Stand Cerro Verde - MiD arquitectos, La Trastienda Fabrica de Diseño, michael

November 30, 2013, 10:12 am

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Designed for the Perumin mining convention in Peru, by MiD arquitectos and La Trastienda fabrica de diseño. The stand is made of recycled white pine and copper sheets that convey the company’s (Cerro Verde) commitment to sustainable development. The recycled white pine is obtained from the mine own operation.

The stand is 6×6 meters wide and 5.8 meters tall. The ideas underlying the design are material module transformation and inclusiveness. Rather than relying on furniture pieces, the stand and its visitors merge via a pattern of wood blocks (1.5×1.5 meters wide and 0.20 meters high) that creates available spaces where visitors can rest from the busy convention while they notice the stand’s displays.

The stand displays three key themes: -The uses of copper in everyday life are revealed to the visitor as he interacts with an inviting circular pop-up book. -Cerro Verde’s water recycling program in Arequipa is shown through a model of the city and a motor-based moving circle beneath it, simulating how the river’s water changes as it is cleansed, as well as the positive implications of this program for the city. -Infographic light panels demonstrating the mine’s various working processes in three dimensions.

Moving elements are also included in the stand’s design; a door opens to display the pop-up book, a wooden box that slides with the aid of dolly wheels to uncover the city’s model, pulleys, cables and counterweights that open and close the infographic light panels. These moving pieces promote engaging interaction between the stand and its many visitors.

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Scuola materna di quartiere - stefania vestuto

November 30, 2013, 3:28 pm

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Progetto di una scuola materna di quartiere in elementi prefabbricati in legno, pavimentazione in vetro riciclato ed intonaci interni in argilla.

Metaprogetto. Il luogo.

Metaprogetto. La cultura del progetto.

Metaprogetto. Il metodo.

Il progetto. Planimetria generale e schemi distributivi

Il progetto. La pianta.

Il progetto.

Il progetto. Viste.

Funzionamento bioclimatico

Sistemi costruttivi.

Impianti.

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CAFFETTERIA SCATURCHIO NEL FOYER RIDOTTO DEL TEATRO DI SAN CARLO - LUCIANO RAFFIN

November 30, 2013, 4:24 pm

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RELAZIONE TECNICA Il progetto di utilizzo del Foyer ridotto del Teatro di San Carlo e degli spazi annessi, non prevendendo alterazioni di quanto esistente se non per lievi modifiche nella distribuzione interna della retroposta zona office, rispetta pienamente i tre parametri: – Profilo Storico-Scenografico - Profilo Strutturale e Ambientale - Profilo Impiantistico e Tecnologico La coerenza rispetto al pregevole contesto storico architettonico viene assicurata dalla integrabilità di quanto proposto nella soluzione d’arredo, utilizzando, componenti di elevata qualità, che con materiali e disposizione nel contesto corrispondono pienamente alle aspettative ed all’interesse del target di riferimento. Nel dettaglio, saranno collocate sul bancone e sul retrobanco in dotazione del Foyer, esclusivamente oggetti, attrezzature ed espositori non invasivi, composti da semplici vassoi di portata in argento con coperchi in cristal ed espositori caldo/freddo dalle linee essenziali posizionati sul retrobanco. Si prevede l’allestimanto di almeno 2 postazioni registratori di cassa per evitare code di attesa per le consumazioni. Ad incrementare la possibilità di utilizzo combinato per eventi di diverso genere, saranno istallati a parete, in sostituzione di 2 pannelli fotografici esistenti, schermi ultrapiatti per la visione da 2 gruppi di sedute diversificate sui due lati di filmati attinenti le attività del Teatro di San Carlo, che potranno avere audio comune nell’intera sala oppure gestiti con sistema di cuffiette wi-fi. La nuova sistemazione di arredo interno non prevede di posizionare elementi fissi nella sala foyer, ad eccezione dei 2 espositori pasticcerie/torte che saranno collocati sulle 2 colonne esistenti nella prossimità dell’ingresso dalla parte del teatro. La zona centrale sarà necessariamente lasciata libera per poter variare, a seconda dell’evento il posizionamento di postazione musicale (pianoforte – archi, ..) o, in alternativa, di un numero di sedute nel caso di conferenze-presentazione pari a 50 posti. Pertanto, in aggiunta a quanto già in dotazione nella sala Foyer, saranno inseriti nel progetto di arredo, sedute in stile o, in alternativa di tipo minimale con effetto cristal (marca Kartel – modello gost) con schienali personalizzati con serigrafie e tavolini con piano di appoggio in marmo. Qualsiasi sistema di impianto implementato ex novo sarà perfettamente occultato e dotato, ove possibile di gestione wi-fi ad evitare la raalizzazione di nuovi cavidotti. All’interno del Foyer non sono previsti alcun tipo di utilizzo di fonti di calore a gas. L’inserimento di ulteriori fonti luminose sarà improntato al massimo occultamento delle stesse e dettate da principi di risparmio energetico. L’attuale distribuzione interna della zona servizi retroposta al banco, sarà opportunamente ricalibrata per poter ottenere uno spazio office-preparazione non a vista dell’utente. Si intende pertanto che il locale wc, provvisto di antibagno sarà dedicato agli operatori addetti, presentando anche una zona spogliatoio-armadietti personale, mentre i servizi igienici degli utenti saranno individuati in quelli già esistenti nella galleria esterna al foyer.

