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House !ňČ㊠ƍ䚐ဂ |
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As you’ll no doubt have seen on the pages of the cool hunter over
the past few weeks, we’ve been paying homage to wall-art from all over the
world. From bars in Baghdad to clubs in Cairo, we’ve been trawling
buildings looking for the finest illustrations the art-world has to
offer. And for this next one, we had to scurry around the trendy
backstreets of Jingumae in Tokyo to find it.
This small live in studio and salon has been decked in black paint
with a beautifully elegant mural, depicted from the salon’s own
brand to engulf its two exposed walls. The hand-painted
pattern is reminiscent of an inverted Rorschach inkblot drawing.
Yet the symmetrical display blends perfectly with the centre piece
- a woman overwhelmed by the surrounding plumage. And while the
windows are large and severe, they don’t distort the image.
Instead, they perforate the design with different levels of
intensity, revealing larger and smaller details of what lies
beneath.
Inside, the space has been deliberately simplified, so as to not
compete with the eye-catching exterior. Blackened wood surfaces sit
quietly against the enlarged windows, decorated with cream-coloured
blinds. While the theme of masculine and feminine remains true
throughout. The angular planes of the structure repeat in the harsh
lines of the furniture and the effeminate fresco is imitated by the
soft lighting inside. A smart yet simple piece that respects the
duality of the building – somewhere to live and work – while
playfully intertwining the two. By Matt Hussey
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A CHANGE OF TUNE - Kingsdale School, Dulwich, South East
London |
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We don’t know about you, but school wasn’t exactly the most
inspiring of places. Concrete bunkers for buildings, concrete
tennis courts for ‘recreation’ and food that tasted, well, like
concrete. Yes, school did sound like a brutalist architects dream.
But, Reynar Banham was nowhere to be seen.
This is much the same story for most schools under the
comprehensive banner. Kids are taught in buildings resembling cell
blocks. The only exceptions coming from the private institutions
Britain is famed for. Education it seems, is taught from books not
experienced by what surrounds you.
Recently however, there has been a change of thought when it comes
to school design. De Rijke Marsh Morgan
Architects (dRMM) are adding the final touches to their
overhaul of Kingsdale School in south east London to dazzling
effect.
Rather than the standard dreary courtyard favoured by modernist
architects of the 1950s – a giant atrium now sits under the worlds
largest EFTE variable roof – which has the ability to be cooled and
heated to insulate in winter and cool in summer. The result is a
new space for dining, assembly and a new auditorium sat inside a
giant octahedron. A vast improvement on the cruel inhuman space
that stood there previously.
dRMM have also built a new music hall and gymnasium to accompany
the now iconic central space. In the music hall, windows are etched
out of the wooden interior with the material then used to form
tables below. The effect is a wonderful mix of shapes and rays of
light that change and move with the sun. While the sports hall’s
dramatic beams rotate around an invisible axis resembling an Escher
drawing. All achieved without compromising the space’s purpose as a
place of play.
What this school was designed to do was illustrate the importance
of the spaces people exist in. Education for most of the twentieth
century was bereft of any debate about where children should be
taught. Hopefully Kingsdale School will start to change that. By
Matt Hussey
Related Link: The Designer
Super Gym Has Arrived
Kids Kool
Spaces
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Block Balconies, Ofis Architects |
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While it may look like an optical illusion from the outside, this
housing block in Izola on the Slovenian coast offers bona fide
affordable options for many young families. The team of Ofis
Arhitekti won a national design competition for their design
of two apartment buildings each containing 30 units of varying
size ranging from studios to three-bedrooms.
Internal spaces may be small, however the unique trapezoidal-shaped
balconies accentuate external perspectives and views directly to
the sea. Structural elements are located externally as well thereby
allowing more spacious living areas while taking advantage of the
limited area of each unit and helping to keep the square meter cost
low.
