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These Are The World's Best Architectural Renovation, Repositioning and Restoration Projects
CategoriesArchitecture

These Are The World’s Best Architectural Renovation, Repositioning and Restoration Projects

By Zarkon Group,

For its 11th season, Architizer has created a suite of sustainability-focused A+Awards recognizing designers working toward a better future. Start your submission today. 

For many architects, renovation, repositioning and restoration projects are some of the most significant career challenges. Repurposing a structure, particularly one that has fallen into disrepair, can lead to myriad difficulties. Many of us who have undertaken such projects know all too well the ever-lengthening list of problems that become exposed when work commences on any adaptive reuse undertaking. However, what is life without its challenges? 

Despite its recent positioning in the headlines, adaptive reuse and restoration are not only about striving for a more sustainable architectural practice. Adaptive reuse plays a huge role in preserving the history of our communities and the hard work and dedication of our peers. Such projects are complicated and push the skills of architects and designers to the limits forcing us to explore new and old technologies and strategies — thrusting us out of our comfort zones. The results of such devotion to a project, of course, are buildings and environments that are truly unique and wonderful. 

Architizer’s mission is to celebrate the incredible work of architects worldwide. Throughout our annual A+Awards, renovation, restoration, repositioning, and adaptive reuse projects are shown the esteem they deserve by being evaluated side by side with their new build counterparts, and it is these A+Awards winners from our 2022 competition that were judged to be winners by a renowned jury of their peers. Proving that within our community, your project doesn’t need to be 100% new to be extraordinary.  

Shajing Village Hall

By ARCity Office, China

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Institutional-Government & Civic Buildings

Photographs provided by ARCity Office

Abandoned over a decade ago and set for demolition in 2019, the Gangtou Diesel Power Plant, originally built in 1980, had little to no hope of revival. However, when the architects discovered the plant, the impressive building was given a new lease of life. The derelict building has been transformed into a much-needed modern ancestral hall that has become a place to immortalize and celebrate the time-honored history and culture of the community. 

Ciot

By Bando x Seidel Meersseman, Brooklyn, NY, United States

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Commercial-Showrooms

In a former armaments factory on the Brooklyn waterfront, Montreal-based stone supplier Ciot has a new home designed by Bando x Seidel Meersseman. The beautiful slab gallery is unrecognizable from its past life, with a bright and meticulous showroom and gallery gaining an air of drama and sophistication under its mono-chromatic refurbishment.

Biodome Science Museum

By KANVA, Montreal, Canada

Jury Winner & Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Museum

Photographs by Marc Cramer

Housed in the former Velodrome constructed for the Montréal 1976 Olympic Games, the Biodome first opened in 1992 and is one of Canada’s most visited museum spaces. KANVA was appointed to take on the momentous task of reviving the structure to bring the building into alignment with other museums and bio facilities being constructed today. By adding additional floors, extracting new voids and rethinking the visitor journey, the Biodome, Planetarium, Insectarium, and Botanical Garden will continue to thrive and educate in an advanced intelligent environment.

CME Center

By Krueck Sexton Partners, Chicago, IL, United States

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Commercial-Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft)

Photographs by Kendall McCaugherty

Located in Chicago’s business district, The CME Center lobby is a renovation project that reimagined an existing commercial lobby that had been in continuous use for the last forty years. The aim was to transform the obsolete lobby in response to the local need for livable urban spaces with authenticity and comfort. The drastic repositioning seeks to attract the next generation of users in a modern, bright, technologically advanced environment designed for work, collaboration and interaction.

Rue de la Gauchetière Loft

By Future Simple Studio, Montreal, Canada

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Apartment

Photographs by Felix Michaud

Using the box within a box scenario, The Rue de la Gauchetière project restores a loft apartment that sits within a 100-year-old heritage building. The design, while inherently industrial, seeks to integrate nature and family living into a space that is decisively urban. At once object and architecture, the glazed wooden bedroom volumes are crafted as a bespoke kit of parts, including everything from ceiling panels and mullions, to flooring and furniture. A tactile material pallet of walnut plywood, brick, warm greys, rough concrete, glass and mirror emphasizes the airiness of the space while greenery adds a contrasting natural dimension.

South 2nd

By Murray Legge Architecture, Austin, TX, United States

Jury Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Residential Additions

South 2nd is a surprising addition to an existing single-story American ranch house. The new 900-square-foot building is connected to the current house through an adjacent link and contains home offices on the ground floor and a further bedroom and bathroom suite above.

The home rises above the urban sprawl of the 1960’s American suburb. By building vertically, the structure’s tiny footprint retains the valued outdoor space. The roof is topped with a linear clerestory structure that runs the house’s length, bringing diffused natural light into the upper floors.