PLANIMETRIA GENERALE

CONTROLLO ACCESSI In linea con il Bando di partecipazione nel corso della gestione saranno adottati i necessari provvedimenti, accorgimenti e disposizioni utili e necessarie al fine di evitare ogni ingerenza o commistione che possa generare rischi da interferenze tra l’attività di bouvette e quella del Teatro ma soprattutto impedire l’accesso ad estranei non autorizzati all’interno del Teatro. Tale attività sarà gestita, oltre che con l’ausilio e la presenza di personale addetto alla sicurezza dei varchi per particolari eventi, anche in maniera totalmente automatizzata, secondo sistemi avveniristici basati sul riconoscimento a distanza di chip da fornire allo spettatore del Teatro san Carlo inserito all’interno dello stesso biglietto cartaceo. Tale espediente permetterà allo spettatore del teatro di poter accedere alla Bouvette del Foyer ridotto che sarà dotata di un riconoscitore a distanza e presidiata da personale di sicurezza che ne verificherà l’accensione di una luce verde al passaggio. Risulta chiaro che qualsiasi avventore proveniente dalla Bouvette alla quale sarà giunto dall’ingresso esterno, se non provvisto di un valido biglietto con chip abilitata, sarà fermato dalla sicurezza al varco ove il dispositivo di riconoscimento di prossimità accendera’ un led rosso. il sistema sarà realizzato semplicemente istallando in corrispondenza dei soffitti dei 2 varchi di accesso al foyer di lettori di prossimità ad ampio raggio della dimensione di circa 10 cm. Il biglietto cartaceo fornito allo spettatore del Teatro conterrà all’interno un tag di prossimità (tipo etichetta antitaccheggio) che consentirà di accedere e di passare i varchi dal foyer verso il teatro. Pertanto al passaggio di un utente in corrispondenza dei varchi, un led alta luminosità si accende per indicare al personale di sorveglianza se l’utente è abilitato al passaggio verso il teatro. I lettori saranno collegati in lan ad un computer che memorizzerà tutti i passaggi etc etc per usi statistici o secondo particolari esigenze . L’adozione di tale sistema può essere integrata con un sistema di riconoscimento alla cassa della bouvette per poter accedere ad una particolare scontistica dedicata agli spettatori o dipendenti del Teatro san Carlo e muniti della carta. Parallelamente al sistema di controllo dei varchi, sarà realizzato un sistema di videocontrollo in VDR sia per la zona interna del Foyer che per la sistemazione esterna.

UTILIZZO DEL FOYER COME SALA CAFFETTERIA

UTILIZZO DEL FOYER COME SALA CONFERENZA

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LE TECHE - LUCIANO RAFFIN

November 30, 2013, 4:53 pm

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Il progetto delle TECHE nasce dall’esigenza di munire l’Archivio Storico Diplomatico del Ministero degli Affari Esteri di un innovativo sistema espositivo ideato secondo un design equilibrato ed ergonomico in grado di condensare prestazioni altamente tecnologiche, mediante l’uso di materiali innovativi, non reperibili sul mercato. Le teche pensate per il sistema espositivo a tecnologia avanzata per i documenti di archivio di grande formato, si avvalgono di: • un sistema illuminotecnico atto a preservare l’integrità del documento, in base al quale si è predisposta una doppia accensione ( SUPERIORE LINEARE/ INFERIORE DIFFUSA) che propaga una luce calda pari a 3000°K dimmerabile, assicurando fino a un max di 100 lux sui pigmenti del supporto cartaceo e garantendo il minimo riscaldamento evitato dal supporto dissipatore del calore • l’elemento diffusore della luce è in plexiglass bianco satinato • la differenzazione dell’illuminazione è funzionale all’oggetto esposto • l’alimentazione prevista con batteria a tampone, assicura un’autonomia di circa 24 ore e consente la dislocazione delle teche anche in ambienti con assenza di energia elettrica

La strumentazione a supporto (pulsantiera e tastiera) occupa una sezione minima del piano su cui si è progettata l’installazione di un dispositivo basato sulla lettura Braille per essere fruita da utenze con diverse abilità (ipovedenti).

La struttura è progettata con elementi riciclabili e si compone di: A) una vetrina apribile predisposta in Metalcrilato, materiale plastico che presenta i seguenti requisiti: • antigraffio • antiriflesso • termoformato (lo stampo avviene mediante innalzamento della temperatura in modo da non presentare incollaggi) • antiurto • infrangibile • autoestinguente • leggero • riciclabile Al suo interno il leggio è sostituibile e reclinabile e rivestito in alcantara o personalizzabile A seconda dell’oggetto contenuto la luce può essere diffusa o diretta, in virtù della doppia accensione La vetrina trasparente può agire da supporto per la predisposizione di una pellicola touch screen adesiva collocata sul piano che assume le funzioni di display capace di dotare il sistema espositivo di un’interfaccia utente per la gestione multimediale e computerizzata del contenuto archivistico ( in modalità on). Tale elemento distintivo consentirebbe la possibilità di creare un allestimento simultaneo in collegamento con gli Istituti di cultura all’estero, che contemporaneamente potrebbero essere connessi con l’evento.

B) La struttura di supporto è composta da scocca e piedistallo:

il piedistallo è progettato in sandwich GFRP/NOMEX (Glass fiber reinforced polymer) più comunemente nota come fibra di vetro, le cui caratteristiche fisiche assicurano • un’elevata resistenza meccanica adoperata nella cantieristica aereonautica per le avanzate prestazioni di resilienza. • Leggerezza • Allungamento percentuale a rottura: 5%

la scocca, che racchiude a guscio la componentistica illuminotecnica, è progettata ench’essa in GFRP/NOMEX (di colore bianco satinato), rendendosi necessario l’apporto di una sezione minima di alloggio del trasformatore, ventola e pulsanti (sottostanti) di accensione (che può prevedersi a distanza, mediante l’uso di telecomandi)

Il prodotto così concepito, è riproducibile in serie mediante processi industriali di stampaggio e progettato per essere dinamico e leggero in modo da facilitarne il trasporto grazie alla possibilità di ripiegare l’oggetto con semplici movimentazioni senza doverne disassemblare le parti. Il trasporto è assicurato dal peso contenuto nei parametri a norma (ca 25 Kg) per la movimentazione del carico accidentale da parte delle maestranze addette all’opera di allestimento. Il meccanismo pieghevole sfrutta un cinematismo tale da consentire l’unione delle parti intorno a due cerniere, secondo un allineamento e una roteazione distinta delle parti componenti la struttura.

Questo sistema, con le sue specificità tecniche elencate, non è reperibile in commercio in quanto tutte le sue prestazioni sono state progettate per fornire un prodotto esclusivo rispondendo ai requisiti di eco- sostenibilità, aggiornamento tecnologico, espressione di una eccellenza del made in Italy, garantendo una fruizione estesa a ampie categorie (ipovedenti e audiolesi). La silhouette della teca, pensata di colore bianco su cui si può riprodurre in serigrafia il logo del Ministero degli Affari Esteri.

