Mound, hearth, enclosure, roof, and column. The way we see it, Gottfried Semper and scholars already figured out what makes honest tectonic form. We're looking for the element that satisfies our primitive urge to value architecture that's good.

January 25th 2012

3 notes

nothing office
by: alrik koudenburg/joost van bleiswijk
in: amsterdam, the netherlands

One of the most common (and therefore ignored) rules in architecture studio was always “DO NOT CUT ON THE TABLES”.  Hopefully that’s not a big concern for the folks who work at Nothing, or else that’s what their interior might be reduced to.  The work space is constructed from over 5,000 square feet of cardboard without the use of glue or fasteners in an effort to match the company’s key philosophy.  “Nothing is about the power of ideas, about how a single idea can transform nothing into something” explains creative director Michael Jansen.  We’d love to find out how everything is holding up (the original article is dated 03/11/09) and if working in such a space is really as fun as it looks.

Posted at 11:58am and tagged with: nothing, architecture, interiors, office, amsterdam, joost van bleiswijk, alrik koudenburg, cardboard, design, furniture, dezeen,.

nothing officeby: alrik koudenburg/joost van bleiswijkin: amsterdam, the netherlandsOne of the most common (and therefore ignored) rules in architecture studio was always “DO NOT CUT ON THE TABLES”.  Hopefully that’s not a big concern for the folks who work at Nothing, or else that’s what their interior might be reduced to.  The work space is constructed from over 5,000 square feet of cardboard without the use of glue or fasteners in an effort to match the company’s key philosophy.  “Nothing is about the power of ideas, about how a single idea can transform nothing into something” explains creative director Michael Jansen.  We’d love to find out how everything is holding up (the original article is dated 03/11/09) and if working in such a space is really as fun as it looks.

January 24th 2012

1 note

house in seya
by: suppose design office
in: yokohama, japan
 
We never would have bet that a concrete form in a plywood box could be so delightful. Sure, the bedrooms look more like dungeon dwellings in the basement, and the totally transparent bathroom is all the way up on the third floor (we’d be sure to trip in a sleepy midnight stumble up to use the facilities) but what makes it so damn cool is space between the enclosure and the house.  The pebbled courtyard full of growies serves as an extended threshold between public and private space.  We love the way the basic (uninsulated?) plywood framing supports the concrete living spaces.  Sliding partitions allow the space to become one large room or be divided into separate uses.  Would we call this place home? Absolutely…once some frosted glass was installed in the bathroom.

Posted at 11:57am and tagged with: enclosure, mound, residential, yokahama, japan, plywood, concrete,.

house in seyaby: suppose design officein: yokohama, japan  We never would have bet that a concrete form in a plywood box could be so delightful. Sure, the bedrooms look more like dungeon dwellings in the basement, and the totally transparent bathroom is all the way up on the third floor (we’d be sure to trip in a sleepy midnight stumble up to use the facilities) but what makes it so damn cool is space between the enclosure and the house.  The pebbled courtyard full of growies serves as an extended threshold between public and private space.  We love the way the basic (uninsulated?) plywood framing supports the concrete living spaces.  Sliding partitions allow the space to become one large room or be divided into separate uses.  Would we call this place home? Absolutely…once some frosted glass was installed in the bathroom.

January 24th 2012

3 notes

art stable
by: olson kundig architects
in: seattle, washington, usa

When we asked our friends what we should see during our trip to Seattle next month*, one suggested the art stables by local firm Olson Kundig Architects.  We’re excited already. The building is a mixed used infill project offering flexible live/create units for artists on a site that once housed horse stables.  Sustainable technologies are prevalent, and the steel clad enclosure is designed to last a century.  The kicker, however, are the huge steel doors on each floor that crank open by hand to allow a cross breeze through the units when the large windows on the opposite end are open.  They also allow for access to a roof hoist so you can move art and/or God knows what in and out of your place.  The building is simply a modern take on the adaptable warehouse concept and we hope we can see it in action when we stop by.

*let us know if you have any suggestions, too!

