unveils Archives

MVRDV unveils residential development for Tencent smart city

Dutch studio MVRDV has revealed a series of residential high-rises arranged around courtyards in Shenzhen’s Qianhai bay, which will form part of a smart city development by technology company Tencent.

Named Tencent 5, the residential complex will have four courtyards surrounded by 11 apartment buildings and an adjacent kindergarten, designed to be a neighbourhood that fosters community.

Tencent 5 residential complex by MVRDV — Tencent 5 will have 11 apartment buildings arranged around courtyards

Located on a narrow peninsula, the bayside residences will be the centrepiece of a wider smart city campus developed by Tencent and masterplanned by US architecture studio NBBJ.

MVRDV designed Tencent 5 as a social and green development that provides housing to employees working in the city.

Residential high-rises by MVRDV in Shenzhen — Muli-level balconies will puncture the facades

“By contributing to Tencent’s smart city, we want to show that smart cities are also healthy cities, green cities, and social cities,” said MVRDV founding partner Winy Maas.

“The attention in smart cities always goes to the technology, and our design of the Tencent residential complex certainly includes that, but in our conception, the technology-related aspects are inseparable from the social spaces, the green courtyards, the terraces – the technological goes hand-in-hand with the human.”

MVRDV residential buildings in Shenzhen — It will provide housing to employees working in the smart city campus

The terraced residential buildings, which range in height from 57 to one hundred metres, will have equally-sized apartments with views of the sea to the west and the bay towards the east.

“Located at the northern end of the campus, MVRDV’s design emphasises equality between residents,” said MVRDV. “All units are identical in size and layout, with each providing a balcony or bay window to its occupant.”

“The buildings are terraced, supporting communal green spaces that can be accessed by all residents.”

The green courtyards and other public spaces in Tencent 5 were designed to be places where neighbours can connect with each other.

Pedestrian paths through the complex will provide added outdoor space populated with sports and leisure activities.

Tencent 5 residential development in Shenzhen — Green pathways will cut through the site

Additional shared amenity space will be located on the ground floors of the residential buildings, and multi-level balconies will puncture the facades.

“Large, multi-floor breakout spaces puncture the towers’ facades at a variety of levels, allowing residents to gather with others who live in the same part of the building and breaking the development into a number of smaller ‘neighbourhoods’,” said MVRDV.

Kindergarten in Shenzhen by MVRDV — A series of connected blocks will form the kindergarten

A kindergarten adjacent to the residential complex will also be arranged around its own courtyard. It will be made up of a series of blocky buildings with rooftop gardens, connected by corridors and walkways.

“The courtyard, along with the spaces between the blocks, provide safe and shaded playing spaces for the children, while the blocks themselves feature rooftop gardens,” said MVRDV.

Tencent 5 kindergarten by MVRDV — The kindergarten will also have a courtyard

Construction on Tencent 5 is underway and it is due to be completed in 2024.

Other projects by MVRDV in China include the transformation of a skyscraper in Shenzhen into a women and children’s centre and its plans for a library in Wuhan with a sweeping form.

The images are by Atchain.

Project credits:

Architect: MVRDV
Co-architect: A&E design
Contractor: Shanghai Baoye Group Corp
Structural engineering and MEP: A&E design
Cost calculation: Arcadis
Environmental advisor: ATKINS
Visualisations: Atchain and Tiptop

Reference

Interior Design

Rafael Viñoly Architects unveils “last project” designed by Rafael Viñoly

By Zarkon Group,12/03/2024

Architecture studio Rafael Viñoly Architects has unveiled designs for a terraced residential building in Uruguay, which is the last project designed by the studio’s founder.

Located outside of Montevideo on a beachfront site, the Médano El Pinar apartment complex will be comprised of approximately 120 luxury, multi-family residences of one to five bedrooms. It is the last project designed by architect Rafael Viñoly, who died last year.

Terraced apartments — Rafael Viñoly Architects has unveiled designs for a terraced residential complex in Uruguay

“The last project designed by renowned architect Rafael Viñoly, Médano El Pinar is an innovative, ultra-sustainable, luxury, multi-family residential development,” said the studio.

“The building’s long, low-slung, and sinewy shape integrates it with the organic landscape of its pristine setting to minimize its visual impact on the neighbourhood and make it completely invisible from the public beach.”

A terraced hotel — It is the last project designed by the late architect, according to the studio

Situated behind sand dunes, renderings show an undulating building with a terraced facade that mirrors the curves of its beachfront site.

