Vo Trong Nghia Architects completes bamboo welcome centre for Grand World Phu Quoc

Vietnamese studio Vo Trong Nghia Architects used 42,000 pieces of bamboo to create the complex, sculptural form of this entrance building for a resort on the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc.

The building welcomes visitors to Grand World Phu Quoc, which is part of the Phu Quoc United Center – a leisure and entertainment complex occupying more than 1,000 hectares on the island.

The welcome building to the Grand World Phu Quoc resort was designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects

Vo Trong Nghia Architects was commissioned to design a structure that embodies Vietnamese culture and provides a bold symbol at the entrance to the expansive site.

The welcome centre has a gross floor area of 1,460 square metres, and is made from bamboo using construction methods that the studio has refined over many years.

It was constructed using 42,000 pieces of bamboo

It was completed using approximately 42,000 bamboo culms – the hollow stems of the grass species that grows rapidly in Vietnam's tropical climate.

The studio claimed that the project, which uses ropes and bamboo pins to connect the culms together, was more complicated than its previous bamboo buildings due to the hybrid structural systems used.

"The joint system is challenging as we employed a lot of structural systems, and the details of them meeting each other is challenging," the studio said.

The structure is comprised of arches, domes and curving planes

The dense structure comprises a series of arches, domes and grids, with an internal void sculpted into the forms of a lotus and bronze drum.

The bamboo framework produces interior spaces that feel open and transparent, due to the grid structure allowing light to penetrate through it.

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Skylights incorporated into the building's thatched roof also allow daylight to illuminate the interior, while the grid system enables breezes to ventilate the space naturally.

"The light comes in beautifully and, along with the natural colour of bamboo, creates a warm and intimate atmosphere, even though the structure is very open in terms of airflow," the studio added.

The building has domed interiors

Visitors arriving at the resort cross a plaza and follow a path that bridges a shallow reflecting pool, before entering the welcome centre through an arched opening.

The arched passage extends through the building, leading into two halls that are shaped like a lotus and a bronze drum.

These sculpted internal voids represent traditional symbols that respond to the client's requirement that the building should embody Vietnamese culture.

Skylights fitted into the roof allow light to filter into the interior

In a 2014 interview with Dezeen, Vo Trong Nghia, founder of the eponymous studio, described bamboo as the "green steel of the 21st century".

He added that the material, which is abundant and affordable in his native country of Vietnam, is particularly suited to creating open or semi-outdoor spaces.

Bamboo is tied and joined together

Nghia established his architectural practice in 2006. Previous bamboo projects completed by the studio include a restaurant with a domed roof set on an artificial lake and a series of beach huts with thatched roofs that form part of a resort on a small island.

In addition to its work with bamboo, the studio is known for exploring various low-energy architectural solutions, and for incorporating plants in many of its projects.

In Vietnam's Ha Long Bay, Nghia's office designed a villa with trees growing through its concrete walls, while tropical plants cover the balconies of a hotel in Danang.

Photography is by Hiroyuki Oki.

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#hotels #all #architecture #publicandleisure #bamboo #vietnam #votrongnghiaarchitects

Studio Seilern Architects surrounds moated plaza with 20-metre-high colonnades

London-based Studio Seilern Architects has enclosed the Gouna Festival Plaza in the Red Sea resort of El Gouna, Egypt, with a trio of colonnades.

Built within an artificial lagoon, the plaza is the first stage of the Gouna Conference and Culture Centre, which was designed to be a landmark cultural destination for the resort town.

Studio Seilern Architects has designed the Gouna Festival Plaza in Egypt

"Our client wanted to put El Gouna on the map, culturally speaking, and commissioned us specifically to create an architectural vision that achieved this," said Christina Seilern, principal of Studio Seilern Architects.

"The idea was to give Gouna a cultural venue that would unify the town in a strong urban gesture, and give it a new point of focus with a captivating cultural venue," she told Dezeen.

The 20-metre-high colonnades are the tallest structures in El Gouna

The plaza was developed for Egyptian-Montenegrin businessman Samih Sawiris, who owns the resort town and previously commissioned Studio Seilern Architects to design the Andermatt Concert Hall in Switzerland, as the first stage of the cultural complex.

A 600-seat concert hall and a conference centre, also designed by Studio Seilern Architects, will be built within the plaza over the next couple of years.

It was designed to be a multifunctional space that will host the annual El Gouna Film Festival, sporting events and concerts as well as functioning as a public plaza between events.

The complex is surrounded by a moat

"We wanted to create a beautiful new public space with a dual function," said Seilern.

"It will act as a venue for a wide range of major cultural events, and the ground for a concert hall and conference centre, the next two phases of the project," she continued.

"It should feel like an awe-inspiring and captivating public space for events such as the Gouna World Squash tournament or the film festival, or feel intimate and welcoming for a wedding or festive gatherings, while also acting as a tranquil and wonderful place to visit when not in festive use."

A concert hall will be built in the central plaza and a conference centre in the southern section (left in image)

Set on a series of artificial islands, a trio of spaces is enclosed by three L-shaped colonnades.

The concert hall will be built within the central plaza and the conference centre in the southern area, with the northern section left as a flexible space.

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The 20-metre-high colonnades, which are the tallest structures in El Gouna, were designed to define the complex architecturally while providing shade from the sun and shelter from wind.

"We want the visitor to feel awe and wonder when they arrive," said Seilern. "The scale of the colonnade is counteracted by the softness of the internal cladding of the colonnades."

The columns are detailed and sand-coloured on the inside of the colonnades

The staggard and interconnected columns were made from glass-reinforced concrete, with a sand-coloured interior profile and a white, flat exterior.

"The warm sand-like colouring of the column cladding is evenly lit at night, appearing as a large sculpture reflected in a mirror-like body of water," Seilern continued.

"The effect that we sought is one of absolute peace – a space for reflection which can turn into a festive place for gathering."

The colonnades provide shelter from wind and rain

Studio Seilern Architects aimed for the architecture to draw on the grandeur of ancient Egyptian buildings along with Moorish influences.

"We are contextualists and were keen to create an architecture that reflects the impressive architectural legacy of ancient Egyptian architecture," explained Seilern.

Gouna Festival Plaza was designed to be a landmark in the resort town

"We were keen that the design emerges from a language that relates to the history and culture of the site," she continued.

"The use of the arch was generated from the notion that the arch is a Moorish invention. Combined with the monumental scale of Egyptian architecture, such as is seen in Luxor, we played with this idea by oversizing the perimeter columns."

Studio Seilern Architects has previously created a restaurant on top of Mount Gütsch in the Swiss Alps, a charred-timber performing arts centre in Berkshire and a house on a rocky ledge above an African dam.

The photography is byPaul Riddle.

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#all #architecture #cultural #publicandleisure #egypt #studioseilern

Shigeru Ban designs meditation retreat overlooking Awaji Island mountains

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban has designed a wooden meditation retreat named Zenbo Seinei, which is nearing completion on a verdant site on the Awaji Island in Japan.

Slated to open in spring, Zenbo Seinei will take the form of a long and slender wooden structure elevated on one side by steel columns.

It is being designed by Ban for Japanese company Pasona Group, which oversees a number of facilities on Awaji Island in Japan's Seto Inland Sea.

The retreat will focus on healthy food and mindfulness and is aimed at tourists who want to escape from cities to a natural environment.

Retreat will allow visitors to "experience zazen"

Ban's elongated building is now under construction on a leafy spot in the northern part of the island.

Once complete, it will measure 90 metres in length and 7.2 metres in width. It will also feature a 100-meter-long wooden deck, designed as an open-air platform for zazen, a form of sitting meditation.

Shigeru Ban has designed a wooden meditation retreat for Awaji Island

"We planned an accommodation facility where you can experience zazen on a small site with abundant nature on Awaji Island," explained Shigeru Ban Architects.

Pasona Group said it has been developed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which led "to major shifts in people's attitudes and values towards life and work".

"Amidst this, there has been a growing interest in opportunities to reassess one's own contentment in environments rich in nature, and in lifestyles that promote physical and mental well-being," the company added.

Restaurant forms part of design

Alongside the meditation spaces, Zenbo Seinei will contain guest accommodation and a restaurant serving dishes made from local vegetables as well as foods enjoyed by Buddhist monks.

