AMASSING DESIGN

MR. CHOU'S APARTMENT - CHRYSTALLINE ARCHITECT

2010-07-23T17:42:00.003+09:00

PROJECT:    Mr. Chou's Apartment
DESIGN:       Chrystalline Architect
LOCATION: Jakarta, Indonesia
DATE:            2009
PHOTO:        Chrystalline Architect

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
We try to optimize the function of every part of this apartment, such as the space function, partition material and furniture, to accomodate all the owner activities. The extreme change-over is we replace the bathroom partition from standard brick wall into frameless glass to make it see-through, with roller blind to provide guest privacy. We use a frameless mirror as wall treatment on the side wall at the dining area to double sizing the visual space which also we put a hanging dining table with steel structure that is hidden in the back of the mirror panel. The dining area is designed as the favorite room for the owner to entertain their guests that extended with small sitting room. This area is connected to the bedroom through a hidden sliding door. The use of the door is to make the space more efficient. Along the “bridge” from dining area to the bedroom, we place the wardrobe with mirror panel sliding door in order to omit the narrow space in corridor.

The colour material is combination of white oak veneer as the wall treatment panel and built-in furniture which finished in maple and white colour. The floor finish is using maple parquette which combine with concrete exposed staging as the connecting statement between dining and bedroom area.

The bamboo leaf pattern on the frameless glass partition in the bathroom become the main accent of the entire apartment, and the steel structure which also use for the bench in sitting area and tv cradenza is exposed in steel colour and coated with clear waterproof coating.
Ceiling is designed in 2 layers, coloured in contrast black & white colour in order to make clear the line of drop ceiling which layered with flourescent light.

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PALMYRA HOUSE - STUDIO MUMBAI ARCHITECTS

2010-06-04T17:38:00.002+09:00

PROJECT:   Palmyra House
DESIGN:      Studio Mumbai Architects
LOCATION: Nandgaon, Maharashtra, India
DATE:           2009
PHOTO:       Studio Mumbai Architects

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This two-storey timber house, built as a weekend retreat, lies in the shade of an extensive coconut grove on coastal agricultural land facing the sea, near the fishing village of Nandgaon, south of Mumbai. The functions of the house are placed within two oblong masses slightly offset from one another, whose facades are predominantly characterised by louvers made from the trunks of the local Palmyra palm. The structure is made of ain wood; local basalt was used to make boundary walls, plinths and paving. Plaster finishes were pigmented with sand from the site. The development of the design and detail, which resulted from collaboration between the architect and the craftsmen, took on tested techniques, both local and foreign, and raised them to a finer construction resolution. The house is well-adapted to its environment: the louvers on the elevations enable passive cooling, as does the extensive shade provided by the coconut trees above; water for the house is harvested from three on-site wells, filtered and stored at the top of a water tower and fed by gravity to the house. The result of these measures is a quietly compelling project that is fully integrated into its landscape.

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ELLA DINING ROOM AND BAR - UXUS

2010-05-08T22:41:00.003+09:00

PROJECT:    Ella Dining Room and Bar
DESIGN:       UXUS
LOCATION: Sacremento, California, U.S.A.
DATE:            2007
PHOTO:         Mathijs Wessing

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The Selzim Restaurant Group commissioned UXUS to create a world class environment for their new restaurant, Ella Dining Room & Bar, located in the heart of Sacramento California, two blocks away from the State Capitol Building. The restaurant is named after the granddaughter of executive Chef Randell Selland, of the Kitchen Restaurant and Selland’s Market-Café. The 4 million dollar project has a capacity for 250 diners and serves “Modern American Bistro” cuisine. The owners wanted the restaurant to become “Sacramento’s living room,” an urban oasis where lawmakers and other diners can go and unwind after a long day’s work.

With the principles of “Rustic Luxury” in mind, UXUS designed a dining space that celebrates the essential beauty and goodness contained in simple things, a principle that is similarly reflected in Ella’s menu, which promotes local growers, seasonal ingredients and pure, simple dishes. “Rustic Luxury” synchronizes simplicity and complexity, the traditional and the contemporary, to define an elegant, relaxed lifestyle and the pleasure and sensuality of real materials.

In keeping with these principles, UXUS beautifully intertwines the old and the new. 500 salvaged antique Hungarian shutters line the walls and ceiling, enveloping diners in rustic textures and colors, whilst billowing white curtains punctuate and soften the space. Plush, luxurious ottomans and a light, contemporary palette balance reclaimed wood stools and traditional country tables. Simple white pendants dramatically sweep through the space; their gold interior complementing the custom LED gilded steel discs on the wall.

Rustic Luxury, as defined by Ella’s, offers its guests an experience that combines the simple and natural pleasures of dining at a dear friend’s home, at their table d’hôte or host’s table. The “Host’s Table” is a French tradition of eating in the kitchen while the chef is preparing dinner. It is a very welcoming and intimate experience, usually reserved for honored guests and close friends. The owners of Ella wanted to create that level of intimacy at their restaurant. UXUS cleverly opened the kitchen to the dining area with two large communal tables forming the table d’hôte area. Diners can experience the thrill of watching the chefs at work, and taste the results of their culinary efforts.