Residences will be distributed along its 1,394-foot (425-metre) length and contain glazed facades that will open onto terraces.

Living room with fireplace — The residences will contain glazed facades and private terraces

“Generously proportioned interiors open to large elevated private gardens with panoramic views, creating a sense of ‘conscious luxury’,” said the studio.

The building will be constructed from a locally sourced mass timber structure, according to the studio, with aims to be “the first nearly Zero-Energy Building”.

Other sustainable strategies integrated into its design will include the use of solar panels, rainwater capture, a green roof and cross ventilation.

Interior renderings show double-height living spaces with wood beams distributed throughout and capped by a wood-slated ceiling.

A building with glass facade — The building will be made of a mass timber structure

A wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors open onto the accompanying terrace, which hosts a small pool or garden and additional seating areas.

A large pool sitting in front of the building is also pictured, with ground-level entrances to the building tucked along its length.

Uruguayan architect Viñoly, who died aged 78, designed numerous buildings around the world including 432 Park Avenue in New York and the Walkie Talkie in London.

Architects and critics including Norman Foster and Michael Kimmelman paid tribute to Viñoly after his passing, and his son Román Viñoly, discussed his legacy in an interview with Dezeen.

Other recent projects in Montevideo include a stacked housing block designed by MVRDV and a prefabricated multi-storey car park by MAPA.

The images are courtesy of Rafael Viñoly Architects.

Reference

Interior Design

IKEA unveils “powerful” first photos by artist-in-residence Annie Leibovitz

By Zarkon Group,14/02/2024

Swedish furniture brand IKEA has released two images from a series of photographs taken by Annie Leibovitz, its first-ever artist-in-residence, showing people in their homes across the world.

The American photographer, who is best known for her portraits, travelled to twenty-five homes around the globe to take photos of people in their residences. She visited houses and apartments in Sweden, India, Italy, Japan, Germany, England and the US.

“The home has always been important in my work,” Leibovitz said when appointed artist-in-residence in 2023.

“I’ve been photographing people in their homes since I began,” she added. “It’s a way to understand who a person is. The advice I give to young photographers is to photograph their families. It’s one of the best ways to start.”

People in home photographed for IKEA — Annie Leibovitz photographed 25 homes for IKEA, including this one in Germany

Leibovitz’s photos for IKEA show a variety of different interiors in seven different countries.

“The result is a powerful photographic document that illuminates the nuances of life at home – across borders, ethnicities and professions,” the furniture brand said of the project.

The series, which comprises 25 photos in total, was commissioned by IKEA after its IKEA Life at Home Report showed that 48 per cent of people globally don’t feel the media represents their home.

The first two images released by IKEA, show the homes of Yusuke Onimaru in Japan and Maria Arrechea in Germany – specifically Onimaru’s ceramic workshop and Arrechea’s living space filled with friends.

Leibovitz’s photos will be shown as part of the IKEA+ exhibition in Paris, which will take place during Paris Fashion Week.

It will also feature a collaboration with online radio station Rinse and showcase the Tesammans collection made by IKEA together with Eindhoven-basd design duo Raw Color.

Six emerging designers from the Casa93 fashion education program are also taking part in the IKEA+ showcase. They worked with “home furnishing mentors” from IKEA to create designs that focus on upcycling and sustainable design.

The photography is by Annie Leibovitz for IKEA.

IKEA+ will take place on 28 Rue de Lappe, Paris, from 29 February to 3 March. For more worldwide events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design, visit Dezeen Events Guide.

Reference

Interior Design

Zooco Estudio unveils Cantabrian Maritime Museum restaurant

By Zarkon Group,05/02/2024

Madrid-based Zooco Estudio has created a striking restaurant within the Cantabrian Maritime Museum in Santander, Spain, that celebrates the building’s brutalist architecture.

The restaurant is set within a dramatic vault of concrete paraboloids that were unearthed during the renovation, while a slatted timber ceiling pays homage to the area’s shipbuilding legacy.

Interior of brutalist Cantabrian Maritime Museum restaurant in Spain by Zooco Estudio — Zooco Estudio added a restaurant to the second floor of the Cantabrian Maritime Museum

Overlooking the tranquil waters of Santander Bay, the restaurant is located on the second floor of the landmark Cantabrian Maritime Museum, which was designed in the mid-1970s by architects Vicente Roig Forner and Ángel Hernández Morales.

