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biri optimizes apartment's layout in oscar niemeyer's jk building in brazil
CategoriesArchitecture

oscar niemeyer’s jk building undergoes semi-duplex apartment renovation

By Zarkon Group,

BIRI Revitalizes Oscar Niemeyer’s JK Housing Complex

 

BIRI Arquitetura takes over the semi-duplex renovation of the Governador Juscelino Kubitschek housing complex in Brazil. The complex, originally designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer in 1951, comprises a ground-floor commercial area and two prominent residential towers, adding character to the Belo Horizonte skyline, offering a total of 1086 apartments. In 2022, the JK building received recognition from the Cultural Heritage Council of Belo Horizonte, solidifying its historic significance. The project revolves around the semi-duplex of block B, one of the 13 distinct typologies of JK apartments. This typology, initially conceived by Niemeyer for the Quitandinha hotel in Petrópolis and later adapted to Minas Gerais’ capital, employs the ‘section planning’ technique, an approach dating back to the 19th century. This strategy not only optimizes spatial arrangements but also enhances privacy, thermal comfort, and natural ventilation by minimizing collective circulation.

biri optimizes apartment's layout in oscar niemeyer's jk building in brazil
all images by Jomar Bragança

 

 

restoring Spatial Horizontality through versatile furniture

 

The renovation proposes an enhancement of the apartment’s east facade, transforming it into a balcony/garden area, and replacing a section of the natural wooden parquet floor with hydraulic tiles to facilitate plant care. The kitchen floor is similarly updated to combat humidity issues. Adjacent to the hydraulic plumbing, the intervention reinforces spatial horizontality through multifunctional furniture design. This piece serves as a versatile storage unit, alternately functioning as a shelf, archive, office, cabinet, wet bench, oven, pantry, and wine cellar, maintaining unity in materiality and proportions. The design team ensures cohesion by fenestrating the dividing wall of the stairs with an oval shape, fashioned from weathering steel.

 

On the upper half-level, a headboard/gallery is crafted using marine plywood, and the existing joinery is revitalized. Additionally, the original concrete structure is exposed to create a contrast against the masonry’s thickness and tone. The revealing of support infrastructure is intentionally carried through the apartment renovation.

biri optimizes apartment's layout in oscar niemeyer's jk building in brazil
the kitchen floor is coated with hydraulic tiles to combat humidity issues

biri optimizes apartment's layout in oscar niemeyer's jk building in brazil
the original concrete structure is exposed to create a contrast against the masonry’s thickness and tones

biri optimizes apartment's layout in oscar niemeyer's jk building in brazil
the versatile furniture functions as a shelf, archive, and office

Reference

Covered pergolas of Park Lane house
CategoriesInterior Design

PW Architecture Office brings “a little excitement” into mid-century house

By Zarkon Group,

Australian firm PW Architecture Office has revived the fortunes of this mid-century house in Orange, New South Wales, with a sensitive renovation that respects the original building while taking design cues from its material palette.

Park Lane house was originally designed by noted Australian architect Neville Gruzman for the 1962 Carlingford Home Fair before being built in 1964 by construction company Kell & Rigby – known for its work on Sydney’s landmark Grace Building.

Covered pergolas of Park Lane house
PW Architecture Office has renovated a 1960s house by Neville Gruzman

When Paddy Williams, founder of PW Architecture Office, discovered that the house was on the market in 2022, the team went to take a look out of architectural curiosity.

The studio was immediately seduced by the sense of flow between the indoor and outdoor spaces of the 1964 house and the quality of the design, construction and materials, despite the fact that it had been through several unsympathetic renovations.

Covered pergola and seats of house in Orange, New South Wales, by PW Architecture Office
Pergolas frame the entrance to the house

“We loved the sense of arrival created by the pergolas and colonnade that lead you past the garden and pond into the entrance hall,” Williams said.

“Pavilion-style wings separate the shared spaces from the private and we loved the way the pergolas wrap around the house and terraces, framing different spaces in the garden.”

Living room of Park Lane house
The home’s original Oregon timber beams were exposed

The practice ended up buying and renovating the house as a short-term rental for other modernist architecture lovers.

“We felt a real sense of responsibility to do the project justice and retain the elements of the plan and materials as they were intended,” Williams said.

“We wanted to bring a little excitement back into this mid-century marvel, as it would have had when it was first built.”

Living room of house in Orange, New South Wales, by PW Architecture Office
A double-sided fireplace divides the living and dining areas

Feeling that the floorplan still worked successfully, PW Architecture Office (PWAO) left it unchanged and set out to revive and celebrate the house’s original character while bringing it up to 21st-century living standards.

