Exbury Egg / PAD studio + SPUD Group + Stephen Turner

Posted on junio 18, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Exbury Egg / PAD studio + SPUD Group + Stephen Turner © Nigel Rigden

Architects: PAD studio + SPUD Group + Stephen Turner
Location: River Beaulieu, England
Year: 2013
Photographs: Nigel Rigden

Artist Stephen Turner, who specialises in long term artistic explorations of environmental settings, has worked with the designers to create the Egg which he will now use as a ‘residency’, floating in the Beaulieu Estuary for a year, to examine the changing patterns of its marine ecology, while making artworks inspired, influenced and informed by his surroundings. This ambitious project tests the role of artists and architects in sensitive places and contributes to raising awareness of the importance of protecting places like the Estuary.

The project is led by art, architecture and education consultants, Space Placemaking and Urban Design (SPUD Group). SPUD project manager, Phil Smith explains: “Everything about this project looks to the value of our environment and sustainability; from the design and build of the Egg, to working with Stephen Turner in raising awareness of environmental change, to creating a cross curriculum education programme for schools and colleges.”

Created and designed by PAD studio and Stephen Turner, the Egg was inspired by the nesting seabirds on the shore. It was built locally, by boat-builder Paul Baker, as a cold moulded reclaimed cedar -sheathed structure approximately 6 metres long and 2.8 metres in diameter, whose aging will be tracked by the artist. Local Douglas Fir has been used for the supporting ribs and internal framing; continuing the age-old tradition of timber marine construction on the Beaulieu River.

Wendy Perring, the project architect, explains: ‘It was our intent to create a minimal impact live/work structure, using materials with low embodied energy sourced within a twenty mile radius, and put together by a team of local craftsmen using centuries old techniques. We want to test the minimum someone needs to live quite comfortably, and how we can minimise the impact on the environment.”

Inspired by the estuary and its ecology, Stephen Turner will develop the Egg into one of his artworks through the course of the residency; an on-going record of his work will be available for the public to see at Exbury Gardens and on the project website. At the end of the project, the Egg will become part of a sculptural installation of the artist’s work and shown in galleries across the country.

Stephen explains his plans: “My contribution to the design concept of the structure was its symbolic egg form, that will decay and change during my occupation; turning the egg into a calendar revealing the impact of 365 days of changing weather and tides upon its surface. My idea is to show that nothing is forever and that understanding and welcoming such change should be part of our sustainable relationship with the rest of nature.

“I wanted to investigate the landscape at a key moment when climate change is already creating new shorelines and habitats. Established salt marsh is being eroded by a combination of rising sea levels and falling landmass and the entire littoral environment is in a state of flux. The implications for wildlife and flora as well as people are challenging and raise awareness of a particularly 21st century sort of tension.”

The educational aspect of the project is hugely important; schools and colleges have been able to visit the boatyard to learn about, and watch, the construction. Once afloat, Stephen Turner will be liaising with SPUD to engage with a wide local community and will use interactive social media to report on the stages of his voyage of discovery.

Exbury Egg / PAD studio + SPUD Group + Stephen Turner originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 18 Jun 2013.

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Temporal Sustainable Theatre Finalist Proposal / PM²G Architects

Posted on junio 17, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Temporal Sustainable Theatre Finalist Proposal / PM²G Architects © 3D Veron

Designed by PM²G Architects, their inspiration for their finalist proposal in the international competition for the Temporal Sustainable Theatre came up from the cultural and physical aspects of the region where Cardiff is based. The history of the country has been marked by the welsh coal mining industry resulting in a bumpy landscape which the architects used as a departure point for developing the idea of using it as the stage where the audience are the users, the actors and also the ones who try to discover what is inside and outside, giving freedom for exploration. More images and architects’ description after the break.

The challenge was to create a place that even its scale or mass would not interfere with the views and life of the courtyard of the Anthony Hopkins Center. How to create a landscape inside a small introverted walled patio?

Another challenge was to create a minimal impact on the space in terms of material resources the economical ones; having a reduced budget we followed the paths of the cradle-to-cradle basis. By having to develop a simple but feasible solution we chose the wooden pallets being a reference to the stacked goods in the docks, being Cardiff one of the mayor coal exportation ports of Cardiff and the United Kingdom.

By the creation of a concave theater we tried to optimize the interior of the proposed pyramidal resolution, this solution works for both structural and acoustical matters as well as having the sufficient area to accommodate 120 people.

