Reinforce Space Character

Wherever possible, opportunities should be taken to create new public spaces in association with development. The comfort, safety and convenience that people experience in travelling through public spaces determines the success of that space. Public spaces should offer an attractive, safe and enjoyable environment for all and not just be designed for traffic. Well-designed public spaces should function as part of a network of pedestrian routes providing for the needs of all users.

Good architecture never be separated from landscape. The flow of indoor-outdoor spaces manipulating quality and space coherent. By Providing a clear and coherent spatial structure with distinctive landscape offering potential for diversity and vitality. Landscape Design should connect with the surrounding structure and address adjacent spaces form and character. 

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Above sketches are produced for a high-end condominium project 2 years ago. In practice, High Density Residential Development never be my favor in architecture, when everything come to dollar and cents, efficiency and layman's perception, the products / solutions always end up with ordinary approaches. Hence, landscape design always been neglected in the design process. 

Lately, after few project upset by landscape specialist, my design colleague suggested our practice should include landscape design consultancy, instead of allowing the landscape architect upset the entire ambient of the development. And we strongly believe, by considering and linking the indoor space with landscape spaces, it surely give a distinctive solutions for our future projects. 

Ya, why not, let's step in to landscape architecture!

Serpentine Walkway at SYMPHONY HILLS, CYBERJAYA

A ‘serpentine-walkway’ crawls to connect all the functional spaces and pavilions. In the journey across with meandering and shifting vistas, one will experience different aspects of the Waterway Park segments, its themes and sights of pavilions in the landscape from various angles.                        

 

Characteristics: winding (plan), twisting (3D), changing elevation & width, light and seemingly ‘floating’ over the pond.

Modular and off-the-shelf industrial steel products are intentionally explored in building the ‘serpentine walkway’ – erected from 4 modules of cantilevered half portals braced together by virtue of the twisted geometry.

Materials used are: cold-rolled galvanised C purlins, compressed fibreboards, galvanised steel mesh, lightweight aerated concrete blocks, polycarbonate sheets (most cost-effective, lightweight, low-maintenance material available that can twist and warp in hyperbolic paraboloid form to meet the design intent).

All above Description by: Ar Tang Hsiao Seak

Design Architects: Garis Architects S/B

(Ar Tang Hsiao Seak / Ar Ngu Ngie Woon)

Project Title: Symphony Hills Club House

Location: Cyberjaya, Malaysia

Aloni house in Antiparos by deca Architecture

The design of the house is a dual response to the particular topography of the site and to the rural domestication techniques that in the past shaped the raw ‘Cycladic island’ landscape. In the past, dry-rubble stone walls domesticated the land for agricultural purposes and were the most prominent man-made interventions in the landscape. The walls retained earth and transformed a steep topography into a series of arable plateaus.

Today, the Cycladic islands are being reshaped by a very different force: the demand for holiday homes. The design uses the precedent of earth-retaining stone walls to create an artificial landscape that is both rural and domestic in use.

The site is a natural saddle where two slopes meet. In the North-South axis the slope rises between two hills while in the East-West axis the slope drops, opening to the sea views. Two long stone walls bridge the hills allowing the house to nestle in the space within while maintaining the continuity of the landscape which flows over it. This simple strategy blurs the edges of the house and makes its mass imperceptible within the broader skyline of the island.

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w02n 2cents:

The designer smartly use the inspiration of the "Nature Forces" of the existing landscape. Impressed with the architecture idea / principle that utilise the existing context to create a new space, that gave a great architecture that consolidate historical value with new inspiration. As well as using the indegenous material with new form in architecture.

Šolta Island resort by Richard Hywel Evans Architecture

A rotating hotel is to form the centrepiece of a new resort near Split in Croatia. Designed by Richard Hywel Evans of Studio RHE, specialists in holiday resort design, the concept was proposed from a desire to provide sea views from each room.

