The chief architect Marcio Kogan from the design bureau Studio MK27  introduced his creation.

This private residence V4 is located in Sao Paulo, Brasil. The project was nominated for best house at the International Festival of Architecture 2012, category “Housing”.

© Nelson Kon

Architect: Marcio Kogan
Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Co-Author: Oswaldo Pessano, Suzana Glogowski, Renata Furlanetto
Interior Design: Diana Radomysler
Project Team: Beatriz Meyer, Carolina Castroviejo, Eduardo Chalabi, Eduardo Glycerio, Gabriel Kogan, Lair Reis, Maria Cristina Motta, Mariana Simas, Samanta Cafardo
Landscape Architect: Renata Tilli
Structural Design: SC ltda
General Contractor: Mantra Engenharia
Site Area: 360 sqm
Project Area: 360 sqm
Project Year: 2006-2008
Photographs: Nelson Kon

Corten House is an urban house located near the largest park in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The site, long and narrow, contains the program of the house and, its residents, not only have a small external deck with a fireplace on the ground floor, but they also make use of the rooftop and, especially, the park itself for leisure.

ground floor plan

The facade of the house is made of Corten weathering steel. The dialogue between the rusty texture on the outside and the stone, wood, white mortar and the glass build the space. The front door of the garage is made of vertical wooden strips and opens entirely onto the street. The main entry door to the house is also made of wood and, despite being of a color similar to metallic plates, the texture and the presence of the material itself, distinguishes the suspended steel box of the frontal façade. The back façade is composed of a glass curtain that confers transparency to the opaque steel box and a suspended volume which contains movable wooden brises. The interior walls of the lot are made of Stone.

© Nelson Kon

© Nelson Kon

The interior plan for the ground floor is simple: an ample room with a ceiling height of 5.2m and four folding doors that completely open out to the deck and external fireplace, dissolving the limits between interior and exterior; in the living room, a free wooden volume houses the kitchen and utilities program; between this volume and the entrance door there is a staircase that leads to the mezzanine.

© Nelson Kon

The mezzanine, on the wooden volume, is a singular area for the home-theater. From here there is another staircase leading up to the third floor, to the private program of the house, the three bedrooms. The master bedroom, in the back, has a wooden panel of brises to filter the light and can remain completely open.

© Nelson Kon

roof plan

On the rooftop of the house, there is a wooden deck protected by glass guard-rails. This space functions as a solar with a heated pool and a view of the city of São Paulo.

Copyright: Archdaily

Google. We all use it everyday, but did you know where do they work?

Architects: Camenzind Evolution

Location: Zürich, Switzerland
Project Team: Stefan Camenzind, Tanya Ruegg
Client: Google Inc.
Site Managment: Quadras Baumanagement Ltd.
Building Engineering: Amstein + Walthert Ltd.
Office Furniture Consultant: Buronauten Ltd.
Catering Consultant: Planbar Ltd.
Project Area: 12,000 sqm
Project year: 2007
Construction year: 2007-2008
Photographs: Camenzind Evolution

This is Google’s Office in Zurich and it looks like the perfect place to work.

See it yourself.

The New Google EMEA Engineering Hub in Zurich is the largest google engineering center outside the US Head Quarter in Mountain View. The recently opened Google offices represent a new generation of office-work environment, it is based on detail research, guided by a psychologist into the functional and emotional need of the googlers. The resulting design is a distinctive, diverse, light and flexible workspace, which has been specifically developed to stimulate and support the googlers in their challenging and innovative work. the processes allow the googlers to influence, challenge and approve the design throughout the project which supplier them a direct sense of ownership of their Zurich office. The personal workspace is like a living area, as the research has shown, which needs to be functional and more neutral, in order to accommodate frequent staff rotation and growth. people will decorate their space according to personal taste and take it with them when moving.

Meeting Egg Room

Taxi meeting room.

Sporting area.

Slide into the caffeteria.

Plan First Floor

Second Floor Plan.

The completed Google building is a true reflection of a forward-thinking company that was prepared to adopt innovative approaches proposed by the architectural team to determine the optimal design concept to natural the talent and creativity of their Zurich employees.

Let us present you a inovative green building- Green Cast by Kengo Kuma and Associates. 