Posted at 9:50am and tagged with: enclosure, mixed use, seattle, washington, olson kundig architects, architecture, art stable, live/work, urban,.

art stableby: olson kundig architectsin: seattle, washington, usaWhen we asked our friends what we should see during our trip to Seattle next month*, one suggested the art stables by local firm Olson Kundig Architects.  We’re excited already. The building is a mixed used infill project offering flexible live/create units for artists on a site that once housed horse stables.  Sustainable technologies are prevalent, and the steel clad enclosure is designed to last a century.  The kicker, however, are the huge steel doors on each floor that crank open by hand to allow a cross breeze through the units when the large windows on the opposite end are open.  They also allow for access to a roof hoist so you can move art and/or God knows what in and out of your place.  The building is simply a modern take on the adaptable warehouse concept and we hope we can see it in action when we stop by. *let us know if you have any suggestions, too!

January 7th 2012

2 notes

W.R. Healy Guest House
by: Paul Rudolph + Ralph Twitchell
in: Sarasota, Florida, USA

Check out this small residential structure from 1950… it’s so Semper!  The roof gets its form from flexible insulation boards affixed to steel insulation straps that are connected to the enclosure.  It’s protected from rain by an applied vinyl compound that was originally developed and used by the military to weatherproof ship parts.  The whole house is elevated on a platform, so not to touch the site or neighboring waterway.   We checked google earth and it’s still standing (at least it was in 2011).   With a new coat of paint, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it in a contemporary design publication.  

Posted at 9:18pm and tagged with: roof, mound, florida, paul rudolph, residence, architecture, design,.

January 5th 2012

Reblogged from sleepinglauren|35 notes

blow up house
by: we wish we knew!
in: somewhere more fun than our neighborhood, apparently.

we’d love to know the back story on what we guess is either a photoshop trickery, a cool art installation, or the luckiest kid on the planet’s 6th birthday party.  also, do you suppose that seagull on the chimney is real?

Posted at 4:47pm and tagged with: architecture, house, balloon, blow-up, primary colors, art,.

blow up houseby: we wish we knew!in: somewhere more fun than our neighborhood, apparently.we’d love to know the back story on what we guess is either a photoshop trickery, a cool art installation, or the luckiest kid on the planet’s 6th birthday party.  also, do you suppose that seagull on the chimney is real?

January 5th 2012

3 notes

Capela Árvore da Vida
by: Cerejeira Fontes Architects - Imago Atelier de Arquitectura e Engenharia
in: Braga, Portugal

This hefty timber chapel located inside the existing Conciliar Seminary of Braga serves as a small space for mediation and worship for residents.  Called the “Tree of Life Chapel”, we love the way the 20 tons of wood appears weightless, while still feeling like it would offer a warm, intimate embrace.  The elevated platform and slatted enclosure pulls people up and inside to the central gathering space.  It’s constructed without fasteners and stacked in a way for both natural light to enter and for a soft glow to radiate outwards.  We sure hope its visitors have counted their blessings for such a stunning space, but given the user group, we’re guessing that’s probably not an issue.

Posted at 2:54pm and tagged with: mound, enclosure, hearth, wood, braga, portugal, Cerejeira Fontes Architects, architecture, chapel, design, worship, meditate, interior, religious,.

Capela Árvore da Vidaby: Cerejeira Fontes Architects - Imago Atelier de Arquitectura e Engenhariain: Braga, PortugalThis hefty timber chapel located inside the existing Conciliar Seminary of Braga serves as a small space for mediation and worship for residents.  Called the “Tree of Life Chapel”, we love the way the 20 tons of wood appears weightless, while still feeling like it would offer a warm, intimate embrace.  The elevated platform and slatted enclosure pulls people up and inside to the central gathering space.  It’s constructed without fasteners and stacked in a way for both natural light to enter and for a soft glow to radiate outwards.  We sure hope its visitors have counted their blessings for such a stunning space, but given the user group, we’re guessing that’s probably not an issue.

