Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Building Safety Fund

The UK Government has launched its 1 billion building safety fund, initially revealed in the most recent Budget announcement by Chancellor, Rishi Sunak. The registration process is now open and closes on 31 July 2020.

The building safety fund is designed to help building owners and landlords replace unsafe non-ACM cladding on residential buildings at least 18 metres high which do not comply with building regulations. Unsafe non-ACM cladding includes certain types of other (non-Aluminium) metal composite or high pressure laminate panels, render and timber wall systems.

The scheme follows previous government funding of 600 million for the remediation of ACM (Aluminium Composite Material) cladding systems such as those used on Grenfell Tower for high-rise social and private sector residential buildings.

The new fund is aimed at making sure tenants, leaseholders and residents are safe and feel safe, by remediating unsafe non-ACM cladding systems. The fund will meet the cost of remediating non-ACM cladding systems where building owners (or other entities legally responsible for making buildings safe) are unable to do so.

In the private sector, the fund will meet the capital costs of removing and replacing unsafe non-ACM cladding systems which would otherwise be passed on to leaseholders.

For social housing, the Government will meet the costs of remediation to high rise residential buildings regulated as social housing. For social providers whose viability is not threatened by the cost of the work, a claim process will be launched in July to meet the remediation costs which would otherwise be passed to leaseholders.

But ministers have made it clear that they except building owners who are already remediating their buildings to continue doing so, and that building owners should explore every opportunity to fund this work before seeking government funding or passing their costs to leaseholders.

Funding will also be provided for mixed use residential and commercial developments in both sectors. But where remediation work has already started, or where work has previously been committed to prior to the budget announcement in March, funding will not be available.

The fund will apply to the removal and replacement of cladding systems with panels achieving European Class C-s1,d0 or worse in combination with any class of insulation, or cladding systems with panels achieving European Class B-s1,d0 to Class B-s3,d2 with insulation achieving Class B-s1,d0 or lower, unless the system has achieved a BR135 certificate via a BS8414 test. Any building with insulation or filler achieving Class B-s1,d0 or lower that is not installed in line with a system with a BR135 certificate via a BS8414 test will also be eligible to register.

Launching the scheme, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: I will not accept any excuses from building owners who have yet to take action, and those responsible should register for the fund so that they can start the remediation process immediately. I have also reached an agreement with local leaders so that this important work can continue safely during the pandemic.

The registration process is now open and closes on 31 July 2020.

Under the Building (Amendment) Regulations 2018, the Government banned the use of combustible materials on the external walls of new high rise residential buildings with a storey at least 18m above ground level.

The Government is also amending guidance in Approved Document B which makes sprinkler systems and floor and flat identification signage mandatory in new high-rise blocks over 11m tall. The amended guidance will come into force in England on 26 November 2020 and is the first part of a full technical review of Approved Document B.

In addition, the Government is consulting with the National Fire Chiefs Council to begin testing evacuation alert systems for high-rise blocks of flats, which could support fire and rescue services operational response by alerting residents if they need to escape.

Know your fire safety responsibilities.

Business owners have many responsibilities, but the consequences of neglecting your fire safety responsibilities are potentially unthinkable.

Download this guide to get:

Government launches 1bn Building Safety Fund to replace cladding on high rise residential buildingsThe Government has launched its 1 billion building safety fund, initially revealed in the most recent Budget announcement by Chancellor, Rishi Sunak.

Ron Alalouff

Post-Grenfell regulation aims to transform fire safety in buildings

View original post here:
Government launches 1bn Building Safety Fund to replace cladding on high rise residential buildings - IFSEC Global

The M Station office/retail redevelopment will be both functional and beautiful, project attorney Frank Vitolo told the Morristown planning board on Thursday.

For nearly three hours, architects pitched a people-centered design for a vibrant new destination in town.

They said elements will include a green wall and polyester scrim murals, possibly depicting local historical scenes, on the six-story parking deck.

Two terra-cotta sided office buildings, standing six- and seven stories, will be in slightly different shades of umber, to appear less monolithic.

A terraced plaza will be suitable for concerts and poetry readings, the board was told. Light-colored pavement, new trees near the deck, and plantings in the proposed traffic roundabout should prevent the four-acre site from becoming a heat island. Low-reflection windows should prevent birds from killing themselves.

