Death by Architecture

Competition / Urban SOS Student Competition: Frontiers / AECOM

Death by Architecture — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:00:37 GMT

Urban SOS is AECOM’s annual student competition. It was created to engage students in urban planning and design, architecture, landscape architecture, environmental restoration, and engineering with the issues confronting modern cities and to allow them to propose solutions that, if worthy, will be seen by established professionals in their field.

With more than half of the growing world population living in cities, how we address urban and natural landscapes will determine much about the future of our planet. As a global design and engineering consultancy, AECOM recognizes that cities require broad-based, interdisciplinary thinking and, if properly managed, can become machines for environmental and social progress. Our aspiration for the competition is to foster a cross-disciplinary approach to the complex challenges facing today’s built and natural environments.

The 2012 competition culminates with an event at the end of November in Shanghai. This year, we are addressing the issue of Frontiers as the driving theme of the Urban SOS competition. Our globalizing world is currently undergoing mass migrations, geo-political shifts and new patterns of commerce, enhancing the role of cities as the stage sets for these massive changes. In addition to a cash prize for the winning team, we will arrange a donation to a charitable, humanitarian or community organization to further develop the winning scheme.

PRIZES:

Each of the three finalist teams will receive an honorarium to contribute to travel expenses related to visiting Shanghai to present the team’s submission. The finalist honoraria are to contribute to expenses related to attendance and presentation in Shanghai only and cannot be exchanged for other prizes. In addition, each team will receive US$500 to contribute to additional costs. No other costs or fees will be covered by AECOM or the sponsors.

The winning team (or teams) will receive a cash prize. The total prize money is valued at US$15,000, which may be divided amongst one or more winning teams.

A further US$25,000 in cash and inkind staff hours will be donated by AECOM to a charitable or humanitarian organization or related agency to help further develop the winning proposal.

Competition / Next Generation Container Port Challenge / Singapore Maritime Institute

Death by Architecture — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:45:45 GMT

The Next Generation Container Port (NGCP) Challenge aims to raise awareness of the research and development needs and foster innovation within the maritime industry. The Challenge also seeks to encourage greater partnerships between industry and academia to invent new concepts and ideas for the maritime sector.

This competition will challenge international participants to think beyond existing conventions and submit radical new proposals to plan, design and operate a future container port.

Competition / The !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Competition / Reality Cues

Death by Architecture — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:33:34 GMT

Reality Cues is about making architecture in digital, interactive, and social media, where ownership is communal and subject matter changes as quickly as users can click the 'share' button. Within this culture of reposting, reblogging, and retweeting is the opportunity to modify and subvert prevailing tendencies. Combine this with the ease with which anyone can alter images to create virtual worlds, and you are left with an increasingly fuzzy area between the so-called virtual and real. The !!!!!!!!! Competition looks to accelerate this process to see just how fuzzy we can get.

The Proposal: Use one of the provided images (see competition page for images) and redefine the architectural content or insert architecture of your own.

1. Prize for Best Overall Image: Hacked version of Hasbro's skill game Operation

2. Prize for Best of Each Image Group: Custom Reality Cues Lego Pack

Competition / SUPERFRONT Design Charrette on Governors Island / SUPERFRONT

Death by Architecture — Tue, 15 May 2012 04:51:49 GMT

PUBLIC SUMMER: The Library of Immediacy

SUPERFRONT is happy to announce that on Sunday, June 10th, 2012 SUPERFRONT will host a 2-hour design charrette for PUBLIC SUMMER: LIBRARY OF IMMEDIACY on Governors Island, in partnership with FIGMENT. SUPERFRONT’s PUBLIC SUMMER program offers young designers the opportunity to produce a temporary installation for public programming.

PUBLIC SUMMER: LIBRARY OF IMMEDIACY will be open to the public on weekends from July 21st through September 23, 2012. Unlike most competitions, the juried competition for the design of PUBLIC SUMMER: LIBRARY OF IMMEDIACY does not privilege designers who are able to dedicate more time or more resources to their competition entry. Designers only have the 2 hours on site at the charrette to draft their proposal. The goal is to hone in on concept and strategy, and to level the playing field for designers with minimal time to devote to unpaid competitive endeavors or with less sophisticated software or rendering tools. On the day of the competition, participants will be handed a detailed brief for the LIBRARY OF IMMEDIACY, a semi-outdoor space to support a curated set of public activities on Governors Island. The selected team will have the opportunity to construct their design on Governors Island, in collaboration with SUPERFRONT and FIGMENT. Construction will be supported through donated materials from Materials For The Arts, other partners, and novice construction volunteers.

Winners will be given an honorarium of $500 and a budget of $1500 for materials and construction. The temporary outdoor installation will open on July 21st and will run until September 23rd. The charrette is aimed at (though not limited to) young designers five years or less out of school or under age 35. You may participate as an individual or as a team of up to four people. Please note that on Saturday, June 9, 2012 there will be a Public Summer site visit on Governors Island from 10am-2pm. SUPERFRONT staff will be there to answer any questions.

All directions and detailed information will be emailed to registrants prior to June 9th.

Competition / SC2012 Links: Bridging Rivers Competition / FUTURE Arquitecturas

Death by Architecture — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

FUTURE is launching, for second consecutive year, an international ideas competition to identify the best design concepts with the challenge to develop visionary urban proposals with the intention of stimulating contemporary cities, in this case 2 different locations: Chongqing and Seville. The aim of the competition is to offer opportunities, for all architecture students and young architects around the world that are not always available through other selection methods. Significant architects have launched their careers because their designs were selected as the winning schemes.

How do we imagine the links of the future?

Competition / Fast Company?s Innovation By Design Awards / Fast Company

Death by Architecture — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:48:05 GMT

Did you design a truly memorable space or create a life-changing device? Did your firm create an inspiring tool for tomorrow? Enter Fast Company’s inaugural Innovation By Design Awards, honoring the year's best designs. This award program offers entrants an unmatched opportunity to reach entrepreneurs and executives looking to find fresh talent.

Categories for the Innovation By Design Awards include: Spaces, Consumer Products, Services & Systems, Interactive Experiences, 2-D Designs, Industrial Equipment, Transportation, Concepts, and Student Design Entries will be judged on their business impact, beauty, originality, functionality, social impact, and depth of user insight—six necessary ingredients for any great innovation.

Online submission ends June 1st and finalists will be determined by a stellar line-up of design experts. Together, Fast Company and Co.Design offer a reach and influence that’s unique—Fast Company reaches 2.9 million readers every issue. Co.Design reaches another 1.5 million readers a month, serving over 6 million page views. Finalists will be published in a feature package in Fast Company's October design issue. Winners will be announced at a gala in New York City on Tuesday, October 16 and will then be published and announced on Co.Design.

Competition / LAUNCH 2012 Call for Entries: Architecture and Design Student Work / Launch 2012

Death by Architecture — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:41:58 GMT

This is an open invitation to any current Northern California student: we would like to show your work at the upcoming Launch festival. Launch provides a platform for emerging artists and designers to share their inspiring work. This music, art, fashion, design and architecture festival will exhibit a selection of student design projects in gallery spaces at the main event at Cesar Chavez Park in downtown Sacramento.

How it works: your initial PDF submittal will be entered into a blind review of judges. Those who make the cut will need to deliver their final submittal to Launch by July 15, 2012. The full event runs July 23-28, 2012. Along with bragging rights, those whose work is selected will receive two complimentary tickets to the 2012 Launch event.

REQUIREMENTS: Initial submittal due May 28, 2012, by 3PM: Format: PDF at 18x24” or 24x36” size, (10MB max) emailed to architecture@launchsacramento.com. Do not include your names on the PDF submission. Acceptable subjects include: architecture, urban design, interior design or product design and entries that include spatial installations or physical models are encouraged (photographs of these are okay). Group or individual work welcome.

Final submittal (for the chosen padawans) due July 15, 2012, by 3PM: Format: 18x24” or 24x36” mounted presentation board, color or black & white with foam core backer board. Include your name/school/instructor and course/semester at 18 point font or smaller on board. You will also need to include your spatial installations or physical models. Launch makes no guarantees that entries will be returned and/or not damaged, however they may be picked up after the event.

Competition / 72 Hour Urban Action - Stuttgart / 72 Hour Urban Action

Death by Architecture — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In July 2012, 72 Hour Urban Action is coming to Stuttgart to work together with local cultural activists. The world's 1st real-time architecture competition will be the kick-off of a series of major urban interventions. All around the site of the largest urban redevelopment in Europe - Stuttgart 21 - the center of a 30 year heated public debate.

The world's first real-time architecture competition offers selected teams only three days & three nights to design and build interventions in public space in response to local needs. The competition is defined by an extreme deadline, a tight budget and limited space and will challenge participants to rapidly leave a lasting impact on the city's urban fabric. They will be battling the clock, the restrictive conditions and each other, to envision and realize projects in response to the spatial and social challenges the sites and missions offer.

The international teams will include of architects, designers, artists, craftspeople and students, and generally nice people. Teams will come to stuttgart armed with a passion for action, and ready to volunteer their time and expertise to help with community needs.We believe change shouldnt take long, and is up to all of us. All participants will live together on site, in an old disused train-repair hanger converted into a sleep/work center, thus enriching the neighborhood with a multi-cultural intense experience. Teams will receive a budget for materials, a central prefabrication camp, a team of 'Angels' (construction and safety engineers) and a truck(!). The missions and sites will be assigned randomly on take off day.

An International jury panel will include prominent leaders, architects and curators. The winning team will gain a prize of US$4,000.

Competition / Next Landmark: Venice 2012 / Floornature

Death by Architecture — Wed, 02 May 2012 07:40:17 GMT

NEXT LANDMARK looks at how originality and eco-sustainability, combined with creative talent, can help improve the relationship between people, architecture and land.

In this context, the competition acknowledges and showcases new projects exploring the new horizons of contemporary living.

All architects who graduated after January 1, 2000 may contribute by participating in the two competition categories: Debut Work, open to built architectural and urban planning projects, and Research, for unbuilt urban redevelopment projects, ideal buildings, graduating theses and theoretical reflection.

The two winners selected by a panel of international experts will be offered an exclusive opportunity to travel to Venice for the opening of the 13th Architecture Biennale and see their projects exhibited during an event organised by Floornature on the same dates as the Biennale to present the results of the competition.

Competition / Innovative, Bioclimatic, European School Complex in Greece / School Buildings Organization of Greece & UIA

Death by Architecture — Wed, 02 May 2012 07:28:19 GMT

Amazing Crete, the southernmost part of the EU, cradle of the European civilisation, with a rich modern history, excellent climatic conditions and a particularly fertile soil and motherland of the world’s healthiest diet, is also the headquarters of ENISA. The European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) thus contributes -with its’ presence in the city of Heraklion since 2005- to the island's multicultural character.

Promoting European education in Crete is a major vision for SBO. A European school section is already operating in Heraklion and serving ENISA. Through this architectural competition this "section" will become a proper European school. The plot has been identified and reserved for that purpose on the premises of the University of Crete in Voutes, Heraklion.

Our vision is to build a state of the art innovative school building reflecting the multicultural character of its students, providing the optimum educational environment and last but not least integrating an energy efficient conceptual design and the use of renewable energy sources.

Competition / Prize W 2012: Revalorization of an Industrial Site in Venice, Italy / Wilmotte Foundation

Death by Architecture — Wed, 02 May 2012 06:24:28 GMT

The Wilmotte Foundation aims to encourage the exploration of architectural heritage and its relation to the architectural creation. As part of the competition this year, it is planned to revalorize an industrial site in loss of function, to convert existing buildings for new use and to add contemporary buildings, reintegrating the whole back into the urban fabric in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

For its biannual competition for students, the Wilmotte Foundation chose the site of the former Piazza d'Armi on the island of St. Elena in Venice, an industrial site of the twentieth century, used as a shipyard for the ACTV, the operator of the famous Vaporetto”, the naval public transportation company of Venice.

The competition provides an opportunity to reinvent the typical building on water of Venice as modern housing, social and accessible. The project aims to establish a program consisting of quality housing (70%), and artists' studios with workshop and exhibition spaces (30%). Density and volume are left to the discretion of participants.

According to the idea of the city of Venice, a portion of approximately 20% of units should be to design as social co-housing, which means the participative construction accessible to the handicapped with a mix of generations, containing common elements (places of meeting, leisure, services, outdoor spaces, nursery...). The co-housing is an initiative born in the 60s in Denmark. In its current form, particular attention is given to aspects of sustainable buildings. Residents are involved in the design process and in the funding. The daily management is also provided by them. It concerns an architectural and urban redevelopment; think the Venice of the XXI Century.

