semper's sixth element

January 24th 2012

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,.

January 7th 2012

74 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

24 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,.

August 18th 2011

23 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,.

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,.

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,.

February 27th 2011

Paseo Marítimo de la Playa Poniente
in: benidorm, spain
by: carlos ferrater/office of architecture in barcelona

Posted at 4:01pm and tagged with: full width, mound, spain, beach, color, public space,.

February 2nd 2011

1 note

hat tea house
by: A1Architects
in: Ostrava, Czech Republic

So this is what happens when you take a traditional Japanese tea house and place it in an entirely different environment, in this case Middle Europe. The elements are all present, and constructed of local materials that will age as the structure does. We’d very much like to drink a cup of tea here, but for some reason, wouldn’t say no to a nice czech beer on a warm summer day either.

(Source: dezeen.com)

Posted at 8:12am and tagged with: mound, hearth, roof, enclosure, tea house, czech republic, stone, wood, oak, architecture,.

hat tea houseby: A1Architectsin: Ostrava, Czech RepublicSo this is what happens when you take a traditional Japanese tea house and place it in an entirely different environment, in this case Middle Europe. The elements are all present, and constructed of local materials that will age as the structure does. We’d very much like to drink a cup of tea here, but for some reason, wouldn’t say no to a nice czech beer on a warm summer day either.

October 31st 2010

1 note

tel aviv port
by: mayslits kassif architects
in: Tel Aviv, Israel

This rehab project, on one of Israel’s most gorgeous waterfronts, is a blend of public gathering space and private port development in Tel Aviv. The slowly rolling decking, designed to represent the mythological dunes the project was built on, seems like it would be an awesome place to ride a bike or skateboard, or go for a stroll. Definately a nice blend of urbanism and architecture.

(Source: dezeen.com)

Posted at 4:09pm and tagged with: mound, urban design, israel,.

tel aviv portby: mayslits kassif architectsin: Tel Aviv, Israel
This rehab project, on one of Israel’s most gorgeous waterfronts, is a blend of public gathering space and private port development in Tel Aviv. The slowly rolling decking, designed to represent the mythological dunes the project was built on, seems like it would be an awesome place to ride a bike or skateboard, or go for a stroll. Definately a nice blend of urbanism and architecture.

October 24th 2010

3 notes

cradle to cradle home design
by: matthew coates + tim meldrum
in: seattle, washington

Designed as a home that “ends the paradigm of consumption and beings the paradigm of giving”, this C2C competition winner utilizes passive technologies and a state of the art system infrastructure. Unlike typical single family units, this project reaches out to the community by distributing excess energy, treating shared waste, and linking outdoor space with neighbors

Posted at 8:49pm and tagged with: sustainable, residence, systems, mound, roof, enclosure,.

cradle to cradle home designby: matthew coates + tim meldrumin: seattle, washington
Designed as a home that “ends the paradigm of consumption and beings the paradigm of giving”, this C2C competition winner utilizes passive technologies and a state of the art system infrastructure. Unlike typical single family units, this project reaches out to the community by distributing excess energy, treating shared waste, and linking outdoor space with neighbors

October 24th 2010

7 notes

patio
by: Thom Faulder
in: san francisco, california

“I wanted someone to barf when they look at it.”

Not really a statement that most designers strive for, let alone utter, but you’ve got to hand it to client Jeff Dauber and architect Thom Faulder, this patio almost makes you want to loose your lunch in a memorized, why couldn’t I think of that, kind of way. The concept of pattern is pushed to the extreme, calling upon tricks of the eye that date back to the Renaissance. However, rather than traditional painted or drawn methods of forced perspective, plywood tiles were designed, manufactured, and hand installed on the small patio to create a vortex centered around an existing maple. Ultimately, what could have been a banal plane for gathering became an unique piece of art for the house.

While fascinating, projects like this do present a problem with the desire for hyper-customized design. The patio can really only be viewed in its intended state in a few spots, and even then only at the the eye level of the client. To create something similar for a mass audience would be a challenge, if not almost impossible… But in the case of vomit enducing architecture? That’s probably not such a bad thing.

Posted at 10:35am and tagged with: mound, residential, landscape, united states,.

patioby: Thom Faulder in: san francisco, california

“I wanted someone to barf when they look at it.”
Not really a statement that most designers strive for, let alone utter, but you’ve got to hand it to client Jeff Dauber and architect Thom Faulder, this patio almost makes you want to loose your lunch in a memorized, why couldn’t I think of that, kind of way. The concept of pattern is pushed to the extreme, calling upon tricks of the eye that date back to the Renaissance. However, rather than traditional painted or drawn methods of forced perspective, plywood tiles were designed, manufactured, and hand installed on the small patio to create a vortex centered around an existing maple. Ultimately, what could have been a banal plane for gathering became an unique piece of art for the house.