The overall look is informed by George & Marthas American Grille, across Morris Street, and an apartment building under construction at 45 Market St., according to project architect Peter Wang of the Gensler firm.

Youre filling in a piece of land that has meaning and context to it it forces the architect to respect what is there, what Morristown looks and feels like. You cant just drop something in like its from outer space, Wang testified.

Slideshow screenshots by Kevin Coughlin. Click / hover on images for captions:

Scotto Properties and SJP Properties aim to replace Scottos Midtown Shopping Center strip mall at Morris and Spring streets with nearly 400,000 square feet of offices and retail, a parking deck, promenade, plaza and traffic roundabout.

Big Four accounting firm Deloitte has been announced as an anchor tenant.

Approved by the town council last October, M Station needs site plan approval from the planning board.

Thursdays meeting, conducted via Zoom because of the pandemic, was M Stations third before the board. An engineer and a traffic consultant testified previously.

When everyone Zooms back on June 11, 2020, Vitolo intends to present details on stagingwhen each piece will be built, and how those pieces will function as construction unfolds.

A fly-through by project consultant Roger Smith showed board members renderings of M Station as viewed from Morris and Spring streets; Spring Place; the Spring Hills assisted living center behind the site; and from the post office, near the Morristown Green.

Board Chairman Joe Stanley described it as one of the better design presentations hes seen. Wang insisted the real thing will surpass the drawings.

PENTHOUSES?

There were some questions. Board member Dick Tighe asked about lost revenue from metered parking spaces that will be eliminated on Morris Street and Lackawanna Place. Vitolo said he will discuss that next week with the Morristown Parking Authority.

Mayor Tim Dougherty said hes not convinced that 11-percent reflective windows and dimmed lights at night will avert bird strikes. He also sounded lukewarm about the terra-cotta design, saying he wanted to observe New York offices in that style.

And what happens when the murals 10-year warranty expires? inquired board member Debra Gottsleben. Wang said he hoped it would be a matter of pride for any future owner to maintain the scrims.

Renderings showed mechanical equipment atop the two buildings shielded from view by boxy structures Wang called penthouses.

To me, that doesnt look like a penthouse, said Board Planner Greer Patras.

And despite the architects efforts to create texture with cornices, colors and contrasting window patterns, Patras felt the buildings still appeared flat. She also contended the bright white parking deck clashed with the rest of the color scheme.

Morristown requires major developments to underwrite public art on their properties. Questioned by Patras, Wang said the murals are not meant to satisfy that obligation.

Project art will be discussed at a future meeting, said Vitolo, the M Station attorney.

Patras also wanted to know if M Station will include non-binary (gender-neutral) bathrooms (it wont), and whether the coronavirus, with its emphasis on social distancing and low-touch fixtures, has prompted any design changes.

Were still in the throes of the pandemic its definitely an ongoing dialogue we are having, Wang said.

A reporters questions about Deloittes lease status, and the viability of office buildings in a COVID-19 world, were not entertained; public questions were limited to specific testimony.

Large audiences brought plenty of questions to last years council hearings. Nobody watching from home on Thursday posed any queries to the board.

Responding to board questions from last weeks hearing, Vitolo said the developers have agreed to extend water lines to the roundabout for plantings. They also will monitor on-site air quality during construction, for the benefit of the Spring Hills assisted living center, he said.

In one of the Thursdays more interesting exchanges, Wang explained why windows represent 45 percent of the two buildings facades. Sunlight makes for happier, healthier employeeshe claimed hospitals with more sun have better patient outcomes.

Windows also symbolize transparency for companies like Deloitte, he asserted.

We want you to see us, and we want to see you, Wang said.

MORE ABOUT M STATION.

Here is the original post:
Here's what architects say M Station will look like in Morristown - Morristown Green

In his upcoming book, California Homes II, architect William Hefner showcases six years of work, ranging from modern and sleek to historic and rustic, all celebrating his holistic approach to design and the spirit of Southern California.

His namesake Studio William Hefner, located in Los Angeles, has increased its range of modern projects and opened an office in Montecito, all while expanding its horizons across the regions cinematic landscape of canyons, palisades and grand Old Hollywood neighborhoods, as Hefner writes in the book, which features architecture, interior design and landscape design by the firm, founded in 1989.