The competition is open to students and young architects of architecture schools from the European Union and Switzerland, who graduated after December 31st, 2008. They will have to justify their current or past inscription in a school. For the session of 2012 an architect interior designer is allowed to participate but only in an association with an architect or student in architecture.

Competition / EXHIBITION.01: Competition for the Design of an Architecture Exhibition / Zezeze Architecture Gallery

Death by Architecture — Wed, 02 May 2012 06:15:32 GMT

This competition seeks to encourage suggestions and solutions to the elusive combination between the creation of an architectural-spatial experience in the space of the architecture gallery, a predefined space with clear characteristics, combined with the contents of an exhibition containing architectural and/or design work by the planners. This exhibition must combine two seemingly disparate themes – the presentation of a pre-selected body of work in the gallery space; the creation of an architectural and spatial experience examining the purpose and abilities of the gallery of architecture, a dedicated physical space, and its continuing purposeful role in contemporary times.

Submissions to the competition must provide a planned design for an exhibition at the ZEZEZE ARCHITECTURE GALLERY, located at hangar 21 at the Tel Aviv Port. The proposed design should refer both to the contents of the exhibition – its subject and presented architectural or other works – as well as the creation of an exhibition and experience in the gallery space.

Prizes:

One winner will be selected and invited to create the winning proposal in the gallery. The winner will be given use of the gallery for a 6 weeks exhibition period, a budget of approx. USD5,000, and the gallery will also produce a catalogue to accompany the exhibition (1,000 copies print run).

Competition / Piraeus Cultural Coast Architectural Competition / Piraeus Port Authority S.A. & Ministry of Culture and Tourism

Death by Architecture — Wed, 02 May 2012 06:04:12 GMT

The architectural design of the Cultural Coast of the port of Piraeus is part of the strategy for the design of a new landmark for the city and the port of Piraeus, with main reference to the culture, quality tourism and sustainability as well.

The competition task is:

-The design of a unique, for Greece, Museum of Underwater Antiquities.

-The design of an urban open public space with identity, in the center of the port, a core of education, art and recreation. A space connected with the urban fabric and its citizens.

1. The competition for the SILO aims to fill the absence of such a kind of thematic museum, for the country; a country with a unique, in quantity and in time, maritime life. Aims also to present to the public, parts of its history by exhibiting a multitude of important findings that are either scattered in various museums or stored devoid of potential exposure.

The premises of the new museum will be housed in an emblematic industrial building, for the port and Piraeus of 30s. Until recently, the building complex operated as a transit cereal stock house (SILO).

The building’s proximity to the sea, its history and its role for the port, its distinctive architectural characteristics make this space ideal for its conversion into a Museum of Underwater Antiquities.

2. The aims of the competition for the regeneration of Coastal Environmental Area of Ietinoia Coast are as follows:

To give a new quality in the public space and to upgrade the outdoor activities of residence by creating innovative spaces and cultural and entertainment facilities that are currently missing from the waterfront of the city.

To change the current perception for the port area -isolated from everyday life- with its transformation into an attractive and unique space, bringing culture in everyday life, not only for near around residents but for a numerous visitors (tourists, cruise tourists, residents of further surrounding areas).

To promote the implementation of modern and pioneering way by creating sustainable conditions throughout the Cultural Coast and to promote the port of Piraeus as a model of sustainable design.

The under study area includes all outdoor, public, coastal area of the Cultural Coast, south of Kekropos Avenue. Developing in two distinct successive phases having in mind the restrictions and data, for the parallel and without obstacles function of the port, which will be presented by the candidates in two corresponding proposals.

3. The importance of the Museum as one of the few worldwide monothematic museums and its unique-specialized character, the neighboring and direct building with the wider open space of the Cultural Coast of P.P.A., as well as the will for upgrading all of this public space lead to a common response Designing of the Museum and of the surrounding open space- and to tender a uniform Architectural Competition (Outlline Design).

4. Upon completion of the tender and the final selection of the most imaginative architectural solution through the participation of an important, we believe, number of architects, the new Museum of Underwater Antiquities, along with the surrounding area of the Cultural Coast, will become the new landmark of the area and will place Piraeus in the list with the most important and meaningful visit ports of the world.

Competition / Best Private Plots: International Garden Design Award 2012 / Province of Lower Austria

Death by Architecture — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:53:46 GMT

The international competition best private plots – Die besten Gärten 2012 is the fifth in the series. The award honors exceptional achievements in the design of sustainable private outdoor spaces and gardens.

The competition highlights gardens as a contemporary dialogue between architecture, ecology and landscape, as places of inspiration and creation, as habitats that tell stories. The award criteria include artistic and conceptual quality, ecological use of plants and materials, delimitation and organization of outdoor space. A focus lies on variety of uses and sustainability.

The outdoor spaces must be clearly identifiable as intended for private residence and use, and must have been created no more than ten years ago. Awards are given in recognition of newly designed gardens or of redesign of existing gardens.

The competition is open and international. Landscape architects, architects, artists, gardeners, garden owners and combinations thereof from all countries are eligible.

Competition / ParticiPlace 2012: Pinoleville Pomo Nation Living Culture Center / UC Berkeley & Pinoleville Pomo Nation

Death by Architecture — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:43:38 GMT

In 2012, ParticiPlace’s challengers will design an off-grid living-culture center for the Pinoleville Pomo Nation (PPN), a Native American nation in Northern California. The emphasis will be on a zero-energy building which is sensitive to the local culture and place.

The community is in the final process of re-purchasing ancestors lands where they hope to build the Living Culture Center to become a place to practice, preserve, and revive their culture for generations to come.

ParticiPlace is an annual design challenge, organized at UC Berkeley, which fosters collaboration between designers and underserved communities and promotes sustainable and socially responsive building designs.

The combination of both social and technical challenges in design project calls for multidisciplinary teams of designers, architects and engineers working closely with community members.

Competition / Iron Designer Challenge 3 / The School of Design & Construction

Death by Architecture — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:25:46 GMT

We would like to cordially invite you to compete in the third annual Iron Designer Challenge III: Design On the Go! This year, we hope to raise $50,000 to help expand the design field components offered here at SDC, but we need your help! A $1,000 donation will allow you to enter 4 professionals in the Iron Designer Challenge competition. You will also receive listings in all our publicity efforts as well as 4 free tickets to the event.

This year the Iron Designer Challenge will take place on Thursday, June 7th at the School of Design and Construction. Your firm will be partnered with 3 students from the school, thus providing them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work side by side with the professionals of your company. Further details on the challenge, i.e. materials, rules and requirements will be released at the team meeting taking place on Thursday, May 10th. Please let us know if you would like to compete for the title of Iron Designer Champion.

For further information on this year’s Challenge, and to revisit the great memories from last year’s event, visit www.UASDC.com. The following firms are confirmed for the competition: Gensler, Cerami & Associates, Turner Construction, Thornton Tomasetti, Robert Silman Associates, Omni Architects and SOM.

Competition / The Strand Quadrangle : King?s College London / RIBA & King?s College London

Death by Architecture — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

RIBA Competitions is delighted to announce the launch of a new Invited Design Competition on behalf of King’s College London. Expressions of Interest are sought from architects or architectural practices for the redevelopment of the Quadrangle and its associated buildings at the College’s historic Strand Campus in London WC2.

Currently the Strand Campus accommodates some 9,200 students and more than 1,500 staff. Over the next five years the College plans to add a further 2,600 students at this campus, and the redevelopment of the Quad site will therefore form a crucial part of King’s plans to provide high quality facilities and infrastructure for teaching and research at this campus, and to nurture its connections with the surrounding area.

This £20 million project to design and redevelop the Quad site will provide an additional 3,700 square metres of teaching space and student facilities.

King’s is committed to appointing an architect based on their ability to bring innovative thinking to a significant historical site in order to revitalise a learning community.

Following the pre-qualification phase it is intended that up to five architects/practices will be invited to develop concept designs for the project. Each of the short-listed will receive an honorarium payment of £5,000 (+VAT) and be invited to present their proposals to a Jury Panel at a final assessment. The Jury Panel will include Niall McLaughlin acting as the RIBA Architect Advisor.

Competition / Posco Steel Design Festa Student Competition / Posco

Death by Architecture — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This 2012 POSCO Desing Festa's theme is a question about Steel for the Homo Hundred era. Homo Hundred is a pharse used by the UN in its 2009 World Population Aging Report to describe humans whose lifespans will reach 100 years on average in the future. In this new era, how can steel contribute to rest and leisure while creating a new type of production? The answer can be a structure or place or it can be a piece of equipment or a device. To find the answer we need a joyful and persuasive imagination. What does this new world look like?

Competition / Campus 2015: Otaniemi Central Campus of Aalto University / Aalto University Properties Ltd

Death by Architecture — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Aalto University Properties Ltd is organising an open international competition for the design of the Otaniemi central campus area. The competition is divided into two phases.

Phase 1 Competition assignment consists of designing a lively central campus area for the use of Aalto University and the whole Otaniemi science and research community.

A competition jury will select approximately six best proposals for Phase 2, in which the competitors will design the new building(s) to be constructed in the area. The second phase is scheduled to start in November 2012.

The competition can be entered by persons who have the right to practice architect's profession in the country where they qualified or in the country where they practice the profession. It is recommended to have competing teams of experts with versatile qualifications in urban planning and building design, landscape design, traffic design and ecologically sustainable solutions.

Competition / Spiritual.d 2012 - Spiritual Space Design in a Contemporary World / anonymous.d

Death by Architecture — Tue, 01 May 2012 07:52:37 GMT

This new competition from anonymous.d wishes to challenge architects, Designers and Engineers from around the world to re-imagine the design of a spiritual space in the 21st century.

The design of a religious/spiritual building is a highly complex task. Different eras symbolize different architectural manifestations based on their spiritual affiliation. A Japanese temple and a Gothic Cathedral are both structures designed and built for man in service to his spiritual philosophy. But one is humanly scaled and harmoniously integrated in oceans of nature; the other is richly ornamented and heroically scaled structure showcasing power and technical genius. Along history, religious spaces were always a place for architectural and structural investigations. A place where new aesthetics were born and new technologies were introduced. Some are known for their extraordinary structural performances , some showcase the balance between mass and void and others express their spiritual philosophy by a minimalistic use of light and shadows. Some of the world's most renowned structures are places of worship.

The task is to examine social, cultural, economical and historical aspects related to different faiths and societies and propose an architectural response that takes into consideration the effects of globalization, advances in technology and sustainability and other architectural and urban strategies. The proposed work should investigate ideas related to the technical complexity of the building, the symbolic expression of the space and the role of spiritual places in our society and implement them to current and future experiences, spatial organizations, functionalities and aesthetics. Spiritual spaces - Where should we integrate them in our cities if at all? In what configuration? Should they be part of our homes or public infrastructures? should they be a vacation destination?...

The purpose of spiritual.(d) annual competition is to encourage creative individuals and teams from around the world to participate in an open architectural and philosophical debate, to nurture the architectural evolution of our environment and to redefine the role of the spiritual space in the contemporary world.

Competition / Branding Lab Design Competition / Walthan Forest Council, London

Death by Architecture — Tue, 01 May 2012 07:49:55 GMT

Mary Portas' review of British High Streets spells out the crisis point that Britain’s town centres have reached and the urgency by which we have to act if this social and cultural asset is to be protected from irreperable decline. Whilst Portas report was being written, a new culture started to emerge in the shadows of Europe's largest indoor shopping centre.

Waltham Forest comissioned a group of forward-thinking designers to revive the local high streets. 2 years on, the high street has changed its face. Here, amongst shopkeepers, pavement cafes and family-run businesses, Waltham Forest Council are investing to breath new life, pride and commitment into the heart of the local retail community. So far we have seen the installation of jolly new shopfronts, colourful facades, magic animated lighting and elegantly paved trottoirs as a backdrop to the lively bustle of the high street.

Businesses have started to invest in their retail outlets again and locals have a renewed sense of civic pride. In a final push to prepare the neighbourhood for the London Olympics, we are now looking for some aspirational young designers to help us complete the task.

Competition / Think Space 2012: Past Forward / Zagreb Society of Architects

Death by Architecture — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Zagreb Society of Architects is pleased to announce the launch of the new Think Space 2012 cycle with its annual theme PAST FORWARD.

Think Space 2012 - PAST FORWARD cycle devised by this year's guest curator Adrian Lahoud, a former winner in the 2011 Borders Cycle, aims to repeat three competitions that radically transformed architectural culture: The Peak (1982), Yokohama Port Terminal (1995), and Blur Building (1999), with participating architects in the original competition acting as jurors in the current one: Zaha Hadid & Patrik Schumacher (jurors for The Peak), Alejandro Zaera-Polo (juror for Yokohama Port Terminal) and Ricardo Scofidio & Charles Renfro (juror for the Blur Building).