On the surrounding 3,000-square-metre site, Ban is also designing an open-air bath and a cafe with a series of wooden huts for use in the future.

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Ban founded Shigeru Ban Architects in Tokyo in 1985. He was named the winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2014 and was selected as an ambassador for the EU's New European Bauhaus in 2021.

His studio also recently completed the Tainan Art Museum building in Taiwan and a boutique hotel that winds through Japanese woodland.

Other retreats featured on Dezeen include a series of cave-like brick-clad pods in China by Studio Avoid and a proposal for a boutique eco-resort in the USA by Jendretzki Design.

The visuals are courtesy of Pasona Group.

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#all #architecture #publicandleisure #news #japan #japanesearchitecture #shigeruban #woodenarchitecture

Foster + Partners surrounds Abu Dhabi Apple Store with stepped waterfall

Foster + Partners has unveiled the Al Maryah Island Apple Store in Abu Dhabi, which is surrounded on all four sides by a stepped waterfall.

Built alongside the Galleria Al Maryah Island Mall, the store sits on a raised podium on the waterfront overlooking the city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The Al Maryah Island Apple Store is surrounded by a stepped waterfall

"The design of Apple Al Maryah Island is all about the view of the extraordinary skyline of Abu Dhabi and creating an experiential route for visitors, as they walk through surrounded by the calming water and mirrors," said Stefan Behling, head of studio at Foster + Partners.

"It seeks to draw the vitality of the waterfront promenade through the site and into the store, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside, and generating an exhilarating and inspirational Apple store."

It was built in a plaza under the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange building

Foster + Partners enclosed the store, which is entirely sheltered by the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange building, with glazed walls on all sides.

It stands on a stepped pyramid formed of black granite stone that has water flowing down it.

A pair of bridges cross the water feature

"Elevated above the promenade, it marks a distinctive new presence as a glistening pearl atop a cascading black water feature," said Foster+ Partners.

The store also creates a direct connection between the mall and the water’s edge, activating the promenade and the public plaza.

The Apple Store has views across Abu Dhabi

The store is accessed from two bridges that extend across the stepped water feature from the waterfront promenade.

It is directly connected to the mall by a covered walkway made from milled glass that is entered through a stainless-steel doorway.

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The 22-metre-long corridor was topped with a stretched mirror foil ceiling to create "a kaleidoscopic effect" within the space.

Inside, the single-storey store has a 5.75-metre-high ceiling that is covered with stretched gold fabric.

It is connected to the Galleria Al Maryah Island Mall by a glass tunnel

The space has stone a floor made from the same black granite as the surrounding water feature. The display tables are arranged around Ficus trees.

In the United Arab Emirates, Foster + Partners previously created a store for Apple surrounded by carbon-fibre in Dubai. Other recent Apple Stores designed by Foster + Partners include a spherical glass store in Singapore and a shop in the historic Tower Theatre in Los Angeles.

The photography is by Nigel Young.

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#all #architecture #publicandleisure #abudhabi #fosterpartners #apple #unitedarabemirates #applestores

De Matos Ryan adds buildings clad with larch and galvanised steel to historic Yorkshire pub

Architecture firm De Matos Ryan has modernised a traditional pub in the English village of Nun Monkton, adding a collection of guest suites that take their design cues from agricultural buildings.

London-based De Matos Ryan was tasked with renovating and extending the heritage-listed pub in North Yorkshire, which is the last remaining hostelry in a village that was once an important trade hub for the medieval river transport network.

Named after a 19th-century racehorse, The Alice Hawthorn is an important meeting point for the villagers, but had been neglected and even closed for a period before being taken on by new owners in 2013.

De Matos Ryan added guest suites to The Alice Hawthorn pub in Yorkshire

The new landlords recognised that saving the pub from extinction required a more modern strategy focused on increasing its appeal to a broader audience. In 2017, they commissioned De Matos Ryan to oversee upgrades to the existing building and the development of several new accommodation blocks.

"The brief was to provide tourists, as well as the local community, with a high-quality but affordable basecamp from which to enjoy the surrounding landscape and visitor attractions," explained De Matos Ryan director Angus Morrogh-Ryan.

The project provides 12 ensuite guest bedrooms, including four on the first floor of the existing pub and eight arranged around a new courtyard that extends the village green into the pub's rear garden.

The new buildings are clad in larch and galvanised steel

Drawing inspiration from the Norse word "garth", meaning an enclosed garden, the communal green is surrounded by buildings that evoke the region's agricultural architecture.

"The design reflects the character of the various informal farmsteads that surround the green, which continues to be grazed by cows and other animals," the architects pointed out.

"The home-grown Douglas fir framed buildings use authentic agricultural building materials, such as galvanised corrugated steel roofing and larch cladding, to create the sense that the animals have only recently moved out."

The additions are arranged around a courtyard

The timber-framed buildings feature cloister-like passages facing the garden. Double-member columns resting on cast-concrete upstands support overhanging eaves that extend beyond the wooden facades.

The new amenities include a single-storey staff accommodation block that is slotted between two existing brick buildings near the site's entrance. The structure is clad with larch and features a pan-tile roof to match the surrounding outbuildings.

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A two-storey building called The Field Barn is located at the southern end of the garden and contains two en-suite guest bedrooms on each floor.

The single-level Tack Room accommodates a wheelchair accessible guest room, along with space for an outdoor kitchen, pizza oven and bar on the western edge of the garden.

Single-storey guest suites were built to provide visitors with accessible spaces

The Stables is a single-storey extension to the existing row of buildings on the eastern side of the site. It contains three guest bedrooms separated from the green space by brick pavers that form a driveway leading to the car park.

The Field Barn, Tack Room and The Stables all feature larch cladding and sinusoidal galvanised-steel roofs. The metal wraps around the whole of the Field Barn's upper floor, which is windowless to prevent overlooking and light pollution to the neighbours.

The site contains 12 ensuite guest bedrooms

The interiors of the new spaces feature a contemporary material palette that intentionally contrasts with the more traditional pub areas.

Internal walls are lined with larch boards and poplar plywood that complements the exposed Douglas fir structure. Curtains and upholstered headboards add softness and texture to the bedrooms.

The central courtyard features planted borders that contribute to the site's biodiversity, while an orchard next to the car park will eventually be used to supply the pub's kitchen with freshly grown fruit.

A natural palette was used throughout the interior

De Matos Ryan was founded in 1999 by architects Jose Esteves De Matos and Angus Morrogh-Ryan. The multidisciplinary studio creates contemporary solutions for a wide range of environments, often working within historic and culturally sensitive contexts.

The office previously designed a house in London that sits within a sunken courtyard, and oversaw the modernisation of the 18th-century York Theatre Royal and its 1960s extension.

The photography is byHufton + Crow.

---

Project credits:

Architect: De Matos Ryan

Project manager: Russell Pickering, R Pickering

Quantity surveying: Aspect 4

Structural engineering: Price Myers

MEP services: P3r

Acoustics: Gillieron Scott Acoustic Design

Sustainability: Award Energy

Main contractor: Gem Construction

Douglas Fir timber framing: Timber Workshop

Galvanised steel cladding: Varla

Timber cladding, doors, windows and carpentry: Lee & Micklethwaite

Mechanical services: Warmaway

Electrical services: Switched Solutions

Garden designer: Kate Guillebard

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#all #architecture #publicandleisure #yorkshire #uk #extensions #hotels #renovations #huftoncrow #pubs #dematosryan

MVRDV to install neon-pink staircase and viewing platform on Het Nieuwe Instituut

Dutch architecture office MVRDV has unveiled plans to install a giant neon-pink staircase across the exterior of Rotterdam's Het Nieuwe Instituut that will lead to a viewing platform in the same colour on its roof.

Titled Het Podium, the temporary installation will extend from the ground level plaza in front of the Het Nieuwe Instituut, adjacent to the MVRDV-designed art storage building Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, and rise along the side of the cultural centre.

Het Podium was designed by MVRDV

The staircase will be supported by a scaffolding system beneath and lead to the roof of the Het Nieuwe Instituut, which will be topped with a neon pink podium-cum-viewing platform that offers visitors panoramic views of Rotterdam.

The installation will form part of the Rotterdam Architecture Month, providing the festival with a central location that will be free for members of the public to experience while also hosting a number of architecture events.