“We’ve designed it to be a modern take on the mid-century aesthetic, with an immediate sense of relaxation and peace through a refined palette and connection between house and gardens,” Williams told Dezeen.

Hallway of Park Lane house
Textural wood wool panels clad the walls in the living room

Removing the worn-out carpets revealed the home’s original Australian cypress floorboards, which were sanded and polished to freshen them up.

Elsewhere, PWAO replaced vinyl flooring with “durable and low-maintenance” micro-cement in the smaller living room, kitchen and some bathrooms.

In the main living room, false ceilings were taken out to expose the original Oregon timber beams, now infilled with hardwood timber and tiled bulkheads.

“When we pulled down the badly damaged plasterboard, the beams were in such great condition and had a beautiful texture so we decided to keep them on show,” Williams said.

“This also allowed us to increase the height of the ceiling and play with the scale and rhythm of the beams.”

Dining area of Park Lane house
Micro-cement was used to finish some of the floors

In the panelled entrance hall, the original native blackbean timber needed only a little care to restore its rich varied tones, also seen on the doors throughout the house.

Elsewhere PWAO used acacia as a feature timber for panelling and detailing across headboards, stair treads and integrated shelving.

“We’ve used these acacia elements in a playful pattern,” the studio said. “They’re in an ongoing conversation with the original blackbean timber used around the house.”

Kitchen of house in Orange, New South Wales, by PW Architecture Office
Terracotta tiles nod to the home’s original material palette

In the larger living space, a double-sided fireplace helps to zone the living and dining areas, while the walls were clad in textural wood wool panels – a composite made from recycled timber fibres.

“It is actually a thermal and acoustic panel, typically used for ceilings,” Williams said. “We thought it was a fabulous opportunity to provide texture on the walls.”

Bedroom of Park Lane house
Similar warm terracotta tones also feature in the bedroom

Throughout the house, terracotta tiles add to the sense of warm earthiness established through the material palette.

“The mosaic tiles were influenced by the original terracotta tiles in the entrance foyer,” the architect explained. “The smaller grids we’ve used are in contrast to the larger original terrace tiles, as well as the grid of the house itself, creating a play on scale.”

When the wiring was replaced, PWAO also had the opportunity to integrate the house with smart home technology, allowing the lights, heating, fans and irrigation to be controlled via an app, balancing modernist aesthetics with modern convenience.

Bathroom of house in Orange, New South Wales, by PW Architecture Office
The bathroom was designed to match

Dezeen recently rounded up eight other mid-century home renovations that marry period and contemporary details.

Among them was another 1960s Australian house with interiors updated by local studio Design Theory for a young client and her dog.

The photography is by Monique Lovick.

Reference

Smart parking solutions - Springwise
CategoriesSustainable News

Smart parking solutions – Springwise

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: By 2050, the proportion of the global population living in urban areas is expected to reach 68 per cent, creating a further 2.5 billion city-dwellers compared to today’s number.  

To accommodate this growing population, while also improving sustainability and quality of life, there is growing interest in the concept of smart cities. One company that is improving urban life today is Eleven-X, which has created eXactpark, a smart parking solution.  

Using a specially designed wireless sensor, eXactpark collects real-time data on parking space occupancy in indoor or outdoor structures and tracks when spaces are filled or vacated. This information can then be used in a variety of ways. For example, drivers can use the Space Guidance app to find available parking.  

The data can also be integrated into back-office parking management applications to enable better decisions, including dynamic pricing and optimisation of infrastructure planning. The platform can deliver a customised dashboard that monitors factors such as turnover, zone counts, demand over time, pinch points, average parking duration, and other indicators.  

Eleven-X’s sensors are wireless, cost-effective, and designed to last more than 10 years. They also require almost zero maintenance. This means that the total cost of ownership for the sensors is low compared to other solutions. 

The startup is a graduate of Canada’s Accelerator Centre and has completed a pre-seed financing round.

Making cities more efficient is crucial for minimising their carbon footprint and improving the lives of inhabitants. In the archive, Springwise has also spotted a smart urban planning platform and the use of the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve traffic flow.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Row of wooden buildings with off-set gabled roofs
CategoriesArchitecture

Electric Bowery arranges steel and wood cabins for Hudson Valley hotel

By Zarkon Group,

California studio Electric Bowery has arrayed a series of wood or Corten steel-clad cabins in Upstate New York that are nestled among meadows and woodland.

Electric Bowery was responsible for the architectural design of Wildflower Farms, a rural retreat in the Hudson Valley operated by the Auberge Resorts group, while interiors were completed by New York studio Ward + Gray.