Next to the table d’hôte, ensconced within the 4-meter high white pantry, a glass door leads to the private dining area: a luxurious yet whimsical space lined with hand-screened wallpaper by English designer Tracy Kendall, where guests dine amongst images of giant golden knives, forks and spoons. In line with the restaurant’s mood, the private room provides a feeling of elegance and relaxed intimacy.

All of these elements come together at Ella Dining Room & Bar to form an intimate and convivial dining experience, the embodiment of “Rustic Luxury” right at the heart of California’s State Capital.

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HOUSE 6 - MARCIO KOGAN

2010-04-29T02:21:00.002+09:00

PROJECT:    House 6
DESIGN:       Marcio Kogan
LOCATION: Sao Paolo, Brazil
DATE:            2010
PHOTO:         Rômulo Fialdi

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The House 6 project was thought out after the client had made an important request. The family wanted a covered external space to be used for everyday living. This space should be used to organize all the social life of the house. The Brazilian tropical climate suggests ample use of these solutions in vernacular as well as in modern architecture. Beginning from the colonial, Brazilian architecture has usually incorporated a space that was known as the veranda. Verandas are covered linear spaces in front of the living room and bedrooms which act as the intermediary between the interior and exterior.

In the House 6 project, the idea of the veranda has been reinvented. The veranda is not exactly in front of the living room, disposed longitudinally, but, rather, perpendicular to it. The wooden pillars that give support to the structure and the clay tiles of traditional verandas have been substituted by modern pilotis that support a volume of flat slabs. The veranda of House 6, nonetheless, still remains an open space and, simultaneously, opens to the garden and the pool. It is a living room, a TV room and an extension of the internal kitchen.

This space, then, structured the entire architecture of the house, organized in two transversal volumes and an annex in the back that holds a home office. The lower volume houses the utilities, the kitchen and the living room with door-frames that can be recessed into the walls, and thereby entirely opening the internal space to either side. This sets the cross-ventilation and an unfettered contiguous view of the garden. The upper volume has the private area of the house with the bedrooms and, on the third floor there is a small multiple-use living room alongside an upper deck.

Architecturally, the space of the veranda, located under the bedrooms, would have a low ceiling-height, to create a warm feeling. The sum of the structure of the two perpendicular volumes and the living room ceiling-height would result in a very high ceiling. Thus, it was decided to make the living room lower in relation to the veranda and the garden. This result made it possible to have a house with elongated proportions and the viability of a covered external pleasant space to be used on both warm and cool days in the city of São Paulo.

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TORRES HOUSE - GLR ARQUITECTOS

2010-04-26T20:26:00.002+09:00

PROJECT:     Torres House
DESIGN:        GLR Arquitectos
LOCATION: Monterry, Mexico
DATE:             2008
PHOTO:         Jorge Taboada

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Set high in the Sierra Madre mountain range, the Torres House seeks to establish an intimate contact with the natural environment in which it is located. Discreetly open towards the street, the house is accessed by crossing over a fountain from which a huge oak tree emerges, impressive both for its size and its beauty. Once on the porch, a grand mural-like door -constructed of marble, wood and steel- welcomes the visitor.

Inside, the entry hall merges into an area of contrasting materials consisting of Santo Tomas marble and volcanic stone walls. From this area there is a visual continuity with the rest of the house and with the garden that was left in its natural state as a small oak forest.

In the living room, conceived almost as a glass box, one can experience the view to the Sierra Madre peaks in the distance and the garden near by. Owing to its location within the mountain, where winters can get really cold, there is a fireplace for the family to gather around in the evenings.

From the dining room and the media room, one can access the roof terrace and enjoy the splendid views of the Sierra Madre as well as of the city of Monterrey. Here the musical background of the sounds of nature is in sharp contrast to the roar of the city below.

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FRESHWATER HOUSE - CHENCHOW LITTLE

2010-04-12T12:21:00.001+09:00

PROJECT:    Freshwater House
DESIGN:       Chenchow Little
LOCATION: Sydney, Australia
DATE:            2008
PHOTO:        John Gollings

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The Freshwater House developed the idea of the operable façade to mediate between the requirements for privacy and shading on a relatively public site adjacent to the beach. The resulting building is made up of three distinct parts; a podium base, a garden/ living space, and a bedroom volume clad with operable screens; each designed with unique spatial and material qualities.

The basement podium level is introverted and enclosed, concealing a deeply recessed entry vestibule and garage within the natural topography of the site. The podium is clad with vertical weathered timber battens, which wrap around the entire level and extend to the ground floor, to form a balustrade at the periphery of the site. The timber battens of the balustrade are angled on each façade to allow direct views to the beach below.

The living level on top of the podium is open and expansive, in contrast to the contained basement foyer below. Sandwiched between the upper and lower volumes, the living space is almost without definition. This level is conceived as one fluid horizontal landscaped space, taking in the whole area of the site and connected visually to the landscaped areas below and above the site.

The top bedroom level floats above the landscaped living level and is veiled with custom- made external bi-folding shutters anodised dark bronze. The shutters are constructed of vertical battens to maintain views to the beach below. The shutters provide privacy, enclosure and dappled light to this level. The detailing of the shutters is purposefully simple such that the building reads as an abstract sculptural form in the landscape when viewed from the beach. When the shutters are open the appearance of the building, and the experience of the interior, transforms. The client’s occupation of the dwelling registers in the operable facade of the building.