Le teche possono anche fungere da totem interattivo, nell’ipotesi di una installazione permanente per uso interno e dislocate negli ambienti dell’accoglienza e della rappresentanza, per la trasmissione di un prodotto multimediale.

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Casa vacanze nelle Alpi Liguri - Studio Officina82

December 1, 2013, 1:33 am

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Il fabbricato è collocato nella parte più alta della borgata di Vacieu, a 1036 mslm, nel territorio del Comune di Ormea. L’intervento di recupero dell’edificio esistente, originariamente utilizzato come stalla al piano terra e fienile al piano primo, era finalizzato alla realizzazione di una dèpendence all’abitazione dei committenti, situata poche decine di metri a valle. Il progetto di recupero ha portato all’inserimento di un angolo cottura, un servizio igienico e una zona giorno con camino a legna al piano terreno e di un open space al piano primo.

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Swing Bridge - Filippo Dragoni

December 1, 2013, 5:01 am

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Il progetto della passerella ciclopedonale sul Naviglio della Martesana si origina dall’accostamento di due reticoli di travi identici che generano un passaggio a sezione variabile. La passerella si raccorda con i percorsi ciclopedonali esistenti, mantenendone la loro integrità e creando un armonioso raccordo tra le due sponde del naviglio. Il ponte reinterpreta in chiave contemporanea il materiale utilizzato per la grande maggioranza dei punti sui navigli anche nel centro di Milano: l’acciaio. L’attraversamento è composto da due reticoli di travi in acciaio identici, dove la trave principale di ogni telaio ha una lunghezza di 16 metri.

Le due strutture sono entrambe a sbalzo e tra loro indipendenti. Si accostano per garantire il passaggio dei ciclopedoni, e, all’occorrenza, possono ruotare grazie a una puleggia meccanica al fine di permettere il passaggio di piccole imbarcazioni. In quest’ ultimo caso, ruotando, vanno a collocarsi sul fianco dell’alzaia in uno scavo.

Questa condizione di apparente ostacolo ,la mobilità del ponte, viene controbilanciata dalla intenzione progettuale di mantenere e rafforzare un continuum nell’ attraversamento tra le alzaie esistenti e di non interrompere con rampe e sistemi di superamento verticali il regolare deflusso negli spostamenti. Anzi, la passerella trae la sua genesi proprio nella possibilità si essere un elemento mobile, e che in maniera quanto più razionale possibile, possa aprirsi e chiudersi. Un concetto bene espresso dal verbo inglese TO SWING, dal quale il ponte, uniformandosi alla moda odierna, ha tratto il nome. TO SWING appunto , muovendosi verso l’avanti e verso l’ indietro appunto, facendo perno su qualcosa che ne mantenga la stabilità. E difficilmente un riferimento pare esser cosi calzante.

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MILAN PARK - XI'AN - Gaetano Di Gesu, China Southwest Architectural Design, Yin Bo

December 1, 2013, 5:12 am

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Centro commerciale di soli prodotti italiani, situato a Xi’an(Shaanxi) i un’area urbana a forte sviluppo infrastrutturale, con showroom e grandi negozi, tre ristoranti, un albergo 5 stelle e spazi per performance e allestimenti.

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Mistrorighi Square - Babau Bureau, Francesca Gramegna, Stefano Tornieri, Massimo Triches

December 1, 2013, 9:11 am

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Il riordino della piazza della località Mistrorighi è un progetto che deve essere pensato necessariamente in funzione del carattere paesaggistico e della potenzialità urbana dell’ area. Gli edifici esistenti sono disposti a conformare una vasta superficie orizzontale delimitata verso sud dal rilievo naturale (il moto). Questa conformazione pensiamo non vada alterata ma semplicemente riordinata cercando di dar valore alle forme. La proposta progettuale si basa pertanto su due temi compositivi principali:

ridefinizione del “moto” come elemento dal valore urbano
nel panorama italiano non si conoscono esempi di piazze contraddistinte da elementi naturali così caratterizzanti come il “moto”. Si tratta di un elemento che è parte della memoria collettiva del luogo e ha conosciuto nella storia varie destinazioni funzionali. Riteniamo pertanto questo rilievo topografico una particolarità degna di essere mantenuta e valorizzata proponendo un ridisegno volumetrico che sia in grado di attivare un valore urbano, una valenza iconica e funzionale. La parte della collinetta rivolta verso la chiesa di S. Antonio avrà una conformazione a gradoni naturali usufruibili dagli spettatori degli eventi che si svolgeranno davanti alla chiesetta. Il limite nord sarà marcato da una seduta lunga, in marmo di Chiampo, che definirà in maniera chiara, il bordo.
a sud, la circolarità della collinetta che segue la strada, è un’ occasione per ripensare il piccolo accesso pedonale che sarà connesso ad un marciapiede che ridefinisce il bordo legandolo alla piazza mettendo in sicurezza i pedoni.
il monumento sarà ricollocato in una posizione più visibile rispetto alla strada di accesso (via don Paolo Mistrorighi) segnando l’ ingresso alla piazza.
percorso asse della composizione
la nuova piazza è riorganizzata dando maggior enfasi ad un asse nord-sud che connette gli edifici esistenti con le nuove aree. Il percorso si innesta partendo dal belvedere, ridefinisce le aree antistanti la chiesetta di S. Antonio, il campanile, i locali parrocchiali; connette la grande piazza pavimentata con l’ area sportiva di nuova realizzazione. La qualità urbana di questo asse è ancora più evidente quando lo si immagina collegato ad un percorso, che proponiamo come possibilità futura, in grado di connettersi al nucleo antico del paese. Lo immaginiamo come un percorso alternativo nella natura che segue la linea del corso d’ acqua formata da un avvallamento dei terreni agricoli.
la riconfigurazione della collinetta verrà effettuata utilizzando la terra proveniente dallo sbancamento della zona retrostante la chiesa. Per rendere piana e utilizzabile la parte destinata ai campi sportivi si prevede infatti uno sterro di 400 mc riutilizzati in parte per rimodellare la collinetta.
il progetto prende in considerazione anche la possibilità di una pulizia del retro delle ex scuole, ora sede del comitato. La proposta prevede la realizzazione una parete leggera (struttura metallica con rete) su cui si aggrappa della vegetazione a mascherare l’ area delle campane dando dignità anche agli spazi residuali e i retri degli edifici. In questi spazi troveranno sede anche dei parcheggi per le biciclette e piccoli ciclomotori.
la zona dei parcheggi per le automobili sarà collocata prevalentemente dietro la ex scuola, in prossimità dei campi sportivi. La posizione è più favorevole per chi vuole usufruire soltanto dell’ area sportiva o vuole prendere l’ autobus nella vicinissima fermata. Indicazioni sui materiali
la piazza e i percorsi pedonali sono caratterizzati dall’ uso della pietra locale, il marmo di Chiampo. Essendo composto di grana minuta e compatta può essere tagliato con facilità risultando oltretutto adatto a pavimentazioni esterne.
proponiamo quindi una piazza dal carattere astratto, senza elementi decorativi aggiunti, essenziale, che lasci ai soli edifici esistenti e ai loro motivi decorativi la capacità di creare identità. Sarà la disposizione delle pietre, posate a correre, a rafforzare direzioni e punti di vista. Alla varietà cromatica dei marmi della valle invece sarà affidata la capacità di vibrare alla luce del sole.
saranno usati quindi, come in un mosaico, i principali tipi di marmo chiampese, il chiampo perla, il chiampo mandorlato, il chiampo paglierino e il chiampo rosa.