Row of wooden buildings with off-set gabled roofs
The buildings at Wildflower Farms are based on vernacular farmhouses and barns, but with modern European influences

Intended as an escape for reconnecting with nature, the site of the former Rosedale tree farm was transformed into a luxury getaway with hiking trails and a working farm with produce and animals.

The masterplan for the 140-acre site revolves around a central meadow, through which the winding paths connect various clusters of guest cabins with the communal buildings.

Restaurant dining room with high ceiling, exposed beams and warm colour palette
Interiors for the resort were completed by Ward + Gray, which chose a warm and textured palette for spaces including the restaurant

Views of the Shawangunk Ridge are framed through the Great Porch, a covered open-air lounge organised around a central fire pit.

To one side is the resort’s restaurant, Clay which uses many ingredients grown or produced on-site.

Framed pressed botanicals hang on a wall above earth-toned furniture
In the shop, curated by Gardenheir, pressed botanicals are framed on a wall above earth-toned furniture

The dining room interior features warm, textural earth tones, wood-framed furniture and large indoor trees, while outdoor tables overlook the meadow and mountains beyond.

The other side of the Great Porch houses the reception area and a store curated by Gardenheir that sells a variety of garden-themed products.

Indoor swimming pool with exposed timber trusses and slate floors
The indoor swimming pool sits below exposed timber trusses and features slate floors

The Thistle spa and an indoor pool are accessed beyond, decorated in a palette of buffed biscuit, mottled green and slate grey that complement the exposed beams.

Together, this row of large, timber-clad gabled structures anchors the resort, while the various guest accommodations are spread out around it.

Cottages with reclaimed oak cladding and offset gabled roofs
Guest cottages also feature offset gabled roofs, and are clad in reclaimed oak

“With a more modern take on the vernacular building typologies of farmhouse and barn, inspired by modern European architects such as Peter Zumthor, the buildings were designed to frame the surrounding mountains, nestled harmoniously into the site,” said the studio.

Other amenities across the resort include an outdoor swimming pool and lounge area and a building dedicated to fitness that houses a gym and a yoga studio facing a pond.

Guest bedroom with earthy colour palette
The guest bedrooms are cosy yet modern, with a colour palette borrowed from the natural surroundings

For the design of the 65 cabins and cottages, Electric Bowery co-founders Cayley Lambur and Lucia Bartholomew looked to several references including the lifestyle of their native state, and architects like Mickey Muennig.

“It was particularly important to convey the indoor-outdoor living experience that was borrowed from and inspired by west coast Californian architecture, using tall storefront glass in several locations with naturally weathered and repurposed wood-clad ceilings and fin walls visually extending from the interior to exterior,” said the architecture studio.

Guest room lounge with sliding glass doors that open onto porch
Sliding glass doors open the guest rooms to private porches

The oak-clad Ridge and Meadow cottages all have an offset gabled form, while the double-gable structures house the two-bedroom suites.

Sliding glass doors open onto private porches, which are each angled to block views from their neighbours.

Cabin clad in Corten steel surrounded by trees
Nestled into the trees, the Bower Cabins are clad in weathering steel

Interiors are bright and modern, with bold colours borrowed from the natural surroundings and custom furniture paired with locally sourced antiques.

Tucked beneath the tree canopy, the Bower Cabins are a similar shape to the cottages, but clad in weathering steel.

These smaller rooms feature a darker, more intimate palette of dark blue walls and patterned textiles, and details including woven cabinet doors.

“The overall palette of the project is composed of an abundance of natural materials – stacked stone, slate, weathered wood finishes, naturally oxidized Corten steel, to name a few – that blend seamlessly with the landscape and provide warmth through texture and lack of uniformity, but also conform to the modern architectural lines of the buildings,” said the studio.

Bedroom interior with dark blue walls, woven cabinet fronts and patterned textiles
The smaller cabin interiors feature dark blue walls, woven cabinet fronts and patterned textiles

Lambur and Bartholomew founded Electric Bowery in 2013 after working together at Frank Gehry’s office, and now has offices in Los Angeles, Big Sur and New York City.

Their earlier projects include a house in Venice Beach with an off-centre pitched roof, which bears a resemblance to the cabins at Wildflower Farms.

Chairs surrounding a fire pit with cabins and mountain ridge in the distance
Wildflower Farms occupies a 140-acre site and offers a rural escape 90 minutes from New York City

The Hudson Valley is a popular getaway destination for city dwellers craving a dose of nature, and its popularity increased further during the pandemic, when many New York City relocated there temporarily or permanently.

Among the myriad places to stay in the area are the boutique Hotel Kinsley in Kingston, and Troutbeck, a renovated English-style country house.

The photography is courtesy of Wildflower Farms.

