Archinect - News

Editor's Picks #293

2012-12-11T02:07:00-05:00

For the latest in the Showcase series Archinect featured Villa Solaire by JKA + FUGA as well as Folkwang Library by Max Dudler. The Folkwang Library took advantage of a special photographic/glazing technique to create the illusion of the facade being fashioned from the stone material itself. Save Western pointed out "It looks like the original proposal was for actual marble, which came back astronomically expensive, so they VE'd to curtain wall instead."

For the latest in the Showcase series Archinect featured Villa Solaire by JKA + FUGA as well as Folkwang Library by Max Dudler.

Villa Solaire in Pied de La Plagne, Morzine, France is an ancient farmhouse converted into a luxury rental villa. The project made use of a traditional technique of decorative cut-outs within the wood strips resulting in a uniform perforated cladding, which wraps the whole facade.

The Folkwang Library located in Essen-Werden, Germany is an institutional project which , combined musicological programs/collections from three institutions under one roof. The Folkwang Library also took advantage of a special photographic/glazing technique to create the illusion of the facade being fashioned from the stone material itself.

royc commented "it's a bit too literal of a reinterpretation for me...I love the knife edge though, it's nicely done. I'd be really interested to see the interior of that space, with the stairs/atrium". Save Western pointed out ...

Visiondivision's Chop Stick celebrates the raw materials that make our built world

2012-12-04T14:24:00-05:00

The design is based on the universal notion that you need to sacrifice something in order to make something new. Every product is a compound of different pieces of nature, whether it is a cell phone, a car, a stone floor or a wood board; they have all been harvested in one way or another. Our project is about trying to harvest something as gently as possible so that the source of what we harvest is displayed in a pure, pedagogic and respectful way...

Chop Stick has hit the internets today! Chop Stick is a concession stand, playground, and sculpture-building for the Indianapolis Museum of Art's 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park. I was very fortunate to be local architect-of-record for this innovative project by Swedish architecture duo Visiondivision.

↑ On opening day, Ulf and Anders of Visiondivision handed out ice cream. Courtesy IMA.

↑ The large swing is fun for children and grown-ups alike. Courtesy VIMA.

↑ The swings were made from chunks of wood cut out and "dropped" from the main trunk, visible here.

Visiondivision conceived of this project as a way to consider how we use natural resources in our architectural works. The project combined the vast knowledge of workers at both ends of the art and construction spectrum - engineers and architects, loggers and carpenters - to create a building that remains close to nature while being a functional structure for the 100 Acres Park. The ...

Editor's Picks #225

2011-08-21T13:18:47-04:00

Following a drop of almost a full point in June, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) fell again by more than a point in July. allSTAR believes "its time to get creative with business strategies and contracts. also not a bad time to hire risk managers"

News
Following a drop of almost a full point in June, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) fell again by more than a point in July. allSTAR believes "its time to get creative with business strategies and contracts. also not a bad time to hire risk managers"

The Cupertino City Council announced that Apple Inc. has submitted a development proposal for their new Apple Campus. Orhan Ayyüce quipped "I can't help thinking a cubicle smasher." and sameolddoctor commented "Death Star + Pentagon".

To the news that the Passivhaus Institute PHI, has ended their relationship with the Passive House Institute United States (PHIUS) which will no longer be able to provide building certifications, sevensixfive tweeted "it sounds to me, after reading a few articles, that the whole fight is over the damn software." and furthermore "This Passive House fight is just another example of proprietary formats, standards, and certification monopolies killing architecture."

However, Emily Kemper disa...