PIXEL

PIXEL in Beijing by SAKO Architects.

This complex is composed of 10,000 units of commercial units, residential units, and office units placed on an area of about 210,000 square meters. 19 residential towers are placed uniquely on the site in order to meet the demand for its privacy and hours of sunlight as the residential units.
Twelve numbers of plate-shaped buildings are placed along the outline of the site. The other eight numbers of plate-shaped buildings are placed along the lines in which were led by a slant line running along Chaoyang North Road and the two right-angled lines of the slant line. Therefore, each building has a certain distance to the others by virtue of its “windmill-shaped master plan”.
The elevation design of the buildings is another unique part of this project. Each tower is composed of piled-up units with eight different tones of color of gray. This strategy gives one continuous flowing pattern for the facade of the twelve buildings along the outline of the site. In addition, different tones of one additional color for each building create ten different gradient colors for the buildings, and this gives the sense of coherence to the whole site.

(Source: europaconcorsi.com)

Frank W. Thomas House

Frank W. Thomas House, 210 Forest Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois, USA

The Frank W. Thomas House was commissioned by James C. Rogers for his daughter and her husband, Frank Wright Thomas. In some ways, it resembles the Heurtley House: both homes have leaded glass windows, an arched entryway, and a low, long profile. The Thomas house is widely considered Wright's first Prairie Style home in Oak Park. It is also his first all stuccohome in Oak Park. Using stucco instead of wood meant that Wright could design clear, geometric forms.

The main rooms of the Thomas House are raised a full story above a high basement. The L-shaped floor plan of the house gives it an open view to the north and west, while obscuring a brick wall located on the south side. A "false door" is located just above the arched entryway.

Source: architecture.about.com

House Holman

House Holman by Durbach Block Architects

Durbach Block Architects designed the award winning House Holman in 2004.

The single-family residence is sited on the edge of a 230-foot high cliff flying over the ocean in the town of Dover Heights, west of the city of Sydney in Australia.

The House Holman offers a complex series of spaces to be fluid, enrolled in a perimeter formed by a series of curves and contracurvas that stretch in response to the landscape and the sun.

Living and dining areas cantilever out over the ocean, allowing dramatic views up and down the coast.

The lower floor forms a base that is built from rough stone walls like an extension of the cliff below.

These walls continue along the cliff edge to form a series of eccentric terraced gardens and a vase-shaped rock pool.

Photos by: Neil Durbach, Brett Boardman, Chris Cole, Anthony Browell

Under Pohutukawa Beach House

Under Pohutukawa Beach House by Herbst Architects

The site with which we were presented was extremely challenging in that it was 90% covered in mature pohutukawa trees, the site being a part of a continuous belt of forest that edges the road along the beach front.

The circumstances not so much allowed, but dictated a sensitive poetic response to a building that, in order to exist would require the destruction of a large number of mature trees. To do this we looked to the trees themselves to give us the cues that we needed.

We separated the brief loosely into private and “public” components, giving us smaller individual masses with which to articulate the forms. The private functions of bedrooms and garage are housed in two towers which are construed as freshly sawn stumps of the trees that were removed.

To allude to the bark of the stumps the skins of the towers are clad in black/brown stained rough sawn irregular battens. The interior spaces are then seen as carved out of the freshly cut wood, achieved by detailing all the wall / ceiling and cabinetry elements in the same light timber.

The public space connects the two towers and attempts to engage with the surrounding pohutukawa forest by defining a crossover space between the powerful natural environment and the built form. The plane of the roof form pins off the towers to engage with the continuous tree canopy, disintegrating from a rigid plane to a frayed edge which filters light in a similar way to the leaf canopy.

The primary structure holding up the roof is a series of treeelements which allude to the trunks and branches of trees but are detailed in a rigorous geometric arrangement which suggests an ordering of nature as it enters and forms the building.

The height of the public space with its light glass division responds to the height of the surrounding trees, the roof planeis partially glass to allow the full extent of the trees to be felt as they lean over the building. A walkway links the towers at the upper level allowing engagement with both the natural and man made canopies.

