https://www.architecturalrecord.com/rss/558-2012 en-us vo-trong-nghia-architects.asp Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/6390-vo-trong-nghia-architects While their city is becoming increasingly dense and polluted, residents of Ho Chi Minh City still love their plants and trees. So Vo designed this 13-foot-wide private house with cantilevered planters Stacking GreenVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsHo Chi Minh City While their city is becoming increasingly dense and polluted, residents of Ho Chi Minh City still love their plants and trees. So Vo designed this 13-foot-wide private house with cantilevered planters on the front and back, varying the height between them based on the type of plant and how high it grows.Photo © Hiroyuki Oki While their city is becoming increasingly dense and polluted, residents of Ho Chi Minh City still love their plants and trees. So Vo designed this 13-foot-wide private house with cantilevered planters Stacking GreenVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsHo Chi Minh City While their city is becoming increasingly dense and polluted, residents of Ho Chi Minh City still love their plants and trees. So Vo designed this 13-foot-wide private house with cantilevered planters on the front and back, varying the height between them based on the type of plant and how high it grows.Photo © Hiroyuki Oki A pair of skylights and light wells give the reinforced-concrete structure the feeling of a traditional courtyard house, while tightly stacked courses of granite add texture to the interior spaces. Stacking GreenVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsHo Chi Minh City A pair of skylights and light wells give the reinforced-concrete structure the feeling of a traditional courtyard house, while tightly stacked courses of granite add texture to the interior spaces.Photo © Hiroyuki Oki Located in the new town of Binh Duong, a 30-minute drive outside of Ho Chi Minh City, this school uses an S-shaped plan to wrap around a pair of courtyards and provide an uninterrupted circulation loo Binh Duong SchoolVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsBinh Duong, VietnamLocated in the new town of Binh Duong, a 30-minute drive outside of Ho Chi Minh City, this school uses an S-shaped plan to wrap around a pair of courtyards and provide an uninterrupted circulation loop so students can access the entire complex without getting wet during the rainy season. Precast-concrete louvers protect covered walkways on each floor from the sun and rain, while allowing air to cool these areas. Outdoor stairs at both ends of the building lead to a green roof, while the sloping form reduces the bulk of the structure and keeps its maximum height (five stories) below that of the surrounding forest. Completed in 2011, the school will eventually accommodate 800 students.Photo © Hiroyuki Oki Located in the new town of Binh Duong, a 30-minute drive outside of Ho Chi Minh City, this school uses an S-shaped plan to wrap around a pair of courtyards and provide an uninterrupted circulation loo Binh Duong SchoolVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsBinh Duong, VietnamLocated in the new town of Binh Duong, a 30-minute drive outside of Ho Chi Minh City, this school uses an S-shaped plan to wrap around a pair of courtyards and provide an uninterrupted circulation loop so students can access the entire complex without getting wet during the rainy season. Precast-concrete louvers protect covered walkways on each floor from the sun and rain, while allowing air to cool these areas. Outdoor stairs at both ends of the building lead to a green roof, while the sloping form reduces the bulk of the structure and keeps its maximum height (five stories) below that of the surrounding forest. Completed in 2011, the school will eventually accommodate 800 students.Photo © Hiroyuki Oki Located in the new town of Binh Duong, a 30-minute drive outside of Ho Chi Minh City, this school uses an S-shaped plan to wrap around a pair of courtyards and provide an uninterrupted circulation loo Binh Duong SchoolVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsBinh Duong, VietnamLocated in the new town of Binh Duong, a 30-minute drive outside of Ho Chi Minh City, this school uses an S-shaped plan to wrap around a pair of courtyards and provide an uninterrupted circulation loop so students can access the entire complex without getting wet during the rainy season. Precast-concrete louvers protect covered walkways on each floor from the sun and rain, while allowing air to cool these areas. Outdoor stairs at both ends of the building lead to a green roof, while the sloping form reduces the bulk of the structure and keeps its maximum height (five stories) below that of the surrounding forest. Completed in 2011, the school will eventually accommodate 800 students.Photo © Hiroyuki Oki Part of a complex in Binh Duong province that includes the wNw Cafe (following project), this domed bamboo structure was designed as a bar and entertainment space but is now used occasionally by the l wNw BarVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsBinh Duong Province, VietnamPart of a complex in Binh Duong province that includes the wNw Cafe (following project), this domed bamboo structure was designed as a bar and entertainment space but is now used occasionally by the local community for town meetings and social events. The building's structural frame is made of 48 prefabricated units containing multiple bamboo elements bound together by rope. Fusing traditional construction with a modern design sensibility, the dome spans 50 feet in diameter and rises 33 feet to an open oculus. Photo © Hiroyuki Oki Part of a complex in Binh Duong province that includes the wNw Cafe (next slide), this domed bamboo structure was designed as a bar and entertainment space but is now used occasionally by the local co wNw BarVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsBinh Duong Province, VietnamPart of a complex in Binh Duong province that includes the wNw Cafe (next slide), this domed bamboo structure was designed as a bar and entertainment space but is now used occasionally by the local community for town meetings and social events. The building's structural frame is made of 48 prefabricated units containing multiple bamboo elements bound together by rope. Fusing traditional construction with a modern design sensibility, the dome spans 50 feet in diameter and rises 33 feet to an open oculus. Photo © Hiroyuki Oki A pair of concentric crescents surrounded by a reflecting pool and nestled one within the other, this caf' in Binh Duong province places customers in a man-made landscape that helps connect interior a wNw CafeVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsBinh Duong Province, VietnamA pair of concentric crescents surrounded by a reflecting pool and nestled one within the other, this caf' in Binh Duong province places customers in a man-made landscape that helps connect interior and exterior. Vo used computer simulations and aerodynamic design to shape the buildings and maximize the cooling effect of air moving across the water. Roughly 7,000 bamboo elements make up the structure, which is stabilized by wire cables strung from towers rising above the roof.Photo © Hiroyuki Oki A pair of concentric crescents surrounded by a reflecting pool and nestled one within the other, this caf' in Binh Duong province places customers in a man-made landscape that helps connect interior a wNw CafeVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsBinh Duong Province, VietnamA pair of concentric crescents surrounded by a reflecting pool and nestled one within the other, this caf' in Binh Duong province places customers in a man-made landscape that helps connect interior and exterior. Vo used computer simulations and aerodynamic design to shape the buildings and maximize the cooling effect of air moving across the water. Roughly 7,000 bamboo elements make up the structure, which is stabilized by wire cables strung from towers rising above the roof.Photo © Hiroyuki Oki Built in just two days for the Vietnam Architecture Exhibition 2012 in Hanoi in April, this 10-by-28-foot booth gives eloquent testimony to the versatility of bamboo. Vo used 500 pieces of the materia Bamboo BoothVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsHanoiBuilt in just two days for the Vietnam Architecture Exhibition 2012 in Hanoi in April, this 10-by-28-foot booth gives eloquent testimony to the versatility of bamboo. Vo used 500 pieces of the material in a variety of ways: stacking them as 'bamboo masonry,' corbeling them into a curved arch for the roof, and even fashioning them into wooden nails and wedges, instead of using metal joints. A few strands of steel wire, though, were employed to decrease the deflection of the walls and roof. Photo courtesy Vo Trong Nghia Architects Built in just two days for the Vietnam Architecture Exhibition 2012 in Hanoi in April, this 10-by-28-foot booth gives eloquent testimony to the versatility of bamboo. Vo used 500 pieces of the materia Bamboo BoothVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsHanoiBuilt in just two days for the Vietnam Architecture Exhibition 2012 in Hanoi in April, this 10-by-28-foot booth gives eloquent testimony to the versatility of bamboo. Vo used 500 pieces of the material in a variety of ways: stacking them as 'bamboo masonry,' corbeling them into a curved arch for the roof, and even fashioning them into wooden nails and wedges, instead of using metal joints. A few strands of steel