Zarkon Group, Author at Zarkon Group Real Estate Builders & Developers

This Danish Firm Took Rainwater-Damaged Walls and Made Interactive Green Spaces

By Zarkon Group,11/08/2022

How can architecture be a force for good in our ever-changing world? During Future Fest, we’ll pose this question to some of the world’s best architects. Launching in September, our three-week-long virtual event will be 100% free to attend. Register here!

This is the story of an apartment building in Frederiksberg, Denmark, which was often called one of the ugliest buildings in the neighborhood over the past few decades. Its continuous concrete balconies and a stark grey façade might have been associated with efficient rental architecture when it was designed by Ole Hagen Arkitekter in the 1960s, but in the 2000s, it came across as cold and isolated. Over the years, residents became plagued with rainwater-damaged walls and constant nuisance from the heavy traffic on the street beyond.

Now, the old concrete edifice has been transformed into a spectacular award-winning building that has earned praises from both the locals and the government and stands as a source of inspiration for those with new visions to transform old buildings. In an interview with Renover Denmark, residents said that they now felt proud to call this building a home. So how did this dramatic transformation come to pass?

Instead of just addressing the water damage, Tegnestuen LOKAL came in with a vision to turn the existing façade of Ørsted Gardens into an interactive green space. “The main idea with the Ørsteds Haver project is to create a holistic environmental, social and architectural counterpoint to the pragmatic renovations that are carried out all over the country, and which often have a one-sided focus on energy,” they explain. This approach is one of the reasons that the building swept the Architecture +Renovation category in the 10th Annual A+Awards.

The idea was to create an environment that catalyzed random interactions, in turn generating new friendships between neighbors — which may sound idealistic, but has proven successful according to local residents. In addition to addressing the needs of future inhabitants, the design also takes into account the passersby and their experience of the building as they walk by it. The studio achieved this feat by creating triangular semi-private spaces to replace the older balconies. The system uses a mechanism similar to shelves where these boxes are fitted into the existing concrete structure. The bays on the bottom support the ones on the stop. Tension bands have been placed around to building to ensure that the additions don’t fall outwards.

These triangles are angled with glass on one side and a slatted screen on the other. The modules are staggered to break up a monotonous surface and also create space for planters within the gaps. Furthermore, the fifty small gardens also bleed into the interiors with small soil patches inside where residents have the option to plant their own saplings within these nooks. This helps them customize the space the way they would want it and introduces subtle differentiation between the modules. These bays also have openable glass panels to ensure that the space can be used through the different seasons. Another advantage is that this system acts as a buffer and dampens some of the noise from the busy street below.

The small gardens set between these balconies are made of welded steel boxes that come from the manufacturer and are placed directly into these gaps. They have an automatic irrigation system as well as spouts to ensure that the excess water from the garden falls directly into the garden below, indirectly enabling them to water themselves.

Introducing a social dimension to the building was more important to the studio than simply focusing on an energy-efficient model. “Energy renovations are effective from an economic and environmental point of view, but in their basic substance they do not take a critical view of the architecture being renovated,” they said. “Often, the architecture is simply repeated, without regard to the quality of the original project, and this unfortunately results in buildings with both poor social and environmental attributes being renovated solely with a better operating economy as the primary success criterion.”

Sustainability stands at the core of design decisions today. However, new additions might not solve the problems of current structures that consume too much power, have bad ventilation systems, don’t work with natural light and more. Additionally, the older buildings might not meet the changing needs of their residents. Think about the past two years; being locked at home during the pandemic has reminded people across the world of the importance of human contact, face-to-face conversations and the need to connect with nature for mental and physical wellbeing.

Finding innovative ways to radically transform current buildings is something many architects will have to look into in addition to planning new net zero energy homes and offices. In instances where building-level renovations might be impossible, there are still many opportunities to retrofit water collection, solar generation, green systems or spaces that boost connectivity into the outer envelope of the building that can dramatically change how the building functions and also contribute to the wellbeing of those using it. One single project might not change the world but it sure can make a difference one community at a time.

“If we want to achieve a sustainable future, we cannot rely on only building sustainable buildings going forward. We need to have a visionary method of transforming and adapting existing buildings to meet our changing needs,” said the firm.

Generating clean energy from building steel

By Zarkon Group,03/08/202212/08/2022

Spotted: As the world looks to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, solar roofs could enable buildings to generate, store, and release their own secure supply of electricity. This concept is called ‘Active Buildings’ and has been successfully demonstrated by two buildings on the Swansea University campus for several years.

Now, experts at the university are taking the idea further by embarking on a three-year research collaboration with Tata Steel UK. The partnership will develop solar roofing panels which are greener, lighter, cheaper, and more flexible. And the key feature? The panels can be printed directly onto the steel used in buildings.

The panels use Perovskite solar cell (PSC) technology. PSC technology is a cheaper and lighter alternative to silicon-based solar panels. PSCs are made from a class of materials called perovskites, which can be readily produced from inexpensive and readily available ingredients. PSC could play a pivotal role in making solar power more affordable and accessible, and it could also be significantly more sustainable. PSC emits less than half the carbon of a silicon cell.

