Practice Archives

Architectural Details: Adjaye Associate’s Winter Park Library Is a “Village of Knowledge”

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Great civic buildings resonate with people and place. Between vaulted rooflines and sweeping windows, the Winter Park Library in Florida was inspired both by local fauna and the region’s vernacular architecture. Adjaye Associates teamed up with HuntonBrady Architects to create a series of arched pavilions with a porous relationship between interior and exterior for the library and events center. The project’s signature rose-colored precast was brought to life through careful coordination with manufacturers and consultants to create a “village of knowledge.”

The library’s design team aspired to establish a new civic and cultural hub on the northwest corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Winter Park, Florida. The library was made to embody the values of the park’s namesake as a space for community empowerment. Seven years in the making, the project spans 50,000 square feet across a trio of canted pavilions.

The “village” includes a new two-story library, an event center with rooftop terrace, as well as a new welcome portico to unify the three structures. Each has a different scale and function, but they share a common formal language inspired by Winter Park’s extensive tree canopy.

Arches establish the form of the pavilions, where compound, convex exterior walls are made with a series of scalloping, frond-like patterns. The volumes of the library, events center, and porte cochère come very close to touching. Hoping to draw light deep into the new library, the team created the angled exterior walls that lean outward as they rise from the base.

The rose-pigmented architectural precast concrete was developed with GATE Precast, who fabricated the complex panels framing the arched openings on each façade. The façade alludes to Florida vegetation while establishing durability in a tropical, hurricane-prone environment.

For the precast façade, it was determined that concrete was the only cladding material that could achieve the quality and durability needed for the exterior walls. The texture, color, aggregates and concrete matrix were carefully selected for aesthetics, durability and low maintenance. The curved walls are realized with back-up framing made up of structural steel.

In turn, a series of sloping, arched curtainwalls in the enclosed buildings meet the curved, solid surfaces. The architects mirrored the concrete edge to create continuous seating along the curtain wall. Shallow foundations are used to support the building loads, while the elevated floor and roof are framed using structural steel beams and girders.

The site’s physical constraints required efficient use of space for the buildings, the belvedere and parking. The team worked with TLC Engineering General to form the façade and the shaded indoor-outdoor spaces. They evaluated several structural and envelope systems including concrete and steel, cast-in-place concrete and precast concrete cladding.

The diverse program includes flexible floor plates for both the library and events center, maximizing adaptability for each. All three pavilions rest on a raised belvedere that provides views onto Lake Mendsen and exterior green community spaces that run between the structures.

The library has become a place where the entire community can interact, learn and gather. Inside, open spaces are framed by four timber-lined cores that contain Winter Park’s historical and archival collection spaces, support zones, and private reading rooms. Designing with the community in mind, the event center was made with a flexible auditorium space and a rooftop terrace that offers views of the lakeside park setting.

Creating parity between the civic library space and the commercially focused event center, both buildings feature a signature sculptural stair. As monumental as it is grounded in its context, the Winter Park Library and Events Center is an ensemble made possible through a diverse team with shared values. The new landmark was made possible through bold ideas and thoughtful detailing alike.

Reference

Interior Design

Glass blocks divide Eye Eye optical store by Best Practice Architecture

By Zarkon Group,01/04/2023

Local studio Best Practice Architecture has used punchy colours, glass bricks and dichroic glass inside an optometry store in Seattle’s Leschi neighbourhood.

For Eye Eye‘s second location, founder Will Pentecost got back in touch with Best Practice Architecture, which had completed the brand’s first brick-and-mortar store back in 2015.

Eye Eye retail space with cutout ceiling to add extra height — Cutouts in the low ceiling add extra height to the Eye Eye retail space

Unlike the inaugural space, the new store does not benefit from tall ceilings and a strong street presence.

So the architects had to get creative to turn the “drab” commercial building into a fun and inviting environment.

Glass block partitions divide the store — Glass block partitions are angled to create a more dynamic space

“The client gave Best Practice free range to transform the interior with only three requests: include glass blocks, use lit signage, and incorporate design language from the original location without being too repetitive,” said the studio.

The retail area is situated at the front of the space, facing the street through large windows, while the examination rooms and staff facilities can be found at the back.

Glasses displayed on shelves with the glass block partitions — Niches in the partitions contain mirrors and product displays

The specified glass blocks are used to divide the store, forming angled walls with openings that feature mirrors, product displays and furniture that spans both sides.

“Carefully placed to create an interesting circulation flow and contrast with the orthogonal layout, the clever design provides both form and function, welcoming filtered daylight deep into the space while accommodating basic retail needs,” said Best Practice.

Purple banquette beneath illuminated graphic of concentric arcs — A purple banquette is tucked in a corner for casual consultations

Cutouts in the low ceiling add extra height and expose ductwork that is painted purple – a hue that’s repeated in the upholstery of a banquette tucked in the corner for consultations.

More purple covers the walls in the examination reception area, which is separated from the store by a screen of dichroic glass that changes colour depending on the angle from which it’s viewed.

The glass blocks appear again as a partition between the clinic reception and the exam rooms behind, which are outfitted with custom medical equipment and wood cabinetry.

Signage that echoes the original Eye Eye branding is also installed in the retail space, including a concentric circle that echoes vintage eye tests and two large “E” letterforms.

Dichroic glass partition — A dichroic glass screen separates the retail space from the examination area

“With this new space, Best Practice brings Eye Eye’s vision to life once again through an exploration of materiality, the patient experience, and a fresh take on a commercial space,” said the studio. “It’s an eye care clinic reimagined.”

Founded in 2011 by Ian Butcher, Best Practice Architecture has completed a variety of projects in and around its home city of Seattle.