Reference

Kitchen inside Low Energy House designed by Architecture for London
CategoriesInterior Design

Eight textural kitchens that combine stone and wood surfaces

By Zarkon Group,

For this lookbook, we’ve collected eight kitchen interiors that marry the natural textures of wood and stone to create visual interest while remaining practical.

Stone is a hardwearing and durable material, making it a popular choice for kitchen worktops, while wood adds a sense of warmth to interior spaces when applied to walls, floors or kitchen cabinets.

In these kitchens, the natural grain of wood is complemented by striking stone surfaces, including cool-toned limestone, travertine, and a range of dramatically veined marble.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring mid-century home renovations, interiors centred around dining tables and spaces finished in reclaimed materials.

Kitchen inside Low Energy House designed by Architecture for London
Photo by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian Brailey

Muswell Hill house, UK, by Architecture for London

English studio Architecture for London renovated and extended this Edwardian home in London using natural materials in a bid to keep embodied emissions to a minimum.

In the kitchen, cabinets were lined with oak wood while pale grey limestone was used for the floors, worktops, prep counter and a chunky window seat.

The studio also exposed the original timber roof beams and complemented the minimal material palette with lime plaster on the walls, forming an airtight layer to mitigate heat loss.

Find out more about the Muswell Hill house ›

Wood-lined kitchen interior with a marble island by DAB Studio
Photo by Daniëlle Siobhán

Zwaag family home, Netherlands, by DAB Studio

For the kitchen renovation of this home in Zwaag, the Netherlands, Dutch interiors practice DAB Studio covered the walls and cabinets in Afromosia wood, and the floors and ceilings in smoked black-oiled oak.

The Afromosia wood was quarter-sawn to reveal a decorative grain pattern and add a sense of playfulness to the space, while an Arebescato Orobico marble kitchen island acts as the room’s centrepiece.

Find out more about Zwaag family home ›

Travertine stone kitchen island and backsplash with oak cabinets
Photo by David Dworkind

1980s Quebec home, Canada, by Ménard Dworkind

A sculptural travertine island sits at the centre of the kitchen in this 1980s home in Quebec, which was renovated by Canadian architecture studio Ménard Dworkind.

The studio also used a travertine slab to create a sliding backsplash, inserted into the warm oak cabinetry to conceal additional storage space.

Find out more about the 1980s Quebec home ›

Kitchen in Twentieth house by Woods and Dangaran
Photo by Joe Fletcher

Twentieth, USA, by Woods + Dangaran

For this kitchen in a Santa Monica home, Los Angeles studio Woods +Dangaran used a dark grey marble with bold white veining to form the island worktop and the surrounds of a recessed space in the wall units.

White oak lines the floors, while a darker shade of walnut was used for wall panelling, cupboards and the sides of the island.

Find out more about Twentieth ›

Palm Beach house in Sydney by YSG with stone kitchen island

Sydney Palm Beach house, Australia, by YSG

Informed by the rustic beach clubs of Ibiza and Cancun, Australian interiors studio YSG overhauled a holiday home in Palm Beach, Sydney, with a mix of sunny colours and textures.

In the kitchen, the studio sanded down the wooden floorboards to achieve a warmer tone and added an island made from two types of stone – Giallo Siena marble and travertine – to recall “the ombre shades of a freshly poured tequila sunrise”.

Find out more about the Sydney Palm Beach house ›

Minimal interiors of forest retreat designed by Norm Architects
Photo by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects

Forest cabin, Sweden, by Norm Architects

Danish studio Norm Architects kept the material palette minimal and rustic for this holiday cabin in a Swedish forest.

Handleless kitchen cupboards are finished in oak to match the floors, complemented by a stone worktop that extends up into a short backsplash.

Find out more about the forest cabin ›

Brooklyn Loft by Dean Works
Photo by Daniel Salemi

Brooklyn Loft, USA, by Dean Works

White marble with grey-and-blue veining provides an eye-catching worktop, backsplash and shelving in the kitchen of Brooklyn Loft, an apartment designed by local studio Dean Works.

Surrounding the marble is a large Baltic birch plywood storage unit that doubles as a room divider to separate the kitchen from the bedroom. A dark stone kitchen island was added to contrast the otherwise light-toned interior.

Find out more about Brooklyn Loft ›

Sunderland Road house in London by 2LG
Photo by Megan Taylor

Forest Hill house, UK, by 2LG Studio

Playful pastel colours characterise the interior of this Edwardian home in London, which was renovated by 2LG Studio.

The local firm aimed to balance Italian influences – in the form of the marble backsplash and kitchen island – with Scandinavian design elements such as the arched cabinets and grooved wood siding.

