Modern Architecture

Scholl Residence

During the 1950s and 1960s a number of outstanding architects including Mies van der Rohe, Richard Neutra and Ray Eames were commissioned to build model homes that were inexpensive and efficient as part of an architectural experiment. The result were rectilinear homes, which were mostly built in California and became famous very quickly. Recently Studio B architects designed something similar – Scholl Residence located in Aspen, Colorado, USA. This house was designed as a low-cost, efficient, modern and comfortable living space. Its owner is an art collector who wanted a spacious house that would accommodate and serve as a showcase for his collection. Built amid mountains, the house has two stories. Materials such as zinc panels, sandblasted concrete, aluminum windows, and tempered glass railings were used. Polished wood and marble floors and Barcelona chairs prevail in the interior.

Dordrechts Museum

The project team composed of Joost Smorenburg, Hiroko Kawakami, Laurence Meulman, Vincent van der Meulen, Edward Timmermans, Merlijn Huijbers and Joop Fock have expanded the exhibition space in the Dordrechts Museum in The Netherlands. This museum hosts one of the most important collections of Dutch Masters in The Netherlands. The existing building was too small to show the collection and temporary exhibitions simultaneously. A good museum offers its visitors a continuous walking route which could not be implemented under previous conditions. The historic building is ideally suited for a chronological display of the permanent collection. The new extension with its steel-like volume wrapped in a metal skin seems to be floating. It now accommodates temporary exhibitions. Visitors enter it through the splendid museum garden which underlines the overall impression. Merkx + Girod Architecten were responsible for the interior works and Michael van Gessel for the garden design. The whole project came to life within four years and was financed by Dordrecht.

Eden Park

Eden Park is the largest stadium in New Zealand. It is situated in the centre of Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. It recently underwent an extensive renovation and modernization led by experienced design firm Populous, transforming the sports park into a world-class venue. Populous, formerly known as HOK Sport, developed the design for the $240 million Eden Park redevelopment project. The new multipurpose stadium Dunedin was built as part of New Zealand’s move to step up its stadium construction programme for the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC). Not only the building itself but also the surroundings were enhanced. Public plazas and concourse providing integrated rail and bus links to the stadium were added. Enhanced landscaping around the perimeter of the park, enlargement of the stand. The roof is made of ETFE pillows allowing for the correct level of UV to reach the turf for optimum growth. The natural grass makes the stadium in Dunedin unique in the whole world. The rectangular pitch stadium of 20,000 permanent seats is expandable to 30,000.

Family house EDGE

This out- of- the- ordinary family home recently unveiled by the Tokyo based APOLLO Architects & Associates from Tokyo is located in the center of Sendai, a city in the north of Honshu, Japan’s biggest island. The house is 135 square meters large with a groundfloor and two floors above and lies on a plot only 264 square meters large. Due to high traffic density the building is surrounded by a wall which forms a barrier between the busy street and the private space so the owners got to have some intimate and calm courtyards which face the dining area. The balcony on the second floor creates a unique form protruding into the courtyard. One experiences a feeling of lightness, airiness and harmony in the house. All the interior rooms are not plastered so only raw concrete is visible while the exterior façade is of snow white colour. The other colours and materials are down to earth and except the natural shades of dark wood one cannot find a strong contrast of colours.

Australia, family house

Architectural studio from Sydney, Richard Cole Architecture designed attractive living space in the middle of an Australian forest. No trees were damaged while building this house in the untouched landscape. The house is of minimal size to fit into the surroundings and offers comfort to its owners. A timber and steel framing system has been employed. The cantilevered driveway preserves the root systems of the surrounding flora. The house features an array of energy-efficient systems, one of them being rainwater collection. Its design resembles traditional local architecture with elements of modern technologies. It is located on an incline in the Pittwater area and its terraces respond to the slope. The views from the upper levels are spectacular and the owners can delight in the view of the whole valley. Large roof overhangs passively protect the home from overheating. The materials were chosen with respect to the area so mostly wooden beams from the local forests were used. LED lighting, daylighting and natural ventilation reduce the need for mechanical and electrical systems inside the home while opening up the inside to the surrounding nature. The roof collects rainwater which is recycled for use within the home.