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Het Podium will extend the height of the building, which is roughly 20 metres tall. The steps will provide visitors with a scenic, bright-pink guided walk to the rooftop. A lift from within the Het Nieuwe Instituut will also allow visitors step-free access to the rooftop podium.

The installation will be the successor to MVRDV's 2016 staircase installation The Stairs. This installation similarly lead visitors to the roof of an office block in Rotterdam's city centre and was built as part of the city’s 75th anniversary of its post-war reconstruction.

It will be installed as part of Rotterdam Architecture Month

Het Podium is set to open on 1 June 2022 in time for Rotterdam Architecture Month and will be open to the public until July.

The rooftop podium will be host to a number of lectures, talks, films and exhibitions.

In 2021, MVRDV opened the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, directly opposite the Het Nieuwe Instituut, which provided the public access to 151,000 artworks.

Also in 2021, Het Nieuwe Instituut appointed Aric Chen as general and artitstic director.

Rotterdam Architecture Month is taking place in Rotterdam from 1 to 30 June. SeeDezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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#all #architecture #cultural #publicandleisure #installations #mvrdv #rotterdam #news

BCW Collective perches hikers' cabin above an Alpine valley in Italy

Architecture studio BCW Collective has perched an aluminium-clad bivouac shelter for hikers above an Alpine valley in northwest Italy.

The shelter, called Bivacco Brédy, is located in the Aosta Valley and was conceived as a memorial by the family of Claudio Brédy, a local politician and Alpinist who died during a mountain excursion in 2017.

Above and top: Bivacco Brédy is a hikers' cabin located in northern Italy that was designed by BCW Collective. Top image is by YAC srl

A competition, launched in 2019 with the support of the Cantieri d'Alta Quota cultural association, selected BCW Collective's design as the winner.

Sitting on a rock slab 2,528 metres above sea level, the shelter features a large window oriented towards the Grivola and Gran Paradiso mountains and Gran Paradiso, which had been climbed by Claudio Brédy.

The cabin is positioned on a large rock on a mountain

"The architecture interprets both openness of spirit and introspective nature through a minimalist approach; it offers protection yet is open to the horizon, as if springing free," said the studio.

"Beyond the symbolism, the orientation is an environmental strategy, maximising solar gain to warm the bivouac in the cold winter months," it continued.

"Thus the Vertosan Valley has a new memorial icon, solid in form yet light in touch, protective yet ephemeral."

The structure was clad in aluminium. Photo is by YAC srl

Inside, the centre of the cabin contains three bunk beds, as well as a window seat, a desk bookshelf built around the window to the north and an entrance area with built-in storage for hiking equipment by the entrance to the south.

The space is lined in pale timber, with two windows above the bunk beds helping to create a sense of being "immersed" in the landscape.

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"The interior space is optimised for functionality, focusing on the view and sensorial experience as users immersed in the surrounding mountain context," explained the studio.

"Pushing into the void, the cantilevered volume evokes the absence of an important member of a family and community."

The interior was lined with pale wood

The cabin was prefabricated to minimise its impact on the site, with the structure delivered by helicopter and assembled in just a few days.

A metal-frame foundation anchors the cabin directly to its rocky site. This was chosen for its minimal impact on the landscape and its adaptability, should the shelter need to be moved in the future.

The shelter contains three bunk beds and work and dining areas

This frame supports a structure of wooden insulated panels clad in aluminium, with materials chosen for their lightweight, long lifespan and minimal maintenance requirements.

BCW Collective was founded in 2019 by architects Chiara Tessarollo, Skye Sturm and Facundo Arboit.

The cabin was prefabricated off-site

Architecture studio Demogo recently completed a similar prefabricated cabin for hikers, which is perched on the edge of a cliff in the Dolomites to frame dramatic mountain views.

In Norway, Snøhetta built a group of timber cabins overlooking the Jostedalen glacier in place of a number of accommodation buildings that were destroyed by a cyclone.

The photography is courtesy of BCW Collective unless otherwise stated.

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#all #architecture #publicandleisure #italy #aluminium #mountains #cabins #shelters

AutoCamp opens Airstream glamping site near Joshua Tree National Park

A clubhouse informed by Quonset huts features at an AutoCamp glamping site in southern California designed by American firms HKS and Narrative Design Studio.

The property is located in the town of Joshua Tree – on the border of Joshua Tree National Park – which is three hours by car from Los Angeles. It is the fourth location from AutoCamp, which launched in 2013.

Top: the AutoCamp clubhouse in Joshua Tree is informed by Quanset huts. Photo is by Matt Kisiday. Above: one of 47 customised Airstream trailers. Photo is by Josh Franer

Totaling 25 acres (10 hectares), the grounds offer around 50 customised Airstream trailers and a spacious clubhouse. Woven into the site are pathways, fire pits and a plunge pool.

"One of the critical design drivers was to incorporate a feeling of both privacy and community on the property," said HKS, a Dallas-based firm.

Pathways and native planting are woven into the site. Photo is by Matt Kisiday

"Intimate moments and privacy are encouraged at the Airstream campsites, but guests can also opt for shared spaces," the team added.

HKS was tasked with designing the site's masterplan and architecture, including a clubhouse created in collaboration with San Francisco's Narrative Design Studio, which oversaw the interiors.

A textured rug lays atop concrete flooring in the clubhouse. Photo is by Matt Kisiday

Together, the firms worked to create a contextually appropriate building that captures the serenity of the desert.

"The architecture nods to the eclectic nature of the town it resides, supplemented with a mid-century modern elegance," the team said.

The clubhouse includes a covered patio. Photo is by Matt Kisiday

The clubhouse consists of two joined structures that were informed by the Quonset hut – an arched, lightweight building that become popular during the Second World War.

Exterior walls are wrapped in steel and thermally modified pine, and shading elements were incorporated to help reduce solar heat gain. In the summer, the area's temperatures can often exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius).

Woven chairs and leather sofas surround a blocky coffee table. Photo is by Matt Kisiday

The building is oriented in a way that takes advantage of summer breezes while providing shelter from winter winds.

"HKS worked on multiple studies to identify the best orientation for the property and factor in Joshua Tree's intense climate," the team said.

The clubhouse also includes a multipurpose room. Photo is by Mariko Reed

"By shifting the axis of the property, HKS was able to provide a seamless indoor/outdoor experience that shades visitors from the desert sun and wind, while allowing views toward the vistas and beauty of Joshua Tree."

The clubhouse encompasses lounge areas, a bar, a multipurpose room and a covered patio.

Armchairs are arranged around a circular, black fireplace. Photo is by Mariko Reed

The building is filled with warm hues, contemporary details and handcrafted pieces. A high, rounded ceiling provides a lofty feel.

In a lounge area, woven chairs and sofas upholstered with waxed cotton-canvas surround a blocky, wooden coffee table. Underfoot, a textured rug lays atop concrete flooring.

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In another space, armchairs are arranged around a circular, black fireplace. Affixed to a wall is a leather tapestry that takes cues from a fringe jacket.

Narrative Design Studio, led by designer Shannon Niehenke, aimed to create a quiet atmosphere that would not compete with the exterior landscape.

The Airstream trailers provide a glamping experience. Photo is by Josh Franer

"With guests out and about exploring Joshua Tree during the day, the clubhouse provides a relaxing reprieve, where guests can soak in the views via custom rocking chairs and enjoy heated seating in the outdoor lounge/bar on chilly nights," the designer said.

While aiming to provide a comfortable stay for guests, the AutoCamp site is also designed to limit its impact on the environment.

The glamping site is intended to create a feeling of "both privacy and community". Photo is by Josh Franer

"Respect for the desert is of the utmost importance to myriad desert locals, who have grappled with development and a meteoric rise in tourism," the team said.

In response, the team incorporated eco-friendly elements such as native plantings, minimal irrigation, on-site water treatment and a heavy reliance on solar power. The site also is "dark sky compliant", ensuring a clear view of the nighttime sky.

The Joshua Tree location is one of several AutoCamp sites across the US. Photo is by Matt Kisiday

Other AutoCamp properties include an outpost near Yosemite National Park that offers trailers, tents and cabins filled with upscale decor, and a site in California's Sonoma County that has a low-lying clubhouse surrounded by towering redwood trees. Both locations were designed by Anacapa Architecture and Geremia Design.

