Latest articles on Architecture by The Cool Hunter - for more checkout www.thecoolhunter.net http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:33:32 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk Latest articles on Architecture by The Cool Hunter - for more checkout www.thecoolhunter.net http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1382&Itemid=44 Shuhei Endo's steel, timber and glass structure, Bubbletecture H, inflates ominously out of the Japanese landscape. The visitor centre, built in a valley between Osaka and Hiroshima, was planned in three sections housing a theatre/lecture hall, a bookshop/galley and a workshop. Endo’s design aesthetic throughout his career has focused on numerous experiments with steel and the seemingly limitless possibilities the material has in the built environment. He continually sets out to prove that architecture can possess diversity while simultaneously following the rules of geometry, and Bubbletecture H is certainly not an exception. Endo has a phenomenal ability to place anything he designs within nature. The visitor centre is a structural geometry of bubbles from afar. But close up, the surface appears to mimic the faceted planes on the surface of a diamond. Minimal glazing prevents this building from glimmering in its valley. Instead, Endo subdued his design with rusted steel and occasional moss surfaces to sit within the surrounding forest – additionally meeting his client’s desire to educate the people living in the Hyogo prefecture, as well as anyone else who visit on global environmental concerns. Drawn from concepts in traditional Japanese vernacular architecture, the superstructure was prefabricated from local Japanese cedar. Prefabrication minimises both economic and environmental impacts – less material to transport shorter distances instantly reduces carbon emissions released from the onset of the project. And like a cliff temple, the supporting structure clings to the earth only where necessary – the building, nearly 1000 square metres is carefully connected to only sixteen deeply buried 1.5 metres wide beams – and that’s all that goes in the ground.The concept for the design of Bubbletecture H thoroughly examines nature’s cyclical systems. Circulation through the three functional sections of the building is apparent in the rational built form connecting these spaces across the landscape. Another set of systems cycle and collect rainwater that falls on the building’s surface and reuse it for irrigation. And perhaps the most significant systemic process, the life cycle of the entire site, has been acknowledged, as green technology oozes from practically every surface. Endo’s exhibition dedicated to environmental studies hopes to heighten people’s awareness in their surroundings – and by raising awareness improved care is imminent for the valley and its environs. - Andrew J Wiener Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:09:55 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1349&Itemid=44 Munetsugu Hall (http://www.munetsuguhall.com/), completed in 2007 in Naka Ward, Nagoya, Japan. It is a privately-funded concert hall that continues the age-old but almost-dead tradition of wealthy arts patrons initiating and financing the creation of art spaces. Fluid, white wall shapes are the distinctive feature of Munetsugu Hall’s main performance space. The walls bring to mind artistic sweep marks left by a gigantic builder who in his boredom doodled in his mortar tray with a massive trowel and then let the shapes solidify.Norihiko Dan has won several architecture awards in Japan and Taiwan including the Distinguished Architect Award of the Japanese Institute of Architecture and the ARCADIA (http://www.aca-13.com/) Award Gold Medal in 2007. His work has been part of exhibitions in Japan, Taiwan, USA, Canada, Germany, Austria, Italy and the UK. In addition to being a respected architect and educator, Norihiko Dan is also an architecture historian and writes novels and screenplays.Munetsugu Hall’s generous benefactor is Tokuji Munetsugu who with his wife Naomi made a fortune in the restaurants business. Their company Ichibanya Co. Ltd. (based in Aichi, Japan) operates more than 1,000 curry and pasta restaurants under the names Curry House CoCo Ichibanya and Pasta de Coco. Munetsugu spent two billion yen to build the 310-seat concert hall. He has also set up a nonprofit organization to support welfare, sports and arts activities. - Tuija Seipell Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:59:17 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1245&Itemid=44 We are on a hunt for supremely cool houses, from beach homes, country homes and city pads to holiday houses and ski retreats, we want to know where the coolest houses are for our upcoming