Designers: 10 Raisons Architects

It’s what’s called a “light well” – just fab, right? In this outdoor area is the out door pool and frangipani garden. And maybe you could throw a nice set of seats in there and have a little lemonade?

The TV and music appliances are all hidden. Try and find them. They’re in recesses in the wall revealed by the touch of a button or by the flip of the hand: they’re all behind the giant murals. (NOTE: I am not sure why the murals are of people like Mao Zedong – it seems weird to me.)

The entire second floor is one bedroom / study space and bathroom. The rear section of the house has a kitchen space, powder room (ohh lala!), maid’s room, and roof terrace.

Plus! Mezzanine space created to accommodate a guest bedroom in the attic. Jack roof included. Spiral staircase reaches all the way up there.

Architects: Ong & Ong Pte Ltd
Location: 55 Blair Road, Singapore
Interior Furnishing: YPS
House Area: 288 m2
Photographs: Derek Swalwell

NOTE if you’ve got any questions about further details, etc, just ask! I’m sure one of our thousand payed moneys on typewriters would be glad to accommodate you. OR maybe someone from the architecture team could help too. Whichever!

Design Team: Diego Molina, Maria Arango, and Camilo Pelaez

First off (this is the first non-intro paragraph here in the post) let me say congratulations to Ben van Berkel and the entirety of UNStudio! I am sure it is an honor to be working on such a magnificent project.

The 38,500 m2 stadium will be built in the city of Dalian, on the southmost tip of Liaodong peninsula in Northeast China. The site contains not only the big field, but parking facilities below, two training fields (see them back there to the left), and a giant public concourse.

And of course, as promised, the entire thang is based on the ball, as it definitely always should be forever and ever amen:

According to Ben van Berkel, “The design of the Dalian Football Stadium is inspired by the classic Chinese football, which was made by layering coloured bamboo. For the stadium design we appropriated this effect to generate a double-layered roof structure. This structure operates as a double concourse enclosure, encircling the tribunes. Splits and openings in between broad bands of the lattice structure enable views from the outside in and from the inside out.”

Gorgeous!

Designer: Ben van Berkel / UNStudio

I originally wrote about them this past June and was so excited about the building (soon to open this September), I scored an interview with the principals of REthink Development, Greg Reitz and Steve Edwards. A ridiculous amount of work goes into building anything in California with its strict building codes but going for the lust worthy LEED Platinum certification takes it to another level. REthink specializes in this kind of work so these guys are pros.

If you’re interested in architecture and the nitty gritty behind buildings like Cherokee Studios, check out this podcast. I have to apologize for the audio quality. Skype was being a little testy. Thanks so much to Greg and Steve of REthink and Aunny and Haily of Secret Agent PR for hooking this up. I can’t wait to see the building and Greg, Steve if you’re reading this. I still want to live there – for freeeeeeee.

Episode 3: REthink for Cherokee Studios

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NOAH is based upon the following preliminary program outline.

1. Residential Units / Rental and Condominium; 20,000 units @ average 1100 Sq ft
2. Three Hotels; Average 200 rooms plus associated services
3. Time Share Units; 1500 units @ average 1100 sq ft
4. Three Casino Facilities
5. Commercial Space / Rental and Condominiums; 500,000 sq ft
6. Commercial Space / Retail; 500,000 sq ft
7. Parking Garage / within foundation; 8,000 cars
8. Cultural Facilities; 100,000 sq ft
9. Public Works; 50,000 sq ft / includes storage
10. District School System; 100,000 sq ft
11. District Administrative Office; 50,000 sq ft
12. District Health Care Facility; 20,000 sq ft

Estimated Total Square Footage : 30 million

Location/ Site Specific:

In reviewing all the options and possible sites for NOAH, the most logical location is on the Mississippi riverfront and adjacent to the Central Business District.

Design Challenge:

1. The first challenge is to overcome both the physical and psychological damages of recurring severe weather patterns. Though re-population has begun, the need to provide a stabilized and safe environment is paramount to a long term recovery and economic well being of New Orleans.
2. The second challenge is that New Orleans has too much water. The city has been built at and below sea levels which creates consistently high water table and makes it prone to flooding and storm surges.
3. The third challenge is that New Orleans is built on soil condition which consists of thousands of feet of soft soil, silt and clay. These conditions make building large scale concentrated structures difficult.
Believing that NOAH is a viable plan, our solution to overcome these challenges is to take advantage of these seemingly conflicting issues with the introduction of a floating urban platform.

