(c) A. Menges

In 2010, the Institute for Computational Design (ICD) and the Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) designed and constructed a temporary research pavilion. The innovative structure demonstrates the latest developments in material-oriented computational design, simulation, and production processes in architecture. The result is a bending-active structure made entirely of extremely thin, elastically-bent plywood strips.

Material computes. Any material construct can be considered as resulting from a system of internal and external pressures and constraints. Its physical form is determined by these pressures. However, in architecture, digital design processes are rarely able to reflect these intricate relations. Whereas in the physical world material form is always inseparably connected to external forces, in the virtual processes of computational design form and force are usually treated as separate entities, as they are divided into processes of geometric form generation and subsequent simulation based on specific material properties. Read the rest of this entry »

We are pleased to announce a new parametric design workshop at the end of June 2011 by modeLab. Register soon as they have very limited number of spaces.

This workshop will engage the conceptual and technical domain of parametric design by introducing participants to systemic processes capable of registering and responding to a range of diverse ecologic criteria. Emphasis will be placed on workflows that utilize constraint-based design, associative modeling techniques, and environmental influencers to discover novel and inventive design solutions.

Rhino, in conjunction with the parametric modeling plug-in Grasshopper, offers the possibility to explore parametric and computational design with unprecedented fluidity. Leveraging this capacity, we have structured this workshop around a series of architectural design strategies with supporting content to foster a fast-paced and productive learning environment. Read the rest of this entry »

The Parasite Office designed by za-bor architects rises from in-between two buildings to offer an alternative to office spaces all over the world. The 230 square meters office is nestled between two residential buildings, occupying the space which was left unused until its construction. Moscow was the perfect place for the architects to present their project at the architectural biennale АRCH Moscow. Read the rest of this entry »

The Oasis Tower for Zabeel Park, Dubai is an answer to the rise in population and the dearth in the amount of land available for farming. Designed by Rahul Surin, the tower would provide a solution for urban farming and sustainable housing. The architect believes that the Oasis Tower will be able to provide food enough to feed 40,000 people each year. Read the rest of this entry »

SHoP Architects have proposed a sustainable high-rise building for the World Business Center Busan, which combines traditional Korean courtyards with contemporary high-rise living to create a new urban ecology. The parkspace surrounding the base of the development is drawn up into the towers to produce vertical gardens of planted bamboo. These gardens help moderate airflow and also act as “green lungs” for the building by providing fresh air to the units. Read the rest of this entry »

The eight-storey Student Learning Centre by Snøhetta in collaboration with Zeidler Partnership Architects boldly marks Ryerson’s new face on Yonge Street. It will feature a dazzling glass facade, a welcoming elevated plaza, a bridge to the existing library and a range of academic, study and collaborative spaces for Ryerson’s students, faculty and staff. Yonge Street frontage will feature destination retail at and below grade, creating a prominent commercial facade.

“I am thrilled to present the first look at the inspirational design of our new Ryerson University Student Learning Centre,” said Levy. “The new Student Learning Centre will have a powerful impact on student learning, life on campus and the community. It’s a transformative, bold development and an important step forward in city building. We are very excited about what the Student Learning Centre will mean for Ryerson and for Toronto.” With links to the existing Library building, the Student Learning Centre will offer a variety of creative and inspiring learning environments and spaces. Every floor will have its own personality – some will be open and interpretive with flexible furniture and terraces while others will be densely filled with enclosed study rooms for groups of four to eight people. Space will be available for independent, quiet study and contemplation. With full digital support and accessible academic services, the Student Learning Centre will foster learning success and help promote a culture of collaboration and creativity among Ryerson students. Read the rest of this entry »

Athletic Ripples designed by Studio Symbiosis is a project based on interfacing the user and his built environment into a coherent whole. The program has been translated into trajectories of movement. These flow lines generated the formal idea which is underlined by interweaving of the various activities. This results in creating a design with an inherent quality of interaction.

The program analysis resulted in the distribution of the various functions on site. Conceptually these programmatic zones were treated as pebbled dropped in water. It is the inference of the water field, thus creating ripples giving a guideline for the formal design language of the project. The central pedestrian zone caters for the primary movement on site. This linear zone has been kept exclusively for the pedestrians, thereby instilling the feeling of being in a green sports complex. It has been attempted to eliminate the dogma of vehicular congestion related to projects like this. This corridor being axial in nature branches into different activities. Read the rest of this entry »

Zaha Hadid Architects announced the completion of the Glasgow Riverside Museum of Transport. The building has received instant praise by architecture critics and the press.

The historical development of the Clyde and the city is a unique legacy; with the site situated where the Kelvin flows into the Clyde the building can flow from the city to the river. In doing so it can symbolise a dynamic relationship where the museum is the voice of both, linking the two sides and allowing the museum to be the transition from one to the other. By doing so the museum places itself in the very context of its origin and encourages connectivity between its exhibits and their wider context. Read the rest of this entry »

Llandudno Beach in Cape Town, situated on the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape Peninsula, is surrounded by large granite boulders and overlooked by mountains. The infinity pavilion beach house designed by Margot Krasojevic balances on the cliffs overlooking the town of Llandudno in cape town, the design directly engages with its context. the main open plan accommodation area consists of a series of dramatic angular forms that cascade down the cliffs to the sea edge, emphasising the precipitous nature of the site, the cliff-face uses sand blasted structural steel sections suspending the main living area, the form reflects the changing contours of the landscape preserved uninterrupted beneath. Read the rest of this entry »

High Park is located on the outskirts of the northern city of Monterrey, Mexico. Surrounded by the Majestic Sierra Madre Oriental Range. The project is designed to take full advantage of its geographic location and to help mitigate the extreme climatic conditions. As a recurring design concern for rojkind arquitectos and as a way of integrating the building into the pedestrian realm (giving back to the community), the building steps back to create an outdoor shaded space that can be enjoyed by the residents and visitors alike.

“Normally these types of building don’t allow for the creation of any public space, the entire site is developed with the intention of maximizing the most square footage for it’s commercial interest. This project takes a different approach by allowing its site not to be built in its entirely and provide public space that can be utilize by anyone” Gerardo Salinas, partner, rojkind arquitectos.

To counterbalance the strong sun, the floor plates shift in relation to one another creating a play of light and shadow, and the use of local stone, done by local craftsmen on the facade allows the building to stay cooler and makes its appearance change as the sun moves across the horizon. Read the rest of this entry »