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Ipotesi preliminare ampliamento hotel - Mauro Peloso

December 2, 2013, 6:08 am

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L’ampliamento posto tra due edifici esistenti è caratterizzato da un piano terra sopraelevato da colonne fungiformi alte 6 metri. I piani superiori ospitano sei camere e una piscina scoperta in copertura. Le superfici esterne di forma curva, sono rivestite in acciaio.

Fronte principale

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Progettazione area esterna nuova sede della facoltà di Lettere, Trento. - B SCAPE architettura del paesaggio

December 2, 2013, 6:30 am

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Il progetto del verde prevede l’uso di elementi modulari in zinco che fungano da fiorire e panche, sviluppandosi su nastri di un metro di larghezza lungo il fronte strada, sviluppandosi in linea singola lungo i tre corpi principali dell’edificio e distribuite in tre file in corrispondenza dell’ingresso principale. Il grande ambiente comune viene allestito organizzando delle “isole attrezzate” che si sviluppano per tutta la lunghezza della sala. L’allestimento dell’area studenti si sviluppa intorno al concetto di proporre una seduta libera, informale che consenta diverse modalità di aggregazione e interazione. Il verde, puntuale ma di grandi dimensioni, aiuta a contestualizzare gli elementi di arredo mediandola proporzione con la scala architettonica. La grande pedana in legno è l’elemento centrale in cui si inseriscono il tavolo, gli sgabelli e i vasi in zinco. nei grandi vasi sono collocati esemplari di Bucida buceras che mediano la grande altezza dell’ambiente e creano un effetto “bosco” in interno.

Progettazione area esterna Facoltà di Lettere, Trento

Progettazione del verde in interni, hall centrale Facoltà di Lettere, Trento

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Edificio turistico fronte mare - Mauro Peloso

December 2, 2013, 6:48 am

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Edificio turistico frontemare con sistema di ombreggiamento in cannucciato.

Fronte principale

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Casa LC - E.Studio Architettura

December 2, 2013, 7:15 am

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Ristrutturazione interna ad un piccolo appartamento

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Urban Podium Rotterdam - Atelier Kempe Thill

December 2, 2013, 7:17 am

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An Activator in the City’s Vacuum
Situated between the gothic Sint Laurenskerk (Saint Laurens cathedral) and the Delftsevaart canal, the Grotekerkplein was formed only during the course of the modernist reconstruction of the city center, which was almost entirely destroyed during WW2.
Despite its central location the square hardly plays a role in the city’s life, as no shopping streets connect it to the rest of the city’s public spaces, and only a few facilities are oriented towards the square itself. Instead, a number of building backs define the square’s appearance and atmosphere, leaving it spatially unappealing and dull. Therefore the idea emerged to activate the square programmatically as well as spatially through the construction of a small theater pavilion, in order to fill the displeasing vacuum within the city fabric.
On the initiative of the Rotterdam Rotary Club an invited architectural competition was organized in the autumn of 2004, for which Atelier Kempe Thill submitted the winning entry.

Contour and Transparency: An Urban Object
The built theater podium interprets the task at hand consistently and maybe a little surprisingly as a mostly urbanistic operation. The existing situation is taken as a starting point and improved through a targeted and powerful gesture. A 40m long structure forcefully separates square and canal from each other in order to enhance their respective spatial legibility. The podium occupies almost the square’s entire western side, resulting in an enhanced framing of the space, which creates a more intimate character and provides the Sint Laurenskerk with a counterpart. The podium stands in the line of buildings, which define the ‘canal zone’; thus the Delftsevaart canal is emphasized as an important urban space. The structure itself is conceived as an open and transparent volume, maintaining a visual connection between square and water, and avoiding spatial constriction. The result is an object that presents itself as an activator within the city: it defines spaces whilst at the same time opens up views between them, and acts as an optical filter, appeasing the heterogeneous Rotterdam cityscape. The object’s spatial impact is maximized by a restrained use of colour in its design.

Programmatic Freedom: Podium as a Stage
The theatre podium was conceived as a large urban stage. Two service cores – 5m in height – rise from a 50cm high base. Between these two volumes a roof covers 30m in free span, with the resulting open frame forming the stage. The stage space has a double orientation, both towards the square and the water, making it possible for performances to be viewed from both sides. A further possible viewing arrangement could be to place the audience itself on the ‘stage’.The southern service core accommodates a stage curtain measuring 70m in length when unravelled. Depending on the event taking place, this curtain can be used to adjust the stage size, or even completely transform the stage itself into an enclosed ‘curtained space’.

