unfolds Archives

christian kerez's house okamura unfolds as a cluster of circular brick volumes in czechia

insnde the all-brick house okamura by christian kerez in prague

In Prague 6, within close proximity to Villa Müller by Adolf Loos, architect Christian Kerez completes House Okamura as a clear example of a very traditional, almost archaic method of constructing brick ‘circles’. The project, designed as an aggregate of column-like volumes, hosts three apartments with 39 rooms, combined. Kerez omitted dividing walls from the interior layout, making the outline of every single space visible from the outside. More so, thanks to their unique configuration, the apartments shift positions from floor to floor so that rooms in the vertical shafts belong to different owners. The rooms vary from 4 sqm to 18 sqm in size and 2.35 meters to 4.9 meters in height, with an additional 19 spaces in between the circular rooms, making it a total of 58 rooms.

all images © Maxime Delvaux

circular rooms with varying sizes, openings, and layouts

All spaces within one apartment of House Okamura are open to each other, with areas varying between 90 sqm and 110 sqm. As Christian Kerez (see more here) explains, the different sizes of the overlapping circular rooms create unpredictable changes in the direction of these openings. The latter seem to be randomly positioned and create a labyrinth-like movement. ‘It is a space that opens in on itself, generating an impression of expansion within actually limited boundaries, as intended by the rigorous geometrical arrangement. The layout of the circular rooms changes from one level to another,’ continues the Czechian architect.

House Okamura in Prague 6

Meanwhile, the elevator, storage, and sanitary area are all tucked between the circular rooms of House Okamura. These intermediate spaces, which can be entirely closed off with doors, are minimal, fragmented, and convex, as opposed to the open, perfectly concave main zones. Concluding his thoughts, Christian Kerez highlights how the spatial concept of autonomous rooms aggregated to a sequence of spaces feels radical and new while the whole project resorts to traditional brick construction, which is easier to build on site than orthogonal spaces.

the project reveals a cluser of brick circles

the interiors host three apartments, with 39 rooms in total

circular living room with no dividing walls

the direction of openings constantly changes from room to room, and floor to floor

Reference

Architecture

vincent callebaut’s biophilic hospital campus in belgium unfolds around flower-shaped atrium

By Zarkon Group,03/02/2024

Vincent Callebaut’s Hospital Campus in belgium

Vincent Callebaut has designed HOSPIWOOD, a biophilic hospital campus in Belgium with the aim of enhancing sustainability as well as patients’ experience and recovery. The project brings together local hospital networks on a 14-hectare campus designed to prioritize sustainability and offer high-quality healthcare. HOSPIWOOD serves as a link between the Buset and Longtain sites, situated along the Boulevard Urbain de l’Est, positioned to accommodate various functions within the cityscape, contributing to its overall vitality. At its core, HOSPIWOOD is committed to environmental responsibility and community well-being. The project’s masterplan promotes efficient resource management, incorporating features such as solar car parks, rainwater harvesting systems, and green spaces to mitigate environmental impact and enhance the local ecosystem.

all images by Vincent Callebaut

a Modern and patient-friendly Hospital Infrastructure

The architects implemented a range of structures, such as The Building K, The Ponte Vecchio, The Vertical Forest, and The Medical Logipole, signaling a departure from traditional hospital design towards a more integrated and environmentally conscious approach. Building K connects to the core of the Tivoli Hospital’s Tripod, and its construction is now underway. The Ponte Vecchio acts as an inhabited bridge, linking various medical staff facilities like restaurants, meeting rooms, and administration offices, along with an amphitheater. Spanning Avenue Max Buset, it forms a direct link between the K building and the new Longtain hospital, featuring dynamic, spiral architecture symbolizing hospital partnership. The Vertical Forest embodies the new Longtain Hospital, featuring 600 rooms across 66,500 sqm within a mid-rise building. Its soft curves create a biophilic atmosphere promoting well-being and serenity. The circular base houses technical platforms around large patios, atriums, and gardens.