One of the key characteristics of the perovskite solar cells is that they are flexible and can be applied directly to surfaces, making them ideal for use in roofing materials or printing. Using techniques such as screen printing, PSC could be applied directly to materials such as coated steel.

Springwise has spotted a number of other innovations looking at decentralised solar power. Belgian startup Octave has designed a battery energy storage system (BESS) for stationary energy applications, while a UK company is incorporating solar cells into blackout blinds.

Written By: Katrina Lane

2nd August 2022

Email: k.g.sullivan@swansea.ac.uk

Website: swansea.ac.uk

To Make Sure Neutral Architectural Surfaces Don’t Fall Flat, Just Add Texture

By Zarkon Group,03/08/202212/08/2022

At their best, blank white walls can make a room feel large and airy; on the other hand, expansive blank planes can also lend themselves to clinical or boring atmospheres. And while vibrant colors and bold patterns can inject some personality into spaces, they might not always be an option for homes and offices that are dimly light, narrow or cramped.

In such cases, where neutral tones like white and beige are preferable, adding texture to walls and ceilings can add movement and depth to a monochrome space. Subtle textural protrusions won’t take up much space yet will leave a strong impact. More and more architects are incorporating corrugations, curved profiles, shallow folds and more to add intrigue to greyscale walls and ceilings.

Images by Jonathan Leijonhufvud Architectural Photography

Nanchang Insun International Cinema by One Plus Partnership Ltd, Wuhan, China

Taking inspiration from the black font over white pages in books, the studio transformed the cinema into a heavily textured space. The different panels on the walls are reminiscent of the flipping of pages of masterpieces written by scriptwriters. In the lobby, visitors come across cashier tables that resemble giant stacks of paper — in reality, they are made of Corian.

Panels with slim triangular blocks are suspended from the ceiling to resemble a curtain of flipping paper. Even the columns in the space have been painted and textured to continue the black and white theme. The only thing breaking up the monotony of black and white is a series of green cylindrical spotlights that are put together in an abstract composition.

Huaxin Business Center by Scenic Architecture, Shanghai, China
Jury Winner, 2014 A+Awards, Office Building – Low Rise (1-4 Floors)

The aim of the project was to maximize green cover and protect the six trees present on site. This is achieved by elevating the main mass above the ground to leave more room for green spaces below. The four blocks of the building are connected by open bridges. On the upper level, the spaces holding important functions are covered in twisted aluminum strips on the outside. These strips add translucency to the walls and help establish connectivity with nature beyond. The thin panels, much like light strips of paper floating and twisting with the wind, give the building a very tactile quality and heighten the experience as people walk around and try to peek at the trees beyond.

Images by Sharyn Cairns

Paperbark by KOICHI TAKADA ARCHITECTS, Melbourne, Australia

The restaurant offers a zero-waste menu with locally foraged Australian produce that is designed to inspire and delight. The space reflects this awareness of nature and slow movement. It is inspired by the Victorian Dandenong Ranges and the organic lines of the native paperbark tree. Repurpose biodegradable fabric is used to create the contoured ceiling installation. The subtle tones and softness of the installation help people form an emotional connection with nature while they dine and thereby create more awareness around conservation.

“Light Arrival” Yorkshire Ceiling by Flynn Architecture & Design, Crystal Lake, Illinois

Fluid lines on the ceiling of the sunroom help soften the rectangular edges of this space. Instead of going the digitally designed route, the ceiling is hand sculpted using translucent contoured panels that cover low-voltage LED strip lights for a diffused glow. During the day, when the lights are turned off, the shadows created by sunlight add more dimension to this three-dimensional installation. Fans suspended from this ceiling feature a similar curved profile.

Norwegian embassy in Athens by gfra, Athens, Greece

Unlike traditional origami, the art of kirigami uses small cuts in paper along with folks to create intricate, three-dimensional patterns. The Norwegian embassy in Athens uses this technique to imitate mountains reflecting in the fjord waters. Lights placed above this wooden structure enhance the folds and make this the focal point of the overall space.

Images by Alik Usik and Serhii Nikiforov

Tween Coexistence by Dmytro Aranchii Architects, Kyiv, Ukraine

Curved and bent strips of white shape all elements of this space — right from the ceilings to the reception desk. This technique also helps the furniture to blend into the walls, visualizing fluid circulation. The waiting area contains a large reception desk and an L-shaped sofa that blends in with the stairs leading to the interior spaces. On the ceiling, one can see two distinct patterns: one that originates in the reception area and another that continues along the transition to the inner spaces.

