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.Tumblr (3.0; @semperssixth)http://www.semperssixthelement.com/<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyde596FfJ1qcseyfo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>nothing office</strong><br/>by: alrik koudenburg/joost van bleiswijk<br/>in: amsterdam, the netherlands<br/><br/>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.</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/16476216330http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/16476216330Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:58:21 -0800nothingarchitectureinteriorsofficeamsterdamjoost van bleiswijkalrik koudenburgcardboarddesignfurnituredezeen<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybjg8kgw31qcseyfo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>house in seya</strong><br/>by: suppose design office<br/>in: yokohama, japan<br/>  <br/>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.</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/16419067760http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/16419067760Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:57:44 -0800enclosuremoundresidentialyokahamajapanplywoodconcrete<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybdjjmryo1qcseyfo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>art stable</strong><br/>by: olson kundig architects<br/>in: seattle, washington, usa<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>*let us know if you have any suggestions, too!</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/16413953478http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/16413953478Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:50:07 -0800enclosuremixed useseattlewashingtonolson kundig architectsarchitectureart stablelive/workurban<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxgs2sflrC1qcseyfo1_500.gif"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxgs2sflrC1qcseyfo2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p><strong>W.R. Healy Guest House</strong><br/>by: Paul Rudolph + Ralph Twitchell<br/>in: Sarasota, Florida, USA<br/><br/>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.  </p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/15493860109http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/15493860109Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:18:00 -0800roofmoundfloridapaul rudolphresidencearchitecturedesign<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsmqh9B03z1qbyff3o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>blow up house</strong><br/>by: we wish we knew!<br/>in: somewhere more fun than our neighborhood, apparently.<br/><br/>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?</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/15371612768http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/15371612768Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:47:00 -0800architecturehouseballoonblow-upprimary colorsart<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxckyeiNip1qcseyfo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Capela Árvore da Vida</strong><br/>by: Cerejeira Fontes Architects - Imago Atelier de Arquitectura e Engenharia<br/>in: Braga, Portugal<br/><br/>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.</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/15365312219http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/15365312219Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:54:14 -0800moundenclosurehearthwoodbragaportugalCerejeira Fontes Architectsarchitecturechapeldesignworshipmeditateinteriorreligious<img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxaojaHeDo1qcseyfo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Maggie’s Centre Aberdeen</strong><br/>by: Snøhetta<br/>in: Aberdeen, Scotland<br/><br/>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.</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/15311055490http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/15311055490Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:16:21 -0800Snøhettaarchitecturedesignscotlandmaggie's centreaberdeenroofenclosurelandscapedesigncancer<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx8ps3Ujdf1qcseyfo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>The Obliteration Room</strong><br/>by: Yayoi Kusama <br/>in: Queensland Gallery of Modern Art<br/><br/>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.</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/15254185478http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/15254185478Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:48:00 -0800Queensland Australiacolorenclosureinteriorobliteration roomqueensland gallery of modern artstickerswhiteyayoi kusamakidsmuseumart“art is never finished, only abandoned.”<br/><br/> - <em><strong>Leonard da Vinci<br/><br/></strong>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!</em>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/14944191260http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/14944191260Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:23:09 -0800generalupdateblogda vinciquote<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lq5d25bc401qcseyfo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>pavilion in the woods</strong><br/>by: parque humano<br/>in: valle de bravo, mexico<br/><br/>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.</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/9098654759http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/9098654759Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:25:17 -0700moundhearthroofenclosurepavilionwoodsparque humanomexico<img src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lohx9x4Dsv1qcseyfo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Metropol Parasol<br/></strong>by: J. Mayer H. Architects<br/>in: Seville, Spain<br/><br/>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.   </p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/7735155600http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/7735155600Sun, 17 Jul 2011 14:05:57 -0700roofpublic spacesevillespainj. mayer h. architectsurbangathering spacearchitecturedesignwoodsteelconcrete<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/25779239?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><br/><br/><p><strong>PAS House<br/></strong>by: gil le bon delapointe / francois perrin<br/>in: malibu, california <br/><br/>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.</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/7543698683http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/7543698683Tue, 12 Jul 2011 13:08:04 -0700enclosureskatehouseresidentialetnies<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnxoijZHDV1qcseyfo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>Factoría Joven</strong><br/>by: Selgas Cano<br/>in: Mérida, Spain<br/><br/>You’ve got to check out this huge playground that includes a skatepark, climbing walls, <span>graffiti, performance space, </span>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.