book (http://www.thecoolhunter.net/books/Worlds-Coolest-Houses---Architects/Photographers-submit-your-designs/). We are looking for the most unique houses from Sao Paulo to Sydney. Slightly cool, standard-issue luxury won’t do it. The houses we want must think like Zaha Hadid who said “I like architecture to have someraw, vital, earthy quality.” So, if you are an architect of such a house, please submit your project for consideration or if you a photographer who has photographed such a house, please get in touch - (%20%3Cscript%20language=%27JavaScript%27%20type=%27text/javascript%27%3E%20%3C%21--%20var%20prefix%20=%20%27ma%27%20+%20%27il%27%20+%20%27to%27;%20var%20path%20=%20%27hr%27%20+%20%27ef%27%20+%20%27=%27;%20var%20addy32279%20=%20%27bill%27%20+%20%27@%27;%20addy32279%20=%20addy32279%20+%20%27thecoolhunter%27%20+%20%27.%27%20+%20%27net%27;%20document.write%28%20%27%3Ca%20%27%20+%20path%20+%20%27%5C%27%27%20+%20prefix%20+%20%27:%27%20+%20addy32279%20+%20%27%5C%27%3E%27%20%29;%20document.write%28%20addy32279%20%29;%20document.write%28%20%27%3C%5C/a%3E%27%20%29;%20/--%3E%5Cn%20%3C/script%3E%3Cscript%20language=%27JavaScript%27%20type=%27text/javascript%27%3E%20%3C%21--%20document.write%28%20%27%3Cspan%20style=%5C%27display:%20none;%5C%27%3E%27%20%29;%20/--%3E%20%3C/script%3EThis%20e-mail%20address%20is%20being%20protected%20from%20spam%20bots,%20you%20need%20JavaScript%20enabled%20to%20view%20it%20%3Cscript%20language=%27JavaScript%27%20type=%27text/javascript%27%3E%20%3C%21--%20document.write%28%20%27%3C/%27%20%29;%20document.write%28%20%27span%3E%27%20%29;%20/--%3E%20%3C/script%3E)bill@thecoolhunter.net (mailto:bill@thecoolhunter.net)This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:41:02 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1338&Itemid=44 Golf and drab are synonyms, right? And the mere mention of Golf andCountry Club makes you run. Away. Fast. Golf may indeed have a bit ofan image problem but that did not deter the Zürich-based Smolenicky Partner Architektur (http://www.smolenicky-architektur.com/) when they were retained to work on the expansion of the venerable Sempachersee Golf Club located near Lucerne in Switzerland.In addition to the new club house-restaurant building and the newmaintenance building, both of which Smolenicky designed, the expansionincluded a second 18-hole golf course. All of this has made Golf ClubSempachersee the largest golf club in Switzerland and, quite likely,the club with the coolest club house.In their approach to the club house, Smolenicky sought to manifesttwo things: what they call the “country character of the golfingculture of the Sempachersee course” and the course’s worldlysophistication. They took their design cues from “the rural warmth of atimber barn and the clear lines of a Maserati sports car.” Theresulting building, the sleek and minimalist interior, and themagnificent 180-degree panoramic views of the Sempachersee lake and theAlps might just be reasons enough to give golf another chance. Or, atthe very least, rethink what a golfing environment could look like. By Tuija Seipell Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:14:11 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1320&Itemid=44 Humlegård House is the stark-looking, year-round residence of a former Finnish TV documentary producer. He moved to this house, located in the town of Fiskars, 78 kilometers west of Helsinki, from a central-Helsinki heritage apartment. Many aspects of Humlegård, especially its placement to respond to the forces of nature, resemble the owner’s childhood home, a large country manor in central Finland.Designed by Kimmo Friman of Friman Laaksonen Architects (http://www.fl-a.fi) of Helsinki, Humlegård House is situated on a small, flat hill so that the north-south line runs diagonally through the building. This is the traditional way of placing a building so that it functions optimally as an energy efficient and comfortable dwelling in the harsh, Finnish climate. Protection from the wind and maximum use of sunlight are primary considerations, and the placement of rooms is as much dependent on how much the room needs heat and daylight as it is on how the residents use each space.The floor plan resembles the layout of a traditional peasant farmhouse, split lengthwise into two. The house consists of three multi-function areas: two large living rooms linked by a loft with a bathroom and walk-in closet below.In a typically Finnish fashion, the building appears simple, stark and utilitarian yet exudes a harmonious and stylish form function sensibility. The owner and architect selected each building material carefully, opting for traditional, natural materials. “I did not want materials of which we did not have decades of experience,” said the owner. Horizontal