“The façade of the building is covered with planters made of aluminum die-cast panels, which provides space for facilities. The 3 (up to 6) aluminum panels, which also form planters, are made in monoblock casting. Each panel is slanted, and its surface appears to be organic, of which cast comes from decayed styrene foam. Equipment such as watering hose, air reservoir for ventilation and downpipes are installed behind the panels so that the façade can accommodate a comprehensive system for the building.” Kengo Kuma 

In architecture green building ideas reflect contemporary architectural and interior design styles. Modern architecture and nature are reconnecting and people are getting closer to the nature.

Odawara-shi, Kanagawa Pref., Japan
2011. 08
Complex Building
1,052 m2

Kengo Kuma and Associates website – here.

Photography by Daici Ano

Martina Cafaro and Carlo Zavan from BoA Studio Architetti have designed a very intriguing décor for the Rossi House, a loft in Treviso, Italy. The loft is offering the best views of the whole surrounding area as it situated in the last floor of the building.

This house is connected to the main part of the building through an iron and glass walkway. The original space wasn’t originally designed for private use, so that the architects need to renovate it to meet the needs of private use, including replacing the old wall partitions with concrete structured

The loft is an autonomous volume, like a building inside a building and offering the best views of panoramic and unobstructed views of the city and the river. The inhabitants can enjoy the views from large widows and also large opening of the house. If they won’t be obstructed or simply want to glaze at the stars, they can also use the roof as a terrace to enjoy the views.

The interior is defined by an open floor plan and 45° shaped beams, very beautiful skylights in key areas and also a 5-meter open space marked by a couple of large pillars that offers 270° views over the city.

This old industrial loft is divided into two areas, the mezzanine level of the loft is used for sleeping areas, while the upper level is used accommodate the social areas offering views over the city and river.

Here are some photos of the house, check them out to get some inspiration from it.

reference : BoA Architetti photos by marco zanta

Starhill Gallery, image courtesy Spark

Unlike many street-facing malls in Kuala Lumpur, our new façade for Starhill Gallery is firmly engaged with the public realm and generates valuable visual connections along this section of Bukit Bintang via the heavy footfall. We have designed a beacon for Starhill Gallery that celebrates its relationship with the city.

Stephen

Starhill Gallery, image courtesy Spark

Spark’s design has opened up the façade which provides a lot of visual interest via a continuous shop front that wraps the existing building in a crystalline skin of glass and stone panels. The new façade resembles the “wet drapery” of the ancient statues of Greece and Rome, and the beautifully crafted gowns on sale inside Starhill Gallery. The fractured variation of solidity and transparency transforms the street façade of the existing building entirely, giving it a new contemporary classic identity that stands out amongst the quick-fix, ubiquitous shopping mall façades of many of Starhill Gallery’s neighbours.

Starhill Gallery, image courtesy Spark

Spark’s lightweight steel, stone and glass façade is the first of their kind in Malaysia that embraces cutting-edge façade technology from the French engineer RFR, the team that delivered the Pyramid at the Paris Louvre.

Starhill Gallery, image courtesy Spark

Spark replaced the café at the entrance of Starhill Gallery with an iconic triple height shopping pavilion for the French luxury retailer LVMH and their cosmetics brand Sephora.

Starhill Gallery, image courtesy Spark

Sephora is, in turn, connected to Starhill via a first floor bridge that pierces the new crystalline façade. Spark, together with YTL, has deliberately crafted a complex building envelope using only the best materials that resonate with the importance of the building’s position and contribution to the streetscape of Kuala Lumpur. The synergy with high quality of the brands/products, as well as special visitor experience inside Starhill Gallery is undeniable.

Starhill Gallery’s new crystalline façade and the Sephora pavilion have effectively established an iconic new identity for Starhill Gallery, affirming its position as the foremost destination for luxury shopping in Southeast Asia.