Exam room at Eye Eye — Exam rooms are outfitted with custom medical equipment and wood cabinetry

These range from updating a historic bungalow and transforming a storage shed into backyard studio, to designing a men’s footwear store.

The photography is by Rafael Soldi.

Project credits:

Architect: Best Practice Architecture
Design team: partner in charge: Kailin Gregga; partner/principal architect: Ian Butcher; lead designer/project architect: Sarah Smith
Contractor: Metis Construction
Graphics and branding: Drew Hamlet
Custom signage: Western Neon
Custom casework: Creoworks

Reference

Architecture

A Look into the Design of 416 Memorial Park

By Zarkon Group,30/03/2023

416 Memorial Park – The purpose of the project is to design an optimal plan to create a cultural park consisting of a complex of exhibition and educational facilities and a columbarium to commemorate and share the pain of the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster. When the passenger ferry MV Sewol sank off the coast of South Korea in 2014, over three hundred people lost their lives, most of them schoolchildren. Years later, the victims’ families and survivors are still demanding justice from national authorities.

Architizer chatted with Sang Dae Lee, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, and principal at UNITEDLAB Associates, to learn more about this collaborative project.

Architizer: What inspired the initial concept for your design?

Sang Dae Lee: As the form and space of ‘416 memorial park’ embody the moment of the sinking of the Sewol ferry, there were challenges as follows.

Spatial sequence: How to spatially implement emotional tension and sequence from the entrance to the enshrinement space? As a gradual and vertical entry into space, it was attempted to represent the space of the Sewol at the time of the accident. This gradual movement into space begins from the park to the entrance to the memorial. Since these internal and external ramps are on the same slope, vertical movement is hidden and horizontality is emphasized instead. Visitors walk from the entrance through the education space on the middle level, then reach the exhibition and AV theater. While walking down the path through a narrow, closed ramp corridor, visitors will ultimately arrive in an enshrinement space with emotional tension.

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

Architecture and landscaping as a figure-ground play a significant role in place-making. The architecture will invite visitors to programs such as education, cultural activities, enshrinement space, amenities, and a shop, and the landscape will serve social events, promenades, gardens, and memorial park. The 250 birch trees commemorate the victims with a metaphor for eternity.

Over time, the trees grow bigger, depicting the meaning of death leading to new life. In addition to the indoor memorial space, a memorial event can be held outdoors in the garden and each tree provides an individual memorial space around. The walkway in the garden can be closed depending on the event and is used as a performance space and amphitheater. The interface along the walkway is a connection between the space and the architecture, receiving natural light, meaning that architecture and landscape are united.

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

As the 416 memorial park embody the wave of the sea, there were structural challenges to support the wavy landform. If visitors walk along the promenade that crosses the waves of the roof garden, they would ultimately pass through the elevated and huge waves. The tension peaks when the pedestrian reaches the pyramid-shaped ship. By gradually increasing the level of the terrain around the enshrinement pyramid, we have space below maximized for the implementation of educational, cultural, and event programs. The upper terrain allows visitors to contemplate the surrounding park as an observatory deck and to gaze into the interior space below since the terrain is torn. A column-free structure was pursued to maximize the sense of space under this terrain. Therefore, the space is formed in accordance with the shape of the waves, and the shear walls are placed along the waves.

How did the context of your project — environmental, social or cultural — influence your design?

There are various urban cultural and commercial facilities concentrated around the project site, and as such, it has good accessibility by the public due to its large population residing around.
In order to apply the meaning of ‘memorial in everyday life,’ the architecture was designed as memorial, educational, and cultural facilities, and the landscape above was designed as a park—a new typology combining a plaza with a park. The plaza hosts social and cultural events, and provides a good public space for people. A memorial park was designed along the roof garden where visitors can stroll around while looking out at the surrounding area. In particular, the memorial garden on the roof and the enshrinement space on the basement is used as a place to commemorate the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster. This is a mixed type of architecture combined with a park as a figure-ground.

What is your favorite detail in the project and why?

416 memorial park seeks to overcome the pain and sorrow, and furthermore to sublimate and regenerate it ecologically and culturally rather than a mere memorial space of sadness. The 250 birch trees planted in the garden of the memorial park will grow and form a forest over time, and the enshrinement space under the pyramid is open to the outside air allowing visitors to experience a sublime sense of season, space, and time of the disaster. The educational program provides opportunities for engagement and discussion with visitors. The AV theater and exhibition space simulates the disaster scenes and provides exhibitions and education programs tailored to the theme. The park above and the building embrace sustainability by applying new technologies and systems to symbolize the metaphor of the regeneration of the memorial space.

© UNITEDLAB Associates / Vtrilloarquitectos

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?

UNITEDLAB Associates has collaborated with Vtrilloarquitectos, an architecture firm specializing in theater in Spain. Due to physical distance and the Pandemic of COVID-19, we mutually met via zoom to discuss the main concept of what memorial park plays in the new age of time. While brainstorming, they developed great alternatives and quickly simulate the scheme into 3D models which helps for us to develop and decide the final options. They have strong technical skills and presentation skills to support our studio in leading the projects. i.e. Computer 3D simulation technics, architecture details, exhibition concept, and its AV theater technical analysis.

How do you believe this project represents you or your firm as a whole?

We try to balance practical projects and experimental ones for managing studio works. 416 Memorial Park is rather a new way of architecture well united with another discipline of landscape architecture. It was a meaningful hybrid not only in the discipline but at the same time architecturally program use inside and landscape garden above but exemplary sustainability engaged to the memorial park. Of course, it was not easy for us to critically consider diminishing the budget by designing a kind of simple or rectangular building as this project pursues a parametric form of architecture. but as always, we pursue designing a new typology by experimenting with innovation.