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CAVE RESTAURANT - KOICHI TAKADA ARCHITECTS

2010-04-08T12:09:00.001+09:00

PROJECT:    Cave Restaurant
DESIGN:       Koichi Takada Architects
LOCATION: Sydney, Australia
DATE:            2010
PHOTO:        Sharrin Rees

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
We aim to change the way we eat and chat in restaurants. The acoustic quality of restaurants contributes to the comfort and enjoyment of a dining experience.

We have experimented with noise levels in relation to the comfort of dining and the ambience a cave like environment can create. The timber profiles generate a sound studio atmosphere, and a pleasant ‘noise’ of dining conversation, offering a more intimate experience as well as a visually interesting and complex surrounding.

The series of acoustic curvatures were tested and developed with computer modelling and each ‘timber grain’ profile has been translated and cut from computer-generated 3-D data, using Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology.
(Text from Koichi Takada Architects)

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KRE HOUSE - TAKUYA TSUCHIDA

2010-03-29T15:12:00.002+09:00

PROJECT:    KRE House
DESIGN:       Takuya Tsuchida
LOCATION: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan
DATE:            2008
PHOTO:        Koichi Torimura

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
KRE House designed by Takuya Tsuchida is located in the posh Shirokane area of Tokyo. In case you wonder who owns so many cars in the middle of Tokyo: the client of this 9 car garage house, who is in his 40s, runs a clothing and restaurant business. Cheers to the Lamborghini Countach Anniversary edition.
(Text from whatwedoissecret.org)

Site Area: 2,108 square feet (195.84㎡)
Construction Area: 1,249 square feet (116.00㎡)
Total Floor Area: 3,560 square feet (330.73㎡)

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MCNALLY JACKSON CAFE - FRONT STUDIO

2010-03-26T14:46:00.002+09:00

PROJECT:    McNally Jackson Cafe
DESIGN:       Front Studio
LOCATION: Manhattan, New York, USA
DATE:            2010
PHOTO:        Maggie Soladay

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
McNally Jackson Books is one of the largest independent booksellers in downtown Manhattan. The owner wished to re-conceptualize the café as a place evocative of literature. A fluid collaboration between the owner and architects, all avid readers, the newly realized space creates visceral connections to the act of reading in each programmatic function.

A scattering of books hangs precipitously from the ceiling, as if a pile of books had been thrown into the sky and frozen. The curved wall surrounding the seating area is covered in wallpaper made entirely of open spine books, the texture of the print adds a rippling effect of restless pages. Running along the wall is a series of folding single tables, carefully crafted to resemble a folded book when closed. The new menu is made of food related quotes lit by 4 light fixtures, each dedicated to the many editions of a singular book.

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MITTELDEUTSCHER VERLAG PUBLISHERS STAND / LEIPZIG BOOK FAIR 2010 - JOHANNES ALBERT & HELMUT STABE

2010-03-25T12:29:00.003+09:00

PROJECT:    Mitteldeutscher Verlag Publishers Stand / Leipzig Book Fair 2010
DESIGN:       Johannes Albert & Helmut Stabe
LOCATION: Leipziger Messe, Leipzig, Germany
DATE:            2010
PHOTO:        Helmut Stabe

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The annual Leipzig Book Fair (Leipziger Buchmesse) has just ended. Attracting some 150,000 visitors each March, the four-day Fair is one of Europe’s largest bookish events.   At this year’s Fair, the trade show exhibit that received some serious media attention was made of 15,000 pencils — the writing instrument hardly anybody uses for writing. Interior Architect and product designer, 29-year-old Johannes Albert and Book Designer Helmut Stabe designed and realized the pencil concept for Mitteldeutscher Verlag Publishers.
(Text from thecoolhunter.net)

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XEROS RESIDENCE - BLANK STUDIO

2010-03-25T01:13:00.001+09:00

PROJECT:    Xeros Residence
DESIGN:       Blank Studio
LOCATION: Phoenix, Arizona, USA
DATE:            2006
PHOTO:        Bill Timmerman

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The Xeros project is sited within a late 1950’s era neighborhood where the urban grid of Phoenix, Arizona is overtaken by the organic land forms of the north phoenix mountain preserve. Located at the end of two dead-end streets, the Xeros residence is positioned upon the upward slope of a 50’x 250’ double lot facing the mountain preserve to the north and the city center to the south.

The building parti includes a two-story lower level design studio that descends down into the earth with a single story residence that exists above the studio that is accessed solely by an external stair. The path to the studio level requires that the guest pass behind the mesh screen and descend a short flight of stairs into an exterior, mesh-enclosed forecourt. A stainless steel water feature leads you down the steps and terminates at a reflecting pool. A 3-1/2 foot wide by 19-1/2 tall steel-framed glass door offers entry into the studio from the courtyard. To access the residence, the visitor ascends an exterior steel staircase to an upper level balcony before entering the common room (sitting, dining, and kitchen). The visitor continues through a central gallery towards the cantilevered master suite / media room. This space is completely glazed on the north façade to enjoy the mountain preserve views. To complete the cycle of movement, a cantilevered yellow-glass framed ‘Romeo and Juliet’ balcony allows views back to the city and across the long axis of the building.
The primary building material is exposed steel (as structure, cladding, and shading) that is allowed to weather naturally and meld with the color of the surrounding hills.