Images by Anil Patel

1102 Penthouse by Apical Reform, Ahmedabad, India

Much like a handcrafted contour model, planes with gradually decreasing cutouts are layered on top of one another to create the ceiling. Similar cutouts are used to embellish the kitchen island and console. The entire space is decorated in a neutral palette of grey and white to create a calming atmosphere. The staircase leading to the terrace is also composed using folded strips of metal similar to the forms of kirigami sculptures. Despite its lightness, it still holds a strong presence within the space.

Images by Jun Murata

N STRIPS by Jam, Osaka, Japan

This project is a renovation of a multi-tenant building that holds living areas and office spaces. The previous blank façade of the building is transformed into an eye-catching display with the help of white fins. This was done to add more privacy as the plot across from it is meant to have an apartment building built on it in the future. Furthermore, the louvers help conceal any unevenness in the external walls as well as the new pipes installed. The extrusions also create constantly changing shadows throughout the day.

Innovation and SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy

By Zarkon Group,02/08/202212/08/2022

Energy is the bedrock of civilisation, so much so that the scale scientists will use to determine the sophistication of any alien civilisations we may one day encounter is based on their energy use. For most of human history, communities have relied on the energy of human and animal muscle. But since the industrial revolution, the world has tapped a different energy source – the power of the sun stored in the remains of organisms that died millions of years ago.

Fossil fuels changed everything. They have created unprecedented prosperity, brought the four corners of the globe within a 24-hour flight of each other, and transformed the way we produce food and a whole host of other products beyond the wildest dreams of our ancestors.

And energy from fossil fuels has allowed us to generate electricity, bringing the quiet revolution of light and refrigeration to our homes – not to mention smartphones, televisions, and a whole host of other gadgets. Or at least it has to most of the world. The number of people without access to electricity has fallen steadily – by an average of nine per cent per year between 2015 and 2019. Yet today, 770 million people still lack electricity, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. The work of extending the life-changing benefits of electricity to everyone is therefore unfinished.

The issue of access to electricity and energy must be tackled alongside another existential challenge – the global energy transition. The burning of fossil fuels is heating up the planet’s climate—by at least 1.1 degrees Celsius already since pre-industrial times—causing a whole host of devastating impacts that are all too obvious to anyone following the news. The world as a whole must therefore transition away from fossil fuels towards affordable and clean energy – and fast. The role of innovation in what is arguably humanity’s greatest ever technical challenge is obvious. Yet the solutions innovators are finding are creative, and sometimes surprising.

New renewable energy sources

Today, the largest renewable energy sources are hydropower, wind, and solar. Wind and solar energy, in particular, are forecast to ramp up during the energy transition, and innovators are working to optimise these established sources incrementally. Wind turbines are becoming hardier, quieter, and more efficient, while solar panels are increasingly being integrated into the built environment in innovative ways – through walls, the facades of skyscrapers, and even blackout blinds.

But in addition to optimising solar and wind, innovators are also thinking outside the box about whole new energy sources. One company is using small turbines to turn almost any waterway into a power source, while another is seeking to harness the power of deep-sea currents. Even nuclear power, in use since the 1950s, is getting a makeover with seaborne nuclear plants that could act as mobile energy sources.

Energy storage

One of the key challenges we face as we move away from fossil fuels is how to store energy from variable sources. What do we do when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow? Much of the focus has been on batteries, but these come with their own challenges – not least the demand they create for scarce materials that are extracted in environmentally damaging processes. Undeterred, innovators are working to create safer, greener, more efficient, and more affordable batteries, such as one developed in Germany that is made using globally abundant resources.

Batteries are far from the only game in town when it comes to energy storage, however. For example, a prototype system that stores energy in the form of heat and compressed air is 30-40 per cent cheaper than lithium-ion batteries. And another system stores energy on the ocean floor using a mechanism similar to a hydroelectric dam. Hydrogen, in particular, is considered a good candidate for energy storage, and two companies are exploring how hydrogen could be stored in underground shafts.

Energy efficiency

Target 7.3 within SDG 7 sets the goal of doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency, a reminder that we must look at energy demand as well as supply. There are many inefficiencies in homes around the world that lead to wasteful energy consumption. For example, in South Africa, a country that faces particular challenges with the security of the power supply, many homes use inefficient electric water heaters, known locally as ‘geysers’. One startup has developed an innovative device that reduces the impact of these systems by tailoring heating to user habits.

Another way in which energy efficiency can be improved is through new building materials that reduce the demand for energy-intensive heating and cooling systems. For example, engineers from China and Germany have developed a wood-based cooling foam that could reduce the cooling energy needs of a building by more than a third. Roofs and windows are another source of energy inefficiency. Researchers in Singapore have developed a window coating that blocks infrared but not visible light, while a smart roof coating developed in the US could also lead to energy savings.

Off-grid energy systems

Extending affordable energy to the remaining proportion of the population who lack it is particularly challenging. Many of these communities are remote, situated a long way from traditional energy infrastructure. Innovators have been responding with modular, portable energy systems.