AutoCamp has plans to open additional sites in New York's Catskill Mountains and near Zion National Park in Utah. The company also has a property in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

The photography is byMariko Reed, Matt Kisiday and Josh Franer.

---

Project credits:

Architecture: HKS

Interior design: Narrative Design Studio

Select artists and makers: Alexis Moran, Fong Brothers Co, Galanter & Jones, All Roads Studio, Designers on Holiday, AVO, Jaque Fragua, Dan John Anderson, Kirk Jonasson, and Ana DiGiallonardo

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#all #architecture #publicandleisure #california #usa #clubhouses #glamping #joshuatree

Jubilee Pool in Penzance reinvented as UK's first heated seawater lido

An art deco swimming pool in Cornwall has been given a new lease of life thanks to the addition of geothermal heating and community facilities designed by Scott Whitby Studio.

The Jubilee Pool in Penzance is the largest of only five seawater lidos remaining in the UK and the first to be upgraded with a geothermal borehole, which provides a natural and low-energy method of heating the water.

The Jubilee Pool is the largest of five seawater pools in the UK

Scott Whitby Studio aimed to capitalise on this new addition, to create community facilities that support but don't overshadow the building's 1930s architecture.

The cafe and bar was extended, while a second building provides a community hall that can be used for a range of activities, from art exhibitions to fitness classes.

Geothermal heating has been installed in the corner pool

Glazed doors make up the facades of these buildings, allowing them to open up to a new poolside promenade.

"With a building this striking and this loved, our job was to sit back," said architect Alex Scott Whitby.

"We didn't want to get in the way of this incredible art deco celebration of swimming, so we created a series of modest, relatively low-cost additions that let the pool stay in the foreground," he told Dezeen.

Scott Whitby Studios has upgraded the pool's facilities

The project was initiated in 2014 by Friends of the Jubilee Pool, a charity formed by a group of local people concerned that their much-loved pool was falling into disrepair.

The charity bought the pool and was able to raise £1.8 million towards its refurbishment, thanks to support from Cornwall council, Penzance town council, EU funding, plus a community share of £540,000.

[

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"The people of Penzance invested their own money and savings into the pool, even though this is one of the most deprived boroughs in the UK," said Scott Whitby.

"It shows how important this space is to so many people, far and wide."

The pool is now community-owned and run by a charity

The first step in the process, completed in 2019, was the excavation of the 410-metre-deep well, a project overseen by engineering firm Arup and specialist Geothermal Engineering.

The geothermal system extracts warm water from the well and, using a heat exchanger, uses it to warm the pool water up to temperature of between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius.

As a result, the pool can now be open year-round rather than just in the summer months.

The new buildings have a roof profile that matches the original entrance sign

The task for Scott Whitby Studio was to rejuvenate the architecture, damaged by years of coastal weather, and create facilities that could equally serve the community year-round.

Both the cafe and the community hall were designed to be as flexible as possible, so they can be used in different ways, in all weathers.

The curves integrate north-facing rooflights

A rippled roof profile mirrors the Jubilee Pool's historic gate signage, and also resonates with the scalloped wall of the churchyard across the street.

This form allows the building to neatly integrate north-facing rooflights, but without making the building too visible from the street. The arches seem to be peeping up over the entrance wall.

The buildings create more space for a bar and restaurant

Although simple in form, these structures integrate highly durable materials and finishes.

The fibreglass cladding is the same as used in boatbuilding, while the roof is a polyurethane rubber that's typically used for the flooring of oil tankers. The timber structure is salt-resistant, made from Douglas fir.

A new community space can be used for events, community meetings and exhibitions

"This building sits under the sea wall, which is a pretty unique situation," said Scott Whitby.

"We had to design a building that could cope with wind, waves, sea and a very high salt water environment, which drove a number of design decisions."

The pool was built in 1935, to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George V

Scott Whitby is based in London, where he runs his studio and also leads the Architecture and Physical Design department at the University of East London.

His past projects include a pop-up cinema and a bedroom for a throuple, although this project has a more personal significance. His wife's mother grew up in the area and swam in the pool in the 1950s.

"It's been a hugely humbling process to be part of that journey with the people of Penzance," he said.

"The best comment I had was by someone who is very local, who said, it's very Penzance; it feels like it's of its place, not trying to be something else."

Durable materials and finishes helps to protect the old and new architecture

The pool was built in 1935 to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George V. British tourism was thriving at the time, before commercial air travel led to people holidaying abroad.

Susan Stuart, who was pivotal to the fundraising campaign, believes the rejuvenated pool can be a catalyst for change in a town whose economic prospects have traditionally centred around the summer season.

"It's wonderful to see this unique place brought back to light, not just as an affordable community amenity but a rare thing, a community driven regeneration asset," she said.

"Year round opening and the resurgence of interest in cold water swimming is supporting 'off-season' growth to reduce seasonality in the local economy and bolster employment prospects for local people."

Photography and film are byJim Stephenson. Aerial photos are by EyeOnHigh.

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Project credits:

Architect: Scott Whitby Studio

Project team: Alex Scott-Whitby, Osman Marfo-Gyasi, Mary Tyulkanova, Neil Broadbent, Cherng-Min Teong, Jaahid Ahmad, Ada Keco, Kirk Slankard

QS (RIBA Stage 2): PT Projects

Structural engineer: WebbYates Engineers

Conservation/heritage: Scott Whitby Studio

Services engineer: WebbYates Engineers

Project manager/QS: Fox Cornwall

Main contractor: Catling Construction

Joinery: A1 Construction Penzance

Polyurea roofing: ESW

Fibreglass cladding: Stuart Pease (Fibreglass Ltd)

Geothermal engineering: GEON (GEL Geothermal Engineering Limited/Arup)

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#all #architecture #publicandleisure #videos #restorations #uk #england #swimmingpools #architecturevideos #scottwhitbystudio #artdeco #cornwall

Rotative Studio brightens Swiss town square with modular wooden pavilions

Architecture firm Rotative Studio has created three colourful temporary pavilions for reading and socialising in the Place du Marché square in Aigle, Switzerland.

Called Three Pavilions, the structures are designed to be "a playful intervention that could help revitalise the Place du Marché", a square in the middle of the historic town.

Rotative Studio has built three colourful pavilions in Aigle

"This square will undergo a transformation during the next years, to become greener and more pedestrian-friendly," Caterina Viguera, co-founder of Rotative Studio, told Dezeen.

"This work is not only about the design and layout of the pavilions but as much about the plan to revitalize the Place du Marché, to reinterpret what is there," she added.

The largest structure is used for community meetings

The Three Pavilions are constructed from steel, with Méranti plywood facades and larchwood flooring and furniture. Aluminium was used around the openings to protect the structures from water damage.

Rotative Studio chose these materials for their strength and durability, which was especially important as the structures were built on-site. After seven years, the pavilions will be relocated to another location in the city.

The tallest pavilion is designed for viewing the surroundings

"The pavilions are built in a modular way, to make the assemblage and dissemble simple," Viguera explained. "Designed as a modular system, the pavilions are prepared in the atelier of the local maker and transported and assembled on-site."

"The combination of steel and wood ensures makes this possible and ensures their durability and resistance in time," she added.

The blue pavilion houses a library of books

The smallest pavilion is six meters tall and has a curving staircase with a viewing platform at the top. Locals who climb to the top can take in views of the nearby Alps, as well as the wine fields around the town.

The blue pavilion is home to a library of books stored on shelves behind glass sliding doors. It also holds a large table and a bench where visitors can sit to read.

[

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](https://www.dezeen.com/2017/06/08/house-2-swiss-architecture-students-wooden-events-pavilion-ecole-polytechnique-federale-de-lausanne-atelier-de-la-conception-de-lespace-zurich-switzerland/)

The green pavilion, which is the largest and has a footprint of six by five meters, has benches all around the inside and an empty space in the middle for community events such as plays or theatre performances.

A large opening in the ceiling allows light to enter and visitors to look up at the sky above. A set of wooden stools can be placed both inside and around all of the structures.

Books are encased behind sliding glass doors

Each of the three wood-and-steel structures incorporates covered areas, steps and large openings that are accessible from all sides to reframe how both adults and children interact with the surrounding landscape.