The airiness and temporary character of the event is thus underscored by the effect of the movable textile. The northern service core is mainly reserved for artists’ use; it comprises bathroom facilities, a dressing room, and storage spaces. The integrated kitchen can also be used to operate a small café.
The built structure defies any attempt at a clear programmatic codification or typological classification. Instead it presents itself as an object of confronting emptiness, raising questions, and inciting unexpected types of use. Any functionalist determination or ostensible symbolism has been carefully avoided. A strong iconography emanates from the inviting and monumental roof structure, which at the same time remains pleasantly unobtrusive. The result is a calm and dignified setting for an inspired gathering of the urban population of Rotterdam.

Materialization: Maximum Durability and Refinement
Urban space is used aggressively in Rotterdam. With a durable materialization being a compulsory requirement, the podium was entirely constructed in concrete and steel. The detailing aims at an ultimate reduction, in order for the object to appear monumental whilst at the same time refined. The structure consists of exposed concrete rendered almost completely white by an aggregate of titanium oxide. A pre-stressed concrete construction forms the free-span roof, allowing for an exceptionally thin slab with thicknesses of 50cm towards the edges and 75cm in the center.
The use of extremely large formwork boards (10m x 2,5m) helped reduce visible joints to an absolute minimum. All technical installations – bolts, electrical conduits, and the curtain track – are completely integrated into the construction. The concrete surface is sealed with a special anti-graffiti coating.

The volumes of the service cores are clad with a non-bearing stainless steel mesh, each panel measuring an exceptional 5m in width; the corners are reinforced with stainless steel strips. An LED light bar behind the steel mesh illuminates the service volumes in the evenings, thus transforming the podium into an unexpected light sculpture in the evening hours. Two stainless steel doors – each 5m high – give access to the service cores. Like almost all other elements of the building, they are custom-made.

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Collegetown Terrace - Ikon.5 Architects

December 2, 2013, 7:27 am

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Collegetown Terrace in Ithaca, New York is an apartment style community for 1,200 graduate and professional students, with supporting commercial, social and recreational activities and parking for approximately 800 cars. College Town Terrace accommodations include studio, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments, all with private bedrooms and bathrooms.

Design of the Site
The residence buildings of Collegetown Terrace are a series of curvilinear buildings flowing with the site’s terrace topography. Beneath each residential building are one or two layers of parking. An important feature of the planning and organization of Collegetown Terrace is a series of community spaces, one in each of the three main buildings, connected by pedestrian bridges. These communal-use spaces bring together social, service, and study spaces into an interconnected community core. The amenities provided include a café and open common room, laundry, and related social and recreation spaces, fitness facilities, and dedicated, furnished quiet study areas in a promontory room overlooking the valley and South Hill.

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Monmouth Battlefield State Park Visitor Center - Ikon.5 Architects

December 2, 2013, 7:37 am

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The Monmouth Battlefield State Park visitor center is a renovation and addition to the park’s existing interpretation center which welcomes and educates visitors to the longest battle of the American Revolution. This battle is considered a critical turning point in the American Revolution and is cited as one of General Washington’s brilliant political strategies thus advancing the colonist victory and his ascension to the presidency. This battle is best known for giving us the cultural revolutionary hero, Molly Hayes, commonly known as ‘Molly Pitcher’. Despite the importance of this battle to the American Revolution, very little artifact exists that can be displayed or exhibited. However, it is the landscape of the battlefield that is the most powerful and enduring artifact of the events that lead to the colonist independence. The site for the visitor center is on top of Combs Hill, one of the high points, that overlooks the unspoiled and largely unchanged landscape of the battle.

The concept for the visitor center pays homage to this heroic landscape by integrating the center into the land. The visitor center is conceived as a modern day primitive hut, templar in its siting at the top of Combs Hill, but diminutive in its appearance. Like a floating cloud above the summit, the visitor center is a simple one story flat roofed structure that orients the visitor to the views and creates a ‘steel sky’ of expanded metal mesh above. The mesh is a solar shade around the perimeter of the building and acts as a common expansive ceiling in the exhibition gallery which conceals lighting fixtures and acoustical treatments. The new visitor center is adjacent to the 1976 bicentennial existing brutalist visitor center that is obsolete for contemporary interactive exhibitions. A portion of this structure is removed to make way for the new visitor center and a portion is renovated into the multipurpose classroom and archeological lab space.

In addition to the solar screen around the perimeter of the center, the design incorporates a number of sustainable features that contribute to its LEED Silver certification. The majority of the exterior of the enclosure is triple glazed low-e laminated glazing units permitting the maximum views, but minimizing heat gain and lost. The new visitor center and renovation occur within the bounds of the existing site. Land is not additionally disturbed to commence with this project. The new visitor center and renovated portions of the existing building will be heated and cooled with a geo-thermal system. Rain water is collected on the roof and is channeled into a rain garden feature at the entry to the visitor center. Natural grasses and flora are planted adjacent to the structure to minimize maintenance and to encourage indigenous birds and reptiles to live on top of the hill once again.

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Information Centre Court of Rotterdam - Atelier Kempe Thill

December 2, 2013, 7:39 am

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A new face for the Rotterdam Court
The Rotterdam Court is forerunner in the Netherlands concerning the introduction of „Mediation“ as an alternative form of settling conflicts. To give this role a visible form it had been decided to erect an own building for this purpose. Next to mediation the function of the information center had to find a place here as well. The building becomes by that also the official mouthpiece of the court – a center for all people who want to get informed about juridical questions.
The urban situation where the new building has to be fit in is the “Galeria”, an in-between space within the Rotterdam Court complex covered by a glass roof. The situation with a width of only 17 m is spatially quite narrow for a building and the obligations to keep a generous public route to the entrance of the subway and to avoid any backside.
For that reasons the expectations on the appearance of the new building are rather high. A transparent, inviting reception building is needed that communicates with its architecture the new ideas and at the same time a seriousness that fits to the court as an institution.