We have 10 projects in it, and I spent almost two years working on every detail, Hefner said of the 400-page opus, set for release this month. Its predecessor, California Homes, also from Images Publishing Group, came out in 2013.

Hefner describes his style, whether the design is contemporary or traditional, as combining luxury and simplicity tailored and restrained but not austere.

Theres nothing monastic about what we do, Hefner said. Theres enough detail and complexity happening visually that it feeds you, in a way.

Im more concerned with things being classic and timeless than trendy, if possible, he added. I really like trying something that weve never really tried before, but dialing it into something that will resonate for people.

Such was the case with one of the ambitious projects featured in the book, the playful yet slick Brise Soleil. The modern Beverly Hills abode features heat-protective metal louvers, whimsical pink-and-mint glass panels and a massive L-shaped pool wrapped around a backyard lounge, creating an 82-foot swimming lane.

When we asked the owner what he was looking for, he said, I just want something really out of the box. I mean, what client tells you that? That was a real dream project, Hefner said.

Another example, Romero Canyon in Montecito, was the realization of a more personal dream for the architect, one shared with his late wife and longtime creative partner, Kazuko Hoshino. She died in April.

A rustic family home hugged by the Santa Catalina Mountains and 200-year-old California live oak trees, it groups neighboring structures into a compound to share with family and friends.

How did you get your start as an architect?

When I was a kid I used to sketch floor plans; it was a no-brainer, it just seemed like what I would always do. I ended up going to graduate school at UCLA and for eight years designed high-rise buildings all over the world for an international company called Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. It was a good education, but it wasnt what I loved, so I started doing homes. Almost 30 years a long time.

Where do you pull inspiration for your work?

Probably travel; remember those days when we could do that? After graduate school I lived in Greece for a year, and as a kid lived in Ireland for a summer. Kazuko and I were married for a while before we had kids and would just take off and go whenever there was sort of a lull in work. Because of her being from Japan, we traveled a lot through Asia Vietnam, Singapore, Bali. And also in Europe.

Tell me about your environmental building and sustainable architecture practices.

Sustainability is important to us, and we were fortunate to get a good lesson in green building and design on a house we did for [actor and passionate environmentalist] Ed Begley Jr. It was really fun because he had very lofty goals everything had to be sustainable and off the grid. Planting and irrigating were OK only if it grew food; we had rainwater catchment, gray water, lots of solar panels and battery backup. It was like a post-graduate degree, in a way, and a tremendous learning experience that Ive tried to apply to other projects over the last couple of years.

You also do historical restoration work.

Ive lived in Hancock Park for the last 25 years, and its been really satisfying taking a house that is almost 100 years old and modernizing the floor plan a bit, without losing the character. I think weve done over 20 restoration projects in the last few years for ourselves and other people my art history background has paid off doing that. Its a really fun part of our practice, and much better in terms of environmental impact.

How did you and Kazuko meet and end up working together as designers?

We met about five years into my own practice. After five years of being married, I dared to ask the what if we worked together question, being a little afraid of the whole thing. I thought that proposal was riskier than the first one. The office was growing, and I couldnt really cover the interiors, the architecture and the landscape all myself, so it was great timing. Then she came in and led that part of the firm.

See more here:
Architect William Hefner's style: luxury and simplicity - Los Angeles Times

Not only is the studio working extensively on a global portfolio of projects, Tatiana Bilbao is also a visiting professor at Yale she has also taught at Harvard, Columbia and Rice and the studio has exhibitions (not currently open to the public) of their work at the Louisiana in Denmark (opened in October 2019) and at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (due to open in October 2020). While working abroad may be partly in response to commercial pressures, it is certainly also part of a more complex idea of cultural interchange in architecture today. There can be no doubt that a developed international recognition can help professional status in Mexico, but it must also be true that her deep regional understanding of a different set of issues in her immediate context gives her a voice and well-grounded credibility in that international scene.