Find out more about the Forest Hill house ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring mid-century home renovations, interiors centred around dining tables and spaces featuring reclaimed materials.

Reference

Predicting supply chain risks with AI
CategoriesSustainable News

Predicting supply chain risks with AI

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Supply chain disruption is a huge cost for organisations around the world. In fact, one 2022 survey of more than 1,500 global supply chain leaders found that the average annual cost of supply chain disruptions to each organisation was $182 million. And within this, ESG-related disruptions alone cost companies, on average, $35 million (around €32.2 million) per year.  

The financial driver of disruption costs, combined with regulatory initiatives such as the German Supply Chain Act, is pushing companies to have better visibility along their supply chains. However, these supply chains are more complex than ever, which makes achieving visibility difficult. This is the challenge that Austrian startup Prewave hopes to address. 

The Vienna-based company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered platform that enables brands to keep tabs on their suppliers by analysing millions of data sources from across the internet and social media. This analysis generates alerts when relevant issues with a supplier are detected – from disruptive events, such as storms and earthquakes, to cybersecurity breaches, and reputationally damaging CSR incidents. 

But what makes the Prewave platform particularly valuable for brands is the fact that its AI is predictive, which means it can forecast risk events before they happen. For example, the company claims that its technology was able to predict seaport strikes in Indonesia 18 days in advance.  

If a risk alert is received, the company can contact the supplier directly through the Prewave platform to ask for further information and to collaborate on resolving the issue. Employees can also assign the alerts to their colleagues.  

In May, Prewave received €18 million in a series A+ funding round, and the startup has already secured prestigious customers including Audi, ABInBev, and KTM.

As supply chains become increasingly complex, it’s more important than ever for companies to optimise them. In the archive, Springwise has also spotted a decarbonisation platform and the use of blockchain to enable supply chain transparency.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Reference

Taiga by Park + Associates
CategoriesArchitecture

A Table With a View: 7 Ways Architects Are Upselling Restaurant Design

By Zarkon Group,

Architizer is thrilled to announce the winners of the 11th Annual A+Awards! Interested in participating next season? Sign up for key information about the 12th Annual A+Awards, set to launch this fall.

As the chef’s adage goes, you eat with your eyes first. Beyond the confines of the plate, a restaurant’s spatial character is the vital ingredient that underlies every meal. While crispy basil leaves and elegant reels of tagliatelle can conjure up fields of sun-dappled groves beneath a Tuscan sun, so too can the undulating curves of a vaulted ceiling or carefully articulated patterns of light.

The unique power of architecture in the hospitality sphere is something the architects of these winning restaurants from the 11th A+Awards know well. From pioneering approaches to sustainability to striking cultural invocations and immersive visual storytelling, each offers an extraordinary new riff on traditional restaurant typologies. Add one part impeccable spatial planning to one part design innovation and mix well — here are seven ways architects are revolutionizing the eatery.

1. Evoking Distant Terrains

Taiga by Park + Associates, Singapore

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Restaurants (S <1000 sq ft)

Taiga by Park + Associates Taiga by Park + AssociatesWhile it may be nestled amid the bustling cityscape of Singapore, this astonishing Japanese restaurant channels the topography of the chef’s native Kochi Prefecture, over 3,000 miles away. A diptych relief painting of a tumultuous rock formation conceals the eatery’s entrance. Stepping through the parted canvas is like stepping into the mountain itself — diners negotiate twists and turns as they navigate the architectural ‘foothills.’

The cocooning, cave-like dining space is texturally rich and immersive. Rugged split-face granite is emboldened by downlighting, while the backlit saké bar is flanked by a glowing onyx rock formation articulated in a graphic 3D surface design. Throughout, metallic finishes glisten as though the restaurant were hollowed out from a mineral vein.

2. Revising the Vernacular

Shanshui Firewood Garden by Mix Architecture, Yibin, China

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Sustainable Hospitality Building

Shanshui Firewood Garden by Mix Architecture Shanshui Firewood Garden by Mix ArchitectureThis extraordinary restaurant in rural Sichuan province takes inspiration from the region’s architectural vernacular. Traditional low, far-reaching eaves offer ventilation and shelter from the elements, while a central courtyard pool blurs the boundary between organic and built landscapes. Curved lines define the interior dining space, which is dissected into more intimate zones, each offering a glimpse of a different rural outlook.

The structure itself comprises red sandstone blocks from the mountains of Sichuan, hewn into usual fish scales, while firewood, the backbone of the area’s agricultural life, is entwined throughout the design. One of its most powerful iterations is the hanging curtain of suspended timber blocks, which encases the structure in a magnificent porous skin. These familiar local materials are skillfully reimagined in unfamiliar ways.

