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Rendering the Future: An Architecture of Matte Black Façades
CategoriesArchitecture

Rendering the Future: An Architecture of Matte Black Façades

By Zarkon Group,

The winners of this year’s A+Product Awards have been announced. Stay tuned for the year’s edition of the A+Product Awards ebook in the coming months.

We first experience architecture through a façade. Whether made with an overhang for shelter, lively colors, or clear sight lines inside, buildings with a thoughtfully designed façade invite exploration. Over time, architects have worked with builders and manufacturers to rethink cladding, glazing, and doors to shape the entry sequence and building styles. Today, this exploration continues with the design and detailing of matte façades. Through diverse material and finish choices, designers are reimagining the building envelope.

Matte façades have increased in popularity around the world and across project types. By reflecting less light, these buildings hold a strong presence and become focal points in rural and urban environments. Depending on the type of material and color, the matte finish can highlight the cladding, structure or façade system in place. These projects have a textural look and feel, inviting interaction and connection. In turn, they can also be used as a counterpoint to other colors, textures or finishes. The surfaces can contrast glazing or the interior design to delineate between the interior and exterior. Representing the integration of materials and finishes in different climates and contexts, each of the following projects explores what it means to create matte façades today.

Sauna R

Designed by Matteo Foresti, Värmdö, Sweden

Made of black granite (Negresco) and dark wood (Oak), this sauna was designed to be a camera obscura, a box drawn to shape views of the landscape. Located in the middle of Stockholm’s archipelago, a narrow pathway brings the visitors to the sauna: a black box embedded in the rocks. The matte finish can be seen both inside and as part of the structure’s façade. As the team outlines, inside is a monolithic stone bench that faces the water through a large sliding window. On the back, a thick wall contains all the services: a small kitchen hidden behind the sliding doors and a bathroom illuminated by a skylight. At night, the small sauna resembles a lighthouse, a warm and cozy space illuminated from the inside.

Textilmacher

Designed by Tillicharchitektur, Munich, Germany

Tillicharchitektur designed this building to host production and office spaces for a textile finishing and vending firm. Its iconic feature is the folded façade, which reimagines the simple cube. The matte bright surface of the anthracite pigmented concrete responds to its environment. Depending on the season, time of day, weather, and lighting, the façade continuously changes its character. In contrast to the expressive façade, the interior design leaves more space for the production process and the products in the showroom. The team explains that the limitation on few, but high class materials, is the main factor driving the interior.

LOU – Einfamilienhaus

Designed by AllesWirdGut, Lower Austria, Austria

On the fringe of the Vienna Woods sits this compact single-family house LOU. Resting on a steeply sloping site, the designers wanted the first impression to be reinforced by the matte black skin of the building. Inside, the project offers a spacious and varied living environment on staggered half-story levels. As the team notes, at each level, the house opens differently to the outside world. The main residential levels are nestled against the slope, separated from the garden only by an all around-strip of windows which allows looking and stepping out in every direction.

Four Seasons House

Designed by Joris Verhoeven Architecture, Tilburg, Netherlands

This compact wooden house was designed by architect Joris Verhoeven for himself. Located within the Drijflanen nature reserve in Tilburg, the matte building is designed to be a part of nature. With its rough black façade, it was made to fit within the context of surrounding tree trunks. The cottage house is prefabricated and constructed out of wooden cassettes filled with flax insulation. In turn, the interior of the cassettes is made of birch plywood. Other parts of the interior, such as the interior door, kitchen and stair railing, are finished in matte black, just like the exterior window frames. In this way the inside and outside of the house were made to relate to one another.

Muangthongthani Carcare

Designed by Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated, Nonthaburi, Thailand

Located in Muang Thong Thani, this project is the expansion of a car care center. The building is located on a 3230-square feet (300-meter) plot of land, with a long and narrow plot that required an in-depth organization of the building. Since the space of the car care center was too limited, a new space was necessary for project extension. The building consists of four small containers and four large containers. The design team made the building exterior to be painted in matte black but the interior is white. The external envelope includes the west façade and the roof, which have metal sunshades to reflect sunlight and protect the building from the heat.

The Wetlands

Designed by Alain Carle Architect, Wentworth-Nord, Canada

The ‘Les Marais’ project started with the design team’s fascination for the built landscape of the empty space that characterizes North American rural areas. For this design, depending on the observer’s location in the neighboring forest, the scales of the buildings are relative. The team explains that the wetland nature of this lakeside property was preserved and then the collective landscape of the built complex was designed. A large ‘plate’ of black wood links the three structures to establish a common base, while large cutouts were made in each ‘shape’, also of black painted wood, to reveal the interior materiality of the red cedar buildings.

JianYe LanHai ZhengFeng Hotel

Designed by Lacime Architect, Xinzheng, China

Sited at the future land-air transport hub of Henan, this hotel was made as a “paradise city with national customs” in Zhengzhou. Ideas of Chinese ancient garden construction were introduced into the “south garden” that make the most important building the starting point of the entire array. Moreover, the matte building façade is presented in the shape of arc to match the main garden in the front. The team choose a range of matte-finish materials like frosted earthenware tile, matte composite aluminum-plastic sheet and brushed stainless steel. It is the first floor of the building that is composed of external matte façade built from 100,000 earthenware tiles.

The winners of this year’s A+Product Awards have been announced. Stay tuned for the year’s edition of the A+Product Awards ebook in the coming months.

Reference

Architectural Details: How to Create a Stunning Minimalist Residence That Brings the Outside In
CategoriesArchitecture

Architectural Details: How to Create a Stunning Minimalist Residence That Brings the Outside In

By Zarkon Group,

Brevity is one of the most powerful tools in the architect’s apparatus. This astonishing glass house, perched on the banks of Minnesota’s Lake Minnetonka, is proof of precisely that. Clean, crisp lines define its striking structure, which emerges from the trees like a modernist specter.