Speaking to Tatiana Bilbao, there is a sense of pride in being a Mexican architect, and the professional solidarity that she enjoys with her contemporaries such as Frida Escobedo, Fernando Romero, Michael Rojkind, and a strong connection to the countrys art community her first project was for the artist Gabriel Orozco. It is a very knitted together community, she says, because the formal institutions dont help. I have the impression that this self-constructed community is reinforced by a sense of belonging to an extraordinary lineage of Mexican architects, confirming the cultural role and status of architects in Mexico, as well as maintaining strong discourse on the purpose and the role of architecture in changing their country. Few countries can boast such an important modernist heritage with Luis Barragn, Flix Candela, Pedro Ramrez Vzquez, Ricardo Legorreta, Francisco J. Serrano, Jos Villagrn Garca, Juan OGorman, Mario Pani, Enrique del Moral, Agustn Hernndez Navarro, Teodoro Gonzlez de Len, Abraham Zabludovsky, to name just a few. Boosted by the patronage of the government in the 1940s and 1950s as they sought to build an image of modernity, these architects developed a local modernism rooted in the movements universal social ambitions and in response to the realities of their surrounding context. The lineage has continued through to contemporary masters such as Alberto Kalach and Enrique Norten and is alive today in this new, younger generation despite the different political terrain in which they operate.

Excerpt from:
Tatiana Bilbao: Addressing poverty is the context of Mexican architects - Domus

IIDA has announced JKMM Architects as the Best of Competition winner for the 2020 Interior Design Competition for their project Amos Rex. The annual competition celebrates outstanding interior design/interior architecture that encourages new ideas and techniques in the design and furnishing of interior spaces.

Located in Lasipalatsi, Mannerheimintie, Helsinki, the world-class museum features a complex of domed, subterranean galleries that emerge from the ground to form a one-of-a-kind art landscape. "The designers did a fantastic job playing with scale in this project and melding current design with history," commented Michael Davis, founder and principal, Michael Davis Architects + Interiors, on behalf of the jury. "They have created an iconic and sculptural adaptive re-use project that celebrates the experience of art in a warm, eclectic space bathed in natural light."

The firm was chosen from 12 finalists and six category winners and was announced as the Best of Competition winner during a virtual celebration on June 2. "We appreciate the design team's fresh and lively use of geometry to create an iconic and original experience to view art," stated IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst, Hon, FIIDA. "The underground gallery is a playground for both art-lovers and inquisitive minds alike."

Read more:
IIDA Announces JKMM Architects as 47th Annual Interior Design Awards Best of Competition Winner - Dexigner

anchor

Parking House + Konditaget Lders. Image courtesy of JAJA Architects

In collaboration with the Danish Design Center (DDC) and trade organization of Design Denmark, the annual awards aims to provide a look into "the best design solutions" within the country. This year, across 15 categories, winners were selected for their design's impact within "industry, society, and everyday life."

For the Livable Cities category, the design award went to Copenhagen-based architecture firm JAJA Architects and their project Parking House + Konditaget Lders.

The practice used their expertise in architecture and urban planning to help transform the roof of a parking structure in the neighborhood of Nordhavn by transforming it into a new sports and play facility. According to a statement from the team, "instead of concealing the parking structure, we proposed a concept that enhances the beauty of the structural grid while breaking up the scale of the massive facade."

Parking House + Konditaget Lders. Konditaget Luders is owned by By & Havn and made in collaboration with Totalentreprenr 5e byg, Sren Jensen Engineers, LOA, DGI, and Rama Studio. Image courtesy of JAJA Architects

Parking House + Konditaget Lders. Image courtesy of JAJA Architects

Jury's Comments: "This is the first time we have seen a parking house come alive. The living roof has been incorporated into the building in a very intelligent way, allowing people to run and play, while giving them access to a view,you would normally have to pay for. There are parking houses all over the world, and with this example Denmark can position itself as a leader in this field. Other major cities will want to copy this solution and/or hire Danish companies to design it. We haveseen the use of rooftops for leisure before e.g. for private tennis courts and pools but with its public access, this solution has a democratic appeal."

Parking House + Konditaget Lders. Image courtesy of JAJA Architects

Parking House + Konditaget Lders. Image courtesy of JAJA Architects

ChristianBason, CEO, Danish Design Center shares in a statement: "Corona has changed a lot - also the format for this year's Danish Design Award.But one thing is certain: Design has never been more important.We know we need the creative solutions when we need to restart Denmark and the world - which is why it has been a very special privilege this year to help celebrate the difference that design can make.

