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

Interior Design

External Reference creates 3D-printed organic displays for La Manso store

By Zarkon Group,21/12/2023

3D-printed shelving structures informed by Catalan-modernist buildings were used for shelving in this store designed by External Reference for a Spanish jewellery brand.

Experimental jewellery designer Adriana Manso asked Carmelo Zappulla’s studio External Reference to develop a suitably unusual interior concept for her first physical store in the city.

The project involved designing a window display and shelving for the 25-square-metre store, which is located in Barcelona’s Eixample district just a few metres from the house where Manso was born.

Manso is known for her playful pieces made from recycled plastic, which she wanted to display in a space that evokes the luxury feel of an haute-couture boutique.

Interior of La Manso — It features a 3D-printed interior informed by architecture

External Reference sought to combine the contemporary plasticity of La Manso’s jewellery with motifs influenced by Barcelona’s early 20th-century architecture, including the building in which the store is situated.

“Our design concept revolved around bringing the exterior facade inside, creating a melted and fluid background that would serve as an artistic canvas for showcasing the jewellery,” Zappulla told Dezeen.

“By blending the expressive elements of Catalan modernism with the organic forms inspired by La Manso design, our goal was to craft a visually captivating environment that elevates the overall shopping experience.”

Floral details in Barcelona store — External Reference created wavy shapes for the space

The designers selected fragments from the decorative facade and abstracted them using a process involving hand drawing and computational design techniques.

In particular, floral details from the elaborate canopy at the store’s entrance were reinterpreted as large rosettes incorporating futuristic glitches and bas-reliefs.

The organic shapes form shelving units that range in height from 90 centimetres to 1.7 metres. Jewellery and accessories are displayed on the shelves, as well as on a small table at the centre of the space.

The furniture is made from biodegradable cellulose and was produced with technical support from specialist 3D-printing workshop La Máquina.

Zappulla and his team refined the digital models to optimise them for printing. This involved splitting them into manageable parts that could be processed by the machine’s robotic arm.

Barcelona jewellery store — The aim was to provide a neutral backdrop

All of the printed elements are finished in a muted off-white shade that matches the rest of the interior and provides a neutral backdrop for displaying the jewellery.

Large, mirrored surfaces help to make the interior feel more expansive, while spotlights provide targeted illumination for highlighting the collection.

In addition to the main furniture, the designers also developed a window display and 3D-printed signage that extend the store’s conceptual design out into the street.

Shelving at La Manso — The La Manso interior has a muted colour palette

Large-scale 3D-printing technology offers designers possibilities to create unique elements for branded interiors, which makes it increasingly popular for retail spaces.

Spanish design studio Nagami has created a store for sustainable clothing brand Ecoalf featuring transparent 3D-printed displays that recall melting glaciers, while Dutch architecture practice Studio RAP used the technology to produce a wave-like tiled facade for an Amsterdam boutique.

The photography is courtesy of External Reference.

Reference

Sustainable News

How can mixed reality and AI improve emergency medical care?

By Zarkon Group,21/12/2023

Spotted: Mixed reality (MR) refers to technologies that create immersive computer-generated environments in which parts of the physical and virtual environment are combined. With potential applications that range from education and engineering to entertainment, the market for MR is forecast to record revenues of just under $25 billion by 2032. Now, in a ground-breaking partnership, Singapore-based company Mediwave is teaming up with Sri Lanka’s 1990 Suwa Seriya to deploy MR and artificial intelligence (AI) to create a fully connected ambulance.

1990 Suwa Seriya is Sri Lanka’s national pre-hospital emergency ambulance service, which boasts response times that surpass even some services in developed countries. The innovative ambulance it has deployed uses Mediwave’s integrated Emergency Response Suite, which combines the latest communications equipment with internet-of-things (IoT) and AR capabilities to enhance the efficiency of the emergency response eco-system.

The connected ambulance ensures swift response times and digitises critical processes, while specialised care can be provided remotely through a Microsoft HoloLens. The technology enables Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) – staff who man ambulances in Sri Lanka – to connect with physicians at the Emergency Command and Control Centre. These physicians help the EMTs provide care during the so-called ‘golden hour’ of medical emergencies – the concept that rapid clinical investigation and care within 60 minutes of a traumatic injury is essential for a positive patient outcome.