The brief for the project called for a design that maximized light and forged an intimate relationship with the external world. Thanks to magnificent expanses of glass, the residence is a conduit for the surrounding landscape — an elegant, architectural “picture frame”. Yet creating a home that is visually defined by its glazed skin is not a straightforward endeavor, and its successful resolution hinges on the integration of resilient, high-performing materials.

Photo courtesy of Spacecrafting.

Making a Glass House Structurally Sound

Less is more, or so the mantra of modernism goes. Somewhat ironically though, achieving minimalism is no simple task. Subtracting as much as possible from a building’s fabric is an act of bravery, a challenge that Charlie & Co. Design and John Kraemer & Sons Custom Builders admirably rose to.

Charlie Simmons, the founding principal of Charlie & Co. Design, shared the formative questions they asked themselves at the start of the project: “You strip out all the unnecessary things. What’s the limited amount of structure you need? Could you really go floor-to-ceiling with glass? How high can you make it? And then you start whittling away and whittling away and what’s left?”

The team turned to Marvin to help them deliver the seamless, streamlined esthetic their client wanted. The Marvin Modern product line, comprising a modular series of durable, fiberglass products with narrow sightlines, was the ideal fit for the ambitious design. The doors and windows feature an integrated structural cavity that adds up to half an inch of mull reinforcement to aid structural performance.

But there was still a fundamental obstacle at the heart of the scheme: glass is not typically made to hold significant weight. The project architect and the Marvin engineering department crunched the numbers and came up with an innovative solution: unobtrusive, load-bearing components were integrated into the design without compromising its sleek finish.

“There are very few actual walls in this place, particularly on the first floor … so we have these structural elements that we need to keep the house up and prevent it from twisting,” Simmons explained. A stone fireplace at one end of the home anchors the building, bookended by what Simmons calls “a box within a box” at the opposite end – a wood structure that houses the kitchen, laundry room and powder room.

Photo courtesy of Spacecrafting.

Ensuring Impressive Thermal Efficiency

Minnesota is a land of climatic extremes, from frigid, frosty winters to humid summer months. For a form dominated by glass, extreme fluctuations in temperature posed another major challenge. Unsurprisingly, the home’s thermal envelope was of paramount concern for the architects, and it was vital that the material structure could stand up to snowstorms and heatwaves alike.

Marvin Modern doors and windows proved strong enough to endure the site’s environmental demands. Made from solid pieces of high-density fiberglass, they provide powerful insulation and an impressive U-factor of 0.28. Shielded from the elements, the residence’s interior is comfortable and inviting all year round, while maintaining a palpable connection with the natural topography. Remarkably, no additional insulating materials were required to aid the glazing’s thermal efficiency.

Photo courtesy of Spacecrafting.

Blurring the Boundary Between Inside and Out

The result of this innovative project is a stunning, living glass box that shifts organically with the light levels, weather conditions and seasons. The stretches of glazing are punctuated with Accoya wood cladding, while interior millwork in the same warm grain establishes a sense of continuity between indoors and out.

Yet however you look at this modern masterpiece, glass is the star of the show. Imbued with the Marvin Modern product line, the structure is a skillful and poetic negotiation of transparency. A trellis and purlins frame the skylight above the main living area, while latticework fragments the full-height windows that flank the stairwell. “It becomes a very subtractive and additive design process but in the end, it’s all about transparency and keeping things as simple and clean and minimalist as possible,” Simmons says.

 

The most staggering feats of engineering are the two 60-foot-long glass walls, which line opposing aspects of the residence. Each wall is made up of three sets of 20-foot sliding doors with only 4 inches of steel structure in between them, allowing for uncompromised views throughout. Like the other Marvin Modern products, the profile of each door is slim and inconspicuous. Recessed channels in the frames conceal motorized insect screens and blackout shades, while still providing consistent, narrow sightlines of less than three inches.

The swaths of glass are a portal to the organic terrain, rather than an obstruction. To that end, internal covers across the frames disguise fasteners and rubber gaskets, while low-gloss aluminum interior finishes and black spacer bars ensure an unimpeded outlook. This seamless finish allows inner and outer worlds to collide. In the warmer months when the doors are retracted, the covered deck becomes a natural extension of the interior floor plan.

Photo courtesy of Spacecrafting.

An interplay of modernist finesse and material resilience, this incredible waterfront home is a masterclass in building with glass. Negotiating challenging contextual and structural obstacles, the residence epitomizes the virtues of architectural minimalism. Simmons succinctly summarizes the scheme’s dual nature: “When you have this much glass, you feel like you’re a part of something out here, but you’re also being protected as well … Marvin gives us the tools to create environments such as this.”

To explore more case studies featuring Marvin Modern and learn how to harness windows and doors like these for your next project, click here.

All architectural drawings courtesy of Charlie and Co. Design; photography courtesy of Spacecrafting.

Reference

Using biotech to purify water and recover valuable waterborne materials
CategoriesSustainable News

Using biotech to purify water and recover valuable waterborne materials

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene are essential for health and well-being. Yet billions of people still lack access to these basic needs. On top of this, demand for water is rising due to population growth, urbanisation, and increasing water demands from sources such as agriculture, industry, and energy. But water purification and recovery can be expensive, requiring a great deal of energy, which can, in turn, lead to carbon emissions.

Now, Swedish company Retein has developed a new technology for energy-efficient and high-purity water separation. This has the potential to reduce the cost of recovering clean water while having a lower impact on the environment than traditional methods. The method was initially developed as a PhD project at Chalmers University of Technology.

The technology utilises a channel protein called aquaporin. Channel proteins provide gateways across the cell membrane, allowing water, nutrients, and other resources to move in and out. Retein has developed a new class of aquaporin capsules that are purified and stabilised by silica. These capsules are then incorporated into conventional polymer membranes to allow water to move rapidly across the separation membrane, with very little input of energy.

Not only could Retein’s aquaporins be used to filter water, but also to filter out other materials, potentially allowing the recovery of substances such as lithium from water. Because the aquaporins have been stabilised, they could easily be used as an additive to various kinds of filters on a wide range of scales.

Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events – including drought and flooding. This is making the need for sustainable water purification more urgent than ever. Luckily, Springwise is spotting a number of innovations in this space. These include a membrane coating that could make filtration cheaper and greener, and a modular wastewater treatment system driven by sunlight and water movement.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

What do Plastic and Paint have in Common? Everything.
CategoriesArchitecture

What do Plastic and Paint have in Common? Everything.

By Zarkon Group,

This article was written by Burgess Brown. Healthy Materials Lab is a design research lab at Parsons School of Design with a mission to place health at the center of every design decision. HML is changing the future of the built environment by creating resources for designers, architects, teachers, and students to make healthier places for all people to live. Check out their podcast, Trace Material.

We’ve got good news and bad news. Let’s start with the bad. We are dealing with a well-documented plastics problem that is choking our planet and infecting our bodies. This is not news. But, there is new evidence of an under-reported key player in our plastics crisis: paint.

Thanks to tireless advocacy work over the last decade, many of us are familiar with the concept of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paints and the threat they pose to our bodies and the planet. We are now spoilt for choice when it comes to low and no-VOC paint options, even at big box stores. This is progress, no doubt, but VOCs are only one of the dangers of paint, and it’s vital that we once again reconsider how we make and use paint.

Environmentalists filter the microplastic waste contaminated with the seaside sand.

The vast majority of paints currently used in our homes, offices, and schools across the country (where we spend 90% of our time) are acrylic based —sometimes called “acrylic latex.” These paints are popular for a good reason. They are affordable, they dry quickly, and once dry, are water resistant. These characteristics are achieved because, at its core, acrylic latex paint is pigment suspended in liquid plastic. The plastic binders and additives found in acrylic latex paint are often toxic to humans and our environment. Some concerning additives are alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs)— a group of chemicals combined in acrylic paint for viscosity that are suspected endocrine disruptors, leading to hormonal dysfunction in humans and animals, and the disruption of marine life. Our widespread use of acrylic latex paint has created interior environments wrapped in toxic plastic bubbles.

Remember, good news is coming (spoiler: there are alternatives to plastic paint)… but first a bit more of the bad. Beyond the immediate threats to the health of building occupants, plastic paints, which never biodegrade, pose a host of dangers to humans, animals, sealife and the environment once their useful life is over. A recent study released by Environmental Action, a Swiss-based scientific research firm of world-renowned experts on plastic pollution, has revealed that our understanding of paint’s role in plastic pollution was dramatically underestimated.

The study finds that paint is the leading source of microplastics in our oceans and waterways.

12th Century Lime Paint Detail, Church in Store Heddinge, Denmark, 2018. Photo by J.Ruth

According to Environmental Action, an astounding 58% of microplastics in oceans and waterways began their life as paint. While some of this paint comes from sectors like the automotive industry or road markings, the largest single contribution comes from the architecture sector, which makes up 48% of pollution. Plastic particles have contaminated the entire planet and are wreaking havoc on ecosystems. New research has revealed a plastic-induced illness in seabirds dubbed ‘plasticosis,’ and microplastics were detected in the blood of 80% of participants in a recent study. The issue is acute, the need to replace petroleum-based paints is urgent, and the architecture industry must take action.

We promised some good news and here it is: healthier paint alternatives exist, and have for centuries! Mineral, clay, and plant-based paints are now readily available. Although transitioning to these paints sometimes requires slightly different installation and practices, it’s an easy learning curve. These paints can be used in interior and exterior applications and can be a superior option to minimize mold, without the addition of problematic additives. Unlike acrylic paints that lightly coat a wall surface, mineral paints penetrate into porous surfaces, which means they will be significantly more durable. Mineral paints, like lime paints for example, have a long history that weave through diverse cultures. Minerals are abundant — limestone makes up 10% of the earth’s crust — and modern technology has made mineral paints more durable than ever.

Lime Paint Color Swatches at KALK in Denmark, 2018. Photo by J.Ruth

In our research at Healthy Materials Lab, we have rigorously investigated and installed some of these plastic paint alternatives that are part of our meticulously vetted materials collection. These products not only avoid VOCs and other hazardous additives, they help to make healthier interiors by absorbing impurities from the air, actively improving indoor air quality.

Romabio employs an ancient recipe based on lime and offers both interior and exterior paints. The exterior paint is known for its superior coverage on brick, stucco and other porous surfaces. Some water is added to the lime pigment in the bucket before painting, reducing the weight of the paint during transportation. We painted our offices over five years ago and even after scrubbing scuff marks, it still looks fantastic.

Keim Paints, made from potassium silicate minerals, another abundant mineral class, offer a low-embodied carbon option that is free of plasticizers or preservatives. Just one coat of primer and one coat of paint provides enough coverage and is high-performing on a range of surfaces. Reducing the number of paint coats reduces the upfront costs, making it an affordable option. Beyond their health benefits, mineral paints are beautiful! They interact with light in a totally different way than synthetics, refracting it across spaces and creating warmth and brightness.

Lime-Painted Ceiling by Salty Labs, Pedagogy ike Shop NYC, 2022. Photo by Annie Schlecter

Real Milk Paint Co. offers a paint made from, you guessed it, milk (protein) along with lime, clay and earth pigments. It comes as a powder to be mixed with water in desired quantity. Less water creates an opaque coating and more water creates a transparent coating.

It’s important to note that, when it comes to healthier materials, labels can be deceiving. Some acrylic paints may contain trace amounts of minerals and be marketed as “mineral paints.” By the same token, some “mineral paints” can contain trace amounts of plastic polymers. Full ingredient transparency is a cornerstone of material health, as is practical patience when it comes to the transition away from petroleum based products. It may not always be possible to avoid acrylic paint altogether, but we have the option to dramatically reduce our consumption. In our materials collection, you’ll find some ‘less harmful’ plastic paint—although we strongly recommend avoiding them. Acrylic latex paint is often the first choice in many projects and low or zero VOC options are available. We acknowledge that this is a good first step to take.