Called ‘Xeros’ (from the Greek for ‘dry’) as a reminder that all design solutions should be in a direct response to the environment in which the project exists – the building has several environmentally responsible decisions. The form turns an opaque face towards the intense western afternoon sun and the more exposed faces to the south and east are shielded by an external layer of woven metal shade mesh. The long, narrow lot precipitated very tall from with a petite foot print allows the maximum amount of site to be retained for vegetation. The low-water use vegetation is positioned around the residence to add to the shading effect of the screen. The site itself was ‘recycled’ in that new life was injected into a neglected plot in a neglected Phoenix neighborhood.

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FAME AGENDA - MATT GIBSON

2010-03-23T15:01:00.003+09:00

PROJECT:    Fame Agenda
DESIGN:       Matt Gibson Architect
LOCATION:  Docklands, Melbourne, Australia
DATE:            2009
PHOTO:         via contemporist.com

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Involving concepts of ‘transparency and illusion’ and bringing customers minds in-between interior and exterior this store plays on the perspective of the ‘arcade’. A random and organic set of arches inspired by Thomas Heatherwick’s sculptural works merge to form a cave like enclosure from within the confines of the rectilinear shell. Providing intimacy and protection from the elevated & wind blown Docklands promenade the organic arches intend to shift the visitor inwards toward the end of the awkward ‘L ‘shaped plan & at the same time provide merchandising benches, walls and ceiling. The arches partially cover existing structural piers & terminate with mirrored cladding behind the sales counter seemingly extending the space and encouraging a play on perspective. The store presents its brand and hero through the use of strong architectural form and resourceful use of material. OSB panelling (used for everyday hoarding) makeup the Fame Agenda arches achieving a strong visual statement at low cost. Background walls are painted in a simple black gloss achieving a seeming infinity of depth. Materials combine rudimentary against slick, satin against glossy & provide an honestly & warmth carefully chosen so as not to overpower the product.
(Text from contemporist.com)

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VIEW HOUSE - JOHNSTON MARKLEE & DIEGO ARRAIGADA ARCHITECTS

2010-03-23T12:08:00.002+09:00

PROJECT:    View House
DESIGN:       Johnston Marklee & Diego Arraigada Architects
LOCATION: Rosario, Argentina
DATE:            2009
PHOTO:        Gustavo Frittegotto

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The View House is designed under conditions generated by both the potential and limitations of large suburban developments. Situated near Rosario on the vast landscape of the Argentine plains, the 3200 sq foot house occupies a 22,750 sq foot parcel. The design is driven by two conflicting desires: engaging the living experience of the house with the views of the surrounding landscape and preserving privacy from neighbors.

Planning demands and the unique position of the peripheral corner lot demanded a specific approach to the massing of the house and its engagement with the landscape. A compact massing strategy with a minimal footprint liberates and preserves the ground, defining a two story structure. By denying the traditional front, side, and rear yard designations, and instead intensifying the facade as a surface that continuously modulates the relationship of interior to exterior, the perception of the house unfolds through a sequence of oblique views where every surface of façade becomes primary.

The formal and tectonic complexity of the house results from the repetition of four basic geometric subtractions from a primitive mass that create a dynamic exterior shape perceived simultaneously as embedded and lofted, cantilevered and slumped. In the interior, these operations define a continuous and modulated space that spirals upwards from the ground level to the roof terrace in a sequence of living areas. The four geometric subtractions have differentiated volumetric impressions on the inside of the house, each of which, together with a contiguous aperture, results in an interior landscape of paired surfaces, views, and lighting effects.

The rotational strategy for the apertures results from the framing of desirable landscape features, the anticipation of neighboring developments and the choreography of internal circulation. The reduction of electric and HVAC demands by facilitating cross ventilation and natural light have also been taken into consideration. Varying in height, orientation, and depth, each framed opening captures a distinct view, providing alternating relationships between interior and exterior. The layering of subtractions and apertures also relates to the tectonic demands of the overall concrete shell. As a culmination of the internal circulation along a path of 360º, a flight of steps leads up to a panoramic roof deck, from which the expansive surrounding landscape can be perceived from a new height.

The rough concrete shell of the house was built using traditional local techniques and its form and finish retain the impression of the means and methods of its construction. In contrast, the interior of the house is smooth and polished in nature. Lightly hued terrazzo floors on the first floor are distinguished from the smooth plaster walls only by a degree of reflectivity and polish. The black window frames punctuate the views and define a contrast with the white interior atmosphere. In more intimate, private spaces, Lapacho wood covers the floors creating a new contrast with the walls and ceilings.

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LODGE - SUPPOSE DESIGN OFFICE

2010-03-20T13:12:00.004+09:00

PROJECT:    Lodge
DESIGN:       Suppose Design Office
LOCATION: Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, Japan
DATE:            2009
PHOTO:        Toshiyuki Yano / Nacasa & Partners

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
When I design, I think about space without any stereotypes. To delete the all common sense in my mind is a key for me to bring up new or beyond ideas of spaces.