For example, a Swiss company has developed fully autonomous solar-powered micro-grids that can be used and scaled up by almost anyone. The system is designed to be fully autonomous, and plug-and-play – allowing users to simply plug the system together with no configuration, specific know-how, or maintenance required. Another system developed by a company founded in Tanzania has developed a standalone ‘mini grid’ that draws on multiple energy inputs and a smart storage system to provide continuous power to off-grid communities across Africa.

Back-up generation

Energy systems need to be resilient as well as green and affordable. When natural disasters knock out the main energy grid, hospitals, data centres, and other essential services need to have access to backup supplies. Today, many backup generators still run on polluting diesel. To tackle this problem, one company has developed a generator that can run on a range of fuels, including ammonia and hydrogen.

And it’s not just hospitals that need backup power, so too do households, especially if they are situated in regions prone to supply disruptions. Grassroots NGO Deciwatt has developed a muscle-powered emergency generator for such vulnerable communities.

Words: Matthew Hempstead

Looking for inspiration on sustainability? Why not visit our SDG hub page for more articles on green innovation that matters.

2nd August 2022

An educational tool for farmers doubles as an online marketplace

By Zarkon Group,01/08/202212/08/2022

Spotted: Digitisation has impacted every corner of our global economy, but one sector that remains largely un-digitised is the world’s oldest: agriculture. Farmers are the bedrock of the €6 trillion agriculture and food trade market, yet they make the least profit of all the main players in the food value chain. Moreover, many farmers still use the same techniques as their ancestors and lack access to the information they need to implement profit-boosting innovations. A new platform, Wikifarmer, is attempting to tackle these challenges.

Wikifarmer seeks to improve the lot of farmers in two ways. The platform is an international online resource for agricultural information and technological developments. The library offers thousands of user-generated articles, all for free, covering a huge diversity of topics, including the latest technology information and guidelines for best practices around the world. The Wikifarmer team provides localised translations of articles into 15 languages.

The platform also acts as a global farmer’s market. For shoppers, this marketplace provides a direct link to food producers in every region. With purchases covered by a money-back guarantee, shoppers can search a long list of products and contact the company itself for personalised quotes for specific requests or high-volume orders.

For farmers, the marketplace represents a welcome simplification of the food supply chain. Selling directly to consumers means that farmers can avoid commissions paid to the multitude of intermediaries they must normally deal with. So far, around 30,000 products have been listed on the site, and more than 5,000 customers have bought products directly from farmers.

From clean energy for off-grid communities to safe herbicide development, agtech is a hot area of innovation. Springwise has previously covered other innovations that aim to connect farmers directly to marketplaces, such as one focused on smallholder farmers in Ghana.

Written by: Keely Khoury

1st August 2022

Email: info@wikifarmer.com

Website: wikifarmer.com

One Photo Challenge 2022: The 100 Finalists (Part 4)

By Zarkon Group,01/08/202212/08/2022

Explore a further 25 extraordinary architectural photographs, each one a Finalist in the 2022 One Photo Challenge. Let us know which are your favorites on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #OnePhotoChallenge!

“The determination of light” by sergio armillei

“The darkness looms hard. From above it seems to want to swallow everything underneath, sometimes it succeeds but not completely other times the light contrasts powerful and illuminates the structures of the city and nature. The darkness tries again but the light manages to reject the non -reality, the non -vision, the nothing. The light fills the voids and full down down and calls if those who observe giving the hope that it will always be there to give us strength and hope.

A school, architectural structure , infrared shot, Nikon D5000 at 720nm IR full spectrum”

Camera: Nikon

“Bleeding Lights” by Sean Wolanyk

McGill University

“Walking through the historic streets of Kyoto stands as a stark contrast with much of the rest of Japan with its sleek skyscrapers and neon lights. This city feels much smaller and ancient, with its quaint wooden houses and narrow streets. However, even in a place as old as Kyoto, the new has still found its way into the fabric of the city.

This photo captures this juxtaposition of the old and the new, with neon lights seamlessly bleeding into the narrow historic pedestrian street. A single man walks between these two contrasting worlds, emblematic of the perfect mixture of tradition and future that is so natural and common in this beautiful country.”

Camera: Canon

“The CICES at Dusk” by Mohamed Fakhry

Zimmer Gunsul Frasca LLP.

One PhoOne Photo Challenge 2022: The 100 Finalists (Part 4)to Challenge 2022: The 100 Finalists (Part 4)

“The CICES is a commercial center located in Dakar, Senegal. Every two years, the CICES host the FIDAK(Dakar International Fair), one of Africa biggest economic convention complemented by many trade events throughout the year, to showcase senegal’s and Africa’s diverse and rich cultures. Built in the early 1970s by French architects Jean-François Lamoureux and Jean-Louis Marin, the center includes 7 triangular pavilions in Senegalese Art deco style.

Since each pavilion represents one region of Senegal, materials characteristic of each region were used on the facade through craftwork by local artists. The facade’s red stone called laterite and a fresco made of sand and concrete highlight Senegal’s vernacular artistry at the intersection between architecture and Modernism.This photograph of the CICES captured at dusk reminds me that the world we live in is heterogeneous. However, the possibilities to create an architecture that genuinely reflects a given place at its core, are limitless!”