January 4th 2012

Maggie’s Centre Aberdeen
by: Snøhetta
in: Aberdeen, Scotland

Maggie’s Centres, drop-in Cancer support centres in Great Britain founded by and named for cancer victim Maggie Keswick Jencks, are designed to provide help for people facing cancer while contributing to the architecture in the region.  Jencks believed that buildings have the ability to uplift people, and the network of seven facilities all aim to evoke a sense of warmth and comfort.  Snøhetta’s proposed structure, which sits in a grass field, will have a hard exterior concrete shell and soft timber interior finishes. The transition between roof and enclosure is seamless, and nearly touches the site allowing for a secluded courtyard connectivity to the surrounding landscape.  While the proposal is still in review by town council, we can only hope that at the very least, such a centre will inspire others to design thoughtful methods to treat the patient and not just the disease.

Posted at 2:16pm and tagged with: Snøhetta, architecture, design, scotland, maggie's centre, aberdeen, roof, enclosure, landscape, design, cancer,.

Maggie’s Centre Aberdeenby: Snøhettain: Aberdeen, ScotlandMaggie’s Centres, drop-in Cancer support centres in Great Britain founded by and named for cancer victim Maggie Keswick Jencks, are designed to provide help for people facing cancer while contributing to the architecture in the region.  Jencks believed that buildings have the ability to uplift people, and the network of seven facilities all aim to evoke a sense of warmth and comfort.  Snøhetta’s proposed structure, which sits in a grass field, will have a hard exterior concrete shell and soft timber interior finishes. The transition between roof and enclosure is seamless, and nearly touches the site allowing for a secluded courtyard connectivity to the surrounding landscape.  While the proposal is still in review by town council, we can only hope that at the very least, such a centre will inspire others to design thoughtful methods to treat the patient and not just the disease.

January 3rd 2012

5 notes

The Obliteration Room
by: Yayoi Kusama
in: Queensland Gallery of Modern Art

What do you get when you give countless kids sheets of stickers, put them in a white room and say “have at!”?  You get this…this glorious mess of color and energy that only a gaggle of toddlers could create.  Kusama organized the room to resemble a typical dwelling - complete with furniture, houseplants, dishes, knickknacks, and fixtures - and painted it all white allowing it to become a 3D canvas.  The space becomes dynamic, changing over time as more layers of color are added.  While this installation is not architecture per se, we wonder if the concept of user generated/defined finishes could work in buildings. (We’re thinking foot traffic floor patterns or blank canvas corridors.)  Buildings are static, users are not.  Maybe it’s time to figure out how to bridge the gap between the two…. and perhaps art (or a few hundred 4 year olds) is the answer.

Posted at 12:48pm and tagged with: Queensland Australia, color, enclosure, interior, obliteration room, queensland gallery of modern art, stickers, white, yayoi kusama, kids, museum, art,.

The Obliteration Roomby: Yayoi Kusama in: Queensland Gallery of Modern ArtWhat do you get when you give countless kids sheets of stickers, put them in a white room and say “have at!”?  You get this…this glorious mess of color and energy that only a gaggle of toddlers could create.  Kusama organized the room to resemble a typical dwelling - complete with furniture, houseplants, dishes, knickknacks, and fixtures - and painted it all white allowing it to become a 3D canvas.  The space becomes dynamic, changing over time as more layers of color are added.  While this installation is not architecture per se, we wonder if the concept of user generated/defined finishes could work in buildings. (We’re thinking foot traffic floor patterns or blank canvas corridors.)  Buildings are static, users are not.  Maybe it’s time to figure out how to bridge the gap between the two…. and perhaps art (or a few hundred 4 year olds) is the answer.

December 28th 2011

10 notes

Leonard da Vinci

we haven’t forgotten you…honest! will be back in 2012 with plenty of updates and discoveries of damn good architecture.  until then, have a safe and happy new year!

Posted at 4:23pm and tagged with: general, update, blog, da vinci, quote,.

“
art is never finished, only abandoned.
”

August 18th 2011

22 notes

pavilion in the woods
by: parque humano
in: valle de bravo, mexico

It’s not often we find a structure that encompasses all of Semper’s elements, and look quite contemporary in its execution.  This small retreat/meditation shelter sited along a path of trees, changes based on the path and intensity of the sun. The architecture comes to life by the presence of time, and users experience the change firsthand.

