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

Architecture

mixed-use wooden house showcases traditional japanese and global influences

By Zarkon Group,01/09/2023

Akio Isshiki infuses three distinct functions into wooden house

Akio Isshiki Architects renovates a wooden house near the beach in Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture into the designer’s own residence and workplace, as well as a curry restaurant. Within this modest 73 sqm space, the coexistence of three distinct functions creates a unique environment in which notions of time and space, cultural elements, work, and living settings coexist. The design draws from traditional Japanese architecture and employs local materials and techniques while integrating global inspirations.

A noteworthy feature that pays homage to the region’s history of tile production is the flooring, where tiles coat the dirt ground surface. Handcrafted by Awaji’s skilled artisans, these tiles subtly echo the textures and shapes reminiscent of lava stone streets from Central and South American towns. The integration of partitions that resemble mosquito nets and Sudare blinds set against Shoji screens stand as a nod to ancient Japanese architecture. By intertwining spaces both horizontally and vertically, a gentle separation is achieved through the inclusion of native drooping plants. On the second floor, a wall facing the sea displays a scraped texture tinted with red iron oxide, skillfully completed by a local Awaji plasterer. This attempt incorporates vibrant hues of global architecture within a Japanese context. A large window cuts through the volume providing views of the sky and the sea.

all images by Yosuke Ohtake

the architecture Integrates Original and Contemporary Elements

The harmony of various dimensions introduces a sense of depth into the space. Rather than accentuating contrasts between old and new, Akio Isshiki Architects‘ approach acknowledges historical materials and designs as important parts of the ensemble. The intent is to craft an environment that harmonically fuses both the original elements and newly incorporated features, creating a timeless and contemporary look. Existing structural elements such as pillars and beams blend with new architectural features, while new Shoji screens are layered to allow glimpses through the existing figured glass. A cypress pillar stands atop natural stones giving off a feeling of timelessness. Materials with various time axes are mixed and coexist.

L-shaped windows allow views of the seascape

the kitchen appears overhanging above the atrium

the kitchen area seamlessly flows into the living room

existing Fusuma doors are reused within the interior of the wooden house

Reference

Exterior photo of Burberry's New Bond Street store

Interior Design

Burberry’s draws on minimalism at New Bond Street store

By Zarkon Group,31/08/2023

British luxury brand Burberry has renovated its New Bond Street store, which has been decorated with a minimalist scheme that is populated with striking contemporary furniture.

Set on a prominent spot on the corner of New Bond Street and Conduit Street in central London, the 22,000-square-metre store is split across three levels.

The flagship store has a minimal open-plan interior that is characterised by stark white floor, walls and ceilings which are offset by pops of gold, blue and tones of brown.

The fixtures of the store such as its pillars, staircase, wall displays and mirrors bring a rigid and strict geometry to the space that is complemented by a panelled ceiling which was designed to mimic the brand’s iconic check.

Interior photo of Burberry's New Bond Street Store — It has a minimalist interior

“The minimalist interior is punctuated with an eclectic mix of contemporary furniture, creating a stripped-back setting designed to spotlight key Burberry pieces,” said Burberry.

“Overhead lighting has been crafted to replicate the iconic Burberry Check – a pattern introduced in the 1920s, referencing the brand’s rich heritage.”

Ceiling panels were organised in a gridded formation with spotlights set between each. Lighting strips were added to the panels at various intervals throughout the store and reference the multiple lines of the signature check.

Throughout the store, slivers of checkered tiles punctuate the stark white floors. A classic black-and-white checkered tile covers multiple areas of the interior, zoning numerous different spaces including ready-to-wear and accessory sections.

Other combinations of tiling include a dark brown and black rectangular tiles that are similarly organised in a checkerboard formation.

In contrast to the rigid lines of the store’s more permanent fixtures, furniture brings a softer and more playful look.

Curving sofas and armchairs were upholstered in bold shades of beige, brown and vibrant blue and placed on top of matching area rugs and carpets.

Photo of a seating area at the store — Areas of the store were decorated with pops of colour

Display tables in blocky shapes are carried throughout each of the store’s floors and sit alongside glass, metal and mirrored vitrines.

Clothing rails draw on an industrial look, with the floor-to-ceiling structures reminiscent of scaffolding systems, however, set apart by their polished and reflective finish.

Photo of a shopping area — Polished metals were paired with glass

“We are excited to open the doors of our newly refurbished flagship store on New Bond Street in one of London and the world’s premier luxury shopping destinations,” said Burberry’s chief executive officer Jonathan Akeroyd.

“The store showcases our beautifully crafted products in a luxury setting that connects our customers with our brand and unique heritage.”