Ofis wrapped sunshades in the form of colorful canvas awnings
around the blocks balconies. These defining features provide ample
external space for each unit, while innovative side paneling allows
for both privacy and ventilation. From within, the canvas
panels create unique environments in individual apartments. Each
coastal-facing apartment is thereby effortlessly adapted to
Slovenia’s Mediterranean climate. By Andrew Wiener
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| Ellipse
1501 House |
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Here at TCH, we strive to bring you the most cutting edge and
inspiring pieces of design. From houses to hotels, walls to wine
racks, there isn’t much we haven't covered. All under the premise,
that if we like something, then, maybe you’ll like it as well.
But, there comes a time when we’re not quite sure. And if we don’t
like it, why are we telling you about it? This new house designed
by Antonino Cardillo has
stumped us good and proper. Is it just another vacuous interior
that looks an awful lot like a museum? Or is it a very shrewd
example of how shapes and colours interact when placed next to each
other?
Built on a hillside somewhere in Italy, Cardillo has created a
concrete ellipse that dilates to the east and west. It also just
happens to look like a grey blob squatting on a hill. Inside you’re
met with an enormous curve that sweeps across the central hall,
forcing the eye to look down through the space at the brutal lines
of the rest of the house. A smooth exterior hides the
phantasmagoria of shapes inside.
The other rooms are built around the dramatic opening. A kitchen at
one end, the guest room at the other. Up a darkened circular
staircase lies the mezzanine bedroom fitted out with the absolute
minimal of disruption to the form of the interior. It’s all
wonderfully cohesive. But at the same time, you can’t help but
think, ‘where do all the people go?’ The unrelenting stylising says
this isn’t a space to be lived in. Rather, it’s a place to be seen
in.
But at the same time, you can’t help but wonder what life must be
like living here. The deep excavations in the outer wall reveal
jagged pockets of the outside world at random. Outside, forests and
mountains. Inside, lifeless concrete forged into geometric shapes.
But the clever thing about the positioning of the windows is, it
lets different types of light to fill different parts of the house.
Direct sunlight beams into the main hall, while refracted light
from trees outside filters into the smaller side windows. Creating
instant moods inside according to the weather outside.
As this is going on, the building remains in its original essence:
colourless or tending to grey. A challenging house that makes you
love it for its ingenuity, but hate it for its formality. Either
way, we can’t decide. By Matt Hussey
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Royal Ontario Museum Extension, Toronto |
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What started out as a sketch on a napkin at a family wedding, soon
became a submission for Toronto’s Royal Ontario
Museum extension. This extension may well signal the prelude to
the city’s cultural renaissance, and be the first deviation from
the boxy buildings of the existing landscape. It’s about time
someone got away from the boxes, plus this building is not too
shabby either.
World-famous architect Daniel Libeskind, who also won the 2002
contest to replace New York’s World Trade Center, faxed the napkins
in. Since then, the 56,000 square-foot addition has brewed several
controversies amongst Torontonians and architecture buffs - as does
any visionary work, or so they say. While some praise its bold
design marked by angular complexity, others believe it’s an insult
to a heritage monument. Yet others just think it resembles an alien
ship from space. At least it has people talking.
Completion is estimated for 2009, when seven galleries will house
exhibits including the world’s largest known black-star sapphires,
masterworks from Japan and pre-historic dinosaur and mammal
specimens.
The new lounge-like, black-and-white-themed fine-dining restaurant
Crystal 5, will give you a peek into the city through the large
windows over fresh, organic meals in biodegradable packaging.
They’ve thought of everything. Since when have places that house
historical items had to resemble medieval, symbolic, majestic, or
so-called timeless buildings? We don’t think they do, and this
dawning of the Crystal age supports our views. By Hima
Bativia. Pics by SAM
JAVANROUH
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Pontificial Lateral University Library - Italy |
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Libraries aren’t generally known for amazing architecture but this
incredible one in Italy has us dying to get there amongst the
books. Pictured below, it’s actually an extension on the existing
library at the Pontificial Lateran University, which houses new
reading rooms and an Auditorium. The incredibly stylish space was
designed by Rome firm
King Roselli, who took totally fresh approach to the project by
employing features not usually seen in these types of spaces, such
as a curved ceiling, angular stair-casing and vast glass
paneling.