Team Members

Design Firm: UNITEDLAB Associates / Vtrilloarquitectos, Principal in Charge: Sang Dae Lee, Architect: Valentín Trillo Martínez, Designer: Kitae Kim, Siying Chen, Client: City of Ansan, 3D Rendering: treceuve

For more on 416 Memorial Park, please visit the in-depth project page on Architizer.

416 Memorial Park Gallery

Reference

Architecture

How Ice Cubes by Zone of Utopia + Mathieu Forest Architecte is Changing the Skyline of Northern China

By Zarkon Group,26/03/2023

Ice cubes – The question we were asked was that of the spirit of a place. The client imagined a flat building, we proposed a tower: to conquer the sky, mark the territory and put the whole commercial district in tension with the future ski slope on the other side. In this commercial environment, our cultural center says “I am here!“. You can see it everywhere, day and night. The city is conceived from landmarks and vanishing points.

Architizer chatted with Mathieu Forest, Founder of Mathieu Forest Architecte, and Qiang Zou, Design Principal at Zone of Utopia, to learn more about this project.

Architizer: What inspired the initial concept for your design?

We are starting from a virgin site with only fields and sky as the landscape. We wanted a building that captures the “thickness of the air”, the only tangible context, which by its material and its form is anchored in the sky: the gray and misty skies, the sunbeams which pierce it, the snowy skies, the steely blue skies so characteristic of northern China, the skies overwhelming with light in summer, the golden evening horizons, the bluish mornings… our building continually changes its appearance with the rhythm of the seasons, the variations of the climate and hours, and like a mirror reveals the beauty of a changing sky and landscape. Its facades are a gigantic glass printed fresco according to a unique design, without any repetition. It is also an echo of the representations of landscapes in Chinese painting, whose mystery arises from the immensity and detail.

© Zone of Utopia + Mathieu Forest Architecte

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

It is a poetic architecture, for which the technique, as advanced as it is, is at the service of emotion. We think that we must refuse generic, cloned, sanitized, standardized architectures, such as the current world produces too much. We must rediscover the sense of geography and context and never forget that the only goal to be achieved is that of the pleasure of living. As urban art, architecture must address everyone. We are looking for several degrees of mystery: we can see in this architecture the evocation of a mass of ice floating on a lake or that of a lantern and marvel at it, but going deeper, there is a more impressionist vision of capturing the effects of light, with a certain form of abstraction and constant renewal.

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

The greatest challenge was the realization of the facade supposed to evoke a form of immateriality. Many prototypes had to be made to properly adjust the quality and color of the glass, the density and the color of the printed patterns. It was also necessary to work closely with the engineers to design the most absent structures possible. The nicest compliment we often get is that people think when they see the photos that they are perspectives when the building is well constructed!

How did the context of your project — environmental, social or cultural — influence your design?

We started from an almost virgin site, the most difficult situation for a contextual architect. There was only a master plan and a bird’s eye view of a future residential area organized along the lake, headed by a tourist area and shops and, as a highlight, a future artificial ski slope to attract future residents and tourists. This district of 10,000 housing units will accommodate approximately 30,000 inhabitants and will be part of the future new town of Pinyuan which will accommodate a total of 500,000 inhabitants.

We took advantage of the incredible dynamism of Chinese industry: in the glass sector in particular. Large samples manufactured in record time allowed us to develop the exact colors and ink densities desired, with exceptional thermal performance.

What drove the selection of materials used in the project?

It is a steel and glass building. Steel is adapted to an architecture of lightness and audacity, but also to allow prefabrication and great speed of implementation. We used glass for its advantages while avoiding its disadvantages, taking into account the continental climate, with cold and dry winters and hot and rainy summers. We have designed a waterproof double skin with controlled ventilation: in winter, the double skin is closed and the greenhouse effect makes it possible to avoid almost any heating. In summer, the air cooled by evaporation at the water surface is collected and circulates in the double skin to evacuate heat accumulations and cool the thermal facade and therefore reduce air conditioning needs.

What is your favorite detail in the project and why?

We want the structure to disappear so that only the effects remain. The details of the suspended facade were the most sensitive to develop, in the common parts as much as for the details of angles, overhangs and transition between volumes. We worked with our facade engineer on minimalist principles. Each glass of the double skin is only held by 4 pieces of steel of a few centimeters and a simple bead of transparent silicone ensures the seal.

How important was sustainability as a design criteria as you worked on this project?

This question is of course a major one at the present time. This is why we have designed a double-skin façade which considerably reduces energy requirements. In winter, there is no need to heat the building. Dynamic thermal studies have shown that our design saves 50% energy compared to a traditional double-glazed facade. After a few years, the investment in the double glass skin is fully compensated and after 50 years, the gain is considerable.

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?

We collaborated very efficiently, mainly through video conferences. The engineers for the structure and the facade were particularly called upon to be able to build the project and in general, all the actors worked very intensely with the will to be able to achieve this result.

Were any parts of the project dramatically altered from conception to construction, and if so, why?

Surprisingly, nothing has changed. The process was very fast and the building constructed is very faithful to the sketch.

How have your clients responded to the finished project?

The client is extremely satisfied with the project and its numerous publications. More generally, all the feedback tells us that the building is very well received by visitors and users.

What key lesson did you learn in the process of conceiving the project?

Having to go fast does not prevent designing with complexity and accuracy.

How do you believe this project represents you or your firm as a whole?

It is a contextual project, even if the urban context was almost non-existent. It exactly answers a question asked by a program and a site. In this, it represents our architectural philosophy well.

How has being the recipient of an A+Award evoked positive responses from others?

It is a great honor for us to receive such a distinction. Especially because we are a young architecture firm and that encourages us enormously to continue our work. This also contributes to our positive image for clients and our partners. It is very important for us.