spruce board – left untreated for maximum structure breathability -- is the main feature of the interior.The spruce-clad outer facade weathers into a beautiful gray color that matches the stark surroundings. The east-facing facade is clad with galvanized corrugated-steel that protects the wall from rain and sun and also reflects excessive sun away in the summer. The placement of windows was determined by the requirements of the interior spaces. A separate, tiny log sauna, also designed by Friman, was built later east of the main building. By Tuija Seipell Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:10:30 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1305&Itemid=44 Antwerp, Belgium-based one-year-old sculp(IT) (http://users.telenet.be/sculpit/) is a partnership of two architects, Pieter Peerlings and Silvia Mertens. They have recently completed a clever office, residence and studio for themselves in what they call “Antwerp’s narrowest house” located in Anwerp’s former red-light district. They took a 2.4-meter (7 feet 10 inches) wide space between two buildings, erected a steel skeleton in it and installed four wooden floors, one each for work, dining, relaxing and sleeping, plus a bath tub on the roof. A one-piece staircase connects the floors. The walls are all glass, allowing light in and creating a feel of space. In a nod to the area’s “exhibitionist” past, each “window” to the street has a black frame emphasizing the showcase or display aspect. The multi-color lighting scheme completes the seedy notion. By Tuija Seipell Wed, 28 May 2008 01:04:08 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1300&Itemid=44 There’s a new planet in the solar system and it’s called Luxury. Actually, it is here on earth, on a little-known island called Nurai, (http://www.nurai.ae/site.aspx) located northeast of Abu Dhabi city. The 130,000-square-meter island is about to be transformed into an achingly glamorous and luxurious resort and exclusive private residential estate, comprised of one boutique luxury hotel resort with 60 suites, 31 beachfront estates and 36 water villas. The mammoth project is a collaboration between New York based Studio Dror (http://www.studiodror.com), led by Dror Benshetrit, that has designed the residences, and the Paris-based firm AW2 (http://www.aw2.net/) are responsible for the design of the hotel. The sheer scale of the project is awe-inspiring; the incredible multi-storey water villas alone will span 515 square metres each, comprising of three bedrooms, four bathrooms, a private rooftop garden with spa pool, private infinity pool, multiple decks, outdoor barbeque area, gourmet kitchen and concealed service quarters. No doubt Tom Katie are making their reservations already. As for the private “Seaside” residences (which are sure to be snapped up by Saudi Princes and oil shieks because they will probably be the only ones who can afford them), the five bedroom-six bathroom estates span across between 3,000 – 6,050 square metres. Each “Seaside” estate will include a private beach and garden, rooftop garden with spa pool, infinity swimming pool, indoor reflecting pools, concealed service quarters, entertainment patios, outdoor dining areas, chef and show kitchens and outdoor showers. The resort is due to open in 2010 and residences start at €20 million. By Lisa Evans Mon, 19 May 2008 06:55:33 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1298&Itemid=44 Some of us think that our far off ancestors lived in the trees – and during our childhood, when our thoughts and memories are most pure, we yearn to climb trees growing in our gardens, in our parks, in our cities. As we get older, the urge to climb trees subsides as we ride elevators up to our offices in the sky and look out across the cities where we live. Yet occasionally, as we’re sealed up tight in our artificially climatic spaces, we long for a breath of fresh air. At a German company called baumraum (http://www.baumraum.de/) an architect, a landscape architect, an arbologist, and a craftsman design modern, natural and solidly constructed treehouses. Each treehouse project is assessed individually. The team takes into consideration both the condition of the environment and of the tree, with the size and features the clients desire. baumraum offers a range of wood-types as well as options for insulated walls. Treespaces can be outfitted with sitting and sleeping benches, storage spaces, a mini-kitchen, heating, glass windows, lighting, as well as a sound system for multimedia. Every piece is pre-fabricated in a workshop, and then brought together on site. Sound like something you’ve been wanting? The baumraum team offers free consultation where they can talk you through every option available as you put together your dream treehouse. The