The university holds an outstanding collection of books numbering
around 600,000 volumes, some of which date back to the 16th
century, whose subjects for the most part coincide with the
principal academic courses: philosophy, theology and law. The bulk
of them are now deposited in the newly restored compartmentalized
underground vaults equipped with an adequate fire extinguisher
system and humidity and temperature control. Learning has never
been so glamorous. By Laura Demasi
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Camouflage, or cryptic coloration, is something living organisms
have developed over millions of years in order to remain
indiscernible from the surrounding environment.
Buildings, something humans have designed and built for thousands
of years, have never been indiscernible from the surrounding
environment. If anything, our egotistical fascination with
conquering nature has meant our buildings are designed to triumph
over its surroundings. Of course, nature inspires building
design. But it rarely seeks to mimic it.
That is, until this twist on nature landed on The Cool Hunter
doorstep. Set among shrubs and budding fir trees, this home has
been encased in a façade matching the greenery around it. The
concealing mesh is permeable to let the sunshine filter onto the
house. But it also allows the light from inside to radiate out.
Allowing the build to sit anonymously by day, but emerge discretely
at night. Blurring the boundaries between what is human, and what
is not.
Inside, the materials are organic and neutral. Wood decking and
paneling cover the inside and outer reaches, while neutral colors
blend rooms into a seamless array of angles and hard wood
furnishings. But perhaps what’s more inspiring, is the building’s
impact. The structure, while inherently human, isn’t trying to
dominate the landscape it resides in. The single-storey house will
soon be engulfed as the surrounding woodland matures, and the
materials used to give the house its shape, will darken and merge
with the backdrop. It’s an idea based on nature – to evolve with
nature, and to mimic the concept of nature. Something in our
opinion, there should be more of. By Matthew Hussey
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Att: Architects - Submit Your Designs |
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Corbusier thought they were key to improving the lives of the
working classes; Frank Lloyd Wright said they were the centre of
humanity and Ebenezer Howard believed there were the basis of
civilized society. Yet homes, from a design perspective, are
seen as the bastardized child of urban planning and
functionalism. Homogenous shells of bricks and mortar, born
out of a need to contain and protect from the elements.
But thankfully, some of the utopian zeal found in the writings of
the men above, have started to re-emerge. As you’ve seen in the
pages of the Cool Hunter, we have always believed in the playful
and experimental nature of the ‘home’. Not just a physical
dwelling, but a constituent in the building blocks of human emotion
and experience. That’s why we’re starting a showcase for architects
who’ve designed homes that are out of the box, extraordinary and
iconic.
We want those who design them, to send in ideas as a case in point
to the versatility of houses. They can be anything from the
abstract to the symbolic, the whimsical to the prudent. “The
home should be the treasure chest of living,” said Corbusier.
Let’s try and keep it that way. Send your designs/images to
tips@thecoolhunter.com.au
tips@thecoolhunter.net
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need
JavaScript enabled to view it . By Matthew Hussey
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Will Alsop’s Master Plan For Middlehaven |
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The skeptics that we are, we get a bit suspicious when talk of big
plans starts sounding a bit too promising. Words like word-class,
cutting-edge, sensational and head-turning just don’t do it for us.
But we’d like to make an exception with the dreamers in
Middlesborough (in North East of England) whose grandiose plans to
revive the Middlehaven docks and the redundant waterfront are
actually starting to become reality.
Practically gushing at their own daring, the town leaders unveiled
an agreement between the Tees Valley
Regeneration and BioRegional Quintain, one of the UK’s
biggest developers. The agreement will apparently bring £200m of
investment to Middlesbrough plus 1,000 new jobs; 750 homes
designed by top architects, shops, stylish bars, cafés and
restaurants and a luxury hotel.