Photo of the store interior — Blocky display units were placed throughout

In 2022, British designer Daniel Lee was announced as Burberry’s creative director following a shock exit from Bottega Veneta. Soon after his appointment, Lee revealed the “first creative expression” under his direction in the form of an archive-inspired charging knight logo and serif logo font.

Earlier this year, British artist Tom Atton Moore was commissioned to create a series of hand-tufted textile installations for Burberry’s Paris showroom and Rue Saint Honoré store.

The photography is courtesy of Burberry.

Reference

Sustainable News

A sustainable composite lumber made from waste materials

By Zarkon Group,31/08/2023

Spotted: Imagine the ability to transform millions of tonnes of rubbish into useful materials, without any onerous sorting and cleaning processes. Waste technology company Ecogensus’ patented waste-derived lumber does just that. Using unsorted household waste, including organic material, the company’s Dynamic Organic Repolymerization (DOR) process creates sustainable, composite lumber strong enough to replace traditional building wood.

Called EGS-6, the composite lumber is structurally reinforced, and the company is continually researching ways to increase the material’s strength and load-bearing ability. As well as building materials, Ecogensus provides a suite of additional waste management solutions.

Introduced in 2023, the Rhino Recycling facility is a distributed hardware system that processes municipal solid waste. Available in a range of sizes, from 300 to 5,000 litres, the recycling facility handles everything from wastewater sludge to organic food waste and unsorted solids.

As well as industrial recycling, Ecogensus also provides recycling as a service with its WeRecycle modules. The modules help upgrade current processing facilities and can work directly next to landfill sites for continuous energy and material production. A platform for monitoring sustainability goals and waste management, along with bioenergy fuel and home décor and furniture lines, are also part of Ecogensus’ broad range of products and services that help put municipal solid waste to good use.

From artificial intelligence (AI) food waste management to river waste collection, Springwise has spotted a variety of examples of innovations in the archive seeking to find alternative uses for rubbish.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Black pot containing water and noodles sits atop induction burner on white backgroud and some food items surrounding - photo

Sustainable News Zero Energy Homes

Let Us Count the Ways We Love Induction

By Zarkon Group,31/08/2023

How we cook our food plays a key role in our ability to decarbonize our lives and keep our families healthy. Compared to activities like transportation and space heating, cooking can be modest in its emissions. It’s also one of the last holdouts in the transition to an all-electric, zero carbon home. Fortunately, there are lots of reasons why induction cooking is better than gas: control, speed, safety, health, and the environment. Let’s also look at some things to consider when buying an induction range for your home.

Induction ranges can eliminate the need for gas piped to your home, which is a game changer. Gas stoves have long been the gateway drug that fossil fuel companies use to get inside homes in the first place. Few people care about what fuel heats their water or air, but many home chefs have an emotional attachment to cooking with gas: its ability to adjust temperature quickly and the cozy blue flames that hearken back to humans’ prehistoric love of fire.

Old-school electric-resistance coils take forever to heat up and cool down, making temperature control difficult. Induction technology, however, creates an electromagnetic field that generates heat via the iron in pans. Rather than heating the space under a pan, like a traditional range, the heat emanates from the pan itself. (Here’s more info about the science for those who want to geek out.)

Like many efficient, clean energy technologies, the history of induction cooking goes back 100 years. But induction cooking’s moment has arrived. Currently, only 3% of homes in the US have induction (but the market has grown more than 40% in the past two years), and 70% of homeowners say they would consider induction for their next stove.

: Portable Induction hob. Image courtesy of Amazon Basics

: Induction cooktop. Image courtesy of Samsung.

Image of three types of induction ranges (includes electric oven) - photo

Different types of induction ranges. Image courtesy of Yale Appliances.

Types of Induction Cooktops

The easiest way to try out induction is with a portable cooktop, also known as a hob. This countertop appliance has one or two burners and plugs into a standard outlet. These are great because they 1. let you try induction for only $60 to $200; 2. are small and portable, allowing anyone (including renters) to use them; 3. serve as a supplemental cooktop when your main range is full; and 4. support resilience. (Our friend, Brian Stewart from Electrify Now, uses his with a portable battery when camping or when the power goes out.) Check out these Epicurious reviews for the best models.

An installed induction cooktop has four or five hobs and sits in a countertop without an oven beneath. If your kitchen design currently has a gas or electric-resistance cooktop, then this will be the easiest swap-out. There are many cooktop options at multiple price points. The Yale Appliances Buying Guide gives a comprehensive list of current models.

An induction range is the full package, with a cooktop and electric-resistance oven, usually convection. It comes in three varieties: 1. freestanding, with knobs and controls at the back; 2. front control, with finished sides and controls on the front; and 3. slide-in, with front controls and unfinished sides, so they work best between cabinets.