"The locals are currently using the pavilions in different ways – they organise concerts, theatre plays, wine testings by the local winemakers and workshops between multidisciplinary groups," said Viguera.

"The children are the ones who have appropriated the structures the most: they usually arrive at the square after school, and play with the structures in multiple ways."

Each pavilion is made from steel and wood

Each structure has a different colour palette, made up of the three primary colours red, green and blue with decorative geometric lines. The architects hoped that the bright colours would add some vibrancy to the otherwise full public square.

"A strong colour palette of red, blue and green tones introduces a new identity to the square, in dialogue with the context," said the studio.

At night, the interior of the pavilions is illuminated, making them a safe space to enter in the evening.

Other recently designed pavilions include a structure designed by Kengo Kuma made from live bamboo and a pavilion informed by chocolate by architecture studio Wutopia Lab in Shanghai.

_The photography is courtesy ofRotative Studio. _

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Project credits:

Client : Commune d’Aigle, department d’urbanisme, mobilité et paysage

Built by : Guarnaccia Constructions

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#all #architecture #design #publicandleisure #installations #swissarchitecture #pavilions #plazaspiazzasandsquares #publicspace #piazzasandsquares

Eleven buildings that prove Palm Springs is a modernist oasis

To mark Palm Springs Modernism Week 2022, we've rounded up 11 standout buildings located in the Californian desert city often referred to as the mecca of mid-century modernist architecture.

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Photo is by Jake Holt

Abernathy House by William F Cody

Sprawled across a plot of land in the middle of Palm Springs, this house by American architect William F Cody is designed for sunny outdoor living, with ample outdoor areas and a lengthy pergola.

Its vast expanses of glass, white exterior and geometric blueprint have drawn comparisons to modernist houses such as Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye and Maison La Roche-Jeanneret.

Find out more about Abernathy House ›

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Photo is by Jim Riche

Swiss Miss Houses by Charles DuBois

Charles DuBois, one of modernism's lesser-known architects, is responsible for this collection of low-lying, single-storey residences.

A-frame roofs that stem straight from the ground make the 15 houses stand out drastically from the flat-roofed buildings that cropped up throughout the 20th century in the surrounding neighbourhood.

Find out more about Swiss Miss Houses ›

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Photo by Gary Bembridge

Tramway Gas Station by Albert Frey and Robson Chambers

Acting as gatekeeper to the modernist mecca that is Palm Springs, Tramway Gas Station is one of the first buildings visible to those travelling south along the road from Los Angeles into the Californian desert city.

The low-lying building is topped by a huge wing-shaped roof that offers shade from the desert sun, a component found in many modernist buildings in the area due to the bright and arid climate.

Find out more about Tramway Gas Station ›

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Photo is by David A Lee

Coachella Valley Savings& Loan bank by E Stewart Williams

Like many other buildings listed here, this bank is topped by a slender overhanging roof, which – along with the panels covering the walls – offers shade from the strong desert sun.

Modernist architect E Steward Williams left openings at the top of the walls to ensure there is plenty of natural light inside.

Find out more about Coachella Valley Savings & Loan bank ›

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Photo is by Brian Thomas Jones, courtesy of Patrick Stewart Properties

Hope Residence by John Lautner

Covered by a large domed roof, this concrete residence in Palm Springs' Southridge community has been likened to a mushroom, yet Lautner is said to have modelled the house on a volcano.

Either way, his nods to natural elements, use of curved forms and large expanses of glazing have similarities to buildings by the architect's famous mentor, Frank Lloyd Wright.

Find out more about Hope Residence ›

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Photograph by Jake Holt

Twin Palms by E Stewart Williams

Twin Palms was architect E Stewart Williams' first residential project – a house that he designed for music legend Frank Sinatra and his wife.

The 4,500-square-foot (418-square-metre) pad includes a piano-shaped swimming pool, a veranda with square holes and many sliding glass doors that lead outside. The design contributed to William's reputation as one of the Palm Springs "desert modernist" architects.

Find out more about Twin Palms ›

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Photo by David A Lee

Kaufmann House by Richard Neutra

Built in 1946 by Austrian-American architect Richard Neutra, this boxy two-storey residence has many recognisable elements of modern architecture – a flat roof, pale facade and shaded outdoor spaces.

Its patios are lined with slatted metal fins which provide shade during extreme heatwaves while also offering glimpses of the large boulders, cacti and palms in the sandy gardens.

Find out more about Kaufmann House ›

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Photo by David A Lee

Bank of America by Rudy Baumfield

Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier's famed Ronchamp chapel, with its bulky overhanging roof and curved lines, was the starting point for this bank designed by Rudy Baumfield.

Constructed in 1959, the bank is covered in vibrant aqua-coloured tiles across its rounded south facade. The structure is much softer in shape than the geometric lines typically associated with modernism but its unusual form and plain decor still fits with the style.

Find out more about Bank of America ›

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Photo is courtesy of Nelson-Moe Properties/Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Elrod House by John Lautner

Another Lautner building, Elrod House is a residence perched on the top of Palm Springs' Araby Cove neighbourhood which featured in the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever.

A dome-shaped roof made up of alternating glass and concrete segments, sliding glass walls across the front of the living area and a large crescent-shaped swimming pool gives the house its modernist edge.

Find out more about Elrod House ›

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Photography by Stephanie Kloss, from California Dreaming

Palm Springs City Hall by Albert Frey

Palm trees protrude through the open roof of the city's municipal building, Palm Springs City Hall, designed by Albert Frey and built in 1952.

The structure is typical of the modernist style thanks to its low height, flat roof and expansive canopy. Its exterior facade is a light taupe hue to match the desert beyond while the underside is painted in pale turquoise and yellow, matching the sun-drenched city palette.

Find out more about Palm Springs City Hall ›

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Photo is by David A Lee

Steel Development Houses by Donald Wexler

These steel-framed houses by architect Donald Wexler are early experiments in customisable prefab homes, designed to provide a housing model that was low-cost, easily replicable and suited to the desert climate.

Each of the seven houses come with a light gauge metal wall system and one of three steel roof options, including a white "butterfly" roof and a flat roof with overhanging eaves.

Find out more about Steel Development Houses ›

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Modernism Week takes place in Palm Springs from 17 to 27 February 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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#all #architecture #residential #publicandleisure #roundups #modernism #palmsprings #palmspringsmodernismweek

Graal Architecture's Orly Festival Hall references residential and industrial buildings

This multipurpose events hall designed by French studio Graal Architecture evokes typical gabled houses as well as the industrial sheds found near to its location beside Paris-Orly airport.

Orly Festival Hall is located on the edge of the airport complex to the south of Paris, and forms part of a suburban neighbourhood made up of residential and logistical buildings.

Graal Architecture has created a festival hall in France

Graal Architecture designed the festival hall as a pavilion consisting of four interconnected gabled volumes that resemble typical houses. Its flexible and modular design allows the building to be used for various events.

Corrugated and perforated metal cladding forms a rectilinear envelope around the pitched-roof volumes, lending it a more industrial appearance that recalls the nearby sheds and warehouses.

The building comprises four interconnected gabled volumes

"Halfway between a low-cost prefabricated industrial structure and an ordinary house, the building unfolds in two cubic volumes of the same dimensions, which attempt to move away from the typology of the shed to approach the domestic scale of the house," the architects explained.

The metal cladding extends beyond the height of the pitched roofs, creating a more visible volume within the suburban streetscape that changes in appearance when viewed from different distances and angles.

The volumes are wrapped by corrugated and perforated metal cladding

"Through its champagne colour, its undulations and perforations, the thermo-lacquered, corrugated iron cladding offers a changing and renewed image of the facility through the play of reflections and transparency," Graal Architecture added.

"Depending on the light, the distance and the viewpoint, which is multiple on this angled plot, the building creates a real kinetic effect."

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The building is separated into two conjoined blocks that are shifted slightly in plan to fit the irregularly shaped plot. The space in the offset area forms an entrance plaza sheltered from the noisy airport.

A block of service areas including the entrances, toilets, offices and technical spaces are arranged along the northern edge of the building so they are direct contact with the car park and a small concrete plaza.

It has a champagne-hued colour

Three entrances along the building's length provide access to different parts of the hall, allowing each space to function independently and enhancing the facility's flexibility.