At the conclusion of the competition, a conference in Zagreb, Croatia will bring together participating architects from both cycles. At the end of the competition phase, a further series of events will be organized including a series of international exhibitions that will display the original submissions alongside the winning competition entries from this Think Space cycle. Storefront for Art and Architecture will host the New York exhibition, with more events to be confirmed shortly.

Competition / ONE Prize 2012: Blight to Might / Terreform ONE

Death by Architecture — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The ONE Prize 2012 competition is powered by the idea that social, ecological, and economic struggles can simultaneously be addressed through collaborative action and innovative design. Situated in the context of a struggling U.S. economy and the tension of stagnant unemployment, ONE Prize 2012 is a call to put design in the service of the community, to reinvigorate deindustrialized and depressed urban areas, and to repurpose spaces for economic growth and job creation. It aims to explore the socially, economically, and ecologically regenerative possibilities of urban transformation and design.

Seeking architects, landscape architects, urban designers, planners, engineers, scientists, artists, students and individuals of all backgrounds:

Can we rework the skeletons of 20th century manufacturing for 21st century innovation?

Can former plants in Detroit become greenhouses, schools, theaters?

Can mill towns be revamped as digital fabrication hubs?

Can vacant parking lots become farms or parks?

Can abandoned strip malls be reinvented?

Can we reboot the American economy?

The ONE Prize Award is an international competition and it is open to everyone. The teams can have one or more members. The proposals can be for a real or speculative project, for one or more real sites, and located either in the U.S. or abroad, but applicable to the U.S. Further, the proposals need not be generated exclusively for this competition, provided that they address the intent of the competition.

Competition / London 2050: What Would You Do? Call for Submissions / London 2050

Death by Architecture — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:40:34 GMT

London 2050: What Would You Do? is an architecture and urbanism publication investigating the future of the capital in terms of social, political and environmental issues in 2050. We are interested in written pieces, images, maps and photographs that predict or speculate upon London in 2050.

Please send submissions to London2050@mail.com including personal bio document with name, contact details and occupation. Please send pdf/jpeg or doc files and ensure your attachments are under 10mb. All successful entries will be published in London 2050: What Would You Do? in May 2012 and will be sent a free copy.

Competition / Rethink Water Towers Competition / IFAC2012

Death by Architecture — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:38:15 GMT

Different ways of understanding self-sufficiency, energy, economic, social, local, global ... If you would like to participate at IFAC2012 in Spain, you can join this competition reflecting the theme of Self-sufficiency. You should propose different uses or new programs for water towers. This is a fast-competition, the submission is one propositive image, free technique: photomontage, diagram, drawing, plan...

Competition / Rethink Hotels Design Competition / Tablet Hotels

Death by Architecture — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Tablet was founded in the year 2000 by Laurent Vernhes and Michael Davis, a pair of new-media veterans who were tired of predictable chain hotels and faceless hotel search engines. On the principle that today’s traveler needs fewer choices, not more, they set out to create a tightly curated list, showcasing only the hotels that matter — hotels with personality, hotels that obsess on the details, hotels where experience beats economy. That list, after a decade of evolution, makes up the selection of TabletHotels.com, the trusted source for extraordinary hotels around the world.

Objective

The natural next step, of course, is to open a hotel. Anyone with enough money can open a solid-gold luxury hotel. Tablet’s hotel would be up for a conceptual challenge, tackling what might be hospitality’s hardest problem: creating a hotel that brings people together — where experience is shared, friendships are born, business contacts are established, and real human connections are made, all under the hotel’s roof.

We are proposing an architectural challenge, but also an experiment in human psychology.

While entrants need not confine their solutions to physical space alone - there are technological ways of making connections as well - the focal point should be the place (or places) where hotel guests and city residents are brought together.

Think beyond the typical lobby bar, restaurant or pool deck, and draw inspiration from your own travels to design a space with the potential to revolutionize the ordinary hotel experience.

Competition / [BUENOS AIRES] New Contemporary Art Museum / [AC-CA]

Death by Architecture — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

INTRODUCTION

A Contemporary Art Museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art. Paintings and scupltures are the most commonly displayed art objects; however, drawings, collages, prints, photographs and installation art including other artistic activities, such as performance art, land'art, web art to name a few are also regularly shown. Contemporary art can broadly be defined as art produced at this point in time (now) or after World War II. Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina and is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata. It has a population of approximately 13 million (thirteen million), which makes it one of the biggest cities in South America - a cosmopolitan metropolis, known for its rich cultural life and is considered the capital of the tango. Being an important economic center, its architecture is a combination of different styles which gives it a unique architectural beauty.

AIM OF THIS COMPETITION

The aim of this International Competition is to design a New Contemporary Art Museum in the Heart of Buenos Aires. The architecture of this new building should reflect contemporary design tendencies. The proposal must not only attend to the specific function but the design should also take into consideration the urban insertion and its impact. This Competition hopes to achieve the following: _Encourage and reward design excellence which integrates function and structure within the art world. _Research, respond to and highlight the unique aspects of designing an original Contemporary Art Museum. _To generate the discussion of ideas regarding the functionality of an art exibition space. _Encourage the employment of sustainable design in all aspects of the proposal.

COMPETITION STRUCTURE

This is a single stage Competition with the aim of identifing the most appropriate proposal, which best satisfies the general and specific objectives of the contest.

Competition / HOME: Competition for a $30,000 Single Occupancy Home / Building Trust International

Death by Architecture — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:09:03 GMT

Our open design competition seeks to find well designed homes for the elderly or homeless within some of the World’s richest countries. The growing rate in single occupancy households has led to increased numbers of young and elderly people affected by poverty being forced to live in substandard living conditions and in the worst cases sleeping rough. We are asking designers, engineers, architects and house builders to provide a solution to the housing crisis by offering sustainable, affordable small homes that give those that are alienated or marginalised within society a safe place to live.

We ask contestants to site their proposals in an urban area of a developed country, develop single occupant designs that are sensitive to the local context and keep to a budget of £20,000 ($30,000). Building Trust international will work with local government and community groups to seek funding and planning for the winning design. The design competition has the support of Habitat for Humanity and the YMCA.

Competition / Virtual Design World Cup "2nd Student BIM & VR Design Contest on Cloud" / G-ARTS Associates, IAI JAPAN, GRAITEC, The Society for Art and Science

Death by Architecture — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 08:43:03 GMT

This contest is an international design competition for students to compete amongst each other in designing innovative architecture, bridge and city design using BIM&VR.

Every year students compete for the top price which is given to an outstanding work outlining a predefined theme in the aspect of design, innovative idea, and creativity. They plan and design their work based on the theme and then run a simulation. Their final model will be presented to the judges in a form of a script and evaluated.

To assist with the production, we plan to carry out workshops and seminars. We will also support the students who will make use of software from now on. Also you can communicate and collect a lot of information without visiting local area by the exhibition of various workshop reviews through the Web and the utilization of VR forum ( 3D cloud BBS ) The script of VR data is required for the final submission and the judgment is performed on the basis of "VR Cloud judgment". We would like you to use forum8's BIM software and VR and think our company as a place which will make your technology and production developed.

Competition / Innovative Office Space Competition / MassChallenge.org

Death by Architecture — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

MassChallenge is the world’s largest startup accelerator and competition. Each year we accept 125 high growth startups into our program and give them free office space in out 25,000 sq ft office as well as connects entrepreneurs with the resources they need to launch their companies.

MassChallenge seeks the expertise and creativity of the global architectural design community to bring a shared vision for its office space to life. The average company ranges from 2-5 employees using the space 2-5 days a week. Because of the range in team size and usability we need identify a new design and allocation system for our office space which will accommodate all of our company’s needs while ensuring that we maximize our space and have a consistent level of occupancy .

MassChallenge is soliciting design concepts for a stimulating and exciting office environment serving 125 start-up companies. The office space is 25,000 sqf and is located at one of Boston’s premier office towers.

MassChallenge issues a “Design Competition” for architecture and interior design teams with the intention to solicit interior design concepts that are efficient, functional, aesthetically pleasing, responsive, and financially attractive to MassChallenge residents, and thousands of visitors stepping by each month.

Article / Pinup2012: Student Competition Finalists Announced by Morpholio Project

Death by Architecture — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Pinup 2012: Student Competition Finalists Announced

May 05, 2012

On behalf of the AIAS, ADC and AIGA, the Morpholio Project, along with Death By Architecture, congratulates the Pinup 2012: Student Competition Finalists. Pinup 2012 was assembled as a means to publically promote the research, exploration and investigation currently happening in academia. All of the submissions exemplified outstanding work and the competition organizers are grateful for the enormous amount of students who were bold enough to confront the world with their voice.

The Pinup 2012: Student Winner will be selected by public “EyeTime” as the most viewed collection on May 30th 2012. To view the finalists and contribute your “EyeTime” now for your favorite entrant, please download the competition app here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/morpholio/id484413042?ls=1&mt=8

Finalists:

Anthony Shung Yiu Ko

AA School of Architecture

Jonathan Choe

Illinois Institute of Technology

Jason Khoo

Singapore Polytechnic

Ivorin Vrkas

School of Design Zagreb Croatia

Matilda Schuman

Lund School of Architecture

Junsheng Fu

Tsinghua SA

Ziba Esmaeilian

SciArc

Tom Wilz

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Anesta Iwan

California College of the Arts

Dean Austin

Deakin Uni Australia

Chunxiao Xu

Tsinghua SA

Coralee Brin

University of Calgary

Tetyana Serafin

Norwalk Community College CT

Hiromu Noir

TU Berlin

Anna Pietrzak

University of Cincinnati

Trent Christensen

NYIT School of Architecture

Competition Statement:

The proliferation of device culture, social networking, and cloud technology are changing the way we work, and connect on a daily basis. For designers, this means that technology is not only transforming the process of production, but also the processes through which we share, critique, and organize ourselves around the work we do. The competition is first, and foremost an experiment in distributed intelligence. By leveraging the "wisdom of crowds" every designer can see and understand how his or her work is experienced by others. It has been predicted that in 2020, there will be 50 billion mobile internet connections worldwide, the equivalent of seven devices per person. Thus, this competition is not simply about the existence of technology, but rather why and how we harness it as designers.

PinUp 2012 poses the following questions: What are the standards and aspirations by which we evaluate design today? In an increasingly networked culture, what makes a project capable of cutting through the virtual noise, and starting a new conversation? How do evolving forms of media affect the way in which your message reaches its destination? What is your message?

The competition challenges you to confront the world with your work. By sending it out into the field you will test yourself and your projects. You are the designer, the curator and the critic.

PinUp 2012 was assembled by professors and students for students as a means to publicly promote the research, exploration and investigation currently happening in academia. It is supported by the AIAS, ADC, AIGA and is hosted by The Morpholio Project. Sixteen Honorable Mentions will be selected as well as featured in the Morpholio Community and the winning entrant will receive a Community area dedicated specifically to their University or School as a public forum for their work. We look forward to your participation.

Competition Site:

http://www.mymorpholio.com/site.php/home/competition

High Res Images:

http://www.mymorpholio.com/site.php/home/press

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / "Going Viral: Blurred Borders" Discussion & Exhibition, May 21st by AIANY Global Dialogues

Death by Architecture — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The AIANY Global Dialogues committee has dedicated 2012 to “uncovered connections” with the intention to investigate issues that are similarly impacting multiple regions, cultures and individuals. Going Viral explores the impact that social media, technology and device culture are having on our design process, and ultimately the way we practice. How do we shape a global conversation? How are we changing the relationships between academia and the profession? What is the impact of hyper information sharing and critique? Throughout the evening, the topics of communication, research, collaboration, and data distribution will be addressed and debated.

Bjarke Ingels of BIG, Toru Hasegawa of Morpholio and Columbia University, Carlo Aiello of eVolo, and David Basulto with David Assael of ArchDaily will come together for a lecture and panel discussion moderated by Ned Cramer, editor-in-chief of Architect. In addition, selected game changing blogs and websites will be exhibited as Voices Going Viral on the evening of the event. Please join us at the NY Center for Architecture on May 21st at 6:00 pm and online at http://aianyglobaldialogues.blogspot.com/ for further information.