Seven Reasons to Love Induction

Our family has been cooking with induction for the past five years. We see many pros, and only one con, when it comes to this technology that is undoubtedly the future of cooking.

Environmental

For us, transitioning to induction means that our cooking fuel comes from clean, renewable sources. Induction is slightly (5–10%) more efficient than electric coils and much more efficient (300%) than gas, according to ENERGY STAR. Because cooking accounts for only 4–5% of energy use in the home, you’ll see only modest carbon reductions by switching to induction.

Burning “natural” gas emits multiple greenhouse gases, including methane, an even more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon. A recent study found that 75% of unburned gas leakage occurs when the stove is off. Induction allows you to remove gas from your home, decarbonizing without sacrifice.

Health

We’ve likely all heard the accumulating body of research showing that gas is a a major source of indoor air pollution posing a health hazard. Cooking with gas releases toxins like nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide—all of which can exacerbate asthma and cardiovascular disease. One Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) researcher commented that, “For children who live in a home with a gas stove, the increased risk of asthma is on par with living in a home with a smoker.” While there are no regulations for a home’s indoor air quality, the RMI study found that some gas stoves emit indoor NO2 at levels above the outdoor standards.

Safety

In a related home-safety benefit, induction only heats the pans and pots and not the space around them, reducing cooktop temperatures and almost eliminating the possibility that anyone will get burned. Induction “burners” also turn off automatically after 10 seconds when they don’t detect a pan, and they cool down much faster after use. Our three-year-old can help stir hot pots and pans on our induction stove (as long as the contents aren’t boiling), and there is no risk of her burning herself on live flames. If she drops a towel on the stove while cooking, or even touches a burner, it’s no big deal.

Control

Induction stovetops exceed gas ranges’ performance in their ability to quickly change and control heat. There is no lag time with induction cooking like there is with electric resistance. Lowering your heat setting will almost instantly reduce your sauce from a rapid boil to a slow simmer. Induction also offers excellent low heat settings that gas burners typically struggle with.

Speed

You can boil six cups of water in two minutes. (Mic drop.) Because induction stoves are twice as fast as gas or old electric coils, boiling a large pot of water for a quick pasta dinner is actually quick. When first switching to induction, you might be surprised by how much more quickly your food cooks. Watch out!

Cleaning

The solid surface of an induction range means you can clean it with the swipe of a sponge. This is vastly superior to the time and effort it takes to remove and clean the parts of a gas or electric coil range. Plus, the smooth surface serves as an additional kitchen prep surface when it’s not cooking.

Future Proofing

As of this writing, more than 100 cities around the country (including New York City) have banned gas in new buildings, with some of those laws including a phaseout strategy for existing buildings. Go ahead and embrace the induction future before you have to.

Closeup of touch control panel of induction stove; index finger is adjusting timer - photo

Controls like this have a learning curve and many newer models are moving to knobs which are more intuitive. Image courtesy of Maytag.

You get really used to them

The one (and only) con for us is that our stove model has a bit of a learning curve. The button plus slider interface is not as intuitive as knobs (which is why many newer induction models are moving to knobs). While we quickly learned the technique, when we Airbnb our house, or have a new babysitter, we need to run through basic instructions. The advantages to the touch-and-slide controls are that they rarely break and are more precise than dials, according to Yale Appliances. A stove with touch controls may beep and/or turn off when something—spilled liquid, a spoon, or potholder—touches the control panel. This protects the controls but can be annoying.

Last year at Thanksgiving, we rented an Airbnb with a gas stove and did a lot of holiday cooking. After not using gas for several years, the difference was striking! We could feel the particulate matter in the air infiltrating our eyes and lungs. The flames blew every which way, making us hot, and we had to remind the kids to stay back. One time a burner didn’t ignite, and we had to wait for the smell of gas to dissipate before lighting a match to make it catch. It felt crazy! How is this form of cooking still legal in our homes?

It’s time to add induction stoves to your list of home improvement priorities, so you can look forward to the improved cooking experience, safety, and human health benefits in your future. Here’s a few things you need to consider when buying induction for your home.

The transition to induction means that most of the 47 million homes that currently cook with gas will have to upgrade an electrical outlet. Most gas ranges (unless they are dual-fuel where the oven is electric) plug into a standard 120V outlet, while most induction cooking (except portable) requires a 240V wire with a 50A circuit. If you currently use an old-school electric cooktop, you may still want to upgrade the outlet. When we purchased our induction stove, the install was fairly easy. We already had a 220V outlet, but it was the older version, without grounding, rather than the modern four-prong one.