In addition to connecting EMTs with doctors, Mediwave’s system also employs an AI-powered transcriber to digitise Electronic Patient Care Records. This minimises human error and reduces delays once the patient reaches the hospital.

Other applications of extended reality in the Springwise library include holograms that are used to train doctors, virtual environments for treating phobias, and an augmented reality contact lens.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Reference

Community centre by WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza Architects

Architecture

Mexico City community centre has blue-tinted concrete walls

By Zarkon Group,21/12/2023

Design firms WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza Architects have created a multi-level, concrete community centre in an underserved neighbourhood that is meant to “promote the regeneration of social life”.

The building by New York’s WORKac and local studio Ignacio Urquiza Arquitectos – officially called PILARES Lomas de Becerra — is located in a hilly area and rises up from a dense intersection surrounded by active streets.

Located in Mexico City’s Lomas de Becerra neighbourhood, the building was created as part of a government initiative called PILARES, which stands for Points of Innovation, Freedom, Art, Education and Knowledge.

For a slender, irregularly shaped site, the team devised a multi-storey facility that encompasses 5,059 square feet (470 square metres).

Blue concrete walls within the community centre — WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza Architects designed the multi-level structure

“In appearance, the volume is simple and compact, with a strong character that confirms its presence as a public building,” the team said.

Walls are made of concrete – a material chosen for its construction and structural efficiencies, as well as its thermal and aesthetic qualities, the team said. The concrete was dyed blue, a decision informed by the vibrant colours found in the surrounding area.

Coloured concrete building in Mexico City — The team devised the building for a slender, irregularly shaped site

Launched in 2018, the PILARES programme aims to create opportunities for residents in underserved areas.

“Each PILARES building is designed to support various kinds of classes and workshops in support of skill building, as well as bringing cultural programming, learning opportunities, and safe spaces for leisure and cross-generational gathering to each neighbourhood,” said New York’s WORKac.

“The sites selected for their construction create new landmarks in the urban fabric, enabling the population to identify them as community meeting centres that promote the regeneration of social life.”

Blue concrete walls and a geometric skylight — Walls are made of blue concrete

Mexico City’s government enlisted local and international design studios to create 26 facilities under the programme.

Buildings are meant to respond to the local context and follow programming guidelines developed through extensive community engagement.

Blue concrete walls — The building is meant to respond to its local context

The team tried to reflect the community and its values in the architecture.

“The use of colour in Mexican architecture is an element that has been transformed and reinterpreted in the hands of many artists and architects across generations,” the team said.

The building is fronted by a plaza that is shaded by pre-existing trees.

Street with trees outside Mexico City community centre — The building is fronted by a plaza with trees

Part of the ground floor is sliced away to form an angled, glazed entry wall, which helps “the transition between exterior and interior spaces”, the team said.

“The diagonal opening on the ground floor provides clear and free-flowing pedestrian routes in every direction, inviting users to walk around the plaza and enter the building,” the team said.

Inside, the building contains three split levels, all of which are connected by a central staircase. Rooms are designed to be fluid and adaptable.

“This flexible approach leaves open the possibility for changes to the programme over the lifetime of the building and allows it to freely evolve and adapt,” the team said.

Central staircase from an aerial view — Three split levels are connected by a central staircase

WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza Architects have designed a second PILARES building, in the borough of Azcapotzalco, that follows a similar design vocabulary.

Other PILARES buildings include a community centre in Iztapalapa by Rozana Montiel Estudio de Arquitectura that features a series of bridges, walkways and exterior staircases.

The photography is by Arturo Arrieta and Ramiro del Carpio.

Project credits:

Architect: WORKac and Ignacio Urquiza Architects (IUA)
Team: Amale Andraos, Dan Wood, Ignacio Urquiza Seoane, Michela Lostia di Santa Sofía, Eder Hernández, María del Mar Carballo, Ana Laura Ochoa, Anet Carmona, Noé García, León Chávez, Fernando Tueme, Sacha Bourgarel
Interior design and lighting: WORKac, IUA and APDA
Structure and engineering: BVG (César Barquera, Eduardo Barquera); Ecomadi
Landscape: Genfor Landscaping (Tanya Eguiluz)
Development: Mexico City government and ZV Studio (Carlos Zedillo)
Digital visualizations: Israel Levy
Client: Mexico City government

Reference

Small stage with low lounge seating in front

Interior Design

Rockwell Group creates atmospheric lobby and restaurant at PAC NYC

By Zarkon Group,20/12/2023

Ribbons of light guide patrons from the lobby to the restaurant inside the Perelman Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center, where the interiors are designed by New York-based Rockwell Group.