Foundation Design / Basin

The NOAH foundation system is twofold. The first part of the system is to create a water filled “basin” within which the urban platform (NOAH) will float.

The second part of the system is to create a multi-cavity “hull” which will be the actual foundation for the superstructure.

Basin/Foundation:

The water basin will be a combination of carving into the existing land and extending out into the Mississippi River.
This man made basin is estimated to be 1,200 feet in diameter with a depth of 250 feet.
The walls and floor of the basin would be constructed of high strength concrete with applied lateral bracing and exterior attached tension rings.
Backup intact valves will allow basin and river water levels to remain constant.

The Foundation:

Noah, at its current height of 1,200 feet will rest up its triangulated foundation constituted
to be a buoyant multi-cavity “hull.” This “hull” will consist of high strength concrete cells, forming approximately a 40×40 matrix. This matrix not only gives buoyancy to the structure, it also becomes the framing matrix for the steel framed superstructure. It is estimated that the combined weight of NOAH will draft 180 feet within the water-filled basin, allowing a minimum 50 foot space between the floor of the basin and the floor of the buoyant foundation.

The hull will accept all land connectors as flexible conveyors to take into account any movement.
A triangulate shape has been chosen as the basis for NOAH. For two reasons:

First, the triangle is inherently the most rigid of all structural framing systems. The system is designed to dissipate gravity and severe wind loads through an all-steel applied (eko skeleton) exterior frame and conventional internal framing methodology.

Second, the triangle is an “open” frame configuration, dividing NOAH into three separate “towers” converging at the top. The intent of this open system is to allow all severe weather /winds to in effect “blow through” the structure in any direction with the minimum of massing interference.

Some Other Features:

1. Sky Gardens will be inserted into the three main towers every 30 floors. These sky gardens provide landscaped glass enclosed atria.
2. Vertical commuting within NOAH will be supported by a series of local and express custom canted elevators.
3. NOAH is geared to an all pedestrian environment. Accordingly, only select horizontally based areas will be fitted with moving walkways and/or electric train carriers.
NOAH is a three phase master plan with a proposed 10 year build out. This time frame can be reduced to an estimated 6 years should demand accelerate.

Eco-Highlights:
The structure is designed to expand the horizon of sustainability and will seek LEED certification.
It will eliminate the need for cars within the urban structure, and thus becomes a carbon neutral entity. Internal electric transport links, vertical and horizontal, create a pedestrian-friendly community,
Some of these elements are secured wind turbines, fresh water recovery and storage systems, passive glazing system, sky garden heating/cooling vents, grey water treatment, solar array banding panels, and river based water turbines.

NOAH Team

Design / Concept:
E. Kevin Schopfer AIA, RIBA

Executive Architect:
Ahearn / Schopfer Associates; Boston, MA
Cambridge Seven Associates, Inc.; Cambridge, MA

Associate Architect:
Raymond C. Bergeron, NCARB; New Orleans, LA

Visual:
Tangram 3DS; Kittery, ME

Structural / Mechanical:
Arup; Boston, London

Foundation Consultants:
Acergy; New Orleans, LA

The partially submerged building provides warmth while efficiently circulating cool air during the hot dry summers. There are several living units for many families with gardens and public spaces spread across 1,000 square meters. The interiors are studded with apertures to allow crosswinds. The layout is somewhat playful with a series of bridges connecting 4 levels. All of this is really happening sometime in 2010. This is nomadic living for the 21st century.

Designer: Rojkind Arquitectos

via: Arch Daily

 

Via: Arch Daily

Designer: Stanley Saitowitz | Natoma Architects

 

Via: Arch Daily

Designers: Platoon Cultural Development + Graft Architects

 

Via: Arch Daily

Designers: Tham & Videgård Hansson Arkitekter

 

There’s a whole lot of esoteric rhyme and reason why this exhibit exists but the main gist is a series of sounds naturally reverberating off the hollow tubes of bamboo and metal as you bump into them. You get lost in this world on dynamic sound and light. Perceptions change as I’m sure any would crashing into a bunch of hollow tubes, but the sensorial data stimulates different emotions and connections you share with other visitors in the exhibit. Think of it as a wondrous interactive labyrinth where nature meets technology. Visitors can even leave personal messages on the tubes – the proverbial “I was here!”

The exhibition was on display during Salone del Mobile for Tecno (office furniture) but I’m not sure if you can still see it. Let me put this on my to-do list.

Designer: Pierandrei Associati