Some estimates for running a new wire and outlet for an induction stove can run as high as $3,000. Though, in our experience working with a trusted handyman, it was only about $300. Carbon Switch surveyed 90 people who switched to induction and found the average price for electrical work was $987.

Because induction works by magnetic force, it requires pots and pans made of magnetic stainless steel, cast iron, enameled iron, and nickel. Aluminum and some copper pans won’t work. High-end brands usually work, and there are also now many more affordable options. You can check your pots and pans for compatibility simply by grabbing a fridge magnet and seeing if it sticks.

Hoods that vent outdoors are important for all cooking. Even though induction and electric cooktops don’t produce NOx or CO pollution like gas stoves, any cooking, especially at high heat, produces particulate matter that needs to be vented. (This includes cooking on the portable induction hobs.) But ventilation is easier with induction because the stoves produce less ambient heat and far fewer emissions.

Inexpensive Induction range in white kitchen - photo

Inexpensive induction range in our Cleveland house. Image courtesy Naomi Cole and Joe Wachunas

Induction stoves put you on the path to superior, clean cooking and are a core technology in the decarbonized life. Fortunately, Consumer Reports has reported on a recent price decline in induction stoves, with many models now selling for about $1000.

For low- and medium-income households, the new Inflation Reduction Act offers rebates of up to $840 to purchase an induction stove. These low-income rebates are expected to roll out later this year. We couldn’t find many local utility rebates, but there are a couple, like this $750 one in the Bay Area.

This article springs from two posts by Naomi Cole and Joe Wachunas, first published in CleanTechnica. Their “Decarbonize Your Life,” series shares their experience, lessons learned, and recommendations for how to reduce household emissions.

The authors:

Joe Wachunas and Naomi Cole both work professionally to address climate change—Naomi in urban sustainability and energy efficiency and Joe in the electrification of buildings and transportation. A passion for debarbonization, and their commitment to walk the walk, has led them to ductless heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction cooking, solar in multiple forms, hang-drying laundry (including cloth diapers), no cars to electric cars and charging without a garage or driveway, a reforestation grant from the US Department of Agriculture, and more. They live in Portland, OR, with two young children.

Reference

Architecture

The LADG upends “traditional” organisation for LA bungalow remodel

By Zarkon Group,31/08/2023

Stucco and asphalt are found on the exterior of a 1920s bungalow that has been fully revamped by local firm The LADG, which sought to challenge “traditional notions of how a house should be organised and how it should look”.

The project – officially called House in Los Angeles 5 – involved updates and extensions to a bungalow dating to 1929 in LA’s Larchmont Village neighbourhood.

The LADG, or The Los Angeles Design Group, designed the project for their publicist and her family. The studio was tasked with rethinking the layout and aesthetics of a traditional single-family home.

The existing bungalow was 1,426 square feet (132 square metres) and contained two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The architecture studio began by dividing up the home’s simple, square plan.

Cantilevered second storey house extension over an outdoor swimming pool — Stucco and asphalt cover the exterior

“Upending traditional notions of how a house should be organised and how it should look, [we] began this project by cutting the plan with two concrete footpaths from the outside-in, splitting the property into four unique quadrants,” the studio said.

The perpendicular cuts run the entirety of the property, from front to back (north to south) and side to side (west to east). Entry and exit doors were positioned along the main axes.

Stucco and asphalt-rendered house in Los Angeles — Two footpaths divide the home into quadrants

In addition to the cuts, the team added built space at the front and back of the house, increasing the home’s floor area to 1,980 square feet (184 square metres). In the rear, upper portions that project outward are supported by T-shaped steel columns.

The front half of the house consists of two quadrants, which together hold three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Marble kitchen divided by a concrete footpath by The LADG — The house has a multi-faceted roof

The remaining two quadrants make up the back part of the home. Combined, they encompass a kitchen, dining area, living room, powder room and service areas.

The quadrants are joined at the centre by a double-height volume that “serves as an interior courtyard and gathering place for the family”, the team said.

“The aim is to evacuate the centre of the house and put a cultural proposition in its place – a new way to think about how and where to come together as a family,” said LADG co-principal Benjamin Freyinger.

The central volume also helps cool the home’s interior, as it facilitates cross ventilation and directs hot air toward upper operable windows.

Open-plan interior containing a marble kitchen and dining area — The bungalow was originally built in 1929

“We are taking out the hearth and replacing it with air, as an abstract idea and quite literally as a means to achieve a passively cooled interior climate,” said Freyinger.

The home has a multi-faceted roof that is meant to “open up the strict rationalism of the delineated plan underneath,” the team said.

Open-plan interior with a marble kitchen and angular roof — The centre of the home has a double-height space

Several areas are wedge-shaped and extend beyond the walls to provide shade. The central part of the house is topped with a boxy enclosure.