Date: May 21, 2012, 6:00pm

Location: Center for Architecture, 536 Laguardia Place, New York, NY 10012, (212) 358-6133

RSVP: Appreciated http://cfa.aiany.org/index.php?section=calendar&evtid=4440

*AIA Continuing Education Units available

Voices Going Viral Exhibition:

Apartment Therapy created by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan and Janel Laban

www.apartmenttherapy.com

ArchDaily created by David Basulto and David Assael

www.archdaily.com

Archidose created by John Hill

archidose.blogspot.com

Archinect created by Paul Petrunia

archinect.com

Architect’s Newspaper created by William Menking

www.archpaper.com

ArchitectureMNP created by Ryan McClain, co-founded by Kiye Apreala

architecture.myninjaplease.com

Architizer created by Matthias Hollwich, Marc Kushner, and Benjamin Prosky

www.architizer.com

Archive of Affinities created by Andrew Kovacs

archiveofaffinities.tumblr.com

BLDGBLOG created by Geoff Manaugh

bldgblog.blogspot.com

Blurr created by Ahmed Elhusseiny

www.blurrblog.com

But Does It Float created by Folkert Gorter, Atley Kasky, & Will Schofield

butdoesitfloat.com

Cooking Architecture created by Claire Shafer and Juan Jofre

www.cookingarchitecture.com

The Cool Hunter created by Bill Tikos

www.thecoolhunter.net

Core 77 created by Eric Ludlum, Stuart Constantine, & Allan Chochinov

core77.com

Culture Now created by Abby Suckle, Ann Marie Baranowski, Susan Chin, Diana Pardue, and Nina Rappaport

www.culturenow.org

Curbed created by Lockhart Steele

ny.curbed.com

Death by Architecture created by Mario Cipresso

www.deathbyarchitecture.com

DesignBoom created by Birgit Lohmann & Massimo Mini

www.designboom.com

Design Sponge created by Grace Bonney

www.designsponge.com

DesignReform created by CASE

designreform.net

Dezeen created by Marcus Fairs

www.dezeen.com

e-Oculus created by the AIA New York Chapter

www.aiany.org/eOCULUS

eVolo created by Carlo Aiello

www.evolo.us

Inhabitat blog created by Jill Fehrenbacher

inhabitat.com

Landscape + Urbanism created by Jason King

landscapeandurbanism.blogspot.com

Mammoth created by Stephen Becker and Rob Holmes

m.ammoth.us/blog

Morpholio created by Mark Collins, Toru Hasegawa, & Anna Kenoff

mymorpholio.com

Places Journal online created by Nancy Levinson, Harrison Fraker, William Drenttel, Jessica Helfand and Michael Bierut

places.designobserver.com

Post Post created by David Jaubert

www.postpost.co

Project created by Alfie Koetter, Daniel Markiewicz, Jonah Rowen, & Emmett Zeifman

projectjournal.org

Credits:

Global Dialogue Chairs: Bruce E. Fisher AIA and Jeffrey A. Kenoff AIA

Event Co-Chairs: Elie Gamburg, Diane Chehab

Design and Curatorial Team: James Kehl, Rebecca Pasternack, Ciara Seymour, Sarah E. Smith, Andy Vann

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / Pinup 2012: Student Competition Deadline Extended by Morpholio Project

Death by Architecture — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

As media partner to the Pinup 2012 Student Competition, we would like to encourage all students to take advantage of the extended deadlines for the competition. You now have until April 30, 2012 to submit up to nine images of your work on the Morpholio Project's new mobile platform. See the call for submissions below:

Call for Submissions: Pinup 2012 invites students of all design disciplines to submit a collection of their work comprised of up to nine images. The competition is free to all students. The proliferation of device culture, social networking, and cloud technology are changing the way we work, and connect on a daily basis. For designers, this means that technology is not only transforming the process of production, but also the processes through which we share, critique, and organize ourselves around the work we do.

The competition is first, and foremost an experiment in distributed intelligence. By leveraging the "wisdom of crowds" every designer can see and understand how his or her work is experienced by others. It has been predicted that in 2020, there will be 50 billion mobile internet connections worldwide, the equivalent of seven devices per person. Thus, this competition is not simply about the existence of technology, but rather why and how we harness it as designers. PinUp 2012 poses the following questions: What are the standards and aspirations by which we evaluate design today? In an increasingly networked culture, what makes a project capable of cutting through the virtual noise, and starting a new conversation? How do evolving forms of media affect the way in which your message reaches its destination? What is your message?

The competition challenges you to confront the world with your work. By sending it out into the field you will test yourself and your projects. You are the designer, the curator and the critic. PinUp 2012 was assembled by professors and students for students as a means to publically promote the research, exploration and investigation currently happening in academia. It is supported by the AIAS, ADC, AIGA and is hosted by The Morpholio Project. Sixteen Honorable Mentions will be selected as well as featured in the Morpholio Community and the winning entrant will receive a Community area dedicated specifically to their University or School as a public forum for their work. We look forward to your participation.

Go to the competition website:

http://www.mymorpholio.com/site.php/home/competition

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / Tomohiro Hata Wins WAN House of the Year 2012 by WAN Awards 2012

Death by Architecture — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Tomohiro Hata Architect and Associates' Complex House in Nagoya, Japan wins the WAN House of the Year Award 2012

The Complex House was described as a serious and modest design but the jury also liked it for its playfulness with light and space and the site itself. It proved to be very popular with the judges, each of them admiring its beauty, balance and intelligence. They were delighted to award it the WAN House of the Year 2012 Award.

The WAN House of the Year Award celebrates the best in international architecture for single-family houses. Jurors for this award come from an array of highly respected establishments across a range of fields. The jury included: Sarah Wigglesworth, Director of Sarah Wigglesworth Architects, David Levitt, Chairman of the Housing Group of the RIBA, Philip Marsh, Director at DRMM and remote judge Tom Kundig, Director at Olson Kundig Architects.The client family of this house needed many small rooms within a relatively small space. So, the architects firstly examined the possibility of a row of small, deep rooms. After the concept was fixed, the architects considered different widths depending on suitable scales for each of the rooms. Then they edited the composition of the sections.

The completed house in Nagoya has five roofs that pitch in opposing directions. This alternating arrangement creates a series of triangular windows on the first floor of the two-storey residence. The exterior is clad with metal sheets in standing seam fashion, a technique characterised by slightly overlapped parallel strips. There is an enclosed courtyard and the rooms on the ground floor 'melt' together or overlap each other and are integrated within the communal family space.

The resulting home is a sensitive house that takes the interaction of the family into consideration. It balances the need for a family to be together but also respects and allows for individual personalities and their desire for private spaces. This sensitive, beautiful and serious piece of architecture was greatly admired by all the judges and was selected as winner beating an admirable shortlist that included the Stone House in Luberon Valley, France by Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architect. The Stone house was also greatly admired and was awarded a "highly commended" title in recognition of the strength of the entry.

TOMOHIRO HATA ARCHITECT & ASSOCIATES

http://www.hata-archi.com/

WORLD ARCHITECTURE NEWS

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / ENYA The Harlem Edge Competition Winners Announced by Emerging New York Architects

Death by Architecture — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

PRESS RELEASE

ENYA Announces Winners of

The Harlem Edge | Cultivating Connections Competition

February 23, 2012. The Emerging New York Architects (ENYA) Committee of the AIA NY Chapter is proud to announce the winners of its fifth biennial design ideas competition, The Harlem Edge | Cultivating Connections. One hundred seventy-eight (178) teams and individuals registered for the competition and more than ninety-eight (98) entries from sixteen (16) countries were submitted for judging. The winning entries will be exhibited at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, New York, NY, this July and be published in a competition catalog. In coordination with the exhibition, ENYA will be hosting a symposium to discuss design issues related to the winning entries and possibilities for the future development of the site and its neighboring community. The Harlem Edge is presented as part of FutureNow, the 2012 AIA New York Chapter Presidential Theme.

ENYA Prize, $5000: Sym'bio'pia

Ting Chin and Yan Wang, Linearscape Architecture, New York, NY, USA

2nd Prize, $2500: The Hudson Exchange

Eliza Higgins, Cyrus Patell, Chris Starkey, and Andrea Vittadini, Brooklyn, NY, USA

3rd Prize, $1000: Harlem Harvest

Ryan Doyle, Guido Elgueta, and Tyler Caine, Brooklyn, NY, USA

Student Prize, $1000: Stairway to Harlem

Daniel Mowery, Student of Architecture, University of Virginia, USA

Honorable Mentions:

Continuum, by Nasiq Khan, and Scott Brandi, Bayside, NY, USA

Subaqueous Promenade, by Doyoung Oh, and Jaemin Ha, London, United Kingdom/Boston, MA, USA

New Marine Transfer Station, by Yashar Ghasemkhani, Arash Mesbah, and Pooneh Sadrimanesh, New York, NY, USA

Land Over Water Agro-Pavilion, by Michael C. Kilroy, and Jonathan Sampson, Students of Architecture, University of New Mexico, USA

Greenhouse Transformer, by Dongwoo Yim, and Rafael Luna, PRAUD, Boston, MA, USA

The jury selected the winning entries on February 11, 2012 at the Center of Architecture. The jury included: Emily Abruzzo, AIA, LEED AP, Partner, Abruzzo Bodziak Architects LLC, and Winner of 2012 New Practices New York; Meta Brunzema, Principal, Meta Brunzema Architect PC; Dr. Dickson D. Despommier, Emeritus Professor of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University; Louise Harpman, Clinical Associate Professor | Architecture, Urban Design, Sustainability, NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study; Michael Marrella, Director of Waterfront and Open Space Planning, New York City Department of City Planning; Jesse Reiser, Principal, Reiser + Umemoto RUR Architecture PC; and Keith VanDerSys, Principal, PEG office of landscape + architecture, and Winner of the 2010 ENYA Prize.

More information about the jury can be found here: http://www.enyacompetitions.org/awardsjury.html.

The Harlem Edge/Cultivating Connections competition explored the redevelopment of the decommissioned Department of Sanitation marine transfer station located on the Hudson River at 135th Street. The site offers the opportunity to engage the local Harlem community with the waterfront, and echoes recent efforts by NYC to reclaim the waterfront for non-industrial use, as included Department of City Planning in its Vision 2020, the Comprehensive Waterfront Action Plan for New York City.

For more information about the competition visit the website:

www.enyacompetitions.org

Press contact: Nicole Friedman, 212.358.6126, nfriedman@aiany.org

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / 3XN Wins Competition for University Building in Uppsala, Sweden by 3XN

Death by Architecture — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Press Release:

The new university building unites the past and the future by extending the lines from the historical surroundings into an innovative structure pointing towards future study and work life

Uppsala University has more than 500 years’ of history and thus is one of Sweden’s most established institutions, complete with traditions and an esteemed regard. At the same time, the University is known as a modern institution for world class research and higher education. Thus, the vision for the new University Building is to bridge the past and the future by creating synergy between location, expression and layout.

The building builds a bridge between past and future. Several lines from the historic surroundings are also present in the new building, that through its flexible and open spaces will encourage new ways of working, studying and collaborating, explains Jan Ammundsen, Partner and Head of Competition in 3XN.

The 13,000 m2 university building include a number of sustainable features such as natural ventilation and a facade design protecting from direct solar heat gain, while allowing plenty of daylight inside. Although the building has a light and transparent expression its compact structure minimizes the surface resulting in environmental and operational savings.

Contact information

Didde Fuhr Pedersen

Public Relations Manager

dfp@3xn.dk

+45 3264 2310 / 6155 4610

3XN / facebook / LinkedIn

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / Opening Reception "Building a Brick" - Cody Lusby - February 18, 2012 by Design Matters Gallery Los Angeles

Death by Architecture — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

PRESS RELEASE

Cody Lusby

“Building a Brick”

February 18-March 14th

Opening Reception

February 18th, 2012

7:00-9:00 PM

Design Matters is pleased to present a solo exhibition of new work by Cody Lusby. Design Matters challenged Lusby to create a body of work that relates to architecture, and the process of building, which resulted in the conception of “Building a Brick.” This body of work acknowledges the final result, whether it’s the Disney Music Hall or the Sydney Opera house, but focuses on those who enable the realization of those icons. The architects and designer are highly celebrated within our culture, while the framer, electrician and plumber who all used their hands to create the icon are forgotten. Once construction is complete, those workers are often unable to gain entrance into what was once their workspace- unless they buy a ticket, full price of course. With the state of the economy, and the high rate of unemployed construction workers it seems appropriate to celebrate their role in realizing a creative vision. Ultimately, Lusby’s investigation of the builder allows us to see the ordinary, as extraordinary.