wire, though, were employed to decrease the deflection of the walls and roof. Photo courtesy Vo Trong Nghia Architects Vo's firm designed this project as a prototype for low-income housing in the Mekong River Delta. In the summer of 2012, a pair of these houses were built for a total of $4,800 on the construction site Low-Cost HouseVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsMekong River DeltaVo's firm designed this project as a prototype for low-income housing in the Mekong River Delta. In the summer of 2012, a pair of these houses were built for a total of $4,800 on the construction site of a kindergarten in Dong Nai province. The lightweight steel frame with roof-truss beams, translucent polycarbonate wall panels, and bamboo louvers on the inside are easy to assemble and readily available in Vietnam. Photo courtesy Vo Trong Nghia Architects Vo's firm designed this project as a prototype for low-income housing in the Mekong River Delta. In the summer of 2012, a pair of these houses were built for a total of $4,800 on the construction site Low-Cost HouseVo Trong Nghia ArchitectsMekong River DeltaVo's firm designed this project as a prototype for low-income housing in the Mekong River Delta. In the summer of 2012, a pair of these houses were built for a total of $4,800 on the construction site of a kindergarten in Dong Nai province. The lightweight steel frame with roof-truss beams, translucent polycarbonate wall panels, and bamboo louvers on the inside are easy to assemble and readily available in Vietnam. Photo courtesy Vo Trong Nghia Architects yuko-nagayama-and-associates.asp Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/6391-yuko-nagayama-associates The project that launched Nagayama's career, Afloat-f is a two-story hair and nail salon located in Tokyo's Omotesando neighborhood. Illuminated from below by halogen lamps, aluminum satellite dishes Afloat-fYuko Nagayama & AssociatesTokyoThe project that launched Nagayama's career, Afloat-f is a two-story hair and nail salon located in Tokyo's Omotesando neighborhood. Illuminated from below by halogen lamps, aluminum satellite dishes reflect ambient light on the hairstyling floor. While spotlights shine down on the cutting stations, daylight enters through a courtyard. Floor-to-ceiling mirrored walls visually enlarge the 4,844-square-foot space.Photo © Daici Ano A showroom and office for the leatherwear company Sisii, this interior project occupies a prominent Kobe site. Created in collaboration with the landscape designer Toshiya Ogino, the unusual space is Sisii ShowroomYuko Nagayama & AssociatesKobe Hyogo prefecture, Japan A showroom and office for the leatherwear company Sisii, this interior project occupies a prominent Kobe site. Created in collaboration with the landscape designer Toshiya Ogino, the unusual space is defined by a raised steel platform. Mirrored walls at the back expand the showroom visually while concealing a storage area. The elevated floor acts as an auxiliary workspace while defining the functional zones. Folding or cutting into the plate enabled Nagayama to designate distinct seating areas as well as several small gardens made by Ogino from local rocks, plants, and trees. Because of the greenery's constant need for light, the space is illuminated 24/7, casting a glow on the street.Photo © Daici Ano Faced with a commission to design a house for a family of four on a long, narrow site in a densely built neighborhood in central Tokyo, Nagayama had to figure out how to bring daylight inside without A Hill on a HouseYuko Nagayama & AssociatesTokyoFaced with a commission to design a house for a family of four on a long, narrow site in a densely built neighborhood in central Tokyo, Nagayama had to figure out how to bring daylight inside without compromising her clients' privacy. Completed in 2006, the 2,874-square-foot structure dubbed A Hill on a House was her solution. Taking her inspiration from traditional enclosed Japanese gardens, Nagayama centered the house on a triangular, wood-decked courtyard adorned with potted trees. Completely open to the sky, it fills the adjacent rooms with plenty of direct and reflected daylight, while a blank concrete wall shields the house from the street. Photo © Daici Ano Faced with a commission to design a house for a family of four on a long, narrow site in a densely built neighborhood in central Tokyo, Nagayama had to figure out how to bring daylight inside without A Hill on a HouseYuko Nagayama & AssociatesTokyo Faced with a commission to design a house for a family of four on a long, narrow site in a densely built neighborhood in central Tokyo, Nagayama had to figure out how to bring daylight inside without compromising her clients' privacy. Completed in 2006, the 2,874-square-foot structure dubbed A Hill on a House was her solution. Taking her inspiration from traditional enclosed Japanese gardens, Nagayama centered the house on a triangular, wood-decked courtyard adorned with potted trees. Completely open to the sky, it fills the adjacent rooms with plenty of direct and reflected daylight, while a blank concrete wall shields the house from the street. Photo © Daici Ano Located within Singapore's ION Orchard shopping mall, Anteprima ION is Nagayama's most recent boutique interior for the fashion handbag brand. The products of a Japanese designer based in Milan, the k Anteprima IONYuko Nagayama & AssociatesSingapore Located within Singapore's ION Orchard shopping mall, Anteprima ION is Nagayama's most recent boutique interior for the fashion handbag brand. The products of a Japanese designer based in Milan, the knitted vinyl bags come in a rainbow assortment of colors'a source of inspiration for the architect. Lit from above and below by strips of linear recessed fixtures, the spectrum of bags shown along the dramatic curved wall dominates the space. Visible through the shop's all-glass facade, the bold display invites potential customers inside. Elsewhere within the boutique, mirrored walls enlarge the 1,582-square-foot shop and partition various merchandise areas.Photo © Daici Ano A commercial building in an upscale Tokyo neighborhood, the 3,875-square-foot Urbanprem Minamiaoyama was completed in 2008. Situated at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, it greets the narrow street in fr Urbanprem Minamiaoyama Yuko Nagayama & AssociatesTokyo A commercial building in an upscale Tokyo neighborhood, the 3,875-square-foot Urbanprem Minamiaoyama was completed in 2008. Situated at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, it greets the narrow street in front with a bowed concrete facade that maximizes the available floor area within the confines of the site's buildable envelope. Since its top is invisible from ground level, the continuously curving wall appears to go on forever. 'It is completely without scale,' comments Nagayama. Though punctured by slitlike windows with six different widths'the narrowest only four inches across'the facade does not reveal much information about the building's inner workings. In addition, two rows of windows correspond to each floor level. The five-story structure contains retail at grade with rental office space above.Photo © Daici Ano A commercial building in an upscale Tokyo neighborhood, the 3,875-square-foot Urbanprem Minamiaoyama was completed in 2008. Situated at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, it greets the narrow street in fr Urbanprem Minamiaoyama Yuko Nagayama & AssociatesTokyo A commercial building in an upscale Tokyo neighborhood, the 3,875-square-foot Urbanprem Minamiaoyama was completed in 2008. Situated at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, it greets the narrow street in front with a bowed concrete facade that maximizes the available floor area within the confines of the site's buildable envelope. Since its top is invisible from ground level, the continuously curving wall appears to go on forever. 'It is completely without scale,' comments Nagayama. Though punctured by slitlike windows with six different widths'the narrowest only four inches across'the facade does not reveal much information about the building's inner workings. In addition, two rows of windows correspond to each floor level. The five-story structure contains retail at grade with rental office space above.Photo © Daici Ano A tiny, four-tatami-mat teahouse, Azumaya may be one of Nagayama's smallest works to date, but it is also one of her most spectacular. Completed in 2007, it occupies a dramatic site on the coast of Ch Azumaya Tea HouseYuko Nagayama & AssociatesChiba prefecture, JapanA tiny, four-tatami-mat teahouse, Azumaya may be one of Nagayama's smallest works to date, but it is also one of her most spectacular. Completed in 2007, it occupies a dramatic site on the coast of Chiba prefecture. The mini-building was designed as a freestanding addition to a second home created by Nagayama's mentor, Jun Aoki, for which Nagayama served as the project architect during her tenure in Aoki's office. While skylights bathe the interior with daylight from above, the robust timber structure frames stunning ocean views. 'It looks like a whale's skeleton,' says Nagayama. Photo © Daici Ano When approaching a design problem, Madrid-based architects Fernando Rodr'guez and Pablo Oriol of the firm FRPO try to find a method of attack rather than jumping right in with a solution.