3. Experimenting With Timber Tectonics

Prime Seafood Palace by Omar Gandhi Architects, Toronto, Canada

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Restaurants (L >1000 sq ft)

Prime Seafood Palace by Omar Gandhi Architects Prime Seafood Palace by Omar Gandhi ArchitectsBold in its monochrome execution, this Toronto restaurant was conceived as a mesmerizing timber cathedral. Rather than being shaped by the transient whims of interior trends, the architects opted for an evolving natural material palette that would patina and shift with the passage of time.

Enveloping slats line the vaulted barrel ceiling, extending down over the apertures across one aspect of the dining zone. The effect is a soft diffusion of natural light. Wood here is employed as a protective layer from the city outside — it softens the visual and acoustic experience, carving out an ethereal space at arm’s reach from the hustle and bustle.

4. Celebrating Salvage

Project Big Top by Multitude of Sins, Bangalore, India

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Sustainable Interior Project

Project Big Top by Multitude of Sins Project Big Top by Multitude of SinsWhile many in the industry pay lip service to sustainability, this whimsical restaurant in Bangalore is a true celebration of reuse. 90% of its material fabric comprises recycled and salvaged elements, resulting in a playful, architectural patchwork of curios. Inspired by the spectacle of the circus, the entrance is framed by a ripple of teal arches crafted from scrap metal, while chandeliers shaped from bike chains and metal filings hang overhead.

In the main two-story dining area, a wall of discarded electronics, fixtures and furnishings forms an elaborate collage of waste. The result of this magnificent mismatched interior is two-fold. On the one hand, the fantastical space is an artistic hub of escapism, yet on the other, it subtly reinforces a powerful environmental message.

5. Honoring the Rural Landscape

Steirereck am Pogusch by PPAG architects, Turnau, Austria

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Restaurants (L >1000 sq ft)
Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Sustainable Hospitality Building

Steirereck am Pogusch by PPAG architects Steirereck am Pogusch by PPAG architectsSequestered in the Austrian Alps, this pioneering restaurant complex is rooted in its rural mountain locale. The various buildings, some old, some new, form a self-sufficient culinary village that encompasses dining areas, prep kitchens, staff zones, guest accommodation and a kitchen garden. Across the estate, the verdant landscape is never far from view. In one of the restaurants, swaths of glazing encircle the space. Slatted timber dividers create permeable divisions between tables, ensuring the breathtaking outlook takes center stage.

One of the complex’s newer interventions is a pioneering glass structure — a hybrid greenhouse and living space. Ingeniously, the atmosphere symbiotically supports residents and plant life. The structure is stepped into the incline of the hillside, respectful of the rhythms of the existing terrain.

6. Fusing Nostalgia and Futurism

Super Paradise Beach Club by Omniview Design, Mykonos, Greece

Popular Choice Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Popular Choice Winner

Super Paradise beach club by Omniview Design Super Paradise beach club by Omniview DesignThe artful revival of this historic beach bar on the Greek island of Mykonos has resulted in a fascinating collision of architectural languages. The unembellished whitewashed walls and rustic, traditional materials including wood and bamboo hark back to the Cycladic vernacular. Historic emblems play out across the scheme — hollows inset into the walls create display nooks around the bar and entryway.

However, the handling of these elements is strikingly futuristic. Complex, curvilinear geometries orchestrated by state-of-the-art technology result in flowing lines that appear otherworldly. The project reads as a fusion of timelines, merging to create an enigmatic space that defies categorization.

7. Architecturalizing Nature

Ling Ling by Sordo Madaleno, Mexico City, Mexico

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Restaurants (S <1000 sq ft)

Ling Ling by Sordo Madaleno Ling Ling by Sordo MadalenoPoised at the top of one of Mexico City’s highest skyscrapers, this extraordinary restaurant subverts expectations. Floating over the city, a flourishing garden unfurls, taking its design cues from the terraces and courtyards prevalent in Mexican architecture. In the triple-height dining zone, a lofty portico structure intertwined with greenery creates a biophilic cathedral of sorts.

In the inner bar and salon, the spatial proportions contract. An innovative vaulted timber framework hangs above patrons. Crafted using intricate stereotomy techniques, the layers of wood ebb and flow in undulations. Trunk-like columns rise to form a canopy overhead, as though, inexplicably, an architectural forest had taken root on the 56th floor.

Architizer is thrilled to announce the winners of the 11th Annual A+Awards! Interested in participating next season? Sign up for key information about the 12th Annual A+Awards, set to launch this fall.

Reference

National Black Theatre
CategoriesInterior Design

Five key projects by interior designer and Dezeen Awards judge Little Wing Lee

By Zarkon Group,

Interior designer Little Wing Lee has joined Dezeen Awards 2023 as a judge. Here, she selects five projects that best reflect her work.