</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/7318718565http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/7318718565Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:44:42 -0700moundroofenclosurespainmeridaselgascano<img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnm98khEmP1qcseyfo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>3D2<br/></strong>by: Inges Idee<br/>in: Munich, Germany<br/><br/>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.</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/7088990588http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/7088990588Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:41:09 -0700moundgermanymunichsportbasketballcourtoutdoorschooleducationinges idee“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.”<br/><br/> - <em><strong>Architecture Isn’t Fun Anymore</strong><br/>by: Duo Dickinson AIA<br/>at: <a target="_blank" href="http://architectureboston.com/2011/05/11/architecture-isnt-fun-anymore/">architecture boston</a></em>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/6321843079http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/6321843079Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:59:00 -0700architecturewordsessaybostonfunarchitects<img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lj9iynvU9d1qcseyfo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>undercover lab<br/></strong><span>by: klein dytham architecture<br/>in: tokyo, japan<br/><br/>Underground lairs are so last century, the new hotness is stealthy lab space that quietly soars right over your head.  The second floor enclosure, a 65+ foot black tube, is intended to look anonymous outside, while displaying an apparel line the length of the space inside.  The whole structure has an air of intimidation…could you imagine stumbling down a dark alley and running into this?  We’d back away slowly for fear of seeing something at shouldn’t be seen. </span></p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/4407967809http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/4407967809Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:27:59 -0700enclosuretokyojapanklein dythamarchitecturedesignlabworkdisplay<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lj7jnvYLvA1qcseyfo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>serpentine gallery pavilion 2011<br/></strong><span>by: peter zumthor<br/>in: london, united kingdom<br/></span><span></span></p> <p><span>The design has just been unveiled for this summer’s temporary pavilion at the Serpentine Gallery,</span> one that has been previously been designed by Nouvel, SANNA, Koolhaas, and other well known architects.  Peter Zumthor’s proposal suggests that the gallery will be getting what we all know and love from Zumthor; a plain exterior shell with surprise warm, gooey center.  In the case of this project, the dark scrim enclosure creates a series of passages that leads to a central garden bathed in natural light.  The aim is to emphasize the way that emotions and senses influence our take on architecture, rather than the physical surroundings.  It’s a cool idea, suggesting that gathering spaces don’t need to be complex or even permanent, but rather just a receptacle and/or simulator for our memories and feelings. </p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/4380150072http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/4380150072Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:47:00 -0700enclosurezumthorserpentine gallery pavilionlondonenglandukarchitecturedesigntemporarypublichortus conclususflowerslightgarden“The best way to find the work you should be doing is to think about the work you want to see done that isn’t being done, and then go do it.”<br/><br/> - <em><p><strong>Excerpt from “How to Steal Like An Artist (and nine other things nobody told me)”<br/></strong>by: Austin Kleon<br/>at: <a href="http://www.austinkleon.com/2011/03/30/how-to-steal-like-an-artist-and-9-other-things-nobody-told-me/" target="_blank">austinkleon.com<br/></a></p> <p>Not an architecture quote… or really one that has much to do with the actual elements of semper’s sixth… but definitely a nice reminder as to why this blog, and why many of us young designers, are here doing our thing.  Learning the ropes of an established profession is challenging, time consuming, and (yes) rewarding, but understanding how it relates to the big ideas and creative dreams we have outside of our 8-5 is almost more difficult.  But if we take what we learn/see every day and scrutinize what we like and don’t, then we can begin to focus our energy on what we truly want to create.  It won’t be easy, good design never is, but it’s reassuring to have some sense of direction in our endeavors.  You can’t not dig that. Right?</p></em>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/4328572554http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/4328572554Sun, 03 Apr 2011 18:52:00 -0700inspirationdesignaustin kleoncreativequote<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_liu0p92vwb1qz8uvvo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>melbourne street<br/></strong>by: tridente architects<br/>in: north adelaide, australia</p> <p>It seems to be an unfortunate norm that when a designer/developer/owner builds a new multi-story commercial building in 100+ year old one-story residential neighborhood, someone is bound to get pissed.  We wonder if Tridente Architects saw that coming, as their response to the problem seems both thoughtful and elegant.  The three story building (1st floor parking, 2nd/3rd floor commercial) has a glazed public facade wrapped by a large wood screen.  The light colors and translucency create a porous structure that otherwise might have read as a bulky mass.  Remarkably, to us, the yellow door sticks out more than the screen. We just hope the neighbors welcomed the project with the same admiration.</p>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/4193470013http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/4193470013Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:27:00 -0700enclosurecommercialarchitecturedesigntridente architectsaustraliawoodscreenyellow door“every building, like every person, is part of something bigger — a neighbourhood and its city.”<br/><br/> - <em><strong>open concept architecture transforms city<br/></strong>by: christopher hume<br/>in: the star<br/><br/><br/></em>http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/4187200212http://www.semperssixthelement.com/post/4187200212Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:24:03 -0700enclosureurbanglassarchitecturedesignchristopher humetorontocanandaopenconnectivity