“The remaining central area is covered by a double-height, upside-down box, partially unfolded into a series of projecting eaves that lap the mono-pitch wedges and bandage the whole assembly together,” the team said.

“The unfolded, lapping planes of the box are projected in elevation to standard residential pitches, giving the house a contextual affinity with the mid-century spec houses on the rest of the street.”

White bedroom with wooden floors and white partition walls concealing a bathroom — The home is located in LA’s Larchmont Village neighbourhood

On the exterior, one finds smooth white stucco, asphalt, sheet metal and standing-seam metal.

Inside, the team incorporated a mix of textured stucco, plaster, drywall, plywood and white-washed oriented strand board (OSB).

Single-storey building with a floor-to-ceiling opening by The LADG — The LADG also updated an existing accessory dwelling unit

“The materials palette consists of a variety of common everyday materials that are quintessentially LA and legible to anyone who has shopped the aisles at Home Depot,” the team said.

In the back of the property, the team updated an existing accessory dwelling unit (ADU), which holds a bedroom and bathroom. The rear of the house also features a yard and a slender swimming pool.

Other projects by The LADG include the expansion of a mid-century home into a live-work complex for a painter and a photographer – a project called House in Los Angeles 1. The studio is also behind a California bar that evokes an Irish pub with its green tartan wall coverings, brass accents and leather banquettes.

The photography is by Marten Elder.

Project credits:

Architect: The Los Angeles Design Group
Project team: Remi McClain (project lead), Kenji Hattori-Forth, Jonathan Rieke, Son Vu
Engineer: Nous Engineering (project lead, Omar L Garza)
General contractor: Engine Construction
Project manager: Brain McCabe
Landscape design: Big Red Sun
Interior styling: Jason Baird

Reference

Interior Design

Transparency “one of the biggest beasts that we battle” says Apple

By Zarkon Group,30/08/2023

Apple is pushing for carbon transparency in the supply chain as it aims to reduce the impact of its stores, claims the tech company’s retail sustainability lead Rebecca Cully in this interview.

Created as the latest “evolution of the Apple Store”, Apple’s recently opened location in Battersea includes several material innovations aimed at reducing the shop’s carbon impact. These were sourced with transparency in mind, according to Cully.

“That transparency piece is one of the biggest beasts that we battle on a regular basis,” she told Dezeen.

“I think that’s a big reason why finding the right partners, not only in the design space but the construction space and the entire value chain, is just so critical.”

Apple seeking partners “absolutely committed to transparency”

Cully explained that Apple is seeking a commitment to transparency from all its construction partners as it aims to meet the company’s wider commitment of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, which will mean not only reducing the impact of its stores, but also its products.

“There’s so many brilliant products out there in the world, and so many incredible companies that are doing some really interesting things, but as far as innovation is concerned, if we can’t identify a partner who’s absolutely committed to transparency it’s a no-go,” said Cully.

Apple is working on building record-keeping of impact and transparency into all its contracts. However, Cully acknowledged that evaluating the full of the impact of all components and materials in its stores is still not possible.

“Evaluating products by manufacturer for carbon is still very early,” she said. “And so contractually obligating our supply chain manufacturers to disclose that information as a result of award is certainly something that we are focused on right now.”

“The entire store? I think that’s a little ambitious right now, based on where industry is at,” she continued. “Frankly, we have not gotten to the point where we’re able to control that entire supply chain.”

“You have to prioritise. For instance, the the nuts and bolts that go into the store are not as significant as our avenues and our ceilings.”

“Industry is pretty slow to move”

The recently opened Battersea store, along with the reopened Tysons Corner store in the USA, are the first to use an updated set of fixtures and fittings that will be rolled out across other stores.

These include a timber framework for its walls and room dividers, flooring bound with a bio-polymer and acoustic baffles made from biogenic material.

“These are very visible, very large components within the store that we knew if we focused on in the original design intent were going to result in a superior outcome from a carbon perspective,” said Cully.

Battersea Apple Store — The store is the latest “evolution” of Apple’s retail designs.

Apple’s current strategy with its stores is to focus on the most impactful, often physically largest areas that have traditionally been the most carbon-intensive.

“So it’s really important that we are giving clear instructions to the folks that are sourcing for us to achieve particular outcomes,” said Cully.

“That being said, the industry is pretty slow to move in a lot of these cases. So I would say that we are targeting certain elements within the store that are traditionally very high-carbon and very resource-stressed.”

“We are targeting those manufacturers to make sure that they understand there is an obligation to deliver on transparency that is absolutely accurate.”

Cully also highlighted that one major way that the carbon impact was reduced at its Battersea store was the decision to locate within the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station.