How do you imagine this project influencing your work in the future?

We believe that projects always ask new questions for new answers. Each project teaches us, of course, but we will never do the same thing twice.

Is there anything else important you’d like to share about this project?

The project was designed and carried out during the COVID, in a very short time. There were 20 months between sketch and delivery. Challenge increased by the pandemic which banned travel and stopped the construction site for 4 months. We had to invent, like others, new methods. We worked and checked the site from photos and videos. We had daily video meetings. Paradoxically, the COVID has reinforced the good coordination between all.

For more on Ice cubes, please visit the in-depth project page on Architizer.

Ice cubes Gallery

Reference

Architecture

Blending In with Nature: The Inspiration Behind COMMOD-Haus GmbH’s Weekend Home

By Zarkon Group,22/03/2023

The Little Black One – The ambition of this project was to design a house that blended so perfectly into the breathtaking landscape as if it had always been there. It didn’t need to show off as the scenery speaks for itself but still it should live up to the ambition of providing its owners an elegant weekend spot. A house that is always in style – like a little black dress – that keeps on fascinating you over and over again.

Architizer chatted with Michaela Maresch, CEO & Founder at COMMOD-Haus GmbH, to learn more about this project.

Architizer: What inspired the initial concept for your design?

Michaela Maresch: COMMOD “The Little Black One” was definitely inspired by nature. The harsh, wide, mountain landscape at Semmering was inspiration and challenge at once.

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

The Little Black is an amazing example of how architecture can set the stage for the beauty of nature. I think that people currently desire to live closer to nature than ever before and this house reflects a simple yet stunning way to do so.

The minimalistic form of the house, the colour chosen for the spruce wood façade and the play of light and shadow that reveals different shades of black on the façade.

Well protected from the harsh climate outside by the beautiful wooden façade, the living area inside is flooded with light. The generous window fronts and open spaces create a sense of even being part of nature while still enjoying all amenities of a modern home.

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

The main strength of this project was also its biggest challenge: a gentle, subtle embedding of the house into the existing terrain that yet creates a connection to the partents home next door and emphasises the view of the mountains.

How did the context of your project — environmental, social or cultural — influence your design?

The design of this project is only fully comprehensible if you take into account its entire context. The client-family living in the big city of Vienna wanted to spend their weekends away from it all in pure nature. It was our top priority to give them a space where they could fully breathe in the beauty of nature. However, considering the fact that they did not want to harm this nature in any way by building their weekend house, our construction method was simply ideal for them. The screw foundations can be removed without leaving any residue after their lifecycle is over. Soil sealing is absolutely not an issue here. So they can live in harmony in and with nature.

What is your favorite detail in the project and why?

I can’t help but love the walkway that leads onto the terrace. It reveals this unique distant view of the rugged mountains, but at the same time exudes a calming effect on the visitor through the natural materials and the regularity of the slats.

How important was sustainability as a design criteria as you worked on this project?

As already mentioned, it was extremely important to the owners not to interfere too much with nature. Using the system of point foundations, this was not a problem.

Basically, sustainability has been anchored in our DNA since the creation of our company, so for us it is almost not worth mentioning that our material consists of 99% renewable raw materials. We work hard to be and remain pioneers in this field.

How have your clients responded to the finished project?

This project illustrates all our strengths: Sustainability, adaptability, modern design, high quality standards and speed on site (this house took only one day to be delivered and assembled).

How has being the recipient of an A+Award evoked positive responses from others?

We are always very honoured when our houses receive awards. This not only makes us proud, but also the owners of the houses. But here it was something even more special. There are few awards that are as internationally respected as the Architizer A+Award. We feel grateful and happy to have become part of the Architizer Family and hope to impress with many more innovative projects in the future.

Team Members

Michaela Maresch, Gerald Brencic, Volker Ast, Ingmar Zwirn, Uwe Lackner, Gamze Olcay, Oumaima Laassibi, Lisa Gattebrauer, Rita Fruhmann, Jannis Fielers, Nadja Wieland

Products and Materials

Colour Synthesa „Greywood Forest 03“

For more on The Little Black One, please visit the in-depth project page on Architizer.

The Little Black One Gallery

Reference

Architecture

Questioning the Meaning of Urban Campus: The Sciences Po Campus by Moreau Kusunoki

By Zarkon Group,14/03/2023

Sciences Po – The new campus of Sciences Po questions the meaning of being located in a city, as opposed to the proliferation of new campuses that have been built in a suburban environment. As an urban campus enmeshed within the fabric of the city, the centerpiece of Moreau Kusunoki’s design is the central pavilion located in the main courtyard. Inspired by the concept of a ‘pavillon de thé’, the glass-paneled structure represents both a refuge and transparency by the unique continuity of its innovative pivoting façade, seamlessly transitioning from inside to outside. This new technology has made it possible to create a safe and secure facility that simultaneously acts as a symbol of openness to the world.

Architizer chatted with Hiroko Kusunoki and Nicolas Moreau, co-founders of Moreau Kusunoki, to learn more about this project.

Architizer: What inspired the initial concept for your design?

Hiroko Kusunoki and Nicolas Moreau: The project was inspired by a historical understanding of the site and a reaction to its physical givens, as inherited and as found. Nested within the innermost courtyard of an old convent turned campus, the project formally establishes itself as a new focal point, all while nurturing a calm and respectful conversation with its limestone surroundings.

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

The pavilion offers the unique experience of becoming synchronized with exterior spaces when all the large pivoting doors are opened. It removes the interiority of the space and becomes a pure stage, exposed to the wind, light and sounds of the city.