Gran Museo Maya

Gran Museo Maya by William Ramirez Pizarro, located in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Photos by Tamara Uribe.

Architects: 4A Arquitectos
Location: Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
Design Team: Ricardo Combaluzier, Enrique Duarte, William Ramírez, Josefina Rivas
Collaborators: Luis De La Rosa, Alma Villicaña, Carlos Guardián, Mariana Farfán, Julio Rosas, Aída Ordóñez, Fabián Rosas, Ricardo Combaluzier
Area: 22,600 sqm
Year: 2010
Photographs: David Cervera, Alessandra Ortíz, Rocío Rojo

The Gran Museo del Mundo Maya is a building with a contemporary expression about what the Mayans worshiped rather than the Mayans built, in this search we found a recurrent symbol, a key element in the cosmic vision of Mayan Culture: Ceiba, the sacred tree, whose roots penetrates and conforms the underworld, the trunk’s level lays down where life and daily activities take place underneath the shade of its frond which spreads its branches up to the sky and human transcendence.

With this concept of the world’s creation up from three stones and the Ceiba tree, we present the architectural design integrating the program needs and required spaces for the different functional activities, the structural design concept that gives physical bearing to the building and to the other infraestructure engineerings shared out for nurturing and supporting all the museum’s areas. Museum collections, transit cellars, research and study áreas of the great archaeological acquisition and a 260 parking spaces area is located at the “Ceiba’s roots” level.

At the “Ceiba’s trunk” level, up the perron, the main lobby, ticket offices, personal belongins kept area, 2,000 m2 of permanent exhibition rooms and 600 m2 for travelling exhibitions, public relations office, childcare center, restaurant with terrace , souvenir shop and a terrace bar. Executive and administrative offices are located inside the “Ceiba’s frond”, so are the high-definition large format cinema which includes performing arts facilites for various artistic and cultural activities as well as the multi-purpose hall. We understand sustainability as an integral part of any project and in this meaning the aspects considered are:

Environment

Located at the heart of an important urban subcenter at north of Merida, the design raises seeking for natural air and light using passive systems to achieve energy benefits and environmental comfort. The main lobby covered and shaded by “La Ceiba” which holds a hollow core, joints the different floors of the building.

Morris A. Mechanic Theatre.

Morris A. Mechanic Theatre.

The Morris A. Mechanic Theatre is a playhouse at 1 North Charles Street that is part of the Charles Center of Baltimore, Maryland. The theatre was built by and named for owner Morris A. Mechanic who operated a number of theatres in the city.

The Mechanic Theater consists of a square podium that houses retail space and an underground parking garage as part of the Charles Center. The fan-shaped auditorium that seats 1,614 sits on top of the podium and has a street-level entrance on Hopkins Plaza as well as a pedestrian bridge that connects to an elevated walkway leading to other buildings in Charles Center. Balconies are behind the orchestra seats and protrude beyond the exterior walls to give the building the appearance of a ratchet gear when viewed from above.

The exterior of the building is rough concrete that bears the markings from the wooden forms used to create the walls. The street entrance on Hopkins Plaza leads to a stairway that takes patrons to the lobby on the second floor. The exterior lobby wall is glass while interior walls have a faux wood finish or are covered with burnt-orange vinyl. The plaza-level entrance is framed by towers holding stairs and elevators to access the balcony. The stage house is clearly defined as a separate element attached to the auditorium.

In November 2009, the British newspaper Daily Mail reported that Virtual Tourist.com named the Mechanic Theatre as number one in its list of the Top Ten ugliest buildings.

Wood carving workshop

Wood carving workshop by Bergmeister Wolf Architekten.
(Source: europaconcorsi.com)

Hemispheric Theater

Santiago Calatrava's Hemispheric Theater from Valencia, Spain, an Imax cinema, Planetarium and Laserium.