Whenever possible, we encourage a consideration of the entire lifecycle of paint. According to the Environmental Action study, 33% of the total paint used in the Architectural sector will eventually end up in the environment. If that paint is made of plastic, it will end up clogging our waterways, infecting animals, and appearing in our bodies. If we opt for healthier alternatives, the paint will return to the earth as it came. That is better for all of us.

Judging for the 11th A+Awards is now underway! While awaiting the Winners, learn more about Architizer’s Vision Awards. The Early Entry Deadline on May 5th is fast approaching. Start your entry today >

Reference

Aggressively Passive: Why Fierce Brand Competition Is a Huge Win for Green Architecture
CategoriesArchitecture

Aggressively Passive: Why Fierce Brand Competition Is a Huge Win for Green Architecture

By Zarkon Group,

Michael Ingui is a partner at Baxt Ingui Architects and the founder of Passive House Accelerator. The Accelerator is a catalyst for zero-carbon building and a collaborative media platform for practitioners, developers, and manufacturers working to create better buildings through Passive House design and construction.

We are in an incredibly exciting time as architects, designers and builders. Every day a new high-performance product enters the market, existing products are modified to perform better, and new solutions are identified. This is true whether the project is new construction or a retrofit, single-family or commercial. As the marketplace has expanded, more developers and owners have realized that they can build buildings that are healthier and more energy efficient with lower embodied carbon than in the past. Thanks to the growing competition and innovation within the market, these products also cost far less than they once did, and the kinds of sourcing difficulties that high-performance buildings experienced even five years ago are becoming a thing of the past, which has further contributed to the robust growth in the sector.

One of the most telling signs about the health of the emerging green building industry is the accelerated growth of Passive House construction across North America. Since 2014, the number of projects annually certified by Phius, one of two organizations through which one can obtain Passive House certification, has more than tripled. Meanwhile, the square footage of Phius-certified projects doubled from 2021 to 2022 — from 600,000 to 1.2 million square feet. This is in addition to the 37.5 million square feet of usable area certified by the Passive House Institute as of January 2023.

Left: Before, Right: After, Photography: John Muggenborg 

This would have been unthinkable less than a decade ago when Baxt Ingui Architects designed our first Passive House in Manhattan. Many of the challenges we faced were a lack of available materials and difficulty sourcing products. Passive House-quality windows on a brownstone receiving a full façade restoration was a first, and it required a public hearing. The window company, Zola Windows and Doors, collaborated with the Landmarks Preservation Commission and us to create a window they could approve. This helped pave the way for many successful Passive House projects to come. We are spoiled with the current options for readily available stock and custom skylights that meet Passive House standards, along with multiple interior and exterior shading options. For our first several Passive House townhouses, we were saved by a New Jersey-based custom skylight company, Fiore Skylights, who was able to help us work through many of the details we were doing for the first time on this project.

These kinds of growing pains stifled the growth of the high-performance building industry in North America. Design teams and manufacturers were hesitant to fully embrace what was often seen as an immature market. The lack of early adopters only compounded problems with access to materials and limited product options. Within the last few years, this hesitancy has eroded as sourcing networks have expanded and knowledge about the benefits of Passive House and high-performance construction has become more widespread. Consequently, the flood gates are now opening, and we are seeing loads of new high-performance products enter the market.

One of the most critical components to any high-performance construction project is the air barrier. When we began doing Passive House construction more than a decade ago, it was extremely difficult to source fluid-applied membrane air barriers in the U.S. Oftentimes, the only product that was readily available was manufactured by Sto Corp. Sto continues to be one of the air sealing products of choice for many, but now they have been joined by several others, including Intelligent Membranes, Partel, Rothoblaas, Prosoco and Pro Clima.

Finish Photography: Peter Peirce

Creating more airtight envelopes is certainly integral to improving building performance and pursuing Passive House certification, but it plays a more important role in buildings than you might think at first glance. Airtightness is a crucial part of the building’s wall system because it keeps the conditioned air inside separate from the unconditioned air outside. This translates into the lower heating and cooling costs associated with Passive House design.

Air sealing is also important from the perspective of occupant health. Rather than haphazardly finding pinholes and other seams or cracks through which to travel, all air that enters the building is directed through mechanical ventilation systems — another feature of Passive House construction. When outfitted with a filtration system, these ventilation systems can provide a constant supply of fresh air for occupants that is free of pollutants and allergens. For people with allergies in high pollen areas, this can be life-changing. For those who live in areas where wildfires are common, a more robust system outfitted with charcoal filters can keep their homes virtually smoke-free.

All-in-one mechanical systems (known as energy recovery ventilators [ERVs] or heat recovery ventilators [HRVs]) are currently available that provide not only mechanical ventilation, but also heating and cooling. What is truly impressive about these systems is their size. Products that have been developed by manufacturers like Minotair and Ephoca can fit in a closet. While this may seem undersized at first glance, when a building has been properly insulated and air sealed, the amount of energy it needs for heating and cooling drops precipitously. Therefore, the need for enormous mechanical systems disappears. Sometimes you don’t even need the heat at all. This winter, I only had to turn on the heat in my own Passive House certified home in Brooklyn for a few nights.

Finish Photography: Peter Peirce

Relatedly, the growth of heat pumps has been truly remarkable. Though they’ve been built by enormous manufacturers like Mistubishi, Daikan, and Fujitsu for years, they are becoming increasingly commonplace in new construction and retrofits. Rather than using natural gas or oil, heat pumps use electricity to efficiently heat and cool spaces, which helps reduce operational carbon emissions, particularly when paired with onsite and renewable energy generation. The same is true for electric and tankless water heaters, which will probably soon become industry standard.

The market for high-performance windows has also become exceptional, particularly in New York. In 2014, high-performance windows had to be ordered from Europe and there were only a few companies in the business of doing so. Moreover, most builders had never installed high-performance windows systems. Consequently, design options were limited, prices were outrageous, and months-long delays were inevitable.