Lusby was born in Portland, Oregon in 1978, then raised in Southern California. He refined his talent at the Orange County High School of the Arts, and subsequently received a scholarship to attend Laguna College of Art and Design, where he received his BFA in painting and drawing. In his work, Lusby ultilizes a mix of oil and aerosol paint, and collage to create his narrative portraiture.

For further press information and images please contact:

Design Matters info@designmattersLA.com

+1 310 841 6423

Design Matters, 11527 West Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90064

Wed-Fri 11-6

Sat 1-5, or by appointment

http://designmattersla.com

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / eVolo Skyscrapers by Aiello, Aldridge, Deville, Solt, Lee

Death by Architecture — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Established in 2006, the eVolo Skyscraper Competition has become the world s most prestigious award for high-rise architecture. The contest recognizes outstanding ideas that redefine skyscraper design through the implementation of new technologies, materials, programs, aesthetics, and spatial organizations. Studies on globalization, flexibility, adaptability, and the digital revolution are some of the multi-layered elements of the competition. It is an investigation on the public and private space and the role of the individual and the collective in the creation of dynamic and adaptive vertical communities.

Over the last six years, an international panel of renowned architects, engineers, and city planners have reviewed more than 4,000 projects submitted from 168 countries around the world. Participants include professional architects and designers, as well as students and artists. This book is the compilation of 300 outstanding projects selected for their innovative concepts that challenge the way we understand architecture and their relationship with the natural and built environments.

The projects have been organized in six chapters that describe the current position and the future of vertical architecture and urbanism. The first chapter, Technological Advances, is an investigation on the use of digital tools and computing fabrication. Ecological Urbanism explores sustainable systems, including new materials and clean energy generation processes to achieve zero-net-energy buildings. Projects that analyze the reconfiguration of existing cities and the colonization of new environments, such as underwater cities and floating habitats, are part of New Frontiers. The improvement of our way of living is the topic of the fourth chapter, Social Solutions, which is a collection of ideas that respond to social, cultural, and economic problems. A more experimental approach to architectural design is exposed in Morphotectonic Aesthetics, with proposals that use fields of data and self-regulating systems to respond to internal and external stimuli -the results are fascinating explorations of function and form. Finally, Urban Theories and Strategies is a group of projects that establish new methods to alleviate the major problems of the contemporary city, including the scarcity of natural resources and infrastructure, and the exponential increase of inhabitants.

The eVolo Skyscraper Competition is a forum for the discussion, debate, and development of avant-garde architectural design in the 21st century. eVolo is committed to stimulating the imagination of designers around the world thinkers that envision the future of our cities and a new way of life.

http://www.evolo.us/

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S : NYC Book Launch & Symposium Feb. 9th, 2012 by Marcelo Spina and Georgina Huljich

Death by Architecture — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S : "EMBEDDED"

Jeffrey Inaba, John McMorrough, Marcelo Spina, Jesse Reiser, David Ruy, Michael Meredith and Mark Foster Gage

An event marking the publication of P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S’ new book, Embedded brings together authors, contributors, mentors and confabulators to discuss some of the most relevant issues haunting contemporary architectural practice and discourse today, such as the perceived divide between progressive design culture, the politics of form and social responsibility.

EMBEDDED is P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S’ long awaited book that reflects on the evolution, actualization and conclusion of certain lineages of design and material research, while signaling the initial stages of others. Co-directed by Marcelo Spina and Georgina Huljich, this research and collaborative-based practice seeks to move between digital and material expressions. Having gained worldwide recognition for its inventive approach to design and architecture that fuses advanced computation with an extended understanding of form, tectonics and materials, what sets P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S apart is not only its overt ambition to materialization but the quality and extent of realized work. The book includes a collection of more than twenty projects and writings by Spina and Huljich, with contributing essays by Todd Gannon, Marcelyn Gow and John McMorrough.

Organized by P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S, Los Angeles

Thursday February 9th 6.30 to 8.30pm

Studio-X NYC

180 Varick St., Suite 1610, New York, NY 10014

www.arch.columbia.edu/studiox/newyork

studioxnyc@gmail.com

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / School 4 Burma Design Competition Winners by Building Trust Intl.

Death by Architecture — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Building Trust International announce 'School 4 Burma Design Competition' Winners

Building Trust International are delighted to announce that designers Amadeo Bennetta and Daniel LaRossa, of Berkeley, California have won the School 4 Burma Design Competition.

The winning design, for a modular school for migrant and refugee children in the Thai-Burma border town of Mae Sot, beat entries from all over the world as the competition generated progressive, contemporary design solutions. Over 800 designers and academic institutions expressed interest.

Winner Amadeo Bennetta said: “We are thrilled to have been selected and we're enthusiastic about seeing this project become a reality by continuing to refine the original design into a real, feasible and deployable building.”

As the Building Trust International project now moves from conception to the planning and fabrication phase, the charity plans to work closely with the Kwe Ka Baung School, community leaders and other aid agencies in the area to ensure that the development of the design continues with their input.

David Cole, founding partner of Building Trust International said, “We would like to thank all those who took part. The standard of design entries that we received was incredible. We have the funding to develop the winning design, but we are now also looking for funding partners for a number of entries that we believe could be used to help other schools in the region. The competition has been a great success and highlights the key role that architects and designers have in tackling global issues.”

The winning team submitted a proposal that expressed a high level of flexibility responding well to the brief. The design utilizes an adaptable framework that balances prefabricated structural elements with locally crafted, modular, bamboo panels. By creating entirely flat-packed components, BURMA [RE]FRAMED can be rapidly reassembled from a flatbed truck into a courtyard school, a single building or even as independent multi-use units. By reconsidering the restrictions of land ownership into an opportunity for flexible community space, BURMA [RE]FRAMED acts as a local/global bridge providing at-risk communities with a physical space around which the population can learn, grow and thrive.

The student category winners, Ms.Gauri Satam and Mr.Tejesh Patil from Sir J.J. College of Architecture, Mumbai, India, used the basic design principles of anthropometric/scale along with simple striking colours naturally creating a welcoming feel towards a learning institution for young minds.

Building Trust International is a non profit organisation offering design assistance to communities and individuals in need. Building Trust International assesses areas in need, finds sustainable, economical aid solutions and ultimately provides buildings and infrastructure. These core actions have blossomed into advocating and educating on the principles of socially aware design, providing an accessible resource on humanitarian design projects and providing a structure for the crossover of information between design professionals.

For more details please visit Building Trust International website:

www.buildingtrustinternational.org

Building Trust International is a charity registered in England and Wales (1142338)

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / Combinatory Urbanism: The Complex Behavior of Collective Form by Thom Mayne

Death by Architecture — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Combinatory Urbanism: The Complex Behavior of Collective Form takes a critical look at twelve large-scale, urban projects executed over the last ten years by Morphosis Architects and is the first such time in which the firm articulates the urban methodologies implemented that have historically been inherent in their work. In order to make explicit the complex processes employed and demystify the resulting complex forms and spatial conditions that result, each project is decoded through text and images to explain the work in its simplest terms.

Each of the twelve projects is defined through four individual strains of urban production: context, program, green space, and infrastructure which establish the project's gestalt. You'll appreciate that the book is not rendering-heavy, rather it is populated with extremely clear and well-articulated drawings and diagrams that really illustrate the substance of each project utilizing varying techniques and levels of detail and complexity. The focus here is clearly to unpack the research and strategies that are the foundation of each project. In addition to individually analyzing each project, the book makes direct comparisons between all projects making useful and quick comparisons for properties such as area distribution, program, FAR, and populations.

The projects featured include New City Park, World Trade Center, NYC2012 Olympic Village, Penang Turf Club, Manzanares River Park Development, New Orleans Jazz Park, College Avenue Master Plan, East Darling Harbour Development, Los Angeles State Historic Park, NEW New Orleans Urban Redevelopment. Greenwich South Visioning and Pudong Cultural Park.

The neon-orange cover may require sunglasses during viewing but you'll always locate it on the shelf immediately.

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / Infrastructure Landscape : Case Studies by SWA by Gerdo Aquino and Ying-yu Hung

Death by Architecture — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Infrastructure, as we know it, no longer belongs in the exclusive realm of engineers and transportation planners. In the context of our rapidly changing cities and towns, infrastructure is experiencing a paradigm shift where multiple-use programming and the integration of latent ecologies is a primary consideration. Defining contemporary infrastructure requires a multi-disciplinary team of landscape architects, engineers, architects and planners to fully realize the benefits to our cultural and natural systems. This book examines the potential of landscape as infrastructure via essays by notable authors and supporting case studies by SWA landscape architects and urban designers led by Gerdo Aquino and Ying-Yu Hung of their Los Angeles office. Among these case studies are Renzo Piano's California Academy of Science in San Francisco and Morphosis' Giant Group Interactive in Shanghai, the restoration of the Buffalo Bayou in Houston, and several master plans for ecological corridors in China and Korea. The case studies are thoroughly described with technical drawings and diagrams for repositioning infrastructure as a viable medium for addressing issues of ecology, transit, performance and habitat.

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / Winners of the Tallinn Vision Competition Street 2020 by Tallinn Architecture Biennale

Death by Architecture — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Warren Techentin Architecture(WTARCH)’s entry “Peer-to-Peer” received the €3000 1st prize of the Tallinn Vision competition STREET 2020, held under the auspices of TAB Tallinn Architecture Biennale.

Tallinn Vision Competition STREET2020 was addressed to young architects and architecture students who were asked to describe a fluently connected, compatible and diverse urban landscape, with a focus on one particular urban typology: the street. The organizers received 35 competition entries, 34 of which qualified. Entries were submitted from Japan, Bangladesh, New-Zealand, Turkey, Italy, Poland, USA, Austria, Lithuania, Estonia and other countries.

The architects from WTARCH describe their winning proposal:

“Our concept is to develop a street which connects as many people and ideas as possible through the use of landscape strategies with a simple "user interface". This new Boulevard will connect the historic City to the beachfront, provides a strong edge to the port area, and seeks to unify the disparate existing but undefined open spaces into the collective use of the entire district as a large pedestrian park. The street will form a new entry to Tallinn for visitors and a place to enjoy the city outdoors with physical activity and street vending.”

The jury, comprising Eva Castro (AA School, Plasmastudio, Groundlab, UK) and Endrik Mänd (Chief Architect, City of Tallinn), reflected on the winning entry with the following:

“"Peer-to-Peer” investigates the problematic described in the competition brief in its entirety. The street that is described is in human scale and characteristic to Tallinn and the functions proposed on the sides of the street are well thought through and clever.”

STREET 2020 exhibition presenting all the competition entries will open on August 17th at the basement hall of the Estonian Architecture Museum.

STREET 2020 awarding ceremony together with the catalogue presentation will be held during the Tallinn Architecture Biennale on September 8th at the Estonian Architecture Museum.

STREET 2020 AWARDED WORKS:

1st prize €3000 – pseudonym „Peer-to-Peer“

Authors: Warren Techentin Architecture (WTARCH): Warren Techentin, Brent Nishimoto, Christina Hwang, Andrew Kim, Ahad Basravi, Carrie Smith, Aaron Yip

2nd prize €2000 – pseudonym „The Urban Lobby“

Authors: Kenneth Li, Mark Craven, Fraser Moor

3rd prize €1000 – pseudonym „Street Magnetism“

Authors: Kristi Gri?akov (Aalto University Centre for Urban & Regional Studies), Liis Bormeister, Kristjan Männigo, Joonas Saan / OÜ Ars Projekt

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

– pseudonym „Jack the Rabbit“

Author: Pawel Artur Pietkun

– pseudonym „Le Corb“

Authors: Joanna-Maria Helinurm, Michael Thomas Lamprides II

– pseudonym „Meter and Demeter“

Author: Alvin Järving

More information at STREET 2020: http://www.tab.ee/#competition

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / GSAPP Alumni Weekend 2011, April 15-17 by Columbia University

Death by Architecture — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation announces their 2011 Alumni Weekend Event from April 15-17. Centered around the theme of "Smart Infrastructure: Negotiating the Future of Design", the event offers a weekend of networking, learning, and catching up with old friends over a series of panel discussions and receptions.

To register for Alumni Weekend, call 212.854.2834 or visit http://www.arch.columbia.edu/alumni/alumni-weekend-2011.

