Recently completed, ‘La Fabrique’ is a performing arts complex in Nantes, France.  It was built on a site previously occupied by warehouses, in a shipyard area that has gradually been transformed into articulated public spaces. Designed by Tétrarc Architectes, the building attempts to rediscover the history of the site-its connection to the shipbuilding tradition and the art movements that once thrived there.

The project is made of 3 distinct elements: the 400 Hall (with offices upon it), the 1200 Hal (two parts connected by a public Hall inserted in the concrete post frame of the Halle Dubigeon) and, finally, the studios situated in a volume suspended above an old air-raid shelter.

An auditorium which seats 400 individuals has been placed within the minimal concrete cube which once served as an air-raid shelter. Above the solid base, a faceted tower hosts the recording studios. The metallic volume is lifted on inclined columns generating a void which separates the two distinct building elements, doubling as an open-air terrace with views to the activity below. Read the rest of this entry »

An environmentally responsive installation was recently displayed at the Materials and Application Gallery in Los Angeles. It was designed as a sun-tracking instrument that indexes time and temperature. Made of 14,000 laser-cut pieces of temperature sensitive sheet metal, the surface manifests dramatic variations in shape and function. The metal plates are deformed by heat- they curl  and allow air to enter the structure and ventilate the space.

As it responds to the environment, the Bloom installation is expected to reach optimal performance on the 20^th of March, the day of the Spring Equinox. Like the metal plates, the frame of the structure is also designed to adjust itself to different environmental circumstances. The final form is lightweight and flexible, and it is composed of 414 hyperbolic paraboloid-shaped panels. Some of the metal panels are made stiffer by increasing a number of riveted connections while others are thicker, providing additional interior structural support. The whole structure achieves stability through a synergetic relationship between the frame and the surface material. Read the rest of this entry »

Designed as an entry for the [AMSTERDAM] Iconic Pedestrian Bridge Competition, the project explores notions of flow and interaction, while creating a strong visual statement. The pedestrian bridge concept seems to exaggerate the abundance of communication routes present in the city of Amsterdam. It is a network of interwoven pathways, offering different experiences to pedestrians and cyclists. The project was designed by AmniosyA Architecture, an Italian design studio dedicated to experimenting with compositional hybrids and organic forms. Read the rest of this entry »

Turning the performance hall into a dynamic environment for various types of musical events, the Resonant Chamber installation explores the acoustic possibilities of a space. It investigates ways in which it can be customized and adapted to suit almost any type of performance.

The installation is made of three cloud-like structures. The electro-acoustic prototypes in the shape of tessellated origami patterns aim to develop a soundsphere able to adjust its properties in response to changing sonic conditions. The structure alters the sound of a space during the performance by combining reflective and absorptive materials, along with sensors and output devices configured to achieve the optimal conditions for the sound occurring in the room.  The rigid panel system includes distributed model loudspeakers. This technology allows sound to be produced through the face panels themselves by introducing vibrations through an electro-acoustic exciter. Read the rest of this entry »

Located 5 km south of Utrecht, the city of Nieuwegein was given a new city hall that will address the demands of the rapidly growing population. Along with administrative functions, the new building will also serve as a cultural center, acting as a catalyst for social affiliation with the city. It was designed by the Danish practice 3XN.

Description from the architects:

A Multi-functional House

The ‘Stadshuis’ – City Hall – of Nieuwegein mix traditional city hall features of offices and service with a library, a multi-cultural centre, and commercial facilities. In this way, the city hall becomes a part of the everyday life of the town. This creates life in the building all day and strengthens the connection to the commercial and residential area surrounding the building. Read the rest of this entry »

Grass-to-Grid is an installation designed by Npsag, an architectural firm co-founded in 2008 by Nathan Petty and Sheena A. Garcia. Based in New Orleans, Npsag seeks opportunities to integrate different creative disciplines with technological advancements. In line with their design orientation, the Grass-to-Grid project uses architectural vocabulary to facilitate different activities generated by a musical manifestation. Read the rest of this entry »

Two projects designed by J. Mayer H. Architects have recently been completed. Both are situated in Mestia, a small town in northwest Georgia. This medieval town, with its stone defensive towers, is part of UNESCO’s list of World, and as such, demanded close attention to the traditional urban narrative and architectural articulation. Last year J. Mayer H. also completed an airport in the same area.

The House of Justice serves as a two storey civic centre for the people of Mestia, a town with a strong cultural heritage. Its concrete structure frames the spectacular landscape of the Caucasian Mountains. The building is part of an ensemble of new public buildings around the main central public plaza. Read the rest of this entry »

Suzusan is a Düsseldorf design label with roots in the traditional Japanese textile finishing technique called Shibori. Developed by the Murase family, this traditional manufacturing practice has evolved into a product line of luminaires. The products are manufactured entirely by hand, offering unique design solutions to customers.

Translated into English, the verb “shibori” means “wring, press and twist”.  Processing starts by folding certain parts of the textile surface, leaving other untreated. Color transitions created by dyeing raw fabrics reveal intricate three-dimensional patterns, structures and color contrasts.  Originally, the Shibori technique was applied to silk and wool fabrics as well as plant fibers such as cotton and flax. Over the course of the past decades, Japanese craftsmen have started to also treat chemically produced fibers, for example polyester and nylon, as well as leather and metals. Read the rest of this entry »

Created in a collaborative effort by students of the ETH and the AA, this temporary timber construction was designed to provide shelter from the sun. It was installed at the grand stairs in front of the architecture department of the ETH in Zurich. The initial idea was found in a winning entry of an internal competition within EmTech (Emergent Technologies and Design program) of the AA. Its dynamic form is derived from a series of studies of tension diagrams and load distribution, conducted at the ETH. Read the rest of this entry »

Designed to connect the two shores of the Limfjord seaway in Denmark, the project explores the structural, experiential and functional variability of bridges through use of parametric tools. It was part of a research project aimed at discovering possibilities in associative geometry and the building of structures, functions and materials into one model where it could analyzed and change according to selected criteria. It develops and tests methods of parametric design and digital/analogue form-finding. Read the rest of this entry »