Parking House + Konditaget Lders. Image courtesy of JAJA Architects

Learn more about the listed winners below and their works here:

Melbourne Affordable Housing Challenge

Register by Tue, Jun 16, 2020

Submit by Tue, Dec 8, 2020

Looking for an internship? BIG, CHIPPERFIELD, LIBESKIND: discover internships and lectures of "Architecture for Exhibition" - 2020 edition

Register/Submit by Fri, Jul 17, 2020

Prisons Redesigned!

Register by Thu, Jun 18, 2020

Submit by Thu, Dec 10, 2020

Outer Space 2020

Register by Thu, Jul 23, 2020

Submit by Thu, Aug 6, 2020

See original here:
JAJA Architects is one of 15 winners for this year's Danish Design Awards - Archinect

In The 1990s, We All Became Free: In Conversation with Jiakun Liu of Jiakun Architects

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Whatsapp

Mail

Or

Jiakun Liu was born in 1956 in Chengdu, China. Architecture was not his first choice to pursue at school, as he originally wanted to be an artist. He heard that architecture had something to do with drawing, so he applied to Chongqing Institute of Architecture and Engineering, not fully understanding what his role as an architect would be. After his graduation in 1982, Liu worked at the Chengdu Architectural Design Academy for two years, the experience he did not enjoy. So, he set out on a self-searching journey that lasted for over a decade, spending time in Tibet and Xinjiang in West China where he practiced meditation, painting, and writing, producing several works of fiction, while officially working at the Literature Academy as a writer.

+ 73

In 1993, Liu was invited to attend an architectural exhibition by his former classmate. Encountering those projects suddenly rekindled his interest in architecture and he decided to give his dormant passion another chance. He finally started his practice, Jiakun Architects in 1999, in his hometown. Since then his work attracted universal acclaim that brought prestigious awards, including the 2003 Chinese Architecture and Art Prize. The architects work was exhibited both at Art and Architecture Venice Biennales and his solo exhibition at AEDES Gallery in Berlin was held in 2017. In 2018, Liu presented his inaugural Serpentine Pavilion Beijing. His architecture is rooted in social and vernacular traditions, oriental aesthetics, close observation of everyday life, refinement of folk skills and wisdom, and is characterized as being fully integrated with nature. The following conversation, a full version of which will be published in the upcoming book China Dialogues, was recorded as I spoke with Jiakun Liu over WeChat video call. Singapore-based graduate student Weili Zhang helped us with live translation.

Vladimir Belogolovsky: Your architecture is about making, building, and revealing the everyday, and what is authentic about living in China. What else is your work about? What is your main goal as an architect?

Jiakun Liu: There are many issues that I am very concerned about, particularly with the juxtaposition of the utopian and the everyday, modernity and traditions, collective memories and personal memory, as well as sustainability. In every one of my projects, I try to focus on all of these issues. Although each project will face comprehensive problems, the focus of each project will be different. Again, going back to one of my first projects, the Luyeyuan Stone Sculpture Art Museum, my key focus was on lyricism, on the poetry of space itself. But if you look at my West Village project here in Chengdu, you will find that the focus is much more on the social engagement of people. And not only those living there, but even those who live all around it. In fact, many of my projects pay particular attention to how they fit into their surroundings. If Luyeyuan Stone Sculpture Art Museum is the poetry, then West Village is sociology.

VB: Could you talk about your design process? In one of your lectures, you said that in most cases you work with unskilled laborers and before initiating your design you meet with them to discuss what they are capable of. I heard that you do that even before starting your design. You said in one of your lectures, Once I understand what the workers can do, then I can design my building. Is that right?

JL: This is true, but not in the very beginning. In the beginning, I will still have a basic conception of the overall design. Of course, I want to know what builders are capable of, so I dont design something they cant build. But in the very beginning, I spend time to discover various issues. First, I need to investigate the site and fully understand the context. During this stage, I would decide on what the problems are and how to tackle them.

VB: Ever since the 2008 Sichuan earthquake you initiated the use of brick or cement block reconstructed from the rubble of the demolished buildings to facilitate rebirth of culture and place. Due to the use of this technique you are referred to as the architect of memory. Could you talk about this technique and do you rely on it in your other projects since then?

JL: The origin of that rebirth brick idea was, of course, the fact that the earthquake left so much destruction and rubble. The immediate problem was all about rebuilding. So, it was important to come up with a creative and fast way to rebuild. And this technique proved to be very sustainable. I am very proud of being able to create a so-called building block for producing my own kind of architecture. And I kept using it for a while in a number of subsequent projects, even years after the earthquake. To this day I sometimes use this technique, but the source, the rubble from the earthquake has become very limited over the years and there is not much left of it.

