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02 abril 2009.
First place was given to SLOT, Mónica Orozco, Moritz Melchert, Juan Carlos Vidal, Israel Álvarez, Mariana Tello, and Édgar Ramírez, from Mexico City.
Second place was given to the proposal by Salvador Macías, Alejandro Guerrero, Margarita Peredo, Iván Orozco, Christian Delgado, and Alejandro Arias from Guadalajara.
And third place to the proposal by Juan Carlos Seijo, Xavier Abreu, and Alejandra Abreu, from Mérida.
http://www.archdaily.com/18368/mexico-pavillion-shangai-2010/
01 abril 2009.
This incredible pixelated skyscraper by Singapore-based Design Act was a finalist in a competition to design a pavilion for the World Expo 2010. Entitled “My Dream, Our Vision”, the project uses permutated cubes to generate a spectacular modular sculpture that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Singapore as an efficient, dynamic, cosmopolitan, and forward-looking nation.
Simultaneously futuristic and traditional, the Singapore spirit ? (xin, mandarin word for “new”) serves as a key metaphor for Design Act’s entry, which envisions Singapore as a progressive, re-inventive and innovative place.
The pavilion takes the form of an illuminated digital cloud hovering over an ever-changing “green” pasture. It invites you to enter a dark underground space with audio feeds alluding to the background services which serve the city, and catapults you into the bright and white digital cloud, where you are encouraged to post your dreams. Made of 3866 cubes of modular sizes with varying levels of transparency, the pavilion makes excellent use of natural light and is strategically sloped at the base to give visitors full view .
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/03/31/singapores-stunning-digital-cloud-skyscraper/
31 marzo 2009.
Graphic designers Multistorey have designed the interior, exterior and branding for a homeware shop on Portobello road in London.
The designers decided to cover the exterior with brightly-coloured tiles, which informed the graphic products, branding and website for the store.
The project was completed in September last year.
Here are some more details from the designers:
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We have designed the first in a new chain of shops in London that will sell furniture and accessories for the home. Initially approached to design just the branding element, we proposed to the owners that we take on the entire art direction of the shop including the interior design and fit-out, the external cladding and all the printed and screen based requirements [carrier bags, website, stationery etc].
Our concept was led very much by the shop’s location on Portobello road – an area with a diverse cultural community and strong and vibrant visual identity, the shop premises which had a large external wall, and the owners mixed African, Irish and West Indian heritage.
We wanted to make the exterior of the shop very high impact so that it would stand out yet feel at home on what is a visually busy street. Whilst researching African and West Indian patterns and decorative arts, we discovered the geometric wall murals of the Ndebele community of South Africa which were simple, striking and painted in the most beautiful colours.
We liked the cultural origins of these murals being hand painted by the womenfolk of the tribe to assert their individuality in a strictly patriarchal society. Taking these as a starting point we created our own version in a contemporary ceramic tiled permutation for the large exterior wall of the shop.
In breaking up the shapes to a bitmapped tile version, they began to take on a whole new life of their own, even resembling and playing off the large zebra crossing and street lighting directly outside the shop.
With the pattern itself being so striking, the typographic element of the branding needed to be quite simple and utilitarian so as not to clash. We applied the typographic sign to the windows of the shop — giving them space to breathe, away from the pattern.
For the interior of the shop space, we felt that a pared down palette would be more functional for the display of products, but continued the tiled element inside with a black ceramic tiled floor. Four built-in units of window display plinths, cash desk and shelves were constructed from wood or white painted MDF, and each piece finished with a black frame giving a structured, geometric yet warm feel to the space. The sun casts shadows of the shop’s name into the shop, which create ever changing typography on the units.
For the carrier bags, stationery and website, we have used the tiled pattern as a decorative device, with the aim of the tiled pattern becoming a key part of the brand recognition.
http://www.dezeen.com/2009/03/31/constructive-lives-by-multistorey/#more-27369
30 marzo 2009.
Architect Dietmar Koering of Arphenotype has designed these electricity pylons for a competition to envisage a new power transmission network in Iceland.
Each pylon would be between 17 and 32 metres tall, with the shape of each one varying according to its longitude and latitude.
“A parametric code drives the heights in an continuous gradient, which will be manufactured physically through help of milling machines,” says Koering.
“Once the parameters are set, it is just the location of tower by latitude and longitude that will result in unique towers,” he continues.
The towers would be prefabricated and mounted on concrete foundation.
The project was devised for a competition organised by Icelandic electrical transmission company Landsnet and the Association of Icelandic Architects.
Here’s some more information from Arphenotype:
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Project: High Voltage Transmisison Line Towers for Iceland
Adaptability is an distinction of evolution, but today’s instant variations in [virtual] extended phenotypes call for something stronger: adaptability of nature! In nature material is used with optimum efficiency. Cells continually adapt to precisely fulfil their function.