This will also - or so we hope - mean that the master plan of the
daring architect Will Alsop
will start to materialize in the form of some of the crazy
“Meet-the Robinsons-esque” new buildings we’ve seen in the
plans.
Alsop is the man who has designed, for example, the Palestra
Building, the Peckham Library and the Ben Pimlott Building at
Goldsmith College – all in London – Hotel du Department des Bouches
du Rhone in Marseille, and the Sharp Centre for Design in Toronto.
He’s known for fun, playful buildings with strong colors, unusual
shapes and angles.
And we are not the only ones noticing the Middlehaven plans. In
March, a team led by Tees Valley Regeneration, developer
BioRegional Quintain and its architects
Studio Egret West emerged as a winner in the “big urban
projects” category at the MIPIM (Architectural Review) Future
Projects Awards, against other short-listed projects Plot-Scape in
Bursa, Turkey and the massive redevelopment of the King’s Cross
Station area in London. By Tuija Seipell
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The “Chalet” is by far the most famous product of Swiss
architecture. The wooden dwellings with sloping roof and
overhanging eaves, are as much a part of the Swiss landscape as the
Alps themselves. The single storey bunkers traditionally served as
seasonal farms for dairy cattle in the summer months, and haven’t
changed much since these humble beginnings.
But high up on a mountain pass in the Bernese Oberland, a new type
of seasonal home has emerged as a stark contrast to the timber
heavy squats the country is so famed for. With its back
turned to the harsh northerly winds, this contemporary take on the
log cabin straddles the vistas to the south via a huge five meter
glass pane that invites the landscape to fill its vast, open plan
spaces.
Swiss planning regulators favor lots of small, pokey windows, this
house is anything but. Rather than shielding its inhabitants
from the outdoors, the house embraces the mountainous terrain, with
large glass doors opening out onto the wooden terrace that appears
to float alongside the house.
With its elegant, concrete slab base, it juts out into the
landscape like a beached vessel. The domineering fireplace
runs through the core of the building, dragging its brutal lines
from the basement to the roof three floors above.
Up the handsome open-tread staircase the bedrooms and bathrooms
blend into a continuous passage that invites you to keep
moving. The large, panoramic windows throughout keep the
house light and airy, while the double insulated walls and thick
wood decking keep the cool temperatures out. The sparse furnishings
and sleek lines are a bold statement that matches the buildings
unrelenting exterior. Rather than cluttering the house with gaudy
ornaments and stuffy fixtures, it plays on the sparse landscape it
so elegantly sits in.
Traditional chalets have a tendency to shy away from the landscape,
sealing off its inhabitants to the beauty of the environment it
inhabits. This building however, embraces the countryside
with an unyielding arrogance and swagger. Perching
precariously at the tip of a mountain, it stares boldly at its
surroundings. The interior eschews its contemporary
credentials with clean, simple lines and muted colors. But at
the same time, it feels traditional, homely, and welcoming. A
small homage to the portly abodes that continue to dominate the
Swiss landscape. By Matthew Hussey
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Reconstructing Point Tordera Bridge
(Barcelona) |
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On 23 February 1811, in a desperate attempt to stop Napoleon's
invading army, General Josep Obispo ordered the destruction of the
Pont Trencat, a double arched stone bridge spanning the River
Tordera just east of Barcelona. Since that time, the Pont Trencat
(literally the 'Broken Bridge') remained a poignant ruin, made
redundant by the construction of a new bridge further down the
river in 1866. In the mid 1990s, locals from the surrounding
villages began mustering support and funds to restore the Pont
Trencat and finally, a decade later, their efforts have paid off.
The bridge has come back spectacularly to life. By C. S.
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| Austria's
Summer House |
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The holiday home or summer-house, by definition, is a building
constructed with a strictly defined personality. For the temporary
inhabitant, it provides a sense of escape without abandonment, and
leisure without effort. Its very existence is to promote feelings
and moods not experienced in our everyday lives. A temporary
euphoria squeezed between four walls for a period of the user's
choosing. It is a social engineer’s architectural
dream.
