embraces Archives

Schemata Architects embraces rough material finishes for gallery in Seoul

The rough finishes of an existing concrete and brick structure are contrasted by white exhibition spaces at Arario Gallery in Seoul, completed by Japanese studio Schemata Architects.

The gallery is located at the rear of the Space Group Building, a modernist icon in South Korea that houses the Arario Museum.

Designed by architect Kim Swoo-geun, the grey-brick, heritage-listed building was completed in the 1970s and converted into the museum in 2014.

Exterior of the Arario Gallery in Seoul by Schemata Architects — Arario Gallery sits alongside the grey-brick Space Group Building

Alongside this building is a glazed extension from the 1990s by architect Jang Se-yang, a student of Swoo-geun, as well as a traditional South Korean home, or hanok, which was relocated to the site when it reopened in 2014.

Amid this architectural backdrop is a brick and concrete structure added to the site in the 1980s, which Schemata Architects was tasked with converting into the Arario Gallery.

“It was a great challenge for me, a Japanese architect, to work on the third building – excluding the hanok – especially after seeing the perfect contrast between the two buildings already created by the master and the disciple,” said Schemata Architects Principal Jo Nagasaka.

Interior of the Arario Gallery in Seoul by Schemata Architects — The gallery spaces are contained in white rooms

Looking to create a space that “looks unchanged on the outside”, the studio retained the building’s structural frame and dark brickwork, originally chosen to complement the Space Group Building.

“In this context, we thought that inserting another unique feature into the landscape would not be appropriate,” explained Nagasaka.

White gallery interior with grey brick floors — Brickwork extends across the floor of the basement

Organised across four floors and a basement level, the white-walled gallery spaces sit alongside the existing staircase, lift, service and storage areas, where the structure’s rough material finishes have been left exposed.

In these more industrial-feeling spaces, walls have been made using plywood on metal frames. Teamed with metal doors and white metal balustrades, they deliberately stand out against the “skeleton” of the existing building.

In the basement, the dark grey brickwork of the adjacent museum is mirrored in a brick floor that extends throughout the space.

On the third floor, sections of the exterior wall were removed to create a full-height glass wall in the VIP area. This looks out towards the nearby Changdeokgung Palace and a surrounding park, also visible through windows in the stairwell.

Concrete stairwell with white stairs — White metal accents highlight new additions to the Arario Gallery

“In this way, we established repetitive patterns where visitors would emerge from the white cube into a skeleton space and see the palace beyond as they ascend to the upper floors,” said Nagasaka.

Lounge area in Seoul by Schemata Architects — Large windows in the Arario Gallery overlook Changdeokgung Palace

Schemata Architects is a Tokyo-based studio, Founded in 1998 by Nagasaka after he graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts.

Its previous projects include a public bathhouse in Tokyo finished with turquoise tiles and a hillside guesthouse and bar for a home on the coast of an island in the Seto Inland Sea.

The photography is by Yongjoon Choi.

Reference

Architecture

Liquid City: A Radical New Masterplan in Rotterdam Embraces the River for Resilience

By Zarkon Group,03/08/2023

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

Popular with hip foodies and craft beer lovers, Fenix Food Factory’s generous outdoor seating area overlooks Rijnhaven. An old industrial harbor, over decades, it has seen shipping disappear under the boot of urban development.

After docklands moved west towards, and now into, the North Sea, a new district has sprung up in this corner of Rotterdam, extending the city center. Shops, residential blocks, floating structures housing offices and hospitality have replaced redundant warehouses and cranes.

The stunning Hotel New York overlooks all of this new development. The iconic building dates to the late-19th century, when it housed Holland America’s headquarters. The ocean liner route to Hoboken, New Jersey, carried close to 500,000 passengers from mainland Europe in its first twenty-five years of operation, and some will be immortalized when the FENIX Museum of Migration opens in 2024.

At the closed end of the quay, early signs of Rijnhavenpark are materializing — if you know what to look for. A large section of the harbor is cordoned off with buoys, and machinery has arrived to start the mammoth task of filling in one-third of the basin to create a huge public park, partly built on dry land, part floating on water, connected by walkways. The scheme is just one of several remarkable undertakings by the municipality of Rotterdam, transforming how the city interacts with its riverfront.

Rijnhaven, Rotterdam by Ossip van Duivenbode/Rotterdam Partners

Artist’s impression of Rijnhavenpark by City Projects/Rotterdam Partners

A delta town, the surrounding region of the Netherlands is home to the huge Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta, and has seen vast amounts spent on flood defences as a result. Known as Delta Works, modern protective infrastructure first broke ground in 1954 and construction only finished around 1997. Rotterdam’s Maeslantkering was one of the final pieces in a jigsaw of sluices, locks and dams. An enormous floodgate that took six years to build, it remains one of the planet’s largest moving structures.