The studio founded by designer David Rockwell recently completed the public spaces that include the Metropolis restaurant and adjoining lounge areas within the cube-shaped building, which local architecture studio Rex wrapped in thin marble panels.

The volume holds three flexible and interchangeable theatres that can be infinitely customised for different performance styles, artistic expressions and viewing experiences.

These are accessed via the elevated lobby level, reached by climbing a grand exterior staircase that draws visitors under the building’s cube form and up through its base.

A bridge with seating behind a translucent marble facade — A bridge behind the building’s translucent marble facade accommodates seating

This dramatic entry sequence culminates at a lobby lounge and restaurant that form a new 9,120-square-foot (847 square metres) “community space” for Lower Manhattan, according to Rockwell.

“The restaurant is intentionally woven throughout the public experience,” he told Dezeen. “There is no hard line between the lobby lounge, restaurant, and terrace, with one space melting into the next.”

Entrance to Metropolis restaurant at PAC NYC — The lobby flows into the Metropolis restaurant, located the other side of angled trusses

The designer’s primary aim was to provide “a celebratory, communal atmosphere; connecting guests, whether you’re the first party there for dinner or the last one there post-show”.

Rockwell’s combined experience in hospitality and performance design – he has won multiple Tony Awards for his Broadway sets – helped him to craft a seamless experience between these connected functions.

LED lights within wooden ribbons across the ceiling — LED lights within wooden ribbons follow pathways and form “nodes” above gathering areas

“Creating a magical journey up into PAC NYC and intertwined with the lobby was a thrilling challenge, especially because the lobby and Metropolis will be host to many free performances on the small stage there,” said the designer.

This stage will feature a varied program of performers who will entertain diners from a carefully placed vantage point, which allows sightlines from all corners of the lobby and restaurant.

The highlighted gathering spaces include the bar

Lounge seating for up to 30 positioned closest to the stage is intentionally low-slung, so as not to obstruct the views for those further away.

A bridge that runs along the inner side of the translucent stone facade holds additional seating, overlooking the grand entry staircase through huge panes of glass.

Dining tables between leather chairs and banquettes — Jewel-toned fabrics and textured surfaces warm the interiors

The Metropolis restaurant is helmed by Swedish-Ethiopian chef Marcus Samuelsson, and serves an elevated, eclectic menu billed as “a love letter to New York City” to both performancegoers and the general public.

Beyond the host stand and the diagonal structural trusses that flank it, the layout is split down the middle, with soft seating arranged on either side of the central axis.

Wide view of Metropolis restaurant — Rockwell Group designed the restaurant and lobby to act as a “communal space” for Lower Manhattan

“The furniture is designed for flexibility and comfort, defined by several smaller areas with lots of seating variety, made up of banquettes and loose furniture and organised around a collection of vintage area rugs,” said Rockwell.

Glowing bands within sapele wood ribbons trace curved shapes across its ceiling, beckoning guests into the space and also highlighting key areas for gathering such as the bar with chandelier-like “nodes” overhead.

Jewel-toned upholstery pairs with rich walnut panelling for a warm and inviting feel, and the fabrics and other textured surfaces soften the polished concrete flooring.

A 70-seat outdoor terrace at the back of the building will also offer al fresco dining during the summer months, visible from the interior through a huge glass wall.

Outdoor dining terrace in front of marble building facade — There’s space for 70 al fresco diners on the outdoor terrace

There’s also a speakeasy-like private dining room for intimate gatherings of up to 16.

PAC NYC is one of the final pieces in the 16-acre World Trade Center redevelopment masterplan, joining skyscrapers by SOM, RSHP, and SANAA, the transit hub and a church by Santiago Calatrava, and a 9/11 Museum by Snøhetta.