Posted at 4:25pm and tagged with: mound, hearth, roof, enclosure, pavilion, woods, parque humano, mexico,.

pavilion in the woodsby: parque humanoin: valle de bravo, mexicoIt’s not often we find a structure that encompasses all of Semper’s elements, and look quite contemporary in its execution.  This small retreat/meditation shelter sited along a path of trees, changes based on the path and intensity of the sun. The architecture comes to life by the presence of time, and users experience the change firsthand.

July 17th 2011

2 notes

Metropol Parasol
by: J. Mayer H. Architects
in: Seville, Spain

What’s being touted as the worlds largest wooden structure, and the world’s largest building held together by glue, has just been added to our architecture bucket list.  The waffle grid structure of CNC milled wooden panels and steel connections floats over an open space for a farmers market, bars/restaurants, archeological sites, and a public plaza.  It’s a modern catalyst for urban activity in a dense medieval city.   

Posted at 2:05pm and tagged with: roof, public space, seville, spain, j. mayer h. architects, urban, gathering space, architecture, design, wood, steel, concrete,.

Metropol Parasolby: J. Mayer H. Architectsin: Seville, SpainWhat’s being touted as the worlds largest wooden structure, and the world’s largest building held together by glue, has just been added to our architecture bucket list.  The waffle grid structure of CNC milled wooden panels and steel connections floats over an open space for a farmers market, bars/restaurants, archeological sites, and a public plaza.  It’s a modern catalyst for urban activity in a dense medieval city.   

July 12th 2011

15 notes

PAS House
by: gil le bon delapointe / francois perrin
in: malibu, california

What if a house had a skatepark built into it?  Almost every surface would be skateable, appliances would be built into ramps, and the entire structure would be integrated into the site to create a fluid riding experience.  This prototype is part of a larger residential design that envisions how skateboarding as a means of transportation as well as entertainment can alter the way in which a structure is conceived.  It’s a rad idea that we’d like to check out for ourselves, but we’d probably be more likely to crash into the model than pull off any trick in there on a skateboard.

Posted at 1:08pm and tagged with: enclosure, skate, house, residential, etnies,.

July 6th 2011

9 notes

Factoría Joven
by: Selgas Cano
in: Mérida, Spain

You’ve got to check out this huge playground that includes a skatepark, climbing walls, graffiti, performance space, and youth center, tucked under a undulating metal roof structure.  The space is open to the city, and welcomes in users that may not have other places to hang out or call their own.  We’ve got to admit, for a program that would typically earn a temporary or even second rate structure, the permanent bad-ass-ness of this project has us smiling.  It’s nice to see alternative ideas and hobbies embraced.

Posted at 3:44pm and tagged with: mound, roof, enclosure, spain, merida, selgas, cano,.

Factoría Jovenby: Selgas Canoin: Mérida, SpainYou’ve got to check out this huge playground that includes a skatepark, climbing walls, graffiti, performance space, and youth center, tucked under a undulating metal roof structure.  The space is open to the city, and welcomes in users that may not have other places to hang out or call their own.  We’ve got to admit, for a program that would typically earn a temporary or even second rate structure, the permanent bad-ass-ness of this project has us smiling.  It’s nice to see alternative ideas and hobbies embraced.

June 30th 2011

10 notes

3D2
by: Inges Idee
in: Munich, Germany

A regulation sized basketball court is extruded and morphed to create a new playing surface for a classic game.  We’d like to see some of the basketball greats play a pickup game here, but wouldn’t turn down a chance to relax on the topography either.

Posted at 11:41am and tagged with: mound, germany, munich, sport, basketball, court, outdoor, school, education, inges idee,.

3D2by: Inges Ideein: Munich, GermanyA regulation sized basketball court is extruded and morphed to create a new playing surface for a classic game.  We’d like to see some of the basketball greats play a pickup game here, but wouldn’t turn down a chance to relax on the topography either.

June 8th 2011

5 notes

Architecture Isn’t Fun Anymore
by: Duo Dickinson AIA
at: architecture boston

Posted at 8:59am and tagged with: architecture, words, essay, boston, fun, architects,.

“
Somewhere along the way we seem to have lost our sense of humor about ourselves. Many drank the Kool-Aid of couture eyewear and embraced an aesthetic vision untroubled by context, craft, or cost, and maybe it’s time we just got over ourselves and lightened up a bit.
”