Sculptural residence in La Finca by A-cero Architecture Studio

A-cero architecture studio

This sensational two-storey sculptural residence  in “La Finca” estate in the town Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid), Spain designed by A-cero architecture studio has a modern design based on impossible angles and spectacular volumes.

The façade of the house is made of travertine marble which is combined with dark grey granite in several areas, as in the vertical plane of the main façade. With white as the main element  in both the interior and exterior, it has numerous ample windows. Both elements give to the house a lot of light and vitality as the furnishings have all been finished  with top quality materials and finishes.

The house plot has a rectangular shape and a surface of 4.500 square meters and has a direct access from a private road located in the north. In the south area is a wide garden which is joined with the urban development green spaces.

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Classroom of the Future / LAVA

Classroom of the Future / LAVA

Designed as a learning space for the future, LAVA‘s design focuses on an environment that is sustainable, integrates with the landscape, connects with the school environment, and is suitable for prefabrication and mass customization. This idea is upturned with spaces that are sustainable, practical, cost effective whilst making learning fun and exciting.

The design anticipates the future by allowing classes to be subdivided in flexible clusters. The teacher is in the center of these clusters and moves around them acting as an adaptable system instead of a fixed hierarchy.
Sustainable design extends to the proposed method of prefabrication, selection of materials, symmetrical repeatable geometry, and small modular elements that are lightweight and easily transportable on small readily available vehicles. The modular façade system, designed for each location, is manually operable and gives greatest flexibility for light and shade, enclosed space or open space, bringing the outside in or the inside out.

Naturally informed geometry of the module provides a framework for present and future classroom

configurations. Lightweight fabric separates a central space; this allows the classroom module to adapt to one large or three smaller spaces for learning – all connect to landscape or compatible contexts. Small and large class sizes are accommodated by the classrooms basic ‘three-axis’ geometry that allows the interlocking of each module to form large groups with smaller learning clusters. This results in the building itself learning how to adapt to future methods or learning and future modes of operation. The building at the same time educates the students about sustainability, social interaction, nature and technology.

Prefabrication will:

- Allow all building components to be prefabricated off site as complete elements.
- Floor and roof elements to be “sandwich panels”, designed to be easily maneuverable and connectable.
- Allow elements to be connected on site using simple connections, e.g. bolts or screws for structure.
- Minimize material waste, number of elements and construction time allow for stockpiling of classrooms for deployment at short notice to replace school facilities damaged by natural disasters.

The design received a ‘Jury Special Mention’ in the Australian Future Proofing School competition

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Architects: LAVA
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Team: Chris Bosse, Tobias Wallisser, Alexander Rieck
Partners: ARUP
Client: Future Proofing School
Status: Competition entry – commendation
Size: 60-180 sqm each
Date: 2011

(via Arch Daily)

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Vittra Telefonplan / Rosan Bosch

Vittra Telefonplan by Rosan Bosch

In the 30 schools of the Swedish free school organisation Vittra there are no classes or classrooms – instead, the students are taught in groups according to level based on the school’s pedagogical principles of ’the wateringhole’, ’the show-off’, ’the cave’, ’the campfire’ and ’the laboratory’ – didactic approaches that create different types of learning and teaching situations. In Vittra, they do not believe in regular classes and the school organisation’s vision is to create an everyday for the individual students where individual development, a living cultural work and challenging learning environments are most important.

In connection with the establishment of a new Vittra school in Stockholm, Telefonplan, Rosan Bosch Ltd. has created the school’s interior with spatial divisions and significant custom design. The interior takes it point of departure in Vittra’s pedagogical principles and serves as a pedagogical tool for development in the everyday of the school. Instead of classical divisions with chairs and tables, a giant iceberg for example serves as cinema, platform and room for relaxation, and sets the frame for many different types of learning. Moreover, flexible laboratories make it possible to work hands-on with themes and projects.

The design and interior is accustomed to Vittra’s active work with digital media and a generally digitalised didactic where the children’s laptops are their most important tool in the everyday – whether they are sitting, lying or standing up when working. At Telefonplan, challenging custom design, pedagogical zones and room for the individual student have created a space for differentiated learning in a school where the physical space is the school’s most important tool in their everyday and pedagogical development.