Today, there are nearly two dozen high-performance window companies that include Zola Windows, Ikon Windows, Innotech Windows + Doors, EuroLine Windows, and Wythe Windows. Competition between these manufacturers is leading to innovations that are not only making high-performance more affordable, but also more varied. For designers, this means more options with respect to materials (wood, aluminum, or uPVC), dimensions, and configurations — including double hung. Builders are also far more accustomed to installing these systems and the process has gone from complicated (and sometimes contentious) to routine.

Another major change is that Landmarks Commissions have become more accustomed to high-performance retrofits. As I noted above, including a Passive House window on a townhouse just a few years ago almost always resulted in a months-long public hearing process. New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission was clear about what window companies had to achieve in order to be approved at staff level, and thankfully, window companies were able to successfully meet those requirements. This has been a significant game-changer, because window selection often drives the decision to pursue Passive House.

Finally, as the components that are necessary to make buildings more efficient become increasingly commonplace, a new generation of manufacturers is beginning to move beyond the problem of operational carbon and looking to how materials choices affect embodied carbon and human health. With respect to the former, this means using natural or recycled materials and manufacturing them without the use of fossil fuels. With respect to the latter, this means manufacturing products that do not release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and harmful other chemicals during the beginning phase of their lifecycle (a process known as off-gassing).

Given the exponential growth in the high-performance marketplace that we’ve seen in just the last ten years, I believe the next decade is going to be defined by product innovation, improvements in sourcing, and new materials that ultimately make buildings healthier and more sustainable.

Judging for the 11th A+Awards is now underway! While awaiting the Winners, learn more about Architizer’s Vision Awards. The Early Entry Deadline on May 5th is fast approaching. Start your entry today >

Reference

Interior of Edit restaurant
CategoriesSustainable News

Elly Ward designs own restaurant Edit using reclaimed materials

By Zarkon Group,

Architect and restauranteur Elly Ward has opened the low-impact restaurant Edit in London, drawing inspiration from its vegan, minimal-waste menu to create an interior filled with reused and recycled materials.

Ward collaborated with her husband Joe Morris of architecture studio Morris + Company on the project, which was designed using low-intervention methods.

“It’s been designed to be as circular as possible, which is the whole philosophy of the restaurant,” she told Dezeen.

Interior of Edit restaurant
The Edit restaurant features exposed brick walls

Edit is located in a former factory and warehouse building in east London and connected to the adjacent Morris + Company architecture office.

Visitors to the restaurant can view the studio’s models through a large glass door, adding a decorative touch to the space.

This door and a window into the office were two of the main changes Ward made to the existing space, which she has transformed using recycled and reclaimed materials.

Window in Edit restaurant
A window connects the interior with the adjacent architecture studio

The building’s brick walls – including a former exterior wall that still features old advertising text – were retained alongside the warehouse’s cast-iron columns and beams, forming the structural fabric of the 197-square-metre restaurant.

Ward added lightweight screen partitions that slot between the existing structures, including a wall made from wood and recycled polycarbonate that divides the main dining area from a smaller private dining room.

Polycarbonate wall with wooden shelves
A polycarbonate screen with wood shelving divides the space

A warm red floor, made from screed topped with a water-based resin, matches the floor in the architecture office next door and contrasts the textured brick wall that Ward and Morris painstakingly unveiled from underneath layers of paint.

At the rear of the space, the duo clad a wall in salvaged maroon terracotta tiles, which merge into the bar counter. These were among the many recycled materials that Ward used for the project.

“I call them my wonky tiles because they’re like the wonky fruit and wonky veg of the industry that gets thrown away because it’s not a perfect carrot,” she said.

Furniture in Edit restaurant
Elly Ward filled the restaurant with vintage furniture

The architect also reused the copper from an existing bar in the restaurant, which now clads the sinks in the bathroom.

“It’s all about diverting waste from waste streams,” Ward said.

“When you’re building something new, you have to get things,” she added. “If you can’t buy recycled or reclaimed, you have to look for renewable materials, things that would have otherwise gone to waste but you’ve made into something else.”

“It’s almost a checklist of ‘how circular can you be?'”

Wooden chairs in London restaurant
A red floor creates a warm atmosphere

Ward also sourced vintage Scandinavian school chairs to provide seating in the restaurant and complemented them with her grandparents’ wooden chairs and vintage Ercol seats.

The accompanying tables have tops made by British company Foresso using waste wood chips set in a plant-based resin, creating an effect similar to wooden terrazzo and adding textural interest to the room.

Resin and wood tabletop
The tabletops are made from recycled wood and resin

The lighting in the space was handmade by British artist Peter Lanyon using wood salvaged from trees that were trimmed back in a local woodland in Devon. Pieces include a “chandelier” made from a piece of hazelwood with hanging lampshades made from cherrywood veneer.

Throughout the restaurant, the colour palette adds a sense of warmth. While the main room has a red hue, Ward chose a calming green colour for the smaller private dining room.

Private dining room in Edit restaurant by Elly Ward
Lamps made from wood decorate the private dining room

“We started with the red; it’s obviously such a strong colour,” Ward said. “I’m somebody who’s quite into colour and I’m not really afraid of it but I didn’t want it to be a ‘pop’ kind of place.”

In the bathroom, the red hue is tempered by the decorative natural cork that clads the walls in both the main space and the toilet cubicles.

“It’s all waterproof and actually really good for humid, damp environments and you can wipe it clean,” Ward said.

Edit restaurant in London
Restaurant guests can admire architectural models while they eat

To Ward, there’s a connection between the food and architecture industries that she wanted to underline in Edit’s design.

“I did a deep dive into the food industry and found out a lot of stuff about provenance and how a lot of the things we’re looking at in the architecture world about circularity and sustainability are kind of echoed in the food industry,” she said.

“I wanted the design to match that philosophy.”

Other vegan restaurants with decorative interiors include Humble Pizza by Child Studios in London and Sydney vegan cafe Gumbuya.

The photography is by Jack Hobhouse.