The hair salon, Lodge, was designed through the process to remove the general ideas. The hair salon offers two spaces, one is close and the other is open, to meet demands both of customers and workers. The place is divided in three spaces with a mirror and shelves, and there are no walls just as dividers.

The mirror is floating and placed only at the customers’ eyelevel, and it also works as a long continuous partition for the middle of space. Because of the mirror and shelves, views of all customers who are sitting on a chair, are blocked, and they could feel the space more private. On the other hand, workers could have a view for the whole space over the top of the dividers. To control the height of the partitions made the hair salon possible to have the two types of spaces for both of customers and stuffs who have opposite demands to a salon space. Moreover, the mirror stainless plate also function to create a flow of the space, and the surface combined mirror and vibration finish could emphasize the movement more.

To delete all stereotypes of hair salon, and think about each interactive relationship at the space, was a chance to notice more possibilities of creating the salon. Makoto Tanijiri believes to design a base of ideas is more important than to design the actual space, and the process has more potential to create new space yet keeping the original function.

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PIO PIO RESTAURANT - SEBASTIAN MARSICAL STUDIO

2010-03-18T12:55:00.004+09:00

PROJECT:    Pio Pio Restaurant
DESIGN:       Sebastian Marsical Studio
LOCATION: Manhattan, New York, USA
DATE:            2009
PHOTO:        Paul Rivera

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The discovery of a finely crafted wooden box set into an existing building on 10th Ave. immediately defines the initial intentions of this design: mystery, discovery, and contradiction. The visitor enters this rustic wooden box and is removed from the noisy Manhattan streets. An exquisite marble host-table floats within the space enclosed in reclaimed wood. However, this is only a glimpse of what exists beyond. The limited view increases the tension and desire for exploration.

In the following space, a sparkling brass vestibule glows within a second wooden box. This stimulating entry leads to a 40-foot, monolithic marble bar resting on a distressed concrete floor. The bar also defines the long corridor towards another space at the end of the restaurant, set at the bottom of a flight of stairs. Here the lights dim and one finds oneself contained in a volume woven entirely in Ocotillo canes. A series of concrete forms simultaneously enclose this main dining hall and integrate it with the various res- taurant services. Once inside, the experience is no longer defined by the relationship of the restaurant with New York City; here the magic belongs to a fantastical experience that is characteristic of Latin America.
(Text from Sebastian Mariscal Studio)

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LA FINCA RESIDENCE - A-CERO

2010-03-18T11:42:00.004+09:00

PROJECT:    La Finca Residence
DESIGN:       A-cero / Joaquin Torres
LOCATION: La Finca, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
DATE:            2010
PHOTO:        A-cero

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This new house is situated in an exclusive state called “La Finca” in Pozuelo de Alarcon (Madrid). It is one of the hundred houses that you can find already built in this exclusive housing development: an area with wide green spaces, lakes and spectaculars houses, which have been designed by A-cero.

The structure of this new house is made of clear volumes, straight lines and simples shapes. The house’s front is made of marble travertino and there are many windows in it. Both elements give a lot of lightness to the house.

It has a 1,600 sqm surface and three floors (basement, ground and high floor). The structure adapts itself to the slope (4,000 sqm) where the house is. The garage and service spaces are in the basement, while the most public spaces (lounge, dining room, living room …) are in the first floor. Bedrooms and more private rooms are in the high floor. A-cero has designed also a 80 sqm spectacular and geometric swimming pool. It harmonizes with the clean architecture of this A-cero project.

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GERMANN HOUSE - MARTE.MARTE ARCHITEKTEN

2010-03-16T15:52:00.003+09:00

PROJECT:     Germann House
DESIGN:        Marte.Marte Architects
LOCATION:   Feldkirch, Austria
DATE:             2008
PHOTO:          Bruno Helbling

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Approaching the house, it seems monolithic, almost hermetic. Two incisions divide the building, which sits prominently on a relatively level hill, guide guests to a small entrance niche and offer a view of the introverted courtyard to the north. The hard shell opens up towards the valley and the south side, and the extensive glazing reveals the scenery and mountain panorama. The terrace faces the pond and small integrated stream, which blend in with their natural surroundings, lends the courtyard a sense of an open air living room and connects the entrance floor to the grounds via a ramp.

The main functional areas are arranged in flowing spatial transitions from the garage to the master bedroom, and from the studio style kitchen to the living/dining room. Due to the diagonals and axes, the visual relationships amaze and suggest size and expanse. On the lower level, the rooms are compact and more defined. Children’s rooms, a study, a utility room, a bathroom, a sauna and a music room round off the range of rooms

Materialisation and detail reveal elegant restraint. The smooth exposed concrete surfaces find their counterpart in the interior in the tactile and optical softness of the white pine floors, built-in furniture and walls. The character of the house turns out to be bright, inviting and almost homey. Windows and doors in white aluminium bring robustness into play and add to the powerful appearance of the concrete.

The structure with its notches and recesses sits on the hill like a meteor that has just landed. The adjacent litter meadow embraces the natural bathing pond and brings the cultivated green zone right up to the house. An unpretentious bathhouse built on the foundation of a small barn is an additional atmospheric and useful link to the surrounding agricultural.

