Artist Olafur Eliasson describes the glass facade on Harpa, Reykjavik’s new conference and concert hall. Architect Osbjørn Jacobsen from Henning Larsen architects and Christopher S. Darland from Artec Consultants explain their part in the design. For more information on the project, go to www.harpa.is

Reminiscent of the crystallised basalt columns commonly found in Iceland, the hexagonal glass creates kaleidoscopic reflections of the city.  The multi-faceted glass façade is based on a geometric principle which is realised in two and three dimensions.   Designing and constructing the building have been a complicated process because while the facades are derived from the same concept, depending upon orientation, their geometries vary.  This leads to difficult connections where ultimately each corner is a unique joint.

Architects: H Arquitectes / David Lorente, Josep Ricart, Xavier Ros, Roger Tudó
Location: Granollers, Barcelona, Spain
Colaboradores: Anna Bullich, architect, Ramon Anton, technical architect, Jordi Velazquez, structure (MVA, arquitectura y estructura), Otger Sala, geologist (Granollers 2002, estudis geològics, SL), NADICO, engineering, ESTRATS, archeologist
Promotor: Promo E.S. March S.L.
Project Year: 2006-2008
Project Area: 1,086.05 sqm
Photographs: H Arquitectes

The Urban Planning for ‘Plaça de l’Església’ in Granollers intends to regain the role of this square within the old part of town. Our plot is the key factor for the consolidation of this centrality, due to it occupies the space that gives continuity to Barcelona Street and connects with ‘Plaça de la Porxada’. Read the rest of this entry »

Architects: Atelier du Pont / Member of the collective PLAN01)
Location: Paris, France
Project Director: Aquilino Torrao
Project Team: Anne-Cécile Comar, Philippe Croisier, Stéphane Pertisier
Co-contractors: evp Ingénierie, Structural design engineers; Delta Fluides, construction services
General Services: FARC
Project Area: 658 sqm
Budget: 1,380,000 euros
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Luc Boegly

This large block of 8 flats merges smoothly into the heterogeneity of the Impasse Daunay cul-de-sac. Facing the street, the textured glass skin covering the facades pays discreet homage to the glass walls of the artists’ studios in this Père Lachaise neighbourhood. The choice of glass, used here for the facade covering, parapets, transparent partitions for common areas or simply as windows, has an aesthetic appeal in its uniformity of material and stark simplicity in keeping with the project’s general low key approach: just 8 housing units in a little cul-de-sac.

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Architect: Olson Kundig Architects
Project Team: Tom Kundig, FAIA, design principal; Steven Rainville, project architect; Debbie Kennedy, interior designer
Consultants: Turner Exhibits (gizmo fabricator and engineer); Monte Clark Engineering (structural engineering); Moser, Inc. (design/build mechanical system)
Craftspeople: All New Glass (big window); Star Steel (steel structure, bong); Steve Clark (table fabricator, cabinets, beds)
Contractor: MC Construction

The idea for the cabin is that of a lakeside shelter in the woods—a little box with a big window that opens to the surrounding landscape. The cabin’s big window-wall (30 feet by 20 feet) opens the entire living space to the forest and lake. Read the rest of this entry »

Architects: Risco (Manuel Salgado, Jorge Estriga e Joana Pinheiro)
Architecture Team: Inês Cruz, Joana Pinheiro, Rute Gonçalves, Moisés Rosa, Alexandra Fock, Neuza Pereira e José Carlos Monteiro.
Client: Futebol Clube do Porto
Engineering: Triagonal, OHM, RGA, AZ Consultores, Natural Works e Action Modulers
Date: 2006 – 2009
Area: 13 900 m2
Cost: 11 723 000€
Photos: FG + SG – Fotografia de Arquitectura (www.ultimasreportagens.com)

Description from the Architect:

The site, which is irregular in shape, is actually the left-over of a network of road infrastructures. The construction of the pavilion is particularly important in urban terms, because it closes the eastern edge of the Antas Detailed Development Plan. Read the rest of this entry »

Architect: Maziar Behrooz Architecture
Project Name: Art Studio
Location: Amagansett, NY
Floor Area: 840 sf
Photography: Dalton Portella and Francine Fleischer

The client needed an art studio close to her house (which we renovated in 2008). Her requirements were for a space of about 700 sf and a stringent budget; and for a simple structure that would be both inviting and reflective. Read the rest of this entry »

Architect: BIG
Location: Shanghai, China
Size: 3.000m2
Photography: Iwan Baan, Hanne Hvattun, and Leif Orkelbog-Andresen.

I know, we just posted an article about the Danisg Pavilion just a few days ago, but it’s always worth taking a second look.

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Description from Foscarini:

Visible concrete is part of the language of modern architecture and, with Aplomb, Foscarini presents a model that uses this material with completely new and innovative technology. The material is translated, from large-scale architecture to a small suspension light, for interiors making it an elegant product with a simple formality, inspired by a material that has always been linked to the world of construction. This is what also inspires its name: Aplomb, a plumb-bob traditionally used by masons. However, aplomb also means ‘self-possessed, confident’, like this lamp that distances itself from aseptic minimalism with all the material richness of concrete. Read the rest of this entry »

Architect: Kingma Roorda architects
Location: Poortkade and Oosterscheldestraat, Zierikzee, The Netherlands
Design team: Ruurd Roorda, Klaas Kingma, Bas Kegge, Roelof Verheijen, Frank Velthuis, Niels van Ham
Urban plan: Rothuizen van Doorn ’t Hooft, Breda/Middelburg/Poznan
Project Area: 2,126 sqm (building 1), 1,545 sqm (building 2)
Completion construction: 2010 (building 1), 2012 (est.)
Photographs: René de Wit, Breda / Kingma Roorda architects, Rotterdam

This project, situated just west of the historical center of Zierikzee, links up the existing neighbourhood Poortambacht to the historic town. Both as a reaction to the specific character of the site and as a response to today’s diverging lifestyles, the design for this new quay, parallel to a canal, can be seen as a reinterpretation of the quay typologies that can be found through the provinces of Zeeland and Holland. Read the rest of this entry »

Just by looking at the mind-boggling New Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in Oslo, an architectural cliff on the edge of a fjord, you might think there’d be a lot of dense archibabble floating around at the firm Snøhetta.  I have been paying closer attention to them out here in San Francisco, after hearing rumors that they are in the running for the SFMOMA extension in partnership with locals EHDD. So it was doubly refreshing to hear one of the two principals, Craig Dykers, give a presentation about the firm last Friday at the AIA SF offices that was not only highly intelligible but often humorous: many choice quotes have been posted elsewhere on the Dwell blog.

Dykers searched Flickr and YouTube to find photos  and videos that people have taken of the firm’s buildings, including one (very daring) video of a stunt cyclist climbing the opera house.

Via Archpaper