Nil Dos House

By Valentí Albareda Studio, Spain

Jury Winner, 9th and 10th Annual A+Awards, Residential Interiors (<3000 sq ft)

Photographs by José Hevia

Beginning its life as a warehouse for a small construction company Nil Dos House was a dark and dingy place. However, the saving grace of the unique home was the under-utilized covered courtyard that, once uncovered, filled the residence with air and light. Embracing the building’s natural materials, the designers retained the unique character of the space with points of interest in every room. Juxtaposed against the traditional warehouse aesthetic is a beautifully crafted interior exquisitely detailed in timber and glass. The seemingly floating platform dissects the space elegantly without blocking any coveted light, which flows unimpeded into the room’s rear to provide a bright and calm primary bedroom.

The Moving Kitchen

By J.C. Architecture, Taiwan

Popular Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Transport Interiors

Photographs by Kuo-Min Lee

Bringing life to a seventy-year-old semi-retired train J.C. Architecture has created an exceptional restaurant experience. Salvaging carriages from retirement, three train cars hold a fifty-four-person moving restaurant. Fitted with a full-size kitchen, bar, lounge and dining room, guests to the moving venue can dine in luxury while experiencing the breathtaking mountainous or oceanic sea views determined by which side of the carriage you choose. The Moving Kitchen is a spectacular and successful example of adaptive reuse. 

For its 11th season, Architizer has created a suite of sustainability-focused A+Awards recognizing designers working toward a better future. Start your submission today. 

Reference

atmosphere master siteplan
CategoriesArchitecture

atmosphere spa forms under arched terrain in the mountainous alpine scenery

By Zarkon Group,

 

 

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atmosphere master siteplan

atmosphere master siteplan

atmosphere ground floor plan

atmosphere ground floor plan

atmosphere first floor plan

atmosphere first floor plan

atmosphere longitudinal section A-A

atmosphere longitudinal section A-A

atmosphere longitudinal section B-B

atmosphere longitudinal section B-B

atmosphere cross-section

atmosphere cross-section

atmosphere axonometric view

atmosphere axonometric view

project info:

 

name: ATMOSPHERE by Krallerhof
designer: Hadi Teherani Architects GmbH | @hadi.teherani

client: Altenberger GmbH & Co.

KG principal: Hadi Teherani

partner in charge: Sebastian Appl

project leader: Patrick Hesse

head of design: Kaveh Najafian

3D development for construction: Kaveh Najafian, Patrick Hesse

architecture & design development: Patrick Hesse, Kaveh Najafian, Aysil Sahin, Neda Tahouri, Ludwig Ebert

interior design: Hadi Teherani Architects

head of interior design: Nicola Sigl

interior concept design & design development: Nicola Sigl, Paulina Pucliowska, Nayanika Bahia

competition & concept design: Kaveh Najafian, Patrick Hesse, Amir Khazan, Hamidreza Edalatnia Landscape

concept: Hinnerk Wehberg

location: Leogang, Austria

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom



Reference

Walk-Up Avenue colourful timber batten
CategoriesArchitecture

Walk-Up Avenue is a public space for locals ​in Edinburgh by New Practice

By Zarkon Group,

Architecture studio New Practice has transformed an unused site in the town centre of Craigmillar, Edinburgh, into a multi-purpose public space for the local community.

Named Walk-Up Avenue, the site comprises a flexible events space, green-roofed stage, communal garden, cafe and play areas that residents and community groups can use freely.

Walk-Up Avenue colourful timber batten
A tall timber structure marks the entrance

The space was constructed for the City of Edinburgh Council to support small businesses and become a recognisable meeting point in the area.

“Walk Up Avenue aims to create a welcoming and colourful space for the local community to come together and take ownership of for many years to come,” said New Practice.

Green-roof stage and event plaza in Craigmillar
Walk-Up Avenue includes a stage and events space for locals to use

The site of Walk-Up Avenue is located next to a retail park, set back from the main road behind an existing play area.

Its entrance connects the plot to the playpark and guides visitors away from the road towards a planted area with picnic tables.

Colourful entrance structure made from timber battens
The “beacon” entrance is made from timber battens

According to New Practice associate Maeve Dolan, Craigmillar’s high street had become disjointed with stretches of inactive frontage.

To remedy this, the studio designed a brightly-coloured nine-metre-tall “beacon” made from timber battens to mark the entrance to Walk-Up Avenue.

Entrance structure and steel-clad cafe of Walk-Up Avenue by New Practice
A steel-clad commercial unit was added to help activate the high street

“We needed something big, bright and intriguing which clearly signalled a community use,” Dolan told Dezeen.

“It’s been labelled as the ‘beacon’ on our drawings since the beginning because that’s what we wanted it to act as to passersby, both those on-foot and moving at speed on the busy main road.”

Stage and events space designed by New Practice
The plaza includes seating and box planters

Also at the newly transformed site is a steel-clad structure with a flexible interior and cafe amenities, which New Practice designed for local businesses to help increase activity on the high street.

The building is leased to the Trade Unions in Communities (TUIDC), which intends to run the cafe and use the space to organise educational and employment programmes.

Further into the plot are a green-roofed stage and a plaza with box planters and seating, which neighbourhood groups are encouraged to use to organise their own events.

“Walk-Up Avenue is about creating a lively town-centre gathering place,” said Dolan.