Starhill Gallery – Ground floor plan, drawing courtesy Spark

Starhill Gallery – Section, drawing courtesy Spark

+ Project Data

Architects: Spark | http://www.sparkarchitects.com/
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Principal Architect: Stephen Pimbley
Project Architect: Michael Gibert
Team: Darmaganda, Kim-Lee Tan, Sevena Lee, Wenhui Lim
Local Architect: A. Mariadass Architect
Lighting Designer: Snfor Sdn Bhd
Structural Consultant: RFR Shanghai
Main Contractor: Syarikat Pembenaan Yeoh Tiong Lay Sdn Bhd (SPYTL)
M&E: Syarikat Pembenaan Yeoh Tiong Lay Sdn Bhd (SPYTL)

Building Area: 2,000 sqm
Design Period: April 2009 to August 2010
Construction Period: September 2010 to July 2011

+ About Spark

Spark is an international design studio with proven expertise in architecture, urban design, landscape architecture and interior design. Having successfully completed award-winning projects across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Spark continues to create buildings and environments that inspire, informing and transforming public spaces. Its work strives to employ the best sustainable practices, is driven by social inclusion and underpinned by financial viability. Sparkworks closely with clients to create projects that combine innovation and environmental responsibility alongside commercial success for their local economies. Spark’s completed work includes Clarke Quay in Singapore, Raffles City in Beijing, Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur and the Shanghai International Cruise Terminal.

Led by five directors; Jan Clostermann, John Curran, Max Titchmarsh, Stephen Pimbley and Sven Steiner; Spark’s international expertise is fused with local talent embracing 16 nationalities across offices in London, Beijing, Shanghai, and Singapore.

+ All images and drawings courtesy Spark

via plusmood.com

PROJECT DETAILS

• year 2011
• main structure other
• buyer shorefast foundation and the fogo island arts corporation
• contractor shorefast foundation
• status Completed works

The Tower Studio is dramatically situated on a stretch of rocky coastline in Shoal Bay, Fogo Island, Newfoundland. The studio’s sculptural silhouette leans both forward and backward as it twists upward. For the average visitor to the island, this windowless black tower, more often than not, provokes a quizzical response and the enviable question, “What’s that?”

For the locals, they know that this structure is a project of the Fogo Island Arts Corporation – an art studio opened in June 2011. The Tower Studio’s official opening was one of the most festive and included: a roaring bonfire, flares dramatically shot from its rooftop terrace and the recorded sounds of local whales as a background score.
Perched on a rocky stretch of shoreline, there are no roads to the Tower Studio, it can only be reached by hiking along the shore from the adjacent community or walking on a narrow wooden boardwalk consisting of weathered planks that hover just slightly above a bog that features an abundance of cloudberries, known locally as bakeapples.
From a distance the wooden boardwalk reads like a tether strap, linking the stranded Tower Studio to the lifeline of a busy stretch of road. The boardwalk, a mere twelve inches wide, is a vital component to the story of the Tower Studio, it provided an even track for wheel barrows to bring building supplies to the construction site without disturbing the delicate eco-system of the Newfoundland bog and the lichens that grow on outcroppings of rock.

The boardwalk is a testimony to the holistic thinking that is part of the Shorefast
Foundation mindset that connects the dots of economic, cultural and ecological sustainability at both the macro and the micro level. Now that its purpose has past, the boardwalk will soon disappear in order to minimize the impact on the surrounding landscape of the Tower Studio’s construction.
As one approaches the studio, its south-facing entry area is angled back thirty degrees. Overhead a triangulated section of wall leans forward to shelter the double glass doors below. Both the soffit and the angled entryway, clad in horizontal boards of spruce are stained white in sharp contrast to remainder of the building’s windowless exterior of vertical plank siding painted slate black.

The Tower Studio is comprised of three levels with an overall height of thirty-two feet. Its entry area is equipped with a kitchenette, a compost toilet and woodburning fireplace. Its second level is a studio, day lit by a generous skylight that faces northward. A mezzanine overhead, juts into the double height volume of the studio. Aside from the geometric complexity of the space, the second feature that adds to a sense of disorientation is the elimination of architectural detail and the fact that all vertical, horizontal and inclined surfaces, clad in smooth plywood, are painted a brilliant white. The only relief from the stark interior is a sliver of the exterior visible through the studio’s sole skylight. A slightly angled wall opposite and parallel to the skylight provides the perfect viewing surface upon which a body can recline and enjoy the view. One can imagine the magical effect of resting against this surface during a moonlit evening with the audible roar of the North Atlantic and force of the wind against the exposed surface of the tower.

From the studio level, a narrow ladder (also painted white) leads past the mezzanine level to the underside of a roof hatch. As one passes through the horizontal opening and stands on the roof- top deck, the view of the ocean and the rocky wind-swept terrain is spectacular. From the roster of studios recently completed, it is generally agreed that the building of the Tower Studio by the local crew of carpenters was one of the most challenging. Although the basic premise of the Tower’s geometry is a simple one – the plan rotates one hundred and eighty degrees to the roof plan – the construction of the facetted form proved to be a little more complex. In order to figure out the framing diagram, a series of wooden models were constructed. Ultimately a large-scale model was fabricated to minimize any on-site confusion.