VB: So, your idea of the rebirth brick did not merge into your iconic and unique way of building? Isnt there enough rubble from widespread demolition in China to keep this idea going?

JL: First, I dont consider this technique as my unique architectural gesture because I dont want to be tied to a single architectural element and be recognized for just one kind of attitude. The idea is to use this technique strategically where it is appropriate. The other reason is very mundane, which is the cost of such a process. Initially, right after the earthquake, there was a lot of readily available rubble and, therefore, the cost was very low. Whereas, now, if I want to continue using the same technique, I have to spend a lot of money and effort to find the rubble from a particular demolition. So now it has become more challenging and from the standpoint of sustainability, it no longer makes as much sense as before.

VB: What do you think about the notion of authorship in architecture? Are you at all concerned with how to leave a particular trace, your own mark, as an author? For example, would you say that your reliance on using the rebirth brick, even if strategic and not universal, is what makes your architecture distinctive, unique, and identifiable with you personally?

JL: I do care about authorship and personal character, and unique identity, but I dont think it needs to be conscious or contrived. It should come subconsciously and spontaneously, not deliberately. Of course, there are architects who are known for inventing their own formally recognizable language. But I dont belong to that camp. What I want to follow is not a fixed symbol or style, but a consolidated methodology and common spiritual temperament. Having a style is like a double-edged sword, it is beneficial for being recognized, but it puts a lot of limitations on what is possible.

VB: What single-term words would you use to describe your work most accurately or the kind of architecture you strive to achieve?

JL: I am not good at making conclusions with single words. Quite the opposite, as I like things to be inconclusive. Let me refer to Martin Heideggers poem Poetically Man Dwells. I like to think that poetry lies at the core of my work.

VB: What is a good building for you?

JL: I often question this myself What is a good building? What can we expect from good architecture? Well, it is like defining oneself, which is a very difficult task. I like different buildings for different reasons. But what I particularly like about any building is when I stand in front of it and experience an emotional sensation. At the same time, I like certain unsettledness. Speaking of my own buildings, I like it when I feel that I might have done something wrong. In other words, I like buildings that welcome alternative readings. I dont like architecture that pretends to be perfect. For example, my West Village is a maxi-courtyard that occupies an entire city block to maximize the inner area with sports activities and park, welcoming a diverse public life. Its key feature is that the entire courtyard was built along the streets, and the elevated walkways along the perimeter, floating above the rooftops. This constant change of altitude is unique, and it activates a dynamic flow of energy within the entire neighborhood. I see this project as a typological innovation, a new way of living together, a new social structure, even an attempt to build a new kind of urban utopia.

VB: In other words, what you are saying is that architecture has reached a certain level of relevance and creativity about a decade ago and since then it has not evolved much besides adjusting itself here and there, and it has turned into a formulaic style with all its rigidity and expectations, right?

JL: You can say that.

VB: Here is my perception so many independent architects in China are focused on the issue of regional identity. This offers a great alternative to so-called global architecture, but dont you think this predominant focus on history, traditions, materiality, and regionalism limits architects possibilities? There seems to be no such liberating and necessary premise that architecture could really be anything.

JL: I agree that there needs to be a balance. Nowadays we pay a great deal of attention to our history. However, we need to derive our ideas and inspirations from both our local culture and from whatever is learned and developed around the world. In fact, I disagree with the view that globalization needs to be resisted. That would lead to a closure of ideas and attitudes. Ideas should be shared and multiplied. We should take what is quintessential about different cultures to enrich our own. Architecture should benefit from creative ideas no matter where they come from.

VB: Together with such architects as Yung Ho Chang, Wang Shu, Li Xiaodong, and Zhu Pei you belong to the first generation of independent architects in China. I wonder how you see them as moving in one direction and sharing a particular common ground or do you perceive your work differently, and if so, in what way?