“It is not a prescriptive space but instead provides the foundational infrastructure that invites the community to make use of it as they require, whether that be for rest, socialising, play, exercise, performance, small-scale retail or growing and gardening,” she continued.

Beacon timber entrance at Walk-Up Avenue by New Practice
The project was designed for the local Craigmillar community and visitors

With funding from the government agency NatureScot, infrastructure that helps to create wildlife habitats and prevent flooding was incorporated into the landscaping, including rain gardens, swales, sustainable drainage systems and deep gutters that double as a drinking source for animals.

“The blue-green infrastructure was funded by NatureScot with the aim to produce an educational space where people could see all of these items working together and understand their benefits,” said Dolan.

View of play area in Craigmillar
The entryway connects Walk-Up Avenue with the neighbouring playpark

While offering a public space for local businesses and community groups to flourish, the space is hoped to support the wider regeneration of the Craigmillar area.

It also contributes to Edinburgh’s 20-minute neighbourhood strategy, a scheme that aims to provide all local residents with access to amenities within a short walk or cycle from their homes.

Colourful timber batten structure with seating by New Practice
Seating is added throughout the project

The opening of Walk-Up Avenue coincided with the Craigmillar and Niddrie Community Festival, which saw the plot being used for music and theatre performances and a craft market.

“During this day the most interesting thing was watching how local residents accessed the site, coming through both the formal entrance under the beacon but also filtering in via the soft boundary to back lanes and their private back gardens,” said Dolan.

Another project recently completed by New Practice is the renovation of Kinning Park Complex, a former school building in Glasgow that was saved from demolition.

The photography is by Will Scott.

Project credits:

Architect: New Practice
Landscape architect: Liz Thomas
Construction contractor: Bridgewater building solutions
Quantity surveyor: Currie & Brown
Structural engineer: Will Rudd
Building services engineer: Max Fordham

Reference

LG's UltraFine Display Ergo Boasts Color Precision and Ergonomic Comfort
CategoriesArchitecture

LG’s UltraFine Display Ergo Boasts Color Precision and Ergonomic Comfort

By Zarkon Group,

Architizer Journal is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

The LG 32UN880-B UltraFine Display Ergo monitor is designed to move with and adjust to architects’ needs. Taking ergonomic functions and visual display into deep consideration, this device has exceptional image quality, convenient flexibility and surprising portability.

This monitor was engineered to best serve architects and designs and has received countless awards, including the iF Design Talent Award a few years back. The UHD 4K IPS Display makes for an incredibly lifelike and realistic resolution, which creates a crisp and clear image display that designers can trust. The UHD IPS display enhances contrast, clarity and wide-angle details, all while exhibiting true color representation. Such visual accuracy puts trust in architects that their work is displayed accurately and will closely reflect their real-life design.

The UltraFine Display Ergo monitor has an extremely flexible and ergonomic desktop setup. This monitor can be secured on any surface and in seconds thanks to its One Click Mount and C-Clamp. It can then be adjusted to fit the user’s preferred height and tilt angle, making it a great device for designers meticulously working on renderings and edits. The monitor is equally ideal for collaborative environments; designers can pivot the screen during meetings and easily share images with clients and coworkers.

Designers who have leveraged standing desks can equally take advantage of this device by adjusting the height of their monitor depending on their current work setup — whether it be seated or standing. The monitor can swivel up to 280°, pivot 90° and tilt up to 25°. This truly allows for bespoke and personalized working environments that speak to the individual’s posture preferences and work needs. 

This device is a great fit for designers working in small studio settings as its clutter-free design takes up little desk space. The monitor comes with a USB-C cable, which ensures fast data transfer and fast charging. The USB-C cable improves the device’s efficiency, capability and declutters the desk space.

The LG 32UN880-B UltraFine Display Ergo is ideal for individuals looking to maximize comfort, productiveness and increase visual accuracy in their designs. The monitor is equally suitable for designers working in collaborative environments as the screen can mount on any surface and can be adjusted to fit the ergonomic needs of the user. For that reason, this monitor is a great tool for designers working individually and collaboratively.

For more laptops and workstation recommendations for architects, checkout 15 Top Laptops for Architects and Designers. For more ways to supercharge your workflow, check out more articles in our Tech for Architects series.

Reference

Five Fundamental Takeaways From Architizer's Future Fest
CategoriesArchitecture

Five Fundamental Takeaways From Architizer’s Future Fest

By Zarkon Group,

Architizer is thrilled to announce that the 11th Annual A+Awards is open for entries! With an Early Entry Deadline of November 4th, 2022, the clock is ticking — get started on your submission today.

Architizer’s global Future Fest was a truly epic event: comprising a series of fifteen motivating, refreshing and awe-inspiring talks, there was a whole lot jam-packed into its three-week span. Led by the industry’s leaders and A+Awards-winning architects, Future Fest left everyone with plenty to think about and reflect upon. For those unable to attend or who want a little refresher, here are five key themes that resurfaced across speakers’ talks. 