A house as furniture
To fulfill the demands of the city and of the court an entirely transparent building with low interior elements was taken as a start. The depth of the building was limited up to six meters to not disturb the Galeria in the long direction.
First of all the architectural question arises how a building must look like that should unfold such a wished great effect on the public but in its sheer size is rather small. To find an adequate solution on this the new information center was interpreted conceptually less as a small building but rather as a big furniture – not least because of its object – like position in the dominant interior of the Galeria.

This results firstly in the set – up of the few architectural elements in an as large as possible scale. By that the building reaches unless its small size an adequate degree of monumentality. Secondly was striven for an unusual precision for detailing and materialization. The smaller the building the more the architect is forced to reach the exactness of a watchmaker. Thirdly a maximum of integration of installations into construction was intended. Due to the entire transparency there are nearly nowhere informal zones where installations or constructions are “out of sight”. Nearly everything had to be worked out as visible elements perfectly given form up to the last detail.

A public interior
Due to the conceptual approach the interior becomes integrated part of the façade and by that of the appearance of the entire building. Interior and exterior become an entity and have to be designed as a “Gesamtkunstwerk”. To reach a highly coherent appearance the interior was set up basically in the same color. Because the Galeria is fairly dark due to the surrounding façades it was decided to balance this by giving the building a light color. Therefore the color white was used consequently for nearly all parts. To emphasize the bright interior the desk was produced out of massive polyester plates that are illuminated from the back. The roof is made out of translucent polycarbonate and shines because of the sunlight and the lamps that are put behind. To even emphasize the transparency even more bleached glass was used instead of normal float glass to avoid its typical green color. The lantern – like shining of the building also strengthens the wished communicative effect and has by that a positive impact on its use.
To visually close the meeting rooms as well as to protect them from too much sunlight and to improve the acoustic conditions all windows are provided with curtains. To balance the hermetic of the building they give it something soft and comprehensible.

Large scale elements and reduction of means
The detailing is based on two core strategies, on one hand the use of large scale elements on the other hand the maximum reduction of the used means. The intension is to reach a monumental scale.
To reduce the means it has been tried to reach as much integration between architectural and technical elements as possible. The construction is at the same time window frame and installation canal. The roof functions as acoustic barrier; lamp and cable duct and contains sprinkler installations and sun protection. In the polyester desk – next to TL – lamps, LED displays for the client information system are integrated. As large – scale elements to define the structure of the building the largest glass panes were used in the size of 6m long and 3,21 m high. To make this possible from the beginning on it had to be clarified if and with which techniques these panes could be brought into the Galeria through its narrow entrance doors. Also the capability of the floor to support the transportation of the 1250 kg elements had to be researched.

The electrical large – scale sliding doors of 2,80×3 m are developed for the project. The frames and the fixing details for the glass, as well as the motor, the gear, the cables and the rail system were designed and sampled together especially for that situation. To avoid disturbing drafts an especially designed air curtain was integrated in the floor.
The desk from polyester is set up as long as possible. Within its 17 m length, two necessary doors were integrated invisibly at both ends, also made form polyester.
The new information center presents itself as an auratic but still self – evident object. Within the Galeria it keeps distance and autonomy without to be in competition with the manifold context. Through its appearance it makes an inviting gesture to the other more distanced buildings of the Rotterdam court.

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VILLA TRE CORTI - Roberto Crespi, Tiziana Andreoletti

December 2, 2013, 7:46 am

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L’area di progetto, di 2000 mq circa, lontano dal centro abitato di Carvico in provincia di Bergamo, confinante con una fascia di terreno boschivo in cui scorre un piccolo torrente, è situata in aperta campagna caratterizzata da un contesto paesaggistico di campi coltivati, macchie arbustive, orti, case sparse e fossi. L’edificio si colloca in questo contesto ed ha l’obiettivo di richiamare gli antichi valori della cascina rurale attraverso un linguaggio contemporaneo: essere in contatto con il terreno circostante ma allo stesso tempo dare la possibilità di chiudersi nell’ambiente privato attraverso un “recinto”. L’edificio si inserisce nell’intorno costruendo un rapporto di reciprocità col contesto agricolo.

PISCINA

Sollevata dal terreno attraverso un basamento di circa 50 cm, la residenza monofamiliare, che si sviluppa con una pianta a “L”, appoggia su una grande piastra che circonda tutto l’edificio, diventando piscina, ingresso, verde, portico e terrazza. Due muri chiudono il lotto lungo i prospetti est e ovest, a nord e sud questo recinto si apre per lasciare entrare la natura: il bosco a nord e il campo a sud.

VISTA DA SUD

L’abitazione è suddivisa essenzialmente in tre corpi: l’ingresso, caratterizzato dalla presenza di una corte interna che penetra nel volume dell’edificio e buca la copertura separando la zona dell’ingresso dal soggiorno e dalla zona notte; il soggiorno e la cucina trovano spazio nel volume esposto a sud, hanno grandi vetrate (serramenti in legno lamellare con vetrocamere basso emissive con gas argon), protette in estate dal profondo portico, che affacciano sul giardino da un lato e sulla piscina dall’altro; la zona notte con un corridoio di distribuzione esposto a sud, sulla zona più pubblica del giardino, mentre le aperture delle tre camere sono rivolte a nord-est e affacciano su una corte privata rivolta verso il bosco. Il box e il locale lavanderia trovano posto in un volume adiacente all’abitazione, collegato ad essa con una copertura piana a sbalzo.

TERRAZZA

Elemento caratterizzante del progetto sono le tre corti con funzioni e compiti differenti: la corte principale è quella della grande piastra/giardino, che si affaccia sui campi, rivolta a sud, ombreggiata da alberi che bucano la grande terrazza/cortile; poi c’è la zona della piscina, in diretto contatto con il salone e separata dall’esterno con un grande muro; l’ultima corte è quella più privata su cui affacciano le camere da letto, esposta a nord in diretto contatto con il bosco presente su questo fronte.

INTERNO SALONE

Data la forma semplice, compatta dell’edificio è facile limitare i consumi energetici attraverso una progettazione delle chiusure opache e trasparenti, uno studio della luce solare permette il dimensionamento degli sbalzi della copertura a sud e il posizionamento di alberi nella corte principale favorisce l’ombreggiamento estivo, le grandi vetrate permettono ottimi guadagni solari durante il periodo invernale. Le aperture rivolte a nord sono altamente performanti per limitare al minimo le dispersioni termiche.