a biophilic hospital campus promoting sustainability and patient-centered care

On the ground floor, a flower-shaped atrium integrates the admissions hall and shops, while various medical services are distributed across the circular plane’s four petals. The first floor hosts intensive care, interventional platforms, and other specialized units, following a similar layout. The logistics basement, accessed via a peripheral circular moat, facilitates seamless flow management while minimizing visual and auditory disturbances. The Medical Logipole serves the logistical needs of the La Louvière site and other network locations. Situated on the northern roundabout side of Boulevard Urbain de l’Est, it offers direct road access and connects to the Longtain Hospital via a glass footbridge. The Campus consolidates complementary functions such as intergenerational housing, nursing homes, and recreational facilities within a masterplan promoting urban diversity and integration.

promoting a nature-infused design

Green Infrastructure & Sustainable Solutions

HOSPIWOOD aims to develop a real eco-neighborhood where residents can enjoy living, working, and seeking medical care. The project focuses on efficient and balanced management of resources and flows, maximizing the site’s assets while preserving its environment. The project integrates elements of ecological and solidarity transition, such as urban greening, renewable energy use, and sustainable transportation. The masterplan adopts a radial and concentric layout, directing flows toward a central atrium, which serves as a public urban hub. The architecture blends harmoniously with the landscape, incorporating features like wind turbines and repurposed mining residues. Preserving the landscape involves combatting soil artificialization by transforming the Longtain site into a lush urban forest. This includes planting endemic trees, fostering native biodiversity, and implementing rainwater harvesting systems. A prominent feature is the tree-lined valley along the New Boulevard Urbain de l’Est, which serves as a rainwater filtration pond and provides a serene environment for residents. This holistic approach honors the industrial, cultural, and natural heritage of the region, enriching the identity of the community.

an eco-neighborhood where residents can enjoy living, working, and seeking medical care

The solar car parks, equipped with photovoltaic canopies, are designated for staff, patients, visitors, and logistics. They are strategically located near the hospital in concentric bands, bordered by large hedgerows, with 50% of parking spaces covered with grass to promote soil drainage. Trees within the site are planted along these concentric hedges. Vertical landscaping is also prominent. Rooftop gardens, including a medicinal garden, adorn the eco-district, providing a shared space for caregivers and patients. These gardens are sheltered by solar canopies, generating electricity and hot water for patient rooms. Geothermal probes ensure year-round comfort, with additional solar canopies covering the logipole, totaling 7,350 m² of solar roofs for Longtain Hospital. Over 2.5 kilometers of planters line the care unit windows, offering hospitalized patients a soothing green environment. Rain chains connect these planters, guiding rainwater from the rooftop garden. The vertical forest hosts over 20,000 plants, capturing up to 120 tons of CO2 annually and aiding in bioclimatization, reducing temperatures by 3 to 5 degrees for patient comfort. This comprehensive approach reflects a commitment to citizen well-being and environmental stewardship.

Reference

Architecture

OTHERWORLDS’ como agua resto-bar unfolds like a huge bird’s nest in the indian forest

By Zarkon Group,25/01/2024

como agua by otherworlds completes in North Goa, India

Step inside Como Agua, a new bar and restaurant on the Vagator cliff overlooking the sea in North Goa, India. Conceived by multidisciplinary practice OTHERWORLDS, the design combines sustainably sourced bamboo and a wild shrub, Lanternna Camara, a combination that playfully alludes to dining in an overgrown and enlarged weaver’s nest surrounded by lush tropical paradise. As an invasive species of plants widespread in the Western Ghats, the Lantenna Camara claims agriculture, forest growth, wildlife and tribal livelihood every year — yet, by repurposing it as a building material, ‘the project displays innovative building practices using biological materials while creating emphasis on lantenna removal, use and restoration,’ comments principal architect Arko Saha.

all images © Fabian Charuau, Studio Charuau

evoking the wild nest of weaverbirds

The design of Como Agua is heavily inspired by forms found in natural environments. ‘We were fascinated by the wild women nests of weaverbirds. The weavers are social birds, usually nesting and feeding in colonies. They collect all sorts of natural materials like twigs, fibres and leaves to weave a membrane that acts as their nest, usually hanging from the branch of a tree,’ notes the studio. Materials used for building nests include fine leaf fibers, grass, and twigs. Many species weave very fine nests using thin strands of leaf fiber, though some, like the buffalo-weavers, form massive untidy stick nests in their colonies, which may have spherical woven nests within. OTHERWORLDS, therefore, wanted to explore the experience of dining within and around a weaver’s nest. Like the weaver, the team also foraged into the forests of the Ghats to collect wild Lantenna and weave them to create spatial structures for the space.