Camera: iPhone

“The Window” by Xialu Xu

SKIDMORE OWINGS & MERRILL LLP

“This photo was taken in Dia Beacon in upstate New York. Looking out, the surrounding nature has become vague silhouettes and paint brush like colors around the clear glass at the window. One then focuses almost only at the limited pocket of beauty, details highlighted, colors embellished, like a camera focusing on a target. When the light shines through, it’s the most magical moment.”

Camera: Sony

“Kadoguchi_” by Manon Duparc & François Pain

Think utopia Studio

“Our studio likes to compose the image through the detail of geometric and enigmatic scenes, leaving room for the imagination to take flight.

During our shooting of the new Albert-Kahn Paris museum for the Kengo Kuma studio, our architectural photography workshop “Think utopia” focused on the concept of threshold that governs this project. Kuma wanted to offer future visitors a Japanese-style journey in several stages.

In this shot, an enigmatic silhouette stands in the tunnel, taking us from the noisy, ultra-luminous and totally mineral tumult of the city to the entrance patio, which immediately lulls us into a softness of sound, vision and vegetation. This passage is made by a transition to black where the sounds are distorted, the light disappears and the path to be taken is like a perspective in the distance.”

Camera: Canon

“Snow White” by Xi Chen

School of Visual Arts

“On a sunny day after the snow, the Farnsworth House, a Mies van der Rohe classic, was fully integrated into the surrounding snow. It was the last day of the open season. The kindly old lady just finished her last guided tour. She carefully arranged the tables and chairs, drew all the curtains, locked the door, left the house on crutches, and stepped slowly through the snow. Both the lady and the masterpiece will rest to welcome new visitors from all over the world in the spring afterward.”

Camera: Sony

“Vertical Life” by Xi Chen

School of Visual Arts

“In New York City, the world-famous concrete jungle, people live their lives up in the air. But there are always oases of peace on the ground, providing breathable green places among concrete and steel. The gaps in Central Park’s foliage naturally form a viewing window, showing the vertical lifestyles of New Yorkers.”

Camera: Sony

“Flood Of Light” by Xi Chen

School of Visual Arts

“When entering the Yale Center for British Art from the corner, passing through a dark and forbidding foyer, once inside, I was rewarded with a beautifully proportioned atrium where light floods down from above. Dark-hued steel, oak, travertine, and concrete, all the materials were elegantly finished and just the right blended. Under the flood of light, people were appreciating this architectural masterpiece designed by Louis Kahn, just like appreciating an artistic painting.”

Camera: Sony

“Future Perfect” by Sunalika Sinha

“Museum of the Future in Dubai is a collection of interactive experiences that take visitors into a vision of the near future. The magnificent structure is based on a diagrid structure with the skeleton forming the main support. Inside, the space is entirely without columns. In the cavernous lobby, the Arabic calligraphy (that covers the entire building) also functions as windows and decoration. The visual and physical experience in this space is surreal and ethereal!”

Camera: Canon

“Community” by Tony Leung & Derek Yu

Urb design

“The project is located on a densely populated district in Hong Kong, the rooftop of Happy Valley market complex. The Architect creates a vibrant focal point especially for higher level residents by choosing a spectrum of colors for the waterproofing membrane on the rooftop, representing different streets of the district.”

Camera: Hasselblad (Drone)

“Paris Opera House” by Wayne Reckard

The Kubala Washatko Architects

“In June 1861 Charles Garnier won a competition for construction of a new opera house in Paris. In December 1861, Garnier wrote to Count Walewski to ask permission to produce a model: “When the composition of a building comprises different planes offering a variety of perspectives and aspects …, the best way [to judge the project] is to construct a complete model of the building. This model may consist of different parts that can be moved independently, making it possible, by trying out the various proposals for these parts, to give the model, and ultimately the monument, a satisfactory overall design.” *

Today, a replica of the model (the original disappeared in 1922) constructed of cherry wood is on display at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. The opera house itself was completed in 1875 and is located in the 9th arrondissement.”

*text credit: Musée d’Orsay

Camera: Other

“Tyrol Snowfall” by Wayne Reckard

The Kubala Washatko Architects

“Three generations work and live on the the side of the mountain, in the shadow of the Kitzbüheler Horn, one of Austria’s most prominent peaks. The ornate heavy timber farmhouse is built in the traditional Tyrolean ‘einhof’ style, where both residential and agricultural spaces are shared under one roof; visitors will find cattle and other livestock in the lower level, while humans comfortably make their home above. There is little need for a modern garbage disposal when one merely needs to walk down a few steps to feed the evening’s table scraps to the pigs.

On this particular day a silent winter snow quietly blanketed the mountainside. It was a year of heavy snowfall, and our friend went outside yet again to clear a path.”