The ephemeral term mean that it would have to please not only the internal users but also the visitors who would come to rest in a “green” space; this area give the sensation of entering to a place where the floor becomes wall and roof even with a different material. A place that is closed but at the same time that opens and watches the surrounding building of the theatre center, free and natural, equal to the joy of visiting the hillside of the country.

Architects: PM²G Architects
Location: Cardiff, Wales
Team: Guillermo Lumbreras Ruiz, Morgane Cauchy, Monique BastosNunesHerve and Pierre-Henri Baudart
Organizer: World Stage Design 2013
Program: Theatre for 100 – 150 people
Competition Status: Finalist
Year: 2013
Photographs: 3D Veron, Courtesy of PM²G Architects

Temporal Sustainable Theatre Finalist Proposal / PM²G Architects originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 17 Jun 2013.

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White Lodge / DyerGrimes Architects

Posted on junio 16, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

White Lodge / DyerGrimes Architects Courtesy of DyerGrimes Architects

Architects: DyerGrimes Architects
Location: Tandridge, England, United Kingdom
Client: Tony and Nicky Maude
Photographs: Courtesy of DyerGrimes Architects

Our clients, Tony and Nicky, sold their country estate in Limpsfield, and purchased a one and half acre plot in Oxted with a view to knocking down the existing dilapidated pre-fab bungalow and building in its place a new ultra-contemporary sustainable home. An exciting and ambitious project, our clients wanted to create a large flexible open living space with extensive glazing to make the most of the mature grounds and a feature swimming pool.

Tandridge Council had a long standing planning policy that new builds should match the traditional pitch-roofed houses which populate the area. However, the site is situated at the end of a private road and surrounded by mature trees which we used as an argument to justify what would be an unprecedented design. The council’s strict planning requirements also demanded that 12 percent of the energy required by the house would be provided through renewable energy sources.

Responding to the brief we developed the design to work with the sloping topography of the site and make full use of the screening provided by the mature trees. Comprising three storeys, the house is approached at the lower ground floor level where a stepped promenade leads to the front entrance at ground floor level. Here the main living spaces are arranged around a generous entrance hall and large sliding walls disappear into pockets to allow the living, dining and reception rooms to become one open plan space perfect for hosting parties. A structural glass bay window on the north facade provides views back to the entrance gates and arriving visitors, whilst structural glass walls to the south and west provide panoramic views of the grounds and inviting glass fronted swimming pool.

The lower ground and first floors are accessed via a feature engineered timber and glass stair and accommodates six bedrooms including a luxurious master suite with its own dressing room and private balcony overlooking the pool and grounds. A large roof terrace to the north of the first floor provides far-reaching views of the Surrey Downs beyond. During the design development the forms of the building were explored and explained to our clients using 3D modelling. We also secured the early appointment of the design team to ensure feasibility and provide regular costings as the design developed. This collaborative approach allowed an elegant structural design where the first floor appears to ‘hover’ over ground floor and cantilever out over the swimming pool. A services design was also prepared to meet the 12% renewable energy requirements. After three strategic planning applications, permission was granted in August 2010.

White Lodge took 46 weeks to build and was completed one month ahead of schedule in March 2012. Great emphasis was placed on constructing White Lodge as efficiently and sustainably as possible. It started with careful specification and detail design, and continued through construction with in depth workshops with the contractor throughout the construction process. The structure makes use of a hybrid steel frame, load-bearing masonry, prefabricated concrete ground floors, and FSC timber upper floors. It is clad with an advanced insulated render system with a high performance finish to minimise maintenance costs. This system also facilitated the intricate shadow gap detailing between ground and first floor levels and allowed a rationalised structural design. The large amounts of structural double glazing and aluminium sliding doors are high specification to minimise the potential heat loss. The heating system comprises an energy efficient gas boiler and underfloor heating system with solar hot water panels on the roof and an air source heat pump.

Tony and Nicky are delighted with their new home and almost a year after completion it continues to draw surprise and admiration from family, friends and visitors. Their home is everything they wished for and more. It has caught the eye of film location companies and has recently been featured in the Evening Standard as a ‘Modern Marvel.’

White Lodge / DyerGrimes Architects originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 16 Jun 2013.