treehouses can span multiple levels and sit among several trees. Treehouses are mostly secured with ropes, thereby minimising the impact of stress to the tree or trees on which the house is placed. And if a tree is particularly weak, or even if a treehouse is wanted where there is no suitable tree, stilts are used to guarantee people everywhere can once again climb trees. By Andrew J Wiener. Thu, 15 May 2008 20:23:24 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1288&Itemid=44 We do our best to seek out exceptional design from all corners of the globe, and on Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands off the north west coast of Africa, we found an extraordinary architectural example in timber, glass and concrete. The House in Tenerife was built into the cliffs 300m above a black sand beach. The entrance to the house leads to the upper tier of the double-height living room. And descending the concrete staircase, the minimalist interior becomes second nature against the surrounding backdrop – where the blues of the sky and the sea appear vertically in formation. Before long, the sensory experiences from the natural world envelope the built form, and the house’s relevance in its surroundings are revealed. The layout places living areas of the home on the shorter end of the L-shaped form, while both bedrooms and bathrooms sit along the longer side. Both living and sleeping spaces open out to a wooden deck and pool that spills into nature. The heaviness of the concrete double-story living room allows glass panels to sit effortlessly on the deck. The room’s only furniture, le Corbuiser’s chaise and Mies’ Barcelona chair face out, away from a small fireplace that meets a wall of two-storey shelving.The sleeping spaces both open to the deck and pool as well. Each has its own bathroom – and from the master, the owners can sleep and bathe in the same space looking out at the same view, as the sink and the concrete tub sit at the foot of the bed. The house even contains a basement where a home gym looks through a glass wall into the side of the pool. We couldn’t really think of anything else we would want from a home on a Spanish island – except great wine storage, we’d be doing plenty of entertaining. By Andrew J Wiener Tue, 06 May 2008 16:34:55 +0100 http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1275&Itemid=44 New Yorkers call it ‘Upstate.’ Londoners call it ‘the Country.’ But for many of the so-called Sydney-siders, living just about an hour north of the CBD in and around the stunning Pittwater Bay, it’s called home. And the design brief for the James-Robertson House set upon a steep slope at Great Mackerel Beach overlooking the bay was to provide the owners with a permanent residence that separates living, sleeping and guest spaces in three pavilion-like glass, steel and copper structures. The Sydney-based team of Casey Brown Architecture (http://www.caseybrown.com.au/) abides by principles of lying built form atop of the natural environment, and their house perched above the blue waters of the bay is no exception to the practice. For the James-Robertson House, the architects, who also live on the hillside, employed their local knowledge of climate and topography in the relationship between the natural and the tectonic. After crossing the bay by ferry, visitors and the very few local residents arrive at Great Mackerel Beach via a pier that jets out from the shore. The homes on the hillside sit at the edge of the Ku-ring-gai National Park – a vast expansive protected area just north of Sydney – and no road access means no cars at all – the dream of many urbanists worldwide. The structure of the house is comprised of three double-storey pavilions that are anchored down into the rock formations yet seem to hang off the steep hill. The climate-sensitive design allows the vast open areas to capture sea breezes from the South Pacific Ocean just out beyond the Bay. Sunlight is effortlessly filtered through folding hoods, mechanical blinds and eaves and long overhangs. The entire steel structure was painted black, which helps the house fade into its natural environment. Along with the structural materials, the architects placed a copper roof above and used local timber and stone.The two pavilions below house a guest room and bathroom on the lower level, while the main kitchen, dining and living areas are accessed via an exterior stone stairway. The upper pavilion sits 50 metres above the lower, and can only be accessed by riding aboard a very steep inclinator. The pavilion contains the laundry area below, and the master bedroom and bathroom were placed on the highest point for the most expansive views of the surrounding landscape. By Andrew J Wiener Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:56:09 +0100