While most of the fine details of the hotel remain under wraps WAN can reveal "the 3 storey building is a 61 metre diameter very slow moving continuous turntable rotating 1.3 times per day, and will be built of steel in sections at the huge Split shipyards which are directly opposite the Island," says Evans. "The building is entered from below at Lower Ground Level which does not rotate with the 22 metre diameter centre hub of the building which is also static containing the Reception, circulation stairs and lifts," he adds.

The full development is comprised a new build marina and resort which will include the hotel, guest pavilions and villas. The new 170 berth marina will be accompanied by a performance stage, yacht club and marine village along the water's edge.
The development is to be built on Šolta Island on a hillside olive grove allowing views across the bay, 35 minutes boat ride from Split. The project spreads across the water with villas facing the marina from across the water. Guest Pavilions made from the surrounding grove slate walls create private spaces for guests with glass fronted pavilions and swimming pools roofed with reflective aluminium wings. Four Bedroom Residences are interconnected and created from the perimeter ‘stone contour’ walls in the olive tree fields with trees rising from the swimming pools encased in glazed tubes. The centrepiece hotel itself is set in an infinity edged swimming lake which spills over into a hillside spa below. The views worthy of a rotating hotel spread across the Adriatic Sea and over to the Roman remains of a Diocletian fish farm and dramatic countryside.

Casa Kike / Gianni Botsford Architects

By coupling indigenous techniques and materials with modern design technologies and aesthetics GBA has created this intimate double pavilion for a writer in Costa Rica.

A main studio space, with library, writing desk and grand piano, is the writer’s daytime space. The pavilion’s wooden structure, sourced from local timber, sits on a simple foundation of wooden stilts on small concrete pad foundations. Roof beams of up to 10 m long and 355 mm deep allow for an interior with no vertical columns. The mono-pitched roof elevates towards the sea shore, while the interior is through ventilated via a completely louvred glazed end façade.

Set at a short distance along a raised walkway, a second smaller pavilion mirrors the first. This contains sleeping quarters and a bathroom. Externally, the pavilions are clad in corrugated steel sheeting, another locally used construction material. The overall effect is that of a building which blends with its surroundings, both visually and environmentally.All above info and images from http://www.archdaily.com

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w02n 2cents:

I do like this kind of small scale and simple structure building, and its approach tried to blend to the surrounding environment. The usage of corrugated steel sheeting give a very subtle and sophiscated ambient for the structure. The presentation of interior wall cladding and ceiling profile, and how the timber ceiling meet the timber book rack and book storage space, shown the comprehensive design and smart detailing for the pavilion. Would like to stay in this library for whole day to enjoy the ambient that created.

Kastrup Sea Bath / White arkitekter AB

Reaching out into the Øresund from Kastrup Strandpark in Kastrup, Kastrup Sea Bath forms a living and integral part of the new sea front. The project consists of the main building on the water, the new beach and an ajoining service building with lavatories and a handicap changing room.

A wooden pier leads the visitor round to a circular construction, gradually elevating above the sea surface, and ending in a 5m diving platform. The building material is Azobé wood, chosen for it’s durability in sea water.The Sea Bath stands on slender legs about a meter above the water and the load baring constructions are exposed in its exterior. The building consists of 870 m² wooden deck, 70 m² changing facilities and of 90 m² service building on land. The Bath is conceived as a sculptural dynamic form, which can be seen from the beach, the sea and the air. It’s silhouette gradually changes as the beholder moves around it.

The circular shape creates a concentrated interior, shelter from the winds, and concentrating the sun. The shape opens up towards the landside to connect to the beach and to invite visitors inside. A continuous bench runs along the pier, thus creating an additional rest and leisure area.
An important part of the concept for the Sea Bath is that is free of admission and open to the public at all times. The bath is designed to be a rather untraditional framework for exercising sports activities. There is room for a peaceful evening swim as well as exercise and playfulness. It is envisaged that old Mrs Jensen, will be as comfortable as the younger more sports orientated visitor. Ramps, and other special features and facilities allow the less mobile members of the population full access to the sight.