----------

SUMMARY OF THE EVENT (MORE INFO AT GSAPP WEBSITE)

ALUMNI KEYNOTE LECTURE:

Howard Slatkin '00MsUP, Director of Sustainability for the Department of City Planning, New York

Introduction by Mark Wigley, Dean, GSAPP

PANEL DISCUSSIONS:

1. Urban Infrastructure: Contemporary Investigations into City Politics, Futures, and Preservation

Kate Ascher, Adjunct Professor at the Wagner School at NYU

Styliani Daouti '05MsAAD, Founder and Principal at AREA (Architecture Research Athens)

Craig Dykers, Senior Partner/Director/Architect, Snohetta

Robert Lane '82M.Arch, Senior Fellow for Urban Design at Regional Planning Association; Partner, Plan & Process LLP

Deike Peters '95MsUP, Director, Urban Mega-Projects Research Group, Center for Metropolitan Studies, TU Berlin and Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Policy, Planning, and Development, USC

Seth Pinsky, President, New York City Economic Development Corporation

Moderator: David King, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning, Columbia University

AND

2. Communications Infrastructure: How New Media is Changing the Nature of Public Space

David Benjamin '05M.Arch, Director of the Living Architecture Lab, GSAPP

Frank Hebbert, Product Manager, Community Planning Tools, OpenPlans

Daniel Kidd '09M.Arch, Designer/Project Leader, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)

Kazys Varnelis, Director of the Network Architecture Lab, Columbia University

Shin-pei Tsay, director of the Leadership Initiative for Transportation Solvency, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Moderator: Troy Conrad Therrien, Creative Digital Consultant, Bruce Mau Designs

AND

3. Education Infrastructure: Discussing New York City’s Biggest Developers of Mind and Land

Maxine Griffith, Executive Vice President for Government and Community Affairs at Columbia University and Special Advisor for Campus Planning, Columbia University

Eve Klein, Associate Vice President for Planning and Design, New York University

Philip Pitruzzello, Vice President, Manhattanville Construction, Columbia University

Meghan Moore-Wilk, Director of Space Planning and Capital Budget, CUNY

Moderator: Carol Loewenson, Partner, Mitchell/Giurgola Architects, LLP

TOURS:

Tour NYC infrastructure: Bring your friends!

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

Gowanus Canal

Croton Aqueduct

Grand Central Station Terminal

NOTES:

NEW THIS YEAR: CES/Continuing Education Credits will be offered for Saturday’s panels!

We will have alumni work displayed digitally on Saturday, April 16th. Please share images of your current work! The submission instructions are below:

» Please submit 3 images maximum, in TIFF or JPEG format.Minimum size is 5" x 7" at 200dpi, RGB color.

» Please keep your images below 5 mb each if sending by e-mail, otherwise submit them on a cd at under 10 mb each and send the cd by mail.

» You MUST name your files with the following format: Firstname_Lastname_program_year_01.tif,...02.tif, etc. (ie: Lindsay_Dorrance_AAD_81_01.tif)

» Be sure to provide the name and location of the work.

Please send your work to:

LD2282@columbia.edu

GSAPP Alumni Weekend 2011

Attention: Lindsay Dorrance

404 Avery Hall

1172 Amsterdam Avenue

New York, NY 10027

Images will be shown looped in a display during the weekend. Some images may be edited or cropped for space. Improperly formatted images will not be used.

Posted By Mario Cipresso

Article / Winner in "Place Lalla Yeddouna" Competition in Fez, Morocco Announced by Commune Urbaine de Fes

Death by Architecture — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Morocco, Fez: March 19th, 2011:

The winner of the International Design Project Competition for the Rehabilitation of Place Lalla Yeddouna in the Medina of Fes has just been identified: Mossessian & Partners, London/UK.

Task

The aim of the project is to revitalize Place Lalla Yeddouna, a public square and surrounding buildings at a central crossroads in the Medina of Fez, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. The key objective is to revitalize the site and its surroundings, adapting modern distinctive architecture into an area that is full of tradition, vibrancy and functional diversity. Physically the site comprises small alleyways, a nicely shaped square with a tree, a river, a bridge dating from the 14th and 15th Century, some dilapidated buildings that will be replaced and others that are historically and architecturally significant and will be rehabilitated. In the future the area of Place Lalla Yeddouna shall serve as a vibrant mixeduse urban hub for the community as well as visitors to the Medina. The site is expected to become a major catalyst for artisan development, with spaces for educational programs, residences, artisan production, shops, restaurants, cafés and other services. The new complex must support activities for youth and adults.

Competition Procedure

Between August and October 2010, approximately 1,400 architects from all over the world registered at the Competition website and expressed their interest in the project. Delegations from more than 100 architectural firms visited the site on September 30, 2010. At the beginning of November 2010, approximately 175 competition entries had been submitted anonymously. In December 2010 the international jury, including representatives of the Prime Ministers’ Office, the Ministry of Culture, the “Secrétariat d’État chargé de l’Artisanat”, the “Wilaya de la Région Fès Boulemane », the “Commune Urbaine de Fès” and the “Commune Urbaine Méchouar Fès Jdid” and the Conseil National de l’Ordre des Architectes du Maroc selected the eight projects with the greatest potential for further development in the second phase of the competition – the finalists. These eight participants were sponsored to carry out the second phase of the competition.

Decision

On March 18, 2011, the jury chose the winner after an intense and open discussion. It was decided to allocate the following prizes, according to the competition rules:

1st prize: USD 55,000 Mossessian & Partners, London/UK Michel Mossessian with Yassir Khalil Studio, Casablanca/Morocco Yassir Khalil

2nd prize: USD 40,000 Ferretti-Marcelloni, Rome/Italy, Laura Valeria Ferretti, Maurizio Marcelloni and Bahia Nouh, Fez/Morocco

3rd prize: USD 25,000 Moxon Architects, London/UK Ben Addy with Aime Kakon, Casablanca/Morocco

Recommendation

The jury unanimously recommends the promoter of the competition to commission the team of authors of the project that was awarded the first prize with the services as stated in the competition brief.

Jury Members

The jury was composed of notable and experienced international architects with qualifications in Islamic architecture, the Medina of Fez, cultural and historic preservation, urban design, landscape architecture and project feasibility, as well as officials representing the Moroccan authorities and Ambassador Samuel L. Kaplan of the United States of America. The jury was supported by a number of local and international technical, environmental experts and social specialists.

The competition was managed by [phase eins]., Berlin (Germany).

Exhibition

An exhibition of all design proposals of both phases opens free of charge at the Palais des Congrès in Fez on March 20, 2011 at 8 p.m.. The exhibition will run until Wednesday, March 30, 2011 and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

Posted By Mario Cipresso

Article / eVolo 2011 Competition Winners Announced by eVolo Magazine

Death by Architecture — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

eVolo Magazine is pleased to announce the winners of the 2011 Skyscraper Competition. Established in 2006, the annual Skyscraper Competition recognizes outstanding ideas that redefine skyscraper design through the use of new technologies, materials, programs, aesthetics, and spatial organizations, along with studies on globalization, flexibility, adaptability, and the digital revolution. This is also an investigation on the public and private space and the role of the individual and the collective in the creation of a dynamic and adaptive vertical community. The award seeks to discover young talent, whose

ideas will change the way we understand architecture and its relationship with the natural and built environments.

The Jury of the 2011 edition was formed by leaders of the architecture and design fields including: Juan Azulay [principal Matter Management, professor at Southern California Institute of Architecture], CarloMaria Ciampoli [port director Live Architecture Network], Mario Cipresso [principal Studio Shift, professor at University of Southern California], Ted Givens [principal 10 Design], Eric Goldemberg [principal Monad Studio, professor at Florida International University], Jose Gonzalez [principal Softlab, professor at Pratt Institute], John Hill [editor Archidose], Mitchell Joachim [principal Terreform

One, professor at New York University], Andrew Liang [principal Studio 0.10., professor at University of Southern California], Javier Quintana [principal Taller Basico de Arquitectura, Dean of IE School of Architecture], Rezza Rahdian [Architect, Second Place 2009 Skyscraper Competition], Michel Rojkind [principal Rojkind Arquitectos], and Michael Szivos [principal Softlab, professor at Pratt Institute]. The Jury selected 3 winners and 32 honorable mentions. eVolo Magazine received 715 projects from all five continents and 95 different countries.

The first place was awarded to Atelier CMJN (Julien Combes, Gaël Brulé) from France for their ‘LO2P Recycling Skyscraper’ in New Delhi, India. The project is designed as a large-scale wind turbine that filters polluted air with a series of particle collector membranes, elevated greenhouses, and mineralization baths.

The second place was awarded to Yoann Mescam, Paul-Eric Schirr-Bonnans, and Xavier Schirr-Bonnans from France for a dome-like horizontal skyscraper that harvests solar energy, collects rainwater, and preserves the existing urban fabric at ground level thanks to its large skylights and small footprint. The recipient of the third place is Yheu-Shen Chua from the United Kingdom for a project that re-imagines the Hoover Dam in the U.S. as an inhabitable skyscraper that unifies the power plant with a gallery, aquarium, and viewing platform that engages the falling water directly.

Among the honorable mentions there are “waterscrapers” that clean oil spills and desalinate sea water, inverted skyscrapers for a floating Olympic villa, recycling towers, research skyscrapers that harvest lightning power, vertical cemeteries and amusement parks, sports skyscrapers, fish farms, and “living mountains” for desert climates. Other proposals use the latest building technologies and parametric design to configure environmentally conscious self-sufficient buildings.

eVolo Magazine would like to acknowledge all the competitors for their effort, vision, and passion for architectural innovation and the members of the Jury for their knowledge, time, and enthusiasm during the long review process.

eVolo Magazine is also pleased to announce the publication of a Limited Edition book (only 500 copies) that celebrates the sixth anniversary of the prestigious international Skyscraper Competition. With more than 3,000 projects received, we are showcasing the best 300 proposals from the past six years, including 2011, in a large-format hardcover book. Our goal is to edit a true gem of contemporary architecture printed in over one-thousand full-color pages.

For more information and to view all the winning and honorable mention receiving entries, visit http://www.evolo.us/category/2011/.

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / The New Holmenkollen Ski Jump by JDS Architects

Death by Architecture — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Press Release:

Along with Wimbledon’s All England Club and the Wembly Arena, Holmenkollen Ski Jump is often cited as one of the world’s most recognizable sports facility. Nevertheless it is one of the smallest hills in the World Cup tournament, and in September 2005, the International Ski Federation decided that the current hill does not meet the standards to award the city the 2011 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. In December 2005 Norway’s Directorate of Cultural Heritage approved the demolition of the ski jump and in April 2007 the Oslo municipality announced an open international competition for a new ski jump. JDS Architects based in Copenhagen and led by Belgian-French Julien De Smedt, beat out 103 other firms and was awarded the commission the following year.

Working closely with city officials, JDSA established an office in the capital and collaborated with Norwegian engineering firm, Norconsult, to bring to fruition their elegant serpentine form that will become a beacon for the city and a new showcase for the sport of ski jumping. Rather than having a series of dispersed pavilions on site, their design unifies the various amenities into one holistic diagram. The judges booths, the commentators, the trainers, the royal family, the VIPs, the wind screens, the circulations, the lobby, the entrance to the arena and the arena itself, the lounge for the skiers, the souvenir shop, the access to the existing museum, the viewing public square at the very top, everything, is contained into the shape of the jump. The resulting simplicity of the solution improves the experience of the spectators and brings clear focus to the skiers.

The ski jump is clad in aluminum and glass and rises 58 meters in the air. It cantilevers an impressive 69 meters and on the first day of jumping tests; the record of the longest jump made at Holmenkollen was broken.

Atop the ski jump is a platform where visitors can take in some of the most breathtaking views of Oslo, the fjord and the region beyond. It’s a new form of public space, using an unlikely architectural form as its host, affording the same spectacular vantage point for everyone who comes to Holmenkollen. The Lonely Planet agrees, the travel publication recently declared the new Holmenkollen Ski Jump as one of the ten top destinations to visit in 2011.

More information at JDS Architects.

Posted By Mario Cipresso

Article / Interboro Partners Winner Of 2011 MOMA PS1 Young Architects by MOMA New York

Death by Architecture — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Press Release:

NEW YORK, February 16, 2011—The Museum of Modern Art, MoMA PS1, and the National Museum of XXI Century Arts of Rome announce Interboro Partners of Brooklyn, NY, as the winner of the 12th annual Young Architects Program in New York, and start, of Rome, as the winner of the first annual YAP_MAXXI Young Architects Program in Rome. Now in its 12th edition, the Young Architects Program at MoMA and MoMA PS1 has been committed to offering emerging architectural talent the opportunity to design and present innovative projects, challenging each year’s winners to develop highly innovative designs for a temporary, outdoor installation at MoMA PS1 that provides shade, seating, and water. The architects must also work within guidelines that address environmental issues, including sustainability and recycling. For the first time, MoMA and MoMA PS1 are partnering with another institution, MAXXI in Rome, to create the first international edition of the Young Architects Program. Interboro Partners, drawn from among five finalists, will design a temporary urban landscape for the 2011 Warm Up summer music series in MoMA PS1’s outdoor courtyard. stARTT has been chosen from among five European finalists to create an innovative event space in the MAXXI piazza. Both installations will open in June.