Seating on outdoor terrace with New York skyscrapers in the background — Rockwell aimed to create “a celebratory, communal atmosphere” both inside and out

Celebrating its 40th anniversary next year, Rockwell Group has designed interiors for restaurants all over Manhattan, including Zaytinya, Katsuya, Casa Dani and Wayan.

The firm also worked on The Shed venue at Hudson Yards, which also hosts performances along with exhibitions and other events within a highly flexible space beneath a giant “telescoping” cover.

The photography is by Adrian Gaut.

Reference

Sustainable News

From steel waste to cement

By Zarkon Group,20/12/2023

Spotted: Concrete is the second most-consumed substance in the world behind only water, and this popularity comes from its remarkable characteristics as a building material, which include strength, durability, versatility, and economy. However, it comes at a heavy environmental cost, with UK company Cemfree highlighting that the ubiquitous material currently accounts for around 25 per cent of the UK’s ‘embodied carbon’ from construction – the carbon emissions associated with building materials and construction processes.

To tackle the climate impact of concrete, Cemfree uses a proprietary Alkali-Activated Cementitious Material (AACM) to completely replace Portland cement (OPC) in concrete mixes. Typically, OPC is used to bind together the other concrete ingredients, including sand and aggregates, and is the main component that determines the overall properties of concrete infrastructure.

However, despite its usefulness, OPC is incredibly energy-intensive to produce. To make OPC, limestone is heated to temperatures as high as 1,450 degrees Celsius in huge kilns, which results in around one kilogramme of CO2 being emitted for every kilogramme of cement.

Cemfree’s AACM binder activates ‘pozzolanic’ materials – materials that acquire cement-like characteristics through chemical reactions – such as Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) and Pulverised Fly Ash (PFA). Both of these substances are waste products, the former from steelmaking and the latter from coal-burning. The company’s binder reacts with GGBS to form a solid mass that is comparable to, and can therefore replace, OPC.

This technology forms the basis of three products: the company’s original Portland cement alternative, Cemfree Optima, as well as two follow-on products Cemfree Rapid and Cemfree Ultra. The company’s materials have already been used in a wide range of projects from a railway station to the Thames Tideway, with Cemfree’s staff working in collaboration with project experts to deliver a process that meets the project’s particular demands.

Concrete is a classic ‘hard-to-abate’ industry and Springwise’s library contains a range of innovations tackling concrete’s climate impact. These include electrified cement production, the use of AI to design out excess concrete, and an AI platform for optimising concrete recipes.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Reference

Jackson West Medical Center Doral Campus by Perkins&Will

Architecture

7 Formidable Sustainable Firms Dynamically Disrupting the Architectural Status Quo

By Zarkon Group,20/12/2023

The latest edition of “Architizer: The World’s Best Architecture” — a stunning, hardbound book celebrating the most inspiring contemporary architecture from around the globe — is now available. Order your copy today.

Sustainability has become something of a buzzword in the industry. It’s a term that’s gained momentum as the climate crisis has come to a head, yet its popularity has also diluted its meaning. In some instances, sustainability is employed as a marketing tool, reinforced by superficial practices with little environmental benefit. This kind of greenwashing can make it difficult to discern which firms are making genuine efforts to build a better future.

Recognized within the Best Sustainable Firm category at the 11^th A+Awards, the following practices are committed to instigating real change among architects and design professionals. From reducing waste and water consumption, embracing passive design strategies and utilizing reclaimed materials to considering the entire life cycle of a building and giving new life to our inherited structures, here are the sustainable firms disrupting the status quo in 2024 and beyond…

Perkins&Will

Jury Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Jackson West Medical Center Doral Campus by Perkins&Will Architect’s Office by Perkins&Will Firm Location: Chicago, Illinois (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Jackson West Medical Center Doral Campus, Doral, Florida ; Architect’s Office, Washington, DC

Perkins&Will has a long history of delivering design excellence. In more recent decades, the practice has also become a leading light in efforts to make the industry more environmentally conscious. Its ethos champions the integration of sustainable practices at each stage of the design process, incorporating non-toxic materials, energy-efficient systems and biophilic approaches. The team has even pledged to eliminate embodied carbon from every commercial interior space they design by 2030.