1. Architecture Must Be Democratized 

One of the main themes that undergird the talks from Future Fest is that democratizing architecture is paramount — both in terms of the spaces built as well as the ideas used. Democratic architecture begins in the conceptual stage, and as building techniques and technological innovations continue to evolve, these advancements must be accessible to all.

Tiny Victories by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, Austin, TX, United States, 2020. Finalist, 2021 Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Living Small

Tiny Victories by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, Austin, TX, United States, 2020. Finalist, 2021A+Awards,  Architecture +Living Small

Tiny Victories by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture in collaboration with EQUITONE perfectly exemplifies this point. This project sought to create a house typology for displaced homeless folks which could easily be operated and maintained. The design team came up with an insular, inward-focused dwelling built with durable materials. This design was a breakthrough in small home typologies, and Michael Hsu’s office reminds us that such breakthroughs should be repeated, and repeated by many. What good does a breakthrough design do if it’s not shared?  

Watch Michael Hsu & Equitone’s (Free) Live Talk

Not only should access to building techniques and typologies be equitable, but so should the very way we utilize space. As Fokke Moerel, partner at MVRDV, explained in her talk, Places For All, art and architecture can and should be used as a tool for inclusivity, no matter the location, scale or budget. Take for example Concordia Design Wroclaw, a private co-working space. Despite the fact that the center is privately owned, the design team encouraged its clients to erect a rooftop garden that can be enjoyed by the public. This project demonstrates that no matter location, scale or budget, architecture can always serve as a tool for inclusivity and equity.

Watch  Fokke’s (Free) Live Talk

Shajay Bhoosham sums it up precisely, we need a “global best practice,” an ideological switch where designers think beyond the request of the client, but for the community at-large.

Al Hosn Masterplan and Landscape Design by CEBRA, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2019. Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Urban and Masterplan

2. The Proof Is In The Past 

Designers should not simply respect the architecture of the past, but should also leverage the knowledge of the past. Various Future Fest speakers emphasized that adapting old-age techniques and reinterpreting them to the modern context is oftentimes the most sustainable and practical building solution. Vernacular craft can sometimes pose simple solutions to complex problems.

Mikkel Frost, co-founder of CEBRA, shares his firm’s masterplan and preservation of the Cultural Foundation building. In order to preserve one of Abu Dhabi’s most historically-significant structures, a series of installations were mounted in the building’s library. These installations fostered a dynamic exchange while still respecting the original edifice. The installations are not fixed and can therefore be transported anywhere and removed at anytime.

Watch Mikkel’s (Free) Live Talk

When it comes to interpreting history, designers must find that sweet spot between preserving the past while not being limited by it. Shajay Bhoosan also shared how Zaha Hadid Architects blend ancient principles and geometries with modern-day technology to build structures that pose less harm to the environment. The design industry is overwhelmed by new materials and technologies to choose from, but many of our Future Fest speakers remind us to look backwards to existing precedents and to utilize the incredible knowledge of the past .

3. Engage The Community At The Conceptual Stage 

An overarching theme seen throughout Future Fest was community engagement. Andre Brumfield, design director at Gensler, shares how community engagement is intrinsic to his firm’s design process. When remodeling affordable housing neighborhoods, one of the most important parts of the process is leveraging the ideas and opinions of the very residents that inhabit the space.

Watch Andre’s (Free) Live Talk

Community members are often the very folks who best understand the building site in question, and utilizing their input as a guiding principle is immensely beneficial. Mikkel Frost puts it simply, the most important part of a public space is the people, and public meetings and outreach efforts help architects better understand the needs of the community. Moreover, utilizing the public vote can often serve as a gateway to realize a project. Utilizing the voices of the public is sometimes all it takes for a project to come to fruition.

West End Square by James Corner Field Operations, Dallas, TX, United States, 2021. Popular Choice Winner, 10th Annual A+Awards, Public Parks & Green Spaces

4. Good Architecture Is Adaptable 

When we think about architecture, we often think of permanent, long-lasting and static structures. However, many of the Future Fest speakers encouraged us to think differently. Sometimes the most successful designs are not the structures that last the longest, but the structures that can transform. Adaptive reuse has become such an integral part of our built environment, as repurposing what already exists is an essential part of creating a sustainable future. When building new structures, designers must think less about permanence and more about malleability. When designing for the public realm, Rob Rogers, partner at ROGERS PARTNERS, shares how critical it is to design for flexible use; because, when you over-program, you are limiting the space’s use, and thus doing a disservice to the community.

Watch Rob’s (Free) Live Talk

West End Square by James Corner Field Operations is a prime example of a project designed for versatility. West End Square is an adaptive reuse design that turns an old parking lot into a vibrant public park. Principal Isabel Castilla explains how the site was designed to facilitate a variety of programs, such as farmer’s markets and salsa classes. The site was conceived as a ‘smart park’ in order to accommodate the fast-paced technological advancements that often move faster than architecture. A trellis was built and serves as a technology armature that can be easily accessed and updated over time. The West End Square thus serves as a community anchor that pivots alongside society and adapts to whatever occasion.