The results of the project have after the project’s implementation been formulated into a design manual, and will in that sense set precedence for the interior design of Vittra’s other schools in Sweden. 
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Architects: Rosan Bosch
Location: Hägersten, Stockholm, Sweden
Project Year: 2011
Project Area: 1900 sqm
Photographs: Kim Wendt

plans

sections

(Via ArchDaily)

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Binh Duong School, Vietnam

Binh Duong School, Vietnam

Binh Duong, a new city 30 minutes away from Ho Chi Minh City, located in the middle of a flourishing forest with a wide variety of green and fruits, running rampant. This From the very first impression of the site,  the building is embeded into the site by delivering this Vietnam-oriented generous spirit of natural land into the school design, which will eventually have 800 students.

This fluidity concept is inspired by the endless raining of the typical tropical climate, where raining season lasts from May to November each year.

The building's built on 5300 square meters abundant land, consisting of a maximum height of five levels,  surrounded by the height of the forest around with pre cast concrete louvers and pattern walls enveloping the building. This continuous volume has a gentle slope surrounding the two courtyards as a geographical hill, lessens the aggressive height between the building and the peaceful site.

It has a semi-outside space, which shades from direct sunlight and acts like a natural ventilation system for the corridor space.

diagram

The school is designed as an S shape, connected to the ground at one end, curving around two courtyards with two different characteristics. Front yard is used for public space, serving for formal events such as meetings of the school. Backyard is more private, where students spend their personal time.Teacher rooms; gym, laboratory and library are located around the front yard, while common students’ classrooms are arranged around the back yard. The open space flows throughout the circulation to help teachers and students enjoy various activities of the two courtyards with rich natural surroundings.

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Architects: Vo Trong Nghia Co.,Ltd.
Location: Binh Dương City, Vietnam
Principal architects : Vo Trong Nghia, Shunri Nishizawa, Daisuke Sanuki
Area: 5,300 sqm
Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki

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Lidköping Police Building Proposal by LETH & GORI

Visualization of the proposed Lidköping Police Building by LETH & GORI (Image: LETH & GORI)

 A new police headquarter and public parking facilities in Lidköping, Sweden designed by Copenhagen architects LETH & GORI

Project Description from the Architects:
The project site is an open square on the border of Lidköping’s historical urban plan from 1672. The site is an important entrance point to the historic city and one of the design objectives of the competition was how to emphasize this.

Street view (Image: LETH & GORI)

LETH & GORI’s proposal is a hybrid project that balances between building and urban space. The police building is lifted and perforated to create a series of different public spaces. In addition the building integrates four existing buildings that are programmed with functions related to the local community. This transforms the traditionally closed Police Building into a building that supports and celebrates the local community and the life in the city.

Court yard view (Image: LETH & GORI)

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Project Details:
Architects: LETH & GORI
Team: Karsten Gori, Uffe Leth, Stefano Cinus, Danila Lampis and Sebastian Andersen
Status: Competition entry
Program: Police station and public parking
Location: Lidköping, Sweden
Year: 2011

plan

Facade 1 (Image: LETH & GORI)

Facade 2 (Image: LETH & GORI)

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Hansha Reflection House by Studio SKLIM

A view of the house as it integrates with other neighborhood dwellings.

Located in Nagoya, Japan, the Hansha Reflection House by Studio SKLIM was completed earlier this year. The home is situated at the entrance of Misakimizube Koen, a picturesque park that fronts a lake and is flanked by cherry blossom trees. The architects designed the house with the public areas on the upper level in order to take advantage of the scenic view from the living/dining/kitchen spaces. It also allows for easy access to and enough room for three parking spaces.

Like a large percentage of low rise Japanese houses, this one is constructed out of timber, a material that has the strongest weight to strength ratio of building materials. Using timber from a renewable source, coupled with building technology that uses a hybrid of a traditional mortise and tenon joint system with steel bracketing, the house pushes the ubiquitous “boxed” building envelope for timber residential construction in Japan.

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