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

The pavilion is designed based on the broad palette of grays reflected through different materialities: steel, concrete, paint, glass, the Paris sky. The uniformity of the tone of gray offers abstraction and silence. These subtle nuances create a form of micro visual vibration within the space, providing an extra layer of quiet, sensorial appreciation when approached closely or touched.

How did the context of your project — environmental, social or cultural — influence your design?

The fluidity of people coming in and out of the location, the levelling of human interaction, are the real opportunities provided by this new campus. As opposed to simply continuing the tradition and history of Sciences Po, people are encouraged to reimagine the school’s image.

How important was sustainability as a design criteria as you worked on this project?

Sustainability is a fundamental driver of this project. In spite of a fully glazed façade, the design succeeds at instilling a solid level of comfort by providing the option of using natural ventilation. The canopies play a fundamental role in protection from solar radiation while also conferring the architectural identity of the pavilion.

How have your clients responded to the finished project?

The pavilion became the “showcase” of the new Sciences Po campus, inspiring the most important donors to the project to install their offices in the pavilion.

How do you believe this project represents you or your firm as a whole?

This project demonstrates our commitment to the integrity of our architectural concept, which is defined by readability, simplicity, as well as duality.

How do you imagine this project influencing your work in the future?

Every project provides an opportunity to try things out, to find prototypes. We will continue collaborating with builders to develop unique façade systems that allow for improved interaction and continuity between interior and exterior spaces.

Team Members

Architects : Moreau Kusunoki, Wilmotte & Associates (coordination), Pierre Bortolussi (heritage). Partners: Groupe Sogelym Dixence (promoter), Franck Boutté Consultants (sustainable engineering), Mugo (landscaping), Barbanel (MEP), TERRELL Group (façade engineering), SASAKI (strategy and urban planning), CORELO (project management). Client: La Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques (FNSP)

Sciences Po Gallery

Reference

Architecture

Brave New World: How Real-Time Rendering Can Lead Architectural Design Into the Future

By Zarkon Group,10/03/2023

New technologies breed new behaviors, so it’s no surprise that real-time rendering software is being harnessed by some architects to create whole new design processes. Two such firms, Intelligent City and Viewport Studio, are using the real-time rendering capabilities of Enscape to produce high-quality building designs in a fraction of the time it takes with traditional working methods. Basing their workflows on AI-enabled algorithms and the experiential capabilities of virtual reality, they’ve created design processes that are more efficient, more productive, and arguably more effective than today’s typical design practices.

The Key to Low-Cost, High-Quality Urban Housing

Animation courtesy of Intelligent City

Intelligent City, a design-build firm based in Vancouver, has created a proprietary design process called Platforms for Life to develop high-quality, sustainable urban housing at low cost. Taking a tech-forward approach to architecture, Platforms for Life employs algorithms to create fully fleshed out iterations for the design of an entire building. Modifying an individual property on one iteration automatically updates all associated parameters to incorporate the change, allowing an infinite number of fully detailed design options to be generated instantaneously. When the desired iteration is reached, all required construction documentation and manufacturing instructions are created with the push of a button.

Platforms for Life achieves even greater cost and time savings by prefabricating the primary components of their buildings in a factory. Employing the precision and speed offered by the latest automated manufacturing techniques, on-site construction time of their buildings can be reduced up to 50% over fully on-site methods. Relying heavily on mass timber as a structural material and the principles of Passive House to guide their design algorithms, the Platforms for Life process results in low-cost, energy efficient buildings with minimal carbon footprint.

Monad Granville, Vancouver (concept); image courtesy of Intelligent City

Intelligent City brings Enscape into the Platforms for Life process to fine-tune their designs in real-time when collaborating with clients. “We were looking for a way to visualize the buildings quickly,” explains Intelligent City’s Computational Design Architect, Timo Tsui. “If we couldn’t keep up with the iterations of the generated designs, then we wouldn’t be able to visualize them properly for our clients.”

A simple way to do this in a collaborative working session is to pin the Enscape rendering window alongside whatever software is being used to design a building, such as Revit or Rhino. This allows a fully rendered view to be updated automatically as design modifications are being made. If something more portable is needed for a client to evaluate on their own time, then Enscape can generate an easily shareable, read-only 3D model rendered in a web browser, in addition to 360-degree panoramas, videos or still images.

Forging New Frontiers in Interior Design

Image courtesy of Viewport Studio

Viewport Studio employs Enscape’s next-generation virtual reality capabilities to take an innovative approach to creating highly detailed interior designs. Recently tasked with designing the interior of Virgin Galactic’s Spaceport America, the first commercial spaceflight facility in the world, Viewport Studio’s design team knew they had to utilize a truly groundbreaking design process to satisfy the client’s aspirations for an equally groundbreaking space.

“We were tasked with designing something that had never been designed before,” says Viewport Studio director Gautier Pelegrin. To meet the challenge, they used Enscape’s virtual reality feature as a primary design tool, conducting live sessions to view and change design elements in real-time. This workflow resulted in the design of the spaceport’s “Astrowalk”, where astronaut passengers are given a celebratory send-off by their friends and families before embarking on their journeys. A showcase experience enhanced by a mirrored ceiling covered with LED screens, Enscape’s virtual reality feature helped the design team determine if spectators could see the Astrowalk from their seats.

Image courtesy of Viewport Studio

Enscape was additionally used to determine the exact dimensions of a barista station, as well as the amount of natural light that would reach certain planters, guiding the choice of plants used in specific locations. “The virtual reality function quickly became a staple in all our meetings,” explains Pelegrin. “It helped to reduce testing iterations by at least 20 percent. It also allowed us to check the simple ergonomics of the bespoke furniture we designed, and we were confident with what we gave to the manufacturers.”