Lighthouse

The “Lighthouse” was designed by a Canadian architecture studio LineBox for a family of five members that decided to move from the countryside to a modern city house. It was constructed near-by the city of Ottawa in the area so destined for them, called Lindenlea.The parcel has an asymmetric shape, so the house have been embedded between a parking of a municipal community center on the southwest and a woody cliff on the north. This situation was a unique challenge for architects. Glazed facades are north oriented, what provides enough privacy for owners in the south part of the house and at the same time it ensures enough light in the interior space. This orientation prevents from reheating of the interior in the summer. The shape of the windows helps the sunlight to enter the interior. Construction is based on vertical storing of open and closed spaces. Teenagers have their own back entrance with a lime flooring leading to an open dining-room and a kitchen. The overall impression is very warm and charming. This place creates unique conditions and life style for modern families because it concentrates on their needs of privacy, connection and harmony. The house is very fresh comparing to the most of city or countryside houses. via linebox.ca

Night Club inspired by ice-caverns

A new project of a Spanish interior designer Elia Felices is called La Cova Night Club built in the city of Mataro near-by Barcelona. This night club has a surface of 500 square meters that house a cloak-room, box office, dance parquet, two bars, DJ board and of course a space for visitors. All rooms are part of one-storey rectangular room that allows to distribute clients in rational and intensive way. The main idea was to create a space reminding an ice-cavern in the middle of a city. Everything has the style of an ice-cavern; decorations, lighting, shapes, colours etc. Two big lamps are hanging from the ceiling as two icicles for example. Other source of light are lamps shaped as stones emerging from the floor. The designer wanted to accentuate the simple design with a very variable lighting. Colour lighting from a number of reflectors is a distinctive element of La Cova. The main entrance is lightened by a half-moon to gain attention of passing-bys. White box-offices are decorated with blue flower wall paintings.The dance parquet is literally bordered by two bars backlit by LED RGB lights that change colour. via home-reviews.com

Renovated Groninger Museum

The renovated Groninger museum was opened to public on the 19h December last year. After the necessary renovation the entire complex get back its original glamour and colour. Some of the rooms were completely renovated by top designers as Maarten Baas, Sutdio Job or Jaime Hayon for example. This museum is considered to be one of the best not only in Netherlands but in Western Europe. It has to keep this status what involves continuous changes and improvements. The enter hall and its design were inspired by private men clubs of 19th century. Information center has been created by a young artist Jaime Hayon whose works are well-known all around the world. The interesting fact is that the restaurant was furnished with a furniture from the Clay collection by Maarten Baas. It has an iron frame, hand-made from industrial clay. The project was grant-maintained by a number of institutions as the municipal council Gemeente Groningen, regional council Provincia Groningen and Samenwerkingsverband Noord Nederland. The total cost of the renovations were 6 million euro.

Exclusive clothing store

Clothing line Kiton was founded by Ciro Paone in 1956 in Italy. Originally it was dubbed CI.PO specialised in men suits. The company and mark Kiton was created in 1968. The origin of the mark name come from ancient Greek word “chitone” what was a special tunic for different devotional rituals. Kiton suits have become well-known in Europe, mostly in France and Germany. Already in 1995 they came up with a women line collection and became international. Recently, they opened an exclusive store in New York situated on the ground-floor of Saks shopping store at the 5th Avenue. The interior was designed by designer Markus Kraus. He created a very cosy and comely interior that reminds of a tree. The center piece of the room is an oval part that everything adapts to. Shelves and furniture are made from polished and sanded glass or dark wood. via handycrafunique.com

House at the lake Okoboji

As the result of an cooperation of two architects EB Min and Jeffrey L.Day a minimalistic wooden house at the lake Okoboji in Iowa, USA was built. The house is situated at the western lake on a parcel of 6000 square feet and was built as a holiday house. The project was finished in 2008, it is made from wood and recycled materials. The lake Okoboji is a part of a system of glace lakes what is quite surprising taking into account that is located in the middle of corn fields, 2,5 hours of road from the nearest town. The house is not far away from a coastline, it fits well between old housings. The concept of the architects was to create an impression of a simple layout, so it looks like the smallest house in the area, but its shape allows to use a number of spatial frames inside the house. These frames accentuate a view at the surrounding nature. Looking from the outside, the housing seems to have a simple volume, nontransparent, but its structure allows to open entirely on the lake side and mountain side. At the same time it provides privacy by closing the house from neighbours point of view. Owners of the house have a maximum of privacy accentuated by big old oaks surrounding the lake. As for the interior, all inner surfaces are painted in intensive colours that become an important tool that creates the space. via colorfullhome.com