Interboro Partners’ Holding Pattern brings an eclectic collection of objects including benches, mirrors, ping-pong tables, and floodlights, all disposed under a very elegant and taut canopy of rope strung from MoMA PS1’s wall to the parapet across the courtyard. Creating an unobstructed space, the design incorporates for the first time the entire space of MoMA PS1’s courtyard under a single grand structure, while creating an environment focusing on the audience as much as the Warm Up performance. A key component of the theme is recycling; objects in the space will be donated to the community at the conclusion of the summer. The designers met with local businesses and organizations including a taxi cab company, senior and day care centers, high schools, settlement houses, the local YMCA, library, and a greenmarket to determine what components of their installation could be used by those organizations following the Warm Up summer music series. Incorporating objects that can subsequently be used by these organizations is a means of strengthening MoMA PS1’s ties to the local Long Island City community.

The other finalists for this year’s MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program were FormlessFinder (New Haven, CT/Brooklyn, NY, Julian Rose and Garrett Ricciardi), MASS Design Group (Boston, MA, Michael Murphy), Matter Architecture Practice (Brooklyn, NY, Sandra Wheeler and Alfred Zollinger), and IJP (London/Cambridge, MA, George L. Legendre). An exhibition of the five finalists' proposed projects as well as YAP_MAXXI’s five finalists’ proposed projects will be on view at MoMA over the summer. It will be organized by Barry Bergdoll, MoMA Philip Johnson Chief Curator, with Whitney May, Department Assistant, Department of Architecture and Design, The Museum of Modern Art.

Mr. Bergdoll explains, “Simple materials that transform a space to create a kind of public living room and rec room are trademarks of this young Brooklyn firm. Interboro is interested in creating elegant and unpretentious spaces with common materials. Their work has both a modesty and a commitment quite at odds with the luxury and complex computer-generated form that has prevailed in the city in recent years. With a few gestures they transform parts of the city to achieve new temporary atmospheres and attract new participants.”

Klaus Biesenbach, MoMA PS1 Director and MoMA Chief Curator at Large, adds, “MoMA PS1 is very excited about the innovative architecture of Interboro, which describes the famous MoMA PS1 courtyard as one architectural volume, especially since the YAP 2011 opening will coincide with the much anticipated opening of the new MoMA PS1 entrance kiosk by Andrew Berman Architects."

WHATAMI by stARTT is based on the manufacturing of an artificial archipelago-hill, generating smaller green areas in the garden and potentially outside the museum. The hill works as a garden, injecting “green” into the concrete plateau of the museum’s outdoor space, allowing it to serve as a stage and/or parterre for concerts and other events, or as a space to rest and look at the museum itself. The artificial landscape will be punctuated by large “flowers” providing light, shadow, water, and sound. The materials proposed for the installation involve a two-fold recycling process, the supplying of the materials for the construction (straw, geo-textile, plastic) and the dismantling of the “hill” (turf, lighting).

Opened in May 2010, MAXXI was designed by Zaha Hadid and awarded Royal Institute of British Architect’s (RIBA) Stirling Prize for architecture, and has already gained a place among the elite international contemporary art and architecture museums. The other YAP_MAXXI finalists were Raffaella De Simone/Valentina Mandalari (Palermo); Ghigos Ideas (Lissone/Mi, Davide Crippa, Barbara Di Prete and Francesco Tosi); Asif Khan (London, United Kingdom); and Langarita Navarro Arquitectos (Madrid, Spain, María Langarita and Víctor Navarro).

Pippo Ciorra, Senior Curator of Architecture at MAXXI, explains, “We’re very happy with the results of this program for three main reasons. First, the collaboration with MoMA proved as effective and productive as we hoped, finally allowing us a surprising insight into the most recent research in terms of architecture, public space, and landscape. Second, we were able to discover an unexpected positive quality of answers by the

Italian and European young (under 35) architects involved in the project, all proposing fascinating, innovative and well developed proposals. Third, we’re delighted that we were able to choose a winning proposal which incorporates a MAXXI_specific approach to the issues of ecology, recycle, and public space.”

http://www.interboropartners.net

http://ps1.org/

Posted By Mario Cipresso

Article / BOOM: A Bold New Community by BOOM Communities

Death by Architecture — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Press Release:

boom is a new, master-planned community rising in the spectacular desert surrounding Palm Springs. At a cost of over $250 million, it changes America's idea of urban life. The brainchild of ten international architects, boom was conceived for the gay community but readily extends its embrace to all. boom is pedestrianoriented, culture-driven, and designed to inspire its residents to better themselves and others.

The architects range from the well-known - Diller Scofidio + Renfro in New York - to such emerging stars as the Berlin-based Juergen Mayer H. Coordinating the project is Matthias Hollwich, of hollwich kushner in New York. The developer is boom Communities, Inc., a Los Angeles-based, real estate investment company formed in 1959.

The first phase of construction starts in 2012. 300 residences will be built in eight unique neighborhoods, each designed by a different architect. Pathways and plazas, set in a landscaped desert environment, connect to the social and geographic heart of boom: the entertainment complex, a boutique hotel, the gym+spa, and boom's wellness center. The health and wellness services cater to the health needs of all generations. Upon completion of Phase 2, boom will expand to over 700 residences.

boom is more than a revolution in design. In the twenty-first century, urbanism is not created by cutting-edge architecture alone. Social and communal engagement are vital. With www.boomforlife.com, designed by the renowned Bruce Mau Design, boom is growing its community online - now. This use of a website is ground-breaking when it comes to a new architectural project. Social media is being utilized to move participants from a virtual community to one constructed out of bricks and mortar.

The website allows boom's design team to collaborate with prospective residents, incorporating their ideas into the design of the boom community. These 'crowd sourcing' efforts also encourage boom members to shape the social programs and lifestyle for boom. When construction is completed, boom will already be a vibrant and functioning community.

See more at Architizer, http://www.architizer.com/en_us/projects/view/boom/17638/

Posted By Mario Cipresso

Article / BIG Wins Competition to Design National Gallery of Greenland by BIG, TNT Nuuk, Ramboll Nuuk

Death by Architecture — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Press Release:

BIG + TNT Nuuk + Ramboll Nuuk + Arkitekti is the winning team to design the new National Gallery of Greenland in the country’s capital Nuuk, among invited proposals totaling 6 Nordic architects.

Located on a steep slope overlooking the most beautiful of Greenland’s fjords, the 3000 m2 National Gallery will serve as a cultural and architectural icon for the people of Greenland. The new museum will combine historical and contemporary art of the country in one dynamic institution The winning proposal was selected by a unanimous museum board among 6 proposals, including Norwegian Snøhetta, Finnish Heikkinen?Komonen, Islandic Studio Granda and Greenlandic Tegnestuen Nuuk.

As a projection of a geometrically perfect circle on to the steep slope, the new gallery is conceived as a courtyard building that combines a pure geometrical layout with a sensitive adaption to the landscape. The three?dimensional imprint of the landscape creates a protective ring around the museum’s focal point, the sculpture garden where visitors, personnel, exhibition merge with culture and nature, inside and outside.

“The Danish functionalistic architecture in Nuuk is typically square boxes which ignore the unique nature of Greenland. We therefore propose a national gallery which is both physically and visually in harmony with the dramatic nature, just like life in Greenland is a symbiosis of the nature. We have created a simple, functional and symbolic shape, where the perfect circle is supplied by the local topography which creates a unique hybrid between the abstract shape and the specific location”, Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Partner, BIG.

The slope opens up the sculpture garden towards the city and the view, framing both the sculpture garden and museum functions. A rough looking external façade of white concrete will patina over time and adjust to the local weather, while the circular inner glass façade will consist of a simple and refined frame which contrasts the rough nature and compliments the beautiful view.

” The building will with its simplistic coarseness and harmony with the landscape become a symbol of the current independent Greenlandic artistic and architectural expression.”, Andreas Klok Pedersen, Partner & Project Leader, BIG.

The circular shape of the gallery enables a flexible division of the exhibition into different shapes and sizes, creating a unique framework for the museum’s art. Visitor access to the exhibition happens through a covered opening created by a slight lift in the façade into a lobby with a 180 degree panorama view towards the sculpture garden and the fjord as well as access to the common museum functions, including ticket counters, wardrobe, boutique and a café. The new gallery will create more activity at the waterfront by attracting the whole area is interconnected by a path which like the museum, forms after the shifting inclinations of the terrain. The locals and visitors will be able to admire the clear shape of the gallery which appears as a sculpture or a piece of land?art.

“Greenland National Gallery for Art will play a significant role for the citizens of Greenland and the inhabitants of Nuuk as a cultural, social, political, urban and architectural focal point that opens towards the city and the world through its perfect circular geometry and shape”, Bjarke Ingels, Stifter & Partner, BIG.

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / Been Laid Off? The Easiest Way to Reinvent Yourself by Cardsofchange.com

Death by Architecture — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Over the last 3 years we have seen many of our colleagues laid off as a result of the massive recession or maybe it was you. No profession or field was left unaffected and no profession was hit harder than architecture. Some estimates have the unemployment rate for architects at as much as 25 percent! Crazy times. But good times always follow crazy times.

Cardsofchange.com wants you to make the best of a bad situation. They want you to take that huge stack of leftover business cards from your last employer, grab your writing utensil of choice and use it as a canvas for reinvention. Upload it to the site and let the transformation begin.

There are some very clever submissions that should prompt a chuckle or two. So, even if you are still employed, it's definitely worth a look. Just don't let your boss catch you browsing the site at the office, otherwise the markups you make will be on your old business card.

CARDSOFCHANGE.COM

Review by Mario Cipresso

Article / Provisional-Emerging Modes of Architectural Practice USA by Edited by Elite Kedan, Jon Dreyfous and Craig Mutter

Death by Architecture — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Timing is everything, so they say and this book arrives on shelves at a moment in time when the future of architectural practice is in question on the covers of the two premier architectural journals in the United States. Architectural Record queries, "What Now?". Architect magazine posits "What's Next?" Under the soul-crushing pressure of the GFC (Global Financial Crisis, the best acronym I've heard for the recession) the architecture profession has apparently been sent reeling and just now appears to be regaining some of its footing with reports of increased architectural billings nationwide. The discussion centers around the current, unsustainable model of practice that has been serving unsustainable building and development practices worldwide.

Seeking that new form of architectural practice is the book, 'Provisional'. Composed of a series of interviews taking place largely between 2005 and 2008, Provisional profiles nine architects/firms practicing in various capacities within the broader field of architecture. The firms are a blend of established practices and some relative newcomers. Of the several common themes that appear to tie the practices together, those at the forefront are an interest in hands-on investigation, a willingness to take on responsibility with regards to fabrication and construction and experimentation with emerging technologies and software that leads to the creation of the digital tools of architecture themselves.

The interviews are all quite unique in that each architect comes at the topic from a different background and perspective which I found quite valuable in that it reveals moments of transition and revelation at different points in their careers. A worthwhile read for emerging and well-seasoned practitioners, you'll come away with a notion of how your ideal architectural practice might operate..... then you'll just have to find some work to test your ideas!

Review by Mario Cipresso

Article / DesCours 2010 : 15 Installations in New Orleans, Dec 3-12 by AIA New Orleans

Death by Architecture — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

New Orleans, La. (December 3-12, 2010) Join AIA New Orleans for DesCours, our 4th annual architecture, art and design exhibition featuring nightly live musical performance and

special events. This presentation explores the latest design and technology innovations through 15 large-scale, site-specific installations in 14 ‘hidden’ locations across the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans.

This year’s installation teams are comprised of more than 28 architects and artist representing four local teams, eight national teams and two international teams. This year’s installation teams include: Eric Bury + Farid Noufaily’s Flicker, Elizabeth Chen + Arthur Terry’s Systemics of Super-Saturation, Chimera+’s Offshore, Clark I Richardson Architect’s L’ouvert, Michael Cohen + Sarah Weisberg’s Microbial Palette #1, Hamilton Anderson Associates’ DICH2OTOMY, Haruka Horiuchi’s Breathing Boundary, John Kleinschmidt + Andy Sternad’s Drip, Luftwerk’s Driftless, Eric Nulman’s Night Flowers, Protostudio’s Modulemobil, Gernot Riether’s Intense Correlations, Doris Sung’s WAIST TIGHTENING, Wendy Teo Boom Ting + Mingli Chang’s The Living Garden, and TZCO’s The Union.