Able to integrate directly into all major design software, including Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Archicad, and Vectorworks, the possibilities for creating your own pioneering design process with Enscape are endless. Head over to Enscape to see all its capabilities and start your free 14-day trial today.

Reference

Architecture

How Rain Harvest Home is Changing the Conversation Around Water Conservation in Mexico

By Zarkon Group,06/03/2023

Rain Harvest Home – is located within Reserva el Peñón, a landscape-driven development which has achieved water self-sufficiency for a community of 80 families in 450 acres of a nature reserve, two hours from Mexico City. The Reserve framed our thinking around sustainability generally, and rainwater harvesting specifically. It pushed us to think at a larger level where the whole Reserve became the site, and the home was one piece of that. We also thought about how we could explore the larger issues of water conservation in Mexico, with this being an example of how to harvest rainwater on a small scale that could then apply to other projects. That became a driver in a powerful way. It was an idea that evolved over the course of the design process, and as the client became increasingly interested in cultivating a healthy, holistic lifestyle where they could live in harmony with the land.

Architizer chatted with Robert Hutchison from Robert Hutchison Architecture, and Javier Sanchez from JSa Arquitectura, to learn more about this project.

Architizer: What inspired the initial concept for your design?

Robert Hutchison & Javier Sanchez: The brief was simple: the clients wanted a small cabin to enjoy the mountainous site. Valle de Bravo has a dry season and a rainy season, and the sun plays a trick every day in both of those seasons. You can enjoy the sun, but you have to be careful with it. Here, you need to have spaces that are open and covered; enclosed and covered; and outside and uncovered. You need all three qualities, so we needed to make that happen within the three structures.

At the start, the project had a simple, classic program: 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen. When we were on site, we started developing the idea of splitting up the program into separate buildings. It started with wanting to separate the function of bathing, which led to the idea of the bathhouse. And then the separate studio emerged from that.

© JSa Arquitectura, Robert Hutchison Architecture

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

Rain Harvest Home offers a model for designing regeneratively with water. The home is 100% water autonomous and, in times of surplus, it is water positive and feeds excess water back into the community’s larger reservoir system. Not only does the design help restore the microclimate of the site, but it stands as a testament to the potential of rainwater harvesting for off-grid, self-contained water systems that eliminate reliance on municipal water sources. At the same time, the element of water contributes to the overall spatial and experiential quality of the project, reconnecting people with their environment by engaging the senses. More than any other element, conserving and improving the quality of water as a precious resource has the potential to dramatically improve the health and sustainability of built environments in Mexico, and beyond.

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

Integrating the rainwater system was an initial design challenge, and continues to be an everyday challenge. Now, the rain harvesting system and on-site reservoir are a learning laboratory where the clients are continually learning about how the system performs. Understanding that the water and food systems on site are part of a living process that fluctuates depending on changing natural conditions, the client continues to experiment in ways to optimize the system through seasonal calibrations and refinements. Nothing is as objective as science would make it seem because things are always changing over time depending on how much it rains, and when. The house has to live with that, and it’s a constant learning experience for us as designers. It’s about integrating design into the cycle of water and of life.

How did the context of your project — environmental, social or cultural — influence your design?

The site is relatively flat, but sits within a mountainous environment. All around are cliffs and steep slopes, but our site rests in a small plateau vegetated with continuous, single-story-high shrubs and brush. Because of these site conditions, we wanted to make the buildings disappear within the vegetation. This is why we designed a series of three low pavilions that nestle into the landscape and are dispersed across the site. We wanted a strong connection between each building and the landscape. Often as architects, we think about how spaces are created between buildings, but this was about letting the landscape be that interstitial space. The landscape becomes the connection between the buildings, just as it delineates the spaces between them. When you move through the site, there’s an experience of the buildings constantly disappearing and reappearing. It’s a process of discovery.

How important was sustainability as a design criteria as you worked on this project?

Within La Reserva, each home is required to incorporate rain harvesting, with most of it coming from the individual home’s rainwater harvesting system and a small portion coming from the reserve’s reservoirs. We wanted to try and raise the bar and see if we could harvest 100% of our water from our individual site, rather than depend on external sources. This was important because there is a major water shortage in Mexico City, which is absurd because it rains a lot, but we don’t harvest that rainwater. Instead, we pump water in and out from the valley. As designers, we need to talk about those issues within our designs and experiment with new possibilities. Sometimes when you have a built example, it’s easier to understand new possibilities, particularly around rainwater harvesting.

Team Members

Sean Morgan, RHA; Bernice Solis, JSa

Consultants

TAF Alejandro Filloy, Bykonen Carter Quinn, Helene Carlo, MicMac Estructuras, Rhometal, Miguel Nieto, Teoatonalli

For more on Rain Harvest Home, please visit the in-depth project page on Architizer.

Rain Harvest Home Gallery

Reference

Architecture

Wonder Wood: Black Label Sets a New Standard for Sustainable Materials

By Zarkon Group,02/03/2023

For architects specifying materials for their projects, it’s hard to look past the building envelope as the most important element to consider. Not only is it one of the most visually significant aspects of a building, but it can also make or break a project’s sustainability credentials, given the potential environmental impact of sourcing, transporting, constructing and maintaining materials used for exterior surfaces.

Enter Black Label by Tropical Forest Products, one of the world’s most sustainable building products for decking, cladding and more. This forward-thinking manufacturer has refined its process to minimize the environmental impact of its products without compromising on the durability and incredible aesthetic qualities of its collection. The results are stunning: the warm, rich tones and resilient nature of tropical hardwood makes it a fit for a wide range of contemporary architecture projects, including hospitality, commercial, residential and landscape design typologies. Black Label Sustainable Lumber topped the popular choice vote in the Landscape Design category for the 2022 A+Product Awards.