The paraboloids were an original fixture of the structure and supported the roof of what was once the museum’s patio.

The studio focused on restoring the historic fabric of the space and reviving the paraboloids, which had been concealed for around 20 years, as “a vestige of the past”.

“In 2003, the building was renovated and as part of this intervention, the paraboloids were covered with a new roof and the space between them and the perimeter of the building was closed with glass, generating a covered space where there was previously a terrace,” Zooco Estudio co-founder Javier Guzmán told Dezeen.

“We wanted the concrete paraboloids to be the absolute protagonists of the space and by removing the paint and the coating, the paraboloids are visible again and regain their full prominence.”

Interior of brutalist restaurant in Spain by Zooco Estudio — The renovation exposed the raw concrete surface of the paraboloids

The previous renovation also altered the dimensions of the space and reconfigured the volume as a square.

To promote symmetry, four additional concrete triangles were added to balance out the original paraboloids in the brutalist restaurant.

Timber ceiling panels and concrete paraboloids inside a brutalist restaurant — Slatted wooden ceiling panels bridge the gaps between the arches

Overhead, a false ceiling of slatted timber panels frames the concrete arches.

The studio designed theses triangular boards to reference the arrangement of timber across the hull of a boat, a nod to the museum and the area’s nautical past.

The panels also serve the purpose of concealing the restaurant’s mechanical systems.

“The wooden slats bring warmth and friendliness to the space while allowing us to solve all the technical needs for air conditioning, heating and lighting, leaving them hidden,” Guzmán said.

“In this way, we ensure that all these elements do not interfere with the dialogue of concrete and wood, which are presented as continuous and clean elements.”

Dining tables overlooking views of the Santander bay — Walls of floor-to-ceiling glazing offer views across the bay

The interior layout was largely dictated by the low arches of the elliptic paraboloids that dominate the brutalist restaurant.

“The geometry of the existing structure conditions the space, because its height in its lower part is impractical, so a large bench is arranged around the entire contour that allows us to take advantage of that space and organise the distribution of the rest of the floor plan,” added Guzmán.

Concrete paraboloid and dining tables inside brutalist restaurant in Spain by Zooco Estudio — Grey porcelain floors mirror the concrete paraboloids

Like the ceiling panels, the interior finishes and furnishings allude to the maritime history that the building commemorates.

“The use of wood and steel for all the furniture is reminiscent of the materials used in shipbuilding – the furniture has slight curvatures that are reminiscent of the aerodynamic shapes of boats,” explained Guzmán.

“Likewise, the lamps are inspired by the masts for ship sails.”

Dining tables at Cantabrian Maritime Museum restaurant — Zooco Estudio also designed the restaurant’s curved timber furniture

Another key change was the replacement of the perimeter glass wall.

The inclined glazing was swapped for vertical glass, a decision that reclaimed external space for the patio, which stretches the length of the restaurant and overlooks the harbour below.

“When we are inside, the feeling is the same as when we are inside a boat, there is only water around, and that is why we used clean glass from floor to ceiling, generating a perimeter terrace as happens on boats,” said Guzmán.

Terrace at Cantabrian Maritime Museum — The terrace features green curvilinear outdoor furniture

Other projects by Zooco Estudio include a renovated house in Madrid and a co-working space with a kids’ play area in California.

The photography is by David Zarzoso.

Project credits:

Architect: Zooco Estudio
Construction: Rotedama Constructora SL
Lighting: Zooco Estudio
Furniture: Zooco Estudio

Reference

Interior Design

UNStudio unveils Huawei flagship store with “petal-like” facade

By Zarkon Group,02/02/2024

Dutch firm UNStudio has revealed a two-storey flagship store for Chinese technology company Huawei in Shanghai with a facade clad in ivory-coloured petal-like forms.

Drawing from Huawei’s global operating system, named Harmony, UNStudio‘s design aimed to generate biophilic associations between the brand and its technology by integrating organic geometric shapes throughout the scheme.

Facade of UNStudio Huawei flagship store in Shanghai — UNStudio has completed the Huawei flagship store in Shanghai with a petal-like facade

“Among the many interfaces found in retail nowadays, the flagship store we have created for Huawei in Shanghai is one that blends interactive experiences, technology and community creation,” UNStudio founder and principal Ben van Berkel said.

“The new store reimagines modern retail spaces as inviting environments that promote a sense of community and provide a contemporary venue for consumers and visitors to meet, share and innovate,” he continued.