Encompassing a wide array of typologies, from sports stadiums to offices and laboratories, the firm’s body of work epitomizes its mission to create beautiful spaces that enrich the lives of users and the wider planet. Perkins&Will also advocates for equity across the built landscape. Lauded for its work in promoting social justice, the studio has a program that offers free architectural services to nonprofits, supporting affordable housing, childcare, healthcare and education initiatives.

SUP Atelier of THAD

Popular Choice Winner, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

History museum of Qifeng Village by SUP Atelier of THAD INBAR Pavillion by SUP Atelier of THAD Firm Location: Beijing, China

Pictured Projects: History museum of Qifeng Village, Anhui, China ; INBAR Pavillion, Yangzhou, China

Innovative firm SUP Atelier of THAD looks to regional materials and construction traditions to guide its sensitive approach to sustainability. The Beijing-based firm views each project through a highly contextual lens, ensuring its work invigorates both the natural environment and the surrounding community. Fusing state-of-the-art technology with the wisdom of vernacular architecture, the studio shapes new structures that harmonize with the local ecosystem and revives old structures by imparting fresh purpose.

Notable spaces in the team’s impressive portfolio include a remarkable exhibition hall in Yangzhou with an intricate bamboo frame inspired by the form of a fish, and a dilapidated building in a mountain village, restored with historic techniques and salvaged materials into a bustling public hub.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

Finalist, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Urban Sequoia by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) Wellesley College Science Complex by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) Firm Location: New York, New York (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Urban Sequoia, Concept ; Wellesley College Science Complex, Wellesley, Massachusetts

After becoming a carbon-neutral business in 2022, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has its sights set higher, aiming for all of its active projects to produce net zero operational carbon by 2030. The minds behind some of the world’s most environmentally advanced buildings, the practice’s holistic philosophy utilizes sustainable engineering principles to create spaces that prioritize social well-being and environmental health.

This commitment to overhauling the industry’s practices is seen across every scale of the firm’s work, from macro projects such as expansive masterplans to micro projects like furniture design. One of its most ambitious concepts to date is Urban Sequoia. The futuristic vision fuses high-rise buildings with the functionality of trees, imagining a skyline that can absorb carbon at unprecedented rates.

COOKFOX Architects

Finalist, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Terminal Warehouse by COOKFOX Architects CITY TOWER by COOKFOX Architects Firm Location: New York, New York

Pictured Projects: Terminal Warehouse, New York, New York ; CITY TOWER, New York, New York

New York-based practice COOKFOX Architecture sees itself as a steward of the world’s natural resources. The firm’s dynamic work across the urban landscape, from private homes and multi-unit housing to offices and retail spaces, reimagines the way spatial users interact with buildings and the organic environment. By drawing on biophilic architecture, its projects place people and nature in direct communion in even the most developed of cityscapes.

Dedicated to contextually responsive design in all its forms, the studio embarks on each brief with intensive research into a site’s cultural, historical and locational facets. The team engages with these different layers of identity, preserving the past and rearticulating it in a modern, regenerative design language.

EHDD

Finalist, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Lisa & Douglas Goldman Tennis Center (with HGA) by EHDD Millikan Laboratory and Andrew Science Hall at Pomona College by EHDD Firm Location: San Francisco, California (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Lisa & Douglas Goldman Tennis Center (with HGA), San Francisco, California ; Millikan Laboratory and Andrew Science Hall at Pomona College, Claremont, California

Since Joseph Esherick founded the firm in 1946, EHDD has been a pioneer of sustainable design, striving to reduce the impact its work has on the Earth. The practice’s Net Zero Energy concept was introduced more than fifteen years ago and it continues to advocate for a more environmentally conscious industry. A proponent of clean electricity, the studio is also endeavoring to reduce structure-based emissions, embracing alternatives including mass timber and ultra-low cement concrete, while undertaking its own research into new, cutting-edge solutions.

While the firm historically made a name for itself in residential and aquarium typologies, it also has expertise in designing libraries, science facilities, educational spaces, museums and zoos. Alongside its focus on sustainability, the team ensures its projects promote equity and inclusivity, shaping environments where users thrive.