JL: Compare to some of the architects you mentioned I see myself as a latecomer. I went away for more than a decade and rekindled my interest in architecture when these architects were already practicing for quite some time. I think what we all have in common is a certain hunger for learning and opening up to many ideas that were out of reach before. And most of these architects were exposed to living and studying abroad for many years before coming back, so their work was infused by what they have learned overseas. And there was a kind of urgency to innovate and build after a long period of official government-approved style. Then in the 1990s, we all became free. I relate more to Wang Shu because his focus is on analyzing and reproaching our own culture and utilizing traditions in new and innovative ways. One fundamental difference between my work and Wang Shus is that I would never directly recycle ancient materials as entities. I respect tradition. I hope my work carries the spirit of Chinese traditions, but I dont want to bring ready-made traditional techniques and materials into my architecture, preferring to use contemporary techniques and materials. There is no ambiguity about what is contemporary and what is not.

VB: I read that in one of your interviews you pointed out that Many contemporary buildings dont have shadows. What did you mean by that?

JL: Let me correct that. I must have talked about the necessity for buildings to have what can be described as an atmosphere. Let me refer to the notion of shadows in In Praise of Shadows written by Japanese novelist Junichiro Tanizaki, not typical shadows we find in nature. A shadow is a physical phenomenon, but I referred to qualities that may not be quite visible. Yet, they are very important, nevertheless. For buildings to project a particular atmosphere or aura is very difficult to achieve. It is important for buildings to contain stories, even secrets.

Read the original:
In The 1990s, We All Became Free: In Conversation with Jiakun Liu of Jiakun Architects - ArchDaily

Designed by Breakspear Architects for a pair of avid gardeners and their daughter, the Courted House is a place to pause and escapewhere everyday to-dos are swapped for gardening and spending quality time as a family.

Located in a suburban plot west of Sydney, this 2,100-square-foot dwelling reimagines the idea of living in the Australian bush, where the garden is considered to be part of the home. A fresh take on the courtyard house, the home is encircled by walls with a garden at its heart.

According to the architects, "Courted House is intended to support a lifetime of coexistence between a family, their garden, and the surrounding city."

The rectangular floor plan is composed of a grid of nine double-height courts that are defined by cedar-clad beams. The courts are similarly sized and can accommodate a variety of uses and furniture arrangements. The central courtyard brings together all of the homes functionscooking, eating, and lounging.

The courtyard is the heart of the home. Its carved out of the building, providing a secluded retreat.

The courtyard includes a sun-filled deck, plantings, and a small run of stepping stones that lead towards the homes entry.

The central courtyard is secluded from the busy surrounds. Lined with a landscaped garden, the tall walls frame the sky and form a central point around which daily life revolves. As stated by the architects, "the whole interior becomes a veranda; an outdoor interior of garden and home inextricably one."

Delicate ferns grow beneath a Myrtle canopy in the courtyard, forming a cool microclimate at the homes center.

The kitchen fully embraces one edge of the courtyard with a large opening that blurs the boundaries between inside and out.

Quadrants are outlined by cedar-clad bands which slice through the ceiling and extend out to meet the courtyards cedar cladding.

Living takes place within, across, and around the central courtyard. Four private courts occupy the plans corners, and each has a loft space and opens to the garden. "The clients request for a retreat suggested an escape where architecture, interiors, and landscape could be liberated from hierarchies to become a rich, singular tapestry," say the architects.

The efficient floor plan eliminates the need for corridors, maintaining seamless connections between and across spaces.

The outer courts are used for bedrooms and studies. Each has its own view of the garden.

Sparse built-in furnishings allow the spaces to be easily reconfigured for different functions. Within the first two years of living here, the owners have used the private courts as bedrooms, home offices, storage, and even as workshops for producing candles and soap for sale.

The interior finish materials are subdued, allowing the garden and sky to shine as focal points. Tall, white planes play with light and shadow, concrete floors ground the home, and cedar cladding wraps the home inside and out.

The rear garden, visible from this living court, includes a vegetable patch, fruit trees, and lawn for plenty of play area.

The exterior treatment is essential to the homes feeling of privacy. Perforated steel screens and cement panels shield the interior from the surrounding streets. The homes outer walls are rarely punctured, but when they are its in purposeful ways.

Perforated steel screens provide shading and privacy to the interior living spaces. The garden extends from the inner courtyard to the rear yard with open, connected spaces.

Glass blocks allow soft light to enter the kitchen without distracting from the courtyard view.