Southern facade of UNStudio Huawei flagship store in Shanghai — The store’s southern facade integrates undulating floor-to-ceiling glazing. Image courtesy of Huawei

The store’s double-height frontage is defined by a series of overlapping elements that the studio described as “petal-like”, which fold together to form a raised band across the facade glazing.

Each ivory-coloured ‘petal’ weaves down to meet the ground as ‘stems’, configured to hide the structural mullions between glass panels and create the sense of a frameless facade.

Soft lighting was also integrated between the petal edges to illuminate the store’s exterior at night.

Internal tree column in UNStudio Huawei flagship store in Shanghai — A spiralling column was positioned as a visual marker within the central atrium

Positioned directly behind the facade, a spiralling column named the Tree of Harmony continues the organic geometries internally.

The column was positioned to the side of the central atrium as a focal point for visitors and is wrapped by stairs that lead to the upper mezzanine floor.

To further the store’s biophilic character, the southern facade was finished with undulating glazing and seating that folds around the building’s curves.

Display zones in UNStudio Huawei flagship store in Shanghai — The studio used neutral and clean internal finishes to complement the ivory-coloured store frontage

Internal finishes were kept warm and neutral to match the facade’s clean tones and extensive white overhead lighting.

The studio used wood and glassfibre-reinforced cement for the store’s ceilings, floor and columns, while product tables and furniture were also made from wood and natural-toned materials to add to the organic feel of the space.

According to UNStudio, the store integrates high-performance materials and prefabricated, detachable finishes to increase the building’s longevity, while the quality of the air inside the store is monitored by climate control technology.

“Huawei TKL flagship store re-crafts Huawei’s innovative technology into a design aesthetic,” UNStudio partner Hannes Pfau said.

“It seamlessly creates a unified facade and interior narrative, while using high-performance, certified and recycled materials.”

The store has a central product display avenue that spans the length of the ground floor, with two further experiential zones interspersed for increased user interaction.

A Signature Experience zone will host featured events and exhibits, while the Consumer Full Scenario Experience zone lets visitors use and test Huawei products.

Undulating glazed facade in UNStudio Huawei flagship store in Shanghai — Undulating floor-to-ceiling glazing was used for the store’s southern facade

Both floors were designed with open and flexible spaces in which the store can host lectures, activities and classes.

To complete the store’s functional offerings, UNStudio also created a minimalist interior cafe to blend with the rest of the store for customers awaiting after-sale services.

Open gathering spaces in UNStudio Huawei flagship store in Shanghai — The store hosts flexible spaces to be used by the community

UNStudio was founded in Amsterdam in 1998 by Van Berkel and Caroline Bos.

The studio has also recently completed the Booking.com headquarters in Amsterdam and the YG Entertainment headquarters in Seoul featuring metallic surfaces and geometric forms.

The photography is by Wen Studio unless otherwise stated

Reference

Architecture

apaloosa unveils open-air chapel in rural mexico

By Zarkon Group,27/11/2023

La Escondida Chapel sits in rural La Garza in Mexico

Designed by Apaloosa Estudio de Arquitectura y Diseño in collaboration with Walter Hugo Flores, La Escondida Chapel sits in the rural area of La Garza in Mexico. A public space amid a housing complex, the chapel seeks to spatially create a connection with its users while fostering direct spiritual connection with the divine. Its pavilion-like form crafted from steel and wood encourages visitors to become enveloped by the large-scale, open space and gaze upwards for a celestial experience. Its deliberate placement, visible yet requiring a lengthy journey towards it, creates a reference for its surroundings and imparts a sense of anticipation to approaching worshippers.

all images courtesy of Apaloosa Estudio de Arquitectura y Diseño

Apaloosa Estudio crafts a pavilion-like experience

La Escondida Chapel manifests the universal human quest for a celestial connection, exploring the interstitium — a space that channels the infusion of natural zenithal light and fosters a communion between the worshipper and the divine. Apaloosa Estudio de Arquitectura y Diseño (more here) embraces the concept of an intangible direct relationship, acknowledging the personal or collective pursuit of expression with a higher being.