Camera: Fujifilm SLR

“Jakobskreuz” by Wayne Reckard

The Kubala Washatko Architects

“Perched atop Buchsteinwand Mountain in Austria’s Tyrol region, Jakobskreuz is the largest accessible summit cross in the world. Situated at an altitude of 1456m, with four viewing platforms and observation deck, the 29m structure offers 360 degree panoramic views of the surrounding Pillersee Valley, the Loferer and Leogonger Mountains, and the summit of Kitzbüheler Horn. The landmark is accessible by foot trail in summer; in winter, downhill skiers reach the summit via chair lift.

In addition to spectacular views Jakobskreuz offers a venue for seminars, weddings, and lectures. The well-known ‘Jakobsweg’ (The Way of St. James) followed by pilgrims and spiritual seekers around the world winds through the valley below, making the cross a destination for quiet contemplation and renewal.”

Camera: Fujifilm SLR

“Morning Glory” by Nachiket Garge

Killa Architectural Design

“The photo is of recently completed Address Beach Resort project located in Dubai, UAE.

The twin towers have a total height of 301m which are connected at top levels for the penthouses, spa and rooftop infinity swimming pool.

The tower’s pure form is an ellipse in plan with a void in the center that serves to increase daylight penetration and views to beach, Arabian Gulf and the horizon.

The orientation of the towers allows the morning rising sunlight to penetrate through the central void and reflect against the glazing symbolizing a bright, energetic start of the day.”

Camera: iPhone

“Once upon a time in Chile” by Emilio Deik

“Four years ago, I went with a group of photographers to northern Chile. For many hours we wandered the area, capturing industrial buildings under the glittering stars. It was way past midnight, and the experience was both exhilarating and mysterious. It seemed to me that, in the cold desert atmosphere, the silence wanted to speak.

It’s hard to imagine this building as one of the mainstays of the Chilean economy at the beginning of the 1900s. Inside, saltpeter—a highly valued mineral in that era—was processed after it was extracted. Companies built communities around industrial plants as well as railroad tracks and ports. Approximately 400.000 people worked mining the “white gold”. In the late 1920s as the economy collapsed, so too did Chile’s belle époque.

Today I revisit that visual memory in the desert and am left with the sense that sometimes silence speak louder than words.”

Camera: Nikon

“The Kiss of the Morning.” by Trevin D’Souza

SIR J.J COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, MUMBAI

“The first light of the morning pierces through the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, one of the busiest and oldest stations in India. It is one of those rare moments when the station is almost empty, when one has the chance to look up and adore the huge steel trusses and columns while slowly drifting along the platforms, something impossible to do during the rest of the chaotic day. The magnificent height and expanse of the roof renders a breath of fresh air to the incoming crowds. It’s almost as if first light of the sun is a harbinger for the chaos that would ensue, the peace before the storm. An analogue to the character of the station as the beginning of the many train journeys that ferry the people of India across the country. These are those special moments in time where one can relish the beauty of a bygone era.”

Camera: Other

“child in penguin pool” by Xiang Gu

“The Lubetkin penguin pool was once a landmark at the London zoo, designed by Berthold Lubetkin of Tecton in 1934. The elegant reinforced concrete ramp provides a playful stage for the penguins, and it was also one of the first works designed by the famous British engineer Ove Arup.

The pool was closed in 2004, due to penguins’ infection caused by walking on concrete. Before any renovation could be done, the pool still empty until now. Occasionally children would sneak in, try to experience what it would be like to be a penguin in this piece of early modernist architecture.”

Camera: Canon

“Mikimoto Ginza 2, Tokyo” by Stephanie Mills

“Toyo Ito’s Mikimoto Ginza 2 is a beautifully crafted, jewel like box where the composite steel and concrete façade forms the enclosing supporting structure that enables the inside to be column-free while also providing the flexibility to experiment with irregular, free form fenestration. In the restaurant the diaphanous, sheer curtains mask daylight entering from the irregular shaped windows, which, together with the suspended LED lights give the space an ephemeral and intimate quality. The filtering and layering are quintessentially Japanese. The diners were unaware of me taking a few discreet photos on my iPhone and continued to be engrossed in conversation.”

Camera: iPhone

“Fifth Floor, Tate Modern, London” by Stephanie Mills

“As an architect-photographer I’m constantly attracted to abstract patterns generated by the interplay of shadows and light. Adapted by Herzog & de Meuron, the robust, former industrial architecture of London’s Tate Modern provides countless opportunities for this kind of photographic abstraction. I captured this image as I was walking up the stairs to the Fifth Floor Members’ Bar overlooking the Thames. Through the naturally backlit frosted glass, my attention was drawn to the partial silhouettes of two seemingly ghostly people on bar stools facing one another. Beyond that is a collage of different abstract shapes, architectural elements and human forms adding depth of field and further interest to the image.”

Camera: iPhone

“Chasing the light” by Shiva Talebi

“Immersing your body in borderless art and experiencing the light and the art at Team lab Photo was captured depicting shadows getting smaller as they get deeper into the art installation and eventually disappearing. Much similar to “following” idols on social media and people losing their own authenticity to fit the mold and follow the light.”