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Interior Layout Design - Mauro Peloso, Fabio Fossati

December 2, 2013, 7:48 am

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Progetto d’arredo per una villa in India

Sala da pranzo

Camera da letto

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“Zilverzijde” Social Housing - Atelier Kempe Thill

December 2, 2013, 8:14 am

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Radical Tabula Rasa
In 2006, Atelier Kempe Thill is commissioned to design Block 10 in the Moerwijk neighborhood of The Hague with eighty-eight apartments and twenty-seven terraced houses as the result of a negotiation procedure by Vestia, the largest building corporation in the Netherlands. Moerwijk is a typical restructuring area with residential buildings from the nineteen-sixties, as also exist in many large cities in the Netherlands. Also here, the city and housing corporations agreed on the comprehensive demolition of the entire area rather than renovation of the existing buildings.
Commissioned to create the new urban development plan required was the firm KCAP, whose project is fundamentally based on the existing street and block structure. What is distinguishing here—as in the majority of comparable planning situations—is the fact that it is not possible to change the street grid due to the new necessary infrastructure, as well as the fact that such a large-scale operation would have to be realized in smaller steps of 150 to 250 residences. For this reason, the new development adheres nearly exactly to the old building lots, but with a substantial difference: the depth of the buildings has been increased from nine meters to approximately thirteen, and a new mix of apartments and terraced houses is created in place of the original development, consisting exclusively of apartments. The apartments thus stand on the edge of the area and form an “urban border,” while the terraced houses are located in the more intimate interior of the grid.

KCAP originally envisioned retaining two of the three-story apartment blocks in the heart of the area as a witness to the original urban development plan of Willem Marinus Dudok. Based upon feasibility studies conducted by the housing corporation, these last two structures were, however, also approved for demolition in the end. Suitable renovation with the combining of apartments as well as the corresponding acoustics and energy efficiency would have exceeded the maximum budget. The ground plan and the building structure were also not appropriate for the planned changes.

The impressive planting of the courtyards and the carefully composed trees on the streets (magnificently blooming ornamental species) were also sacrificed to the bulldozer, so that after fifty years everything was virtually started again from scratch on the basis of a consistent tabula rasa—and indeed with the fascination for the virgin, bare sand area that is so typical for the Netherlands, and in which one is able to dream up new buildings like a new beginning of life.

What is moreover remarkable is the economic logic of such a large-scale operation, which ultimately makes the entire current production of residential buildings in the Netherlands seem like an increase in luxury. Such an operation is only then feasible when approximately two times the amount of living space is built up once again. Finally, however, only the same number of residences as before will be built despite a doubling of the area. In addition, approximately only half the number of people will live in these new apartments compared to fifty years ago.

A Collective without Collectiveness
The new design for Block 10 is conceived by KCAP as meaning an apartment development along Erasmusweg, which is the main street leading to downtown The Hague, and also an area of terraced-house development situated behind the apartments. The buildings along Erasmusweg serve as a noise barrier for the surrounding area to the back while also functioning as a city boundary.

According to Atelier Kempe Thill’s analysis regarding both the required parking space and storage space for the apartments, which should also be situated on the ground floor, it becomes clear that it would be necessary to assume that the space between the two buildings would be filled completely with parking space. Building an underground parking garage would be uneconomical due to the high water table. As an alternative (and similar to the residential building project in Amsterdam-Osdorp), Atelier Kempe Thill proposes covering the parking space with a green roof deck, which it envisiones as a terrace for neighboring apartments as well as a communal area with opportunities for children to be able to play. Generous openings in the deck are planned in order to make it possible to ventilate the garage naturally. Building such a large residential complex from scratch thus offers the chance to create a generous, collective inner courtyard.

The discussions regarding this idea that Atelier Kempe Thill conducts with the housing corporation are worth noting. It quickly becomes clear in the meetings with Vestia that the combination of terraced houses with apartments would lead to social differences between the residents, which would make any shared use of the courtyard inconceivable. Vestia is of the opinion that second- and third-generation Turkish and Moroccan immigrants who have achieved prosperity would live in the terraced houses, that large, first generation families from Turkey and Morocco would probably live in the subsidized maisonette apartments, and that retired Dutch citizens would prefer the upper floors. According to this assessment, none of the target groups would be interested in sharing a single courtyard with the others. The design desired is thus one that guaranteed a generous coherence optically while clearly separating the residents of the two sections spatially, since they would otherwise—according to the conjecture—only disturb each other.

Access balcony Remains Access balcony
Residential housing development in the Netherlands in the nineteen-sixties and early seventies, for instance the well-known Bijlmermeer in Amsterdam, is mostly characterized by long, anonymous balconies for accessing the individual residences. This form of access is by far the most economical since the passageway in the form of a prefabricated slab of concrete need only be suspended on the exterior of the building structure without actually being part of the isolated building structure. Due to the anonymity of an access balcony and the fact that the residents are completely exposed to the weather before reaching the elevator or stairway, the access balcony is—especially when it is quite long—one of the main criticisms expressed with respect to the residential building architecture of late modernism. Atelier Kempe Thill begins its work on the design of the new apartment building with this awareness and proposed various two-story apartment typologies with other forms of access. The housing corporation, however, come to the conclusion that only one-story apartments are desired. Two-story maisonette apartments need be reduced to the absolute minimum since this target group would clash with the retired Dutch residents, who must become accustomed to old age and infirmity. One-story apartments, which are per definition wheelchair-accessible, could, however, only be accessed in the given situation by means of an access balcony, which automatically results in a building typology that is nearly exactly the same as that which was so severely criticized in the sixties. This situation was, nevertheless, accepted. In order to upgrade the access balcony socially and architecturally, Atelier Kempe Thill proposes combining the actual balconies of the apartments directly with the access by enlarging it to some extent. This combination is particularly appreciated in the case of apartments for the “55 plus” generation since it facilitates more social contact.