Watch Isabel’s (Free) Live Talk

5. Architecture Must Heal 

Wandile Mthiyane, director of the Ubuntu Design Group, predicts that the future of architecture will be much more centered around helping communities heal. Today’s strong cultural and socio-political shifts will lead to a future generation of architects that prioritize mental and emotional health. Architecture has been (and still is) often used to separate and differentiate groups and communities, and it is a designer’s responsibility to undo the division present in our built environment. Wandile reminds us to think of architecture with increased concern for the emotional wellbeing of people. Architecture is a powerful vessel that can help remedy socio-economic disparities, heal racial wounds and mitigate mental health crises. Through conscious and deliberate material choices and clear objectives, architecture can help society heal.

Watch The Future Fest Finale (Free)

Are you interested in taking part in an event like Future Fest, and sharing your ideas about architecture with Architzer’s global community? Consider entering the the 11th Annual A+Awards. With an Early Entry Deadline of November 4th, 2022, the clock is ticking — get started on your submission today.  

Reference

saffet kaya architects
CategoriesArchitecture

saffet kaya architects brings a high-tech learning hub to cyprus

By Zarkon Group,

high-performance architecture in cyprus

 

Saffet Kaya Architects, a practice based in both Cyprus and the UK, has built a Science and Technology Center for the Cyprus International University in Nicosia. The project has introduced twenty-two classrooms and thirty-three research laboratories to accommodate thirteen separate fields of engineering on the campus.

 

While many of these spaces are highly specialized for their field, the center can simultaneously host non-engineering courses, lending a highly efficient use of the space. With this cross-disciplinary programming, the space is a collaborative learning hub which promotes interactions between students across departments.

saffet kaya architectsimages courtesy Saffet Kaya Architects | @saffetkayaofficial

 

 

inside the science and technology center

 

The team at Saffet Kaya Architects designs its Science and Technology Center in Cyprus with respect for its environment — both with its orientation within the site, and with its forward-thinking technological systems. The architects organize the building across only two levels, keeping a low-lying presence in order to minimize its presence among the Cyprus International University campus. ‘The silhouette of the building is proportionate to its surroundings and is in harmony with its environment,’ explains the team. Inside, the building opens up into three levels, with a full story embedded underground.

 

The ground level hosts multi-purpose classrooms, while the administration, faculty, and IT laboratories are located on the first floor. Meanwhile, specialized experimental laboratories are located along the lower level. These underground spaces still benefit from natural light and ventilation with access to sunken courtyards.

saffet kaya architects

 

 

the efficient design by saffet kaya architects

 

Multi-purpose classrooms are strategically located at ground level, meeting the demands of different departments including students arriving from other faculties. The Administration, Faculty, and IT Laboratories are located on the first floor, establishing a formal setup, whilst specialist experimental labs are situated at the lower ground level but still benefit from natural light and ventilation with access to sunken courtyards.

 

The group explains: ‘It is also possible to passively ventilate the internal spaces throughout both day and night time from each façade, allowing outside air to enter the space through courtyards and external surfaces. The enclosed spaces are equipped with controlled façade openings with a high-level automation system and thermal solar chimneys acting as ventilation shafts located at opposite sides of the rooms along the corridors, to provide natural cross ventilation, enabling energy saving and enhanced sustainability.

 

‘Each façade elevation is independent from the other in design, and new technologies such as thermal chimneys and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) were used for the first time.’

saffet kaya architects
each facade is unique, designed according to contextual parameters

 

 

The team continues, describing the performance of the building: ‘The south façade of the building is angled and fully clad with second-generation thin film BIPV panels to maximize solar gain. The north facade, which does not have any direct sunlight, is clad with an all-glass structure allowing natural light in, whilst providing an X-ray effect revealing the skeleton of the building. The east and west façades are aluminum-clad and have louvered openings that are angled to prevent direct solar radiation.

 

‘The introduction of thermal chimneys for natural ventilation, photovoltaic panels for solar gain, and the steel structure with lighter and longer structural spans in composition with a solid concrete structure, are all novel and unconventional architectural design solutions and methodologies in this region. Treating every façade differently by taking contextual parameters into consideration and introducing different transparency are also new experimentations.’

saffet kaya architects
 thermal chimneys are integrated for natural ventilation saffet kaya architects
the structure, mechanical ducts, wiring, and tectonics are left exposed



Reference

Stories housing from afar and the buildings that surround it
CategoriesArchitecture

Planted balconies surround Stories housing in Amsterdam

By Zarkon Group,

Dutch studio Olaf Gipser Architects has worked with housing cooperative BSH20A to create an apartment block in the Netherlands that aims to provide residents with a “communal, sustainable and healthy urban living” environment.

Named Stories, the 47-metre-high tower contains 29 apartments and communal living spaces that overlook the harbour at the former industrial district Buiksloterham.

Stories housing from afar and the buildings that surround it
Stories is an apartment block created by Olaf Gipser Architects

Stories, which also features a community cafe and a terrace topped by an urban farm, is shortlisted in the housing project category of the Dezeen Awards 2022.