Reference

Hidden Secret: How Energy Usage Was Transformed in Marcel Breuer’s Iconic Hotel
CategoriesArchitecture

Hidden Secret: How Energy Usage Was Transformed in Marcel Breuer’s Iconic Hotel

By Zarkon Group,

With climate change now firmly at the forefront of every architects’ mind, new innovations that help reduce carbon emissions are more critical than ever. While flashy façades and green roofs often take the headlines, it’s actually the hidden components of buildings — those elements concealed behind walls, in roof spaces, or within maintenance floors — where the most groundbreaking energy-efficient systems can be found.

Mitsubishi Electric’s Heat2O® Heat Pump Water Heater is a prime example. Through energy-efficient operation and reduction of on-site carbon emissions, this cutting-edge system significantly reduces the environmental impact of producing large volumes of Domestic Hot Water (DHW), a key consideration for hospitality, commercial and multi-unit residential projects.

Thanks to its modular design, the Heat2O system can be harnessed for complex adaptive reuse and renovation projects as well as new constructions. Notably, the technology was put to use in the iconic Hotel Marcel, a $50 million adaptive reuse of the historic Pirelli building, designed by Marcel Breuer. With the goal of becoming the first net-zero hotel in the United States, the installation of Heat2O is helping the building secure its LEED® Platinum certification.

Hotel Marcel, formerly the Pirelli building, designed by Marcel Breuer

Architizer spoke with the bright minds behind Mitsubishi Electric’s latest systems to learn more about how the brand is innovating to meet the increasingly ambitious environmental goals of its clients.

Architizer Congratulations on winning a 2022 A+Product Award! What does winning this accolade mean to you and your brand? 

Mitsubishi Electric: As a company, Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US works toward contributing to a more sustainable society by developing and promoting energy-saving all-electric products and systems that will reduce the use of fossil fuels in the heating and cooling industry. Being recognized for our efforts in this area is significant and means a great deal. Recognitions such as this confirm we’re on the right track and provide momentum in moving forward to reach our goals.

What inspired the design of your product?

Heat2O has been available overseas for several years. After witnessing its positive impact on a building’s energy efficiency and carbon footprint, we wanted to bring this technology to the U.S. market. Domestic Hot Water (DHW) required by multifamily buildings, hotels, hospitals, senior living facilities and other commercial spaces accounts for roughly 25% of these buildings’ annual energy usage. Until the introduction of Heat2O, the U.S. building industry lacked an energy-efficient solution to provide high-volume DHW for commercial buildings.

Tell us about the manufacturing process — What are the key stages involved and how do these help ensure a high quality end product?

To produce the Heat2O QAHV units, Mitsubishi Electric uses a “cell manufacturing process” whereby one person is responsible for each step of the assembly process. Each person is trained at a high level and has an electronic display to ensure they follow clear guidelines/instructions in the process.

Once the unit is assembled it goes through a full functionality test, including electrical safety and operational testing. All test data and unit information including the people who assembled the product are recorded and assigned to the serial number of the product. This ensures that an audit can be performed, and data retrieved post sale if required.

Mitsubishi Electric’s Heat2O® Heat Pump Water Heater

What detail of your product was most challenging to design, and why? How did you resolve it?

The most challenging aspect was the heat exchange between the CO2 refrigerant and water circuit. The heat exchanger is a unique and patented design and is called the “Twisted Spiral Gas Cooler.” The challenge was to provide the best possible efficiency while still maintaining a relatively small footprint. This was overcome by using a unique design and using a twisted coil approach, with six of the heat exchangers stacked above one another.

What makes your product unique and of great value to specifying architects?

The all-electric, cold-climate Heat2O Hot Water Heat Pump reduces the environmental impact of DHW through energy-efficient operation and using CO2 refrigerant. CO2, a natural and environmentally friendly refrigerant with a global warming potential (GWP) of one and an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of zero, helps commercial facilities qualify for rigorous sustainability certifications such as passive house status. Using Heat2O reduces on-site carbon emissions in the production of domestic hot water.

Bathroom in the new Hotel Marcel

What has the reception to your product been like from architects/clients/consumers?

We launched Heat2O in select markets. So far, the demand has been phenomenal. One of the most notable installations was in the $50 million adaptive reuse of the historic Pirelli building in New Haven, CT, into Hotel Marcel, which is projected to be the first net-zero hotel in the United States. Aiming for LEED® Platinum certification and a 60% increase in energy efficiency compared to code requirements, Heat2O was installed to achieve the project’s aggressive sustainability goals.

How do you see the product evolving in future?

Efficiency improvements will always be a driving factor and goal, together with evolving controls options. There are also many opportunities to combine QAHV with other future products in the Mitsubishi Electric portfolio.

To find out more about Mitsubishi Electric, visit MitsubishiComfort.com, and reach out to one of their experts to learn how to incorporate the Heat2O into your next project.

All photos courtesy of METUS

Reference

Photograph showing room with wood panelling and green wall
CategoriesInterior Design

Ten interiors featuring natural materials and timeless accents

By Zarkon Group,

For this special lookbook sponsored by Danish design company D Line, we’ve selected ten interiors that showcase architectural details by the brand including door handles, taps and drawer pulls.

Door furniture and other pieces of practical hardware provide the finishing touches to interior schemes, and can create physical touchpoints that play a significant role in how people interact with the spaces they inhabit.

D Line has been designing and manufacturing architectural hardware and sanitary ware since 1971. Collaborators include Danish architects Knud Holscher and Arne Jacobsen and British designer Tom Dixon.

Here are 10 projects where D Line’s products have been used to add timeless accents to interiors with natural materials, including homes, hotels, restaurants and even a medical facility.

Photograph showing room with wood panelling and green wall
Photo is by Jonas Bjerre Poulsen

St Catherine’s College, Oxford, by Arne Jacobsen and Knud Holscher

Jacobsen designed the modernist concrete exterior as well as the interior and furnishings of St Catherine’s College at the University of Oxford, which opened in 1962.