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Peace Pavilion / Atelier Zündel Cristea

Posted on junio 16, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Peace Pavilion / Atelier Zündel Cristea © Sergio Grazia

Architects: Atelier Zündel Cristea
Location: Museum Gardens, Bethnal Green, London, UK
Constructor: TP Arquitectura i Construccio Tèxtil
Exhibition Period: May/June 2013
Year: 2013
Photographs: Sergio Grazia

Enhancing the experience of the city does not always require projects of significant cost and time, but can often come about as the result of modest, temporary interventions and events, in key places, at chosen times. Our office is dedicated to the conception of interventions likely to appeal to city residents, transforming the way in which they view the places around them and the practices possible in their cities.

Human beings carry within them nostalgia of a primordial happiness from ancient times. The notion of a return to these origins of happiness is often associated with Nature. Our intention is to encourage inhabitants to participate in fun, uncommon events taking place within the urban landscape: an inflatable bridge equipped with giant trampolines rises above the Seine, a pavilion erected in a London park, a museum traversed by a roller coaster.

These projects offer, in the heart of the city, new forms of Elysian Fields, given over not to the Champs-Élysées of shopping and strictly urban activities, but rather to fundamental human practices, which liberate strong emotions calling on all our senses.

The site of this competition is the Museum Gardens, Cambridge Heath Road in Bethnal Green, London. It lies within the Tower Hamlets and Hackney boroughs. The gardens are on the English Heritage Register for Historic Parks and Gardens. It is approximately 1.05 hectares in size and is surrounded by: Cambridge Heath Road, Museum Passage, V&A Museum of Childhood, St John’s Church and Victoria Park Square. The site’s main use is as a recreational garden for living, working and visiting communities. Given it’s prominence within the community it serves, it is clear to us that it is important that the most is made of the site through our pavilion.

Our project responds to the desire to create a temporary transportable pavilion for the summer of 2013 in such a public space, with a need for inclusion, socializing, relaxation, discussion, reflection, escape, view and enjoyment of a high quality space.

It will provide an inspirational space where visiting architects, designers, families and the general public can stand and sit whilst admiring, embracing diversity and engaging with each other in discussions about design, the importance and benefits of peace and co-existence, or even novel stories they have to tell in a peaceful setting.

The Museum Gardens, and nature in general are the perfect settings to promote the idea of peace, to encourage the sharing of joyful stories and provoking discussions about architecture and design.

We propose a Pavilion which is visually and aesthetically engaging. We think it is capable of providing an ideal contemporary space which offers a sense of tranquility, beauty and an exceptional aesthetic value to the very heart of the Museum Gardens.

Peace is one of the highest possible human ideals. It is a state of equilibrium; it means NO WAR, but also harmony, silence, pureness, kindness, happiness, appeasement, calm, reconciliation, serendipity, tranquility… To express all of these ideas, we have created a perfect and symmetrical sculpture, obtained by a precise geometrical manipulation. The beauty of the shape lies in its perfect symmetry and fluidity; we feel there is no need to explain it a great deal as it is a pavilion that speaks to everyone. It allows visitors looking at the volume for a split second to get a sense of the pavilion and its layout with minimum effort. The symmetrical geometry of the pavilion blurs our notions of inside and outside, however the simple act of motion through the exterior and interior spaces of the pavilion bringing an understanding to the visitor.

The Pavilion is 4 meters in height and 20 Square meters in area. Designed entirely with lightweight materials – 77.96m² of PVC membrane and 20m3 of air – our project is a selfsupporting structure; it is easily scalable to inhabit larger dimensions of other sites.

To achieve such an apparently complex shape, we unite advanced tools of parametric design: in the study of tensile membranes and in the geometric conception of double curved surfaces, and digital fabrication: in the accurate manufacturing of the pavilion using CNC cutting machines.

Peace Pavilion / Atelier Zündel Cristea originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 16 Jun 2013.

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House 784 / Stephenson ISA Studio

Posted on junio 13, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

House 784 / Stephenson ISA Studio Courtesy of Stephenson ISA Studio

Architects: Stephenson ISA Studio
Location: Cheshire, UK
Architect In Charge: Stephenson ISA Studio
Project Manager: Mr John Gray
Structural Engineer: Mr Christopher Munro
Area: 486 sqm
Year: 2007
Photographs: Courtesy of Stephenson ISA Studio

The house is sited on a tree lined suburban road in Cheshire and was designed for a young family couple. On the road, the house types are suburban; conservative, bland and mock traditional. Our approach was to create a fresh contemporary version of the suburban house type; one that reacts to its context and is tailored to suit the specific needs of the client.

