feeling that the villa and the surrounding landscape are one. To bring nature inside even more, we decided to use a natural material on walls, cabinets and sliding doors.”

To complement the natural finish of the wood, the architects added black and white furniture and light fittings.

“A monochrome colour palette is something we use often in our work, in order to give selected interior elements more character,” added Dellensen.

House 09 follow a sequence of numerically titled residential interiors by i29. Others include Home 06, which featured a wall of plants, and Home 08, where appliances are hidden inside timber cabinets. See more interiors by i29.

Other recently completed houses in the Netherlands include a renovated townhouse in The Hague and a thatched residence in Zoetermeer. See more Dutch houses on Dezeen.

Photography is by the architects.

Here’s some more information from i29:

Close to Bloemendaal, on the edge of the Kennemer dunes, the site of Villa Bloemendaal is situated. A sustainable home that follows a minimalistic design and shows respect for man and nature alike, in a unique residential area where the existing flora and fauna are given full rein.

i29 interior architects worked on the interior of a villa which was designed by Paul de Ruiter architects. A minimal approach to the materialisation and detailing of the building is a core value of both the interior and exterior design. The large expanses of glass and the patio result in maximum daylighting and give the inhabitants the feeling that the villa and the surrounding landscape are one.

In order to bring nature inside even more, all of the interior functions in the house are made from natural materials. i29 interior architects created large surfaces of wood through the whole house to connect the different areas. Cabinets, wardrobes, walls, sliding doors, beds and even a fireplace have been made in one and the same material. Pine wood panels – normally a basic material – has been used as a high end finishing with fine details.

Client: Private
Location: Bloemendaal NL
Floor area: 489 sqm

Architect: Paul de Ruiter architects
Interior architect: i29 interior architects
Contractor: Scholz Groep – IJmuiden
Cabinet maker: Kastwerk
Materials: pine wood panelling, steel, concrete floor, glass walls, linoleum, painted wood

The post Home 09
by i29 appeared first on Dezeen.

Black-painted pine clads the walls of this small gabled house by Swedish studio Erik Andersson Architects on an island in the Stockholm archipelago (+ slideshow).

The single-storey house is covered with a traditional Falu Rödfärg paint to give it an austere appearance, while the symmetrical roof is clad with black tar paper to match.

Erik Andersson Architects used an exact 1:3 proportion to generate the dimensions of the building, creating a six-metre height, a six-metre width and an 18-metre length.

Located in a woodland area on the island of Yxlan, the building is constructed over a wooden podium that creates a continuous deck around its perimeter. This allow residents to sit in the sun at any time of day.

Large square windows meet the ground on each elevation so that different rooms can be opened out to the deck.

Contrasting with the exterior, most rooms inside the house have white-painted walls, floors and ceilings. The bathroom is the only exception and is lined with square black tiles.

A living and dining room occupies the central section of the house. A double bedroom sits on one side, while a bathroom, a single bedroom and a sauna are positioned at the opposite end.

The house also features an outdoor plunge pool, which can be heated using a wood-burning stove.

Stockholm firm Erik Andersson Architects also recently completed a pedestrian bridge with a built-in heating system to keep it clear of ice and snow.

See more houses in Sweden on Dezeen, including one with a glass-fronted lookout loft and one with an aquarium-like swimming pool.

Photography is by Åke E-son Lindman.

Here’s some more information from Erik Andersson Architects:

Strict proportions by Erik Andersson

On Yxlan in the northern Stockholm archipelago, Erik Andersson Architects has designed the archetypal house. Designed strictly by using the proportional ratio of 1:3, the house measures six meters in depth, eighteen meters in length and six meters in height.

The facade windows also follow a clear pattern: they are all square in form and have the same size. The villa is situated on natural ground, surrounded by pine trees and spruces, and much of the surroundings have been preserved. A terrace runs around the building, making it possible for the residents to lounge and enjoy the sun at any time of the day.

Glass panels on both sides open views right through the house and provide a constant contact with the sea. The house is clad with horizontal pine panels, painted black with Falu Rödfärg – a traditional Swedish paint that can be traced right back to the 16th century – while the roof is covered with tar felt.

As a contrast to the black exterior, the interior is dominated by white. Everything from the walls and pine floors is painted white – except for the bathroom, where black tiles cover everything from the walls to the floor, and a window, high up in the ceiling, provides a glimpse of the sky.

The house also features a sauna with a panoramic view to the sea and the cruise ships passing by, as well as a custom made outdoor plunge pool, which can be heated for winter use with a wood-fired stove.

Project name: Villa Wallin
Type: Private Residence
Location: Yxlan, Stockholm archepelago, Sweden
Status: Completed
Client: Mats Wallin and Petra Ryrberg
Architect: Erik Andersson Architects
Budget: EUR 150.000
Size: 108m.

The post Villa Wallin by
Erik Andersson Architects appeared first on Dezeen.

Barcelona studio Hidalgo Hartmann Arquitectura has completed a concrete house with a triangular profile in the rural outskirts of Girona, Spain (+ slideshow).

Casa Montfullà is located on a hillside overlooking the plains, but the house’s plot itself is approximately level, so Hidalgo Hartmann Arquitectura added sloping walls to create a building that appears to grow out of the ground.

“We placed a silent, hermetic volume that emerges from the site and adopts the original profile of the hill, like a fortress that visually dominates the landscape,” explain the architects.