Along with the Apple Store within the former turbine hall, the technology company has placed its UK offices within the former power station.

“Partnering on a redevelopment project of a brownfield site in and of itself has a tremendous value from the standpoint of carbon emissions avoided as a result of the existing structure,” said Cully.

“Certainly the partnership that we have with the landlord, was highly strategic in terms of positioning Apple to locate and operate as environmentally considerate as we possibly could.”

Apple “certainly interested in pushing industry”

According to Cully, Apple wants to push the construction industry to be more sustainable and noted that the company’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, Lisa Jackson, has said she “intends to create a playbook that other organisations can follow”.

“We are certainly interested in pushing industry,” said Cully. “And because of scale, we have an ability to do that and hopefully pave the way to make it a little bit easier for other companies to follow suit – or at least start normalising conversations with manufacturers and industries so that you know, these things become a little bit easier or a little bit more cost effective for other folks to follow suit.”

“There are a few organisations around the world, I think, that have the ability to invest in this space the way we have, because the market just doesn’t exist.”

In the past Apple stores have been focused on aesthetics, but Cully believes that the refocus on sustainability and accessibility means the shops align closer with the brand’s values.

“This evolution of the store is so much more intrinsically linked to our values – it really is approaching the epitome of Apple’s values realised through the retail store space,” said Cully.

“We have evolved the store from kind of looking like a product, to now fully representing our values in every way that we can, within the context of the built environment itself.”

However, store fit-outs are far from being Apple’s biggest challenge in the race for carbon neutrality. Currently, 65 per cent of the company’s emissions from its products so this thinking will also need to be replicated in it production supply chains.

The first Apple Store opened in 2001 and there are now more than 500 around the world. Dezeen recently rounded up 10 of the latest to open.

The photography is courtesy of Apple.

Dezeen In Depth

If you enjoy reading Dezeen’s interviews, opinions and features, subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.

Reference

Sustainable News

AI-powered leak detection reduces water waste

By Zarkon Group,30/08/2023

Spotted: Managing water well is increasingly important as the world is impacted by climate change. Yet water in buildings is unmanaged – delivered through unintelligent pipes that are unnecessarily costly and inefficient. The average household can lose 10,000 gallons of water every year due to leaks, and when a pipe breaks or leaks, escaping water can cause severe damage. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), Israeli company Wint has found a way to change this: using intelligent pipes to detect water leaks and wastage.

Using real-time AI, Wint’s breakthrough technology prevents water waste at the source. When there is a break or leak, the devices alert maintenance staff and can even automatically shut off water supplies when needed. Unlike other solutions, the AI system is constantly learning and adapting to different water networks, supporting systems from domestic water to air conditioning and heating to ensure the buildings can effectively manage the water throughout.

Yaron Dycian, Wint’s Chief Product and Strategy Officer explains: “The built environment is one of the largest industries in the world sized at many trillions of dollars; it includes all construction sites, residential buildings, commercial buildings, etc… Yet this vast ecosystem is also one of the least technologically advanced one. Having built solutions for the most advanced users of IT technologies such as banks and e-commerce, I decided that it would make sense to help bring the benefits of IT to this relatively less IT-savvy world. Seeing the growing need for sustainability combined with the insurance impact of water leak damage, this seemed like an obvious area to address.”

Recently, the company completed a funding round, raising $35 million (around €32.4 million) to drive growth for managing water through AI.

Springwise has previously spotted other intelligent innovations in the archive tackling water scarcity through management, from an AI used to manage global water supplies to a data-driven water management system that ensures communities have enough fresh water.

Written By: Georgia King

Reference

Architecture

Wabi-Sabi: Why Architects Should Discover the Art of Imperfection

By Zarkon Group,30/08/2023

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.

There is a crack in everything / That’s how the light gets in
– Leonard Cohen

The most memorable buildings are not always the most stunning ones. A bit of awkwardness — clunkiness even — can help a building stick in the mind, much like a crooked nose or a lazy eye can give a human face “character.” There is a Japanese term for this idea: wabi-sabi. The Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines wabi-sabi as an aesthetic attitude “which delights in the tarnish on an ancient silver bowl and the old uneven cobblestones.” Wabi-sabi is not the valorization of ugliness but of beautiful objects that seem to approach perfection, only then to veer away from it at the last moment. Perhaps in this way, they signal that they belong to the world of things and not ideas.

Wabi-sabi is precisely what AI-generated designs will always lack. It is also what is missing from Brasilia, the immaculate, centrally planned capital city of Brazil that people famously hate living in because it seems too sterile. In fact, I would argue that it was precisely a lack of wabi-sabi that doomed the International Style, opening the way for postmodernists to restore decorative motifs, whimsy and weirdness of various kinds to their designs.