Stantec

Special Mention, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

SUNY Upstate University Hospital Nappi Wellness Institute by Stantec The Charles Library at Temple University by Stantec Firm Location: Edmonton, Canada (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: SUNY Upstate University Hospital Nappi Wellness Institute, Syracuse, New York ; The Charles Library at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Comprising designers, engineers and project managers, Stantec is a research-led firm headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. The studio envisions a future where the organic and built spheres exist symbiotically, development is responsible, biodiversity is abundant and renewable energy is accessible to all. The firm’s aspirations for the future are articulated through its extensive catalog of work, ranging from residential, municipal, educational and commercial spaces to hospitality and infrastructure.

Stantec works closely with its clients to explore the potential of their projects, incorporating opportunities for carbon reduction and energy efficiency. The practice’s architectural toolkit champions passive and net zero design, in line with the LEED framework and WELL Building standards. By combining sustainable practices with creativity and a considerate, community-minded perspective, the firm’s projects help to elevate their users’ quality of life.

Lemay

Special Mention, 11^th Annual A+Awards, Best Sustainable Firm

Odea by Lemay Théâtre de Verdure by Lemay Firm Location: Montreal, Canada (Headquarters, with offices elsewhere)

Pictured Projects: Odea, Montreal, Canada ; Théâtre de Verdure, Montreal, Canada

Founded back in 1957, Lemay is an interdisciplinary practice driven by innovation. Its team of more than 400 architects, designers and industry experts work across a wide array of scales, covering masterplans, transportation and commercial briefs, as well as residential and office environments.

The firm’s work is rooted in its net positive philosophy, which strives to create sustainable, socially aware spaces that will continue to benefit future generations. This scalable approach seeks to harmonize the built world and the natural environment on three levels: neighborhoods, buildings and interiors. Present in each of these layers of Lemay’s work, practical design measures, responsibly sourced materials and state-of-the-art renewable technologies ensure the delivery of meaningful projects that benefit the planet.

Reference

Interior Design

Florencia Rissotti uses fabric as design element in Buenos Aires shop

By Zarkon Group,19/12/2023

Local architect Florencia Rissotti has converted a warehouse into a textile shop in Buenos Aires, using fabric dividers to organise the space.

To house a retail location for fabric shop Tienda Mayor, Rissotti integrated textiles in several ways, lining the store with samples, draping colourful patches over a staircase and using curtains to conceal and create space.

The interior is divided into two floors, with a mezzanine above used for storage and office space, and the store’s retail space and lounge areas below.

Cream-coloured curtains hang underneath the mezzanine and above to hide storage areas and create meeting spaces.

A fabric store in Argentina — A catalogue of fabric hanging from hooks lines the space

“The space was assembled using the raw material of the place: fabric,” said the studio. “A series of curtains divide, set up a meeting room, hide shelves with orders and cover the storage area.”

Along the length of a wall, large material samples are draped from hooks, which will “mutate” over time as the catalogue changes.

A person walking down stairs in a fabric shop — The space was organized and divided using creme coloured curtains

Similarly, fabric samples of various sizes were draped over the railings of a staircase that leads to the mezzanine, in part as a permanent installation and to display the shop’s selections.

“The ladder device was intended as an exhibition element, from which velvet falls and sews the two levels (the totem) together,” said the studio. “This ladder hanger is designed as an internal display window, where the selection/palette can be changed according to the season.”

Various creme tones dominate the space, with colour integrated from fabric samples and bright seating running in a straight line parallel to the fabric samples.

Alamo wood desks and large coffee tables were crafted for the space.

textiles draped over railings — A staircase installation displays a rotating selection of textiles

Outside, a garden area contains a semi-circle metal bench and simple plantings.

Florencia Rissotti is a Buenos Aires-based architect who focuses on interiors and residential architecture.

Elsewhere in Buenos Aires, La Base Studio recently created a delicate wooden privacy screen for a 1970s home renovation and architects Julio Oropel and Jose Luis Zacarias Otiñano created a bio-art installation focused on fungi.

The photography is by Fernando Schapochnik.

Reference

Sustainable News

The UK’s new biodiversity net gain rules explained

By Zarkon Group,19/12/2023

New planning legislation that aims to boost biodiversity in development projects will come into effect in England in January. Here, Dezeen explains what architects need to know.

What is biodiversity and why does it matter?