Camera: iPhone

“A great moment of light” by Rigoberto Moreno Santana

“This photograph is taken in Hagia Sofia one of the most important Mosque of Istanbul and the world. A lot of people visit the Mosque in different ways, some as a tourist attraction, others as a cultural visit to admire the grand, impressive and important architecture of the building and some others the Muslims people as a prayer place of Islam. In my opinion, this is the most important use of the building. I felt a great moment of light there, the interior light on me, the light of each person around, the light of the souls praying and the special light of the building in itself. That’s why this image is unique.”

Camera: Nikon

“High-Low Freedom” by Youyuan Lin

McGill University

“Through the dramatic visual impact of the bird’s eye view, this photograph intends to render the vibrant culture of the LGBT community thriving in Davie Village, Vancouver, Canada. Featuring the ultra-wide angle, every object beneath the feet flows in a smooth rhythm, exhibiting a unique melody full of inexhaustible energy. Immersing in the warm colour scheme, the crystal pool, the scattered orange on the grey rooftops, and the colorful cars heading Rainbow Crosswalk in the shade of trees projected by sunlight all depict the diverse and welcoming atmosphere calling for freedom. Yet, on the other hand, the heavy shadow caused by high contrast covering the balcony on the top symbolizes the “cage” restricting liberty: it questions the sensitive yet ongoing journey of gender minority acceptance— is the existence of the neighbourhood itself the evidence of othering?”

Camera: iPhone

“Golden Gait” by Michelle Simmons

“This is the story of a monument: a sculpture that talked to a building, the sun, the sky and to me; a conversation that gave me a photographic understanding I had never encountered before.

I was so excited to experience Dubai Expo 2020 that I traveled to the grounds directly from the airport. I intended to do a walk-through first but was taken aback by a sculpture at the Qatar pavilion and stayed there until nightfall. Qatar’s pavilion, designed by Santiago Calatrava, is a modern interpretation of Qatar’s Coat of Arms: two swords encompassing a dhow amidst an island with palm trees.

A golden sculptural monument outside the main structure represents the palm trees. Although static, the sculpture moved; and I was challenged to find a way to photograph its dynamics. This photo of the 20-meter-high sculpture was taken by standing inside the 5.5-meter square base using a wide-angle lens.”

Camera: iPhone

“Ce n’est pas un arbre” by Francesco Epifano

“This picture was taken years ago in Paris, but it’s only recently that I have rediscovered its metaphoric content of an urgency to interact with nature, especially in a time of pandemic restrictions.

We are at the Petit Palais, a building where the rigidly sequenced exhibition spaces and the circular portico seem to find a solution in framing a tree, an archetype of nature, in a logic of symmetry, coherently with the construction elements. Furthermore, the presence of an observer intrigued more by the garden than by the museum collection suggests a subordination of human artefacts and expressions (architecture and works of art) to a harmonious contact pattern with nature.
Finally, the protagonist tree seems to hang on the wall like a painting, reminding us how nature can also be the object of human manipulation and design, blurring the boundaries between man and the environment.”

Camera: Nikon

“Like two lovers under a crimson sky” by Jakub Dračka

Brno University of Technology

“GREY. PINK. INDUSTRY. HUMAN. PEOPLE. MACHINES. JOY. LOOK. MOMENT. TIME. TRANSIENCE. SUN.

It is late evening. An almost perfectly symmetrical scene with trucks in the foreground and an administrative building regularly punctuated by window openings in the background forms a solid foundation of initial interest in the industrial district of the German Weimar. The overall impression is enhanced by the contrast of the grey earth and concrete with the poetically bright crimson sky and the reflection of the sun in the windows of the second floor. The regular and harmonious composition, together with the innocent pink, radiates peace and harmony, perhaps even a sense of security, stability, despite the uncertainties and fears that were and must be faced every day. More than ever, you need to look for beauty in the little and mundane things around you.

Seeing is forgetting the name of the thing one sees.”

Camera: Fujifilm SLR

Pay-as-you-go financing makes renewable energy more accessible

By Zarkon Group,31/07/202212/08/2022

Spotted: Many communities in rural Peru are mostly off-grid, relying on lanterns, cookstoves, and candles for heat and light. But now, renewable energy sources are replacing candles and diesel generators in much of the country. Provided by social enterprise PowerMundo, solar-powered lamps help children complete their homework, artisans work in the evening, and doctors attend to patients at night. The organisation also provides communication technologies, improved cookstoves, and water filtration systems.

Using a network of wholesalers, retailers, and sales agents to spread the word about the availability of the solar-powered devices, PowerMundo is also making it easier for individuals and families to afford the new type of power. Using a pay-as-you-go model, users can buy one week’s worth of solar energy at a time.