• L'Hemisfèric — an Imax Cinema, Planetarium and Laserium. The building is meant to resemble a giant eye, and has an approximate surface of 13,000 m². The Hemesferic also known as the planetarium or the “eye of knowledge,” is the centerpiece of the City of Arts and Sciences. It was the first building completed in 1998. Its design resembles an eyelid that opens to access the surrounding water pool. The bottom of the pool is glass, creating the illusion of the eye as a whole. This planetarium is a half-sphere composed of concrete 110 meters long and 55.5 meters wide. The shutter is built of elongated aluminum awnings that fold upward collectively to form a brise soleil roof that opens along the curved axis of the eye. It opens to reveal the dome, the pupil of the eye, which is the Ominax theater. The City of Arts and Sciences is divided in half by a set of stairs that descend into the vaulted concrete lobby. The underground spaces are illuminated with the use of translucent glass panels within the walking path. The transparent roof is supported by concrete arches that connect to the sunken gallery. There is a miraculous echo inside of the building and if two people stay on the two opposite pillars inside of the eye they can seamlessly speak with each other.

Source: wikipedia.org

University “An der Karlsburg”

University “An der Karlsburg”, Bremerhaven by Kister Scheithauer Gross

A triangular plot is home to the new institute building of the university in Bremerhaven. The building, consequently set to the north of the plot boundaries, transforms into an architectural sculpture towards the Kennedy-bridge. The angular structure with setoffs and folds opens up surprisingly. An outside staircase develops into a multi-layered sculptural building which is crowned by the accentuated entrance hall and gives the building outline its distance effect.

The library with individual learning area, language laboratory, exhibition level, reading and freehand area are located on the ground floor and first floor, starting from the entrance hall. Auditoriums as well as larger seminary rooms are located on the first floor. Institute rooms are located on the subsequent levels, while administration rooms are located on the top floor.

The new building’s engineering brick skin gives it - in addition to the pure form - a sculptural effect. The peat-baked engineering bricks colored in brown-black-red enclose the whole building and cover the sloped roof surface of the auditorium as well as its soffit. Openings, set as accents, underline the character and give an insight into the building's interior with its vibrant play of colors.

The concurrence of urban planning design and the massive haptic materiality created an unmistakeable building for its location. It is a durable and resistant brick sculpture which will become part of the memory and city's outline.


Client:
Senate for Education and Science, Bremen

BGF:
6,900 m²

Cost:
12.0 million €

Completion:
2005

LPH:
1-9 general planning

1st prize Realization competition 2002

Source: indian-architects.com

Origami Office Building

Origami Office Building by Manuelle Gautrand

The project was implemented in two parts: the main building on a 20 meter-wide stripe on the avenue, and an extension in the rear, between two courtyard gardens. At the ground floor level, the lobby plays on transparency between the street front and the main garden. The building in the rear of the lot is more private, and it is there that the cafeteria and meeting rooms are laid out, with garden space on both sides. 

The unusual location of the site led us to design a project that would embrace and take advantage of the view and immerse into the natural light. An emblematic showcase of the building – the main façade is mostly glass, partially covered with a second-skin of screen-printed marble pattern. 

The rendered effect is a tremendous origami and the view of this delicate folded marble can be enjoyed both from exterior and interior of the building. 

The panels are composite, a film of marble mounted on a twin layer of glass. The symmetrical panels that are folded and assembled by two form an “open-book” pattern and thus highlight the design of the veins of the marble. 

This second skin is translucent and acts as a breast wall to ensure privacy as well as filter daylight, creating a soft interior atmosphere.

Marble folds create a vibration along the 30 meter-long front. At both ends, in continuity with the façades of neighboring buildings, the origami becomes calmer and flattens out. But in the central part it forms a delicate bas-relief.

The project then develops into the depth of the site with the same objective of clarity while adding a strong presents of plants. The offices roofed with large lawns weave around the two courtyard gardens. 

The lobby functions as a meeting point of these two atmospheres – the urban and sophisticated of the main façade, and the more private and verdant of the other side of the building. The interior spaces were designed in a contemporary spirit, highlighting the luminous atmosphere with light-colored and soft materials. 