In this context, biodiversity usually refers to the variety of all species living within a certain area or ecosystem, including plants, animals, insects, bacteria and fungi.

Each species in an ecosystem has its own impact on the environment, affecting the availability of clean water and air, soil condition, pollination and other food sources and resources. Variety is necessary to keep all these elements in balance, maintaining a stable and resilient world for humans to survive in.

Many parts of the world are experiencing rapid biodiversity loss as a result of phenomena caused by human activities, such as pollution, climate change and habitat destruction. A Queen’s University Belfast study published earlier this year found that 48 per cent of the world’s animal species are experiencing population decline. The Worldwide Fund for Nature claims we are witnessing the sixth mass extinction event in the Earth’s history.

“We live in a time of mass extinction, where an alarming number of species are disappearing and where the impoverished ecology of the planet is having a detrimental effect, not only on our climate emergency, but also on pollination and in the production of food,” Adam Architecture director Hugh Petter told Dezeen. “It is a powder keg.”

Adam Architecture’s work includes Nansledan, an extension to the British city of Newquay that is being designed for the Duchy of Cornwall. The studio says it will surpass the new biodiversity net gain rules by adding “habitat ‘units’ of around 24 per cent and an increase in hedgerow ‘units’ of around 48 per cent”.

What are the new rules?

Construction can be a major cause of direct biodiversity loss, and the new planning rules for England aim to address that. They mandate that new developments deliver a “biodiversity net gain” – that is, a measurably positive impact on biodiversity compared to what existed before.

Specifically, the legislation requires developers to deliver a biodiversity net gain of 10 per cent. To calculate this, the UK government has produced a formula called the “statutory biodiversity metric” for counting what it terms “biodiversity units”, which are gained through work to create or improve natural habitats and lost through building.

As they strive to meet the 10 per cent requirement, developers must prioritise enhancing biodiversity on-site. If they cannot meet the threshold on the site being developed, they will be allowed also to make biodiversity gains on other plots of land, including by purchasing biodiversity units from other landowners.

As a last resort, they must buy “statutory biodiversity credits” from the government, which will use the money to invest in habitat creation. Biodiversity gains delivered must be maintained for a minimum of 30 years by whoever owns the land, bound by legal agreements.

Once planning permission is granted for a project, the developer must submit an evidenced biodiversity gain plan to the local planning authority (usually the council), which will approve it or refuse it. Development can only start once the biodiversity gain plan is approved. If the developer then fails to act in line with their biodiversity gain plan, the planning authority may take enforcement action.

Guidance on the new legislation, including a step-by-step guide to compliance, is available on the UK government’s website.

When do they come into effect?

The legislation was initially intended to come into effect for large developments of more than 10 dwellings in November, but that was pushed back to January 2024.

Smaller sites will also be subject to the new rules from April 2024, while major infrastructure projects will have to comply from late November 2025.

Some sites, such as small custom-built housing developments, will continue to be exempt.

What do architects and landscape architects need to know?

Architects and landscape architects will likely play a leadership role in ensuring that projects deliver on biodiversity requirements, working with ecologists and the authorities.

The most important thing, says Petter, is to understand the importance of biodiversity loss as an issue.

“The more architects can take a proper interest in the subject, the better placed they will be to work with the spirit of the new legislation and to think of imaginative ways that the minimum standards can be exceeded,” he said.

“It is crucial to engage with an ecologist as soon as possible,” added RSHP sustainability lead Michelle Sanchez. “It is also beneficial to evaluate the site as soon as you gain access.”

“This enables you to develop your designs based on the existing level of biodiversity, tailoring your strategy to local flora and fauna you particularly would like to support,” she said.

One thing to bear in mind is that the new rules aim to prioritise avoiding biodiversity loss in the first place.

“Avoiding biodiversity loss is the most effective way of reducing potential impacts, and it requires biodiversity to be considered at early design stages,” the guidance states.

To gain planning permission for a project that does cause biodiversity loss but proposes strategies to replace it, developers will need to explain, with evidence, why avoidance and minimisation is not possible.

Will this actually help to boost biodiversity?

The rules will mark the first time biodiversity enhancement has been a planning condition in England. According to University of Oxford researcher Sophus zu Ermgassen, it represents “one of the world’s most ambitious biodiversity policies”, but the exact impact is not yet certain.