DesCours also features live musical performances and nightly special events, including three landmark parties celebrating the opening, mid-point and conclusion of the event. This year’s performances will include the following musicians: Daron Douglas + Sinead Rudden, DJ Joey Buttons, John Paul + Friends, James Westfall Trio, The Generationals, Talk Hassan Trio, Tom Marron, plus three surprise guest performances.

DesCours installations activate historic, private or abandoned spaces, providing an opportunity to engage with them from a new perspective. This year six installations are located in the lower Canal Street area, which bridges the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans.

With a focus on lower Canal, a place which is on the brink of economic revitalization, DesCours’ presence aims to boost the awareness and overall cultural economy of this historically active, but currently devoid area. DesCours also has global relevance in the architecture, design, and art fields by providing a platform for experimentation for young and emerging designers.

Now in its’ fourth year, DesCours, “aims to showcase both local and international contemporary design work, feature the unique historical architectural identity of New Orleans, and puts our city on the map with other major art destinations worldwide,” said Melissa Urcan, DesCours founder and curator as well as the Executive Director for AIA New Orleans. “DesCours also provides a unique platform for experimentation for new and emerging design talent for the public to witness, something rare in the world of built architecture projects.”

AIA New Orleans presents DesCours in partnership with the Downtown Development District (DDD), City of New Orleans, Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, and in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council and New Orleans Arts Council. In addition, DesCours is supported by numerous private businesses, organizations and individuals including aos, The Azby Fund, Letterman’s Blue Print & Supply, The Lupin Foundation, Pyramid Audio Productions, and The Vinyl Institute.

Complete details regarding this year’s DesCours presentation is available by visiting http://www.DesCours.us

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / Los Angeles Cleantech Corridor Competition Winner by SCI-Arc

Death by Architecture — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

From the First Prize winners, Aleksandra Danielak, Ralph Bertram, Constantin Boincean:

Project Umbrella was awarded first price in the LA Cleantech Corridor and Green District competition, presented by SCI-Arc and Architect’s Newspaper in partnership with the Office of the Mayor of Los Angeles, the Community Redevelopment Agency and a host of public and private sponsors.

By implementing an acupunctural strategy for urban renewal three young Oslo-based designers; Constantin Boincean, Ralph Bertram and Aleksandra Danielak prepare LA for a sustainable future that stimulates an alternative use of the city’s public domain.

Mushroom-like structures named solar evaporators are implemented within LA’s existing grid. They clarify black water from the sewage system and distribute it through a process of evaporation and condensation, transforming conventional streets into green webs of lush, cultivated landscapes that generate incentives for sustainable developments within and around them.

As part of an evolutionary strategy each evaporator will become a focal point of transformation that will locally diversify the surrounding urban tissue. They become platforms for social activities and form nodes within a growing transportation network that will stimulate the use of public and non-motorized modes of transportation as a valid and joyful way to explore the future city of LA.

According to jury member Stan Allen, dean of the School of Architecture at Princeton University and Pricipal of Stan Allen Architect, the project “initially appears to be an oversized piece of functional street furniture that turns out to be connected into a larger network of water purification and resource distribution. The project is highly memorable as an image, at the same time as it transforms the way the city will treat its resources in the future."

Posted By Mario Cipresso

Article / Taiwan Port & Cruise Service Center Finalists Announced by Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau

Death by Architecture — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Five teams were selected to continue to the second stage of the competition. The teams are:

HMC Group (USA)

Asymptote Architecture (USA)

Jet Architects / CXT Architects (CANADA)

Ricky Liu & Associates / Takenaka Corporation (TAIWAN/JAPAN)

Fei & Cheng / Reiser+Umemoto (TAIWAN/USA)

For more information visit the competition website at http://www.pncsc.com.tw/main_e.html.

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / Rome CityVision Experience 2010 Exhibition and Lecture by CityVision Magazine

Death by Architecture — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

ROME CITY VISION EXPERIENCE
September 21, 2010. 5:00 PM

CityVision magazine is pleased to present Rome City Vision Experience, an evening dedicated to contemporary architecture and the protagonists of the international competition Rome City Vision. The entire event is curated by Francesco Lipari and Vanessa Todaro.

Rome City Vision Experience will celebrate contemporary architecture in order to sustain and support Rome in its long journey of emancipation from a strong architectural heritage.

A real and imaginary dialogue between the contemporary and the imagined future. The goal of the evening is to promote and discuss the most advanced ideas in contemporary architecture. A time to explore the current reality and the future of design featuring news, events and conferences.

During the evening, the projects of the winners of Rome City Vision will be presented along with the premiere issue of the first free-press magazine of contemporary architecture in Rome, CityVision Mag.

Graniti Fiandre, a world leader in the production of porcelain slabs, always abreast of the latest trends in architecture and design, will present its innovative product ACTIVE.

Andrea Bartoli, noted Sicilian architecture and contemporary art lover will tell us what it means to be a patron today presenting the proposed redevelopment of the old town of Favara (AG), the Cultural Farm Park.

Alexander Orsini, a Roman architect will tell us about his experience as an architect "in flight" to New York and the importance of a contemporary culture in Rome.

Finally, the evening will culminate with a lecture by German architect Juergen Mayer H.

See an online copy of the CityVision Mag here.

More information about the exhibition and lecture is at the CityVision website.

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / BIG's 8 House wins 2010 Scandinavian Green Roof Award by BIG Architects

Death by Architecture — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Completing its trilogy of housing projects in Oerestad with the same client, BIG + green roof contractor Veg Tech receives the award for 8 House's 1.700 m2 sloping green roof.

The Scandinavian Green Roof Association based in Malmo, Sweden today honored the Best Green Roof in Scandinavia, at an award ceremony at the 8 House in Oerestad, Copenhagen. Since 2000, the association has promoted an increased use of green roofs in Scandinavia and created numerous working examples at its Malmo address. In addition the association and its members educate the positive impact of green roofs on urban ecology, and provide inspiration for legislation and building standards.

"BIG has demonstrated a very clear and conscious use of the green roof successfully integrating it into the visual identity of the building something which was seen in BIG's green roof award application last year with the M2 houses, but on a much grander scale", Louise Lundberg, Scandinavian Green Roof Association's Superintendent.

The moss-sedum roof covers an extraordinarily long, steep and sloping roof surface descending 11 floors downward to the edge of a canal in Oerestad South opening up the interior courtyard to a view of the protected open spaces of Kalvebod Faelled. The 60.000m2 mixed-use development is designed in the form of a figure 8 by manipulating the housing typology most often found in Copenhagen. The massing steps up and down depending on access to daylight and views and is broken into four programmatic bars of retail and housing. Green spaces upon the roof and within the courtyard are strategically placed to reduce the urban heat island effect as well as providing a visual relief to the inhabitants. The first residents have already moved in while the building will be finally completed by 1st of October.

"The parts of the green roof that remain were seen by the client as integral to the building as they are visible from the ground. These not only provide the environmental benefits that we all know come from green roofs, but also add to the visual drama and appeal of the sloping roofs and rooftop terrace in between", Bjarke Ingels, BIG.

The green roof is contracted by Veg Tech founded in 1988 who has since been a leading green-roof manufacturer in Scandinavia.

8 HOUSE CREDIT LIST
Client: St. Frederikslund Holding
Architect: BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group
Green Roof Contractor: Veg Tech A/S
Size of green roof: 1700 m2
Collaborators: Hoepfner Partners, Moe & Brodsgaard, KLAR

For more information and high resolution images, please contact Daria Pahhota:
Press & Communication
M + 45 25 10 44 66
@ dp@big.dk
W www.big.dk

Posted by Mario Cipresso

Article / Energies: New Material Boundaries by Edited by Sean Lally

Death by Architecture — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

'Energies' presents a collection of work that challenges the traditional notions of materiality that we as architects rely upon to define some sort of physical limit or boundary especially as it relates to structure, geometry and form. This publication is absolutely not a collection of new recycled material samples or innovations in existing building products. It takes a critical look at the somewhat elusive 'material energies' present in the common technologies of thermal variation, air velocity and electricity beyond their existing implementations as mundane building services. The intent of the projects is to free these media from their accepted roles and to establish them as the boundaries and thresholds of architecture.

Philippe Rahm's, "Research House for Dominique-Gonzalez-Foerster" is an investigation of the thermodynamic phenomenon of the Gulf Stream and its implications on a single-family living enivronment. A typical modern home attempts to create a condition where the entire home is maintained at a uniform temperature regardless of the particular uses. Rahm's project aims to restore the diversity to the relationship that the body maintains with space and its temperature, allowing for seasonal variations. The home essentially consists of an asymmetrical distribution of heat creating a convection movement in the project around which the spaces are organized based on an ideal temperature to activity relationship.

'New Material Boundaries' presents some very interesting ideologies and proposals for the reassessment of how we can define space and experience in architecture today. The selected projects vary between art installations to architectural proposals and address a broad spectrum of issues. The printing is another fine AD Architectural Design release.

Reviewed By Mario Cipresso

Article / Interview with Architects Rueda-Pizarro by By Studio Banana TV

Death by Architecture — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Studio Banana TV interviews Rueda-Pizarro, authors of a young people housing complex in Parla, Madrid.

In mid 2005, the Town Council of Parla in Madrid, in collaboration with the Madrid Architects' Association (COAM) Competitions Office, organized a competition with a novel approach: 826 dwellings distributed in 6 lots for public housing. They were rental dwellings for young persons, optimized to 35 m2 of usable surface area in order to fit the maximum number of units onto the available land. In addition, they awarded the surface right to private companies who paid the costs of the competition, construction and operation of the rented apartments, reducing the town council's contribution to management of the public land and selection of the awardees. Our proposal was one of the six winning projects and we had to include exactly 156 dwellings, which were the number allocated to us in the urban planning scheme.

Already in the competition, with the motto "Building situations", our starting point was the situationist postulates of the fifties. In their texts, they taught us to understand the city from the perspective of individual experience. Exclusively functionalist approaches were left behind; the aspects that concerned us were those that went beyond dimensional parameters, road system hierarchies, solids and hollows, and which took into account topological, relational and phenomenological parameters. The space of the city acquires meaning with the use that is made of it by its inhabitants, from the multiplicity of relationships that can occur in it (figure 1): experience the city as a space for "building situations". Faced with the typical degraded landscape devoured by infrastructures of the periphery (figure 2), we wanted our proposal for dwellings for young persons to be understood as a playful reappropriation of urban space. The site plan itself, reminiscent of the psychogeographic maps of Guy Debord (figure 3), shows the location as part of a network of municipal public spaces.

We proposed to free the ground level as much as possible with a new topography that houses the building services (figure 4), to create an area for recreational activities that can vary depending on the subject and time of day and according to the seasons.

Above this active surface, linked to the surrounding urban fabric, the dwellings are organized around four towers with the maximum compactness (figure 5). A central space in each tower, lit and ventilated from overhead, allows relationships to be established between users in vertical and horizontal directions and ensures cross-ventilation in all the dwellings. Instead of the standard living room-bedroom-kitchen program, we proposed a configurable space (figure 6), an unnamed room that can be used for multiple purposes. All the rooms are organized around this space, which can be incorporated into the rest of the rooms to increase their size or function independently from them. The only fixed part are the rooms with plumbing, which act as a hub around which the living rooms and bedrooms are arranged, introducing a certain randomness in the composition of the fa?ade. An enclosure of 18-cm wide anodized aluminum louvers envelops the fa?ade (figure 7), dressing the building and achieving a contemporary image within the framework of a limited budget, which did not exceed 700 euros per square meter above ground level.

Interview by Studio Banana TV. Translation by Remy Arroyo.

Posted By Mario Cipresso

Article / 2010 AfH Student Health Design Award Results by Supported by Brookfield

Death by Architecture — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

From the organizer:

2010 AfH Student Health Design Award
Supported by Brookfield

Designing for Death – Heaven, Purgatory and Hell

Why Death?? Because it's common, and also a condition that is poorly dealt with in hospital buildings. If anything, it's a key facility where the building plays an explicitly healing role. There needs to be room for admissions, and also short stays for people needing respite from time at home. While there is an argument for allowing more people to die at home, there are still many who for a number of reasons feel unable to do this.

AfH received a record number of entries to the 2010 competition making the shortlisting process more taxing than ever before. The competition continues to challenge the relationship between the practice of healthcare design and the exploratory academic realm.

The Shorlist can be viewed on the website at http://www.afhawards.org

The award event takes place on the 2th of August at the RIBA in London and is free for students to attend.

Posted by Mario Cipresso