Beyond the Building

Beyond The Building from MASS Design Group on Vimeo.

Passive House

Passive House Explained in 90 Seconds from Hans-Jörn Eich on Vimeo.

Architects in Love

In this pilot episode Robert Slinger talks about the Kreuzberg Tower, where he lived on the eighth floor for more than eight years. The project which consists of a tower and its two wings was a social housing project-cum-student-residences built by the architect, educator and poet John Hejduk.

On the Boards: Jabi Lake, Abuja, Nigeria

(c)Studio Seilern Architects

This is a proposed mixed use and residential development designed by Studio Seilern Architects on a 31 hectare waterfront site along Jabi Lake in Abuja, Nigeria. The buildings are designed as series of 15m x 15m blocks arranged into clusters of two, three or four high components to vary density and maximize the views.

Call for Papers: AXIS volume 12 - Prototyping

La Valencia

The sustainable story behind La Valentina designed by David Baker Architects

On the Boards: 344 Fulton Street

[image source]

This rental housing facility was designed by architects David Baker + Partners and was conceived in tandem with a new clubhouse for the Boys and Girls Club. Located in the fashionable neighbourhood of Hayes Valley, San Francisco the facility is comprised of 70 studio and two-bedroom apartments wrapped around a courtyard, and aside from the adolescent clubhouse will have neighborhood-serving retail spaces.

Making Room

Introducing Making Room: a research, design and advocacy project to shape New York’s housing stock to address the changing needs of how we live now. Find out more via

Making Room from Urban Omnibus on Vimeo.

Cambodian Sustainable Housing Design Competition

Building Trust International together with Karuna Cambodia, Habitat for Humanity and the Cambodian Society of Architects are hosting a design competition for an affordable and sustainable house. The winning proposal will be constructed by Habitat for Humanity Cambodia.

The competition is open to all Design professionals, Engineers, Architects, architecture students and graduates. Registration closes on 15th December 2012 and is FREE to those entering from a developing country.

Click here for the competition details and project brief. Via

On the Boards: Gwell

JDS were commissioned to design a 38,000 m² 10 story building with a hybrid programme consisting of retail, offices and small apartment. Called the Officetel Building it is located in the Gangnam Bogeumjari District in Seoul, South Korea.

Affordable Housing Architectural Design Challenge

The National Housing Trust is hosting a competition to conceptualize an affordable home not exceeding J$ 3.2 million. Guidelines for the entries state that they must be;

• aesthetically pleasing
• cost efficient
• structurally sound
• innovative
• expandable
• multi-functional in the use of space
• energy efficient

Participation is encouraged, but not restricted to, those within the built environment such as - architecture students and graduates, designers, contractors, architects and engineers. Overseas entries are required to partner with Jamaican nationals for submissions.

Entries regarding the competition can be sent to: housingexpo2013@nht.gov.jm

Deadline for registration: 26th October 2012
Entry & Submission: 10th December 2012

New Work ::: Council Flats in Sète

© Cécile Septet

Council Flats in Sète, France designed by architects Colboc Franzen Associates. The 3 blocks contain a total of 71 flats at nearly 4,000m² in size and sit on a trapezoidal plot of land. The balconies that run along the exterior of the buildings are wrapped in a continuous galvanized steel brise soleil that offers solar and visual respite. The scheme borrows Corbusian logic raising the blocks on pilotis to provide both parking and an extension of the landscape.

New Work : Ten Bangkok

images via gotarch

Designed by CASE Studio (Community Architects for Shelter & Environment) the group takes a humanitarian and anthropological approach to creating appropriate housing in informal settlements. The projects undertaken by this collective often involve community members as participants in the process of improving their shelter and environment from community surveying to group meetings and workshops. This alternative housing option for the middle class, features 10 units for a variety of persons including some of the architects. The volumes are staggered, interspersed with gardens and courtyards creating common spaces for physical and visual respite and blurring public/private boundaries. The process, as well as the aesthetic has conjured a community identity and a relationship between dwelling and context - the result is an architecture that is the fruit of cooperative design where the architects are also the clients; the clients are also the architects

On the Boards : Marena

Marena apartments in Manantiales, Punta del Este, Uruguay designed by architect Martin Gomez. The 70m² units are spread over two blocks feature spacious terraces or gardens.

New Work ::: Richardson Apartments

photos (c) Bruce Damonte

The Richardson apartments in San Francisco were named in honour of political & civil activists Drs. Julian + Raye Richardson and provides supportive housing to 120 formerly homeless persons. Designed by architects David Baker + Partners the affordable housing apartments sit on a corner lot on Fulton Street and presents a fresh face to the neighborhood with shiny metal, stucco, and reclaimed lumber. Sunshades on the West and South faces provide solar protection as well add architectural interest. Transparent planes on the ground floor bring light, depth, security, and visual connection to the courtyard and over 7,500 ft² shared spaces. The green roof provides stormwater management, and the rooftop garden allow residents to grow their own food. The living units satisfy universal design practices and feature a medical suite providing on-site care and counseling.

via

On the Boards : Embassy Housing, Haiti

Sorg Architects has designed new, sustainable, staff housing for the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The project consists of 107 new townhouse units, a new Mission residence, and support facilities, including a recreation and sports centre. Completion is scheduled for January 2014

On the Boards : Student Housing, TU Delft

Amsterdam based practice Studioninedots with HVDN has recently won an invited competition to design a student housing facility for TU Delft Campus in the Netherlands. The proposal for 140 standardized student units, each 24m² housed in a 5 storeys high on 388m² site is part of a 1000 room expansion taking place on the TU Delft campus.

House of the Week 131: El Secreto

El Secreto is a small housing estate amongst a grove of local timbers where Mexican architects GLR has designed 3 modern residences with distinct, yet harmonious facades. The residences all under 400m² display a contemporary marriage of natural and man-made materials.

SPARK Digital Media, the first publisher for Tablets specializing in Architecture and Design was recently launched between Portugal and Brasil. The primary goal is to publish authors, projects and works that are making a positive and innovative contribution to the fields of architecture and design. The first publication, NEW EXPRESSION On Housing is available at the App Store

Featured Projects, Texts and Architects:
Snow House, Emilio Marín
Looking for an Architecture of Open and Sensible Systems, Emilio Marín
Casa S.E.R., Nadir Bonaccorso
Casas Sustentáveis, B(A)ª Balthazar Aroso
Carlos Pedro Sant’Ana, Balthazar Aroso and Ivo Sales Costa talk On Housing
e_Exterior house, MODOSTUDIO + AtenaStudio
Allandale House, WORJ
Casa Umbraculo, Laboratorio de Arquitectura / Javier Corvalan
Hometta House, WEATHERS
House in Heat, Frohn&Rojas Architects
WALL House, Frohn&Rojas Architects
Mountain Research, General Design

British Homes Awards 2011

Winner of Future Homes category at the British Homes Awards (BHA) 2011 Alex King (Designalexable).

via