]]> rodriguez-and-oriol-architecture.asp Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/6387-frpo-rodr-guez-oriol-architecture The Access and Services Building stacks 14 programmatic elements on five independent vertical cores. The elliptical shapes overlap within the circular building envelope. The firm won a 2008 competitio Madrid City of JusticeFRPO (Rodr'guez & Oriol Architecture)Madrid, SpainThe Access and Services Building stacks 14 programmatic elements on five independent vertical cores. The elliptical shapes overlap within the circular building envelope. The firm won a 2008 competition with Estudio Cano Lasso, but the project has been suspended due to a lack of funding.Photo © Federico L'pez This lightweight structure in northern Madrid is built of computer-cut, cross-laminated wood walls, floors, and roofs, and floats on micropiles so as not to harm tree roots. Eleven pavilions (living, Mo HouseFRPO (Rodr'guez & Oriol Architecture)Madrid, SpainThis lightweight structure in northern Madrid is built of computer-cut, cross-laminated wood walls, floors, and roofs, and floats on micropiles so as not to harm tree roots. Eleven pavilions (living, bedrooms, kitchen, studio, etc.) spread out between the trees and are linked by wide circulation spaces into which activities can spill. The stucco exterior, painted-wood interior walls, and continuous concrete floors unify the design. The pavilions' skewed layout creates tangled views through them of indoors and out, and a series of semi-enclosed exterior spaces. The design exemplifies the architects' search for 'systems that generate complexity,' explains Rodr'guez.Photo © Miguel De Guzm'n This lightweight structure in northern Madrid is built of computer-cut, cross-laminated wood walls, floors, and roofs, and floats on micropiles so as not to harm tree roots. Eleven pavilions (living, Mo HouseFRPO (Rodr'guez & Oriol Architecture)Madrid, SpainThis lightweight structure in northern Madrid is built of computer-cut, cross-laminated wood walls, floors, and roofs, and floats on micropiles so as not to harm tree roots. Eleven pavilions (living, bedrooms, kitchen, studio, etc.) spread out between the trees and are linked by wide circulation spaces into which activities can spill. The stucco exterior, painted-wood interior walls, and continuous concrete floors unify the design. The pavilions' skewed layout creates tangled views through them of indoors and out, and a series of semi-enclosed exterior spaces. The design exemplifies the architects' search for 'systems that generate complexity,' explains Rodr'guez.Photo © Miguel De Guzm'n For protection from sea winds, the architects excavated a sunken garden on the southern exposure of this lot on the Cantabria coast and built the house over it. Patios for light and circulation slice OS HouseFRPO (Rodr'guez & Oriol Architecture)Cantabria Coast, SpainFor protection from sea winds, the architects excavated a sunken garden on the southern exposure of this lot on the Cantabria coast and built the house over it. Patios for light and circulation slice through the compact volume to create a hierarchy of uses. The core living area with bedrooms and studio functions independently from less-defined spaces for children, grandchildren, and guests. Spaces open into one another in every direction for flexibility. 'The rooms are simple rectangles,' says Pablo Oriol, 'but all the connections result in complex spatial relations, with transparency from room to room.' The dry-assembled steel structure is clad in zinc.Photo © Jan Bitter For protection from sea winds, the architects excavated a sunken garden on the southern exposure of this lot on the Cantabria coast and built the house over it. Patios for light and circulation slice OS HouseFRPO (Rodr'guez & Oriol Architecture)Cantabria Coast, SpainFor protection from sea winds, the architects excavated a sunken garden on the southern exposure of this lot on the Cantabria coast and built the house over it. Patios for light and circulation slice through the compact volume to create a hierarchy of uses. The core living area with bedrooms and studio functions independently from less-defined spaces for children, grandchildren, and guests. Spaces open into one another in every direction for flexibility. 'The rooms are simple rectangles,' says Pablo Oriol, 'but all the connections result in complex spatial relations, with transparency from room to room.' The dry-assembled steel structure is clad in zinc.Photo © Jos' Hevia Warsaw's modern-art museum organized an invited competition for a pavilion promoting its upcoming new building. FRPO proposed a transparent 'art box' set in an 'info forest' of flat wood masts, inviti Museum of Modern Art in WarsawFRPO (Rodr'guez & Oriol Architecture)WarsawWarsaw's modern-art museum organized an invited competition for a pavilion promoting its upcoming new building. FRPO proposed a transparent 'art box' set in an 'info forest' of flat wood masts, inviting visitors to 'exchange thoughts, drawings, or messages.' The architects explain, 'Citizens interchange experience with curators through contributions to… the space around the events container.'Image courtesy FRPO The architects cite Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago's Millennium Park as an inspiration for their proposed addition to the WTO headquarters in Geneva. A glass and aluminum 'bubble' hous World Trade OrganizationFRPO (Rodr'guez & Oriol Architecture)GenevaThe architects cite Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago's Millennium Park as an inspiration for their proposed addition to the WTO headquarters in Geneva. A glass and aluminum 'bubble' houses new offices and is linked to the existing building via an underground wing containing a cafeteria, library, and auditorium. The compact shape offers good energy performance and minimizes the visual impact of the building on its parklike setting near Lake L'man.Image courtesy FRPO Don't let the name fool you'Single Speed Design (SsD)'s architectural approach is more like a 10-speed bicycle than a fixed-gear model, with principals Jinhee Park, 40, and John Hong, 43, shifting their approach with each new project.

]]> ssd.asp Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/6388-ssd Park and Hong clinched the commission to design the steel-frame and frosty-fritted-glass White Block Gallery in an invited competition in 2011. The 16,145-square-foot space, which is dedicated to glob White Block GallerySsDSouth KoreaPark and Hong clinched the commission to design the steel-frame and frosty-fritted-glass White Block Gallery in an invited competition in 2011. The 16,145-square-foot space, which is dedicated to global contemporary art in a variety of media, comprises a series of flexible exhibition and event spaces. Because its site is a no-fly zone bordering North Korea, the gallery was restricted to a three-story maximum height. So SsD devised a scheme that includes a long building with a stepped section that rises slowly over the terrain like a shallow staircase. SsD was the lone American design firm among the five invited offices. 'We're finding that we can really get innovative work done in Korea,' says Park.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim Park and Hong clinched the commission to design the steel-frame and frosty-fritted-glass White Block Gallery in an invited competition in 2011. The 16,145-square-foot space, which is dedicated to glob White Block GallerySsDSouth KoreaPark and Hong clinched the commission to design the steel-frame and frosty-fritted-glass White Block Gallery in an invited competition in 2011. The 16,145-square-foot space, which is dedicated to global contemporary art in a variety of media, comprises a series of flexible exhibition and event spaces. Because its site is a no-fly zone bordering North Korea, the gallery was restricted to a three-story maximum height. So SsD devised a scheme that includes a long building with a stepped section that rises slowly over the terrain like a shallow staircase. SsD was the lone American design firm among the five invited offices. 'We're finding that we can really get innovative work done in Korea,' says Park.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim Park and Hong clinched the commission to design the steel-frame and frosty-fritted-glass White Block Gallery in an invited competition in 2011. The 16,145-square-foot space, which is dedicated to glob White Block GallerySsDSouth KoreaPark and Hong clinched the commission to design the steel-frame and frosty-fritted-glass White Block Gallery in an invited competition in 2011. The 16,145-square-foot space, which is dedicated to global contemporary art in a variety of media, comprises a series of flexible exhibition and event spaces. Because its site is a no-fly zone bordering North Korea, the gallery was restricted to a three-story maximum height. So SsD devised a scheme that includes a long building with a stepped section that rises slowly over the terrain like a shallow staircase. SsD was the lone American design firm among the five invited offices. 'We're finding that we can really get innovative work done in Korea,' says Park.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim The 16,145-square-foot White Block Gallery sits in the trendy Heyri Arts Valley in South Korea. Because its site borders North Korea and is in a no-fly zone, SsD tackled restrictions to the building's White Block GallerySsDSouth KoreaThe 16,145-square-foot White Block Gallery sits in the trendy Heyri Arts Valley in South Korea. Because its site borders North Korea and is in a no-fly zone, SsD tackled restrictions to the building's height.