To enhance this connection, the project introduces a silo that serves as a conductor of light, absorbing, sifting, and diffusing natural light while controlling its intensity within the interior space. The feature’s strategic height also ensures a uniform distribution of temperature, creating an atmosphere conducive to spiritual reflection.

sited in the rural area amid a housing complex

Apaloosa Estudio de Arquitectura y Diseño unveils La Escondida Chapel

a silo serves as a conductor of light

Reference

Sustainable News

Carmaker Nio unveils fashion made using waste from its own production

By Zarkon Group,22/11/2023

Chinese car manufacturer Nio has launched Blue Sky Lab, its own sustainable fashion brand, which has been shortlisted for a 2023 Dezeen Award.

Blue Sky Lab creates garments and accessories using materials left over from the car manufacturing process including seat belts, airbags and other car-grade fabrics to demonstrate how waste can be “creatively repurposed”.

Blue Sky Lab collection by Nio Life — Nio has launched its own fashion brand

Nio claims the label is “the world’s first sustainable fashion brand launched by an automotive company and brought to mass production”.

Blue Sky Lab made its debut in 2021 at the Shanghai Auto Show and has since reused nearly 55,000 metres of waste fabric.

Male model carrying a white backpack by Blue Sky Lab — The pieces are made using leftover materials from car manufacturing

These car-grade surplus materials can help to create new high-performance products, according to the brand.

“Blue Sky Lab enjoys an innate advantage by adopting auto-grade materials in its fashion products as these materials outperform their consumer-grade counterparts to a large extent,” the brand said.

“We think more about improving our products rather than blindly catering to the external environment. For example, the recycled materials from the airbags are light and durable with high strength, a perfect fit for lightweight fashion items.”

Blue Sky Lab by Nio Life — Blue Sky Lab launched in 2021 at the Shanghai Auto Show

The materials are simply sterilised and repurposed into a variety of products in line with the brand’s minimal futuristic aesthetic.

“Regarding environmental protection, most visual communication tends to adopt nature and green elements,” the company said.

“However, rather than being confined by such a monotonous style, we have chosen to find inspirations from our DNA and business areas including innovative technologies, manufacturing and industrialization, and lifestyle in carrying out product design.”

“Blue Sky Lab has joined with global design talent including Nio’s designers, Japanese architect Shuhei Aoyama, French leather goods designer Vincent du SARTEL, Finnish designer Rolf Ekroth, NIO user designers and designers from Parsons School of Design, Li-Ning and Allbirds,” the brand added.

The brand told Dezeen it has mass-produced over a hundred different fashion items since its inception alongside tables, stools and lighting fixtures.

Blue Sky Lab has produced over 100 products using excess car manufacturing materials — Blue Sky Lab has also created furniture and lighting

The brand also partnered with an independent product testing and certification agency to calculate the carbon footprint of its bestselling products.

“Compared with their counterparts made of traditional raw materials, their footprint per unit is 18 to 58 per cent less,” the brand said.

Blue Sky Lab is a collection made from excess car materials — Blue Sky Lab has been shortlisted for a Dezeen Award

Blue Sky Lab has been shortlisted in the sustainable consumer design category of this year’s Dezeen Awards.

Here, the brand is competing against the world’s “first refillable” edge styler and soap-in-a-can brand Kankan.

Reference

Interior Design

ICRAVE unveils sci-fi interiors of MSG Sphere Las Vegas

By Zarkon Group,02/11/2023

US studio ICRAVE has revealed images of the public spaces inside the world’s largest spherical structure in Las Vegas.

Chosen through an international competition, ICRAVE was tasked with designing the interiors of the public spaces within the MSG Sphere Las Vegas by Sphere Entertainment – the giant venue’s operator.

Dark tunnel with arches illuminated with blue light — Upon entering the MSG Sphere Las Vegas, visitors are ushered through an arched passageway

The scope included the building’s entry bridges, lobby and guest welcome areas, the main concourse, food and beverage outlets, as well as private artist dressing rooms, and VIP clubs and suites.

The 20,000-person venue, designed by architecture firm Populous, was unveiled over the summer.

Atrium with shiny black floors and walls lit up in blue — In the main atrium, the building’s curves continue across the intersecting balconies and bridges. This photo and top are by Rich Fury / Sphere Entertainment

While the building’s exterior is covered with 580,000 square feet (53,900 square metres) of programmable LED panels, the inside glows with bands of coloured indirect lighting.

“The spectacle that is Sphere on the outside sets the stage and bar for how magical the designed experience ICRAVE was tasked with must be on the inside,” said the studio, which has offices in New York City and Miami and is led by Lionel Ohayon.