Olaf Gipser Architects worked with the BSH20A housing cooperative to ensure a “grassroots, democratic decision-making process” for the project, and to develop a design that is intended to be both socially and environmentally sustainable.

Housing block with planted balconies in Amsterdam
The exterior is wrapped in a steel frame

While Stories’ podium and core are made from concrete, the majority of the tower is built from cross-laminated timber (CLT).

The timber superstructure is wrapped in an external frame of white steel, which forms deep balconies and terraces.

Front elevation of Stories housing by Olaf Gipser Architects
The steel frame provides balconies for residents

Planters, some large enough to support trees, are placed across the exterior with the aim of encouraging greater biodiversity to the post-industrial site while also creating privacy screens for the apartments.

“Characteristic to the appearance of the building is its white, industrial-looking facade, conceived as a microclimate zone which grants extensive outdoor spaces in the form of balconies and winter gardens to all dwelling units,” said Olaf Gipser Architects.

“Integrated in the deep facade is also a communal roof for urban farming that is connected to the shared, multifunctional indoor space,” it continued.

Within Stories’ podium is a garage and six commercial units that create a new street frontage along the harbour’s edge. One of these units is currently occupied by a storytelling cafe offering a “social-cultural programme” for residents.

Detail image of the facade and balconies
Planters feature on the balconies

The apartments themselves vary in layout and in size, ranging from between 43 to 182 square metres. However, they all share access to a communal kitchen, gym and sauna.

According to the studio, the apartments follow “open building” principles, meaning changes in their future use can be easily made. For example, there are rooms with dedicated entrances that can function as home offices or be rented out separately.

Interior image of Dutch apartment
The apartments have wooden floors and white walls

Olaf Gipser Architects has finished the Stories apartments with wooden floors and ceilings and white walls to create open, airy spaces.

The larger apartments benefit from wrap-around balconies that allow external access from every room through glass sliding doors.

Balcony with tree planter
The tower overlooks the harbour at Buiksloterham

Alongside Stories, the shortlist for the housing project category in the Dezeen Awards 2022 includes a cluster of four apartments in Mexico by Void Studio and a self-funded apartment building in Melbourne by Austin Maynard Architects.

A cork-clad co-housing scheme in Belgium by OFFICEU also features on the list and was revealed on Monday as the category’s public vote winner.

The photography is by Max Hart Nibbrig.

Reference

Villa FZ: The Extraordinary Materials Behind Italy’s Most Beautiful New Residence
CategoriesArchitecture

Villa FZ: The Extraordinary Materials Behind Italy’s Most Beautiful New Residence

By Zarkon Group,

Tucked away in the province of Ferrara lies a private residence designed, built and decorated by a collaborative team of architects and stoneware experts. The visionary Sergio Bizzarro, Principal of Studio Bizzarro & Partners, worked with architect Simone Savio to realize the design. Meanwhile, FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti and Iris Ceramica were brought in to decorate the home’s interior and exterior with high-performing and aesthetically-pronounced Italian stoneware. This project is a true celebration of Italian architecture, craft and culture.  

Villa FZ sits on a small plot of land in a relatively built-up neighborhood. Due to its location,  ensuring privacy was at the forefront of the design. At the same time, the design team was cognizant of creating an open, breathable space connected to the outdoors. In order to accommodate the need for both privacy and breathability, the design team settled on the concept of an inverted structure.

Rather than opening to the outside, the home is oriented inwards. Large French windows overlook an enclosed patio and swimming area and work to connect the interior to a private, outdoor living space. The site’s perimeter was heavily landscaped to further enclose the space, maximize privacy and create a green oasis. The result is a clean, contemporary design that promotes relaxation and comfortable living.

Completing the space with durable and quality materials was of importance to the design team, along with maintaining a cohesive visual language. In order to do so, FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti’s MaxFine collection was chosen to finish the villa. MaxFine is revered for its ability to blur the lines between surface and furniture and was the perfect fit for this house. Several slabs from the collection were used throughout the home, adding textural and visual depth to the interior space.

The dwelling’s entrance consists of a small externally-covered atrium leading to the front door. The property’s atrium was covered in FMG’s Marmi MaxFine slabs in the color Statuario Light. These slabs have a crisp off-white, marble-esque quality which contrasts the dark-colored door and simultaneously blends with the external façade.

The home’s muted palette consists of shades of gray, black and white. To enhance the visual language, stoneware with decorative qualities was chosen. FMG’s MaxFine slabs in the color Black Marquinia, were used to create an accent wall that runs from the first floor to the second.

Finished in a Silky texture, this wall stands pronounced within the home, with its rich dark hue and contrasting white veiny lines. This striking backdrop serves as a focal point of the home and can be appreciated in many spots due to the interior’s relatively open plan. The stoneware’s veiny appearance provides a sense of tactility and movement against the muted interior design while still maintaining visual continuity.

To complete the floors, a stone effect was chosen to ensure it could withstand foot traffic and maintain visual continuity with the rest of the space. FMG’s Pietre MaxFine slabs in the color Lavica Grey cover the interior floors and fit seamlessly with the home’s aesthetic. This stoneware is built to last and is resistant to chemicals, which makes for an easy-to-clean surface.