You can’t bottle wabi-sabi though. Just because one intends to lend their building a charming sense of imperfection doesn’t mean one will succeed. In fact, it is perhaps not advisable to intend to create such an effect. Think back to the archetypal examples of wabi-sabi: a tarnished bowl, uneven cobblestones. These details simply emerged organically, and they remain as an index of the object’s contact with the world.

The Kaleidoscope by Inrestudio, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. Note the dramatically scaled and off-kilter roof.

Nevertheless, some new buildings do achieve a sense of wabi-sabi, a charming awkwardness. And I think they achieve this effect by working with the environment, seeking neither a pure functionalism nor a dramatic ornamental scheme. One building that inhabits this zone is The Kaleidoscope, a mixed-use workplace and residential studio in central Vietnam designed by the firm Inrestudio under the direction of lead architect Kosuke Nishijima.

The Kaleidoscope, which was Jury Winner in the 11th Annual A+Awards’ Office – Low-Rise category, makes a strong impression when one encounters it in the forests of Vietnam, wedged between a forested hill and the sea. Relatively small (two stories, 3,150 square feet) but sturdy, it at first appears to be a kind of squat brutalist fortress, perhaps some sort of municipal building or outpost for forest rangers. But then one notices the roof – heavy, sculptural,and off-centered, with dramatic eaves that shade the trunk of the building like a mushroom cap. Walking around the building, one then notices the perforated ventilation blocks and, finally, the outside of a white spiral staircase. The design elements all work together nicely but not cleanly. There is a sense of bricolage, of different ideas pieced together according to a design that is idiosyncratic but not random.

The Kaleidoscope by Inrestudio, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam

When one looks into the rationale behind this beautiful roof, one learns that it indeed has a function tied to the harsh tropical climate of central Vietnam. “Resembling a “nón lá”, a traditional farmer’s hat of Vietnam, a large conical roof casts shadows on the entire building,” explains Inrestudio. “The ventilated cavity between the double layered roof functions as a natural heat insulator against the sunlight, while the deep eaves enable the central space’s windows to remain open even during the rains. The main function of the building is placed at the center of a floating slab, which keeps the space protected from the ground moisture.”

So this is the purpose of the squat Brutalist fortress – to allow individuals to experience fresh air even during typhoons. The perforated walls enhance this relationship to the outdoors. As the sun moves across the sky, the shadows cast inside the building change, much like the patterns of a kaleidoscope change when the end is rotated.

The Kaleidoscope by Inrestudio, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam

“Perforated ventilation blocks are common building elements in tropical regions, not only to moderate environmental factors but also casting impressive light patterns,” explains Inrestudio. “Custom precast ventilation blocks compose the outer surfaces of the triangular volumes to provide privacy to the inner rooms. These fiber-reinforced concrete blocks have larger dimensions than usual, and match the grand scale of the surrounding backdrop.”

The Kaleidoscope by Inrestudio, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam | Interior view of perforated ventilation block.

The intended use of this building is interesting as well. It is both a living and working space. Located near a factory in a relatively remote area of Vietnam, the building houses offices on the lower level and residences above. Inrestudio explains that they placed a large emphasis on natural light in their design in order to highlight the transition from day to night, when the function of the building will shift from working to living.

Notre Dame du Haut, nicknamed Ronchamp Chapel, is one of Le Corbusier’s most loved buildings. Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese term, but the idea has been embraced by Westerners as well – even those one wouldn’t expect. Le Corbusier, for instance, is remembered as the archon of high modernism, drawing up wicked plans to flatten Paris to make room for concrete high rises. And yet, the building he is best remembered for looks a lot like The Kaleidoscope. In fact, it would be hard for me to believe that Inrestudio did not have the Ronchamp Chapel in mind when they designed The Kaleidoscope.

Completed in 1954, near the end of his career, Ronchamp Chapel is a masterpiece that seems to bear little resemblance to the harsh symmetries of Corbusier’s earlier buildings. It replaced a stone chapel that had been destroyed in the second world war, and one gets the impression that Corbu understood that his design should preserve some of the gentleness, or wabi-sabi, of the original, even though his design was entirely original. Like the Kaleidoscope, its greatest features are its sculptural roof, which seems to float above the structure, and the way it draws in natural light in the interior. In the case of Ronchamp Chapel, this is done through a charming array of stained glass windows – arranged in an irregular pattern of course.

Interior view of Ronchamp Chapel. Note the slight gap at the roof line, which lets in a crack of sunlight. Photo by Richard Hedrick on Unsplash

Like The Kaleidoscope, Ronchamp Chapel is possessed of a humble beauty that is easy to relate to. It might be an odd building, but it is not unserious of self-consciously quirky. Above all, it is very much itself. I hope to see more buildings designed in this mode in the coming years.