Pink lighting in the atrium — The colourful indirect lighting throughout the public spaces can be customised for different performances

Upon entering the venue, visitors are ushered through a series of repeated illuminated archways before arriving in a vast eight-storey atrium.

Here, the building’s curved form is continued through a series of sweeping balconies and bridges, which intersect at different points across multiple levels to create “a sense of continuous motion”.

Thresholds and doorways are also shaped as either circles or ovals, while beside the escalators, a 160-foot-tall (49-metre) scrim wall hanging acts as a huge lenticular light installation.

Reflective black terrazzo flooring creates a sci-fi feel within the public spaces, which is further enhanced by the coloured lighting.

Arched opening in a pink-lit wall — Thresholds and doorways are shaped as circles and arches, while black terrazzo flooring reflects the light

“The lighting sets the tone and ‘performs’ as part of the Sphere experience from entry, to Atrium activation, to showtime, and as you transition out of Sphere and back to the bustle of Vegas,” ICRAVE said.

The studio also designed the various food and beverage spaces within the venue, each carrying a distinct character.

Dark bar area with gold-lit counter and column — Each of the food and beverage outlets features a different design

Tucked into areas where the ceiling height is lower, these bars and food vendor spots include fluted panels, dark counters, and more indirect lighting.

Throughout the building, mathematical graphics added to surfaces are derived from the equations used in the Sphere’s construction.

In the dressing rooms, artists can enjoy lounge areas and massage chairs, as well as makeup stations, private bathrooms and showers.

Meanwhile, the VIP viewing suites feature a mix of absorptive and reflective materials intended not to distract from the performances.

Long bar with lighting installations — The venue can accommodate up to 20,000 visitors

“In an effort to create a transformative entertainment space that takes artists and fans out of the mundane and into the future, ICRAVE sought to bring life to every inch of Sphere, not just the stage,” said the studio.

“With a sophisticated mix of lighting, soundscape, visuals, ambiance and tactile elements, audiences and the artists will have a captivating experience like nowhere else in the world.”

Scrim wall behind an escalator bank, with spherical pendant lights in the foreground — A huge scrim wall behind the escalators acts like a lenticular lighting installation. Photo by Rich Fury / Sphere Entertainment

The Sphere began its programming in October with a concert by U2, featuring visuals by designer Es Devlin, artist John Gerrard and more on an enormous wrap-around screen.

A similar venue was also planned for London, but the government put the project on hold earlier this year to give the Secretary of State more time to review the proposal.

The photography is by ICRAVE unless stated otherwise.

Project credits:

Owner and developer: Sphere Entertainment
Architect: Populous
Interior designer: ICRAVE
Lighting designer: Journey
Audio engineer: ARUP
Audio tech / manufacturer: Holoplot

Reference

Architecture

Henning Larsen unveils design for world’s largest timber logistics centre

By Zarkon Group,30/10/2023

Danish architecture studio Henning Larsen has revealed plans for a mass-timber logistics hub on Flevopolder island, the Netherlands, that will be the largest of its kind in the world.

Designed by Henning Larsen, the 155,000-square-metre hub will contain offices, shuttle storage and pallet shuttle, as well as a restaurant and roof garden.

Henning Larsen mass-timber logistics centre — Trees will provide shaded seating on the roof

Expected to be completed by 2026, the Logistics Center West will be built largely from glued laminated timber (glulam) and cross-laminated timber (CLT) along with other biogenic materials.

Internally, the timber structure will have oversized columns and exposed beams complimented by light-coloured floors and furniture. Externally, the facade will be divided by rhythmic timber fins and regular openings.

Timber warehouse — Timber interiors flooded by natural daylight

The building will be surrounded by a wetland habitat and forest with a 30,000-square-metre meadow placed on its roof to increase the site biodiversity.

Planting beds, fruit trees and bushes on the building’s rooftop will provide a green outdoor space for the employees, as well as attract local species.

Regular timber fins on facade — Regular timber fins decorate the facade

A boardwalk will serve as a scenic route across the wetland, while also providing educational tools for the employees, reinforcing the integration of nature into the workplace.

With just over 40 per cent of the site to be dedicated to greenery, access to certain areas of the site will be restricted to reduce human impact and promote wildlife growth.

According to the studio, the project’s biodiversity will work to absorb CO2, filter air pollutants and mitigate heat absorption to create “a more comfortable and sustainable environment”.

Rainwater from the rooftop will be collected and stored for sustainable reuse around the building.