The client asked us to design a four bedroom contemporary house to house their family. They also asked for a three car garage, and an independent granny flat (this later became adapted to become the children’s playroom.) Of prime concern to the client was the privacy of the living areas and the garden. They were also keen that the internal spaces felt bright and open with rooms flowing into one another; They did not want everything to be visible upon first entering the house, rather that it allowed one to meander through it; discovering places and views as one does so. During the whole design and construction process, the clients were very open to suggestions and permitted us a great deal of design freedom.

When commencing the design, we first looked at how the garden could relate to the internal spaces. To the front of the house, there was a large south facing garden, which in the neighbouring properties was poorly utilised due to its visual exposure to the public road. Our starting point therefore was to create extra screening along the site boundary to allow this area to become a useable private family outdoor space. As the outdoor garden space was now private, we were then able to put the living areas on the ground floor, allowing for direct access from inside to out. The privacy of the gardens also allowed us to create large window openings, providing views into the garden without the need for screening, during the day or night. We designed the house in such a way that rooms did flow into one another, with each room having its own individual relationship with the outside, creating a dramatic spatial sequence.

In order to divide the vehicle and pedestrian entrance, we ran a concrete wall from the house to the site entrance, dividing the front garden up into pedestrian entrance/garden and driveway. This wall also worked to physically anchor the house into the site and its context.

The actual form of the building is expressed as the meeting of two volumes; the main volume contains the house, whilst the lower stone volume’s wing contains the granny flat and garage. The solid stone block sits aligned with its neighbours whilst the higher rendered block cantilevers over it on the south elevation, creating a dramatic entrance. In a way, the whole design is about the drama of entrance; even as you move through the house the visitor is continuously entering; discovering the drama of each space sequentially.

We did have a lot of opposition from the planning department and had to really struggle to get the building approved. The planning officer put the project to committee as she said that she did not understand modern architecture! We had also originally designed a canopied entrance gateway, but the planners asked us to remove this. We later submitted a separate application for this item as we felt so strongly about its importance to the design, but it was rejected at appeal.

As we had to work within a tight budget, we spent a lot of time searching for good quality materials at low prices; bartering with companies to get better prices. One of the joys of working on this project was investigating the qualities of the different materials and assembling with the client an acceptable materials palette. Externally, we used a white silicone render and sandblasted Jura limestone (which we had discovered on another project.

This stone could be supplied at low cost and by sandblasting it, gave it the appearance of Portland stone.) For the internal floor surfaces we primarily used the same Jura limestone on the ground floor (but from a different seam and in a different finish.) On the first floor, we used chemically treated light brown oak timber flooring. Within the ensuites, we used flamed black granite stone tiles, which we were able to purchase at an extremely low cost as it was meant to be used for street paving.

The building’s structure was made up of concrete floor slabs on blockwork. The structure was initially designed and detailed as a steel frame, but it was discovered very late on that a very large saving could be made by simplifying the construction method. Again for budget reasons, we used a metal deck roof. One of the joys of working on this project was working with craftsmen, like the stone masons and the carpenters who really understood their materials and were able to pass on their knowledge and contribute to the building’s construction.

The contractor turned out to be very good. Although they had never constructed a modern building before, they worked with a high level of enthusiasm, understanding and pride. But because of their novelty, they were unable to keep the programme under control and it extended significantly beyond their expected completion date.

House 784 / Stephenson ISA Studio originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 13 Jun 2013.

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St Alban’s House / Rory Brooks Architects

Posted on junio 13, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Architects: Rory Brooks Architects
Location: Hawksbury, England, UK
Structural Engineer: Warwick Donnelly Pty Ltd
Builder: Peter Hughes Building
Environmental Consultant: Efficient Living
Joiner: TSM Cabinets
Photographs: Courtesy of Rory Brooks Architects

A small home overlooking a picturesque valley in the Hawksbury region just outside of Sydney that has been designed as a retreat from the inner city. The home is configured out of two pavilions that are sited along the contours, with all spaces orienting themselves specifically to the landscape. It responds to the Australian bush, with predominately natural materials used throughout and clad in a locally sourced hardwood. Mute natural tones of the timber and concrete blend the house into the site, nestling it back into the trees.