The building was constructed using a timber frame that is visible inside the hall and is complemented by the exposed timber walls and structural roof panels.

The prefabricated framework is visible inside the hall

The prefabricated framework supports a series of deep beams that span the hall from front to back. Tracks incorporated into the beams allow movable walls to be used to partition the interior into two or three rooms.

The four roof ridges help to visually separate the open, flexible space into smaller bays while also aiding its acoustic properties. Each bay features large windows on its southern facade that look out towards the airport.

Skylights slot into the roof's ridge

Lighting and acoustic baffles that follow the folds of the roof help to break up the overall scale of the internal space. Skylights slotted into the roof's ridge cast natural light onto the timber beams and the concrete floor below.

Graal Architecture was founded by Carlo Grispello and Nadine Lebeau. The firm has previously designed an energy-efficient and economical facility for small children that was longlisted in the civic building category of Dezeen Awards 2021, and a sports hall for a nursery in western Paris comprising three corrugated zinc and galvanised steel cabins.

The photography is byClément Guillaume.

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#all #architecture #publicandleisure #france #modulararchitecture #corrugatedmetal #perforatedmetalfacades #perforatedmetal #graalarchitecture

Six architecturally significant ski jumps from around the world

Two new ski jumps are hosting events at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. As the Games continue, we have rounded up the most significant architect-designed ski jumps from around the world, including structures by Zaha Hadid Architects and Julien De Smedt.

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Photo is by Marco Boella

Holmenkollen Ski Jump, Norway, by JDS Architects (2011)

Built on the historic Holmenkollbakken ski jumping hill in Norway, this distinctive ski jump is cantilevered 69 metres above the surrounding landscape.

Designed by JDS Architects founder Julien De Smedt, the structure is clad in an aluminium mesh and topped with a viewing platform so visitors can experience views across Oslo and the surrounding fjord.

Find out more about Holmenkollen Ski Jump ›

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Photo is by Hélène Binet

Bergisel Ski Jump, Austria, by Zaha Hadid Architects (2002)

The Zaha Hadid Architects-designed Bergisel Ski Jump (above and top), which overlooks the alpine city of Innsbruck in Austria, is perhaps the world's best-known architect-designed ski jump.

The ramp itself is supported by a concrete tower that is topped with a cafe and viewpoint.

"The structure's distinctive form – part tower/part bridge – and silhouette extends type topography of the ski slopes into the alpine ski," said the studio.

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Photo courtesy of Beijing 2022

Big Air Shougang, China, by TeamMinus (2019)

Built for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Big Air Shougang is the world's first permanent venue for skiing and snowboarding big air events.

Designed by Chinese studio TeamMinus, the colourful structure stands alongside four industrial cooling towers within the site of Beijing's largest former steel mills.

Find out more about Big Air Shougang ›

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Olympic Ski Jump, Germany, by Terrain:loenhart &mayr (2009)

Originally created to host the 1936 Winter Olympics, this ski jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was revamped by Munich-based architects Terrain:loenhart&mayr in 2007.

The studio replaced the previous structure with a cantilevered tower accessed by a diagonal elevator, with the building nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Award 2009.

Find out more about the Olympic Ski Jump ›

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Photo courtesy of Beijing 2022

National Ski Jumping Centre, China, by TeamMinus (2020)

The second ski jump created for the Beijing 2022 Games was also designed by TeamMinus.

Named the National Ski Jumping Centre, the structure is topped with a disk-shaped form that has been likened to a UFO, round table or traditional Chinese sceptre. Within the disk is a circular viewing platform complete with panoramic restaurant.

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Photo is by Tim Meier

Lugnet Ski Jumps, Sweden, by Sweco Architects (2013)

This pair of ski jumps at the Lugnet sports complex in Sweden, which were built in 1974 for the World Cup Ski Championships, were refurbished by Uppsala-based Sweco Architects in 2013.

As part of the modernisation glass and steel railings, as well as lighting, were added to the weathering original steel structures.

Find out more about the Lugnet Ski Jumps ›

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#all #architecture #publicandleisure #highlights #skijumps #sports #roundups

SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles set to host Superbowl LVI

Architecture studio HKS has designed SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which is set to host this year's Super Bowl, as the home of American football teams the LA Chargers and LA Rams.

Built in the Inglewood area of Los Angeles, the stadium will host LA Rams when they play Cincinnati Bengals in Superbowl LVI on Sunday 13 February.

The recently opened SoFi Stadium will host Superbowl LVI

Completed in 2020 at a cost of $5.5 billion, the 70,000-capacity venue – which will be expanded to seat 100,000 for the Superbowl – is the most expensive stadium ever built.

It was designed by HKS for LA Rams-owner Stan Kroenke's development company Kroenke Sports & Entertainment to be an "entertainment destination".

It is topped with a large curved roof

"Mr Kroenke asked us to do two things: create an entertainment destination in the entertainment capital of the world, and architecture that embodied the spirit of southern California," said Lance Evans, director of sports at HKS.

"Our design team took that to heart; it led every decision on this building," he told Dezeen.

The roof covers the stadium, music venue and plaza

The stadium, along with a neighbouring 6,000-seat music venue and connecting plaza, was covered by a large roof that has the form of a "coastal wave".

"It's not just a stadium," explained Evans. "In fact, the 6,000-seat YouTube Theater and 2.5-acre American Airlines Plaza are also under that one massive, swooping roof, which also protects the NFL's largest stadium."

It is structurally separate from the stadium

Described by the studio as the NFL's "first indoor-outdoor stadium", the transparent roof was designed to give the venue the feel of an outdoor stadium, while being protected from the weather.

Supported on a series of columns, the roof is structurally separate from the seating bowl and made from a single layer of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) covered with a film to protect players and spectators from the sun.

The roof was designed to give the stadium the feel of an outdoor venue but benefits of an indoor one

"The roof never touches the stadium walls," explained Evans."It's completely free-standing, hovering above and around the massive venue."

"The roof is open on three sides, which allows for a fantastic ocean breeze to flow through the seating bowl."

The sunken seating bowl's capacity can be expanded to 100,000

The seating bowl itself was sunk into the ground by around 27 metres to reduce the building's height, due to the proximity of the LAX airport.

A large double-side screen is suspended from the roof to show replays and scores.

[

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Super Bowl stadiums of the past, present and future

](https://www.dezeen.com/2018/02/01/super-bowl-stadium-past-present-future/)

"The ETFE roof amplifies sound in the stadium; it's electric when the fans are cheering," said Evans.

"The dual-sided videoboard technology is another key. As you enter it's at eye level. Everyone in the stadium can see and engage with the technology; there's no bad seat in the house."

A screen was hung from the roof

The stadium complex was built as the first stage of a 300-acre entertainment district called Hollywood Park, which will contain a hotel, shops and 3,000 homes.

It is set in a series of gardens, plazas and lakes designed by San Francisco-based Studio-MLA.

Landscaping around the venue was designed by Studio-MLA

Overall, Evans hopes that the venue will set a new standard for stadium design and change fans' perceptions of watching sports live.

"We hope that when fans walk in for the first time, they have a sense of wonder and excitement," said Evans.

"We want to change what fans think about an NFL stadium. We wanted to immerse fans in the overall game-day experience – to hear, see and feel the energy, from the lower bowl to the highest seats in the stadium."

The stadium was designed to improve fan experiences of live sport

SoFi Stadium is the latest stadium featured on Dezeen to host a Superbowl, which is the culmination of the National Football League (NFL) season.

In 2020 the Superbowl was hosted by the Hard Rock stadium in Miami Gardens, while the 2019 match took place in the HOK-designed Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The photography is by Nic Lexhoux.

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#all #architecture #publicandleisure #highlights #losangeles #sports #stadiums #americanfootball #superbowl

Team BLDG conceals sports park facilities in China under an artificial hill

Shanghai-based studio Team BLDG has completed a series of visitor facilities for a sports park in Pazhou, Guangdong province, with spaces carved out of an artificial concrete-walled mound.

Located alongside a paved promenade on the Pearl River waterfront, "The Earth" project combines a visitor reception, rest room, changing spaces, equipment store and public toilets.