Como Agua by OTHERWORLDS

The top deck of the Como Agua restaurant houses two nests where one can sit and dine while enjoying the extensive views of the beach and sea of North Goa. On the ground floor, an undulating lantenna membrane wraps the bar and pizza counters and houses a wooden bench in between, offering a cozy corner for dinner. The wire mesh lamps spread across the bar-resto to light up the tables are also inspired by hanging nests found in trees; these lamps hang at different heights, creating a whimsically warm atmosphere that mimicks the organic nature of their biological counterparts found in the forests.

the resto-bar sits on the Vagator cliff overlooking the sea in North Goa

building with bamboo and repurposed lantenna camara

Lantenna Camara has been listed as one of the ten worst invasive species in the world, invading over 40% of the Western Ghats, a total of 13 million hectares. Arriving in India as an ornamental plant in the early 1800s, predominantly by the British, Lantana has escaped from gardens and taken over entire ecosystems through its multiple hybrid varieties. In the 200 years of its arrival, the plant has evolved to now climb up the canopy as a woody vine, entangle other plants by forming a dense thicket, and spread on the forest floor as a scrambling shrub. Lantana is mainly dispersed by fruit-eating birds, monkeys, bears, and the like, but it also capable of growing from its root-stock, and nodes. This results in its widespread growth, ultimately affecting biodiversity, livelihoods, and human and animal health — from displacing native plants and reducing productivity in pasture through dense thickets formation to making it exceedingly difficult for tribal communities to access the forest for edible tubers and firewood collection.

an undulating lantenna membrane wraps the bar and pizza counters

These alarming issues and threats expose the imminent danger of Lantenna growth, highlighting its eradication and the urgency of exploring new methods of removal/restoration. For Como Agua, OTHERWORLDS has repurposed Lantenna from Western Ghats, bringing it on site to cut, trim, bend, and wrap around metal mesh structures to create a membrane used for railings, compound wall partitions, nest-like structures, facades, and canopies. Completing the design is bamboo, sourced jointly with Bangalore-based company Bamboopecker. Native to the region, Bamboo is extensively used for structure and facade treatment. Varying thicknesses and sizes are first treated with saltwater and then used in the space. OTHERWORLDS recycled local wood pieces to create custom patterns for the bar counter tops and facade. Even the outdoor built-in benches are made using reclaimed pieces of Matti wood. Indian Kota stone makes up the interior flooring, while larger Kota stone slabs of varying polished and colors (rough to smooth) are cut into thinner pieces and then laid on site to interlock with the outdoor wooden deck. Locally available Matti wood comprises the furniture and outdoor decking.

outdoor built-in benches are made using reclaimed pieces of Matti wood

Reference

Architecture

Serpentine Bookhouse library by Atelier Xi “unfolds like a scroll painting”

By Zarkon Group,24/09/2023

The spiral shape of a conch shell informed the Serpentine Bookhouse in Shenzhen, China, a library that has been designed by local architecture studio Atelier Xi.

Located in the Dasha River Ecological Corridor, the 300-square-metre building by Atelier Xi provides a children’s reading room, public restrooms and a viewing balcony with seating areas for visitors and residents.

“The building performs like a rising spiral art sculpture, returning as much ground spaces as possible for plant growth and tourist activities,” founding principal Chen Xi told Dezeen.

“The spiral spatial structure both shapes the interior terraces and creates a 360-panoramic view of the surrounding landscape through expansive windows,” he continued.

Atelier Xi created the structure’s distinctive shape using a steel framework of Vierendeel trusses – a truss with no diagonal members – and tensile reinforcement.

This structure allows the inner and outer edges of the spiral to be lined entirely with full-height windows, providing a changing view of the surrounding landscape as visitors move up the building.

“The starting point of the spiral touches ground, meandering among the trees,” Xi told Dezeen. “Meanwhile, the second floor at the end of the spiral path eventually opens up the vista, offering a different perspective overlooking the park.”

