French architect Jean Nouvel has cranked up the color quotient in London with his eye-catching temporary pavilion for the Serpentine Gallery in the middle of Hyde Park. The scarlet tent-like structure is made of glass and fabric and supported by a dramatic metal frame.

French firm Karawitz Architecture have developed a passive house in Bessancourt, near Paris, France. The house is closed to the north to limit heat loss and opened to the south benefitting from free solar energy. Aesthetically, it is an abstract replica of a traditional house.

The second skin of the houses design is untreated bamboo which envelopes the frame in solid wood panels. The cladding, which becomes grey over time, drew inspiration from traditional barns in the part of the ile-de-france region where the house is situated. It passes in front of the windows to the north and finishes by unfolding on to the roof. Identical shutters are fitted on large bay windows to the south to provide shade and light in the house, during the day or at night. Photovoltaic panels on the roof round off the program, producing 2695 kwh/yr in energy. The foundation slab is the only concrete element, the entire structure is created from the assembly oflarge solid wood panels, which have been prefabricated in a workshop.

A 3 years time-lapse about the destruction of EDF tower and construction of Sequana Tower in Paris. Ramon tooks 45 000 pictures to make this video !

Location: Paris / France
First shot: january 2007
Last Shot: September 2010
Number of images: 45.000

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.

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’.

The three facades of the building become a single skin that, thank to the continuous use of the stone even in the shutters, unifies the volume and consolidates the characteristic predominance of the massive-wall facades in the old quarter.

Basalt stone has been used due to the fact that because of its porosity and texture constantly changes in colour and reflection according to the different degrees of humidity. Besides, print inscriptions and ornamental recessed caps remind us of a tattoo that reinforces the perception of skin and gives a personal and human touch to the building. The changing rhythm of the shutters that appear and disappear, as they are open or closed, project on the façade the interior life of the dwellings. The entire building captures the passage of time and transmits an alive and organic atmosphere.

The exterior coating of the shutters consists of VIROC panels made up of cement and wood fibres which have similar colour and texture as the basalt stone of the façade though it is a much lighter material and withstands the impacts by opening or closing the shutters. When the shutter is closed it keeps flush with the external stone coating and visually disappears in the modulation of the ventilated façade. In the inside, the shutters are wood-panelled and, once open, evolve from their anonymous presence towards singularity.

The only exceptions of this dark and massive uniform treatment will be the large windows of the business premises on the ground floor and the great wooden cavity terraces that emphasize inside out the interior layout and give relief and volume to the building.

The dwelling typologies are based on the L shaped continuity between the living and the kitchen so as to create a space that goes through the building and connects both façades by piercing them in an explicit way. Besides, this strategy allows every dwelling to have a visual connection with the square and the church.

The layout of the upper floor dwelling is reversed so as the living room, the dining and the kitchen could be related to the perimeter terrace from where to enjoy the views over the old part of town.

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.

Glass being also the most durable material of all, this choice reflects therefore the project’s environmental credentials.

But on taking a closer look, you can see a subtle interplay of illumination and reflections. From the façade’s plain printed glass panels to the clear glazing of the opening windows in the rooms and common areas, and the textured glass in the fixed windows on the landings, the materials vary according to the use and the protected areas in order to maximise the amount of natural light while preserving the occupants’ privacy. The windows are naturally made of clear glass and can be opened for maintenance purposes.

On the courtyard side, the retified pine cladding extends the ambiance of the neighbouring condominium‘s garden. Sheltered from the hustle and bustle of the town, this open-work wood facade is more ‘sensitive’. The thermal insulation muffles the noise and reduces echoing in the courtyard. The pine used is certificated and comes from local sources. It is treated at very high temperatures to extract moisture, and therefore requires no maintenance.

The orange colour of the communal areas has the effect of highlighting the glass’s dominant hard characteristic. The systematic nature of this monochrome look is counter-balanced by the vivid brightness of the common areas. In the street, the colour is relatively unobtrusive and is visible only in the entrance.

Beneath its quiet exterior, this apartment block sets the stage for a modern revolution: it contains the very first housing units of the Paris ‘climate plan’. The environmental approach is this project’s corner-stone based on:

• maximum natural lighting of all areas: the apartments (main rooms, kitchen, bathroom, entrance hall, etc) and the common areas (landings, staircase, bicycle sheds., boiler room)
• research into the optimum layout of the living spaces; thermal performance: communal gas heating is provided by a condensing boiler and hot water by solar panels

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.

The design concept is composed of basically three parts: a concrete block box with a plywood insert and a 4-foot diameter steel fireplace (the bong).  Materials are low maintenance—concrete block, steel, concrete floors and plywood—in keeping with the notion of a cabin, and left unfinished to naturally age and acquire a patina that fits in with the natural setting.  Open interior spaces are intended to be a seamless extension to the natural setting. A 19-foot tall steel entry door can accommodate long skis.
The cabin sleeps ten.

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.

Its location next to the Dragon Stadium, the Metro Station, and the superb views from the square around the stadium are all essential elements of the design.With seating for 2,000 people, the pavilion is intended to house the rest of the Club’s sports.

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.

Our solution was to use two 9’-6” x 40’ x 8’ shipping containers (cost: $2,500 each, delivered) perched over a 9’ foundation wall/cellar. By cutting 75% of the floor of the containers, we were able to move the painting studio to a lower level via a wide staircase and take advantage of a high ceiling. The staircase itself acts as a transitional space for viewing art work.

The upper floor provides a more intimate work area and a sitting area.

The containers were painted dark charcoal to maintain continuity with the original house and to recede in the shadows of a dense wooded site.

The total area of the studio is 840 sf and the final cost was under $100,000.

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.