Lee’s interior design practice Studio & Projects creates spaces and products for cultural, commercial and residential clients, taking a “narrative approach to design”

“My designs are always informed by context, location and function,” Lee told Dezeen. “I always think about the project’s story and connect that to the design decisions I make.”

Lee is also the founder of Black Folks in Design, an organisation which raises awareness and promotes the culture and importance of Black designers. She was named the first winner of the Female Design Council and NicoleHollis Grant recognising women of colour-led interior design firms located in the US.

“The grant was an investment in my talent and skill and helped me sustain my momentum to build and invest in future projects,” said Lee.

Lee is currently working on a collection with Mexican rug brand Odabashian and the launch of a new lighting collection as well as several museum and restaurant projects.

Lee among Dezeen Awards 2023 judges

Dezeen Awards 2023, in partnership with Bentley Motors, is closed for entries. The longlists will be published on Dezeen in two weeks.

Other judges joining Lee this year include architects Jason Long and Zhu Pei, interior designers Diana Radomysler, Colin King and Martin Brudnizki, and designers Yves Béhar, Ineke Hans and Lani Adeoye.

Read on to find Lee’s views on the five projects that best represent her work:

National Black Theatre

National Black Theatre

“National Black Theatre is a unique project as it combines public, performance, and residential spaces.

“It is a historic major capital redevelopment project that will transform the current property into a 21st-century destination for Black culture through theatre.

“This project will anchor and recapitalise the institution with a 250-seat flexible temple space and a 99-seat studio theatre.

“As part of the same project, the developer Ray is also working on National Black Theatre Way, a building on 2033 5th Ave which will house residential, event and retail spaces.”

OKRA

OKRA for Odabashian

“OKRA was the first design by Studio & Projects from our upcoming rug collection with manufacturer Odabashian.

“The collection will be carried by Verso with additional designs exhibited this summer in their Bridgehampton gallery.”

Ace Hotel Toronto by Little Wing Lee

Ace Hotel Toronto

“Ace Hotel Toronto opened in July 2022 and is the brand’s first location in Canada.

“The 123-room hotel was designed by revered Toronto firm Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, led by Brigitte Shim and Howard Sutcliffe, in collaboration with Atelier Ace with me as the Atelier Ace/Ace Hotel Group present design director.”

Black Folks Design by Little Wing Lee

Black Folks in Design

“Black Folks in Design (BFiD) is a network that connects Black designers within and across disciplines to support each other and share professional opportunities.

“We help people understand the excellence, contributions and importance of black designers to create economic and portfolio-building opportunities for Black designers.”

National Museum of African American History and Culture exhibitions

“The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history and culture.

“The museum helps all Americans see how their story, their history, and culture are shaped and informed by global influences. It explores what it means to be an American and shares how values like resiliency, optimism and spirituality are reflected in African American history and culture.”

Dezeen Awards 2023

Dezeen Awards celebrates the world’s best architecture, interiors and design. Now in its sixth year, it has become the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent.

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Photo of two editions of the Fairphone 5, one in a blue colour, one transparent, being touched together like clinking glasses against a background of green foliage
CategoriesSustainable News

Fairphone 5 smartphone launches with “fairest battery yet”

By Zarkon Group,

Tech company Fairphone has worked with Swedish design agency Above to produce the latest version of its ethical smartphone, with a focus on reducing the environmental and social impacts of battery metal mining.

The Dutch social enterprise, which has been making its modular, repairable smartphone since 2013, said the Fairphone 5 has its “fairest battery yet” and the fairest on the market right now based on available industry data.

The company used recycled steel, nickel alloy, tin and plastic in the battery and aimed to improve the conditions of workers in its supply chain for other key metals such as lithium, gold and cobalt.

Photo of two editions of the Fairphone 5, one in a blue colour, one transparent, being touched together like clinking glasses against a background of green foliage
The Fairphone 5 is the latest version of Fairphone’s modular, ethical smartphone

Its initiatives included sourcing the lithium from a mine that was one of the first to be audited against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining, which has been recognised by the EU as the strongest standard in the industry. It also uses Fairtrade certified gold and pays a premium to the factory workers involved in battery production, effectively giving them a living wage for the duration of the work.

The company also used “mineral credits”, which are based on the idea of carbon credits or offsets and managed through the external organisations the Alliance for Responsible Mining and The Impact Facility.

The system involves Fairphone matching its material use with financial support for efforts to achieve safer working conditions and fairer production models in the mining of minerals such as cobalt and silver.