To make the financing option viable, PowerMundo is working with a range of partners to provide larger solar arrays from which communities can buy power. The larger installations provide enough energy for multiple households and do not require individual devices. A recent recipient of a Startup Perú grant, the company plans to put the money towards installation of additional and sizeable pay-as-you-go systems capable of producing substantial volumes of power.

Other off-grid solar power innovations spotted by Springwise include solar-powered water pumps and fishing lights, India’s first solar-powered town, and a plug-and-play solar energy system for swarm electrification.

Written by: Keely Khoury

29th July 2022

Email: info@powermundo.com

Website: powermundo.com

How Will Modular Construction Continue Changing Design?

By Zarkon Group,31/07/202212/08/2022

Browse the Architizer Jobs Board and apply for architecture and design positions at some of the world’s best firms. Click here to sign up for our Jobs Newsletter.

Modular construction isn’t a new concept in architecture; however, it wasn’t until the 20th century that the concept began gaining traction: pre-fabricate parts of buildings in factories how we build car parts and then assemble them onsite as if they were human-sized Lego bricks. Even still, until recently the term ‘modular construction’ brought to mind clunky concrete boxes and repetitive housing blocks.

Yet, now, as manufacturing technology in the architecture sector continues advancing and the environmental cost of construction is being evaluated more critically, modular design is becoming an increasingly attractive approach for architects and contractors. In fact, AMA Research reported that modular construction is set to grow by 14% between 2020 and 2024, and its seemingly limitless possibilities portend even greater growth for years to come. We’ve only scratched the surface of what is proving to be one of the most promising research fields in architectural design.

By shifting construction towards a manufacturing-style process, the modular design presents a host of unique advantages. The fabrication of materials inside the strictly controlled setting of a factory reduces the number of uncontrollable variables that might have otherwise caused delays or cost overruns. All the pre-fabrication work also means that the assembly phase itself is as streamlined as possible: the bulk of the work consists in stacking and bolting together the components of the building, reducing the inconveniences of construction — waste, noise and pollution from heavy-duty machinery — to a minimum.

Take for instance B100arcquitectos’ Science of Rehabilitation Faculty building at Don Bosco University in Soyapango, El Salvador. The project by the A+Award finalist firm offers us a glimpse of what the future of architecture might look like thanks to modular construction.

Annex Building Science of Rehabilitation Faculty Don Bosco University by B100arquitectos, Soyapango, El Salvador

The impact is apparent in the most striking feature of the building: the large, beautiful trees stooping over and surrounding the campus building, as if they had been purposely planted around it decades ago (and not the other way around!). This impressive architectural feat could only have been possible thanks to the flexibility of modular construction; the pre-fabricated cubic modules only had to be moved into place rather than built from the ground up. And though that presented its own logistical challenges, it spared the sacrifice of many trees, leaving over over 80% of the lot’s forestry untouched. The old trees now form an integral part of the architectural experience and give a sense of maturity to the building far beyond its one-year-old existence.

Aside from the aesthetic advantages, the modular construction was completed quickly and with little material waste. This allowed the firm to work on a tighter budget — the whole project ringing in at under a million dollars — allowing the University to invest more on what’s inside the classroom rather than on the classrooms themselves.

Are you interested in joining one of the most promising fields in architecture? Consider applying to a firm that specializes in modular construction.

Volumetric Building Companies (VBC) is a global leader in volumetric modular construction headquartered in Philadelphia, PA with locations across the United States and in Europe. The firm uses its precision-driven manufacturing capabilities and project-proven expertise to provide high quality, sustainably produced modular-designed buildings in less time across varied market sectors. VBC is currently looking to hire a Design Technology Manager, a Senior Project Designer / Senior Project Architect and a Senior Design Associate for their Somerville, MA offices.

Browse the Architizer Jobs Board and apply for architecture and design positions at some of the world’s best firms. Click here to sign up for our Jobs Newsletter.

Drones track pollution to provide real-time air quality data

By Zarkon Group,30/07/202212/08/2022

Spotted: Calling itself a Guardian of the Air, Peruvian startup qAIRa combines static and mobile monitoring for the most up-to-date air quality information. Constant data streams help urban planners and transport managers track the environmental effects of their work, while alerting area communities to the best times of day to be outside.

With devices for monitoring indoor and outdoor air, as well as a system of drones for tracking larger areas and changing conditions, qAIRa brings diverse data together into a single platform that makes it easy to see, at a glance, any areas of concern. The platform is open source, and the company encourages feedback and suggestions for new applications of the collected data.

The system measures particulate matter, humidity, temperature, UV radiation, noise, and more, and the outdoor devices are either solar or electric powered. Already working in several locations in Peru, the company is exploring funding options to help expand availability of the platform nationally and internationally. An educational module for schoolchildren is currently being developed.

Springwise has recently spotted several other innovations focused on air quality including an air quality app that empowers users through education, air quality data for building management, and smarter, cheaper industrial air monitoring.

Written by: Keely Khoury

29th July 2022

Email: hola@qairadrones.com

Website: qairadrones.com