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim A view inside the White Block Gallery. LED-lit plexi-rods, in the style of SsD's 'Cloud' installation, hang from the ceiling in this entrance hall. White Block GallerySsDSouth KoreaA view inside the White Block Gallery. LED-lit plexi-rods, in the style of SsD's 'Cloud' installation, hang from the ceiling in this entrance hall.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim An exhibition space at the White Block Gallery. White Block GallerySsDSouth KoreaAn exhibition space at the White Block Gallery.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim SsD created this project, a deceptively simple six-and-a-half-foot cube, for South Korea's Gwangju Design Biennale in 2009. While the plaster-and-wood volume takes an unassuming form, visitors step in Infinite BoxSsDSouth KoreaSsD created this project, a deceptively simple six-and-a-half-foot cube, for South Korea's Gwangju Design Biennale in 2009. While the plaster-and-wood volume takes an unassuming form, visitors step inside to a world of color (provided by luminescent fishing line) that is amplified by mirrors lining each of the box's walls. The challenge, Park and Hong explain, was to deal with an environment limited by its dimensions and expand its boundaries. SsD's design was one of 20 similarly rectilinear pieces created for the exhibition, each with its own riff on the theme of the articulated box.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim SsD created this project, a deceptively simple six-and-a-half-foot cube, for South Korea's Gwangju Design Biennale in 2009. While the plaster-and-wood volume takes an unassuming form, visitors step in Infinite BoxSsDSouth KoreaSsD created this project, a deceptively simple six-and-a-half-foot cube, for South Korea's Gwangju Design Biennale in 2009. While the plaster-and-wood volume takes an unassuming form, visitors step inside to a world of color (provided by luminescent fishing line) that is amplified by mirrors lining each of the box's walls. The challenge, Park and Hong explain, was to deal with an environment limited by its dimensions and expand its boundaries. SsD's design was one of 20 similarly rectilinear pieces created for the exhibition, each with its own riff on the theme of the articulated box.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim A man steps inside the Infinite Box, a 2009 installation SsD completed for South Korea's Gwangju Design Biennale. Infinite BoxSsDSouth KoreaA man steps inside the Infinite Box, a 2009 installation SsD completed for South Korea's Gwangju Design Biennale.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim In Seoul, the densely populated capital of South Korea and its largest metropolitan area (at 25 million residents), space is scarce. SsD's microhousing scheme for a community of emerging artists in th Songpa Micro-HousingSsDSeoul, South Korea In Seoul, the densely populated capital of South Korea and its largest metropolitan area (at 25 million residents), space is scarce. SsD's microhousing scheme for a community of emerging artists in the city's Songpa district features 120-square-foot apartment units meant to minimize wasted space and maximize the usable floor area. Though the apartments are uniform in square footage, there are rectangular and square varieties with slightly different layouts. The metal screen planned for the building's facade provides security and privacy.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim Commissioned for a courtyard at the White Block Gallery, this work takes its name from the shape of the three loosely organized clusters of LED-lit plexi-rods, supported by a steel-and-aluminum frame, CloudSsDSouth KoreaCommissioned for a courtyard at the White Block Gallery, this work takes its name from the shape of the three loosely organized clusters of LED-lit plexi-rods, supported by a steel-and-aluminum frame, in this audio-visual installation. Sensors track visitors' movements through the space, and are used to manipulate the level of illumination and sound as crowds increase in size beneath the cluster of lights. In the absence of a flock of gallerygoers, Cloud's light and sound levels respond to information about the temperature, humidity, and other atmospheric conditions by devices in the aluminum channels.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim SsD's Island of Water is a 2010 plan to reestablish Ahamdo Island, a small strip of land in Incheon, South Korea, that in 1930 was accessible only via a footbridge passable at low tide. Today the area Island of WaterSsDIncheon, South Korea SsD's Island of Water is a 2010 plan to reestablish Ahamdo Island, a small strip of land in Incheon, South Korea, that in 1930 was accessible only via a footbridge passable at low tide. Today the area around Ahamdo Island has been filled in with infrastructure projects and annexed as part of the mainland. SsD's proposal involves inundating this land again and reintroducing native marshland plants to encourage and support the ecosystem that once flourished in the area. SsD's ambitious design includes a pontoon bridge that would rise and fall with the tide, and plans for an oyster farm. A steel-frame visitors' center planned for the site would allow views out over the newly created marshland, with a minimal footprint on the land.Image courtesy SsD /© Chang Kyun Kim SsD's 2006 Big Dig House sourced materials from the Boston infrastructure project of the same name. Big Dig HouseSsDCambridge, MassachusettsSsD's 2006 Big Dig House sourced materials from the Boston infrastructure project of the same name.Photo courtesy SsD A view of the house's interior. Big Dig HouseSsDCambridge, MassachusettsA view of the house's interior.Photo courtesy SsD SsD sought to build an alternative to the typical single-family residence with their Braver House, placing PV panels on the canted roof. Braver HouseSsDNewton, MassachusettsSsD sought to build an alternative to the typical single-family residence with their Braver House, placing PV panels on the canted roof.Photo courtesy SsD / ' Chang Kyun Kim Inside the Braver House. Braver HouseSsDNewton, MassachusettsInside the Braver House.Photo courtesy SsD / ' Chang Kyun Kim trace-architecture-office.asp Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/6389-trace-architecture-office TAO designed this museum in Yunnan province as a cluster of volumes, echoing the ad hoc pattern of buildings in the adjacent village of Gaoligong. The museum's timber-framed buildings use nail-free su Gaoligong Museum of Handcraft Paper Trace Architecture OfficeBeijingTAO designed this museum in Yunnan province as a cluster of volumes, echoing the ad hoc pattern of buildings in the adjacent village of Gaoligong. The museum's timber-framed buildings use nail-free sunmao joints, and its simple construction honors the local tradition of handcrafts. 'We liked the possibility of using this traditional technique in a modern form,' says Hua. He compares the quality of the construction to that of the paper it celebrates. 'The handmade paper, at first look, seems quite rough,' he says. 'But its texture tells many stories, which you never see on machine-made paper. The architecture has a similar intention.' Photo © Shu He TAO designed this museum in Yunnan province as a cluster of volumes, echoing the ad hoc pattern of buildings in the adjacent village of Gaoligong. The museum's timber-framed buildings use nail-free su Gaoligong Museum of Handcraft Paper Trace Architecture OfficeBeijingTAO designed this museum in Yunnan province as a cluster of volumes, echoing the ad hoc pattern of buildings in the adjacent village of Gaoligong. The museum's timber-framed buildings use nail-free sunmao joints, and its simple construction honors the local tradition of handcrafts. 'We liked the possibility of using this traditional technique in a modern form,' says Hua. He compares the quality of the construction to that of the paper it celebrates. 'The handmade paper, at first look, seems quite rough,' he says. 'But its texture tells many stories, which you never see on machine-made paper. The architecture has a similar intention.' Photo © Shu He 'We're trying to do something different, to challenge the clich'd educational approach,' says Hua. TAO's gathering of buildings and outdoor spaces allows children to pursue individual activities in ad Xiaoquan Elementary SchoolTrace Architecture OfficeBeijing'We're trying to do something different, to challenge the clich'd educational approach,' says Hua. TAO's gathering of buildings and outdoor spaces allows children to pursue individual activities in addition to group exercises. The school replaces a building that was destroyed in the devastating 2008 Sichuan earthquake. To enact its design, TAO had to win over not only school administrators but also six organizations (including a group of Buddhist monks) that had donated money to the school's rebuilding.Photo © Shu He 'We're trying to do something different, to challenge the clich'd educational approach,' says Hua. TAO's gathering of buildings and outdoor spaces allows children to pursue individual activities in ad Xiaoquan Elementary SchoolTrace Architecture OfficeBeijing'We're trying to do something different, to challenge the clich'd educational approach,' says Hua. TAO's gathering of buildings and outdoor spaces allows children to pursue individual activities in addition to group exercises. The school replaces a building that was destroyed in the devastating 2008 Sichuan earthquake. To enact its design, TAO had to win over not only school administrators but also six organizations (including a group of Buddhist monks) that had donated money to the school's rebuilding.Photo © Shu He Tree-shaped columns with cantilevered beams form a rambling structure that zigzags between real trees in a riverside Beijing park. The project will be built in phases, so TAO designed a grid that can Tree ClubhouseTrace Architecture OfficeBeijingTree-shaped columns with cantilevered beams form a rambling structure that zigzags between real trees in a riverside Beijing park. The project will be built in phases, so TAO designed a grid that can grow in parts.Photo © Shu He Created for the 2011 Chengdu Biennale, this project finds room for the public amenities missing in many Chinese cities. 