The story of the Tower Studio is not complete without referencing two structures that support it. The first one is a ‘standalone’ array of solar panels situated about fifty feet to the west of the studio’s main entrance. Because all the studios are located on isolated sites without access to the utilities of electricity, water and sewer, they are equipped with photovoltaic panels, compost toilets and water cisterns.

For more information :http://www.archilovers.com/p56295/tower-studio#images

Architects: Todd Architects 
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Photographs: Christopher Heaney, Gareth O’Cathain

   

 

© Gareth O’Cathain

Delivering the World’s Largest Titanic Visitor Experience
Titanic Belfast opened its doors to the world on 31st March, 2012. The world’s largest ever Titanic-themed visitor attraction and Northern Ireland’s largest tourism project, Titanic Belfast is the result of a successful collaboration between the Concept Design Architects CivicArts/Eric R Kuhne & Associates and the Lead Consultant/Architect Todd Architects.

© Christopher Heaney

Located in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on the site where the famous ship was designed and built, Titanic Belfast’s six-floors feature nine interpretive and interactive galleries designed by Event Communications that explore the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Titanic, as well as the city and people that crafted her, the passengers who sailed on her and the scientists who found her. The building will also house temporary exhibits, a 1,000-seat banqueting suite, education and community facilities, catering and retail space and a basement car park.

 CivicArts/Eric R Kuhne & Associates and Todd Architects have worked together with Harcourt Construction and a range of other partners to ensure the successful completion of Belfast’s newest landmark. Harcourt Developments engaged CivicArts / Eric R Kuhne & Associates as master planners for the Titanic Quarter site in 2005, with the aim of transforming Queen’s Island into a dynamic new waterfront.

© Christopher Heaney

The master plan for Titanic Quarter seeks to create a 21st century centrepiece for Belfast, combining retail, residential, business and cultural elements, all spliced together with public parks, promenades and gardens. Titanic Belfast was conceived as the cultural lynch pin of the scheme, giving a form to the wish for a focal point to unite the site’s various heritage elements. Having first investigated options for recreating Titanic at various scales, it was decided to design an entirely original structure that could also convey the wider narrative of Belfast, its industries and its people.

Todd Architects were commissioned to begin working with CivicArts in August 2008, and together they submitted the detailed scheme for planning consent. The local Northern Irish practice went on to oversee one of the most ambitious and challenging construction programmes in the UK and Ireland. The 14,000 sq m building took three years to complete – the same length of time as Titanic itself – and is designed with the potential capacity to accommodate up to one million visitors annually.

© Christopher Heaney

Eric R Kuhne, Founding Partner of CivicArts / Eric R Kuhne & Associates, commented:
“CivicArts / Eric R Kuhne & Associates has worked for seven years to conceive, design, and create an international destination in Belfast that celebrates five centuries of its maritime legacy including the building of the RMS Titanic. As Concept Design Architects we have created an architectural icon that captures the spirit of the shipyards, ships, water crystals, ice, and the White Star Line’s logo. Its architectural form cuts a skyline silhouette that has been inspired by the very ships that were built on this hallowed ground.”

“Behind this shimmering crystalline façade, four dynamic ships hulls hold nine galleries. Glass balconies overlook the shipyard, drawing office, slipways, and Belfast city centre. The five-storey central atrium is inspired by the majesty of gangways, gantries, cranes that filled the void between the Titanic & Olympic when they lay side-by-side upon the slipways.”

“Titanic Belfast restores RMS Titanic to these shores. Its design anchors the profound spirit of invention & innovation from a century ago in a new form that retells the epic story of the building of these great ships. The scale, location, interiors and stories within the galleries make this the largest and most authentic Titanic visitor attraction in the world. The architecture speaks of the genius of Belfast as one of the world’s great historic shipbuilding cities, capturing the essence of over 28,000 workers in the Harland & Wolff’s shipyards.”

Paul Crowe, Managing Director of Todd Architects, commented:
“Todd Architects has invested almost four years of work into this truly global project delivering a building which has changed Belfast’s skyline and will help transform international perceptions of the city itself. Developing a building that reflected the ingenuity, ambition and scale of Titanic has been an immense professional challenge – one we are delighted to have met.