Details as small as the handles on the interior doors – named AJ lever handles in reference to the designer’s initials – echo the curved, smooth form of the college’s larger design elements.

Äng restaurant by Norm Architects
Photo is by Jonas Bjerre Poulsen

Äng restaurant, Sweden, by Norm Architects

Danish studio Norm Architects has designed Äng, a restaurant in Sweden with both an above-ground structure resembling a greenhouse and a subterranean wine cellar.

D line’s distinct L lever handle in a gunmetal finish was used on doors throughout both spaces, where it matches other metal lighting fixtures as well as the building’s structural components.

Find out more about Äng restaurant ›

Photograph showing room with white door and light blue walls
Photo is courtesy of Norm Architects

SAS Royal Hotel, Copenhagen, by Arne Jacobsen

Another project by Jacobsen, who designed all the elements found in the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen – which opened in 1960 – in line with his all-encompassing approach to architecture and interior design.

Subsequent remodelling means that only Room 606 remains in its original form. Here, steel AJ lever handles were chosen to tie in with the cool duck-egg blue walls and other silver hardware, such as the frame of the blue seats and sofa.

Find out more about SAS Royal Hotel ›

Photograph of neutral toned living area with large cone shaped lamp shade
Photo is by Jonas Bjerre Poulsen

Archipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects

This holiday home by Norm Architects is situated in a coastal area of Sweden and combines Scandinavian design with Japanese aesthetics.

The L lever handle in charcoal from D line’s Holscher range provides a steady rhythm of graphic contrast in the interior, which primarily uses light wood furnishings and bright neutral finishes.

Find out more about Archipelago House ›

View through coastal dwelling onto sea
Photo is courtesy of Rubow Architects

Private Summer Residence, Denmark, by Rubow Architects

Designed by Danish studio Rubow Architects, this holiday home in Denmark aims to blend in with its surroundings by using neutral tones and floor-to-ceiling windows that allow natural light and views of nature into the house.

The L lever handle provides an unobstructive finish to the house’s doors and helps give the house its indoor-outdoor feel.

Neutral interior with mismatched furniture
Photo is by Enok Holsegård

Barbara’s atelier, Copenhagen, by Barbara Bendix Becker

Textile designer Barbara Bendix Becker’s Copenhagen-based antiques and collectibles atelier is full of Nordic ceramics, lighting and furniture by celebrated Scandinavian designers.

The brass Arne Jacobsen lever handle features alongside these other design classics and has been seamlessly integrated with other warm-toned metal finishes, as well as the atelier’s honey-coloured wooden elements.

Photograph of bathroom with bath below long window
Photo is courtesy of MTJ Studio

Stockholmsgade bathroom, Copenhagen, by Emil Thorup

This bathroom scheme created by interior designer Emil Thorup is characterised by its rhythmic herringbone tile floor, muted sage-coloured walls and round-cornered, freestanding bathtub.

D-line’s Qtoo bathroom hardware collection in a subtle brushed-steel finish was used for part of the bath, sink and shower setup, and creates a nice metallic contrast to the pale green walls and natural materials used in the room.

Dentology+ by Norm Architects
Photo is by Jonas Bjerre Poulsen

Dentology+ clinic, Antwerp, by Norm Architects

Norm Architects went against the grain with the design of this dental surgery, which avoids overtly clinical interiors in favour of soft neutral finishes that encourage calmness in patients.

Charcoal-toned L lever handles punctuate the otherwise light and airy interior, alongside unexpected homely details like low-slung sofas and translucent draped curtains.

Find out more about Dentology+ clinic ›

Kitchen island with red handles in front of tall curtains
Photo is courtesy of &Shufl

&Shufl x D Line collaboration

Danish design company &Shufl provides carpentry and hardware elements that are compatible with IKEA kitchens, bathrooms and wardrobes to give existing schemes a facelift.

D Line’s bar handles, which have featured in its catalogue for over 50 years, are used for the &Shufl designs, where they come in a curated palette of different colours and finishes.

Neutral room with light wood clad door
Photo is by Luke Arthur Wells

Luke Arthur Wells x Fat collection by Tom Dixon

British interior designer Luke Arthur Wells devised an interior scheme that encourages peacefulness by using rounded furniture, handmade ceramics and soft floor coverings.

D Line’s FAT lever handle – part of a wider collection by Dixon – is shorter, thicker and more rounded than traditional door furniture and further softens the already gentle interior.

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing sociable split-level living spaces, subtly installed lifts, cosy cabins and opulent hotels.

This lookbook was produced by Dezeen for D line as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

Reference

Aerial view of Feldballe School in Denmark
CategoriesArchitecture

Henning Larsen uses natural materials at Feldballe School in Denmark

By Zarkon Group,

Straw, eelgrass and wood feature in this bio-based extension that Danish architecture studio Henning Larsen has added to Feldballe School in Denmark.

The angular timber-clad extension, which contains science classrooms, is intended to demonstrate the potential of natural materials in architecture.

It was designed by Henning Larsen with the aim of having the carbon sequestered in the construction materials help to offset the building’s lifetime emissions.

Aerial view of Feldballe School in Denmark
Henning Larsen has extended the Feldballe School in Denmark

“At the core of this project is investment in education,” lead architect Magnus Reffs Kramhøft told Dezeen.

“We wanted to show the school pupils that there is a better way to build, that it’s possible to design a non-toxic building.”

The locally sourced biomaterials used in the project were chosen for their ability to sequester, or store, carbon from the atmosphere.

Aerial view of Feldballe School extension by Henning Larsen Architects
It has an angular form

“These materials are viable alternatives to concrete, brick and steel, and crucially, materials that sequester rather than emit carbon dioxide, are totally free of toxic chemicals, fire-safe, and offer both efficient insulation and a great indoor climate,” said the studio.

Among them is a wall panel system made of compressed straw in wooden cassettes, along with a timber roof.

Timber-clad school building
The building makes use of bio-based materials

Inside, untreated plywood is used for built-in furniture and is also left exposed on the walls.

