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 24th 2012

21 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!

March 1st 2011

IT Building Proposal
by: Nicolas Laisne
in: New Delhi, India

We’re big fans of the BBC show “The IT Crowd”, so whenever we see mention of anything IT, our first response is to respond “… have you tried turning it on and off again?”  Unfortunately for comedy, but to the great fortune of the intended occupants, this proposed IT building forgoes reliance on heavy mechanical systems, and instead uses cooling techniques like building orientation, double facades, and various fenestration sizes and screens to keep cool. 

For some reason “Helloooo… IT… Have you tried turning your passive cooling system on and off again?” doesn’t quite have the same ring.

Posted at 1:55pm and tagged with: India, office, hotel, mixed use, enclosure, sustainable, growies,.

IT Building Proposal by: Nicolas Laisnein: New Delhi, IndiaWe’re big fans of the BBC show “The IT Crowd”, so whenever we see mention of anything IT, our first response is to respond “… have you tried turning it on and off again?”  Unfortunately for comedy, but to the great fortune of the intended occupants, this proposed IT building forgoes reliance on heavy mechanical systems, and instead uses cooling techniques like building orientation, double facades, and various fenestration sizes and screens to keep cool.  For some reason “Helloooo… IT… Have you tried turning your passive cooling system on and off again?” doesn’t quite have the same ring.

February 3rd 2011

waste to energy plant
by: BIG
in: copenhagen, denmark

It’s about as easy to imagine fire and ice together as it is to percieve a waste plant with a ski slope. However, the use of the roof as a community recreation point suggests that public utilities do not not need to be hidden from the public.  Rather, it is an opportunity to combine sustainable technologies with social connectivity in what Metropolis Mag calls “a celebration of health and well being”.

Posted at 11:07am and tagged with: roof, sustainable, BIG, denmark, green, building, waste, ski slope, mixed use,.

waste to energy plantby: BIGin: copenhagen, denmarkIt’s about as easy to imagine fire and ice together as it is to percieve a waste plant with a ski slope. However, the use of the roof as a community recreation point suggests that public utilities do not not need to be hidden from the public.  Rather, it is an opportunity to combine sustainable technologies with social connectivity in what Metropolis Mag calls “a celebration of health and well being”.