Studio Gang Architects

Ford Calumet Environmental Center | Studio Gang Architects

The City of Chicago Department of Environment and the State of Illinois partnered to develop a new environmental center in the Calumet area just south of Chicago. Ford Calumet Environmental Center, demonstrating the sustainable principle of reuse, cost-effective and innovative design, designed by Chicago-based architect firm Studio Gang Architects. A very good attempt of using basket-like mesh of woven recycled and re-used rebar and steel to enclose the south-facing porch that creating passive solar shading and protection against bird strikes, while allowing unobstructed natural ventilation and views to the surrounding landscape.

Club BlackboX by Parasitestudio

The design proposal started from generating a completely black box, as well as a shape and as a concept, an abstract space that doesn’t breathe towards the outside world but keeps locked within the memory of events. Therefore the existing windows become showcases for exhibiting and communicating towards the outside, a sort of dynamic information screens.
In the first design concepts we tried to cover and hide the existing structure, then tried to ignore it but came to realize that the best solution is to integrate the structure within the general interior design and to multiply it as a deformed projected image on the perimeter walls.Over the actual structure we imposed two elements with the intention of unifying the interior – one is the continuous strip of the perimeter walls that wraps up the entire space, comprising gaming as well as technical areas, and the other one is the artificial lighting that through its dynamic, intensity and color scheme modifies the space and in the same time divides it discrete in different areas.
The spaces that make up the interior are thus differentiated in dynamic areas for gaming, static areas for bar and seats, intermediary areas for communication, etc.The flux of movements in the interior space has been a major theme from the beginning on, and the carpet was personalized as an interior map that charts the different functional areas by the use of printed texts and paths.This adds to the fact that the entire space can be read as a communicating body that facilitates the movement within it and the reading of the separate areas. The strong colors chosen for highlighting the space set landmarks in the black surrounding.For the whole interior design we strived to create a strong conceptual identity around the theme of the Blackbox, defining all the elements that make up the whole, the logo, the furniture ant the entire interior context.

Bug Dome

The building is realized on a wasteland of a ruined building site in-between the Shenzhen City Hall and an illegal workers camp. The design is inspired by insects. The bamboo construction methods are based on local knowledge from rural Guanxi brought into the city by the migrating construction workers. The space is used during the SZHK Biennale for underground bands, poetry reading, discussions, karaoke and as a lounge for the illegal workers from the neighboring camp. The building offers a shade, a stage and a fireplace. After the Biennale the Bug Dome will act as an un-official social club for illegal workers from the Chinese countryside.

Taets Art and Conference Center

Rotterdam-based 123DV Architectuur & Consult BV revealed their design of the art and conference center at Taets Art Gallery in Zandaam, Netherlands. The project involved the adaptive reuse of a large ammunition factory. The new spaces are inserted as platonic solids into the large void of the old factory, kept below the existing roof and appearing to hover above the floor on a band of LED light. The oval conference room in the center of the open space draws the most attention, from its form as well as the random specks of light on the copper-clad walls.

Out of the Box by Cadence

Indian architecture firm Cadence have completed a residence in Bangalore, India, which features cast-concrete external walls decorated with perforations. Called Out of the Box, the project is situated in a residential area of Bangalore and is designed to block views of the neighbouring buildings from within. The plan is a variation on a traditional courtyard house layout; instead of placing the courtyard in the centre of the building the architects have split the house into quarters and placed the courtyard in the northwest corner. The courtyard is elevated above street level on the first floor and features two perforated walls, traditionally known as jali walls, that allow light and cooling air to pass through from the outside.