Through researching organic forms and their production methods the intelligence of the material itself should support the design language, the lightness and stiffness. Fibrous systems and computation is the answer for this new task. Fibrous system in biology: inspiration! Like in the evolution through phenotypes, the production is based on a clear code; where the evolution part and the random variation is bounded to the specific landscape and site.
Architectural form and its relationship to nature, environment and society has rich antecedents to the human body. The idea is that the power net is building one main spine of nowadays society which enables living on a high standard in an age of communication; therefore the spines of the power net reflects an organic language.
The organic structure is covered with a high reflective “lotus-effect” colour. It will be cleaned through natural weather conditions and will reflect the nature itself, which strengthens the idea of a graphical integration to the landscape. The final tower will blend into its environment physical and virtual. It creates a feedback loop in the observed system.
Each transmission tower is shaped in height between 17m and 32m by computer-driven equipment according to its site / longitude and latitude. This approach permits the structures to be modelled and easily fabricated translating into a reasonable cost.
Construction:
For maximum strength and stability the construction method is based on the idea of a Tripod (tripods are related to triangles which will support the overall stiffness of the shape). The 3D data is optimally suited to adapt the change of the landscape. “… to monitor feedback from the surroundings.”; a parametric code drives the heights in an continuous gradient, which will be manufactured physically through help of milling machines. Once the parameters are set, it is just the location of tower by latitude and longitude, which will result in unique towers.
Material:
The main material used for the towers is an aramid-fibre-matrix bounded with eco resin through thermosetting, which gives the material stability to degration, UV, weathering and wind. The main structure will be built through filament winding and resin transfer moulding. This material allows also in computer aided manufacturing an organic design language without much more costs. The thickness of the material will change through the whole system, calculated by software to adapt the stiffness to site + location and natural forces like wind.
The towers will be prefabricated and mounted on site on concrete foundation, which will support the idea of natural material on site.
Today’s pursuit to build lightweight for economic, material engineering and environmental reasons is the logical response to today’s changing society where flexibility is the prime survival quality.
Future:
Once the system is set up it will be a leading manufacturing site for fibrous systems. It will not be bounded to specific design, because of its open system it will adapt different locations which will result in a world leading production company for transmission line towers for a world wide market. The high tech environment makes it hard to copy the design language and production method, which leads to a unique company.
http://www.dezeen.com/2009/03/30/high-voltage-transmisison-line-towers-by-arphenotype/#more-26803
26 marzo 2009.
Slovenian architects Ofis Arhitekti have completed a holiday hut in Slovenia’s Triglav national park.
The client had bought the site with existing permission for a traditional Slovenian Alpine hut; the architects the designed a contemporary version with the same dimensions, roof pitch and materials, meaning a new construction permit was not required.
The 6×11 metre, three-bedroom hut is in the village of Stara Fuzina, close to Lake Bohinj.
Photos are by Tomas Gregoric.
Here’s some info from the architects:
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6×11 Alpine hut in Slovene Alps
Commission 2007 /
construction start 2008 /
completed 2009
Location: Stara fuzina near Bohinj Lake, Slovenia
The hut is situated in a small Alpine village, part of Triglav national park with very strict rules of construction and architectural design.
The client bought the site together with existing construction permit for the generic project.
Demand was not to change construction permit but change the elements of the house to suit his family, sustainable factor and open the windows toward the views.
The volume of the house 6 x 11 metres, 42 degrees pitched roof, external dimensions and material types remained the ones from the existing project.
Materials – the elements such as stone, wooden columns, facade patterns are taken from local environment with dialog on the surrounding typology.
Interior organisation suits the needs of the family and is very rational.
Central staircase rotates around the fireplace that heats both floors.
There are 3 bedrooms and bath with sauna on top floor with minimal corridor.
Ground floor is one space room with kitchen; dinning and living, storage is under the staircase.
The level is partly lower so window shelves act as sofa with views toward the mountains.
Sustainable Issues:
Large corner window was positioned toward the sun therefore in winter-sunny days no heating is needed.
Extra thermal isolation is put between the wooden cladding – both in exterior and interior, black foil that is put behind the wood absorbs the heat of the sun and transforms it onto the walls. Upper floor is pushed over the ground floor and acts as sun protector in summer when sun is higher. Rain water is collected from the roof and transported through vertical pipes that are covered with wooden masks.
Project Architect: OFIS arhitekti, Rok Oman & Spela VidecnikDesign Team: Rok Oman, Spela Videcnik, Andrej Gregoric, Anna Breda
Client: private
Structural Engineers: Projecta d.o.o.
Main contractor: P-Grad d.o.o.
Start on site date: september 2007
Contract duration: 12 months
Gross internal floor area: 95 m2 neto
Total cost: 150.000 EUR including furniture
Above: concept diagram
Above: concept diagram
Above: plans
Above: sections
Above: site plan
http://www.dezeen.com/2009/03/26/6x11-alpine-hut-by-ofis-arhitekti/#more-26882