All above info and images from http://www.archdaily.com
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w02n 2cents:
What a interesting structure or pavilion, and impressed with the way architect articulate the diving platform in a very community approaches. Although the water sports and facilities is not main adviseable for the handicap and folks, but the design did put a huge consideration on the disable user, added the credit to the structure. I do think this kind of pavilion architecture encourage community activities and giving the new image for the neighbourhood.

Yellow Treehouse Restaurant / Pacific Environments

The concept is driven by the ‘enchanted’ site which is raised above an open meadow and meandering stream on the edge of the woods.

The tree-house concept is reminiscent of childhood dreams and playtime, fairy stories of enchantment and imagination . It’s inspired through many forms found in nature -the chrysalis/cocoon protecting the emerging butterfly/moth, perhaps an onion/garlic clove form hung out to dry. It is also seen as a lantern, a beacon at night that simply glows yet during the day it might be a semi camouflaged growth, or a tree fort that provides an outlook and that offers refuge.The plan form also has loose similarities to a sea shell with the open ends spiralling to the centre .

It’s the treehouse we all dreamed of as children but could only do as an adult fantasy. Access is via a 60m tree-top ‘accessible’ walkway -an adventure in itself.

The selected site and tree had to meet a myriad of functional requirements -18 seated people and waiting staff in relative comfort complete with a bar; gaining correct camera angles with associated light qualities for filming the adverts, web cam and stills, have unobstructed views into the valley and entrance to the site and structural soundness . The final selected tree is one of the larger trees on the site and sits above a steep part of the site which accentuates the tree’s height. Kitchen/catering facilities and toilets are at ground level.

The Architectural component embodies a simple oval form wrapped ‘organically’ around the trunk and structurally tied at top and bottom, with a circular plan that is split apart on the axis with the rear floor portion raised. This allows the approach from the rear via a playful tree-top walkway experience, slipping inside the exposed face of the pod and being enchanted by the juxtaposition of being in an enclosed space that is also quite ‘open’ and permeable to the treetop views. There is also a ‘Juliet’ deck opposite the entrance that looks down the valley.

The scale and form of the tree-house creates a memorable statement without dominating it’s setting. While it’s natural ‘organic’ form sits comfortably, the rhythm of the various materials retains it’s strong architectural statement. The verticality of the fins mimics the verticality of the redwoods and enable the building to naturally ‘blend’ into it’s setting, as though it were a natural growth.

It sits almost 10m wide and over 12m high, with the split-level floor sitting 10m off the ground. Timber trusses form the main structure. The curved fins are glue-laminated pine, plantation poplar has been used for the slats and redwood milled from the site used in the walkway balustrading. Openings are formed for windows by leaving spaces between the slats/fins that keeps the overall form yet affords a variety of openness for the views and light and closes down toward the rear. To loosen the regularity of the elements, steel is wrapped arbitrarily around the pod. Tying this up at the top and base has a sense of greater connection with the tree.

It is designed to be weather resistant using acrylic sheeting fixed to the roof under the fins with vertical roll-down café-style blinds within. Lighting is an important architectural component enhancing and changing the mood, with discreet lighting within the walkway and up-lighting within the tree house.

All above info and images from http://www.archdaily.com

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w02n 2cents:

It's reminded me my 1st year studio assignment, to create a tree house, which required to build a 1:10 model on the branches of a tree. This sophisticated design provided a very good ambient an experience dining in the reserved jungle, it doesn't seem to demolish the surrounding ecosystem, but evoke the consciousness of the environmental design. The sketches is brilliant, i would like to see all this sketches in my working life, as we are too digital oriented now, and no one else appreciate it, but i really like to see the architect's spirit through sketches, it's amazed me more!! Love how the articulate of pathway to approach the restaurant, but the furniture is somehow dissapointed, as it does not design alongside, and it's look too flat and overlook on this element.