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Heatherwick Studio's new kinetic Glasshouse opens its petals to the English countryside

2022-06-28T12:14:00-04:00

Heatherwick Studio has unveiled a new small greenhouse project for the National Trust’s historic Woolbeding Gardens estate in West Sussex, England.

Taking the form of a sheltering flower bud, the structure comprises ten steel ‘sepals’ operated by a hydraulic mechanism that takes about four minutes to open. Its 141-square-meter (1,517-square-foot) interior contains a variety of subtropical Chinese flora and is surrounded by a new Silk Route Garden, which invites visitors on a 12-step journey through each of the trade corridor’s different geographic regions.

Image © Hufton+Crow

The studio says it was inspired by Victorian-era terrariums, and the structure took a total of six years to develop. The project was commissioned by the estate’s longtime owner, Stewart Grimshaw, who, along with his partner, Sainsbury’s heir Simon Sainsbury, had previously inaugurated sculptural interventions by William Pye and Philip Jebb into their sprawling 1,100-acre gardens, which former British Prime Mini...

The future of couture is a blend of fashion, technology, and architecture

2018-12-28T14:27:00-05:00

Technology and innovation are an important part of this, but nature is my source of inspiration. That can not be otherwise, because I work for the body. Many people see nature and technology as two very different things, but I see technology as a simplified version of biological processes.

Haute couture made its debut in 1858 with Charles Frederick Worth's iconic House of Worth. Since then fashion's historical timeline has influenced architects and designers in numerous ways. Fast forward to 2018, this relationship with architects has not faded. Zaha Hadid and Neri Oxman, for example, have used fashion as another element to display methods of architectural practice. With the evolution of the 3D printer, creating mesmerizing shapes and forms has allowed for the possibilities of fashion to transform into something more than just a pretty dress.

Wanderers: Biologically-augmented 3D printed wearables ©Neri Oxman | Behance & Shoes by Zaha Hadid for United Nude Image © Zaha Hadid Architects

Acclaimed Dutch designer, Iris Van Herpen, blends fashion, science, and technology to create rhythmically stunning works. High fashion and the art of 3D fabrication is becoming more and more prevalent on the runway, and Van Herpen's Syntopia is no exception. In collaboration with Studio D...

Take a look at the kinetic facade of Foster + Partners and Heatherwick Studio’s new Bund Finance Centre in Shanghai

2017-10-14T09:00:00-04:00

The Bund Finance Center, designed by Foster + Partners and Heatherwick Studio, is a major new mixed-use project on in Shanghai’s waterfront. The 420,000-square meter masterplan, composed of eight buildings, links the old town to the financial district.

The project include office space, restaurant, luxury boutiques, a public plaza and at the cultural center. The iconic moving veil of the cultural center adapts to the changing uses of the building, revealing or hiding interior spaces. Developed in collaboration with local engineers Tongji University, the facade is organized along three tracks and made of layers of ‘tassels’ – a reference to the traditional Chinese bridal headdress. Each tassel length is between two and sixteen meters.

Gerard Evenden, Head of Studio and Senior Executive Partner, Foster + Partners commented: “The Bund Finance Centre creates a pivo...

"Kinetic" steel museum in New Zealand pays tribute to illustrious sculptural artist Len Lye

2015-08-04T15:51:00-04:00

The Len Lye Centre in New Plymouth, Taranaki in New Zealand stands as an emblem of the sculptural works and philosophy of acclaimed artist Len Lye, who was a prominent figure in the kinetic sculpture and experimental film movements throughout the 20th century. Celebrating its grand opening late last month with the Govett Brewster Art Gallery, the Centre is the culmination of a more than three-decade endeavor in building a permanent home for Lye’s archive of work. As an expansion to the Govett Brewster, the Centre is the only museum in the country that is dedicated to a single artist.

The New Plymouth District Council financed the building through an extensive government-led fundraiser and commissioned New Zealand practice Patterson Architects Associates to design the new building. Keeping their true client — Len Lye — in mind, Pattersons fused significant elements of the artist's inspirations into their design, including Maori motifs, Greek classical temples, and the manipulation of ...