In contrast to the dense urban developments that overlook the site, Team BLDG wanted the centre to foster a closer relationship with the landscape and water, which informed the creation of an artificial mound concealing the new spaces.

The artificial mounds were designed by Team BLDG and contain facilities for a sports park

"Starting with the existing landscape movement line, our design intends to meet two types of crowd activity: around and through the architecture," explained the studio.

"Therefore, we 'piled up' a naturally raised green space on top of the original landscape, then 'cut' through it with paths shaped like a cross."

"With the earth-covered construction, the architecture blends itself into the nature and becomes part of the original landscape of the sports park in a simple manner," it continued.

Named The Earth, the project is located along the Pearl River waterfront

Spaces are organised around the deep, diagonal cut through the mound, which creates a courtyard and small garden area at its centre that is accessed by steps and a ramp.

These paved pathways act as an extension of the existing waterfront routes, leading to a park to the east and sports courts to the west.

Visitor and staff areas are hidden within the artificial mounds

Toilet blocks wrap the north, east and west edges of this courtyard, while a larger block to the south houses the reception room, viewing platform and staff areas.

The concrete walls of these spaces extend upwards to create sheltered spaces atop their green roofs, which provide a continuation of the surrounding parkland.

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"The built-in functions of reception, rest, changing rooms and toilets respond to the needs of users from a more daily perspective," said the practice.

The interior of this courtyard has been clad with white terrazzo slabs to contrast the green landscape, emphasising its "cut-out" nature.

A central courtyard was finished in white

Internally, exposed concrete and brushed stainless steel have been used to create quiet and "sedate" spaces, emphasising the feeling of being in the earth.

"When people walk in from the noisy and hot outdoors, it creates a visual cooling effect," said the practice.

Interior spaces were designed to look minimal

At night, the hidden nature of the new spaces is reversed, with illumination from within the centre highlighting the artificial hill's cut-outs.

Other recent projects by Team BLDG include the conversion of a factory bathhouse into a skylit gallery and art studio in Xiamen.

The photography is byJonathan Leijonhufvud.

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#all #architecture #publicandleisure #highlights #instagram #china #visitorcentres #sportscentres

Demountable stadium built with shipping containers reaches completion in Qatar

Colourful shipping containers and a modular steel structure make up Stadium 974, which Fenwick Iribarren Architects has completed in Qatar ahead of the FIFA 2022 World Cup.

Formerly known as Ras Abu Aboud, the 40,000-seat sports venue near Doha's port is the first stadium designed to be fully demountable in FIFA World Cup history.

Fenwick Iribarren Architects has completed Stadium 974 in Doha

Stadium 974 was designed by Spanish studio Fenwick Iribarren Architects with structural engineers Schlaich Bergermann Partner and engineering consultancy Hilson Moran.

Its modular structure combines repurposed shipping containers and a steel structure, parts of which are recycled.

It is constructed partly from shipping containers

The aim is for the stadium to be dismantled and reassembled in a new location after the football tournament in 2022, or repurposed as a series of smaller venues.

Its modular design also reduced constructions costs, build time and material waste, and organisers said water efficiency methods ensure it will reduce water use by 40 per cent compared to a conventional stadium development.

The containers used are brightly coloured

Stadium 974 is named after the number of shipping containers used for its construction. The number 974 is also the country's international dialling code.

The shipping containers, many of which were used to transport construction materials to the venue, serve as a nod to Qatar's maritime history and the industrial heritage of the site.

It accommodates 40,000 spectators

While forming portions of the stadium's exterior, some of these steel containers contain staircases, concession stands and bathrooms.

According to the Supreme Committee for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 (SC), Stadium 974 has been designed by Fenwick Iribarren Architects to achieve the five-star certification in the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) for both its construction and design.

The stadium is designed to be naturally ventilated

GSAS rates green building and infrastructure across the Middle East and North Africa. Certification is available for the design, construction and operations of a structure, with six stars being the highest achievable rating.

The shape of the stadium and gaps between the seats facilitate natural ventilation, meaning artificial cooling is not required. This is helped by the stadium's proximity to the sea.

[

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Foster + Partners-designed Lusail Stadium among eight completed Qatar World Cup venues

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The SC hopes also hopes the project will serve as "an innovative blueprint" for more sustainable stadium designs for future largescale events.

"The striking Stadium 974 is a proud symbol of sustainability and innovation," said SC chairman and engineer Yasir Al Jamal.

"We consider this innovative venue a game-changer for future mega-event hosts," added the SC's secretary-general ​​Hassan Al Thawadi.

Shipping containers are used as concession stands inside

The stadium will host its first match on 30 November. Other recently completed stadiums for the tournament include the Al Thumama Stadium by Ibrahim M Jaidah and the Education City Stadium that Fenwick Iribarren Architects also designed.

Stadium 974 is the only stadium positioned close to the sea and will also be the first stadium that football fans will see upon arriving in Qatar for the tournament, due to its proximity to Hamad International Airport.

A total of 974 shipping containers have been used

Elsewhere, recent architecture projects that have made use of repurposed shipping containers include a housing complex for the homeless in LA and a black holiday house in New York.

Other reversible buildings featured on Dezeen include Triodos Bank, a timber-framed office nestled in Dutch woodland, and the egg-shaped Tij Observatory in the Netherlands.

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#publicandleisure #all #architecture #highlights #shippingcontainers #qatar #stadiums #doha #2022fifaworldcupqatar #reversibledesign #fenwickiribarrenarchitects

Kengo Kuma adds mountain-shaped toilets to hiking trail overlooking Mount Fuji

Japanese architecture studio Kengo Kuma and Associates has designed a collection of peaked umbrella-shaped structures that were informed by the surrounding mountains for a rest area in Japan.

The Oath Hill Park is a rest area with toilets and an observation deck in a rural, mountainous location along a popular hiking trail on the eastern outskirts of the town of Oyama in Japan.

Oath Hill Park is located on a hiking trail and provides visitors with a place to rest and use restrooms

Kengo Kuma designed a collection of umbrella-shaped timber structures that resemble the tapering form and snowy peak of the distant Mount Fuji for the small "park."

Oath Hill Park is comprised of a sheltered observation deck beneath two adjoining umbrella canopies where hikers can rest, as well as restrooms that were positioned adjacent to the rest area.

The canopies and toilets were designed by Kengo Kuma and Associates and were informed by the peak of Mount Fuji

The two umbrella-shaped forms, used as the observation deck and for sheltered resting, were titled Eastern House. These interlock at their roof and are completely open at ground level, where they are encircled by a long curving bench.

The umbrella canopies are supported by large internal columns which, like the canopies themselves, were constructed using wooden pillars that were tied together with large iron rings.

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One of the roofs that forms part of the sheltered observation areas was wrapped in a translucent fluorine-coated membrane that reveals the timber skeleton beneath when it is illuminated.

Inside the Eastern House house structure, the wooden skeleton was left exposed to highlight the structural integrity of the building and maintain a connection with the undersides of the viewing and rest areas.

A translucent membrane clads the roof of one canopy, revealing the structural integrity when illuminated

The adjoining roof was clad in an opaque material that was similarly treated with fluorine for weatherproofing qualities.

The toilet structure has a cylindrical form and an identical opaque, peaked roof. The walls of the building were wrapped in a white render that echoes the colour of the roof that tops it, as well as the snow on Mount Fuji.

The structures were constructed using wooden pillars and iron

Elsewhere in Japan, the non-profit organisation Nippon Foundation organised Tokyo Toilet, a project that saw architects upgrade Tokyo's downtown district of Shibuya's public toilets.

As part of the project, Toyo Ito created a public toilet that is housed within three mushroom-shaped volumes, while Wonderwall referenced primitive Japanese huts by building toilets within a maze of board-marked concrete walls.

Kengo Kuma and Associates recently unveiled plans to add a contemporary, sculptural stone entrance to a gothic cathedral in France. The architecture practice also built the cedar-clad Japan National Stadium for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

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#publicandleisure #all #architecture #japan #japanesearchitecture #viewpoints #toilets #kengokuma

Adjaye Associates proposes inverted supertall skyscraper for New York

Architecture studio Adjaye Associates has designed a supertall skyscraper in New York, which has a series of cantilevers to give it a dramatic form.

Named Affirmation Tower, the skyscraper was designed for a 1.2-acre vacant plot of land at 418 11th Avenue in Manhattan where New York State has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in order to fill the site.