View post:
A Lush Garden Is the Hidden Heart of This Courtyard House - Dwell

Three towers on Nikkelveien Street in Sandnes, Norway, overlook a fjord from the top of a hill in this project by Helen & Hard Architects, constructed out of timber and concrete clad in aluminium. It all started with the finding of a precious Viking tomb not far from the location of the three towers, but this did not stop the architects from completing the construction, located on a hill with a view over an enchanting fjord and the archaeological site. The client wanted to limit land use in order to obtain a ground-level visual space, allowing the inhabitants of the 113 residential units to enjoy their natural setting to the hilt. In this way excessive land use was avoided in the construction of the three tower blocks that have come to symbolise the district. They were constructed in a tree form, transforming the stairwell into a central weight-bearing concrete structure. Overhanging timber secondary structures branch off from here, supporting the floor slabs and outer walls, which are in turn clad in aluminium. The client decided on this structure despite the architects original idea of using timber alone, even in the tallest tower, 15 floors high.Each of the three towers has geothermal heating, with solar panels for generating energy for individual living units, which vary in size from 60 to 140 square metres. Another sustainable feature is an original winter garden that can be enjoyed year-round. Lastly, the aluminium-clad faades are composed of rectangular and triangular elements, arranged to make the most of the light that falls on them, emphasising the vibrant sharp forms of the three volumes generated out of their almond-shaped layout.

Fabrizio Orsini

Location: Nikkelveien 18, 20, 22 4313 Sandnes, NorwayClient: Kruse Eiendom AS/Otium ASProgramme: housingStatus: completed 2013Area: 14.250 m2Team: Helen & Hard; Siv Helene Stangeland, Reinhard Kropf, Njal Undheim, Ane Dahl,Randi Augenstein, Nadine Engberding

Read the original here:
Concrete timber and aluminium towers by Helen & Hard Architects - Floornature.com

located in drama, southern greece, an area renowned for its varying topography and captivating landscape, kois associated architects has designed the shimmer communal respite facility and restaurant. the project is apart of a larger industrial complex, situated within the grounds of international electrical equipment company raycap. the site is an interstitial residual space left unbuilt during the companys development phases and is surrounded by administrative and production facilities.

all images courtesy of kois associated architects

since the completion of the company facilities on the site, it has been planted with trees and over the course of the years has been transformed into a park. the building by kois associated architects is conceived at the intersection of three pathways through this park. these routes were not initially planned; they rather emerged through the daily circulation of the users who favor the park as a place of gathering. employees go there to have their lunch and socialize especially during the most temperate seasons. the architects saw these paths as daily and seasonal rhythms that outline a territory and lead to the emergence of dimensional markings on it. this idea brought to mind the works from the land art movement of the 60s and 70s and more specifically, richard longs ephemeral sculpture, a line made by walking.

the main aspiration for the project was not to simply place a building on the landscape, but to make it an active part of it. the scenery, the way the horizon meets the undulating topography become integral parts of the daily human activity within the location. so, the architects wanted to create the feeling of a protected personal space while keeping an uninterrupted view to the surroundings. the design was stirred towards the creation of a viewing device, framing the natural environment. the abstraction of the floating plane and its relationship with the landscape has a strong resonance with the territory. the plane was envisaged as a shimmering line leveling with the horizon, a thread that stretches out and changes in intensity and sharpness depending on the prevailing environmental conditions.

the buildings large scale is established by mirroring the relative proportion of the site to the overall complex, while the enveloped space has a smaller scale, creating an atmosphere of intimacy. within the envelope, a sheltered park with an almost immaterial boundary, a crystalline skin, becomes the vessel of the facilitys daily rhythm. here, the functions are separated into the public covered plaza, the food preparation area and the utility service area. the interior plaza acts as a continuation of the exterior with the boundary between the two almost diminished. the subtle reflections manifested with oscillating intensity on the underside of the roof reverberate and accentuate the exterior lighting conditions. the food preparation area is covered with turf and live plants making the volume seem like it is completely reclaimed by the earth, while the service areas are placed directly underneath it.

project info:

name: shimmerarchitecture office: kois associated architectsprincipal architect: stelios koisproject leader: federica scalisedesign team: antonios sarlanis, marielina stavrou, leonardos katsaros, vasiliki papargirilocation: drama, greece size: 770 m

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom

Read more from the original source:
kois associated architects tops restaurant in greece with reflective floating roof - Designboom