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MORIYAMA HOUSE - SANAA / KAZUYO SEJIMA & RYUE NISHIZAWA

2010-03-11T15:31:00.006+09:00

PROJECT:    Moriyama House
DESIGN:       SANAA / Kazuyo Sejima & Ryue Nishizawa
LOCATION: Ohta-ku, Tokyo, Japan
DATE:            2005
PHOTO:         El Croquis Vol. 139

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Moriyama House is located in a traditional part of Tokyo where daily life continues in a typical urban structure. There are more than ten volumes on the site each accommodating different requirements. These volumes are independent from one another and are scattered across the site creating a series of connected individual gardens, open to the surroundings. All of the buildings might some day be used by Mr. Moriyama.
Currently some are rented creating a small community of little dwellings. This group of individually proportioned buildings establishes an independent landscape and atmosphere all its own.

In this house, the client is given the freedom to decide which part of this cluster of rooms is to be used as residence or as rental rooms. He may switch among the series of living rooms and dining rooms or use several rooms at a time according to the season or other circumstances. The domain of the residence changes after his own life. I am thinking of creating a house in which the client may enjoy various spaces and lifestyles, by not fixing the place of dwelling onto a particular spot in this house.
(Text by SANAA from El Croquis Vol. 139)

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THE YAS HOTEL / RESTAURANT INTERIORS - JESTICO + WHILES

2010-03-10T21:25:00.005+09:00

PROJECT:     The Yas Hotel / Restaurant Interiors
DESIGN:        Jestico + Whiles
LOCATION: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
DATE:             2010
PHOTO:         n/a

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Delight in the art of cuisine at The Yas Hotel. When you are dining in the most exciting hotel in the world you expect the food to be nothing short of spectacular, and our tantalizing Abu Dhabi restaurants showcase the finest specialties from around the world. Choose from a colourful host of eateries, from the freshest seafood and sushi to rustic Italian, regional Indian cuisine, and a stylish array of bars and lounges. For fantastic cuisine throughout the day, we have the perfect Abu Dhabi dining spot for every taste.

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AMICI
Indulge in an authentic taste of Italy at Amici, one of the leading Italian restaurants in Abu Dhabi. Feast on rustic, unpretentious cuisine, such as freshly made pasta, classic antipasti and crusty ciabatta, all enhanced by olive oils sourced directly from the Mediterranean. Sample the traditional offerings of our antipasti buffet, or order a made-to-order pizza from our onsite wood-fired oven. To accompany your meal, we offer a wide selection of aperitifs and Italian wines, as well as an extensive specialty coffee meal for dessert. Explore a world of flavour at this Abu Dhabi Italian dining spot, offering a delicious taste of the Mediterranean.

ANGAR
Discover a deliciously modern twist on traditional Indian flavours and spices at Angar. Offering delicately marinated meats, succulent seafood served straight from the Tandoor, and the freshest Naan and Roti breads, Angar truly presents Abu Dhabi Indian cuisine at its finest. To balance the rich flavours of the food, we also carry a range of Indian beers and tempting Lassi yoghurt drinks, which offer a cooling effect for the palate. Delight your taste buds at this Abu Dhabi Indian restaurant and Tandoor bar, offering full à la carte service for your convenience.

ATAYEB
Treat your palate to a delectable marriage of old world taste and modern flair, where flavours from Mediterranean and Arabian regions are given new life in the hands of our talented chefs. Offering a far more extensive menu than most Arabic Abu Dhabi restaurants, Atayeb features stews, tajines and couscous dishes from Tunisia, Lebanon and Syria, all of which are cooked over charcoal grills and stoves. As the perfect accompaniment, we also serve a large selection of Moroccan and Lebanese wines. Embrace the warm hospitality of this Pan Arab Abu Dhabi dining spot, and discover the region at its most delicious.

KAZU
A true taste of Japan, in exquisite, tranquil surroundings. Discover the art of our Teppan chefs, savour our Sushi chefs’ masterpieces, or enjoy a selection of tasty morsels from the Robatayaki grill. The restaurant is equipped to fulfill your every dream, with sushi/sashimi bar; two teppan tables, a tempura station, a private dining room and a Sake bar. We even have Sake experts on hand to recommend the perfect complement for your food. Or choose your tipple from a selection of authentic Japanese beers and speciality teas. With intimate terrace and inside dining, this intimate Abu Dhabi dining spot is the perfect option for a romantic dinner or quiet night alone.

LATITUDE
One of our two pool bars offering light snacks, salads and desserts. Latitude is located on the rooftop of the marina tower adjacent to our stunning infinity pool.

NAUTILUS
Experience the finest in Abu Dhabi seafood dining. Feast on freshly shucked oysters, Gulf shrimp, Omani lobster, and creative and flavourful daily specialties. With an outdoor terrace and stunning views of the marina, this Abu Dhabi seafood restaurant is one of the city’s most alluring dining destinations.

NOODLE BOX
Conjuring the irresistible tastes and aromas of the East, Noodle Box serves contemporary Asian food in a vibrant atmosphere. Unlike most Chinese restaurants in Abu Dhabi, Noodle Box features specialties from the whole of Southeast Asia. Indulge in dishes such as Laksa, Nasi Goreng, Thai curries, and Chinese classics such as fresh Dim Sum. Sample delicacies from our duck oven and steamer station, which produce some of the most exquisite meals available in Asian Abu Dhabi dining. To wash it all down, we also offer a fine selection of flavoured iced teas, light bodied wines and refreshing fruit punches.