The classrooms, which sit under pitched roofs, feature timber beams and straw-panel ceilings that are left visible throughout too, helping to help create a warm atmosphere.

Wood-lined facade of Henning Larsen-designed building
Timber lines its exterior

Solar panels on the roof of the building generate electricity to help power it, while its interiors are naturally ventilated.

This natural ventilation system is aided by eelgrass, a type of fast-growing seaweed, which is used in the form of filters that pull in air through the facade.

Wood-lined building with solar panels on the roof
Solar panels provide electricity for the building

“The natural materials lend the extension a warm, welcoming expression, and because there is no need for large ventilation ducts or suspended ceilings, the rooms are spacious and high-ceilinged,” said Henning Larsen.

“The permeable characteristics of straw allow humidity to escape, and the interior walls consist of clay plaster, supporting its diffusion qualities.”

According to Henning Larsen, the building’s carbon footprint will equate to six kilograms of carbon dioxide per square metre every year, over a lifespan of 50 years.

This surpasses Danish standards, which currently require all construction projects to keep below 12 kilograms of carbon dioxide per square metre every year.

Interior of Feldballe School extension by Henning Larsen Architects
It contains science classrooms inside

“These targets refer to a project’s entire footprint from operational emissions to those associated with the manufacturing of materials and their installation,” said the studio.

“For reference, the European average amounts to between 500 to 1,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide per square metre.”

Classroom interior with wooden walls
Plywood is used on the walls and for furniture

Henning Larsen also said that the extension has the potential to be easily disassembled and reused or recycled in the future.

“The true measure of the project’s impact lies in what it will offer to the many children of Feldballe School as well as the local community through the years,” concluded Kramhøft. “So far, the choice of materials has proven conducive to a healthy and pleasant learning environment for students and teachers.”

Interior of Feldballe School extension by Henning Larsen Architects
Timber beams are left exposed

Based in Copenhagen, Henning Larsen is an architecture studio founded by the Danish architect Henning Larsen in 1959. It was awarded the European Prize for Architecture in 2019.

The studio also recently completed a mass-timber centre for car manufacturer Volvo and a timber church with trapezoidal roofs in Copenhagen.

Bio-based extension by Henning Larsen Architects
Straw panels cover the ceilings

The studio hopes that its use of bio-based materials will encourage their uptake in the industry and lead to more efforts to reduce carbon emissions in construction.

“We know that we cannot wait for policymakers to push the green agenda, we must face the weight of our design decisions headfirst, altering our practices, bettering ourselves, and pushing our industry,” concluded the studio’s director of innovation Jakob Strømann-Andersen.

The photography is by Rasmus Hjortshøj.

Reference

Open-plan kitchen and dining room with concrete flooring, wood kitchen island with seating and wood storage cupboards
CategoriesInterior Design

Emily Sandstrom builds Sydney home extension from recycled materials

By Zarkon Group,

Australian architect Emily Sandstrom has transformed a run-down 1930s bungalow in Sydney by adding an extension that was partly built from demolition materials.

Sandstrom aimed to restore the home, which had been left untouched for decades, and celebrate its original features including picture rails and ceiling mouldings.

Open-plan kitchen and dining room with concrete flooring, wood kitchen island with seating and wood storage cupboards
The extension has a U shape with glass doors that let in light

The architect demolished a small rear kitchen, outhouse and sunroom and reused the bricks and materials from the demolition to construct a 45-square-metre U-shaped extension, which accommodates an open-plan kitchen and dining space.

Two large sliding glass doors open out to a courtyard and let natural light into the kitchen extension.

Rear garden of a bungalow with brick steps leading to a patio and home extension
Demolished bricks were reused to build the extension

The U-shaped extension and courtyard were designed to provide a connection between indoor and outdoor entertainment areas.

According to Sandstrom, concrete flooring and overhanging eaves help to passively heat the home in winter and cool it in summer. Solar panels were also added to the home, meaning no additional heating or cooling systems were needed.

Kitchen with concrete flooring, wood ceiling and a large kitchen island with seating
Sandstrom aimed to create a connection between indoor and outdoor entertainment spaces

“The U shape in combination with the wide and curved eaves provides passive heating to the home during the winter months and shade during the summer,” Sandstrom told Dezeen.

“This in combination with a concrete floor for thermal mass, double glazing and high windows located for cross ventilation, means there is no need for additional heating and cooling systems.”

A large island with a countertop made from recycled Australian hardwood is the focal point of the kitchen, where a step down in floor level separates the “work zone” on one side of the island from the rest of the room.

“The kitchen was a particular focus in the design, and a strong central point of the home,” said Sandstrom.

Kitchen with concrete flooring, white brick walls and wood cabinets
A change in floor level separates the kitchen from the dining space

Informed by Japanese design and bathing rituals, the bathroom features a sunken bathtub that sits below floor level.

Timber decking covers the floors and conceals the drainage points for an overhead shower. Glass sliding doors lead to a small garden with an additional outdoor shower.

“[The bathroom] was designed to achieve an atmosphere of calm and seclusion, and the design captures many different outlooks into the garden and directs the eye away from the less ideal views,” said Sandstrom.

Bathroom with sunken bath, blue tiled walls and a window overlooking a garden
The bathroom features a sunken bathtub that overlooks a garden

Throughout the home, the architect removed carpets to uncover the original floorboards and restored original features, including stained glass windows, ornate ceiling mouldings, dark timber doors, trims and architraves.

Newly added joinery was designed to preserve the home’s skirting boards, picture rails and ceiling mouldings, as well as maintain the original scale and layout of the rooms.

A bedroom with wood floors and dark timber window frames and picture rails
The home’s original features such as ceiling mouldings and picture rails were maintained

Other homes recently completed in Australia that have been featured on Dezeen include an oceanside residence in Sydney that was transformed to suit a family of five and a home in Melbourne with interiors finished in timber, terracotta and rich jewel tones.

The photography is by Rohan Venn.



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