Photo of three young people sitting in a row holding Fairphone 5s in different colours. From left: transparent, blue then black
The phone is available in three colours

For instance, the company says its purchase of Fairmined silver credits will offset 100 per cent of its silver use and allow small-scale miners working independently of large companies to take actions such as adding ventilation systems and solar panels, assessing water and air quality, and investing in worker and community health.

Beyond just its battery, the Fairphone 5 is also what Fairphone calls “e-waste neutral” – meaning the company compensates for every new phone by recycling an equal amount of electronic waste or taking back and repairing old phones.

It includes upwards of eight years of software support and continues the brand’s practice of featuring replaceable and repairable modules to extend the lifespan of the phone.

Photo of a young woman smiling and holding a blue Fairphone 5 against her eye
Fairphone will provide at least eight years of software support to encourage users to hold onto their phones

“The Fairphone 5 is better than ever, but more importantly, it’s made with more fair and recycled materials and contributes to improving the lives of over 54,000 people in its manufacturing chain,” said Fairphone co-founder and head of product management Miquel Ballester.

The phones have a Qualcomm QCM6490 chipset, which is unusual for smartphones and was designed by Qualcomm for Internet of Things products. Fairphone says that it is this choice that enables them to offer the longer software support that you would ususally find in those products.

It has commited to continuing support until 2031 and is aiming for 2033 — a total of eight to ten years, around twice the standard support time of other Android providers, therefore potentially allowing users to keep their phone for twice as long.

The Fairphone 5’s battery is removeable and replaceable, along with nine other modules including the cameras, loudspeaker, USBC-port and SIM card slot and SD card slot.

Photo of a man dancing in front of red steps while holding a smartphone and wearing headphones
The phone includes 10 replaceable components

Design agency Above says it has designed the components to be easier to remove and replace than previously, while also honing the modules to have their own visual appeal.

The modules are visible through a translucent recycled plastic back cover — one of three colour options for the Fairphone 5 and one that Above says is a “visual celebration of the innovation and sustainable ethos embedded within the product”.

“We celebrate sustainability as a unique opportunity to craft beautiful products, shattering the myth that it demands design compromises,” said Above senior creative director Ryan Helps.

Photo of a young woman wearing headphones and displaying the Fairphone 5 in the Transparent Edition, showing the blue shapes of different modules under the surface
The phone comes in a transparent edition through which the modules inside can be seen

Fairphone sold 115,681 handsets in 2022, and its sales have been slowly growing since its launch 10 years ago. The company’s main aim is not to rival giants like Apple and Samsung on sales but to demonstrate best practices and grow the market for more ethical electronics.

Of its use of mineral credits, the company said it is “a scalable solution that is easily replicable by the industry”.

“Imagine if the biggest companies in the industry were to shift their supply chains to even a fraction of fair sourced materials or implement even a few of our living wage initiatives?” said Ballester. “The impact would be enormous and our industry could change the world.”

“Instead, it is lagging behind in its response to the big environmental and social challenges on the horizon.”

Fairphone is headquartered in Amsterdam, in a warehouse on the northern docks renovated with reclaimed materials.

Reference

Beer made using recycled wastewater
CategoriesSustainable News

Beer made using recycled wastewater

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: As the global population, living standards, and economy continue to grow, along with improvements in water supply, so does the volume of wastewater. Each year, 380 billion m3 of municipal wastewater is generated globally, with very little of that ever being recycled. But, on-site wastewater can be reused to create a circular waste economy and reduce the amount of freshwater that would be wasted, and this is where Epic Cleantec comes in. 

Born out of work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Reinvent the Toilet Challenge, Epic was founded to use this untapped potential. Epic deploys onsite water reuse systems into the built environment, making cities more resilient, sustainable, and water secure. The company’s OneWater system captures and processes a building’s wastewater, including black and grey water. The process allows a building to recycle up to 95 per cent of its water on-site for reuse in toilet and urinal flushing, laundry, irrigation, and cooling towers.  

Epic’s approach produces three outputs: recycled water, recovered heat energy from wastewater to improve building energy efficiency, and carbon-rich soil nutrients for local agriculture and landscaping use. And through a partnership with Devil’s Canyon Brewing Co., Epic Cleantec is also turning this wastewater into beer.  

Using its technology, Epic transformed wastewater from a high-rise apartment block in San Francisco into over 2,000 gallons of recycled water, which Devil’s Canyon used to create Epic OneWater Brew – a Kölsch-style ale. 

Video source Epic Cleantec

At a time when the world is rapidly urbanising and using more and more water, it’s no wonder why there are so many ways to address water scarcity. In the archive, Springwise has spotted one company that uses wastewater to power biomanufacturing, while another is harvesting water from the air.

Written By: Anam Alam

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