But Sanchez is broadly optimistic. “Developers were not inclined to consider biodiversity enhancement in the past,” she told Dezeen.

“Only on projects attaining sustainability certificates such as BREEAM would biodiversity targets be discussed. Even then, it would sometimes more regarded as a tick-box exercise rather than an opportunity to make the building better and more appealing and to reduce the environmental impact that architectural projects have on the planet.”

However, she has warned in an opinion piece for Dezeen that a 10 per cent net gain on its own “is not enough to be able to reduce the negative impact that our way of life has had on biodiversity”.

The photo is by Free Steph via Unsplash.

Reference

Sustainable News

Sustainable footprints: from ocean plastic to chic shoes

By Zarkon Group,19/12/2023

Spotted: The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) brings together more than 400 member organisations to build a circular economy and replace single-use plastics. With time running out for us to make the necessary changes to our damaging reliance on plastics, advocates for change continue to emphasise the multi-faceted approach needed to build a solution. Organisations in every sector must work creatively and quickly to reduce their use of virgin, and any, plastic.

In Australia, fashion brand Aciae works to the Circle to Zero principle that strives to eliminate waste from every step of its production processes and contribute to the overall reduction of global plastic pollution. The company’s name is Latin for thread and refers to its practice of turning single-use plastic waste into the thread that’s used to create its machine-washable, waterproof, recyclable shoes. Gathered plastics are cleaned, shredded, and then melted down for extrusion. The extruded fibres are then spun into thread, completing the transformation of trash into fabric.

Aciae works with a number of organisations to source its plastic-based threads, including Repreve Our Ocean, for a line of designs that uses ocean-bound plastics. Aciae’s shoes come in a range of styles and colours, all of which are machine-washable and fully recyclable at the end of their life. That circularity helps Aciae close its production loop and make strides towards its goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030.

As well as providing the fashion industry with an example of ways of working that reduce waste, Aciae also turns a global scourge into something useful while lessening reliance on virgin materials. The brand highlights design for durability, repair, and disassembly by making recycling at a product’s end-of-life an integral part of the initial creation of each pair of shoes. As part of the Australian Fashion Council, Aciae is helping guide the Council’s Seamless Stewardship programme, which seeks to reduce the country’s volume of clothing waste.

Springwise’s library also showcases other methods of using recycled plastics for new products such as home construction materials and eyewear.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

white cladding envelops la musette gabled village hut in canadian hillside

Architecture

white cladding envelops la musette gabled village hut in canada

By Zarkon Group,19/12/2023

Nicolas Côté and Kevlar Habitation set up La Musette in Quebec

La Musette, a collaborative project between Nicolas Côté and Kevlar Habitation, rises as a response to the increasing interest in outdoor living in Canada, especially with the rise of telecommuting. Departing from conventional territorial expansion, their approach advocates for reinvesting in villages instead of encroaching on natural landscapes. The project, initially conceived by Nicolas and his partner Sophie, aligns with sustainability and environmental responsibility, integrating seamlessly with the aesthetic of Notre-Dame-de-Ham village. Situated in the Appalachian hills, the residential project respects the village’s identity while showcasing innovation and sustainability in land development, reflecting Quebec’s capabilities.

all images courtesy of Nicolas Côté

La Musette Bridges Tradition and Innovation in Compact Design

The house, while contemporary, maintains a connection to traditional architecture with simple forms, pitched roofs, and white cladding. La Musette prioritizes compact, intelligent design to optimize space without sacrificing functionality or comfort. Versatile in its use, the house accommodates telecommuting, family gatherings, and daily living. The design incorporates cost-effective materials like plywood, ensuring warmth and authenticity within an accessible budget framework. Nicolas Côté, along with Kevlar Habitation, proposes La Musette as an invitation to enhance villages, emphasizing harmony with nature. Beyond being a residence, La Musette embodies a philosophy promoting sustainable development and encouraging reflection on spatial inhabitation for the future of small communities.

La Musette responds to the growing interest in outdoor living and telecommuting in Canada

the project advocates for reinvesting in villages instead of encroaching on natural landscapes

La Musette seamlessly integrates with the aesthetic of Notre-Dame-de-Ham village in the Appalachian hills

Reference

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