Affirmation Tower would be built in Manhattan

Adjaye Associates designed the 1,663-feet-tall (498-metre) supertall skyscraper – a building over 300 metres – to cantilever outwards five times so that the upper levels are much larger than the lower levels. This would give it an inverted appearance compared to a traditional skyscraper.

Outwardly defined by these stepped blocks, the building would include two hotels and office space, as well as an ice skating rink and an observation deck.

The skyscraper would include an observation deck

Local developer Peebles Corporation has submitted the supertall to the Empire State Development Corporation in a bid to build the skyscraper on the vacant site, which is called Site K.

It is positioned next to Manhattan's Javits Center, one block away from the city's High Line, as well as the Hudson Yards real estate development and Number 7 subway line.

Offices with terraced space would feature in the design

If built, the project would be Adjaye Associates' tallest tower to date, and would also be the second tallest building in Manhattan after One World Trade Center.

According to the studio it would be the first skyscraper built by a team of Black architects, developers, lenders and builders in New York City's history.

There are plans to house the headquarters of the NAACP's Mid-Manhattan branch within the building.

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"Unfortunately for most of New York's history, African-Americans and people of color have been rendered as mere economic tourists who gaze upward at one of the greatest skylines in the world with the intrinsic knowledge they will never be able to participate in what really makes New York unique," said Rev Dr Charles Curtis, Head of NY Interfaith Commission For Housing Equality.

"The awarding of this project to this team will send a statement across the globe that architects, developers, engineers and financial professionals of color are now full participants in this great miracle of global capitalism called New York City."

Cantilevers would define the supertall's structure

The supertall would be the second New York tower designed by Adjaye Associates following 130 William, a concrete residential skyscraper designed by the firm, which was founded by Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye in 2000.

The building would be the latest in a series of supertall skyscrapers built in New York with buildings over 300 metres designed by BIG, Foster + Partners and SHoP currently under development in the city.

The images are courtesy of the Peebles Corporation.

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#skyscrapers #cultural #publicandleisure #all #architecture #landscapeandurbanism #usa #cantilevers #news #davidadjaye #newyorkcity #supertallskyscrapers #hudsonyards #adjayeassociates

"Largest wooden building in Iceland" to occupy landfill site in Reykjavík

Architecture studios Jakob+MacFarlane and T.ark have designed a low-carbon cross-laminated timber building called Living Landscape that will transform a landfill site in Iceland's capital city.

Slated for completion in 2026, the 26,000-square-metre mixed-use building is set to become the "largest wooden building in Iceland" once complete.

Living Landscape has been developed by French studio Jakob+MacFarlane and local studio T.ark to give new life to the polluted landscape and offer a prototype for similar future developments in Reykjavík.

"The project recreates a fragment of authentic natural landscape on top of polluted land to compensate for years of pollution and heal the man-made damage to what has once been a beautiful coastal landscape," Jakob+MacFarlane told Dezeen.

Project is a Reinventing Cities winner

Once complete, the project will contain a mix of housing for students, elderly people and families, alongside workspaces, daycare facilities and local shops.

It is among the 49 winning projects of the Reinventing Cities competition, which was organised by global network C40 Cities to encourage the transformation of underused urban spaces into "beacons of sustainability and resiliency".

The projects strive to help urban areas meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change by minimising carbon emissions.

Above: Living Landscape will be a low-carbon cross-laminated timber building. Top image: it will transform a landfill site in Iceland

The Reinventing Cities programme encourages projects to minimise both embodied carbon – emissions generated during material production and construction – and operational carbon, which are emissions caused by the building's usage.

Jakob+MacFarlane and T.ark are aiming for net-zero emissions, which involves eliminating all possible emissions and offsetting any that cannot be eliminated by removing carbon from the atmosphere.

CLT will reduce embodied carbon "by almost 80 per cent"

According to Jakob+MacFarlane, this will be achieved in part by using a prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure.

"The CLT construction reduces the embodied carbon of external walls by almost 80 per cent compared to a typical concrete structure used in Iceland," the studio explained.

"The [remaining] embodied emissions will be offset through either wetland recovery or forestry, making the building effectively carbon neutral."

Among the other materials used in the building will be Panoblocs, a type of prefabricated and insulated wall panel with a wooden exterior, which can be easily removed and adapted.

[

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](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/07/07/carbon-c40-cities-reinventing-cities-competition-zero-carbon/)

Living Landscapes' operational carbon emissions are expected to be minimal, due to high levels of insulation and use of waste-heat recovery systems and thermostat-controlled underfloor heating.

However, the energy it will require will be sourced from an existing district electricity and heat network powered by renewable hydropower and geothermal energy sources.

Nature to be reintroduced to site

Reintroducing nature to the old landfill site will also be a key part of the scheme. There will be an undulating roof garden and farm, alongside a large central courtyard designed as a communal park for the residents.

"The idea of living with and around nature is key to our project," said Jakob+MacFarlane.

The courtyard will be modelled on Icelandic landscapes, incorporating a mix of rocks, water and plants, which is hoped to encourage insects and birds to occupy the site.

"We aim to enable a fully functioning local ecosystem composed of earth and rocks, water and plants, insects and birds," the studio explained. "Protected from freezing by geothermal heat, this green oasis will develop its own microclimate and, hopefully, become a new generator of life."

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](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/08/19/arney-fender-katsalidis-c40-cities-rome-competition-architecture/)

Living Landscape is now being continually developed by Jakob+MacFarlane and T.ark with landscape architects Landslag and environmental experts EFLA.

Another winner of the Reinventing Cities competition was architect Arney Fender Katsalidis, who is developing a low-carbon neighbourhood in Rome. The mixed-use project will transform a disused railway site, make use of biomaterials and will feature reversible buildings.

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#residential #publicandleisure #all #architecture #iceland #reykjavík #jakobmacfarlane #woodenarchitecture #crosslaminatedtimber #masstimber #reinventingcities #carbonneutraldesign

Mexican desert influences pink concrete La Duna skate park in Ciudad Juárez

The dunes of the Chihuahuan Desert informed the undulating, pink concrete landscape of this new skatepark in Ciudad Juárez's Oriente Park.

Coordinated by landscape architects Valia Wright Sánchez and Eduardo Peón Velázquez with architect Francisco Elías of Elías Group, the park on the northern border of Mexico is part of a governmental urban improvement programme to improve marginalised neighbourhoods.

The pink skatepark is divided into three zones

Called La Duna, the skatepark's dusty pink concrete landscape is split into three zones: a bowl, an area for street-style skating, and a beginner's area – divided by trees and small garden spaces planted with desert flora.

"[The team] established as their main goal understanding the relationship between this section of the park and the surrounding neighbourhood, at the same time bringing in a bit of the natural context of the Chihuahuan Desert," said the designers.

Its shape was informed by desert dunes

This reference to the desert influenced the form of the park's obstacles, intended to evoke the Samalayuca Dune Fields in Chihuahua, as well as the sandy pink pigmentation of the concrete.

To the south, a large concrete viewing deck sits atop a brown concrete classroom and office block and a cylindrical bathroom block, creating open space beneath that forms a "portico" leading from a public square through to the skatepark.

A concrete viewing deck sits atop a classroom

"The building was conceived as a cave by which the covered square and the skating rink communicate, through a portico that protects the service module, an office and three classrooms," explained the designers.

"The shape of the portico, with the triple column modules, is a nod to the architecture of the 1950s and 1960s that characterises the urban landscape of Ciudad Juárez."

These learning spaces will provide classes and workshops as part of a strategy to see the park used by both young people and adults in the area.

Amphitheatre-style concrete steps providing seating lead up to the viewing platform, dotted with further concrete seating areas and overlooking both the skate park and an artificial lake on the other side of the site.

The park is part of a government improvement programme

The skate park is wrapped by an extension of an existing cycle route that links the existing park with the surrounding area, intended to better integrate it with the wider neighbourhood.

Another recently completed project that draws on Mexico's natural landscape is the Paradero Hotel by Ruben Valdez and Yashar Yektajo, which uses beige concrete to blend in with the terrain.

The photography is byOnnis Luque.

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#publicandleisure #all #architecture #concrete #mexico #skateparks #colouredconcrete