Architizer spoke with Tropical Forest Products about their products, their processes, and how they see their work evolving in the future.

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

We are thrilled to have Black Label sustainable lumber named a winner in the world-renowned Architizer A+Awards. This prestigious recognition proves that the architectural community appreciates our efforts to bring high quality and organic tropical hardwoods to market.

The fact that we were awarded by People’s Choice makes it even more special. We would be equally thrilled if this was a jury award, but the fact that this came from architects, designers, contractors and homeowners who have been using Black Label wood confirms the great acceptance that the industry has given to our sustainable, architectural grade products.

What inspired the design of your product?

We are inspired by nature. We believe that natural hardwoods are not only the most sustainable and renewable building product in the world, but they’re also the most exquisite. So we keep our interference as minimal as possible. That means that Black Label hardwoods have no chemicals, additives or toxins – nothing is added. Our products are already what the engineered industry has tried to mimic for years, with no success.

From natural one-of-a-kind designs to unmatched structural strength, our hardwoods are born nearly impeccable. Our role is selecting the optimal boards – Premium Architectural Grade on all sides and edges, with no knots – and kiln-drying them in state-of-the-art Italian chambers.

Using advanced sustainable forest management techniques certified by the Forest Stewardship Council or Unfloresta, we go deep inside the forest and hand pick a limited number of trees with potential to become a piece of art in the hands of architects. Our mission is to give professionals the ability to create stunning, meaningful work that not only delights people, but that also reconnects them to nature.

Add to that the design of specific product profiles, along with the product testing and engineering into a system-based approach consisting of CAD details and CSI based specification language, and you have the essence of the Black Label brand.

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

Manufacturing sustainable wood products goes way beyond what meets the eye. Kiln-drying every board in Italian-made chambers until they meet precise humidity levels is a challenge, as is the world-class millwork we do with our state-of-the-art German-built planers. But it’s when we go into the forest to source our wood that we really set ourselves apart.

To craft every piece of Black Label hardwood, we use the most stringent forest management protocols, guaranteeing forests forever for all future generations. We remove less productive trees (that no longer store carbon) and make room for new trees to flourish.

Think of it as a garden, but on a bigger scale. We prune aging trees the same way you prune old branches in your backyard, allowing new life to grow. And not just any aging tree. From an area as big as a football field, only four to six trees are carefully selected, leaving the remainder intact. And for every one we harvest, up to 25 new trees benefit from the opening in the canopy of leaves and have a chance to flourish.

We go out of our way to keep our products not only sustainable and organic, but to make sure they bring a positive impact on both nature and people. Our multiple certifications with world-class organizations like FSC and Unfloresta only prove how seriously we take sustainability at Black Label.

What detail of your product was the biggest challenge to design, and why? How did you resolve it?

Solving design challenges are at the core of Black Label. Wood, by its very nature, is an incredibly flexible building product, and we take that to the next level by bringing unlimited profile options with state-of-the-art molders and CNC platforms. There’s nothing a commercial or residential project would need, no matter how big or small, that we could not provide.

We also have a dedicated department to serve designers and architects in their specification development process with all of the tools and data they require available on our website. Additionally, we always love to hear from designers directly so we can match their needs, from product sampling to our mill shop.

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

Tropical hardwoods are the best in the world for a wide range of residential and commercial applications, and Black Label heightens this aspect. Black Label wood products such as Ipe, Garapa, Tigerwood, Jatoba, Cumaru and Bulletwood — the world’s most appealing species — are sustainably sourced and perfect for all climates. Besides, all of them have unmatched durability and require low maintenance, without the use of chemical treatments. They represent the perfect mix of beauty and unrivaled performance.

Black Label hardwoods have almost twice the strength of Generic FAS grade lumber, and because of the establishment of definitive grading rules, Black Label offers lifestyle products with Premium Appearance on all four sides and edges of each board. Our hardwoods are 100% organic — with absolutely no additives — harvested from sustainably managed forests, and some species have an impressive lifespan of up to 75 years. Hardwood last longer than other materials, and therefore does not have to be replaced nearly as often, making it even more sustainable. Plus, every piece of wood has enhanced stability, made possible by an optimal temperature control system that increases the structural performance by hardening the cell walls. It’s what the industry has been trying to match for years by using chemicals and toxic additives, with no success.

Combine this with FSC, Unifloresta, and even our own Legal Lumber certification program, and designers have a validated and comprehensive approach to biophilic design within the wood product category.

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

It has been amazing to watch the incredible reception for such a young brand that has been on the market for less than two years. Dealers all over North America are working with Black Label products every day, and we were awarded by People’s Choice at the Architizer A+Awards. On top of that, we received additional prestigious recognition, which made us the most awarded hardwood brand in our industry in 2022.

Technically, the architects and designers are astounded by the breadth of resources that are available to them to assist in specifying naturally durable hardwood products from our resource library and our availability to work through design challenges with them.

Both designers and consumers are reassured by our comprehensive environmental compliance certification programs, including FSC certification. But the real challenge remains in the continuing education about the Life Cycle Benefits of renewable wood products over non-renewable building products. We are extremely grateful to have received the Architizer A+Award and for any attention it brings to this most important environmental initiative.

How do you see the product evolving in the future?

We have just recently introduced prefabricated deck tiles into our Black Label roof deck system. And for the first time ever in our industry, they are kiln-dried, providing a resistance only similar to that of steel.

But only offering wood sometimes isn’t enough for a brand that aims to support architects and builders with everything they need to deliver world-class projects. So, we’re excited to announce the evolution of the Black Label brand into a wide range of accessories from deck and clad clips to tool kits to stains and beyond.