Logistics centre in wetland — The mass-timber proposal will feature a constructed wetland

According to the studio the project will be the world’s largest timber logistics centre. The design will aim to create an atmosphere that prioritises employee well-being through the integration of nature into the workplace. Natural light, green spaces and clean air will work to “invigorate the space and enhance focus”.

Henning Larsen is an international studio for architecture, landscape, and urbanism. Other projects set to be completed by the studio include a ferry terminal in Faroe Islands that draws on traditional Viking boats and a wooden Ørestad church with trapezoidal roofs.

The renders are by Henning Larsen

Project Credits:

Client: Bestseller
Architect: Henning Larsen (services: architecture, interior design)
Landscape architect: Henning Larsen
Engineers: Ramboll, Denc and Pelecon

Reference

Interior Design

Estudio Estudio unveils “architectural treasures” in Mexico City house

By Zarkon Group,04/10/2023

Arched doorways and a rooftop studio feature in the Y.27 House, which has been overhauled by architecture firm Estudio Estudio in a way that honours the historic building’s original character.

Located on a 195-square-metre site in Mexico City’s Hipódromo Condesa neighbourhood, the project serves as a full-time residence for a client who is a social entrepreneur and collector of Mexican craftwork.

Y27 House by Estudio Estudio with an inbuilt studio — The house been overhauled to honour the historic building’s original character

Originally built in the 1930s, the stucco-clad dwelling had endured years of neglect, said local firm Estudio Estudio.

The design team set out to revamp the home’s interior, aiming to restore its original charm while enhancing its functionality.

Revamped home interior design — Estudio Estudio set out to revamp the home’s interior

The project involved removing walls, reconfiguring the layout and making structural improvements, in addition to adding new finishes. Moreover, a small storage room on the roof was replaced with a 43-square-metre studio building.

“The main goal was to unveil the hidden architectural treasures beneath layers of past modifications, meticulously restoring them to their original state to reveal the essence of the time,” the team said.

Kitchen entered via an arched doorway — In the rear, one finds a kitchen

“Architectural interventions aimed to preserve the authentic character of the house, rejuvenating ornamental elements while avoiding unnecessary embellishments.”

Rectangular in plan, the home has a mix of communal and private spaces spread across three levels. Curves and arches – many of them original – create a “harmonious flow”.

Rounded skylight that illuminates a staircase — Curves and arches create a “harmonious flow”

On the ground level, the layout “seamlessly integrates daily living requirements”. The front portion holds an entry hall, garage and office, while in the rear, one finds a kitchen, dining area, service rooms and a patio.

At the heart of the ground floor is an airy living room with a 5.9-metre-high ceiling. A tall shelving system with a metal-and-wood ladder acts as a focal point.

A gently curved, skylit staircase leads to the first floor, where the team placed a primary bedroom, two bedrooms and a family room.

Atop the building is the new studio, which was constructed using pine. In addition to the studio, the building contains an onsen room with a barn-style door.

Barn-style door — The building contains an onsen room with a barn-style door

The studio opens onto a terrace with terracotta flooring. Rainwater is collected on the roof and channelled to a reservoir below.

“The roof terrace serves as a space to gather but also works as a rainwater collector, where rain travels throughout the house into a water reservoir and filter system beneath the back patio,” the team said.

Throughout the home, the team used earthy materials and neutral colours. The lighting design – created in collaboration with lighting expert Luca Salas – is meant to balance “ambiance, functionality and aesthetics”.

Notable finishes include oak parquet flooring and closets faced with cotton-canvas. Oak was used for window frames, kitchen cabinets and other elements.

Pisos de pasta flooring features in the kitchen

In the kitchen, the team took a sample of existing checkered tiles, made of pigmented concrete, to a local craftsman, who then replicated them.

This style of flooring – called pisos de pasta – is very common in older homes in Mexico City and southwest Mexico, said Estudio Estudio.

Stucco-clad building — The stucco-clad dwelling had endured years of neglect

Overall, the house is meant to balance historic elements with a contemporary lifestyle.

“This house proudly stands as a harmonious blend of past and present, inviting residents to embark on a captivating journey of refined and simple ways of living,” the team said.

Other projects in Mexico City’s Condesa district include a renovated house by Chloé Mason Gray that embraces its lack of natural light, and an apartment block covered in small, wooden squares that were inspired by vegetable crates.

The photography is by Zaickz Moz Studio.

Reference

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