YAS LOUNGE
Stop by for a light bite or afternoon cup of tea at The Yas Lounge, a casual Abu Dhabi café and patisserie at The Yas Hotel. Flaky pastries, mouth watering cakes, and irresistible house chocolates are served alongside a selection of world class coffee and teas from around the world. Nibble on a fresh scone, muffin or croissant as you take care of work with Wi-Fi, or stop by in the evening for a small snack to satisfy your sweet tooth. Early birds will further appreciate the hours of this Abu Dhabi restaurant: we open at 5:30AM, long before you should be thinking about such culinary enjoyment!

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THE YAS HOTEL / INTERIOR ROOM ACCOMMODATIONS - JESTICO + WHILES

2010-03-10T20:34:00.004+09:00

PROJECT:     The Yas Hotel / Interior Room Accommodations
DESIGN:        Jestico + Whiles
LOCATION:   Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
DATE:             2010
PHOTO:         n/a

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
STYLISH AND CONTEMPORARY ABU DHABI ACCOMODATIONS:
Our Abu Dhabi holiday accommodation is unlike anything else offered in the city, blending a fresh approach to hotel design with the very best of modern conveniences. All of the rooms are perfectly appointed with bespoke consoles and sofas sculpted to reflect the building’s shape and character.

Overall, innovative materials have been arduously selected to ensure that the design of the guest rooms is contemporary and comfortable. The furniture selection ranges from iconic and classic modern pieces to daring, art-inspired pieces.

In many of the guestrooms, the spectacularly coloured grid shell passes in front of the terrace, engaging guests with the most distinctive aspect of the building experience. Views from all guestrooms are exceptional; looking onto the race track, the calming Yas Marina or to the island at large. Experience an exciting new approach to Abu Dhabi accommodation – an inspired choice for once-in-a-lifetime vacations or a truly individual experience for corporate trips. The Yas Hotel will set your heart racing.
(Text from the Yas Hotel website)

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BARBIE SHANGHAI STORE - SLADE ARCHITECTURE

2010-03-09T04:06:00.001+09:00

PROJECT:    Barbie Shanghai Store
DESIGN:       Slade Architecture
LOCATION: Shanghai, China
DATE:            2009
PHOTO:         Iwan Baan

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
New York-based Slade Architecture has designed the first ever Barbie Flagship for Mattel. The 35,000 square foot store holds the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of Barbie dolls and licensed Barbie products, as well as a range of services and activities for Barbie fans and their families.

Mattel wanted a store where “Barbie is hero”; expressing Barbie as a global lifestyle brand by building on the brand’s historical link to fashion. Barbie Shanghai is the first fully realized expression of this broader vision. Mattel worked with BIG, the branding and design division of Ogilvy & Mather, to develop creative concept, identify project location, explore featured activities and identify creative partners.

Slade Architecture led the design including the exterior, interior, fixtures, and furnishings. Slade’s design is a sleek, fun, unapologetically feminine interpretation of Barbie: past, present, and future.

For the new façade, Slade Architecture combined references to product packaging, decorative arts, fashion and architectural iconography to create a modern identity for the store, expressing Barbie’s cutting-edge fashion sense and history.

The façade is made of two layers: molded, translucent polycarbonate interior panels and flat exterior glass panels printed with a whimsical lattice frit pattern. Slade collaborated with designers at BIG, who created the final exterior frit graphics. The two layers reinforce each other visually and interact dynamically through reflection, shadow and distortion.

Visitors are enveloped by curvaceous, pearlescent surfaces of the lobby, leading to a pink escalator tube that takes them from the bustle of the street, to the double-height main floor.

The central feature is a three-story spiral staircase enclosed by eight hundred Barbie dolls. The staircase and the dolls are the core of the store; everything literally revolves around Barbie.

The staircase links the three retail floors:
The women’s floor (women’s fashion, couture, cosmetics and accessories).
The doll floor (dolls, designer doll gallery, doll accessories, books). The Barbie Design Center, where girls design their own Barbie is on this floor. This activity was planned by Chute Gerdeman Retail and designed by Slade Architecture.
The girls floor (girls fashion, shoes and accessories). The Barbie Fashion Stage, planned and designed by Chute Gerdeman Retail, where girls take part in a real runway show, is also on this floor.
The Barbie Café, also designed by Slade Architecture, is on the top floor.
Throughout the retail areas, Slade played with the scale differences between dolls, girls and women. They reinforced the feeling of youth and the possibilities of an unapologetically girlish outlook (regardless of age) by mixing reality and fantasy and keeping play and fun at the forefront – to create a space where optimism and possibility reign supreme as expressions of core Barbie attributes.

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KENIG RESIDENCE - SLADE ARCHITECTURE

2010-03-09T02:42:00.002+09:00

PROJECT:    Kenig Residence
DESIGN:       Slade Architecture
LOCATION: New York, USA
DATE:            2009
PHOTO:        Jordi Miralles

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
We renovated this entire brownstone, completed in 2007 for NYC pillar and father of three daughters, Ricky Kenig, the owner and personality behind the Ricky’s NYC stores. Ricky was interested in creating a modern heaven for his family, in a beautiful Brooklyn brownstone: a place that offered private retreat spaces as well as open mixing spaces to spend time together.