This evolution is how we guarantee our builders will always find the same quality standards we stand for, from the wood all the way down to the smallest screw.

To find out more about Black Label Sustainable Lumber, visit their website, and reach out to one of their experts to learn how to implement the product in your next project.

All images courtesy of Tropical Forest Products

Reference

Architecture

Revolutionizing Urban Living: MicroPolis Offers Affordable Housing Solutions in NYC’s Empty Spaces

By Zarkon Group,26/02/2023

MicroPolis – is a proposal for a new housing typology of micro-homes in metropolitan centers such as New York City. It can be installed in already built, empty urban spaces. The staggering of the units creates a push-and-pull relation, generating balconies for most units. Large public outdoor terraces provide social and co-working spaces and safe places for children to play. Installing these complexes in wealthier neighborhoods and business districts improves living standards for communities of color, immigrant groups, and low- to middle-income families.

Architizer chatted with Esther Sperber, Principal at Studio ST Architects to learn more about this project.

Architizer: What inspired the initial concept for your design?

Esther Sperber: MicroPolis is a response to a February 2020 court case that revoked the building permit for the top 20 floors of a Manhattan luxury condominium because it used gerrymandering-style tax lot assembly tactics to justify the request for a very tall building. We suggested that we should not waste these already built floors but rather use them for affordable housing. The aim is to present creative, inclusive and positive design solutions to the urban affordable housing crisis, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The prevalence of unoccupied and unusable space presents an opportunity to rethink affordable housing throughout the city.

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

The project is contextual and addresses New York City’s critical issues such as the housing crisis, diversity and inclusion, and lowering the carbon footprint in the construction industry. MicroPolis could help alleviate the affordable housing shortage, which we have a moral obligation to address. The design creates innovative, sustainable and affordable micro-homes within vacant floors of luxury buildings in metropolitan city centers. Cities have always embraced people from all kinds of diverse backgrounds, but the pandemic revealed that the city is more divided than we would like to acknowledge. MicroPolis celebrates NYC’s diversity by increasing equity and valuing the range of people needed to make the city thrive. Adding affordable housing units throughout the city’s higher-end neighborhoods aims to make NYC more integrated, resilient and equitable.

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

We realize there will likely be resistance to this proposal. Few privileged communities welcome low- and middle- income developments in their neighborhoods, let alone their own apartment buildings. But if we have learned anything during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that our society is deeply intertwined. The communities that suffered most from the pandemic are those that we depend on most to keep our city running. The same resistance to this project is reason enough to take this typology seriously. It is time to stop averting our gaze from those who are less fortunate economically and invite them to be our neighbors.

How did the context of your project — environmental, social or cultural — influence your design?

NYC’s real estate exposes the city’s socio-economic inequities. Manhattan’s luxury residential market seems to be rebounding. However, at the same time, the Department of Housing & Preservation, which is responsible for maintaining affordable housing, experienced a 40% cut during the pandemic, resulting in the loss of 21,000 affordable housing units. Our unique modular system, which aims to create greater social equity, consists of prefabricated, energy-efficient and cost-effective micro-homes, which can be installed in already built empty urban spaces. The proposal demonstrates how to creatively house key workers and other tenants in need by maximizing space on mid-level floors of currently unoccupied luxury condos, which some developers have designated as mechanical voids in an attempt to increase the height of luxury buildings and gain maximum value for coveted upper floor apartments.

How important was sustainability as a design criteria as you worked on this project?

The issue of sustainability was one of the main driving factors of MicroPolis’ design. Reusing built spaces has environmental advantages: it conserves materials and resources, lowers carbon footprint, and brings old, energy-inefficient buildings up to the current code. Carefully selected building materials and cladding ensure thermal insulation to lower energy use and costs for these micro-homes. MicroPolis is also uniquely designed to enable staggered balconies to provide some sun exposure and shade coverage during extreme weather conditions.

What key lesson did you learn in the process of conceiving the project?

The housing crisis in New York City, or any city for that matter, is a complex issue. With some of the world’s wealthiest residents, New York City is also home to thousands who do not have a clean, warm or dry place to sleep. The city is struggling to address its housing shortage for lower-income individuals and families, and to provide shelter to its 60,000-plus homeless. At the same time, New York City has a record number of empty, unsold, new luxury apartments. Unused space, particularly in tall luxury residential towers, can be reconfigured to accommodate more units dedicated to affordable housing within the existing floor area.

How do you believe this project represents you or your firm as a whole?

My firm, Studio ST Architects, strives to focus on sustainable, innovative and responsible design. Our firm combines unique expertise in architecture and psychology to design inspiring buildings and renovate spaces that transform human experiences, build deep and inclusive community connections, and create a sense of health and well-being. MicroPolis directly addresses these pillars of our practice.

How has being the recipient of an A+Award evoked positive responses from others?

It gave us an opportunity to think and explore issues around the multi-family residential typology, particularly within dense urban centers. This also helped us reach a larger audience to raise an issue we are passionate about, which led to more discussions with our clients and collaborators about responsible, compassionate design that addresses not only people’s basic need for housing, but also human connection.

How do you imagine this project influencing your work in the future?

Studio ST Architects has significant experience in apartment interior renovations and religious buildings, but we are excited to do more work in the multi-family residential sector. Our recently completed Jones Street multi-family apartment building holds a similar spirit of ambition to connect people and address the need for housing within Jersey City. Jones Street creates individual homes and a sense of community for the families and young professionals that live in this growing Jersey City community. It targets the swathe of families and young professionals looking for New York-style buildings just across the Hudson River. We hope to continue tackling the housing crisis by taking on more multi-family housing projects.

For more on MicroPolis, please visit the in-depth project page on Architizer.

MicroPolis Gallery

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MicroPolis Gallery

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