While fascinating, projects like this do present a problem with the desire for hyper-customized design. The patio can really only be viewed in its intended state in a few spots, and even then only at the the eye level of the client. To create something similar for a mass audience would be a challenge, if not almost impossible… But in the case of vomit enducing architecture? That’s probably not such a bad thing.

October 24th 2010

Tye River Cabin
by: Olson Kundig Architects
in: Skykomish, Washington

Here’s a slick looking cabin described by the designer as a “wooden tent on a platform that opens to the forest and the river.” Located east of Seattle, Washington, the small building has a cast in place concrete core with a wood/glass panel wall system . It emphasizes all four of Semper’s elements. The building responds to the context, ultimately blurring the threshold between indoors and outdoors, which is an elegant way to create a large space while maintaining a small footprint. Though we wonder how often the cabin is experienced that way, especially given the frequently rainy and cold months in the northwest.

Posted at 9:22am and tagged with: mound, hearth, enclosure, roof, residence, united states,.

Tye River Cabinby: Olson Kundig Architectsin: Skykomish, Washington
Here’s a slick looking cabin described by the designer as a “wooden tent on a platform that opens to the forest and the river.” Located east of Seattle, Washington, the small building has a cast in place concrete core with a wood/glass panel wall system . It emphasizes all four of Semper’s elements. The building responds to the context, ultimately blurring the threshold between indoors and outdoors, which is an elegant way to create a large space while maintaining a small footprint. Though we wonder how often the cabin is experienced that way, especially given the frequently rainy and cold months in the northwest.

October 11th 2010

1 note

SeaSk8
by: Gridline
in: Seattle, Washington

While the idea of riding a skatepark is even more daunting than attempting to gracefully balance on a bike or board, the typology of these urban parks and the culture that sustains them is a fascinating one. The most recent design to garner some attention is located in one of the most iconic areas of Seattle, right by the Space Needle.

Located on top of an auxiliary roof of Key Arena, the 10,000 square foot park is a replacement for the demolished skate park just outside the Seattle Center. It was designed with skateable streetscape features and skateable public art (the glass wall and panels by local artist Perri Lynch are gorgeous) and has a pretty fascinating construction technique. The primary material is foam, and while it’s a far cry from the concrete pools of Dogtown, the traditional earthen mounds of contemporary parks, or the piles of God-knows-what under the famed Burnside Park in Portland, it’s a method that makes sense for the location. Shaped by hand with a +/- 1/8” tolerance, its lightweight and modular form allows for its initial fabrication and overall permanence . Unlike compacted dirt that shifts and settles over time, rigid foam underneath concrete will keep its form without adding additional weight to the building below.

With this building technology in place it’s apparent that the future of skatepark locations could be virtually anywhere. While there still much to be done in order for these spaces to be socially accepted in many cities, Seattle included, the community spirit and dedication of riders and neighbors is what makes them truly successful and welcomed.

Posted at 12:00am and tagged with: mound, skatepark, washington,.

SeaSk8by: Gridlinein: Seattle, Washington

While the idea of riding a skatepark is even more daunting than attempting to gracefully balance on a bike or board, the typology of these urban parks and the culture that sustains them is a fascinating one. The most recent design to garner some attention is located in one of the most iconic areas of Seattle, right by the Space Needle.
Located on top of an auxiliary roof of Key Arena, the 10,000 square foot park is a replacement for the demolished skate park just outside the Seattle Center. It was designed with skateable streetscape features and skateable public art (the glass wall and panels by local artist Perri Lynch are gorgeous) and has a pretty fascinating construction technique. The primary material is foam, and while it’s a far cry from the concrete pools of Dogtown, the traditional earthen mounds of contemporary parks, or the piles of God-knows-what under the famed Burnside Park in Portland, it’s a method that makes sense for the location. Shaped by hand with a +/- 1/8” tolerance, its lightweight and modular form allows for its initial fabrication and overall permanence . Unlike compacted dirt that shifts and settles over time, rigid foam underneath concrete will keep its form without adding additional weight to the building below.

With this building technology in place it’s apparent that the future of skatepark locations could be virtually anywhere. While there still much to be done in order for these spaces to be socially accepted in many cities, Seattle included, the community spirit and dedication of riders and neighbors is what makes them truly successful and welcomed.