“For visitors, walking along the interior space provides a view that unfolds continuously, elevating their perspective like an unrolling scroll painting,” he added.

High-level windows provide cross-ventilation to the interior, with sun-shading provided by vertical aluminium louvres that cover the building.

A staircase wraps the inner wall of the spiral, while the outer wall is lined with bookcases that are aligned to a series of stepped platforms.

At the top, wood-framed glass doors open onto a small, sheltered balcony area with seating overlooking the landscape.

Each end of the spiral, as well as its underside, has been finished with panels of corten steel that were chosen to mirror the colour of the wooden finishes used throughout the interior.

“Aluminum is chosen for the sunshade grille to ensure durability in the hot coastal climate, and is finished with a color scheme closely resembling the wood tones used in the interior,” explained Xi.

“Corten steel plates with darker color are used as facade end caps, symbolizing the beginning and end of the spatial movement inside,” he added.

Atelier Xi chose to retain the existing pathways surrounding the building and introduce new planting and a concrete bench that sits beneath the spiral, sheltered by its upper storey.

The Serpentine Bookhouse was recently longlisted in the civic project category of Dezeen Awards 2023. Fluid forms feature regularly in the work of Atelier Xi, with previous projects including a sculptural pavilion in rural China and a curving concrete extension to an abandoned library.

The photography is by Zhang Chao.

Reference

Architecture

tan yamanouchi’s japanese home unfolds around a spiral staircase

By Zarkon Group,10/09/2023

explore a cat tree house by tan yamanouchi in kamakura

Located in Kamakura, an hour from central Tokyo, A Cat Tree House is a charming private dwelling and architecture studio designed by and for architect Tan Yamanouchi, his partner, and their two cats. As pet owners, the project took shape from the perspective of their little felines. ‘Having lived with the two for ten years, we took our design cues from ‘listening’ to them, although they do not speak human words,‘ says principal architect Tan Yamanouchi.

That being said, he summarized the cats’ needs into three categories: (1) Being able to choose their preferred temperature level at any time of day; as they can sense temperature differences that humans cannot, they like to move around to find the perfect spot. (2) The desire to be in same room as their owners, all while maintaining their space. (3) And lastly (3) the need to have multiple safe places to hide; they like options and may change their minds about where they feel safest depending on the time of day or year. With these in mind, the residence was conceived as a large spiral staircase, known as a caracole, with multiple nooks and crannies, incorporating both the owners’ and pets’ needs.

organizing the home around a large & skylit spiral staircase

Delving into the details, Tan Yamanouchi organized the spiral staircase around an atrium with a skylight in the center of the house. ‘The rises are designed based on the body measurements of our cats, which led to having 23 different floor levels. The entire house is thus divided into fine stripes of temperature layers, between which our feline clients spend all day traveling,’ explains the architect. The spiral staircase, meanwhile, opens up a line of vision to the whole house from any vantage point. Additionally, the standard dimension of the run of each step is generously set to 900 millimeters so that the cats can hide from people downstairs, keep a certain sense of distance from others, or even sleep peacefully.

To design the caracole, Yamanouchi took cues from a tamasudare, a screen made of loosely woven bamboo sticks for a traditional Japanese street performance, where performers twist, fold, and extend it to form various shapes. Exposed to give accent to the open ceiling space, this structure responds to the highly humid environment of Kamakura with its starkly designed split-level architecture. ‘The standard floor level is set one meter above the ground level, creating a buffer space between the raft foundation and the floor, where outside air is introduced, and hot water pipes for floor heating are laid. We designed the buffer for temperature and humidity control,‘ he continues.

entrance to A Cat Tree House

integrating views and programs around the steps

On each corner of the caracole, a bedroom, guest room, studio, kitchen, dining room, and bathroom are laid out for optimal comfort. As this is an architect’s studio as much as a home, it inevitably has constant guests. When we have unexpected visitors, each room also functions as a hiding place for the cats. The mountain views of Kamakura inspired the design of the handrails implemented in the atrium for fall prevention. The delicate stainless-steel fixture was crafted by skilled ironworkers.

