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 »

The sculpture designed by Xie Zhang at the School of Architecture of the University of Pennsylvania is conceived by manipulating  lunar craters’ geometry. The diversity of depths for each crater generates different lengths and curvatures, allowing a  smooth transformation from surface to tentacles. The process of growing which results in forms and patterns implies a metaphorical analogy that a lifeless form being infected and eroded by organism, a chaotic relationship between organic and inorganic. 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 »

Fourfoursixsix (Daniel Welham & Mark Nicol) were invited to participate as one of the artists for the Fabergé Big Egg Hunt. The city will became home to 200 giant and uniquely crafted Easter eggs for an event that is a first of its kind, aiming to raise vital funds for charities Action for Children and Elephant Family, inviting tourists, locals, and visitors to join in a truly magical experience.

As an architecture practice, Fourfoursixsix  felt it would be both topical and interesting to apply a set of architectural principles to the overall geometric form of the egg. Through this process they played with structure, light, and shadow and began to develop a three dimensional architectural terrain.

Conceptually, the design works around a rational grid of components that have been configured to react to both light and scale over the surface of the egg. Each component was designed to incorporate an aperture which could adapt to these changing surface conditions, thus altering the patternation of the egg. Read the rest of this entry »

By amplifying the tessellation and porosity of a geodesic dome, designer Donovan Ballantyne from Sci-Arc is giving the geodesic dome a much needed face-lift.

This thesis looks to deconstruct the face of the geodesic dome by amplifying its unintentional, yet inherent aesthetic and monumental qualities. The designer proposes to bring depth and discontinuity to a typology that has been about continuity and surface. A face with no ears, no eyes, and no nose is not a face. Similarly, a building with no face is not architecture. The dome has been the most celebrated forms in architecture since its genesis, while the geodesic dome has been adored by scientists and structural engineers. Buckminster Fuller’s interests were only in structural efficiency, not in monumentality or surface effects which were the driving forces of historic domes such as the Pantheon. Read the rest of this entry »

Creating a place which is devoted to showing and sharing science also means making a cultural contribution in the widest sense in a society which is characterised like no other by science and by the desire to understand our world and where we come from. A design that invites visitors to find out about and actively experience themes and correlations that exist within nature, research of space and nature poses a particular challenge. For this very reason, a task of this nature demands due respect. Logic and consequence on the one hand, respect for the culture and history of the place on the other hand play a major part in this correlation. Therefore, one of the primary objectives of this design is to identify and highlight possible synergies between the individual functional areas. The public section of the space programme can be split into two distinct function groups, the planetarium (with its solar observatory and viewing platform) and a large exhibition area (with space for presentations and workshops). The possible links between them are of interest.

Various scenarios are conceivable. Good circulation through the building can enrich the visit to the planetarium by opening up the exhibition, generating added value. On the other hand, a visit to one of the exhibitions can culminate in a visit to the viewing platform because both sections of the development terminate at the same point. However, in addition to this combination of circulation and functional connections, the specific character of the place also plays a major role. It is important to incorporate the new build into the established structure and to preserve the latter‘s identity without becoming hidden or even being untrue to itself. The new build may be identifiable as a new element within this ensemble, showing respect to the history of the buildings directly beside it. 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 »