A new masterplan comprising a series of large scale City Projects for central Rotterdam, many of which actively embrace the river itself, serves as a clear reminder of how vulnerable a city is when large parts lie below sea level — however, it also serves as a source of inspiration for design ingenuity. This scheme includes planting flora at different tidal levels, meaning that green spaces change with the time of day and actively supporting aquatic life, mammals and birds in the process.

In total, eight sites have been approved, but the initial series could be the start of something far bigger — a vast ‘central park’ running down both river banks. This vision was creatively displayed on the inside of a disused shipping barge during June’s Rotterdam Architecture Month for the Liquid City exhibition. Should that ever materialize, the network of green waterfronts would line downtown and a good chunk of the former docklands that made up Europe’s largest port.

Interconnected green spaces are shown on the banks of the Meuse at Rotterdam Architecture Month by Martin Guttridge-Hewitt

“Four and a half years ago the decision was made that we need more green, and a lot more. Not just around the Meuse, but everywhere. Of course you can’t do it everywhere. So we were told there would be eight locations in the city centre, and to go away, do some homework quickly as possible, and present a study, with numbers for what it might cost,” explains Emiel Arends, urban planning specialist on City Projects who also works as part of Rotterdam’s climate adaptation programme, WeerWoord [Weatherwise]. “We only had four months to prepare, pitched it, they said OK, here’s €350 million ($387 million), go make it happen as soon as possible.”

In addition to riverside sites, City Projects also include the elevated Hofbogenpark, a narrow 1 mile (2 kilometer) micro-intervention on a former railway viaduct, and Hofplein, where urban greening will transform an already-busy square. Arends’ colleague, Pieter de Greef, senior planner and a key architect of the river-as-park masterplan, says the biggest challenge is Nelson Mendelapark. In partnership with US waterfront specialist SWA/Balsley, work has begun on an area the size of ten soccer fields at Maashaven harbour. Once complete, this will comprise hills, trees, lawns, an event space, and various tidal features, including a pathway designed to help people understand the river’s natural flow and ecosystem.

City Projects Rotterdam Nelson Mandelapark

Artists impression of Nelson Mandelapark by SWA/Balsley

“If you want square meters, Tidal Park Feyenoord is bigger. But that’s all about biodiversity, greening rivers, giving nature new places in the city… it’s not for picnics and other activities,” says de Greef of the largest approved City Projects development. “Mandelapark is much more mixed. There’s a lot of social housing around there, which is good but they do not have many balconies or public spaces. The streets are narrow, filled with asphalt and stones. This project gives 16,000 households a large green space within 10 minutes walk.”

Unsurprisingly, considering the neighborhood’s urgent needs, de Greef says the most significant achievement with Nelson Mandelapark has been keeping all available land public. Other schemes in City Projects have integrated private interests to help finance. For example, at Rijnhavenpark three large residential blocks will deliver 4,500 homes, bringing in revenue to realise the vision. Elsewhere, water companies support schemes where green-blue infrastructure can ease pressure on overloaded drainage systems.

“Each part of the City Projects has a slightly different focus,” says Arends. “So within the inner city, on the north side, a little bit further away from the river, it’s about water storage and heat reduction. Tidal Park Feyenoord is all about biodiversity, but you can walk there as well. There are actions specific to each of the parks. It’s an insane programme. I’ve never seen this before, in any city.”

Hero Image: Rotterdam’s Maeslantkering flood defences by Guido Pijper / Rotterdam Partners

Reference

Architecture

SoHo’s 49 Greene Street Embraces the Modern Concept of Loft Living

By Zarkon Group,22/02/2023

49 Greene Street – a 6-story building in NYC’s historic SoHo district, is an extant example of the mixed iron-and-masonry construction of the post-Civil War era. The client’s brief was to restore the building’s masonry façade and cast-iron storefront, and to convert the interiors into four high-end residential units. To do this, we drew inspiration from the makers and artist ls that once occupied this previously manufacturing building to create units that embrace modern concept of ‘loft living’, in which open, non-programmed flexible spaces meet highly crafted, millworked moments, adding warmth throughout with the use of woods, marbles, and ironwork.

Architizer chatted with Jordan Rogove, Co-Founder and Principal of DXA studio, to learn more about this project.

Architizer: What inspired the initial concept for your design?

Jordan Rogove: We wanted to speak to the various movements that helped form SoHo’s unique character and charm. Much like the artists who were attracted to the neighborhood’s empty lofts in the 1960’s, we too were drawn to the building’s high ceilings, abundant light, and expansive floor plates. For this reason, we are committed to leaving the spaces as open, fluid, and customizable as possible.