AA Athens Visiting School 2014 challenges the static built environment with “Kinetic Haze”

2014-09-12T21:03:00-04:00

Students and professionals had another opportunity to take part in the third cycle of the AA Athens Visiting School program, "Cipher City: Revolutions". Taking place at the National Technical University of Athens this past spring, participants focused on addressing the roles of change, adaptation and interaction through scripting and digital fabricating techniques at large scale models.

The program set out to challenge the motionless built environment in the collaborative creation of a kinetic pathway prototype called Kinetic Haze. Participants applied the basic design elements from their own proposals in creating the project in less than five days.

Here's a glimpse of the project

Find more project photos and details on Bustler.

Barkow Leibinger’s “Kinetic Wall” prototype exhibited at the Venice Biennale 2014

2014-06-11T20:37:00-04:00

American/German architectural practice Barkow Leibinger is back at the Venice Biennale with "Kinetic Wall". Specifically designed for this year's Biennale, the prototype highlights the evolution of wall-making while also standing as an ode to the 20th century fantasy of kinetic architecture -- or architecture that can move. Kinetic Wall is currently on display in the Wall Room at the "Elements of Architecture“ exhibition in the Venice Biennale.

Get more details on Bustler.

See it in action in the video below.

Finding playground potential in the Energy Carousel in Dordrecht

2014-03-31T15:08:00-04:00

For a kid, a lifesize light-up spinning top that you can play in right in your neighborhood sounds like a dream come true -- and such is the case in Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

The Energy Carousel by Madrid-based firm Ecosistema Urbano is a play structure that is both engaging and educational. As kids grab onto one of the structure's hanging ropes, the kinetic energy released by their movements is stored in a battery, which later serves as supply to light up the structure at night. The carousel's LED lights shine in various colors depending on how much energy was stored during that day.

The Energy Carousel was one of the winning designs in a 2010 invited competition by Carve, an Amsterdam design group that specializes in developing and engineering public spaces for children. Carve asked 10 European firms to design a multi-age sustainable "unconventional play object" to complete the Governeursplein public square in Dordrecht.

Since then, it seems the Energy Carousel has provided whirls ...

Penumbra, Kinetic Daylighting and Shading System

2014-03-17T12:58:00-04:00

This project was designed to offer a kinetic and mechanical solution to a problem that would otherwise be nearly impossible to solve with static architectural components: providing shading across a building facade for both low evening sun and high afternoon sun conditions.

Analyzing the tensions of transnational negotiations through kinetic cartography

2014-01-17T20:23:00-05:00

Negotiated edges – one world, different systems is a kinetic cartography "world machine" currently featured at the 2013-14 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture in Hong Kong. Created by multidisciplinary design team Chiu Ning, Yuet Chan, Lau Wai Kin, and Andrew Ng, the piece is relevant to the Biennale's overall discussion of boundaries in various architectural and urban contexts ranging from an individual to a global perspective.

If you're based in Hong Kong, you can check out Negotiated edges at the Biennale until Feb. 23, 2014. You can also watch the video below to see it in action.

Here's more info on the project:

"'Negotiated edges – one world, different systems' owes its inception to an architectural thesis on boundaries as strategic exploitation of resources through transnational linkages against the backdrop of globalization. The team further developed the concept by looking beyond restrictive binaries to the multiplicity of sites and context.

Negotiated edges, be...

Polymorphic: A Kinetic Installation

2011-09-28T21:27:56-04:00

Polymorphic is a fascinating kinetic installation designed and produced by ten architecture students from Columbia University GSAPP in New York City. The installation was created within Fast Pace/Slow Space, a course taught by Brigette Borders and Mark Bearak. [...] The design is comprised of a double-sided bench which transforms through a series of 119 unique and interconnected sections into a chaise lounge and finally an interactive balance board.

See also the videos of Polymorphic in action and Slow Space Slinky Seats (The Making).