On the wall built along the spiral steps, Yamanouchi designed a bookshelf, transforming the steps from a mere passage to a split-level library. For the cats, the stairs function as cozy bedding, while for humans, they become a book vault with suitable height differences to sit anywhere. A part of the circular steps bisects backward, which reaches at the end a window implemented at the eye level of cats, and the final rise of the steps is as high as a human chair to provide a porch-like space for them.

wooden steps to the house

tan yamanouchi’s L-shaped dwelling boasts a green haven

The form of this house consists of two L-shaped volumes, each with a shed roof of different angles. By interlocking the two volumes, a basic shape comes to life, simplifying construction and blending in with the mountains of Kamakura while still holding a unique aesthetic. ‘We also believe that cats looking out the window is a sight that improves the neighborhood landscape. We meticulously designed the placement and the height of the windows so that passersby and visitors can appreciate the adorableness of the cats as a part of the architectural exterior and the scenery,‘ shares the architect.

As for the landscape design, the garden is divided roughly into two zones. One is the Approach Zone, which leads to the entrance and the garden facing the front road. Another is the Terrace Zone, which includes the wooden deck steps and a kitchen garden, surrounded by a 1.8-meter-high wall on the back of the building. Approximately 80 species of plants are flourishing in the Approach Zone, boasting different colors for a rich palette, and 20 species of edible herbs in the Terrace Zone. Completing the outdoor design is a space covered with fragrant wood chips, offering a place to sit on the steps and enjoy a meal.

Tan Yamanouchi designed the house around his cats’ needs

a large, spiral staircase with multiveled steps and a library

creating a home where the cats can be close to their owners while having their own space

Reference

Architecture

concrete residence in latvia unfolds two distinct dynamic volumes

By Zarkon Group,17/06/2023

The House in Jurmala by Chado responds to the natural context

Nestled amidst a grove of ancient pines, The House in Jurmala by architectural studio Chado effortlessly responds to the surrounding landscape and Latvian climate. Facing southward, its facade embraces the views, while the rugged texture of concrete walls forms a unique composition. The formation of a planted patio cuts through the structure separating the private sleeping zones from the common living spaces. The building unfolds two volumes, each boasting a distinct height and purpose. The lower part hosts the children’s and guests’ rooms, while the upper volume reveals a large living room, dining area, kitchen, and master bedroom.

all images by Alvis Rozenbergs

design composes an interplay of concrete forms and volumes

Within the heart of the house, the central public area exudes an intriguing contrast to the monumental volumes of the private spaces. Here, the console roofing boldly extends, creating dynamic cantilevers. As an elegant focal point, a vertical fireplace tube provides the area with a sense of verticality and warmth. The design team at Chado composes an interplay of forms and volumes developing a harmonious design narrative, where the concrete embraces the landscape responding to the natural context.

the structure is nestled amidst a grove of ancient pines in Jurmala

the architecture effortlessly responds to the surrounding landscape

the rugged texture of concrete walls forms a unique composition

the formation of a planted patio cuts through the concrete structure

the concrete embraces the landscape responding to the natural context

the glazed atrium separates the private sleeping zones from the common living spaces

Reference

unfolds

christian kerez’s house okamura unfolds as circular brick columns in czechia

insnde the all-brick house okamura by christian kerez in prague

circular rooms with varying sizes, openings, and layouts

vincent callebaut’s biophilic hospital campus in belgium unfolds around flower-shaped atrium

Vincent Callebaut’s Hospital Campus in belgium

a Modern and patient-friendly Hospital Infrastructure

Green Infrastructure & Sustainable Solutions

OTHERWORLDS’ como agua resto-bar unfolds like a huge bird’s nest in the indian forest

como agua by otherworlds completes in North Goa, India

evoking the wild nest of weaverbirds

building with bamboo and repurposed lantenna camara

Serpentine Bookhouse library by Atelier Xi “unfolds like a scroll painting”

tan yamanouchi’s japanese home unfolds around a spiral staircase

explore a cat tree house by tan yamanouchi in kamakura

organizing the home around a large & skylit spiral staircase

integrating views and programs around the steps

tan yamanouchi’s L-shaped dwelling boasts a green haven

concrete residence in latvia unfolds two distinct dynamic volumes

The House in Jurmala by Chado responds to the natural context

design composes an interplay of concrete forms and volumes

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