The program of spaces was organized by floor. The basement was finished to become a casual family den-type room with a pool table and couches, etc. The ground floor level was opened up to become a loft-like living room and kitchen with an exterior wood deck floating outside, over the backyard. The second floor became the girls’ floor with bedrooms, a study, kid-lounge and bath. Bachelor retreat was the idea of the third and top floor, with a home office, bedroom and bath.

Tying the home together, the stair acts as a spine from basement to third floor. We were interested in allowing this to read as a distinct element and so structured it to rise free of the adjacent walls. A new skylight was inserted into the roof, above the stair, accentuating the vertical rise and bringing natural light down into the home. The wall behind the stair was finished with sheets of blackened steel that run continuously from the parlor level to the roof. Display elements can be easily affixed to the wall using magnets. By creating an entirely flexible “canvas of metal” we offered a space with infinite possibilities for visuals. The flexibility of the magnet wall fosters the creation of zones organically, as people affix items of interest to them at their own floor-alternately the entire stair could be rigorously curated. We felt that the flexibility of the display wall mechanism was appropriate particularly for a family so rooted in a retail tradition.

In the kitchen, the color palette is focused on black and silver. Countertops are Absolute Black granite with a laminate on upper cabinets and island that features an abstract aluminum pattern on a black background. Mid level cabinets and security doors are aluminum sheet, with a custom pattern of circles and ovals that creates an optical illusion that the sheet is bowed out when in fact it is entirely flat. The pattern was designed by Slade Architecture and water jet cut into the panel.

The girls’ floor offers real flexibility as the rooms can be opened or closed with large sliding doors. In the open configuration, the entire floor is open-like a loft space. By closing the doors, the girls can create a traditional closed bedroom space. The bathroom on this floor has a playful tile combination that mixes graphic tiles of a grass lawn with green glass cobbletones tiles.

At the top floor, we designed a retreat for Ricky. There is a home office and extensive closet/dressing area as well as bedroom and bathroom. An extensive collection of rare shoes is featured prominently immediately adjacent to the stair entry on the floor, below the skylight. We felt that it was such a committed interest that the collection should receive a preferential place in this private zone. The “shoe wall” as we called it became an important personal expression as well as a unique decorative element.

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MERCER ISLAND RESIDENCE - OLSON KUNDIG ARCHITECTS

2010-03-08T19:00:00.005+09:00

PROJECT:    Mercer Island Residence
DESIGN:       Olson Kundig Architects
LOCATION: Mercer Island, Washington, USA
DATE:            2008
PHOTO:        Tim Bies

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This home on Mercer Island utilizes the elemental natures of concrete, steel and glass to create a family refuge. Two concrete structures, which house the garage, mudroom, and a play area, present themselves to the street. Between them runs an exposed steel bridge which leads over a private courtyard and into the main house. A bent plate steel staircase descends into an open plan, double-height living space, which is dominated by an immense concrete fireplace and chimney (in the living room) and a massive black granite-covered island (in the kitchen). Floor to ceiling windows provide unimpeded views of the water from the courtyard or inside the house.

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SALON MITTERMEIER - X ARCHITEKTEN

2010-03-08T03:16:00.004+09:00

PROJECT:   Salon Mittermeier
DESIGN:       x architekten
LOCATION: Steingasse, Linz, Austria
DATE:            2008
PHOTO:        David Schreyer

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
For the redevelopment of the façade of the Hair Couture Salon, which is situated in a quiet side street near the busy shopping axes of the city, the function of the hairdresser’s was to be transferred to the exterior to attract attention.

The entire façade now acts as an effective store sign through a three-dimensional architectural (hair) wave which runs along the exterior. At the same time, this dynamic design fulfils another important function: vertically, it runs like a curtain over the glazed façade, offers a degree of privacy, and thus supports the atmosphere and the character of the salon.

By looking different from each viewpoint in the street, the three-dimensional (hair) wave proves attractive to passers-by. The appearance of the flowing hair as well as the above inscription, were incorporated into the façade in a way that maintains the relationship with the building’s axes. In this way it harmonises extremely well with the generally uniform environment.

Laminated sheets, arranged vertically with varied spacing and at a right angle to the façade, were used as the material for the (hair) wave. The shapes of the individual sheets were created by a 3D construction process. The shapes were formed using a waterjet cutter. The context of the implementation also includes the colours of the laminated sheets; a golden shade literally swaying between blond and brunette. An integrated handrail in the entrance of the façade demonstrates that despite attaching importance to the basic concept, the function has always been taken into account.

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BEVERLY HILLS GAGOSIAN GALLERY EXPANSION - RICHARD MEIER & PARTNERS

2010-03-06T16:55:00.002+09:00

PROJECT:   Gagosian Gallery Expansion
DESIGN:       Richard Meier & Partners
LOCATION: Beverly Hills, California, USA
DATE:            2010
PHOTO:        Joshua White

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Mega gallery Gagosian has just announced the completion of the Richard Meier-designed expansion to the Beverly Hills location. If you're thinking of checking it out, today would be a good time to make it over as Andreas Gursky's show opens with a reception tonight from 6-8.

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