However, we were acutely aware that we were designing a home, so introducing a residential scale was important to make the otherwise large space comfortable and inviting. To achieve this, we lowered the ceiling in select rooms and introduced a high level of craft and tactility – our way of communicating with the by-gone manufacturing era of SoHo.

Throughout these rooms, we created a material theme of oak wood paneling, blackened steel, fluted glazing and various marbles. These materials are not only visually exquisite, but very in their tactile qualities, which we believe to be crucial adding warmth and comfort to a home.

This project won in the 10th Annual A+Awards! What do you believe are the standout components that made your project win?

The kitchen and den–the hearth of the home–are the showpieces of each unit, as they are not only beautiful and practical, but speak to each other in their materiality and detailing.

In the kitchen, the appliances, storage, and secondary scullery kitchen are all seamlessly hidden behind white oak paneling with beautifully crafted integrated pulls. This paneling wraps onto the ceiling to cleverly integrate recessed lighting and HVAC diffusers. The island is crafted out of a single slab of Fior di Pesco marble, known for its ability to add calm and serenity to a space, while the upper cabinetry is clad in blackened steel and fluted glass.

This millwork detailing continues into the den, where white oak paneling and a built-in desktop can be closed off from the main living spaces by large blackened steel and fluted glass doors. Alternatively, these doors can perfectly tuck away into the oak millwork to allow flexible space programming.

Many of these materials can be found throughout the unit, creating an overarching theme. For instance, the blackened steel of the den’s custom doors is mirrored in the steel frames of the bathroom vanities, the plumbing fixtures, and even the column cladding.

What was the greatest design challenge you faced during the project, and how did you navigate it?

Renovating a manufacturing building from the 1800’s was an exciting challenge, both in terms of design and coordination. On the design side, we believe that as architects, it is our duty to celebrate the area’s rich history in an authentic yet contemporary manner. This is why we wanted to keep the open nature of these spaces as much as possible. It is also why we used wood and iron in a way that is reminiscent of previous eras, while using contemporary detailing to bring these materials to the present day.

On the coordination side, working with existing buildings in NYC is always a challenge. As precisely as we survey all historic projects, we often encounter surprises during construction that require us to tweak our design on the fly–and 49 Greene was no exception. Furthermore, we had to design an entirely new roof structure, as the existing roof was significantly sloped, which meant giving the 200-year old structure upgrades to account for modern building technologies.

What is your favorite detail in the project and why?

Although it is one of the smallest rooms in each unit, we think the powder room really packs a punch. The vanity and sink are entirely made out of Fior di Bosco marble, which marries well with the ebony black wood veneer panels to create a dark yet calming atmosphere.

In what ways did you collaborate with others, and were there any team members or skills that were essential in bringing this Award winning project to life?

The nature of this project required us to closely collaborate with millworkers, iron workers, and various craftspeople to get the detailing down. We worked with Canova on all of the millwork, Manhattan Steel Door Co. on the large den doors, and with Sage Construction on the stonework and other general detailing. We had many pencil sessions and back-and-forth shop drawing reviews to better understand how to achieve the level of craftsmanship that we envisioned–and we really refined our knowledge of interior detailing along the way.

For more on 49 Greene Street, SoHo, please visit the in-depth project page on Architizer.

49 Greene Street, SoHo Gallery

Reference

Sustainable News Zero Energy Homes

Calif. Embraces Passive House for Zero Carbon Multifamily Housing

By Zarkon Group,28/01/2023

The housing crisis in California is leaving thousands unsheltered and millions more with high rent burdens, threatening low-income communities, who are disproportionately people of color. Meanwhile, the climate crisis is causing wildfires, dangerous air quality, and widespread power shut-offs. A recent study funded by the California Public Utilities Commission highlights how Passive House (PH) design principles should be utilized in new construction to create zero carbon multifamily housing and contribute to more comfortable, healthy, and safe buildings for residents.

The Advancing Options for Decarbonization in Multifamily Buildings study developed by BluePoint Planning will inform the state’s zero-carbon program for new multifamily construction, and is designed to shape future California Energy codes (Title 24 part 6). The intention is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from multifamily buildings, promote occupant safety and comfort, and provide greater resilience in the face of climate change and extreme weather.

The study promotes deep energy efficiency practices and encourages market actors to go beyond code, by integrating ultra-efficient PH approaches in the design and construction of new zero carbon multifamily housing. Passive House design elements emphasize airtight construction, reduced thermal bridging, and passive daylighting, heating, and cooling as much as possible.

Why Passive House?