This idea of temporary elation has existed for centuries. But the
concept exploded with the onset of modernism in the twentieth
century. A newly emerging middle class sought escapism from
the polluted cities while still enjoying the comforts of their
newly industrialized homes. A modernist belief that experience was
shaped through design spearheaded the mass-production of seasonal
dwelling. Le Corbusier described buildings as “machines for
living”, and architecture was bent to supply the petite
bourgeoisie’s need for leisure and relaxation. Buildings were
simplified, historical references and ornament removed in favor of
promoting the beauty of modern materials and construction. Concrete
and its featureless character became the material of choice in the
construction of buildings throughout Europe and North America.
Their homogeneous appearance celebrated by Brutalist architects but
condemned by post-modernists for their flagrant disregard towards
the social, historic, and architectural environment of its
surroundings.
Today, this form of design is considered to be archaic in its
principles. Concrete is seen to be aesthetically vacuous, and is
used structurally rather than visually. Instead, glass facades and
organic materials are a building’s ornaments. But a team of
architects in Austria have resurrected the ideological trappings of
modernist thinkers to create a unique and eerily beautiful
interpretation of the holiday villa. Set on lake Millstatter See in
Austria, this four-story villa is an ode to the idealism of the
holiday homes of old, but simultaneously sits in the
avant-garde.
Much of the design was adapted from the hotel that stood previously
on the original plot, and can be seen in the bold and unrelenting
expanses of concrete. But rather than mask the commanding stretches
of gray matter, the team have embraced and adorned the blank walls
to become a key part of the building’s persona. The vast expanses
complemented by materials that not only enhance the concrete’s
authority, but also mimic it in character. Pale, smooth
furniture occupy the inside, while white decking and exposed
brick-work dominate the outside. The effect of which can feel
arresting at first, but develops a strange allure when looked at up
close.
The building is a prime example of the brutal, unrelenting style of
design from the 1950s, but the overhaul of ideas has transformed it
into a testament to the contemporary. The fluid transition between
interior and exterior, coupled with the large openings throughout
the build, allow nature to flow through the cold interior, giving
it a warm and organic feel. While the geometric shapes of the
building draw imposing silhouettes on the lake and the surrounding
countryside.
The minimal material concept (structural concrete in combination
with white painted wood and metal surfaces) lends the building a
monolithic character. But the upper floors of the building have an
intimate, personal feel that doesn’t compromise the need for
personal space.
It’s a building that screams arrogance and in places can feel a
little soulless. But the sheer audacity of its form
juxtaposed with its purpose as a leisure facility, offers an
intriguing concept that hasn’t been seen since modernism dared to
challenge the purpose of design and the human condition.
By Matthew
Hussey
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Agora Theatre - Netherlands |
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Do not let the IKEA-yellow exterior fool you – the multifunctional
Agora Theatre, is not
displaying home furnishings, but bustling with performances and new
media works. It is located in Lelystad, the capital of the province
of Flevoland in the Netherlands. The city, established as recently
as 1967 and known for its controversial and forward-thinking city
planning, is boldly building its center, the Centrale Zone,
according to a master plan by West 8. In
turn, West 8 is known for planning a vast array of exciting
'cityscapes', including a luxury
village near Moscow and the waterfront revitalization
project in Toronto.
The Agora Theatre building is the work of UN Studio, a group with theater,
museum and art establishment expertise. The building itself is
worth a visit, even if no performances were taking place (previews
are already taking place). The tranquil cafe, open during the day,
offers beautiful views of the square outside. The startling pink
curving walls of the staircases resemble magnificent silk ribbons.
And the deliciously red concert hall with its unusual wall surfaces
will give you something to look at, even in the rare case that the
performance doesn’t interest you. This is one building that will
change the vibe of the city, both day and night. By Tuija Seipell.
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| WATERWORLD
- China |
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Atkin's Architecture Group
recently won the first prize award for an international design
competition with this stunning entry. Set in a spectacular water
filled quarry in Songjiang, China, the 400 bed resort hotel is
uniquely constructed within the natural elements of the quarry.