'Currently in China, land is sold to profit-driven developers, and they always b Streetacre CityTrace Architecture OfficeChengdu, ChinaCreated for the 2011 Chengdu Biennale, this project finds room for the public amenities missing in many Chinese cities. 'Currently in China, land is sold to profit-driven developers, and they always build super-high-density residential complexes that lack public facilities,' says Hua. 'Our idea is to improve the quality of public space and provide local services.' TAO uses Chengdu's street grid'a rare public space'as the site for parks, gardens, exercise trails, restaurants, markets, and the like. The firm proposes layers of activity above the car traffic below. Residents of the surrounding towers can look down on the top layer of linear gardens that weave through their neighborhood.Photo © Shu He Created for the 2011 Chengdu Biennale, this project finds room for the public amenities missing in many Chinese cities. 'Currently in China, land is sold to profit-driven developers, and they always b Streetacre CityTrace Architecture OfficeChengdu, ChinaCreated for the 2011 Chengdu Biennale, this project finds room for the public amenities missing in many Chinese cities. 'Currently in China, land is sold to profit-driven developers, and they always build super-high-density residential complexes that lack public facilities,' says Hua. 'Our idea is to improve the quality of public space and provide local services.' TAO uses Chengdu's street grid'a rare public space'as the site for parks, gardens, exercise trails, restaurants, markets, and the like. The firm proposes layers of activity above the car traffic below. Residents of the surrounding towers can look down on the top layer of linear gardens that weave through their neighborhood.Photo © Shu He TAO took its design cues for this 5,380-square-foot building in Yancheng, 200 miles north of Shanghai, from the riverside site. The steel-framed, glass-walled building hovers above the ground, running Riverside ClubhouseTrace Architecture OfficeYancheng, ChinaTAO took its design cues for this 5,380-square-foot building in Yancheng, 200 miles north of Shanghai, from the riverside site. The steel-framed, glass-walled building hovers above the ground, running an irregular loop around groves of bamboo and other vegetation. Hua calls it his 'folded Farnsworth' for its transparency and fluid interior space. The program includes exhibition and meeting spaces, along with reception, lounge, and office areas.Photo © Yao Li hironaka-ogawa-and-associates.asp Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/6385-hironaka-ogawa-associates When the client for this project in Kagawa prefecture decided to build a home of her own adjacent to her parents, she knew that the trees she grew up with would have to go. But by integrating them int Garden Tree HouseHironaka Ogawa & AssociatesTokyoWhen the client for this project in Kagawa prefecture decided to build a home of her own adjacent to her parents, she knew that the trees she grew up with would have to go. But by integrating them into the building's support system, Ogawa gave the trees a new life. The transformation from leafy boughs to structural members entailed two weeks of kiln drying followed by bark stripping before the two massive trunks could be installed in the dining and kitchen areas.Photo © Daici Ano Designed specifically for weddings, Forest Chapel appears as an abstract white box amid a garden site in Gunma prefecture. Leaving its plain wrapping outside, the modest building comes into full bloo Forest ChapelHironaka Ogawa & AssociatesTokyoDesigned specifically for weddings, Forest Chapel appears as an abstract white box amid a garden site in Gunma prefecture. Leaving its plain wrapping outside, the modest building comes into full bloom in the interior, where 14 steel columns shaped like trees branch out to support the roof and guide the eye upward. Composed of arched steel angles, the graceful columns all curve differently but work in unison to share the load. 'The angle size, the trees' shapes, and the number of columns all had to be coordinated,' explains Ogawa. The architect was interested not only in creating artificial trees but also in protecting the existing greenery outdoors. Angled toward a mature zelkova tree preserved during construction, a full-height window wall ensures a garden view for the wedding guests.Photo © Daici Ano Designed specifically for weddings, Forest Chapel appears as an abstract white box amid a garden site in Gunma prefecture. Leaving its plain wrapping outside, the modest building comes into full bloo Forest ChapelHironaka Ogawa & AssociatesTokyoDesigned specifically for weddings, Forest Chapel appears as an abstract white box amid a garden site in Gunma prefecture. Leaving its plain wrapping outside, the modest building comes into full bloom in the interior, where 14 steel columns shaped like trees branch out to support the roof and guide the eye upward. Composed of arched steel angles, the graceful columns all curve differently but work in unison to share the load. 'The angle size, the trees' shapes, and the number of columns all had to be coordinated,' explains Ogawa. The architect was interested not only in creating artificial trees but also in protecting the existing greenery outdoors. Angled toward a mature zelkova tree preserved during construction, a full-height window wall ensures a garden view for the wedding guests.Photo © Daici Ano Designed specifically for weddings, Forest Chapel appears as an abstract white box amid a garden site in Gunma prefecture. Leaving its plain wrapping outside, the modest building comes into full bloo Pleats.M Hironaka Ogawa & AssociatesTokyoDesigned specifically for weddings, Forest Chapel appears as an abstract white box amid a garden site in Gunma prefecture. Leaving its plain wrapping outside, the modest building comes into full bloom in the interior, where 14 steel columns shaped like trees branch out to support the roof and guide the eye upward. Composed of arched steel angles, the graceful columns all curve differently but work in unison to share the load. 'The angle size, the trees' shapes, and the number of columns all had to be coordinated,' explains Ogawa. The architect was interested not only in creating artificial trees but also in protecting the existing greenery outdoors. Angled toward a mature zelkova tree preserved during construction, a full-height window wall ensures a garden view for the wedding guests.Photo © Daici Ano An oddly shaped plot located near a busy intersection in suburban Saitama prefecture hardly seems like the ideal spot for a wedding hall. But Pleats.M (above and opposite) aims to disprove that assump Pleats.MHironaka Ogawa & AssociatesTokyoAn oddly shaped plot located near a busy intersection in suburban Saitama prefecture hardly seems like the ideal spot for a wedding hall. But Pleats.M (above and opposite) aims to disprove that assumption. Draped with steel-supported, stuccolike walls creased as sharply as origami paper, the 16,146-square-foot building deftly shuts out its surroundings while embracing a nondenominational chapel, an event hall, and other spaces for newlyweds and their guests.Photo © Daici Ano A combined residence and workplace for a dentist and his family, the Chiyodanomori Dental Clinic is located in Gunma prefecture, where the winters are cold and the summers hot. To protect his clients Chiyodanomori Dental ClinicHironaka Ogawa & AssociatesTokyoA combined residence and workplace for a dentist and his family, the Chiyodanomori Dental Clinic is located in Gunma prefecture, where the winters are cold and the summers hot. To protect his clients from the vagaries of climate, Ogawa united the two parts in a single building and swaddled it with a solid exterior wall. Organized according to a square, nine-foot grid, the building incorporates 11 tiny gardens that fill the interior with daylight and fresh air.Photo © Daici Ano A combined residence and workplace for a dentist and his family, the Chiyodanomori Dental Clinic is located in Gunma prefecture, where the winters are cold and the summers hot. To protect his clients Chiyodanomori Dental ClinicHironaka Ogawa & AssociatesTokyoA combined residence and workplace for a dentist and his family, the Chiyodanomori Dental Clinic is located in Gunma prefecture, where the winters are cold and the summers hot. To protect his clients from the vagaries of climate, Ogawa united the two parts in a single building and swaddled it with a solid exterior wall. Organized according to a square, nine-foot grid, the building incorporates 11 tiny gardens that fill the interior with daylight and fresh air.Photo © Daici Ano Ogawa's first project after opening his firm, Kimukatsu is a restaurant in central Tokyo. Hired to design the interior and facade, Ogawa called upon a traditional mason to cover the shopfront with a t KimukatsuHironaka Ogawa & AssociatesTokyoOgawa's first project after opening his firm, Kimukatsu is a restaurant in central Tokyo. Hired to design the interior and facade, Ogawa called upon a traditional mason to cover the shopfront with a thin layer of earth. A waterproof coating prevents the surface from melting when it rains, and acrylic panels embedded in the wall animate the plain surface at night when the interior lighting shines through.Photo © Daici Ano No matter what level of success Mexico City'based MMX Studio may someday attain, its name will always serve to remind its four partners of their humble beginnings.