To complement the charming interior space, Iris Ceramica’s Pietra di Basalto panels in the color Grigio were chosen to pave the exterior patio. The Pietra di Basalto stoneware has a slipperiness coefficient of R11, which ensures a high grip and safe walkway and is ideal for spaces with a pool. Moreover, both the interior and exterior floors are UV-resistant which helps maintain the stoneware’s rich color over time. The color gray was chosen for both the interior and exterior flooring and works to create a cohesive visual language throughout the entire property.

All the stoneware chosen to complete this seaside oasis boast high technical performance and pronounced aesthetics. It was important to the design team to choose durable and practicable stoneware, and both FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti and Iris Ceramica’s products deliver just that. Both the MaxFine and Pietra di Basalto collections demonstrate that quality stoneware can serve two purposes, both functional and decorative. Villa FZ truly exemplifies that when thoughtful architecture and superior quality stoneware merge, the result is an unparalleled living experience.

To learn more about the remarkable materials used throughout the project, visit the websites of FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti and Iris Ceramica.

Reference

5 Ways Architects Can Combat Sterile Stereotypes of Elderly Care Homes
CategoriesArchitecture

5 Ways Architects Can Combat Sterile Stereotypes of Elderly Care Homes

By Zarkon Group,

Architizer is thrilled to announce that the 11th Annual A+Awards is officially open for entries! With an Early Entry Deadline of November 4th, 2022, the clock is ticking — get started on your submission today.

As the boomer generation grows old and cultural norms for caring for the elderly shift, retirement homes become increasingly important in our society. When we think of elderly care homes, a sterile and despondent image often comes to mind, one that typically lacks vitality, life and community. Retirement and nursing homes are complex spaces that facilitate a variety of tasks and undertakings. They do not only serve as living spaces; they are medical centers, social domains and spiritual places too. And such multiplex environments have proven to be complex design undertakings.

The architectural field plays an intrinsic role in the betterment of retirement communities. Through careful planning, a deep understanding of the elderly’s needs and a commitment to fostering community, elderly care homes can become places that nurture vibrant lifestyles for their aging population.

Encouraging Movement Through Accessible Floor Plans 

St John’s House Nursing Home by FKL architects, Dublin, Ireland, 2021

Physical mobility decreases with age, and it is imperative that elderly homes both limit and encourage movement. There is a fine line between accessible circulation and inaccessible movement, and architects can help encourage movement through well-devised and safe floor plans. The St John’s Nursing Home in Dublin, Ireland is a space that responds to elderly needs.

This renovation completely reconfigured its amenities in order to best serve its residents. The site’s original chapel was located in an inaccessible and non-central spot. The chapel was then relocated from its former position to a central spot that leads onto an external, enclosed structure. Centralizing this place of worship within the home makes for easier movement and as a result, encourages residents to engage in moments of devotion.

St John’s House Nursing Home by FKL architects, Dublin, Ireland, 2021.

At St John’s Nursing Home, a sheltered promenade was created to join the new building with the existing structure. Covered pathways are ideal for elderly residents as they encourage outdoor movement while protecting residents from extreme weather, such as heavy rainfall, which could cause slippery conditions. 

Moreover, herbs, vegetables and fruits were planted in the outdoor gardens, which create active outdoor spaces where residents can engage their senses through scents, textures and taste. The home’s interior design was carefully placed and boasts contrasting colors in order to remain accessible for residents with cognitive impairments. Thus, creating a space for accessible circulation and healthy movement. 

The Hainburg Nursing Home in Austria is another great example of accessible and tactical design. Inside, niches were implemented in front of each resident’s bedroom door, and thus turn the hallways into active spaces for circulation and gathering that are an extension of residents’ rooms. The interior surfaces are demarcated by their materiality: laminate and linoleum and wooden floors. Meanwhile, contrary to the anonymous and bland exteriors that lend a medical air to many nursing homes, this Austrian project is sheathed in a pattern of colored diamond-shaped Eternit-shingles, offering a unique expression of identity for the place that residents call home; which brings me to my next point.

Steering Away from Sterile Environments 

Home for Dependent Elderly People and Nursing Home by Dominique Coulon & Associés, Orbec, France. Photos by Eugeni Pons

Homes for the elderly encompass much more than a simple place to eat and rest. These spaces are typically equipped with large medical teams made up of doctors and nurses. More often than not, a pragmatic reality takes precedence over design creativity and as a result, sterile spaces are erected. 

However, there are ways to ensure that a caregiver’s work can be performed without a hitch while creating inviting and dynamic spaces. The simplest way to do so is through color. The Home for Dependent Eledery People and Nursing Home in Orbec, France chose unconventional colors for its design. The interior hallways are painted with a bright red and crisp white color, steering away from conventional medical palettes. Even the exterior’s green façade makes for an inviting space and connects the center to the surrounding landscape.