The client wanted a quiet escape from the inner city where he lives and also a place to entertain. The entertaining and living pavilion is orientated around the pool and kitchen so days and nights can be spent eating, drinking and swimming. The bedroom pavilion is quieter with more intimate views of the landscape, a place of quiet and escape. There is home study with full bookcase and a large framed view of the trees beyond where the client can spend time working away from the city.

The dwelling has been designed as a passive solar design that is energy efficient, deep overhangs protect the windows and screens are on the northern and western facades. The house is designed to be fully operable, with good cross ventilation from the valley on hot days as well as having strong solar access in the winter time.

There is minimal impact on the site and the local environment. An extensive use of locally sourced materials and craftsmen was used throughout and an efficient structural solution was adopted with composite timber beams and double walls to increase the thermal performance. It is set along the contours with the levels of the house determined so that no removal or addition of earth was required during construction. The house is pushed back into the trees so that it is not seen from any of the roads and has minimal visual impact on the valley.

St Alban’s House / Rory Brooks Architects originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 13 Jun 2013.

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Tigh Port na Long / Dualchas Architects

Posted on junio 13, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Architects: Dualchas Architects
Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland
Main Contractor: Neil MacKay & Co.
Area: 200 sqm
Year: 2010
Photographs: Andre Lee, Courtesy of Dualchas Architects

The Clients had been visiting Skye with their dogs for many years. They love the landscape and positively enjoy the unpredictable weather and choose to eat outdoors in all seasons. They brought to us photographs of their main home which is simple and minimal, a CD of their favourite music and the encouragement to do something different.

The site is at the end of the road at Aird of Sleat, Skye, on the Scottish West Coast. It has shore access and extraordinary views back to Knoydart, Morar, Ardnamurchan and down the coast to the island of Eigg. There are views on 3 sides and it was decided to tuck the bedrooms behind the main living spaces to enable us to create a terrace from the kitchen for the morning light, a terrace from the dining space for the afternoon light and a terrace off the main bedroom for the evening light.

The design developed into 2 distinct forms with a stepped foundation to give additional height to the main living space and to allow views across the dining space from the kitchen to Eigg beyond the fireplace. This step in the foundation corresponded precisely to the slope in the landscape. The link between the 2 forms houses a utility room and shower room.

The proportions, massing and siting of this house are derived from traditional forms; narrow in span and tight to the ground. It is clad in a skin of narrow larch cladding walls and roof. It is hidden from view from the rest of the township and sits quietly in its place on the edge of its world. Despite its obvious abstraction from the local vernacular it remains a house rooted in its place and a direct response to both site and brief.

Tigh Port na Long / Dualchas Architects originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 13 Jun 2013.

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Loughloughan Barn / McGarry-Moon Architects

Posted on junio 11, 2013 by :: noticias arquitectura ::

Architects: McGarry-Moon Architects
Location: Broughshane, Northern Ireland, UK
Design Team: Jessica McGarry, Steven Moon & Adam Currie
Contractor: Alan Moon Joinery and Building Contractor
Area: 110 sqm
Year: 2013
Photographs: Adam Currie, Courtesy of McGarry-Moon Architects

This unassuming residence is a responsive configuration of skilfully contained views from the interior the manipulation of natural light combined with fluid, informal spaces allowing us to create architecture that has some dramatic moments but does not overly dominate the character of the existing stone barn. The house is surprising which engages people and allows the dwelling a unique character without having to resort to reproducing a replica of the past.

The original stone structure, the splendid views of ‘Slemish’ and the desire for comfortable understated interiors were the principles that focused us as architects. The preservation and consolidation of the stone structure was fundamental in achieving an architecture where the old and new complemented each other. Thus the residence was designed by fusing new technologies with older building techniques whilst incorporating sustainability ideals in order to create a rural architecture for the 21st century, rather than simply remodelling or recreating the methods and manners of the past.

Approached from the north west this 110m2 dwelling has a restrained appearance, with smooth texture of copper contrasts and interacts with the warmth of the existing stone walls. The dwelling retains the integrity of the existing barn whilst hinting to the dynamic design within. The new building uses the foundations and outer walls of the old barn, but new metal framework is inserted in the interior to create the upper ground floor. All original openings are used without alteration in the lower ground floor. The living space cantilevers out of existing stone barn and has an altogether different all be it rural architectural language.