Laid out in three horizontal bands, the building contains both a two-storey house and a terrace behind its triangular concrete walls.

A two-storey entrance area at one end accommodates bedrooms, bathrooms and a parking garage, while the middle section is a double-height living and dining room with a glazed elevation offering a view towards the fields.

During warmer months residents can slide open the glass to make use of the split-level terrace and swimming pool at the far end of the structure.

Hidalgo Hartmann Arquitectura is led by architect Jordi Hidalgo Tané and interior designer Daniela Hartmann. Other concrete buildings by the pair include a centre for rescued turtles, dolphins and birds and a house with four wings and an underground entrance.

Other recently completed Spanish residences include a social housing block on the Canary Islands and a stark concrete house with richly stained timber shutters. See more architecture in Spain.

Photography is by Jordi Hidalgo Tané.

Here’s a project description from Hidalgo Hartmann Arquitectura:

Casa Montfullà

We find ourselves on a horizontal ground, a corner plot raised on two large slopes like a vantage point from which to enjoy superb views towards the agricultural plain that stretches at his feet until reaching Salt and the city of Girona.

It is thus an exceptional setting that claims for an intervention that recognizes the attributes of the site and put them in value.

We placed a silent, hermetic volume that emerges from the site and adopts the original profile of the hill, like a fortress that visually dominates the landscape.

The volume encloses itself from the outside and is protected from the mediocre constructions that surround it by using the broken geometry of two thick walls. These walls comprise a continuous space from the inside out that creates in form of a terrace, a world of its own, which turns our attention to the distance.

The section shows the continuity of its spaces from the outdoor space to the studio on the top floor across the living room and the courtyard that separates and unites at the same time. The use of concrete for the construction of the house gives the object weight, mass and texture which is needed to provide coherence to the idea.

Location: Montfullà. Girona
Year: 2007-2012
Surface: 340 sqm

Authors of the project: Hidalgo Hartmann. Jordi Hidalgo Tané, arquitecto, Daniela Hartmann, interiorista.
Technical Architect: Rafel Serra Torrent.

Collaborators: Ana Roque, arquitecto, Rafel Serra Torrent, arquitecto técnico, Julia Fernandez Roldán, arquitecto.
Promoters: Carme Ferrer i Xavier Puig.

Construction:
Estructures Olot S.L (company structures)
LI-BRA S.L (general construction company)
Fusteria Serra (wood carpentry)
Plantalech (aluminium carpentry)
Electrica Masaló (company facilities)

The post Casa Montfullà by
Hidalgo Hartmann Arquitectura appeared first on Dezeen.

Japanese studio PANDA gave this house in Tokyo a glazed ground floor, then enclosed it in a high concrete-block wall.

Named ST-House, the three-storey building was designed by PANDA to mimic the profiles of its neighbours, as required by local planning regulations. This created a steeply pitching roof on the north side and a right-angled volume to the south.

The single-storey concrete wall borders the site on every side, creating a partially-enclosed terrace surrounding the ground-floor living and dining room.

“By placing concrete block fence along the site border we create semi-interior zone between the walls and the house, so that the interior space is visually extended to the full extent of the site,” explains architect Kozo Yamamoto.

A narrow window stretches up on one side of the facade, revealing the position of a steel staircase leading up to a bathroom and study on the first floor, then a bedroom on the second floor.

Clerestory windows bring light into the top floor from the highest section of the walls, while at ground level glazing skirts the base of the building so that it is screened behind the outer wall.

“We want to provide various conditions of light on each floor,” says Yamamoto.

The house was constructed with a timber frame, while the facade is coated with a clean white render.

Japanese studio PANDA also recently completed NN-House, a little house with a triangular courtyard and an L-shaped roof terrace behind its walls.

See more Japanese houses on Dezeen, including a house that lets light in through the roof.

Photography is by Hiroyuki Hirai.

Read on for more information from PANDA:

ST-House

This small three-storey house is built on a 40m2 lot located in a residential district, which is a few minutes walk from the main road. It is a densely built-up area with small two- or three-storey houses, representing a common living condition in Tokyo.

Therefore our client’s request reflected common demands of urban residents: they wanted living space that is ‘closed’ for security and privacy, but also ‘open and bright’ with sufficient natural light inside.

Due to limited budget and modest lifestyle, the house is a simple three-storey house of wood construction, with each floor accommodating different function. Building height and ceiling heights are automatically determined by north side slant line regulation.

We intend to create a sense of spaciousness in this small volume. In order to maximize the verticality we provide living/dining/kitchen space adjacent to stairway on the ground floor, so that they can experience the full height of the volume from there. By placing concrete block fence along the site border we create semi-interior zone between the walls and the house, so that the interior space is visually extended to the full extent of the site.

We also want to provide various conditions of light on each floor. On the ground floor the entire space is illuminated with indirect light coming from above through the semi-interior zone and stairway, creating soft and diffused effect like artificial lighting. On the contrary they can enjoy direct natural light coming in from windows on the second and third floors.

Architects: PANDA
Architect In Charge: Kozo Yamamoto
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Structural Engineer: a・s・t atelier
Contractor: AZ Construction
Total Floor Area: 62.14 sqm
Building Area: 24.08sqm
Year: 2013

Above: ground floor plan – click for larger image

Above: first floor plan – click for larger image

Above: second floor plan – click for larger image

Above: roof plan – click for larger image

Above: section A – click for larger image

Above: section B – click for larger image

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PANDA appeared first on Dezeen.