]]> mmx-studio.asp Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/6386-mmx-studio MMX Studio Made from natural fiber rope and steel chain, this temporary pavilion at the Museo Experimental El Eco was MMX's first competition win. While defining a space for outdoor performances, the installation also preserves the feel of the open courtyard. Photographer Yoshihiro Koitani superimposed multiple shots of a man passing through the space to create this image. Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio The Eco Pavilion at the Museo Experimental El Eco in Mexico City. Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio The Eco Pavilion at the Museo Experimental El Eco in Mexico City.   Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio MMX designed this two-bedroom weekend house in a remote village in south-central Mexico for a couple who hope to retire here one day. The compound will eventually contain two more houses for other family members. Two nesting polygonal volumes took shape in response to the plot's focal point'a stately laurel tree'as well as the mountain views to the north. The client's budget, which mandated that the architects work with local builders, determined the main building component: concrete masonry units'the only material with which the workers had experience. The block is coated with a lime plaster wash to protect against humidity and is arranged with apertures that provide screening and filter daylight into an interior courtyard. Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio Made of about 20,000 credit cards, this installation welcomed visitors to the Luis Adelantado gallery on the occasion of Vogue magazine's 2011 Fashion Night Out in Mexico City. A sponsor of the event, American Express provided MMX with the cards, from which it fabricated this 'big textile' that formed a screen by the gallery entrance. Metal brackets held together two different components'one folded and one flat. The team did tests with cardboard and then with Rhino before the units were linked together off-site. Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio Made of about 20,000 credit cards, this installation welcomed visitors to the Luis Adelantado gallery on the occasion of Vogue magazine's 2011 Fashion Night Out in Mexico City. A sponsor of the event, American Express provided MMX with the cards, from which it fabricated this 'big textile' that formed a screen by the gallery entrance. Metal brackets held together two different components'one folded and one flat. The team did tests with cardboard and then with Rhino before the units were linked together off-site. Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio This open competition, sponsored by the Finnish government, asked designers to rethink Helsinki's South Harbor for the future. The challenge was how to activate the waterfront as a public amenity, while still accommodating the heavy transportation and infrastructural needs. 'Instead of bringing the city to the water's edge,' says MMX's Emmanuel Ramirez, 'we deconstructed the edge to bring the water back to the city.' To do so, the team's scheme opens up canals and creates a series of islands. Responding to the important role that the harbor plays for the city, MMX visualized 'water blocks,' as extensions of city blocks, that could host different recreational attractions, like a swimming pool, floating stage, or ice-skating rink. Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio This open competition, sponsored by the Finnish government, asked designers to rethink Helsinki's South Harbor for the future. The challenge was how to activate the waterfront as a public amenity, while still accommodating the heavy transportation and infrastructural needs. 'Instead of bringing the city to the water's edge,' says MMX's Emmanuel Ramirez, 'we deconstructed the edge to bring the water back to the city.' To do so, the team's scheme opens up canals and creates a series of islands. Responding to the important role that the harbor plays for the city, MMX visualized 'water blocks,' as extensions of city blocks, that could host different recreational attractions, like a swimming pool, floating stage, or ice-skating rink. Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio Competition entry: master plan for Helsinki's South Harbor. Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio The brief for this invited competition outlined the need for a new cathedral in an urban context that would accommodate a congregation of 1,500 while including four to five chapels that could each hold hundreds of people. The challenge became designing a main space that wouldn't compete with the chapels, as well as creating an identity for each of these smaller volumes. Made of board-formed concrete, the cathedral is basically a cluster of discrete buildings'the chapels'whose walls form a void at the center, which becomes the nave. The team says it did not want an iconic shape but rather thought of the cathedral more as a form rising out of the landscape. Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio A scheme for a new urban cathedral. Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio Study for a new urban cathedral. Photo © MMX Studio MMX Studio A rooftop terrace for a private residence in Mexico City.   Photo © Yoshihiro Koitani gracia-studio.asp Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/6384-gracia-studio For a 9,622-square-foot cooking school in Tijuana, Gracia designed a pair of structures facing each other on a 10,760-square-foot site. A wide interior pedestrian street separates the two buildings an Culinary Art SchoolGracia StudioTijuanaFor a 9,622-square-foot cooking school in Tijuana, Gracia designed a pair of structures facing each other on a 10,760-square-foot site. A wide interior pedestrian street separates the two buildings and also functions as a shared courtyard. The larger 22-by-108-foot volume of garapa wood and cast-in-place concrete contains administrative offices, classrooms, a library, and a subterranean wine cellar. The second building, a 20-by-154-foot rectangle with a steel frame and Cor-Ten and glass panels, contains cooking stations that open onto the courtyard.Photo © Luis Garc'a For a 9,622-square-foot cooking school in Tijuana, Gracia designed a pair of structures facing each other on a 10,760-square-foot site. A wide interior pedestrian street separates the two buildings an Culinary Art SchoolGracia StudioTijuanaFor a 9,622-square-foot cooking school in Tijuana, Gracia designed a pair of structures facing each other on a 10,760-square-foot site. A wide interior pedestrian street separates the two buildings and also functions as a shared courtyard. The larger 22-by-108-foot volume of garapa wood and cast-in-place concrete contains administrative offices, classrooms, a library, and a subterranean wine cellar. The second building, a 20-by-154-foot rectangle with a steel frame and Cor-Ten and glass panels, contains cooking stations that open onto the courtyard.Photo © Luis Garc'a For a 9,622-square-foot cooking school in Tijuana, Gracia designed a pair of structures facing each other on a 10,760-square-foot site. A wide interior pedestrian street separates the two buildings an Culinary Art SchoolGracia StudioTijuanaFor a 9,622-square-foot cooking school in Tijuana, Gracia designed a pair of structures facing each other on a 10,760-square-foot site. A wide interior pedestrian street separates the two buildings and also functions as a shared courtyard. The larger 22-by-108-foot volume of garapa wood and cast-in-place concrete contains administrative offices, classrooms, a library, and a subterranean wine cellar. The second building, a 20-by-154-foot rectangle with a steel frame and Cor-Ten and glass panels, contains cooking stations that open onto the courtyard.Photo © Luis Garc'a For a 9,622-square-foot cooking school in Tijuana, Gracia designed a pair of structures facing each other on a 10,760-square-foot site. A wide interior pedestrian street separates the two buildings an Culinary Art SchoolGracia StudioTijuanaFor a 9,622-square-foot cooking school in Tijuana, Gracia designed a pair of structures facing each other on a 10,760-square-foot site. A wide interior pedestrian street separates the two buildings and also functions as a shared courtyard. The larger 22-by-108-foot volume of garapa wood and cast-in-place concrete contains administrative offices, classrooms, a library, and a subterranean wine cellar. The second building, a 20-by-154-foot rectangle with a steel frame and Cor-Ten and glass panels, contains cooking stations that open onto the courtyard.Photo © Luis Garc'a For a hotel project in Oaxaca, south of Mexico City, Gracia designed six hexagonal cabins on a farm that grows agave. Local people would make clay brick for the prefab-steel structures, each 870 squar Encuentro OaxacaGracia StudioOaxacaFor a hotel project in Oaxaca, south of Mexico City, Gracia designed six hexagonal cabins on a farm that