Underwater public areas and guest rooms add to the uniqueness, but
the resort also boasts cafes, restaurants and sporting
facilities.
The lowest level runs with the aquatic theme by housing a luxurious
swimming pool and an extreme sports center for activities such as
rock climbing and bungee jumping which will be cantilevered over
the quarry and accessed by special lifts from the water. With a
stunning visual presentation as shown here, it's no wonder this
project took home the first prize. This is a fine example of an
ultra modern facility co-existing amongst its natural
environment.
by Andy G
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HOUTEN FIRE STATION - NETHERLANDS |
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We never thought we'd see the day when a fire station was
celebrated for its superior architecture and design. Well, folks,
here is it believe it or not. It's in Houten in the Netherlands and
was designed by local firm Samyn &
Partners. There is a two-way split of the interior,
and the south side is built mostly of gleaming glass, which
makes it feel like a glamorous boutique. It's the perfect
combination of high aesthetic and utility. by Lisa Evans
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| WALLHOUSE |
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In 2004, the Wall House #2 Foundation acquired the Wall House, a
space dedicated to art and providing a public and cultural
function.
The building which opened in the Netherlands last year is an
artwork in itself, its rich interiors offer a flowing form which
resonates the creative energies within the space. Wall House offers
a range of 4 programs . The artist in residence, public access to
the house, various special events and the knowledge development
department.
The artist in residence programme currently features the works of
Javier Marchan who's collection of 12 silk screen prints are simply
captivating. Originally from Spain, Marchan is based in Austria and
is well known for his distinct silk screen prints. With his works
collected in galleries in The U.K , Netherlands and Austria,
Marchan's time as artist in residence has earned him even greater
critical acclaim. by Billy T
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JAPANESE APARTMENT BLOCK - TOKYO |
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What we most love about all things Japanese is that they vary
so radically from intelligent design to the completely wacky. The
most recent work from New York based designers Arakawa and Gin is a
wonderful example of the latter.
The creative duo have unveiled a small and most unusual apartment block
based in Mitaka, Tokyo. Reversible Destiny Lofts
are eye-catching brightly painted lofts that look like a
McDonald's play ground through the eyes of someone on LSD. The
architecture looks like the aftermath of a size 3 earthquake, a
little shaken and lopsided. There is a method behind the designers
madness however.
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Arakawa believes that comfort makes you grow old quick, and
that residents, in particular elderly ones, need to be kept on
their toes by having their interiors physically challenge them.
Lopsided floors force the resident to maintain a good sense of
balance , strangely located light switches insist we feel
around for the light, whilst small veranda doors will ask you to
crawl and bend to enter.
How much does this physical challenge cost? Priced at
US$750,000 each, the houses are three times more expensive than
other apartments in the same neighborhood. It looks funky and the
concept is challenging, however we can't help but wanting to stick
the designer in there when he is 93 years old and see how he
copes. by Lisa Evans
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THE AURLAND LOOKOUT - NORWAY |
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Jutting out from the roadside, high above the small Norwegian town
of Aurland, is an organic highway to oblivion. The Aurland Lookout is a
seamless curve of locally harvested timber that sprouts 30
meters out from the road, before cascading into a breathtaking
fjord. The mind is easily tricked by the eyes, which
barely register the wall of glass that protects sightseers
against the edge of this structure. Designed by architects Todd
Saunders and Tommie Wilhelmsen, it recreates the
stomach-lurching sensation 'of a child on a swing'.
by Harold C
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| LANDMARK
HOUSES |
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Reinvention of the living quarters is an exercise in risk-taking.
This is especially the case when geography becomes a variable in
the equation. To see unique and ultramodern home design in the
state of California is not a cloudy image in the minds eye, but
seeing revolutionary design elements across the globe in
Gloucestershire, United Kingdom is something that proves modern
design has the presence to tear down long-established walls and
introduce new ways of thinking. Prepare yourself for Landmark Houses.
by Isla Verde
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