Thecnical description - programme for the operation: 

Luxurious high level offices, lobby, relaxation area / cafeteria and 6 meeting rooms; courtyard garden and gardened roof with an open access. Computer rooms, technical premises, archives and parking lot (85 car places) on the existing 4-level underground area. 

- environmental approach environnementale:

The project is certified “HQE” - High Environmental Quality - ("NF bâtiments tertiaires - Démarche HQE®”: “French High Environmental quality standard for office buildings”). 
The criteria of 14 points have been distributed as following:

Highly efficient: Construction site with minimal environmental nuisance 
Management of waste disposal 
Maintenance services management 
Acoustic comfort 
Efficient: Choice of products and construction methods
Energy management 
Hygrothermal comfort 
Air quality 
Good: Harmonious relationship of the building with its immediate environment 
Water management 
Visual comfort 
Olfactory comfort 
Sanitary quality of spaces 
Sanitary quality of water 

Source: archilovers.com

Jinan Grand Theater

Jinan Grand Theater by Chinapaul Andreu architecte.

The building complex is situated in the park surrounded by landscape. All building parts form a composition around a gravity centre in the middle. The 3 roof shells of the Grand Theatre span a force line to the 3 towers. The common architectural language of all building parts will give the identity to the site and the whole New West Jinan area. The building has a highly memorisable icon effect. Public life will be concentrated in the centre of the complex so that cultural exchange can happen. The roof on each side of the Central Plaza will give shelter to the visitors while the in-between space is open and glazed to bring in light into that open space. The glazed centre part will permit to cross from one to the other side even during the rain periods.

Architect: Paul Andreu architecte
Associated local architect: BIAD (Beijing institute of architectural design)
Location: Jinan, China
Client: Construction & investment co., ltd for Jinan west district
Programme: opera house (1800 seats); concert hall (1600 seats); theater (500 seats); shopping center (60,000m2)
Area: 72,000 m2
Stage design: ducks
Acoustics: Kahle acoustics

(Sources: wordlesstech.com and europaconcorsi.com)

Wuxi Grand Theatre

Wuxi Grand Theatre by PES-Architects
(Source: archinect.com)

Wuxi Grand Theatre is a one of the key cultural projects in Wuxi, China. Wuxi Grand Theater stands on the south bank of Taihu Lake and covers a total area of more than 70,000 square meters. The building is designed by Finnish architect Pekka Salminen.

The main idea of Wuxi Grand Theatre is based on its location. The manmade peninsula on the northern shore area of Taihu Lake and the highway bridge nearby make this location comparable to that of Sydney Opera House. Due to this location the building is an impressive landmark, rising up to a total height of 50 meters like a big sculpture from the terraced base. Its eight gigantic roof wings stretch far over the facades, giving the building a character of a butterfly, while protecting the building from the heat of the sun.

The architectural concept is unique: inside the steel wings are thousands of LED lights, which make it possible to change the colour of the wings according to the character of the performances. This is possible, because the underside of the wings is covered by perforated aluminium panels. Another special feature is the “forest” of 50 light columns, each 9 meter high, which start from the main entrance square, support the roof of the central lobby and continue outside of the lakeside entrance into the lake.

A strong Chinese feature that runs throughout the whole building is the large scale use of bamboo, both a traditional and a modern Chinese material. Recently new methods for the production and use of bamboo have made it possible to cover the Main Theatre Auditorium with over fifteen thousand solid bamboo blocks, all individually shaped according to acoustic needs and architectural image. The Main Auditorium counts 1680 seats split up in main stalls and two balconies. The horseshoe shape and compact volume combined with variable acoustics creates a flexible venue which can host traditional western style operas, Chinese operas, theatre performances, classical concerts, and even conferences. The main auditorium is combined with a smaller 700 seat auditorium which is designed as a multifunctional black box theatre with retractable seats and multiple options for seating layout.

(Source: wikipedia.org)