St Brieuc’s Elderly Establishment by Nomade Architectes, Saint-Brieuc, France | Photo by Mathieu Ducros

This bold use of color can be seen in additional homes, including the St Brieuc’s Elderly Establishment in France, which boasts a colorful interior and exterior purposefully done to energize the space. The design respects the area’s residential nature by breaking the program into nine small blocks and borrowing traditional architectural codes, such as double-pitched roof. The array of materials and color further differentiate units of the housing, reinforcing a sense of individuality for the residents in the community.

Encouraging Autonomy Through Separated Public and Private Spaces 

Indeed, balancing autonomy and independence can be a challenge when designing an old folk’s home, especially when most residents require assistance from staff. Separating public and private spaces in order to encourage independence — while not compromising community and efficient care — is key. The Old People’s and Nursing Home in Rolle, Switzerland finds a perfect balance between public and private spaces. Residents’ bedrooms are located on the upper floors while the main level is reserved for communal areas. Additional common spaces are added to upper floors, which encourages private gatherings and therefore, allow residents to socialize on their own terms. 

Old People’s and Nursing Home, Rolle by PIERRE-ALAIN DUPRAZ ARCHITECTE ETS FAS, Rolle, Switzerland, 2015.

Hospitality-Based Design

Some designers have approached the architecture of a senior’s home similarly to that of a hospitality space. The Nursing Home in Sceaux was informed by hotel designs and mimics a similar aesthetic through its thematic spaces. This home has three pronounced gardens, all of which boast a unique theme and create exploratory spaces for residents to discover.

Dining, lounging and media rooms are all separated to further encourage movement and exploration — just like one would in a hotel. Moreover, the entire façade is wrapped by wooden logs which create an enclosed passageway and provides an environment completely atypical of a nursing home but still safe for the elderly. 

Nursing Home in Sceaux by Philippe Dubus Architectes, Sceaux, France, 2013.

Hospitality-influenced design is equally see at the St Brieuc’s Eldery Establishment (mentioned earlier in this article) which has an in-house hair salon and delineated family reception area. These sorts of hospitality-focused spaces bridge the gap between the home and the outside world by providing a sense of ‘normal’ living. Residents can engage in mundane tasks such as visiting the hairdresser and hosting family. 

Improved Areas for Staff and Caregivers 

As important as it is to consider the residents’ needs when designing spaces for the elderly, it is equally paramount to take into consideration the very people that make these spaces possible — the staff. Caregivers have arguably one of the most challenging jobs and it is critical they are well-considered when designing nursing homes and retirement residences. Delineating clear environments where staff can perform their work, as well as look after themselves, help create an environment ideal for growing old.

Architizer is thrilled to announce that the 11th Annual A+Awards is officially open for entries! With an Early Entry Deadline of November 4th, 2022, the clock is ticking — get started on your submission today.

Reference

'the house of a thousand faces' by OOIIO architecture frames scenic views of mountainous spain
CategoriesArchitecture

‘the house of a thousand faces’ by OOIIO architecture frames mountainous views in spain

By Zarkon Group,

the house of a thousand faces

 

OOIIO Architecture plays with bold geometries for ‘LLO House,’ a single-family dwelling in Valdemorillo, Spain. The final composition presents itself as a series of angular volumes that interconnect and point in different directions, framing scenic views of the mountainous landscape around Madrid. The presence of several trees and rocks on the property was a great challenge that led the team to intervene gently in the existing vegetation with a design that slides through it. Taking shape as a large spatial pinwheel — as mentioned by the architects — the project aims to open up to the horizon but also itself becomes a sculpture with expressive forms of materials and shapes. From the perspective of a passerby, the house emerges with vague boundaries and invites one to discover them gradually by walking around it.

 

‘Wandering around the building, a passer-by discovers that the house is never the same, it has a thousand faces.’ shares the Madrid-based studio. ‘It is a house that looks to several different points, and also, when you look at it, it will always appear different, depending on the time of day, the season, and the position. You will always see a different house. A nuance, a shadow that throws with a specific inclination, but never the same as before.’'the house of a thousand faces' by OOIIO architecture frames scenic views of mountainous spainall images by Javier de Paz

 

 

Form & material variety in domestic residential architecture

 

The functions are distributed throughout the various masses, each of them generously opening in different directions. The building’s core is a double-height space that embraces the staircase and acts as a connector between the two levels. The imposing geometries of the project are softened with a skin of clay-type ceramic pieces in reddish and grayish tones and smoothly integrate the building into its natural setting. At the same time, its muted color palette creates a pleasing contrast with the pops of green as a backdrop. The interior, which is also designed by OOIIO Architecture (more here), showcases a similar character following earthy tones expressed throughout the spaces.  A series of fired clay mosaics combined with wood in natural and mint green tones are strategically positioned in the central staircase, the living room, or the kitchen furnishing, thus achieving aesthetic continuity between in and out.  'the house of a thousand faces' by OOIIO architecture frames scenic views of mountainous spain the functions are distributed among the various masses'the house of a thousand faces' by OOIIO architecture frames scenic views of mountainous spain

the house appears different depending on the angles of view

Reference