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Junky Hotel Amsterdam - Atelier Kempe Thill

December 2, 2013, 9:05 am

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Fringe Group in the Center
The Amsterdam-Bijlmermeer housing development, which was erected in the nineteen-seventies based on CIAM principles under the direction of Siegfried Nassuth, has been being overhauled since the mid-nineteen-nineties due to a wide range of social and structural problems. In this case, urban renewal means, above all, radically demolishing large-scale, honeycombed housing blocks and replacing them with differentiated, small-scale block development and terraced housing. At the same time, the existing shopping center is being upgraded through the addition of a wide range of new, public facilities and thus assumes supraregional importance. In the northern part of the downtown area, a new market square is being constructed, surrounded by the district town hall, a swimming pool, the Bijlmer Park Theater, and the already existing police station. In addition, the established public park is being regenerated and made better connected with the district center via the square.

In 2007, within the framework of a negotiation procedure, Atelier Kempe Thill received the commission to plan a residential hotel for heroin addicts located at a sensitive transition between the square and the park. The task here was extremely delicate since such facilities are very unpopular with the population and normally have a miserable existence in container structures on the urban periphery in industrial or railway wastelands, almost never realized as a new building in the direct vicinity of central, public institutions and parks. For the architects, this posed an interesting question: How should the typology of the “Drug Addicts’ Hotel” be manifested within the urban context? On the one hand, an attempt was made to realize the building as an emancipated and consciously “publicly” designed institution in the ambivalent spatial realm between park, theater, and swimming pool. On the other hand, as a result of its sensitive user group, the building is designed as a rather anonymous, reserved structure that forms a building ensemble with the adjacent police station.

Collective Living Room
This residential hotel is defined by a differentiated use of space. On the one hand, “long stay” and “short stay” clients are given accommodations in the building, on the other, methadone is administered here and training and employment programs also take place within the building. With forty-five square meters per person, the living space provided is very generous and far exceeds social housing standards, which is surely remarkable from a social point of view.

The square plot of land that was available initially, measuring twenty-five meters square, turned out to be rather unfavorable for the organization of the spatial program since the many (usually small) rooms all require direct daylight. The building is therefore organized along the property boundaries, which results in a programmatic ring in terms of layout. Very compact access in the form of an “excess pressure stairway” is positioned in the interior, meaning that a second emergency escape route is unnecessary. Within the ring, a “vacuum” for which there is no programmatic counterpart is created and interpreted as an atrium. On the ground floor, there is a large, central common room that opens up over three stories and is realized within the structure as a cube measuring nine meters on each side. The impact of the space is further enhanced by the lowering of the floor level in the atrium area, whereby its communal use is also emphasized optically. This space emerged almost “incidentally” from the logic of the plot characteristics and was not originally part of the task at all. It forms the center of the new building and, as a generous “communal living room,” can be used for various activities that contribute to the socialization of the residents. Above the atrium is a roof terrace, which is designed as an intimate and introverted courtyard. In it, the residents can withdraw and relax away from the public space.

Light and Neutrality of Use
The building is owned by a building society and has been rented by a foundation for a period of ten years. Yet unclear is whether the building will still be used as a “Drug Addicts’ Hotel” after 2022, or whether it should be used for other programs down the road. In order to make it possible for the owner to make simple adaptations within the structure, Atelier Kempe Thill was, for the first time, faced with the challenge of creating a structure that is truly neutral in function. The building is executed as a frame construction, with non-load-bearing interior walls and all the technical installations also integrated into the building independently of the load-bearing structure. As a result of these measures, the structure can be adapted to new uses relatively quickly and without great expense.

Due to its compactness and its use, it is important that a considerable amount of natural daylight is available within the building. The façade was therefore generously glazed and allows significant light to penetrate the interior. The central atrium is illuminated by a skylight and receives additional light via the façade. Space-dividing walls are often executed in glass, which gives rise to expansive visual connections within the building that are necessary for facilitating an overview and for social interaction.

Between Representation and Anonymity
At first glance, the exterior of the building is defined by horizontal, rather neutral bands of windows with solar-control glazing. Since windows that can be opened are expressly not desired according to safety regulations, very generous fixed glazing with lengths of 2.6‚ four, and six meters—depending on the size of the room—are installed. The glass is clamped in very slim, extruded, and black-anodized aluminum profiles, which were developed specifically for this project in close cooperation with the Keers firm. In order to make this possible financially, the number of the different types of profiles was reduced to three. The windows are thus “pulled” over the structure and the edge of the roof “like a skin,” making the appearance of the building more abstract and elegant. At the same time, the structural skeleton framework shines through the glazing and lends the façade unusual depth. Three horizontal balustrades run between the windows. These balustrades are executed with very small, reflective glass mosaic tiles, which emphasize the slickness and hermetic quality of the façade and bring in a refined and tactile quality. The green of the glass tiles thus strives for a color reference to the glazing and to the colors of the neighboring police station. For cost reasons, the tiles were not purchased in Italy but instead specially produced for this project in China. As a whole, the façade exhibits a reserved but representative skin that obtains its effect from the proportions of the windows, their astoundingly monumental scale, and the very reduced and abstracted detailing.

In the interior of the building, the task consisted of achieving a robust and neutral choice of materials despite the tight budget framework. A decision was consciously made to use light gray, easy-to-clean surfaces in combination with a lot of glass in order to offer a calm framework for everyday life. All the walls are plastered, with the concrete surfaces in the stairway given only a transparent coating, the floors coated with polyurethane, and the ceiling executed with acoustic spray plaster. All technical installations, such as ventilation outlets, extractors, safety technology, fire dampers, and so forth, are integrated as carefully as possible into the walls and ceilings so that a monolithic character is created for the surfaces here as well. The atmosphere that thus develops is very calm and neutral, emphasizing the spaciousness of the building and offering users the opportunity to adapt the individual rooms to their own particular needs. With this undertaking, it was possible to realize a special housing construction project with a consciously public-oriented and especially refined aura, both inside and outside. Created within the limited budget framework is a very generous and relaxed living atmosphere that surely has a positive effect on the emancipation of the residents and also serves as an example in an international context.

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