grows agave. Local people would make clay brick for the prefab-steel structures, each 870 square feet, including 460 square feet for the terrace.Photo © Luis Garc'a With two vacation cottages completed in 2006 (one for the client, the second to rent), Gracia staggered the one-story structures on the 50,000-square-foot desert site so each would have expansive view Todos Santos HouseGracia StudioBaja PeninsulaWith two vacation cottages completed in 2006 (one for the client, the second to rent), Gracia staggered the one-story structures on the 50,000-square-foot desert site so each would have expansive views of the Pacific Ocean. Located on the lower end of the Baja Peninsula, 975 miles from Tijuana, the rugged, sandy-colored poured-concrete volumes are inhabited four months a year. A straw canopy shelters the terrace and pool at the entrance to each 2,460-square-foot house, while locally crafted talavera tile sheathes the facade. To admit breezes but provide security, Gracia designed a woven-steel security gate to unfold at night across the front of the houses. Photo © Luis Garc'a With two vacation cottages completed in 2006 (one for the client, the second to rent), Gracia staggered the one-story structures on the 50,000-square-foot desert site so each would have expansive view Todos Santos HouseGracia StudioBaja PeninsulaWith two vacation cottages completed in 2006 (one for the client, the second to rent), Gracia staggered the one-story structures on the 50,000-square-foot desert site so each would have expansive views of the Pacific Ocean. Located on the lower end of the Baja Peninsula, 975 miles from Tijuana, the rugged, sandy-colored poured-concrete volumes are inhabited four months a year. A straw canopy shelters the terrace and pool at the entrance to each 2,460-square-foot house, while locally crafted talavera tile sheathes the facade. To admit breezes but provide security, Gracia designed a woven-steel security gate to unfold at night across the front of the houses. Photo © Luis Garc'a With two vacation cottages completed in 2006 (one for the client, the second to rent), Gracia staggered the one-story structures on the 50,000-square-foot desert site so each would have expansive view Todos Santos HouseGracia StudioBaja PeninsulaWith two vacation cottages completed in 2006 (one for the client, the second to rent), Gracia staggered the one-story structures on the 50,000-square-foot desert site so each would have expansive views of the Pacific Ocean. Located on the lower end of the Baja Peninsula, 975 miles from Tijuana, the rugged, sandy-colored poured-concrete volumes are inhabited four months a year. A straw canopy shelters the terrace and pool at the entrance to each 2,460-square-foot house, while locally crafted talavera tile sheathes the facade. To admit breezes but provide security, Gracia designed a woven-steel security gate to unfold at night across the front of the houses. Photo © Luis Garc'a This hotel, operated by Grupo Habita, the boutique-hotel company based in Mexico City, is composed of 20 Minimalist guest structures perched on a hillside above a vineyard. Gracia designed the rusty-b End'mico Resguardo SilvestreGracia StudioBaja PeninsulaThis hotel, operated by Grupo Habita, the boutique-hotel company based in Mexico City, is composed of 20 Minimalist guest structures perched on a hillside above a vineyard. Gracia designed the rusty-brown steel-frame-and-panel lofts on pilotis to blend with the rocky inland terrain, located about an hour by car south of Tijuana. While the linear cabins, ranging from 200 to 240 square feet in size, were fabricated off-site, Gracia's younger brother, Javier, an architect who works in his office, lived on location to guide local laborers through the final phases of construction. The hotel forms the core of a 232-acre development known as Encuentro Guadalupe, which includes a winery (below), with a cooking school and housing also planned.Photo © Luis Garc'a This hotel, operated by Grupo Habita, the boutique-hotel company based in Mexico City, is composed of 20 Minimalist guest structures perched on a hillside above a vineyard. Gracia designed the rusty-b End'mico Resguardo SilvestreGracia StudioBaja PeninsulaThis hotel, operated by Grupo Habita, the boutique-hotel company based in Mexico City, is composed of 20 Minimalist guest structures perched on a hillside above a vineyard. Gracia designed the rusty-brown steel-frame-and-panel lofts on pilotis to blend with the rocky inland terrain, located about an hour by car south of Tijuana. While the linear cabins, ranging from 200 to 240 square feet in size, were fabricated off-site, Gracia's younger brother, Javier, an architect who works in his office, lived on location to guide local laborers through the final phases of construction. The hotel forms the core of a 232-acre development known as Encuentro Guadalupe, which includes a winery (below), with a cooking school and housing also planned.Photo © Luis Garc'a Since End'mico (previous slide) opened last winter, a 19,375-square-foot winery has been completed at the bottom of the hill. The steel-and-glass rectilinear structure, which provides wine tastings to Encuentro GuadalupeGracia StudioBaja PeninsulaSince End'mico (previous slide) opened last winter, a 19,375-square-foot winery has been completed at the bottom of the hill. The steel-and-glass rectilinear structure, which provides wine tastings to hotel visitors, also includes production facilities for the wine, plus an art gallery and the reception desk for the hotel. 'Already it's very popular,' notes Gracia. Next to come: a separate outpost for the Culinary Art School in Tijuana (Slides 1-4).Photo © Luis Garc'a easton-combs.asp Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/6381-easton-combs This temporary environment and display system for New York City'based fashion label Ohne Titel's fall/winter 2011 collection was made of folded and interlocking aluminum panels and inspired by textile Ohne Titel Concept ShowroomEaston+CombsNew York CityThis temporary environment and display system for New York City'based fashion label Ohne Titel's fall/winter 2011 collection was made of folded and interlocking aluminum panels and inspired by textile weaves and patterns. It took less than 48 hours to install.Image courtesy Easton+Combs Easton+Combs's design for this performing-arts and community center in Hendersonville, North Carolina, was a finalist in a 2005 national competition. In their scheme, the architects placed a theater u Mill Center for the ArtsEaston+CombsNew York CityEaston+Combs's design for this performing-arts and community center in Hendersonville, North Carolina, was a finalist in a 2005 national competition. In their scheme, the architects placed a theater under a faceted roof that would allow light and air to circulate.Image courtesy Easton+Combs This parking facility for a private commercial extension of George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston was the firm's first commission. The aerial montage above depicts the project as it would be IAH Airport Parking FacilityEaston+CombsNew York CityThis parking facility for a private commercial extension of George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston was the firm's first commission. The aerial montage above depicts the project as it would be if fully realized. Currently only two sheds have been built, as well as the gate building. 'We made the move to separate the gate from the large-canopy buildings,' says Combs. 'It's a car city. We wanted people to have an architectural experience from their car, hence the length of the gate building'it's long and narrow.'Image courtesy Easton+Combs This parking facility for a private commercial extension of George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston was the firm's first commission. The aerial montage above depicts the project as it would be IAH Airport Parking FacilityEaston+CombsNew York CityThis parking facility for a private commercial extension of George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston was the firm's first commission. The aerial montage above depicts the project as it would be if fully realized. Currently only two sheds have been built, as well as the gate building. 'We made the move to separate the gate from the large-canopy buildings,' says Combs. 