“Titanic Belfast has a complicated geometry, providing a challenging build programme which required ground-breaking construction techniques. Its stand-out exterior façade, which replicates four 90 ft high hulls, is clad in 3,000 individual silver anodized aluminium shards, of which two-thirds are unique in design. The resolution of the geometries involved required the use of sophisticated 3D-modelling, completed by Todds in-house, in a process of ‘virtual prototyping’ which we developed specifically for the project.”

“Titanic Belfast also incorporates the best design and technology available. For instance, the building adopted an integrated design approach in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group III Guide Lines and is on course for a BREEAM Excellent status. Plus, like Titanic, the project was completed on budget and to a strenuous time constraint which demanded completion in advance of the forthcoming centenary of the Titanic’s maiden voyage in April 2012.

“This is a landmark development for Northern Ireland which we believe will demonstrate the ability of iconic architecture to shape internal and external perceptions. Belfast has come far in the past 15-years and a statement building such as Titanic Belfast reflects and reinforces the city’s renewed sense of civic pride and cohesion.”

Titanic Belfast
Titanic Belfast is the centrepiece of the £7bn Titanic Quarter development, one of Europe’s largest urban waterfront regeneration schemes which is turning a 185-acre site on the banks of Belfast’s River Lagan into a new mixed use maritime quarter with a mile of water frontage.

Titanic Belfast is an iconic six-floor building featuring nine interpretive and interactive galleries that explore the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Titanic, as well as the City and people which made her. It is the world’s largest Titanic exhibition. The building will also house temporary exhibits, a 1,000-seat banqueting suite, education and community facilities, catering and retail space and a basement car park. Visitors will learn about the construction of RMS Titanic and the wide and rich story of Northern Ireland’s industrial and maritime heritage.

Supported by the Northern Ireland Executive, Titanic Belfast is a unique public / private partnership funded by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Belfast City Council, Belfast Harbour and Titanic Quarter Ltd. It is operated by Titanic Belfast Ltd and will be owned by the Titanic Foundation Ltd.

Titanic Belfast is opening on March 31st 2012 in time for the centenary of Titanic’s maiden voyage. Additional space will be devoted to:
• Community arts and education facilities
• A large gallery for temporary exhibitions, performances and meetings
• Cafes, restaurants and shops
• Titanic Suite (1,000-seat capacity suite banqueting / conference centre) Titanic Belfast Key Facts
• In December 2009, Titanic Belfast saw the largest ever concrete pour on the island to form its foundations – 4,200 cubic metres, circa 700 concrete lorry deliveries, one every two minutes for almost 24-hours
Titanic Belfast’s magnificent exterior façade is clad in 3,000 individual silver anodized aluminium shards, of which two thirds are unique in design and will be enhanced by reflective pools of water surrounding the base of the structure
• Titanic Belfast is home to Ireland’s largest freespan escalator at over 25 meters long and with 124 steps
• The entrance level ground floor is 1,796 sq.m. (19,332 sq.ft.) which includes a 60ft high wall covered in sheet metal panels similar in size to those used on Titanic’s hull
• The ticketing desks are designed to duplicate wooden keel blocks akin to those which Titanic’s massive 46,328 tonnes rested upon in the Titanic Dock

• Titanic Belfast is twice the size of Belfast City Hall covering 150,700 sq.ft.
• Highest point of the building is 38.5 metres (126 feet) from the plaza level
• External façade replicates four 90ft high hulls
• Titanic Belfast is located 100 yards in front of where Titanic’s hull was launched; to its right is the drawing office where she was designed and to the left is the River Lagan where she first set sail in 1912
• Over 1,000 people have worked on site during construction
• The building can hold over 3,547 visitors at any one time, the same number as the capacity of Titanic
• The timeline for construction of Titanic Belfast is similar to that of Titanic (separated by 100 years)
• The hulls are the same height of Titanic from keel to deck
• On the plaza surrounding the building is one of the largest maps of the Northern Hemisphere at 10,000 sq.m.
• The building has the largest banqueting facility in Belfast (the 1,000-seater Titanic Suite, complete with a 10,000 piece near replica of Titanic’s Grand Staircase)
• The total floor area of the main exhibition and suites is 11,000 sq.m.

See more photos here on Archdaily.

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