Building on stakeholders’ and technical advisors’ input, the study highlights that PH in multifamily buildings is cost-effective and is one of the best building sectors to focus on. PH buildings can use up to 80% less energy than existing standard construction, and 20% less energy than current California energy code. The PH model has been around for more than 40 years and can be applied to all building types—including multifamily residential and mixed-use commercial and multifamily. The technique has become popular throughout Europe, while gaining ground in the United States as well, with the square footage of PH buildings more than doubling every 2 years over the past decade. Today, there are more than 100 multifamily Passive House buildings in the US, equaling more than 2.7 million square feet; though there are few in California.

PH construction relies on a well-insulated building envelope that minimizes air leaks and thermal bridging, to create an ultra–energy-efficient building. Other elements such as double- and triple-paned, properly installed windows are also needed to achieve proper insulation. The resulting energy efficiency and reduction in demand is critical to meet California’s climate goals, to support the electrical grid, and to lower costs to ratepayers.

Building systems and beyond

Zero carbon multifamily buildings must be all-electric, utilizing efficient heat pump HVAC and heat pump water heaters. Note that the elimination of natural gas infrastructure helps reduce construction costs. Did you know that that plug loads consume 30% to 44% of whole building energy for multifamily buildings (depending on climate zone), because each unit has less space to be heated and cooled but still uses roughly the same number of appliances? Thus, highly efficient appliances will have high impact in reducing energy consumption. Consider induction cooktops, heat pump clothes dryers, and ENERGY STAR rated or other third-party certified microwaves, dishwashers, clothes washers, and refrigerators. In addition, the study requires that operation and management of multifamily buildings actively reduce emissions associated with energy use.

The study expands the discussion beyond the building’s systems and considers siting, connection to other buildings, and potential for scaled infrastructure. Proper site design, orientation to the sun, and site shading all affect the need for heating and cooling. When done correctly, these elements work in tandem with airtight insulation to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures with minimal active heating and cooling.

Solar battery storage for resilience

Solar and storage are also critical elements to creating low carbon, resilient buildings. Once a multifamily building approaches ultra-low energy use intensity (EUI) targets, solar and storage must be integrated to help satisfy the building’s daily energy demands and to support basic electricity needs during a power outage. For multifamily properties, it’s essential to consider rooftop configurations and availability, and to enable siting solar over parking areas or other parts of the site. The decarbonization study also covers integration of electric charging stations and vehicle-to-grid technologies that can help to raise the overall benefits of a zero carbon building and its resilience.

Passive House design is known best as helping to create high-performing buildings and reducing energy use. However, key elements like insulation, energy efficient appliances, and solar with battery storage, can have invaluable resilience benefits in a world where climate change impacts are becoming more extreme and life-threatening.

Resilience and equity in zero carbon multifamily housing

The study considers equity as an essential principle, and advocates that PH buildings provide a durable sanctuary for residents in the face of disaster, extreme weather, or smoke from wildfires. (Durable sanctuary refers to a home or building that ensures a safe and healthy living space for its occupants both every day and during emergencies, including power outages for multiple days.) This is particularly important for disadvantaged populations who are more likely to have increased vulnerability to climate threats and are more likely to experience health complications from such an event.

One study showed that PH buildings can maintain a sufficient indoor temperature in the case of a power shut off in the extreme cold for over 6 days, compared to traditionally designed buildings, which only stay comfortable for about 1 day. The potential for Passive House as a resilience tool and mechanism to promote safety and potentially life-saving services in the face of disaster is ready to be realized.

Residents wal and socialize in courtyard of sustainable affordable housing development

The Advancing Options for Decarbonization in Multifamily Buildings study can be considered a reference point for where the housing industry in California is headed. As such, it can act as a tool for design and construction professionals in California to help align their industries towards Passive House standards and more climate-friendly and resilient multifamily buildings. This includes promoting and expanding relevant training, aligning energy modeling tools, and advocating for resilience standards and certifications in their projects.

Bianca Hutner has a background in climate policy advocacy and local government climate planning. At BluePoint Planning, she helps California local jurisdictions reduce emissions and promote resilience through climate planning efforts and assists in regional and statewide efforts to curb climate change and promote an energy-resilient future. Hutner is a co-author of the Multifamily Zero Carbon Action Plan for the California Public Utilities Commission.

Reference

embraces

Schemata Architects embraces rough material finishes for gallery in Seoul

Liquid City: A Radical New Masterplan in Rotterdam Embraces the River for Resilience

SoHo’s 49 Greene Street Embraces the Modern Concept of Loft Living

49 Greene Street, SoHo Gallery

Calif. Embraces Passive House for Zero Carbon Multifamily Housing

Why Passive House?

Building systems and beyond

Solar battery storage for resilience

Resilience and equity in zero carbon multifamily housing

Get in touch

about us

Company info

Useful Links

Newsletter