Reference

Bar and seating area in Courvoisier pop-up bar at Selfridges designed by Yinka Ilori

Interior Design

Yinka Ilori imbues Courvoisier bar with natural beauty of Cognac region

By Zarkon Group,29/08/2023

A wavy canopy emerges like a fountain from this pop-up cognac bar inside Selfridges in London, designed by local designer Yinka Ilori to mimic the glistening waters of the Charente river in France’s Cognac region.

The bar belongs to cognac brand Courvoisier and was designed to capture its hometown of Jarnac and the surrounding region, where cognac brandy is made using white grapes from one of six designated “crus” or areas.

Ilori wanted to bring this bucolic setting to London’s Selfridges department store, using it to inform the colours and patterns featured throughout the space.

“I aimed to capture the essence of Jarnac – the warmth of the sun, the rippling of water, the beautiful wildflowers and the natural beauty in the surroundings,” he told Dezeen.

“The design pays homage to the magic and nature of Jarnac, creating a space that embodies its spirit.”

Seating area in Selfridges cognac bar pop-up — The interior was designed by Yinka Ilori

The town’s location on the Charente river is the most prominent influence, seen across the pale-blue floors, the sinuous rippling pattern on the walls and, most importantly, in the bar itself.

Here, a circular counter was topped with a wavy blue canopy that seems to pour out of a central pillar, with the same pattern continuing down onto the base.

Courvoisier VSOP bottle designed by Yinka Ilori — Ilori also designed a limited-edition VSOP bottle for the brand

“I wanted people to feel like they were surrounded by water, with it flowing both above and below them, creating a sense of immersion and tranquillity,” Ilori said.

“The design of the canopy aims to reference the effortless flow of water, making visitors feel as though they are in the midst of a serene river.”

The bar’s scalloped countertop picks up on the sinuous shape of the waves but provides a colourful contrast thanks to its lacquered red finish.

Another reoccurring feature throughout the space is a cartoonish flower shape that nods to Jarnac’s wildflower fields and is found across drinks stands and upholstered benches in the seating area.

To create a visual connection between the blue waves and the buttercup-coloured flowers, Ilori incorporated a sunset gradient that fades from yellow to soft lilac and envelops several cylindrical display stands as well as the base of the bar.

“I was struck by the gradients in the sky in Jarnac and wanted to capture this unique visual,” Ilori said.

Seating area of pop-up bar at Selfridges designed by Yinka Ilori — A wavy pattern features across the walls

These three repeated motifs, spanning earth, sky and water, also feature in the limited-edition bottle design that Ilori created for Courvoisier’s Very Superior Old Pale (VSOP) cognac.

The bottles are available in four different ombre colours and displayed throughout the bar, which will stay open for three weeks until 11 September.

Overhead shot of circular bar inside Courvoisier pop-up bar at Selfridges designed by Yinka Ilori — The same pattern is picked up in the canopy of the bar

The project forms part of Ilori’s ongoing collaboration with Courvoisier as the brand’s “ambassador of joy”.

Last year, the designer created an immersive dining for Courvoisier in New York, designed to transport diners into a surrealist interpretation of Jarnac.

Ilori’s colourful work is often considered as part of the New London Fabulous movement and includes a colourful skate park in Lille and The Colour Palace pavilion at the London Festival of Architecture.

Reference

Sustainable News

Building-level flood alerts for insurers and property owners

By Zarkon Group,29/08/2023

Spotted: Floods are among the costliest and most destructive of natural disasters. And as climate change picks up pace, flooding, including urban flooding, is expected to increase dramatically. Fluctuating weather patterns also mean that many floods are missed by conventional weather forecasting techniques.

To help insurers and building owners, Loughborough University spin-out Previsico has developed a real-time forecasting technology that models flooding at a granular level. The company’s models are updated every three hours using a combination of rainfall nowcasts and forecasts.

Using high-quality topographic and hydrological data, the company’s flood simulation software produces fast and accurate representations of how water will flow across flood plains.

The platform also supports the delivery of email warnings and offers a flood dashboard to enable users to visualise how a flood situation evolves over time. Flood forecasts can even be integrated into existing warning systems.

Previsico’s modelling is aimed at helping governments, aid agencies, commercial property owners, and insurance companies by providing them with actionable information. For insurance companies, the technology helps to mitigate claims costs, supports customers, and improves underwriting performance.

Other flooding innovations spotted by Springwise include low-cost sensors for real-time monitoring of coastal flooding. Other insurance innovations include insurance payouts based on weather data, and a platform that lets financial institutions forecast climate risk.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

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