Tuesday, November 5, 2013

agan khan award nominees

Aga Khan Award 2013 - Nominees Photo Gallery

Islamic Cemetery, Altach, Austria

congregation space

cemetery

wooden ornament

courtyard

entrance elevation

general view

prayer room

site plan

Museum of Handcraft Paper, Gaoligong Mountain, China

west view

north view

east view

interior view

axonometry

Preservation of the Mbaru Niang, Wae Rebo Village, Flores Island, Indonesia

general view of the village before reconstruction

general view of the village during the 2nd phase of reconstruction

process of reconstruction

general view of the village after the first phase of reconstruction

process of reconstruction

villagers preparing the roof cover

3D rendering of a Mbaru Niang

Apartment No.1, Mahallat, Iran

south elevation

exterior view from south east

detail view of the east elevation

detail view of the south elevation

detail view of the yard's wall

interior view of living room

isometric

Monday, October 7, 2013

Wood: A bicycle by BSG.

Using technology, the spirit of which was developed in early bi-plane aircraft design, this bicycle seems to have come full circle in its use of wood and steel.
Its frame is made from Ash ply, with steel stays and forks. The result is a bicycle that is light, flexible and gives a comfortable riding experience.
The firm, BSG, was founded by two designers, Thierry Boltz and Claude Saos, who both enjoy cycling. They wanted to create a bicycle that was uncomplicated, gave a comfortable ride and had a lower environmental footprint. It was also important but that it could be maintained at home or in a traditional cycle repair shop.
Using high quality materials the bicycle is planned in four configurations around the basic theme allowing things like gears and breaks to be customizable. Each bicycle is hand built to order by craftsmen using traditional techniques.

by editorial office Detail Daily on 08/20/2013

Photo credits: spielplatz

small scale living

Smart student units

Client Co-operation between AF Bostäder & Martinsons

Year of Commission 2013

City Virserum and Lund

A student unit of only 10 square meters is currently exhibited at the Virserum Art Museum in the county Småland, Sweden.

Tengbom Architects has designed a student unit for students which is affordable, environmental-friendly and smart both in terms of design and choice of materials. The project is a collaboration with wood manufacturer Martinsons and real estate company AF Bostäder. To meet the needs of students in a sustainable, smart and affordable way was the key questions when Tengbom in collaboration with students at the University of Lund was designing this student unit of 10 square meters. The unit is now displayed in Virserum Art Museum. In 2014, 22 units will be built and ready for students to move into.

To successfully build affordable student housing requires innovative thinking and new solutions. The area in each unit is reduced from current requirement, 25 square meters to 10 square meters through legal consent. This truly compact-living flat still offers a comfortable sleeping-loft, kitchen, bathroom and a small garden with a patio. Through an efficient layout and the use of cross laminated wood as a construction material the rent is reduced by 50 % and the ecological impact and carbon footprints is also significantly reduced. Energy efficiency is a key issue when designing new buildings. Choosing right material and manufacturing methods is vital to minimize the carbon emission and therefore wood was chosen for its carbon positive qualities, and as a renewable resource it can be sourced locally to minimize transportation. The manufacturer method was chosen because of is flexible production and for its assembling technique which can be done on site to reduce construction time.

The exhibit is open to the public until the 8th of December.

Photographer: Bertil Hertzberg

Saturday, August 17, 2013

vessel

Relax, relax: Vessel by Splinter Works.

Two words could hardly be more synonymous with relaxation than the bath and the hammock. British design studio Splinter Works have combined them with the “Vessel,” an interesting piece that reinterprets the idea of bathroom.
The Vessel is a hammock shaped bath that attaches to the walls of a bathroom. It is made of carbon fibre and is around 2.7m long, but can be custom built. The foam core helps the water stay warm for longer, an important feature when you are likely to fall asleep in the bliss.
It works best when there is a floor drain, and I would also add when the walls are strong enough to take the weight. It is manufactured on request in black, yellow, pink, bronze and silver.

by editorial office Detail Daily on 06.24.13

Carbon Fibre
2500-2900 L 800 W mm

Struck by the synergy between the shapes of two compelling symbols of relaxation, a hammock and a bath tub, Splinter Works were inspired to develop a piece that would provide the ultimate vehicle for total escapism.

The peaceful experience of kicking-back in a hammock has been further enhanced by combining it with the immersive comfort of soaking in a hot bath. By literally elevating the experience of bathing into a suspended sculpture the bathroom has been reinvented as a contemplative sanctuary for artful relaxation.

Designed for use in a wet room, Vessel is suspended from the walls and does not touch the floor. It is fixed with stainless steel brackets that can be covered over, or left revealed. The bath is filled using a floor standing tap and the waste water released through the base into a floor drain. A downpipe drain can also be installed if a wet room setting is not possible.

Vessel is made from carbon fibre which is utilised for its inherent strength and ability to be formed into complex curves, furthermore the weave of the fabric references the cloth of a typical hammock. Beneath the layers of carbon fibre lies a foam core, which insulates the tub, meaning the bath stays hot for considerably longer than normal.

At 2.7m long, Vessel is longer than a regular bathtub, leaving plenty of room to share the experience. Custom sizes are available but it is also designed so that it can be trimmed up to 20 cm to allow for flexible installation. Pictured here in black, it also available in red, blue, yellow, pink, bronze and pure silver.

Colour options:

Splinter Works

3D tape drawing

3D Tape Drawing by Monica Grzymala.

Photo credits: Gallery Crone.

Showing at the Gallery Crone in Berlin is the 3D Tape Drawing by Monica Grzymala. The Polish artist creates her installations using intuition, imagination and, in this case, 5km of tape.
One interesting thing about Grzymala’s work is the incredible energy with which she explores the gallery space. And although the installation seems anarchic almost , the control and discipline demonstrated is impressive.
The name of this piece is Raumzeichnung, which loosely translates as Drawing Room and is manifest in this piece as a horizontal eruption from a column.
The piece appears to question the solidity of the architecture and by implication other things whose appearance seems solid.