'It's a car city. We wanted people to have an architectural experience from their car, hence the length of the gate building'it's long and narrow.'Image courtesy Easton+Combs Made of roughly 1,800 interlocking polycarbonate, CNC-cut pieces, <em>Changing Room</em> was designed for Extension Gallery for Architecture in Chicago. A herringbone-patterned curtain hung from the g Changing RoomEaston+CombsNew York CityMade of roughly 1,800 interlocking polycarbonate, CNC-cut pieces, Changing Room was designed for Extension Gallery for Architecture in Chicago. A herringbone-patterned curtain hung from the gallery ceiling, about three feet off the ground, forcing visitors to duck underneath. The three-leaf-clover-shaped pieces that created the curtain intersected three times, a design that was scripted with readily available 3-D-geometry software. While it was a striking object and environment in its own right, the architects used the installation to continue to explore their interest in lightweight building-skin prototypes; it was an extension of research they conducted for Lux Nova (Last slide) and helped inspire the Ohne Titel showroom (First slide).Image courtesy Easton+Combs Easton+Combs's scheme for the 2010 MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program kicked off the firm's deep study of materials, structural innovation, and assembly. The proposed pavilion (it did not win) for PS1' Lux NovaEaston+CombsNew York CityEaston+Combs's scheme for the 2010 MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program kicked off the firm's deep study of materials, structural innovation, and assembly. The proposed pavilion (it did not win) for PS1's courtyard was inspired by Saint-Denis Abbey near Paris, which, in the 12th century, used polychromatic glass in the apse window. The abbot was so inspired by the results, he called it 'lux nova' (new light). Here the architects aimed for a similar effect with fanned-out bands of extruded cellular polycarbonate.Image courtesy Easton+Combs envelope-architecture-design.asp Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/6382-envelope-architecture-design The firm used carefully quirky finishes in this renovation of a formerly rundown Victorian house in San Francisco's Noe Valley. The client'a stylist, skateboarder, and designer'became a colleague when Clipper Street HouseEnvelope Architecture+DesignSan Francisco The firm used carefully quirky finishes in this renovation of a formerly rundown Victorian house in San Francisco's Noe Valley. The client'a stylist, skateboarder, and designer'became a colleague when she went on to work for Envelope for several years after the house was completed.Photo © Todd Hido Housed in a late-19th-century warehouse in the shadow of San Francisco's Transamerica Tower, Envelope's office for Durie Tangri Law draws on the building's utilitarian past and reflects a culture of m Durie Tangri OfficesEnvelope Architecture+DesignSan Francisco Housed in a late-19th-century warehouse in the shadow of San Francisco's Transamerica Tower, Envelope's office for Durie Tangri Law draws on the building's utilitarian past and reflects a culture of making that is common to many of the legal firm's technology clients. The designers left heavy timber beams, pipes, and even data cables exposed in moves that are not unusual on adaptive-reuse projects. But they upped the industrial feel by demarcating meeting spaces with atypically institutional-looking green and blue rubber flooring. Glass partitions give the offices a sense of openness, while doors close for confidential conversations with clients.Photo © Cesar Rubio Housed in a late-19th-century warehouse in the shadow of San Francisco's Transamerica Tower, Envelope's office for Durie Tangri Law draws on the building's utilitarian past and reflects a culture of m Durie Tangri OfficesEnvelope Architecture+DesignSan Francisco Housed in a late-19th-century warehouse in the shadow of San Francisco's Transamerica Tower, Envelope's office for Durie Tangri Law draws on the building's utilitarian past and reflects a culture of making that is common to many of the legal firm's technology clients. The designers left heavy timber beams, pipes, and even data cables exposed in moves that are not unusual on adaptive-reuse projects. But they upped the industrial feel by demarcating meeting spaces with atypically institutional-looking green and blue rubber flooring. Glass partitions give the offices a sense of openness, while doors close for confidential conversations with clients.Photo © Cesar Rubio Envelope has a history of designing exhibition spaces. It made a series of kaleidoscopic cabinets for former SFMOMA curator Henry Urbach's first show at the museum (and also designed a house for him). Pier 24 Photography WarehouseEnvelope Architecture+DesignSan Francisco Envelope has a history of designing exhibition spaces. It made a series of kaleidoscopic cabinets for former SFMOMA curator Henry Urbach's first show at the museum (and also designed a house for him). The firm recently renovated one of San Francisco's historic pier buildings to house the Pilara Family Foundation's large photography collection'shoring up the structure while maintaining its industrial exterior. The space tucks unexpected vantages into an otherwise straightforward presentation of the art. Inside, room-scale boxes that act as galleries have narrow reveals between some walls'allowing peeks into adjacent spaces and creating visual connections without distracting from the images. On one corner, large windows frame a massive view of the water with the Bay Bridge soaring overhead.Photo © Richard Barnes Envelope has a history of designing exhibition spaces. It made a series of kaleidoscopic cabinets for former SFMOMA curator Henry Urbach's first show at the museum (and also designed a house for him). Pier 24 Photography WarehouseEnvelope Architecture+DesignSan Francisco Envelope has a history of designing exhibition spaces. It made a series of kaleidoscopic cabinets for former SFMOMA curator Henry Urbach's first show at the museum (and also designed a house for him). The firm recently renovated one of San Francisco's historic pier buildings to house the Pilara Family Foundation's large photography collection'shoring up the structure while maintaining its industrial exterior. The space tucks unexpected vantages into an otherwise straightforward presentation of the art. Inside, room-scale boxes that act as galleries have narrow reveals between some walls'allowing peeks into adjacent spaces and creating visual connections without distracting from the images. On one corner, large windows frame a massive view of the water with the Bay Bridge soaring overhead.Photo © Richard Barnes For a narrow site in San Francisco's Hayes Valley''on two lots created after the demolition of a freeway that collapsed in the 1989 earthquake'Envelope designed a five-story, multi-unit housing develo Octavia Blvd Lots M + NEnvelope Architecture+DesignSan Francisco For a narrow site in San Francisco's Hayes Valley''on two lots created after the demolition of a freeway that collapsed in the 1989 earthquake'Envelope designed a five-story, multi-unit housing development. Tailored to first-time buyers, the design calls for spaces that average 400 square feet and can be used as either apartments or live-work studios. Set atop storefront retail, the units have built-in beds, kitchen appliances, and other amenities, as well as folding sunshades that double as screens for embedded entertainment systems. The units are designed to be combined as inhabitants start families or grow their businesses.Photo courtesy Envelope A+D For a narrow site in San Francisco's Hayes Valley''on two lots created after the demolition of a freeway that collapsed in the 1989 earthquake'Envelope designed a five-story, multi-unit housing develo Octavia Blvd Lots M + NEnvelope Architecture+DesignSan Francisco For a narrow site in San Francisco's Hayes Valley''on two lots created after the demolition of a freeway that collapsed in the 1989 earthquake'Envelope designed a five-story, multi-unit housing development. Tailored to first-time buyers, the design calls for spaces that average 400 square feet and can be used as either apartments or live-work studios. Set atop storefront retail, the units have built-in beds, kitchen appliances, and other amenities, as well as folding sunshades that double as screens for embedded entertainment systems. The units are designed to be combined as inhabitants start families or grow their businesses.Photo courtesy Envelope A+D When the sluggish economy halted the Octavia Blvd Lots M + N project (above), Envelope won a competition to design and develop an interim use for two adjacent, similarly stalled lots. It created a ser ProxyEnvelope Architecture+DesignSan Francisco When the sluggish economy halted the Octavia Blvd Lots M + N project (above), Envelope won a competition to design and develop an interim use for two adjacent, similarly stalled lots. It created a series of reusable structures to temporarily house everything from a coffee shop to art shows, with the idea that the programming, like the space itself, would be in a constant state of transition. The first phase, which includes a beer garden, a caf', an ice-cream shop, art installations, and a bike-tour company, was completed last year. Three further phases will bring pop-up stores, exhibition spaces, and a covered event area. 'It's moving the city toward an exciting heterogeneity and creating these energizing places,' says Burnham. 'It shows that you can use temporary strategies to activate places that are dormant'and it doesn't have to be there forever.'Photo courtesy Envelope A+D When the sluggish economy halted the Octavia Blvd Lots M + N project (above), Envelope won a competition to design and develop an interim use for two adjacent, similarly stalled lots. It created a ser ProxyEnvelope Architecture+DesignSan Francisco When the sluggish economy halted the Octavia Blvd Lots M + N project (above), Envelope won a competition to design and develop an interim use for two adjacent, similarly stalled lots. It created a series of reusable structures to temporarily house everything from a coffee shop to art shows, with the idea that the programming, like the space itself, would be in a constant state of transition. The first phase, which includes a beer garden, a caf', an ice-cream shop, art installations, and a bike-tour company, was completed last year. Three further phases will bring pop-up stores, exhibition spaces, and a covered event area. 'It's moving the city toward an exciting heterogeneity and creating these energizing places,' says Burnham. 'It shows that you can use temporary strategies to activate places that are dormant'and it doesn't have to be there forever.'Photo courtesy Envelope A+D